Parents and guardians were notified an hour ago through the Volusia school district call system that Volusia County schools will remain closed on Wednesday. That includes all school activities, events and extended day programs are also canceled for Wednesday.
District administrative offices will be closed. Only designated emergency employees are to report for work.
-- Lillian F. Matetich, 83, of Edgewater, died Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008. She was a homemaker.
-- Harold Alan "Grip" Leffler, 100, of New Smyrna Beach, died Friday, Aug. 15, 2008. He was a retired hospital case worker.
-- Adele I. Holmes, 95, of New Smyrna Beach, died Friday, Aug. 15, 2008. She was a homeowner.
-- Klaus Gronhert, 71, of New Smyrna Beach, died Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008. He was owner of Techni-Coat.
-- Jonalyn "Jonny" Wasko, 40, of Edgewater, died Wednesday, Aug, 13, 2008. She was a published poet.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Mayor Sally Mackay was keeping her fingers crossed just before midnight Tuesday that Tropical Storm Fay would not come back ashore any where near Southeast Volusia.
As of midnight, Fay was centered over Melbourne and headed in northeast direction at 7 mph slightly over the ocean with a chance of coming ashore right here in the next 24 hours.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Inside the cozy confines of Denny's restaurant on State Road 44, Robert "Chip" Higgins wasn't impressed by what he saw of Tropical Storm Fay just before 2 this morning as wind gusts of up to 40 mph and precipitation picked up outside.
"I think it's going to rain a bit and that's it," said the 29-year-old server from Edgewater as he waited on a handful of patrons. "I think it's been overblown by the media. Hey, good pun."
She's teased us with 5-minute rain bands and gusting winds of up to 35 mph, and just like that -- nothing.
Perhaps, the many skeptics are right. Tropical Storm Fay has not lived up to the hype.
At least not yet.
Still, there's another 24 hours as of this 3:30 a.m. Wednesday blog entry where Fay could cause problems locally. Especially, if she does have that boomerang effect that New Smyrna Beach Mayor Sally Machay was worried about just before midnight when she gave me her latest report on the city's readiness.
Since there is so much concern over the housing market here in Volusia county as well as elsewhere our readers will likely be interested in the information and opinions of Mary Rhodes, a professional home stager. Specialists like Rhodes help the homeowner get his or her house into a condition to make it most sale-able in the most affordable manner.
Rhodes says the three most basic principles of home staging are: De-clutter, depersonalize and clean up.
Other pertinent cancellations:
