Annual Pageant of Crosses The Garden Club of DeLand is hosting its annual Pageant of Crosses noon-3 p.m. Sunday, April 1, at the clubhouse at 865 S. Alabama Ave. The theme is “The Holy Week.” Garden Club members, members of local churches and area florists create beautiful floral arrangements of ...

Friday, March 23 Opening Reception and Sculpture Unveiling 5-7 p.m. at the Museum of Florida Art, 600 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand. Opening reception for the exhibition “Architectural Counterpoints,” and unveiling of John Wolfe’s sculpture Tropical Cascades. Refreshments. Free. Call 386-734-4371 ...

A DeLeon Springs man died Sunday evening after the vehicle he was driving hit a power pole. The Florida Highway Patrol reports Hedilberto Diaz-Pascacio, 27, of DeLeon Springs was driving southbound in the left lane of U.S. Highway 17 near Citra Street, around 8:45 p.m. March 25, when he apparently l ...

The ninth season for the Florida Collegiate Summer Wooden Bat League is drawing closer for the 2012 campaign, with the goal of upping the attendance record, which was set last year. More than 75,000 fans attended the 2011 games at eight Central Florida parks. One of the season’s highlights was hav ...

DeBary Mayor Bob Garcia called her a “shining star” when he introduced her to the city and the City Council during the council’s March 7 meeting. She is Taylor Grinnen of Orange City, a University High School student who will spend what is sort of her senior year in Russia as an exchange stude ...

The final concert in this season’s series will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday at St. Anastasia Catholic Church, 5205 A1A South, on Anastasia Island.

The concert will feature organist and pianist Shannon McKay and violinist Helen Beke-Morin performing works for piano and violin by Brahms and Beethoven.

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LONGWOOD (AP) — State wildlife officials say they’ve captured and euthanized a black bear that bit a woman at a central Florida apartment complex last week.

Officials say they found the bear near the trash bin of the same Longwood apartment complex Thursday morning. A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman said the 300-pound animal had lost all fear of humans and would continue to attack people if it was left in the wild.

Officials also captured the bear’s 14-month-old cub. The Orlando Sentinel reports that the cub will go to a captive situation.

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St. Johns County Sheriff's Office detectives are looking for a suspect after an elderly Hastings couple were the victims of a home invasion robbery Wednesday night.

The 74-year-old female victims said someone kicked open the rear door before 10 p.m. and then demanded money.

The woman said she didn't have any, so the suspect asked where the woman's husband was.

She told him that her husband was asleep, and the suspect ran in the bedroom and demanded money from the male victim.

The woman checked on her husband and found he had been beaten.

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The dog shot earlier this month is in serious condition at the Animal Emergency Hospital on Old Moultrie Road, and his owners are asking the community for help.

“He’s fun-loving,” owner Denise Wahl said about her 4-year-old white German shepherd, Sam. “I have two kids that he loves playing with ... He’s not vicious.”

Sam was shot twice after he bit a St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office deputy on March 7, according to a Sheriff’s Office report. That deputy was taken to Flagler Hospital.

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The Creekside softball team locked up its first playoff spot in school history with a 3-0 win over Bartram Trail on March 22. Photos by Gary McCullough.

Just as you can count on Easter, a moveable feast, to occur on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the March equinox, for the past 131 years, residents — especially those of Minorcan descent — also count on the St. Ambrose Parish Fair to occur two weeks before Easter.

With Easter set for April 8 this year, the area’s longest running fair will take place from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday on the church grounds located at Moccasin Branch in the rural community of Elkton.

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Daytona Beach resident Vilpin Verma, a family law attorney in his mid-20s, said he always desired to enter public service, but the “ideological battles” in Congress caused him to realize that no progress was possible without people working together.

This week, Verma announced he will campaign for the newly created U.S. House District 6, the congressional seat encompassing St. Johns and Flagler counties and most of Volusia County, on the Democratic ticket.

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Congratulations to the winners of the March 17 Ancient City Gamefish Association fishing tournament. They are: Most Caught By Girl — Alevia Colee; Most Caught By Boy — Kason Wyatt; Must Skillful — Kaylee Brown; Most Unique Catch — Emma Thrasher, she hooked a pelican; overall winner — Jade Smith.

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The St. Augustine Colonial Grand Muster Torchlight Parade, a re-enactment of Spanish military parades of the 1740s, will cause traffic delays in parts of downtown St. Augustine on Saturday.

The procession starts at 8 p.m. at the Castillo de San Marcos and continues to the city gate on Orange Street, then south on St. George Street, east on Cathedral Place, south on Charlotte Street, west on King Street and north on St. George Street to Government House.

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The Festival of the Chariots is scheduled from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday in downtown St. Augustine.

The procession will cause some traffic interruptions along Cordova Street and near the Plaza de la Constitucion.

The procession will start on St. George Street and Cathedral Place, proceed west on Cathedral Place, continue north on Cordova Street to the Visitors Information Center and then south on Cordova Street, east on Cathedral Place and south on St. George Street to the starting point.

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The Santo Domingo Redoubt, a reconstructed portion of the wall that protected colonial St. Augustine, has been closed for repairs.

The redoubt is expected to be closed for approximately two weeks. It is on the corner of Orange and Cordova streets near the Visitor Information Center.

Dedicated in February 2004, the Santo Domingo Redoubt is a reconstructed corner of the wall that protected the northern, western and southern approaches to St. Augustine. At several points along the wall were redoubts that soldiers guarded with cannons as part of the city’s line of defense.

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The bare bones of a replica 16th-century boat are a promise of things to come at the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park.

“We’re recreating the history of St. Augustine one board at a time,” said John Stavely, manager at the tourist attraction that increasingly offers visitors a chance to discover the roots of St. Augustine.

Or as Pedro Menendez de Aviles re-enactor Chad Light puts it, “We’re rebuilding Menendez’s empire.”

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A decade-long policy that saw pit bulls segregated by Putnam County Animal Control as potentially dangerous, then euthanized instead of being put up for adoption has been abandoned after an animal rights group worked out a compromise with the Sheriff’s Office.

The changes mean pit bulls won’t be automatically put down as efforts begin to find legitimate pet rescue groups willing to adopt them to new homes.

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TALLAHASSEE — Two weeks after its first maps were rejected, the Senate passed a second redraw Thursday of the political lines that would shape the chamber for the next decade if the state Supreme Court approves.

The 31-6 vote came after an all-day floor session where members considered and dismissed several last-minute changes. The maps now go to the House for what is largely seen as a procedural vote before heading back to the court.

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City officials will discuss the Riberia Street improvement project at a public meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday.

The meeting will be held in The Alcazar Room at 75 King St., and officials will provide information about Riberia Street’s reconstruction, including the project’s schedule and detour routes. City representatives will also be on hand to answer questions.

For more information, call the Public Works Department at 825-1040.

Club Divas, ordinary women doing extraordinary things, honored Armstrong natives at a special gathering Feb. 25 at the T.L. Holtz building in Hastings.

The honorees were recognized for the many accomplishments in their careers and endeavors. Each received an Armstrong Finest medallion, a plaque and certificate of appreciation from Congresswoman Corrine Brown.

The honors were presented by Carla Vickers and Patricia Milton.

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Recently, the Veterans’ Council of St. Johns County, Inc. presented the Col. George E. Taylor Award to Coquina Veterans for their many efforts to support USA troops and veterans. The presentation was made at the St. Augustine Elks Lodge 829 on Anastasia Island.

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Junior Achievement of West Central Florida recognizes outstanding leaders, educators, and volunteers throughout the region each year. According to a recent press release, this year, two Marion County leaders were recognized for their partnership in bringing the inaugural JA “Our Nation” program to 402, sixth grade students at Howard Middle School.  Robert  A. Hensel, Principal Howard Middle School, and Marianne Howanitz, Attorney-At-Law, were honored at the February 16, Hall of Achievement Celebration Dinner held at Busch Gardens in Tampa. Principal… Read More »

The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) announced in a recent press release, that Forest High School student Abigail Elizabeth Reed of Ocala has been selected for membership. The Society recognizes top scholars and invites only those student who have achieved academic excellence.

OCALA – Board members from the Marion County Kidney Foundation attended a staff meeting March 19 at Winco Manufacturing to provide refreshments and thank the employees for their support. Winco manufactures medical office equipment. In addition to being a Diamond level sponsor for two years, Winco employees raised additional funds through various events to help the foundation, according to a press release. Winco also had the greatest team participation in the 2011 Kicking Kidney Disease 5K and the 2012 Kicking… Read More »