- December 23, 2024
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Meet Klaus, Ormond Beach Police Department’s newest K-9.
Thanks to a donation by Caesar DePaço, a private citizen, OBPD was able to acquire a new K-9 for about $12,000. DePaço, a Portuguese businessman and philanthropist based in the U.S., has routinely made donations to help fund various police departments along the east coast of the U.S. OBPD presented DePaço’s representative, Scott Vedder, with a certificate and a framed photo of Klaus in appreciation for his donation on Sunday, Aug. 28.
“It really moves me as a police chief because it’s not like this all over the United States,” Ormond Beach Police Chief Jesse Godfrey said. “But I can tell you in this area, in this part of Florida, the support we get from the community is just overwhelming at times.”
And this wasn’t the first time DePaço made a donation to OBPD. It’s the second. Godfrey said a few years ago, DePaço offered to donate the funds for the department to acquire a new K-9, but that at the time, OBPD didn’t have a need for one. So DePaço purchased weapons for OBPD’s special response team.
K-9 Klaus, who will work alongside Officer Justin Hyatt, is trained in narcotics detection. His addition to the department means OBPD is back to having two K-9s.
“It’s helping to get illicit drugs off the street,” Godfrey said. “That’s really what their job is ... detect the drugs and bring those violators into the justice system.”
Godfrey thanks DePaço for his “unwavering support” of local law enforcement communities.
“The citizens appreciate it,” Godfrey said. “The officers appreciate it. ... It’s just another tool we use to keep our citizens safe.”
Volusia County’s Beach Safety Division is expecting big crowds, a mix of sun and storms, traveling marine life and moderate surf at the beach this upcoming Labor Day weekend.
According to a county news release, rip currents are an ongoing threat and Beach Safety officials state that the safest way to enjoy the water is in front of a staffed lifeguard tower.
Vehicle ramps will open no earlier than 8 a.m. and all vehicles must leave the beach before 7 p.m. Portions of the coast are experiencing soft sand, causing select sections of the beach to be designated as four-wheel drive only. Parking is also available in off-beach parking lots.
Turtle season is in full swing and beachgoers should flatten sandcastles, fill in holes and take chairs and equipment with them as they leave the beach. Stay clear of marked sea turtle nests and watch where you step as washbacks could be hiding in the sargassum seaweed that has washed ashore.
Alcohol, glass containers and pets are prohibited, Beach Safety stated.
The city of Ormond Beach is asking for the community’s help to choose the theme for this year’s Home for the Holidays Parade.
The options are:
The 31st-annual Home for the Holidays Parade will take place on Saturday, Dec. 10. A tree lighting ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m., and the parade will start at 6:30 p.m.
To cast your vote, visit http://ow.ly/ihsY50KuJGk.
The Florida Department of Transportation has had ongoing road closures on Rockefeller Drive since the middle of August for drainage improvements.
Through as late as Friday, Sept. 8, FDOT said there will be a continuous full roadway closure at the intersection of Rockefeller Drive and South Halifax Drive.
To learn more, https://www.cflroads.com/project/427986-1.
A neighborhood meeting was held last week for the proposed Tattersall residential development at the intersection of Tymber Creek Road and Airport Road.
This project was previously denied by the City Commission. The developer had reduced the number of lots from 143 to 129. The project’s new application will be considered by the Planning Board on Sept. 8. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the City Commission chambers.
