Latest news with #VolusiaCountyCouncil
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Yahoo
Florida teen reflects a year after being run over by lifeguard truck on Daytona Beach
The Brief One year after a lifeguard truck ran over her while sunbathing, Sierra Trumbull reflects on her emotional and physical recovery. The incident has prompted calls to reexamine beach-driving rules in Volusia County. Trumbull still avoids beaches where vehicles are allowed, saying she's "a little too scared" to relax fully again. DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - One year after being run over by a lifeguard truck while sunbathing on Daytona Beach, 19-year-old Sierra Trumbull says her recovery has been long, emotional and life-changing — but her spirit remains strong. What we know On Memorial Day 2023, 19-year-old Sierra Trumbull and a friend were run over by a Volusia County Beach Patrol truck while sunbathing on Daytona Beach. Trumbull sustained serious facial injuries and a lacerated liver, and has spent the past year recovering through physical therapy. The driver, a beach patrol sergeant, later issued a public apology in court. What we don't know While a review of safety protocols was initiated by the Volusia County Council, it remains unknown whether beach driving will be restricted in high-traffic sunbathing zones. The backstory The accident occurred on a busy Memorial Day when Daytona Beach was crowded with beachgoers. The lifeguard truck was reportedly patrolling the beach when it inadvertently ran over Trumbull and her friend, who were lying flat in the sand. The case sparked renewed conversations about vehicle access on Florida's popular drive-on beaches. Local perspective Daytona Beach is one of few places in Florida where beach driving is still permitted, a long-standing tradition that continues to draw tourists but has also raised public safety concerns. Trumbull's case has reignited debate over whether such practices are worth the risk to beachgoers. Other coastal areas in Florida already prohibit driving near pedestrian zones. What they're saying One year after a lifeguard truck ran over her while sunbathing, Sierra Trumbull reflects on her emotional and physical recovery. "I wake up and next thing you know, I have a tire on my face," Trumbull recalled, describing the moment last Memorial Day when a beach patrol truck ran her and a friend over as they lay in the sand. "All I feel is this immense pressure." Trumbull suffered serious facial injuries and a lacerated liver in the incident. The Ormond Beach teen has spent the past year undergoing physical therapy while navigating the trauma of the event. "I still get like, you know, like those flashbacks now and then," she said. "Everything really reminds me of it, but every day it's easier to kind of like get through it." The Volusia County Beach Patrol sergeant who was driving the truck appeared in court last September and apologized to both young women. "Not a day has passed that I haven't thought of both of you and thanked God for His protection," Sgt. Arthur Gendreau said. In April, the Volusia County Council voted unanimously to begin reviewing safety protocols on Daytona Beach. Trumbull said she hopes any future changes keep public safety at the forefront. "We need to focus on it being safe for people that just want to have a nice, peaceful afternoon at the beach and not be worried about... going to the hospital for just laying down and tanning.," she said. "We have to make sure that there are safety regulations for driving on the beach, whether it be lifeguards or whether it'd be regular civilians." Trumbull hasn't returned to Daytona Beach since the accident, opting instead for beaches where driving is prohibited. "I try to avoid — I do avoid — the driving parts of the beach. I only go to beaches that have no, you know, there is no driving allowed. But of course, lifeguards are still allowed to drive on the beach." Despite the trauma, Trumbull's facial injuries have healed with minimal scarring, and she says she's grateful to be moving forward. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information shared by Sierra Trumbull, or Ormond Beach and by Volusia County Beach Safety.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Volusia County approves hurricane recovery plan with $20 million for home buyouts
Volusia County will spend up to $20 million to buy properties that have flooded multiple times. The money is part of a $135 million grant from the federal government meant to help the area recover from Hurricane Milton and prepare for future storms. The program could be a game-changer for people in Midtown who are still recovering from past storms. Homes still sit empty nearly three years after Hurricane Ian, and those who were able to make repairs finally started to move back in last year, only to be met with more flooding from Hurricane Milton. 'I just moved back into my home about a month or two ago and right now I am scared to death,' said long time Midtown resident Cynthia Slater. Slater who is also the president of the NAACP in Daytona Beach has gutted her house five times and like many of her neighbors, is running out of resources to rebuild or relocate. 'We are stuck where we are unless we sell the house, but again, who is going to buy a house that has been known to flood three, four, five times?' said Slater. Help could be on the way for homeowners in her situation. Volusia County leaders have plans to spend $20 million to purchase properties that habitually flood. They'll then be demolished and turned into retention ponds or open space. The county will provide up to $400,000 for buyouts. The amount given to homeowners will be based on the property's pre-storm appraisal value. Slater said at this point, anything would put people in a better situation. 'They didn't have the money to get things done. I mean it's been 8 months now and people are still tearing out walls, throwing out furniture, it's really sad,' said Slater. It's not clear which cities will get this funding or how individual homeowners will be selected. But the county hopes to have a better idea once it gets some applications together in the coming months. Click here to find more information about how the county will allocate the rest of the funds. A Hurricane Milton recovery plan approved by the Volusia County Council during its May 6 meeting will direct $100 million of federal grant funds into stormwater improvements, future storm protection, and voluntary buyouts to support flood-impacted homeowners. The $133.5 million plan, funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, focuses on long-term resilience and helping the community rebuild stronger. Approximately $80 million will be invested in infrastructure and mitigation projects that strengthen stormwater systems, upgrade outdated drainage, and reduce vulnerability to future storms. These funds will be used to partner with Volusia County municipalities and nonprofit organizations to repair damage caused by Hurricane Milton and build infrastructure that helps protect communities across the county from future disasters. Another $20 million will be used to fund a voluntary buyout program to assist property owners in high-risk areas who have experienced repeated storm damage. Once acquired, the land will be preserved as open space or used for floodplain restoration, reducing the risk of future damage while contributing to long-term community resilience. In addition, $20.2 million is set aside for a repair and replacement program to help eligible low- to moderate-income homeowners rebuild their lives. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
County OKs $10.4 million for construction of 280 new affordable apartments
Over $10.4 million in federal Hurricane Ian recovery funds will go toward constructing 280 new affordable apartments in Volusia County. The Volusia County Council quickly and unanimously approved the move at Tuesday's meeting after delaying the decision in January to get more information. Councilmen wanted to know more about how the new apartments would impact flooding, traffic, and schools. "The projects address vital areas of need for affordable housing in Volusia County," according to a county presentation. "Three of the county's Public Housing Authorities lost almost $20 million worth of property in Hurricane Ian alone." County officials, including engineers, looked at all of the developments and found that the traffic volume created by each development will have a "negligible effect on the surrounding road network." Here are the apartment projects, the funding they will receive, and information about flooding and school impacts: Over $1.9 million to ACRUVA Community Developers for 56 senior housing units in Daytona Beach. Rent will be capped at 65% of the area's median income, which is $1,009 a month. Some units will be offered for less than that. There will be no school-aged children in the development. The site was not flooded in recent storms. Also, "the development will result in less flow toward the floodplains than the site currently sends." Over $2.7 million to Blue Sky Communities for 84 units in DeLand. Thirteen units are designed for the homeless. It will include secure parking for 66 bikes, including a portion in a bike garage. Volusia County Schools doesn't object to the development. The site is in "an Area of Minimal Flood Hazard," but the site isn't flood-prone and "has no history of flooding." The developers plan to install "a dry retention pond and underground exfiltration system" that can hold water runoff from a 100-year storm event. $3.6 million to Good Housing Partnership for 60 affordable housing units in New Smyrna Beach. This is replacing units that were destroyed during Hurricane Ian and adding more, and there's no expected increase in students. The county will be demolishing 40 units to build 60. The property flooded during Hurricanes Ian and Milton, but the developers will add stormwater management infrastructure to the site. That includes "on-site areas consisting of retention ponds and floodplain compensation areas." Over $2 million to Wendover Housing partners for 80 senior housing units in Orange City. All of the units will be for people who make at or below 80% of the area median income, and 52 of the units will be for people who make 60% of the area median income or less. School-aged children aren't a part of the development. Flooding hasn't been seen on the site, and the project includes added safety features such as bigger stormwater ponds. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia apartment developments get over $10.4M from County Council
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Daytona Beach Shores mayor files to run for at-large Volusia County Council seat
Competition has already begun for the at-large Volusia County Council seat in 2026. Daytona Beach Shores Mayor Nancy Miller filed this month to run for the role, the only person to file to seek the post as of Monday morning. 'I want to work for all of Volusia County and the issues we have, whether it's the storm, whether it's bringing higher paying jobs to Volusia County," she said. Former Port Orange City Manager Jake Johansson holds the seat but plans to run for District 8 in the Florida Senate. Current District 8 Sen. Tom Wright, R-New Smyrna Beach, won't be able to seek re-election in the district because of term limits. Johansson, a retired Navy captain, has been on the County Council since January 2023. Former House member Elizabeth Fetterhoff, of DeLand, has also filed to run for Wright's Senate seat. While people in a particular district elect most members of the County Council, the at-large seat represents all Volusia County residents. Miller and her husband became permanent Daytona Beach Shores residents in 2014 but had been vacationing the area since the 70s. They bought a home in the city in 2010, according to Miller's biography on the city's website. Miller was elected mayor in 2018 and re-elected to that role without opposition in 2022. Her term is scheduled to end in November of 2026. Miller is the president of the Florida League of Mayors and the president of the Volusia League of Cities. Her work in the wake of Hurricanes Ian and Nicole included advocating for Florida Department of Environmental Protection grant funding to help property owners recover from damage. City efforts during her time as mayor include "the opening of Veterans Park and the Van Alder Dog Park, establishment of an Economic Development Committee, elimination of the city debt that resulted in a reduction in property taxes, approval of a Stipulated Settlement Agreement and redevelopment plan for demolition of the former Treasure Island resort, and recruitment for the much-needed and requested Halifax Health ExpressCare, the only urgent care center on the beachside," according to her biography. ― Political Editor Mark Harper contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia County at-large seat sought by Daytona Beach Shores mayor
