Ross Janke brought the historic DeLand Hotel back to life, restoring its original ambiance and character of the 1920s. Now he has turned his attention to his next project — opening Hemingway’s 442, a high-end “speak-easy” themed cigar lounge within The DeLand Hotel at 442 E. New York Ave.

With the county’s licensing and tax-collection duties now being handled by a separate, stand-alone department overseen by an elected constitutional officer, Volusia County has established a new in-house division to manage water billing and related issues.

Both West Volusia hospitals in the AdventHealth system were recently given new top officers. Lorenzo Brown has been named president and CEO of AdventHealth Fish Memorial in Orange City, and David Weis will take over as president and CEO of AdventHealth DeLand.

Jeff Ulmer, Stetson University’s vice president for development and alumni engagement, has retired effective Jan. 8. Since joining Stetson in April 2014, Ulmer successfully led a major fundraising campaign and built a stronger network of alumni in Florida and nationwide, according to a prepa…

Bill Kachman, a retired U.S. Army major from DeLand, has been elected president of the Florida Green Building Coalition, a statewide certifier of green residential and commercial construction and local government projects.

West Volusia businesses, like their counterparts across the nation, faced many challenges in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Many weathered the storm through luck and perseverance, albeit with varying periods of difficulty, but an untold number simply closed their doors forever.

Consumers have become more interested in growing their own fruits and vegetables during the COVID-19 pandemic. There has also been a boost in purchasing herb plants and seeds to spice up dishes. Popular herbs include basil, parsley, mint, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, sage, chives and dill.

Family-friendly Jeremiah’s Italian Ice is bringing its iconic frozen treats to DeLand and Orange City in its home state of Florida as the franchise continues to expand rapidly across the United States. The new franchise locations will serve up smiles and usher in a year of continued growth f…

On December 30, the Florida Gators and Oklahoma Sooners will face off in the 2020 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

With the DeLand Sport Aviation Showcase postponed again, this time until next November, city officials have devised a smaller, one-day event to bring interested aviation fans to town in place of the multiday showcase.

Longtime dog groomers Angela Lewis and Michelle Ennis met about eight years ago when they both worked at a grooming shop. Both ladies, already experienced in their craft, hit it off almost immediately.

Three new automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, were delivered recently to each of Volusia County’s 10 public high schools as part of an expanded program funded by AdventHealth to keep student-athletes safe during athletic practices and games.

Dream Finders Homes has made a half-dozen sales at pre-model pricing and started construction in Rivington, a traditional 296-acre, master-planned community along the St. Johns River in DeBary.

An estimated 34.0 percent fewer visitors came to Florida during the first nine months of this year than in the same period in 2019, with a major chunk of that being a virtual shutdown of visitors from Canada and overseas, the state’s tourism marketing agency, Visit Florida, reported recently.

Solar energy power system installer Solar-Fit for several years has sponsored young race car driver Daniel Dye of DeLand. But recently, the Holly Hill-based company has decided to increase its support for a cause near and dear to Dye — the “Race to Stop Suicide.”

After 15 years of sharing space in Pierson with the Farmworker Association of Florida, a credit union that helps underserved communities finally has moved its office to DeLand.

SMA Healthcare (SMA) and the SMA Healthcare Foundation recently announced that Florida Power & Light (FPL) has donated $10,000 to assist with a collaborative program between SMA and the Volusia Sheriff’s Office (VSO).

West Volusia has an eclectic mix of attractions, restaurants and boutiques that make it a spectacular spot to visit. And now it’s even cooler, with the “CoolCraft Beverage Trail.”

With its huge manufacturing facility located near a watershed that feeds a natural spring at DeLeon Springs State Park, defense contractor Sparton has taken a giant step toward helping to preserve that delicate natural resource.

In 2021, Crappie USA celebrates its 25th anniversary of providing competitive fishing to crappie anglers. The celebration kicks off a little early on the St. Johns River west of DeLand on Dec. 5, when anglers will travel from across the country to join the competition.

Stetson University students Abby Jagos and Zachary Blum won first place during the 18th annual Collegiate Ethics Case Competition in late October. The virtual event was hosted by the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona.

There is an affliction that affects more than half of American males, and seven of 10 men over the age of 70. But many men suffer in secret rather than talk about it, much less seek treatment for it.

Even at the best of times, a job interview can be a challenge.

For months, DaVita Labs in DeLand has been providing COVID-19 PCR tests to its dialysis patients and front-line workers who it says are essential to providing life-sustaining treatment to chronically ill patients. Now, DaVita is offering those tests to employers in West Volusia and elsewhere…

The Volusia County Council recently approved collective-bargaining agreements with the two public-safety unions that represent county firefighters and sheriff’s deputies. Both bargaining agreements call for employees covered by the unions to receive the same 3-percent raise that the rest of …

Sparton Corporation, a leading provider of sonobuoys for the U.S. Navy and engineered products for the defense industry, recently announced it has completed the relocation of its headquarters from Schaumburg, Illinois, to its primary manufacturing facility in DeLeon Springs.

Stetson University School of Business Administration senior Bryson Pritchard of Ormond Beach has been selected as one of 10 finalists in the 2020 Collegiate Inventors Competition for his invention of the Dyad Syringe.

It’s scary to think, but Halloween will soon be upon us — and in this turbulent year, we can all look forward to a bit of fall fun.

Volusia County is starting the new fiscal year with a new budget director.

Springview Woods — part of a 64-acre development that opened in 2018 — is expected to sell out nearly 1 1/2 years sooner than originally projected. Two of the development’s four phases sold out last year, and the 20-plus sites remaining should be sold out by next spring.

Magic of Lights, the popular drive-thru, family-friendly holiday lights extravaganza, returns to Daytona International Speedway this year, operating Nov. 13 through Jan. 2. Back for its fourth year at the “World Center of Racing,” Magic of Lights is continuing to bring a dazzling display of …

At some point, every great entrepreneur had a great idea that turned into a great company — sometimes even a great industry. But how did he or she know it had the potential to be a great company?

Passenger airline traffic has been slowly rising in recent months at Daytona Beach International Airport — DAB in airport lingo — although it’s still well below pre-pandemic levels.

Taking the leap to entrepreneurship is an exciting and scary journey filled with pitfalls, sacrifices and rewards. Stetson University students and the community can learn about the ups and downs of running a business during virtual Entrepreneurship Thursdays.

Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. recently announced it is raising its minimum full-time wage to $17 an hour, effective Oct. 1. The higher wage will be paid to workers who put in at least 32 hours a week in all 932 stores it operates, including those in Orange City and Daytona Beach, according to a sp…

DeLand’s economy is getting a small boost, courtesy of Stetson University, because more students have enrolled this semester. More students means more dollars spent locally.

Airline passengers in Volusia County will soon have more destinations to connect to than just Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina.

While they can’t be prevented, good planning is crucial for communities to survive and recover from hazardous events and lessen their overall impacts when they do occur. That’s the goal of Volusia County’s local mitigation strategy (LMS) plan, which recently gained approval from the federal …

Gov. Ron DeSantis and local and state tourism officials have kicked off a new marketing campaign to promote more tourism within Florida by Floridians.

After learning recently that all three tourism-promotion agencies in Volusia County had aced audits, the County Council unanimously approved annual budgets for all three.

A new hotel has opened on the south side of DeLand at 180 Fenway Drive, adjacent to the Country Club Corners shopping center.

Sept. 17 will mark the second annual “National Professional House Cleaners Day.”

The 2020 DeLand Sport Aviation Showcase (DSAS) is being rescheduled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Social events are in short supply these days, but maintaining a social network is still essential — especially during a pandemic as millions of Americans are looking for work. Who you know is a very large part of the job search, so it’s not a stretch to say that networking can be the single …

Steak ’n Shake recently announced the revival of its historic drive-in service at restaurants across the U.S., including the one on Saxon Boulevard in Orange City.

Jacksonville-based VyStar Credit Union obtained more loans on behalf of small-business owners through the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) than any other credit union in Florida and is among the most in the U.S., according to data released by the United States Treasury Department in July.

The Volusia Sheriff’s Office Communications Center has successfully earned national accreditation — for the first time ever.

Don’t go looking for any organized opportunities to meet-and-greet political candidates in West Volusia this year. The Chambers of Commerce that serve this side of the county have taken their Hob Nobs online because of the coronavirus pandemic.

More help from the state and Volusia County is available for pandemic-affected residents facing eviction or foreclosures.

Dream Finders Homes, a national homebuilder based in Jacksonville, will start construction within the next 60 days at Rivington, a master-planned community with a traditional character on just under 300 acres on Fort Florida and Barwick roads in DeBary.