a day Americans usually commemorate at the local Mexican restaurant with their favorite dish and a margarita or two But what is Cinco de Mayo and why do we celebrate it Cinco de Mayo translates to May 5 in Spanish significantly outnumbered Mexican troops stopped an invasion of French troops during the Battle of Puebla About 1,000 French troops were killed in the battle Cinco de Mayo became popular in the United States in the mid-20th century as a way for Mexican immigrants to show pride in their Mexican heritage And if you're looking for a place to celebrate Volusia County has plenty of authentic restaurants to enjoy handmade tamales or crispy birria tacos with a side of consommé the Daytona Beach area is rich with traditional and modern Mexican kitchens that bring bold south-of-the-border flavors right to your plate From fast-casual roadside joints to elevated restaurants and bars here are 10 of the area's best Mexican restaurants New NSB restaurants? 9 Volusia-Flagler eateries open, 3 close, 1 sells to new owner Mexican scratch kitchen to expand with 4th location in Ormond Beach Taqueria La Fondita is the kind of counter-service spot you might pass by without noticing but won’t soon forget once you’ve had your first taste While the unassuming roadside joint is usually buzzing with to-go orders it does house a handful of shaded tables for those who’d rather dig in on the spot Its menu doesn’t try to do everything — but what it does with staff more than willing to walk you through its homestyle offerings No matter where I looked during my recent visit —tables or to-go bags — its tacos like an unofficial dress code of the eatery — and I now know why yet sturdy corn tortillas and sprinkled with cilantro and a rich from chorizo and carnitas to cabeza (roasted beef head) with every bite shattering its crispy outer shell and giving way to tender shredded bits of seasoned chicken that fills each roll guests can choose between several signature plates traditionally made with tripe (cow’s stomach) You’ll have your choice of sauces to pair with your meal and Arroz Con Leche is just one branch of a family-run restaurant tree that spans several no-frills Latin spots across the Volusia-Flagler region all of which have maintained a loyal following of Central Florida foodies for nearly a decade Serving as the Holly Hill outpost of husband-and-wife Saul Cifuentes and Norma Castañeda’s four other eateries within the Daytona Beach area Arroz Con Leche occupies a petite space in an unassuming retail strip along Ridgewood Avenue where its unpretentious surroundings give way to unforgettable flavors alongside a plethora of other juicy Cuban platters its Mexican menu is about as authentic as it gets with prices that are unparalleled in today’s restaurant climate Options include flavor-dripping steak fajitas meat-stuffed or vegetarian enchiladas and classic taco salad are best-sellers for a reason and come cradled in soft chopped onion and my choice of shredded chicken — though steak grab a canned soda or homemade flan to enjoy with your meal neighborhood kitchen than a commercial eatery The brand started with its original Daytona Beach restaurant where guests can enjoy the same array of traditional Mexican You’ll likely catch me with cheeks ballooned spiced and far less messy helping of steaming fajita veggies and jalapenos black or refried beans and your protein of choice so do yourself a favor and mix and match several a la carte tacos from lengua (beef tongue) and classic steak to chorizo Be sure to save room for at least one gordita — a hearty sandwich-like dish made from frying disc-shaped corn dough until crispy splitting it open and filling it to the brim with beans Mexico City Street Food & Bar855 Mason Ave. inspired by the street food staples of Mexico’s capital city Inside the Dia de Los Muertos-decorated eatery guests can grab a seat at its LED-lit bar and sift through over a dozen handcrafted margaritas options before enjoying a deluxe two-burrito dinner chipotle sauce-drizzled tacos on homemade corn tortillas or molcajete filled to the brim with crab While I’ve just about exhausted the birria taco conversation at Mexico City Street Food its birria burrito is every bit as delicious twice as filling and a recent favorite for consommé dipping While the enchiladas verdes and ribeye dinners have made their way to my table more times than I can count the eatery offers a plethora of other fajita seafood and vegetarian platters to choose from Tia Cori's Tacos is one of Beach Street’s most beloved restaurants having served Daytona-area locals its modest menu with endless flavor combinations for more than a decade now Whether dropping by for a bite at the eatery’s muralled brick interior or cooling down with a margarita outdoors the fast-casual taqueria prides itself on bringing all of its guests an “authentic taste of Mexico” right here in Central Florida Tia Cori's Tacos makes its own gluten-free corn tortillas fresh daily and offers a classic menu of Mexican or American-style tacos Customers can customize each dish with their protein of choice chicken and chorizo to al pastor (marinated pork) and carne asada —though vegetarian and vegan tacos quesadillas and burritos are also available While the restaurant’s birria tacos — a savory onion and cilantro — are a non-negotiable when visiting the chicken tamales are worth the trip in and of itself The popular dish is traditionally made from corn dough known as masa cheeses and veggies of choice before being wrapped in a corn husk — though not eaten — and steamed until thoroughly cooked Stop by on a Monday to enjoy two-for-one margaritas Monarca’s pastel facade and arched balconies give it a curb appeal that might warrant a visit lined with dozens of approachable and top-shelf tequilas allowing its flavor-forward menu to take center stage Enjoy a sizzling shrimp fajita platter and molcajete dinner or bell pepper- steak- and bean-stuffed burrito mexicanos duo and steaming plate of shredded chicken chiles rellenos — soft egg-battered and deep-fried poblano peppers dressed in a house tomato-based sauce and stuffed with your protein of choice The Monarca sampler provides a taste of several house favorites including shredded chicken flautas and quesadillas El Tequila’s is where you go for the massive margaritas and stay for the homemade tamales and fresh guacamole is thoughtfully designed to emulate the streets of Mexico with its vibrant wall murals exposed brick and ceramic tiled tables paired with each warn-wood booth The eatery prides itself on honoring tradition with every dish reflecting the care and authentic flavors tied to homemade Mexican eats the lengthy menu will take a minute to scour through though I’d start with the pica pica guacamole dressed with slivers of skirt steak and a chimichurri drizzling carnitas-stuffed burritos and bowls decorate the menu the fajitas have earned the rightful title of bestseller at El Tequila’s Steam rises as each sizzling platter hits the table smoky haze that carries the scent of seared meats and charred peppers Finish off your meal with a warm churro or fried ice cream dessert Senorita Mexican Kitchen strikes a good balance between tradition and modern flair with its atmosphere immediately drawing you in and its cuisine routinely turning first-timers into regulars Papel picado banners of every color hang overhead each rustic wood while dozens of premium tequila and mezcal boxes line the walls Neatly arranged bottles and stained glass-style paneling decorate the bar where guests can choose between nearly 20 frozen spiced and skinny hand-crafted margaritas to compliment their meal Start with a helping of generously-portioned nachos supremos or handmade tamales before cutting into your steak of choice chargrilled skirt steak has a crispy outer caramelization and comes dressed with soft cheese enchilada over top grilled chicken breast is a well-marinated favorite with a slight outer char that comes layered in creamy spinach dip and fresh pico de gallo Senoritas’ birria trio hits the nail on the head with its crispy exterior and flavor dipping insides located just south of the Latitude Margaritaville entrance is my favorite spot to enjoy a chimichanga done right or a mix-and-match taco platter The small Florida chain is a self-proclaimed “go-to Mexican restaurant” where often I’ve found the service to be as thoughtful and well-rounded as the menu The brand holds six other locations across the state yet still tradition-rooted array of Mexican eats to be enjoyed at its breezy outdoor patio or inside If not keeping it classic with a spread of asada tacos cabbage- and queso fresco-layered chimichurri taco in one hand and Mexico City taco in the other complete with chicken tinga (shredded chicken in a spiced diners can choose between several seafood platters enjoy a flash-fried chimichanga doused in fresh guacamole or opt for an Angus rib-eye or churrasco steak sour and spiced margaritas and tajin-rimmed cocktails to sip on alongside a plate of pineapple cake Not your typical hole-in-the-wall taqueria is a modern Mexican Kitchen whose vibrant vibe and open layout makes it a local go-to for lively group dinners and large party celebrations The family-owned eatery and sister restaurant to One Daytona’s BurgerTen holds locations in Port Orange and right across the Speedway in Daytona Beach where guests can enjoy a menu that reimagines tradition with a fresh elevated flare — like offering certified Angus beef steaks Dahlia boasts a full bar stocked with casual and top-shelf tequilas shaking up nearly a dozen different handcrafted margaritas that range from classic to boldly infused a birria taco duo — though I’d gladly scarf down three — or al pastor lettuce wraps before enjoying the house-marinated carne asada — a tender smoky char — or chile verde burrito — juicy carnitas Dahlia also offers several meatless options including vegetarian burritos and vegan ceviche as well as various happy-hour specials and $1.99 house margaritas on Thursdays Show Breaking News BarCloseLocal NewsPublished: April 29 – A Daytona Beach bicyclist was killed Monday in a head-on collision with a car in Holly Hill The fatal crash happened at the intersection of 10th Street and the Florida East Coast railroad tracks Lacouzz was riding a bike when he and the driver of a vehicle tried to avoid each other and entered the eastbound lane of 10th Steet and the tracks Copyright 2025 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us / Follow on Social Media Careers at WKMG Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications EEO Report Disability Assistance Copyright © 2025 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Editor's Note: Some of the language in this story includes details from three lawsuits filed against the city of Holly Hill that some readers may find graphic and disturbing — Three Holly Hill Police Department employees have sued the city of Holly Hill over years of what one called "sexual harassment The lawsuits come after the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission cleared the way for the women to file, and follow a Volusia County Sheriff's Office report containing explosive allegations of misconduct by former high-ranking officers that went on for years Due to the sexual nature of the alleged offenses Spectrum News is not naming the women involved in the lawsuits — two of which were filed at the end of January They all stem from a Volusia County Sheriff's Office investigation report that was released in June 2024 that contained serious allegations of misconduct against then-Chief Jeff Miller who all resigned following the initial inquiry into the department.  The investigation started in February 2024 when Miller asked the Sheriff’s Office to investigate a complaint from a female officer regarding her male supervisor The inquiry prompted a larger investigation faced discipline in connection with the allegations but did not lose his job The report details interviews with current and former officers and staffers who alleged sexual acts were not only talked about around others The interviewees told sheriff's office investigators that Miller and Yates allegedly asked women to expose themselves the now-former chief is accused of cornering a female officer in a record storage room and telling her to lift her shirt Another staff member claimed the chief exposed and touched himself in front of her The lawsuits against the city lay out the women's allegations in great detail — which include instances of being groped by Miller and Yates a constant barrage of sexually inappropriate comments and repeated propositions for sex acts the department employee alleged that the "defendant’s discriminatory environment escalated into one of blatant sexual harassment." She accused the city of hiring Miller despite knowing there was a "recognized pattern of sexually harassing female employees from his prior employment." "Knowing Plaintiff feared for her job with (the city) Defendant's Managing Agent Chief Miller engaged in a pattern of barging into Plaintiff's office and demanding to see her breasts because 'he was having a really bad day,'" the lawsuit said would also demand to see Plaintiff's breasts." the female employee said Miller allegedly offered her $100 to perform a sex act on him the woman who filed the March 20 lawsuit against the city said the "harassment escalated to unwanted and unwelcome touchings of Plaintiff." "Chief Miller routinely called Plaintiff into his office where Captain Yates would be hiding behind the door and turn off the lights," the lawsuit alleged "Both Chief Miller and Captain Yates would grab Plaintiff Plaintiff left upset and humiliated while Chief Miller and Captain Yates laughed at her At no point did Plaintiff consent to Chief Miller and Captain Yates’s unlawful touching of her." The woman said that Miller's alleged misconduct only increased after she went through a divorce.  "Chief Miller demanded Plaintiff let him touch her breasts and asked her to suck his penis," the lawsuit said he would attempt to pressure her into engaging in sexual acts with him by saying 'Oh come on you don't have to do anything,' 'Why do you have an attitude,' 'It will be real quick,' 'They are just breasts it's no big deal,' 'You have a special place in my heart,' 'You know how I feel about you,' and 'If I wasn't married you know that I would be married to you.'" In one of the more graphic allegations in the lawsuit the female employee accused Miller of using "his position of authority over Plaintiff in (an) attempt to coerce Plaintiff into sexual activity by telling her that if she showed him her breasts then he would let her leave her shift early." the Plaintiff accused Miller of closing the door to her office — which locked automatically — forcibly lifting her shirt "and held onto her shirt preventing her from leaving he wiped himself off and told Plaintiff she could leave an hour early," the lawsuit alleged shocked and embarrassed he would do this to her." the lawsuit accused Yates of going into her office uninvited and asking her "When was the last time you had sex?" among other "intimate questions." One specific situation was detailed in two of the lawsuits — the one filed on March 20 and one of the ones filed in January in (the second plaintiff's) office with them," the lawsuit said "Chief Miller sat on (the second plaintiff's) lap and grinded his pelvis against hers Chief Miller grabbed both of her hands and forced her to rub his thighs in an effort to make her touch his penis." "Chief Miller and Captain Yates then groped Plaintiff Chief Miller and Captain Yates laughed as they walked out." Both women noted this last detail in their individual lawsuits who filed her lawsuit against the city on Jan also accused Miller of masturbating in front of her "Chief Miller instructed Plaintiff to ride along with him and after he parked in Ross Point Park he told Plaintiff how stressed and horny he was and that he needed to relieve himself He unzipped this pants and pulled out his penis and began to masturbate," the Jan Miller allegedly "zipped up his pants as if nothing had happened." made similar allegations against Miller and Yates but included others involving Fountain.  She accused him of sending her a nude photo of himself only wearing a towel telling her that "she needed to put her lips to 'good use,'" took pictures of her buttocks and "texted them to her while she was on duty," told her he was her "sugar daddy by proxy" because he controlled her pay and told her that she needed to "get laid or take the tampon out of her a--," among others All three women said in their lawsuits that they reported the behavior to the city but nothing was done until the Volusia County Sheriff's Office report was released they alleged retaliation for their complaints Miller was ultimately replaced as police chief by then-Daytona Police Capt. Byron Williams “I think the first thing I want to do is make sure that they feel safe and they begin to heal from this incident that transpired over the last couple of months,” Williams told Spectrum News in June 2024 “I know this was something traumatic for them and I want them to know that I’m coming in as someone that they can believe in and they can get behind as I lead this organization.” Order a subscription box for three months of Kentucky snacks, treats and seasonings, all crafted by hand! Ever wonder about the Merv behind Merv's Ham & Jalapeño what and where behind our favorite places and most popular dishes Betty Ann Scones – We named these for Midway grande dame Betty Ann Voigt whose doctor father had his practice in the Porter House on Winter St. and whose lifelong friend was Margaret Ware Parrish Big Brown Burger – This Wallace Station burger was named for the 2008 winner of the Kentucky Derby Guy Fieri rated it one of his “top five burgers of all time” when he stopped by to film an episode of Diners Cape Codder – This takes-two-hands sandwich is a throwback to the popular Cape Codder Restaurant once a central Kentucky fixture with locations in Lexington and Frankfort Dannii Boy – This Thai-adjacent po’boy at Windy Corner is a shout-out to Tali’s housemate Dannii Cormney P’s Crispy Chicken Sandwich – Ouita says she has three Dr former Gaines Professor of Humanities at UK — but this sandwich is the namesake of Dr East Hampton Hot Ham and Brie – This one’s named after a similar sandwich at the Plain and Fancy Health Pub Steamed Vegetable Bowl – Ouita’s first job out of culinary school was at a macrobiotic restaurant in NYC named the Health Pub Holly Hill Inn – When the Parrish family converted their home, then called Hermosa they renamed it Holly Hill Inn for the towering holly trees standing sentry at its entrance Honeywood Restaurant – Honeywood Parrish Rouse once reigned as hostess supreme at Hermosa the home where she grew up and which houses Holly Hill Inn today She loved three things – spending time with friends and family Honeywood Cocktail – Another Honeywood Parrish Rouse namesake, this pale pink cocktail packs a deceptive punch Leah’s Pinkie Cocktail – Leah Craig is our bar manager at Honeywood; her piano-trained hands inspired this namesake cocktail Lisa’s Remoulade – Another frequent flier on Holly Hill menus this zippy condiment was perfected by former Holly Hill Inn sous chef Lisa Laufer and her recipe remains our gold standard Mabel’s Nut Burger – Sara Gibbs worked with Ouita at Woodford Reserve helped develop the original Windy Corner menu Sara’s mother Mabel Thompson once worked at a West Virginia diner that served a burger with a spicy peanut sauce Manny’s Shrimp Cocktail – This Mexican-style shrimp cocktail is the creation of Manny Mendoza Margaret Ware’s Egg Salad – Egg salad was a favorite of Margaret Ware Parrish, a descendant of Judge Caleb Wallace, on whose former land Wallace Station sits. She was also a World War Two WAVE, celebrated instructor and coach at Midway College, lifelong friend of Betty Ann Voigt, and namesake herself of one of our favorite young Midway girls. We still make it at the Midway Bakery Mary’s Italian Dressing – Famous Lexington chef and caterer Mary Parlanti gave us the recipe for her popular Italian dressing and a version of it appears on almost all our menus Merv’s Ham and Jalapeño – Merv Leckbee was Wallace Station’s very first customer; a local horseman and lover of ham and jalapeños who ordered this (off menu) sandwich several times a week It was officially added to the menu in Merv’s honor after his passing in 2006 Noe’s Cod Fritters – These fritters are named for the mother of Smithtown Chef and GM Agnes Teresa Marerro Rosa Chef Agnes makes them from her mother’s recipe Pam’s Healthy Grain Salad – Ouita’s mother Pam Sexton was famous for her whole-foods recipes and this dish was one of Ouita’s favorites.  Penny’s at Pomegranate – We named our newest spot after Ouita’s mom and who lived right around the corner in the Woodland Park neighborhood Penny’s Pumpkin Seed Dressing – Ouita’s mother Pam Sexton was known as Penny to her childhood friends. When Ouita was growing up, there was always a jar of her mom’s pumpkin seed dressing in the fridge Rona’s Sorghum Crinkle Cookie – Rona Roberts is a champion of Kentucky food in general and sorghum in particular cook and writer extraordinaire; and a dear friend who generously shared her recipe for these popular Midway Bakery cookies Sammi’s Super Saver – This Wallace Station meal deal is named for Samantha Brown who worked at both Holly Hill Inn and Wallace Station in the early days.  Shady Lane Chicken Salad – Chicken salad was on the original lunch menu at Holly Hill Inn; it has since migrated to Wallace Station we renamed it Shady Lane after the local nickname for Old Frankfort Pike.  As cookbook writer Camille Glenn once said we never “intend to let a spring blend into summer without a day’s outing to drive along Shady Lane.”  Smithtown Seafood – Smithtown Seafood is named for the neighborhood around it Smithtown was one of the first African-American neighborhoods in Lexington; it grew up just after the Civil War as formerly enslaved Blacks moved to urban areas to establish trades The Thirsty Fox – When The Thirsty Fox was under construction Doug Mullins was our Holly Hill operations manager Doug had once owned a bar called the Thirsty Fox located in the Chicago suburbs; and Ouita surprised him by using the same name for her new bar The Zim Cocktail – Ouita’s Great-grandpa Zim was the manager of the local Coca-Cola bottling plant and liked his Old-fashioneds sweetened with Coke syrup Wallace Station – Our country deli sits on land that was originally part of Judge Caleb Wallace’s estate It was also the site of a train depot on the north/south route of the Versailles & Midway Railway The present structure was built at the turn of the 20th century and through the years has housed a general store Whitesburg Soup Beans – These are on several Holly Hill menus a legacy of Jared Richardson’s tenure at Wallace Station where soup beans are an Appalachian staple Willa’s Dilla – Willa Michel’s favorite childhood meal was this white cheddar quesadilla Windy Corner – When Chris and Ouita were looking for a name for our country café and market Joan Gaines suggested calling it after a talkative guy nicknamed Windy who once owned a market on the crossroads where it stands Zim’s Café – Ouita named Zim’s after her Great-grandpa Zim aka Rufus Zimmerman with whom she spent summers as a little girl Great-grandpa Zim was a popular figure in her hometown of Thermopolis where he played Uncle Sam every Fourth of July We never run out of ways to use Lisa's remoulade sauce - it's a staple in all our seafood baskets We've referenced it many times in our recipes for other dishes; here's how to make it STORIES & RECIPES Recipes Stories Holly Hill Inn Wallace Station Windy Corner Market Midway Bakery & Cafe Smithtown Seafood Honeywood Zim’s Cafe SHOP © 2021-2025, Holly Hill Inn/Ilex Summit, LLC and its affiliates, All Rights Reserved Terms of Service QUESTION: Has something gone wrong with the construction of Cook Out’s new eatery at Holly Hill Mall are there no preparations to open this restaurant ANSWER: It isn’t entirely clear why Cook Out’s new restaurant in Burlington is not yet “in the bag.” which is situated on an outparcel of Holly Hill Mall is not necessarily a sign of some disastrous setback according to Burlington’s inspections director Russell Williams the Thomasville-based restaurant chain hasn’t soured on this forthcoming eatery which has been steadily taking shape across the street from an existing Cook Out location along Huffman Mill Road He added that any issues which have come up at this juncture are assuredly quite minor “One of the things that’s been going on,” he explained in an interview Monday they’ve been going around with the contractor about the menu boards at the drive thru.” Williams said that the new restaurant is exactly what the company had ordered when it submitted the specs for the new Burlington location Although some passersby may find it peculiar that the building faces away from Huffman Mill Road the city’s inspections director contends that this orientation is entirely by design and ensures that the restaurant’s parking is within easy reach of its seating area – a feature that’s omitted from the existing location along Huffman Mill Road The Alamance News has been unable to obtain any additional information about this project from the restaurant chain A receptionist at Cook Out’s corporate office simply notified the newspaper that it isn’t the company’s policy to discuss development matters the company’s online restaurant locator lists an address in Raleigh as the nearest site where a new eatery is “coming soon.” Cook Out continues to do brisk business from its existing drive-thru at 414 Huffman Mill Road The company also has long-running operations along South Main Street in Graham and Mebane Oaks Road in Mebane Williams acknowledges that he sees no reason why things shouldn’t start sizzling at the Holly Hill Mall location once the company has squared away whatever last minute issues it has with the project “The same thing happened with Popeyes,” the city’s inspections director said in reference to Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen which has opened for business on another Holly Hills outparcel but they waited for a couple of months before they opened.” (LEX 18) — Holly Hill Inn has been announced as one of the semifinalists for the prestigious James Beard Awards earning a spot among just 19 other restaurants across the country selected for outstanding hospitality The James Beard Awards are the Academy Awards for the culinary awards,” said Mike Hilton marketing director for the Holly Hill Restaurant Group the James Beard Foundation recognizes the best of the best in categories like Outstanding Chef and Best New Restaurant Out of thousands of restaurants across the country only 20 can say they’ve been nominated for outstanding hospitality “What it shows is that what we're doing here in central Kentucky isn't only worthy of the national stage but it's starting to turn heads at the national level,” said Hilton Holly Hill Inn is known for its farm-to-table ingredients renowned chef Ouita Michel has had her own recognition from the James Beard Foundation “That includes not just front and back of house the people who brought the culinary heritage to the table and it includes the next generation we're handing that culinary heritage to,” said Hilton Representing Kentucky on the national stage “No one does hospitality and community and togetherness better than Kentucky.” Winners of this year’s James Beard Awards will be announced at a ceremony in June at the Lyric Opera of Chicago Report a typo Show Breaking News BarCloseLocal NewsJacob Langston HOLLY HILL, Fla. – A woman is suing the city of Holly Hill alleging the former police chief and others in the department of engaging in “routine and predatory acts in the workplace towards women for years,” according to court documents. The suit states that Holly Hill Police Chief Jeffrey Miller and Capt Christopher Yates “began a campaign of relentless sexual harassment News 6 reported in March, 2024, that Miller resigned from his role amid an investigation into the police department after allegations about “inappropriate incidents” came up A month later, another Holly Hill police officer was suspended amid the investigation Tom Bently was placed on paid leave in accordance with the police officer’s bill of rights Bently’s leave follows the suspension of Yates and Sgt Holly Hill city officials announced they hired Byron K days after a monthslong investigation conducted by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office into the department concluded The city handed the investigation over to the sheriff’s office in March so it would be impartial [EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos] The sheriff’s office completed their investigation into the department, releasing their internal affairs report on June 14 Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood told News 6 that leadership of a police organization would engage in this type of behavior.” The investigation found numerous instances of sexual harassment and misconduct by former Chief Miller as well as a police captain and two sergeants Investigators interviewed more than three dozen current or former city employees revealing what the agency said was a clear imbalance of power at the top of the agency leading to officers being subject to sexual abuse The captain and one of the sergeants also resigned while the other sergeant was suspended and placed on paid leave pending the results of the investigation a Volusia County grand jury decided not to charge Miller returning a “no true bill,” meaning the they determined there was not enough evidence to support the charges Lawsuit against the city of Holly Hill by Jacob Langston mostly as a photojournalist and video journalist before joining Spectrum News 13 as a web editor and digital journalist in 2021 Lawsuit against the city of Holly Hill by Jacob Langston Police responded Sunday to a large fight between patients at the Holly Hill Inpatient Children’s Hospital South Campus The incident happened at a mental health facility providing both inpatient and outpatient services Many of the children there are involuntarily committed Police say that staff also got involved to break up the fight No injuries were reported and no arrests made Holly Hill released the following statement: WRAL Investigates has extensively covered the Holly Hill Hospital system, reporting that at least seven children have escaped since 2021 Employees say Holly Hill is facing a severe staffing shortage and state inspections have revealed multiple violations of care standards You can find all of our coverage here. following a recent investigation by state surveyors “Our facility continues to accept adult patients.” A major fight at a children's mental hospital in Raleigh could have been prevented if leadership had listened to her concerns WRAL Investigates reported on the fight that occurred on Dec. 22 at Holly Hill Children's Hospital on Michael J. Smith Lane Holly Hill's campuses, for both children and adults, have been the subjects of multiple WRAL investigations over the course of months WRAL's reporting has revealed concerns about patient treatment including over-medication and a lack of adequate therapy Seven juveniles have escaped from the facility since 2021 State inspectors have noted multiple violations of care standards Worell was a mental health technician at Holly Hill Children's who told us she resigned only hours before the interview due to concerns about the safety of herself She claimed the facility was routinely understaffed to the point that it jeopardized staff and patient safety she told WRAL Investigates she had raised that issue to leadership but was "ignored." Worrell said she had been punched in the face by a patient the night prior resulting in police being called and her being taken by ambulance to the hospital for treatment "They're neglecting the patients here at Holly Hill Hospital In a statement provided to WRAL Investigates Holly Hill CEO Leigh Holston disputed that staffed appropriately and according to requirements Holly Hill Hospital denies any commentary about the adequacy of the facility staffing." described instances in which she said there was only one mental health technician assigned to 14 juvenile patients stating that she had been assaulted on multiple occasions "It's almost as if we come to work and we are expected to get hit by a patient," Worrell said Worrell wanted to share her experiences with WRAL Investigates in hopes of raising awareness about conditions at the facility particularly because she is a mother herself it doesn't sit right with me," Worrell said A police evidence technician says former Holly Hill Police Chief Jeffrey Miller invited her for a threesome with his wife, masturbated at work in front of her and groped her, according to a new federal lawsuit filed against the city Lisa Amara sued Holly Hill and accused officials of fostering a boys club and turning a blind eye to the rampant sexual harassment happening in the Police Department The suit is the latest fallout for the city, located in Volusia County, after Miller and Captain Christopher Yates both resigned last year and several other employees were suspended, according to media reports City Manager Joseph Forte told Florida Politics that the city has not been served by the lawsuit He added that the city does not comment on pending litigation worked her way up to become an evidence technician in the Police Department Miller cornered Amara in her office and asked to see her breasts because “he was having a really bad day,” the lawsuit said pulled Plaintiff’s shirt up and held onto her shirt preventing her from leaving Miller offered her $100 or $500 for oral sex and invited her to have a threesome with his wife Miller called Amara into his office as Yates hid behind the door and then turned off the lights when Amara came into the room “Both Chief Miller and Captain Yates would grab Plaintiff Plaintiff left upset and humiliated while Chief Miller and Captain Yates laughed at her,” the lawsuit said “Chief Miller also called Plaintiff into his office Chief Miller would come up behind Plaintiff and thrust his hips and pelvis into Plaintiff’s buttocks in a sexual motion.” Both Yates and Miller asked her personal questions about her sex life and her body Yates gave Amara “good morning hugs” and used that as an opportunity to snap her bra strap Captain Yates unsnapped her bra so hard that it broke the clasp He bought her a bra for Christmas to replace the one he broke,” the lawsuit continued Yates shoved a banana down his pants and called Amara into this office The lawsuit described Yates leaning back in his chair and asking Amara if she “noticed anything unusual referring to the bulge in his pants,” the lawsuit said Amara said she was scared to report the harassment after she overheard Miller and Yates talking about an internal investigation over another female employee’s complaints “These instances created a well-founded fear in Plaintiff if she ever came forward and reported the harassment and discrimination she suffered,” Amara’s lawsuit said Amara filed discrimination complaints with the Florida Commission on Human Relations and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission then received a “right to sue” notice Her attorneys did not respond immediately to a request for comment Monday This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL © Copyright by Extensive-Enterprises 2025. 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STAFF LOGIN Holly Hill Inn has received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence every year since opening in 2001 and was recently featured with an 11-page spread in its holiday issue!  We got to hang out with owner Chris Michel and general manager Jackie Anthony as they tasted wines for the annual Cassoulet dinner So we jumped at the chance to ask Chris how he designs his award-winning wine lists It should always include something familiar for everyone from casual drinkers to big oenophiles!  There’s representation from all the major well-known wine-producing regions of the world with at least a couple examples typical of each – for example Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc from California Oregon and Washington in the US; Champagne Burgundy and Bordeaux from France; Rioja from Spain; Piedmont Veneto (Northern Italy) and Tuscany from Italy; as well as Australian Shiraz Then I fill in with more unusual wines from smaller regions or different grapes to add interest to guests who want to explore the less familiar Each Holly Hill Inn dinner menu features a wine flight We’ve had a wine flight or wine pairing from the very beginning Our menu has always been a multi-course prix fixe and this lends itself nicely to offering different glasses of wine that explore how wine and food go together.  We keep it simple – a first course wine that will complement all of the first courses and then a choice of red and or white to go with the entrees there’s often a choice of dessert wine or sipping bourbon.  Our entrée red is usually suggested to accompany the heartier dishes while the white is chosen for the lighter ones But I always want both to be good with any of the entrées a white wine drinker would be ok with drinking the white with a beef dish.  The flight wines are often chosen to represent something a little out of the box The wine pairing also allows the guest to try unique wines without having to commit to a whole bottle Jackie told us that guests often comment on how many good values there are on the list I look at a lot of factors when choosing wines I want wines that are affordable for everyone so it's important to have a range of bottle and  by-the-glass offerings that don't break the bank.   Most guests understand that a restaurant's overhead cost is higher than that of a liquor store so the wine pricing will be higher than at retail.   This is why I like to feature wines that aren’t available at local retail outlets.  There’s value in offering something special that you won't see at a big box store.  And I like to seek out producers and regions that are less known because that’s also where great values can be found.   And I take advantage of special deals or rebates from our wholesalers so I can pass those savings on to our guests at a lower bottle price Although of course we always have several rare wines Holly Hill Inn has hosted a Cassoulet for over 20 years now There are so many different meats and other ingredients that go into it How did you and Jackie pick the wines for it Cassoulet is a great dish for wine because of its layers of flavors and textures My approach is to feature wines from the region surrounding the birthplace of Cassoulet – the South of France.   Cassoulet likes a red wine that's not too big and tannic and deep fruit notes – wines like Mourvedre We had a guest one year who lamented that we had no wine from the Minervois region which he considered the perfect wine for Cassoulet.  Needless to say we have featured Minervois every year since!   but all that unctuousness cries out for a higher acid wine with some backbone And of course we always start the meal with oysters and the classic sparkling wine of the region Holly Hill Inn was already late to the Cassoulet scene when it began serving one in 2001 considering that the dish itself dates back to 1355 and the Hundred Years’ War the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office announced Friday “This was a drug house loaded with a variety of narcotics Ravenell said 44-year-old Marcus Guest is now facing "charges of trafficking methamphetamine possession with intent distribute marijuana possession of a controlled substance (Xanax) possession with intent distribute oxycodone possession with intent distribute Adderall possession of a controlled substance (Alprazolam) possession of a controlled substance (Hydrocodone) possession of a firearm by a convicted felon distribution or manufacturing a controlled substance two counts of possession of a weapon during a crime Guest was originally charged with trafficking methamphetamine A search warrant executed at a residence on Acola Lane on Jan large quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine Bond was set on Thursday’s charges at $650,000 and was denied for Guest's latest charges Arrested Tuesday in connection to the same bust were 55-year-old Drusilla Atherton during the execution of a search warrant at a Holly Hill residence A Florida Lottery Cash Wheel Scratch-Off ticket sold in Holly Hill has made a local resident a lot richer claimed a $1 million top prize at the Lottery's Orlando District Office the Florida Lottery announced Monday in a press release He chose to receive his winnings as a one-time Littleton purchased the winning ticket from a 7-Eleven store located at 1601 Ridgewood Ave The retailer received a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning scratch-off ticket The Lottery's Cash Wheel Scratch-Off costs $5 and "offers over $62 million in total cash prizes The game's overall odds of winning are 1-in-4.05," according to the release Scratch-off games represented 74% of ticket sales in the 2023-24 year for the Florida Lottery scratch-off games have awarded more than $65.5 billion in prizes and generated more than $19.8 billion for the state's Educational Enhancement Trust Fund," the press release added Approximately 25% of every ticket purchased is transferred to the trust fund according to the Florida Lottery's website The state Department of Education then distributes the funds to the public education system a prominent multifamily developer and general contractor with active projects throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast announced that construction has begun on its newest Orlando area development Aventon Holy Hill garden-style community will open in the second half of 2025 With Aventon Holly Hill marking Aventon Companies' sixth project in the Orlando submarket it remains committed to the flourishing metro area two and three-bedroom options will comprise 288 units spread across 14.5 acres Each apartment will be outfitted with the firm's signature best-in-class finishes and attention to detail With a focus on creating a sense of community shared amenities will include a business lounge Route 27 also offers easy commuting access to major area employers within the Orlando Commercial Corridor and to local attractions like Disney World "Data indicates that Orlando is one of the fastest growing areas in the entire country with over 1,500 new residents added to the population every week," said Sean Flanagan Senior Development Director for Aventon Companies "Aventon Holly Hill is designed to fulfill the growing desire for luxury living in the heart of it all." The overall design of Aventon Holly Hill was created by Watts Leaf Architects with interiors curated by Studio 5 Interiors The property will be located at the intersection of Holly Hill Grove Road and U.S Aventon Companies has assembled an impressive $2 billion portfolio of ground-up developments bringing nearly 9,000 Aventon-branded apartment homes to Florida Wood Partners Expand Across Southeast with Ground Breaking on Three Attainable Living Communities in Georgia Security Properties Completes $34.75 Million Acquisition of 100-Unit Henry Apartments in Seattle's Coveted Queen Anne Neighborhood ECI Group Acquires 396-Unit Ardmore at Flowers Apartment Community in Growing North Carolina Submarket of Raleigh Thompson Thrift Hosts Ribbon Cutting for 324-Unit The Quinn Luxury Multifamily Community in Florida Gulf Coast Market of Pensacola The latest multifamily industry news delivered to your inbox With deep sorrow and heartfelt gratitude for her life we announce the passing of Mary Josephine Cooper known affectionately as "Ninny," Mary passed away peacefully on Wednesday and quiet strength—qualities she embodied throughout her life Mary Jo was the daughter of the late Andrew Govan “AG” and Nona Dorothy “Dot” Cooper A proud graduate of Holly Hill Roberts High School she was a devoted and loving presence in the lives of all who knew her She is survived by her children: Nancy Lynn DeBruyne (Eddie) Elizabeth “Joy” Cockle (Jonathan) “Bubba” (Heather); her sister Doris Ann Wiggins (Johnny); and her brother Andrew Govan “Van” Cooper She also leaves behind 20 grandchildren and 37 great-grandchildren Mary was preceded in death by her children Nancy Marie Mizell and Chad Newton Mary Jo faced life’s challenges with unwavering courage and grace never allowing hardship to define her spirit she managed to bring joy and laughter to those around her reminding us all of the importance of faith nurturing plants with the same care and love she gave to those around her Her kitchen was always warm with the smells of her cooking and baking and it was a place where memories were made around the table She also cherished the peaceful moments she found fishing where she embraced the serenity and patience that mirrored her own gentle spirit and loving presence left an enduring mark on everyone she met or simply her ability to make others feel valued and loved Mary’s legacy will live on in the hearts of all who knew her While she may no longer be with us physically her love and lessons remain woven into the fabric of our family We will carry her memory and her spirit with us always A celebration of Mary’s life will be held on Wednesday at 3:00 PM at Target United Methodist Church the family requests that donations be made to Target United Methodist Church Family will receive friends at 1031 Gilway Street Image: Dynamite Imagery / FreeDigitalPhotos.net better known as “Joe” or “Dad the Man,” grew up in South Carolina He moved to Boston at an early age and was employed at the Railroad Company until he moved back to South Carolina Joe leaves to cherish his memories: His significant other Four sons: Kevin (Minnie) Small of Holly Hill and Leroy (Catherine) Butler of Holly Hill — Residents in Holly Hill are still working to recover from the flooding they experienced during Hurricane Milton residents who live on New Castle Court say they are also dealing with a sewage back up on their street from my house down is completely gutted,” said New Castle Court resident Danielle Latona people’s belongings have been piled up on the side of the road “Isn’t that a lovely smell?” she asked while surveying drainage at the end of the road and you can still smell it sitting outside my house." A video taken by her the day after Hurricane Milton made landfall shows the area completely underwater “It’s coming down our street," Latona said And that’s why we were stuck for four days." She said many good memories of the time in her home are now tainted with all the flooding she’s experienced "And I don’t want to be here anymore." This is not the first time her house flooded — it happened in 2009 “It’s frustrating to see that nothing has been done," she said of the flooding issue "Even though we’re told it’s not an overnight fix Latona said she hopes the city takes action soon to address what she and her neighbors here are going through.  and now 2024 — nobody has come down here to help us or ask us if we need anything," she said "And I think that’s our biggest frustration." Holly Hill City Manager Joe Forte said he and his staff were investigating the cause of the flooding that took place in Latona's cul-de-sac off of Anniston Avenue to help come up with a plan to prevent future flooding He said it was the first time in all the years he’s been with Holly Hill that he saw this amount of rainfall and flooding “What happened to the residents of Holly Hill and most of the cities in Volusia County is truly devastating and as a problem solver it is frustrating to me to not have an immediate solution,” Forte said in the email He added the city is currently involved in a vulnerability study to determine where the flooding concerns are Forte said the city is in the process of an $11 million major improvement to the city's sewer treatment plant The Holly Hill City Commission recently approved a project to install seven large backflow prevention devices into the outfalls to the Halifax River that will reduce the amount of high tide water entering the system and free up valuable storage space — even if just for a short period while the tide moves out The city is scheduled to host a workshop at 4 p.m The mighty Toa Green of Crank & Boom joins Chef Ouita and our Honeywood team for this ONE DAY ONLY pop-up event So save the date to come enjoy some noodle bowls an exclusive ice cream flavor honoring our NC friends It will also be LUNAR NEW YEAR so even more reasons to celebrate The motel on Ridgewood Avenue is once again offering locals and visitors from all over the world a chance to enjoy the Christmas lights and decorations that adorn the property The elaborate setup of inflatable reindeer dinosaurs — as well as light arrangements and theme music — never fails to dazzle “We have been coming for a while,” said Lindsey Cole who brought her two kids and their friends to the motel Monday night She has brought her kids to see the decorations for five years “It’s just nice to be able to walk through and check everything out.” A Holly Hill tradition: Twi-Light II still sparkles with holiday cheer in Holly Hill That is made possible by months of preparations from the motel’s owners — the Johnson family the Johnsons started decorating the site in 1980 “And it’s just grown a lot over the years,” said Tammy Johnson adding that they try to add “something new” each year “It’s a big tradition for a lot of people who come by every year.” Amanda and Greg Smith have made their annual visit to the motel a part of a family tradition of their own — it is one of 12 Christmas-related activities they do as part of their “12 days of Christmas.” “It’s special for the kids,” Amanda Smith said They really put a lot of time so they kids can walk around.” The Smiths and their four kids have been visiting the motel for five years “And they look forward to it every year — it’s just like Christmas magic,” she said “We just love to see the smiles on their faces,” Greg Smith added Johnson said seeing families visit the motel every year is the biggest joy she gets out of the experience She also enjoys seeing visitors who used to come as kids to enjoy the decorations now bring their own kids to continue the tradition Christmas dining plans? Here's where you find out what restaurants are open Christmas Day in the Daytona Beach area “Just making a family tradition of it — something they look forward to every year.” the motel also offers a special feature for the kids: a train ride which takes kids and their parents around the motel As soon as Johnson starts preparing the train ride every night Cole said the train ride is her son’s favorite part of the experience but he has already asked if we can come back next week so we can go on the train ride again,” she said Drew Shott saw the decorations for the first time Monday and was impressed by the displays “It’s in the neighborhood and you don’t have to drive to Orlando or something like that.” Johnson has the help of her husband and two other family members to put up all the decorations “It does take a little while to do it,” she said adding that they open to the public after Thanksgiving Daytona Christmas tree sellers: Steady supply, no price hikes this holiday season Although locals are the majority of visitors Johnson said people from all over the world come by the motel to see the decorations every year “I just enjoy seeing the people happy,” Johnson said Visitors can drop by the motel from 5 to 10 p.m The Twi-Light II Motel is located at 1125 Ridgewood Ave affectionately known as “Boyd,” grew up in Holly Hill and attended the public schools in the area He was employed at Diane’s Soul Food Restaurant in Holly Hill Christopher never met a stranger; he loved everyone he encountered Christopher was preceded in death by his mother He leaves to cherish his memories: His sister and Two brothers: Anthony (Renee) Mack of Manning Two nephews: Henry Hakeem Fuller of Elloree Two great-nieces: Nalani Fuller and Ty’Rianna Holman Three special friends who treated him like a brother: Tiffany James and A host of other relatives and dear friends who loved and cherished him HOLLY HILL − Six months after retiring from their respective roles as the founding CEO and "official advisor to the CEO" of the Pictona pickleball complex who agreed to come back along with her husband to oversee the 49-court pickleball complex's operations in January The Ormond Beach couple announced their temporary return in the nonprofit organization's Jan with Rainer assuming the role of interim CEO and Julie becoming interim associate director the couple told The Daytona Beach News-Journal they have decided to assume their respective roles on a "permanent" basis − with the board's blessing I realized that retirement does not fit my genetic makeup," he said in a sit-down interview on Saturday Having just finished playing several games of pickleball that morning The Martens said they anticipate staying on for up to two more years adding that when they do decide to retire for good they will give the board plenty of advance notice The Martens agreed to come out of retirement after the sudden departure of John Phillips the former longtime athletic director for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University who took over as the pickleball complex's new CEO in July 2024 Phillips did not respond to requests for comment His profile page on the business networking social media site LinkedIn.com as of Saturday still listed him as CEO of Pictona Rainer Martens said Phillips' resignation came as a "surprise" to him and that he had no idea why he had left (Phillips) represented Pictona well in the community," he said The sport was invented on Bainbridge Island in 1965 as a combination of tennis and table tennis played on a badminton-sized court using paddles and a light hollow plastic ball similar to what's used in Wiffle Ball The popularity of pickleball has exploded in recent years It is easy to learn and reportedly less taxing on joints than traditional racquet sports such as tennis physicians have reported an increase in pickleball-related injuries as the level of play has become more intense Today, the sport includes players who are full-time professionals. Its practitioners include retired professional tennis legend Ivan Lendl who competed in the AARP Champions Cup tournament at Pictona in February of last year on the site of the city's former Hollyland Park Pictona opened in July 2020 after a two-year effort by the Martens to get the multimillion-dollar complex's 24-court first phase built Their goal was to transform an underused city park into a Mecca for the growing number of pickleball enthusiasts in the greater Daytona Beach area Pictona's greater-than-expected popularity prompted the Martens to expand the complex by adding 24 more courts and a covered "championship court" with grandstanding seating for up to 1,200 spectators The "Pictona 2" expansion was completed in October 2020 Pictona includes an on-site restaurant called The Kitchen that's open to the general public It also has locker rooms and showers for members a pickleball pro shop that sells pickleball equipment and apparel and a senior activities center as well as facilities for other sports including table tennis The Martens are retired owners of a successful publishing company in Illinois called Human Kinetics which specializes in books on coaching they took up playing pickleball and soon began regularly competing in tournaments Realizing a need for a "world-class" pickleball facility in the Daytona Beach area the Martens struck a deal with the City of Holly Hill in which they agreed to personally donate several million dollars to design and build Pictona on the former Hollyland Park property The couple also agreed to stay to manage the complex for its first two years of operation after which they would turn the management duties over to the board of the nonprofit Pictona of Holly Hill organization The Martens wound up managing Pictona for four years until their decision to retire this past summer The couple said their involvement to date has been strictly as volunteers and that they've never drawn a salary for their work at Pictona They see opportunities for further growthThe Martens said they are excited about what they believe are opportunities to further expand Pictona's impact both in terms of gaining members and attracting more visitors but that doesn't include the thousands who buy single-day passes Rainer said Pictona has also started renting its facilities to groups and businesses for special events such as AdventHealth's recent corporate team-building day for some of its employees An organization that puts on "Singles Mingle" pickleball outings plans to hold an event at Pictona that will be its sixth there so far It is expected to draw more than 200 people from across the country Pictona has also increased the number of pickleball tournaments it hosts The Professional Pickleball Association in December held its "2024 Daytona Open" tournament that drew an estimated 1,400 spectators to watch some of the nation's top professional pickleball players compete for prizes Pictona is currently scheduled to host six tournaments including the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) Vlasic Classic and the Super Senior International Pickleball (SSIP) Association/US Senior Pickleball (USSP) North American Championships Pictona also recently expanded its physical campus further by taking over the city-owned former Holly Hill Chamber of Commerce building next door at 1066 Ridgewood Ave The building is now staffed by Pictona and operates as an AdventHealth-branded community wellness center Holly Hill City Manager Joe Forte praised the Martens' return to Pictona I am excited that they are rejoining the leadership team (at Pictona) leadership and passion for the sport has been integral to Pictona's success and I look forward to the next chapter of growth under their guidance "The city commission and I stand in support of their decision and offer our assistance to them and the board of directors." The renowned competition series invites three of the country’s most skilled distillers to demonstrate their expertise in producing a specific spirit from raw ingredients under the show’s rigorous time constraints The multi-round competition results in one winner who not only takes home the revered title of "Master Distiller," but also earned a limited quantity of their winning product produced at North Carolina’s Two Trees Distilling Company This is amazing,” Holly Hill Mayor John Penny said of the turnout at the local distillery They’re a shining example for our community.” co-founder of the local distillery who filmed with the show in Fletcher was as eager as attendees to finally see the finished product owner of Daytona Beach’s Hampton’s Restaurant who stopped by to cheer on the local family “They’ve done a lot for Holly Hill and this community,” she said “… They deserve our support and it’s really exciting to see where this business started and where it’s evolved to.” A sea of smiling faces filled the distillery hollers and one “my husband’s on TV!” from an excited Jenni as Jeremy made his first on-screen appearance Jeremy faced off with two opponents in several intense rounds of competition while receiving real-time critiques from judges Eric "Digger" Manes The contestants were tasked with creating cachaca by producing their own sugar cane juice mash in one hour “I think most people realize that reality TV is not so much reality and so it was interesting to see how much it was going to be like that,” Jeremy said of his time filming on this one it was — if they said you had an hour to do something Each contestant was provided home equipment — 20-gallon copper stills — during the show a familiar advantage to Jeremy's competitors though his distillery-owning experience seemed to even the playing field “I have bigger equipment that’s just not the same They’re used to using propane burners underneath the copper still so it’s a completely different setup,” he said because being a professional distiller who has a distillery I wanted to at least prove that I knew what I was doing on the show.” Contestants were initially given three minutes to squeeze their sugar cane juice Whoever produced the most won the other competitors’ supplies before creating their mash and later embarking in the first round of distillation the previous winners had the advantage of choosing their preferred still Though Jeremy didn't win the first couple challenges after nixing the addition of flavoring agents to “let the spirit have all the flavor,” he was first to place his completed cachaca on the judges’ table ultimately landing him a spot in the top two the two contestants had 30 minutes to rapid age their cachaca using various woodchips to accelerate the infusion of flavor and color into the spirit they were tasked with straining and creating a cocktail from their spirit in just one hour created a Florida-style caipirinha — Brazil’s national cocktail The drink’s complimentary flavors took the judges straight “back to Brazil,” ultimately earning him the title of "Master Distiller." friends and longtime customers roared with applause high-fiving and filming the local champion “(Brazilian rum) is a product I’ve never made before … you never know how it’s going to turn out especially when you’re under that kind of pressure but I think all three of us were pretty proud of the products we came out with,” Jeremy said so much so that he even released a limited batch of the product during the watch party hoping to further immerse his community in the flavors of the TV experience he’ll forever cherish but it’s different when everybody’s here,” he said “… I didn’t tell any of them how I did or what happened so it was really cool to see all these people that have supported us from the very beginning come in and see how we did.” Jeremy released 120 bottles each of his clear rum and rapid-aged rum and was left with half that supply by the night’s end one being the use of raw sugar cane juice — as opposed to molasses or regular sugarcane — “which is not that common,” he noted Jeremy figured what better way to give the community a real taste of his TV experience than letting them literally taste what he created — this time owner of Sugar Sand Distillery — an "estate-grown sugarcane farm distillery." we cut sugar cane and juiced it … I’ve never done that before either,” Craig said His second go-around with cachaca was “a lot less stressful,” thanks to the familiarity of his equipment though he still cautiously monitored production I can kind of walk away and know what I need to do,” he said I watched it quite a bit closer to make sure it was true to what we did in the show.” Copper Bottom Craft Distillery was founded in 2016 by Jeremy amid his family’s routine local brewery tour first came across a small-scale distillery “I had done the Bourbon Trail and been to the big distilleries but this was the first small-scale one we’d ever seen,” he said and said 'that’s what we’re going to do.'” His chemistry background meant he was no stranger to the science behind distilling “but there’s definitely an art to it,” he said of which he went on to study at Kentucky’s Moonshine University barrel aging and flavor profile development "Anyone can go out in the woods and make alcohol but making alcohol that tastes good and is not going to hurt you is — there’s a little bit more finesse to that,” he said Copper Bottom Craft Distillery is located at 998 N call 386-267-5104 or visit copperbottomspirits.com Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. HOLLY HILL, Fla. — Three weeks after Hurricane Milton flooded multiple homes in Holly Hill, city leaders are putting their heads together to come up with ways to alleviate stormwater problems in the city. Just last week, residents told Spectrum News that they were still dealing with sewage backups in their neighborhood after Milton. The city acknowledged it has a lot of work to do when it comes to addressing what it deems are its two biggest challenges: drainage system and limited swale systems that are intended to help with runoff water. Holly Hill residents like Danielle Latona are still picking up the pieces after Milton swept through Central Florida. “Anything two feet under basically has to go, especially because we had sewer water,” Latona said. After the inside of her home flooded with storm and sewer water, she had to throw away most of her belongings, which, for the most part, are still piled up on her front lawn. But this isn’t the first time Latona has had to rebuild her home from scratch and she fears it won’t be the last. “The timeline on when these projects are going to get done means we’ll probably flood one or two more times,” she expressed. Holly Hill City Manager Joseph Forte said addressing these ongoing issues means “there are a lot of projects in the works right now and we won’t know what the results of those are until the next storm comes.” The city is engaged in multiple stormwater projects including a vulnerability study, which will conclude in December of this year and “identify key threats to the city.” With those results yielded by the study, the city plans to look for grants to further assist them with mitigation plans, including a $4.5 million grant to complete stormwater pipe lining. In addition, Holly Hill commissioners outlined plans for a major project that is ready for construction to reduce flooding on Flomich Street, Alabama Avenue, and some connecting cul-de-sacs in the area for a cost of $400,000. Latona and her neighbors attended Wednesday’s workshop on stormwater management in hopes of getting answers to their flooding questions. She wants to know what will happen to homes like hers in the future, especially since hers sits on New Castle Court, where the city’s vice mayor, John Penny, recognized as likely unfixable pertaining to flooding. “They’re spending more money paying us, well not paying us, but fixing our houses year after year after year when they can just purchase our houses and maybe make retention ponds there to take in some of the water so other areas don’t flood,” Latona explained. One of his propositions to homeowners who experience repetitive flooding is to have FEMA buyout homes like Latona’s to be turned into retention ponds. Forte also said the drainage systems aren’t ideal for the city’s growing needs. Not to mention, the Halifax River has seen its water levels rise by at least 5 inches since 1990. “All growth that’s come in, the overall stormwater systems haven’t kept up,” he explained. Forte said the city is undergoing an $11 million major improvement to its sewer treatment plant. The city also set aside approximately $1.47 million, including Capital Project Rollover, for its stormwater budget this year. It has plans to allocate an additional $1.6 million to use for stormwater projects in the coming year as well. After winning the SCISA Class A state title in 2023, the Raiders were the favorite to repeat last spring. However, misfortune in the state tournament led to an upset loss to Jefferson Davis Academy, a team they had beaten twice during the regular season. “They appear to be very determined to make up for last year,” Knight said. “Last year left a bad taste and they came into this season with one goal. They have worked hard and their focus has been great. They know they have a chance to be state champions but it’s important that we play well when it counts. We’re gelling as a team and it’s a great group to coach.” The Raiders are again one of the top offensive teams in SCISA, averaging in double figures in runs scored with some lofty batting averages. “Some of the top hitters started a little slow but the bottom of the order has been very consistent,” Knight said. “The others are getting hot so our lineup is pretty solid. We’re also playing solid defense and getting solid pitching.” “We’re still a young team with a lot of underclassmen, but we’re experienced,” the coach said. “These girls have played a lot of softball and hopefully that experience will help us in the state tournament.” All Rights Reserved | The High School Sports Report 1986-2021 no injuries reported"}}))},2e3);window.dataLayer.push({event:"GAEvent",eventAction:"contentStart",eventCategory:"video",eventLabel:"Police break up large patient fight at Holly Hill Children's Hospital no injuries reported"},{name:"updated",value:"2024-12-23T06:17:51-0500"},{name:"published",value:"2024-12-22T22:09:00-0500"}]}])}),e.on("adend",()=>{e.play()})):console.warn("wralvideo returned undefined")}else console.warn("wralvideo has not been loaded yet")},window.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",window.initHeroVideo)Local NewsPolice break up large patient fight at Holly Hill Children's Hospital