World's Most Famous Beach entrance to the beach

Upcoming events in Daytona Beach

Daytona Truck Meet this weekend
The Daytona Truck Meet starts today with more than 5,000 custom trucks and 35,000 people expected to attend.

The greatest concentration of traffic is expected to be around Daytona International Speedway and One Daytona. Events will take place at the Speedway between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. One Daytona has events until midnight through the weekend. For event and ticket information, visit www.DaytonaTruckMeet.com.

Once the events conclude, there is expected to be traffic congestion along Atlantic Avenue/A1A. Police and traffic control officers will be on-duty in the area of the Speedway and along Atlantic /A1A to assist with event and local traffic. In addition, signage and barricades are placed on residential streets on the beachside to help prevent truck meet attendees from driving through the neighborhoods.

“Pink P” passes are available for beachside residents and workers who need prompt access via the Main Street drawbridge during this special event. Proper ID is required in order to get the pass. For more information on how to obtain a pass, please call the Police Department's front desk at (386) 671-5100.

Dedication of Norma J. Bland Field this Saturday
A ceremony for the naming of a new multipurpose field at Derbyshire Park & Sports Complex (849 Derbyshire Road) to the “Norma J. Bland Football & Soccer Field” is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday, June 12. As a resident of Zone 5, which includes the Derbyshire neighborhood, Bland worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life for all city residents and had a passion for social activism.

Free concert at Daisy Stocking Park Saturday evening
Head to Daisy Stocking Park Saturday evening for a free performance by the 7 Street Band as part of the city sponsored Midtown Music Concert Series. The performance will be from 7 to 9 p.m. at the park, which is located at 550 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd.

The performance is part of the free summer concert series, which will bring the best local bands to the area. Food and drink vendors will be onsite. Attendees can bring their own chairs; however, coolers are not allowed.

Upcoming performances include the Love Band (July 10), Daphne Cooper and Dante’s Pride Musicians (Aug. 14), Flo Logan and Lois Williams (Sept. 11) and The Chris Clarke Jazz Trio (Sept. 25).

Additional sponsors of the Midtown Music Concert Series include AdventHealth, VyStar Credit Union, Vitas Health Care and U-Store Daytona Beach.

Juneteenth Ceremony planned for Wednesday
The Juneteenth Festival Committee is hosting a special ceremony at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 16, on the front steps of City Hall. The public is invited to the ceremony where Mayor Derrick Henry will read a proclamation. The city has sponsored the annual recognition of Juneteenth for more than 20 years. Last year’s and this year’s festivities, which include a banquet and festival, were cancelled due to the pandemic.

Public workshops to discuss changes to impact fees

The public is invited to workshops hosted by the city to learn about changes to the water and wastewater impact fees, which are set to go into effect Thursday, July 1.

The public workshops are at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 17, and at 9:30 a.m. Friday, June 18, in conference room 149 at City Hall. (Note, the same information will be presented at both meetings). The proposed changes affect new residential and commercial construction in the city.

For more information, visit the city’s website.

Rental assistance remains available

Limited funding remains in a city program offering rental relief to income-eligible tenants impacted with a financial hardship due to the pandemic. Applications are being accepted until the funds are depleted.

Assistance includes rent payments, with a three-month maximum per household. Assistance is capped at $1,500 per month for a maximum payment of $4,500 per household.

Payments will be made directly to landlords or rental property management companies, and the assistance does not have to be repaid. Rental assistance is provided on a first-completed application and first qualified/eligible basis and is for rental housing costs that incurred on or after March 11, 2020.

Appointments must be made to submit completed applications and provide documentation. For more information and to make an appointment, please call one of the three following agencies:

Central Florida Community Development Corporation
(386) 226-1216
Housing Authority of the City of Daytona Beach
(386) 777-2588
Mid-Florida Housing Partnership Corporation
(386) 274-4441, ext. 301 and 304

New sidewalks planned for neighborhood streets

Sidewalks to be installed in active residential neighborhood

The city has taken a major step in improving pedestrian safety, walkability and connectivity in the active residential neighborhood surrounding the Yvonne Scarlett-Golden Community Center on Vine Street, which is in the Derbyshire neighborhood.

City commissioners approved a $746,919 contract with P&S Paving to build 4’-6’ wide concrete sidewalks on Vine Street between Brentwood Drive and Fourth Street and on Third Street between Vine Street and Nova Road. Construction costs of the new sidewalks are partially funded by the Florida Department of Transportation’s Local Agency Program.

Work is scheduled to begin this summer and should be finished by the end of the year, pending weather delays.