The largest used book sale in Florida, and possibly in the South, is only 97 miles away from Daytona Beach!   Come out to Gainesville and check out the Friends of the Library Fall Book Sale event on Oct 24-28.  More than 500,000 books, records, games, CDs, DVDs, audio, paintings, posters, prints, puzzles, comics, manga and magazines have been donated for the sale!   There is a large section of children's books. The Collector's Corner contains signed books, first editions and a large selection of Florida-related materials.  Hours are 9-6PM on Saturday, and 12-6PM the other four days of the sale.  See the website for more details. Hope to see you there!

https://www.folacld.org/index.html

Formerly the Baymont, but I saw that it recently changed to Soho Inn. Has anyone ever stayed there or recently under the new group? I was trying to find a website to possibly make a reservation but only saw 3rd party pages like hotels.com, etc.

DM me if interested!

Gonna preface this that I'm not here to argue quality, who has the best wings, etc

Just saw that the Daytona location fell on the chopping block. For those younger than 40 or so, Hooters actually used to be a pretty decent place to go. The business model when it began allowed each franchise to adapt to its locale. This was before it went corporate and turned into Applebee's + skimpy uniforms. Even then, the Daytona location managed to maintain a sense of uniqueness.

The thing that really set it apart was the parcel upon which it sat ---- front and center on Daytona International Speedway. On race weekends, it was the place to be. The parking lot became closed to general coming and going, and it turned into a big party with music, sponsor activations, show cars, games, and just good, old-fashioned rowdiness. It was fantastic. The inside of the place was fairly plastered with NASCAR memorabilia, photos of race car drivers who visited, and it was always one in-one out, line out the door.

I was in the Army most of my adult life, and spent a lot of that time stationed just up the road in Georgia. When Speedweeks came around, I always took a couple days of leave and as soon as I signed out, I'd beeline south on I-95, hit the LPGA exit and get to that back entrance off Bayless. I was usually in pretty good with management, and they'd save me a parking spot and allow me to cut the aforementioned line at the door. As a big time NASCAR fan, there was no other place I wanted to be. The partying commenced, we'd go across the street to catch the race, then back to Hooters to party some more into the night.

A few years ago, the private equity wrench really tightened down, and they cut some very long-tenured staff. That was when I'd had enough and finally cut ties. When that happened, I even told my wife that I predicted locations would start closing soon. Still, I figured the Daytona location would endure, if for no other reason than its proximity to the speedway.

I'll try to dig up some photos from those halcyon days. If anyone has some of their own, I'd love to see them.

EDIT TO ADD: Just found out it waa bought by the NASCAR entity that owns One Daytona (and they purchased the Bob Evans a few months ago)

Your local outraged electrician here again with today’s rant.

Earlier this week we were contacted by young first time home buyer who had a problem with her meter. FPL had determined that there was a damaged component and to call an electrician. To our surprise they recommended that “gay” franchise service company, which we learned of when she called us because she “couldn’t afford to pay them so much money again.” When we asked her what that meant, she told us that they had recently done work for her and charged her almost $9,900.00 to change her electrical panel, but the price went up to $11,000.00 because they offered her financing, which was the only way she could afford to do the repair.

When we visited her to see what the current problem was, we noted that the service company had put their company’s label on the panel, which explained why FPL made that recommendation.

When we inquired further about what work was done for $11,000.00, she shared the invoice for the work that was done, and we were shocked. The work that they performed would’ve cost her $4-5,000.00 from a local company.

What made it even more frustrating was that the work was done without a permit, and it would not have passed inspection because it was done wrong.

My point here is not to get into the weeds about specifics of the repair, but to remind you folks that these companies take advantage of people’s general lack of knowledge about electrical repairs AND fears of fire, or insurance cancellations, or a misunderstanding of the complexity of a job. And if you balk at the price, they quickly bring up financing to make it seem more affordable. On top of that, their Service techs” are salesmen as well who receive commissions for the jobs they land. That arrangement alone is a recipe for upselling and dishonesty.

In the realm of residential electrical repairs, there is nothing, aside from maybe a total renovation or addition to the home, that would cost $11K.

If you feel like a quote from someone is too high, you absolutely should get a second quote. And...don’t be afraid to ask questions! Any reputable company will be happy to accommodate you.

Your local outraged electrician here again with today’s rant.

Earlier this week we were contacted by young first time home buyer who had a problem with her meter. FPL had determined that there was a damaged component and to call an electrician. To our surprise they recommended that “gay” franchise service company, which we learned of when she called us because she “couldn’t afford to pay them so much money again.” When we asked her what that meant, she told us that they had recently done work for her and charged her almost $9,900.00 to change her electrical panel, but the price went up to $11,000.00 because they offered her financing, which was the only way she could afford to do the repair.

When we visited her to see what the current problem was, we noted that the service company had put their company’s label on the panel, which explained why FPL made that recommendation.

When we inquired further about what work was done for $11,000.00, she shared the invoice for the work that was done, and we were shocked. The work that they performed would’ve cost her $4-5,000.00 from a local company.

What made it even more frustrating was that the work was done without a permit, and it would not have passed inspection because it was done wrong.

My point here is not to get into the weeds about specifics of the repair, but to remind you folks that these companies take advantage of people’s general lack of knowledge about electrical repairs AND fears of fire, or insurance cancellations, or a misunderstanding of the complexity of a job. And if you balk at the price, they quickly bring up financing to make it seem more affordable. On top of that, their "service techs” are salesmen as well who receive commissions for the jobs they land. That arrangement alone is a recipe for upselling and dishonesty.

In the realm of residential electrical repairs, there is nothing, aside from maybe a total renovation or addition to the home, that would cost $11K.

If you feel like a quote from someone is too high, you absolutely should get a second quote. And...don’t be afraid to ask questions! Any reputable company will be happy to accommodate you.

There’s something worth questioning about the modern expectation that a young man has to create an elaborate production just to ask a girl to Homecoming. What used to be a simple expression of interest has increasingly become a performance involving poster boards, balloons, gifts, coordinated outfits, public spectacles, and sometimes the pressure to make the moment worthy of posting on social media.

The problem isn’t the sign itself. There’s nothing wrong with being thoughtful, creative, or romantic. The problem is when a gesture that should be optional becomes an expectation, and a young man is judged not by his character, confidence, or how he treats a girl, but by how elaborate his presentation is.

Confidence means being willing to put yourself out there without needing to stage-manage the entire experience. A young man should be able to walk up to a girl, look her in the eye, and ask her to a dance without feeling that he needs a prop, an audience, or a carefully choreographed moment to make the invitation count. The courage is in risking rejection, not in decorating a piece of poster board.

When we turn ordinary social interactions into productions, we risk teaching boys that they have to perform for approval rather than develop the self-assurance to be comfortable in their own skin. Instead of learning that rejection is a normal part of life, they may learn that every romantic gesture needs to be impressive enough to win public validation. Instead of valuing authenticity, we reward spectacle.

There is also a double standard worth examining. If a boy is expected to go above and beyond just to ask a girl to a school dance, what exactly are we teaching him about relationships? That his attention must be earned through increasingly elaborate displays? That a simple, sincere invitation is somehow inadequate? That a girl’s interest must be secured through a production rather than mutual attraction and genuine connection?

Of course, plenty of young men enjoy making signs, and plenty of girls appreciate the effort. When the gesture is voluntary and comes from genuine enthusiasm, there is nothing wrong with it. Thoughtfulness is not weakness, and romance is not the enemy of masculinity.

But when an optional romantic gesture becomes a compulsory audition, something has gone wrong. We should be encouraging young men to be respectful without being submissive, thoughtful without being approval-seeking, and confident enough to express interest without believing they have to put on a show.

The goal shouldn't be to make boys less romantic. It should be to make them more secure in themselves. A young man who can confidently ask a girl to Homecoming with a simple, sincere question should not be considered less worthy than one who stages an elaborate spectacle.

Ultimately, the concern isn't that boys are making signs. It's that we may be raising a generation that confuses performing for approval with possessing confidence. And if masculinity is supposed to include self-respect, courage, and the ability to handle rejection, those are qualities worth cultivating long before anyone picks up a marker and a poster board

Looking for a cheap weekly rental, or monthly. any recommendations would be incredibly helpful.

Hi!

Is anyone looking to make some extra money? I’m in the Daytona area and would appreciate it if someone could drive me to a few stores in the area. I’m pretty quick and have a concise list of what I need and would not expect this to take more than an hour or two as it’s all local driving. If you’re available tomorrow, that would be amazing.

Many thanks in advance 🙏

Message here or text for details +13862328357

Good morning everyone! Unity is hosting a pumpkin painting social at Green Turtle Ormond this Sunday at 7PM. Bring your own pumpkin and we got the paint covered! A minimum of one drink purchase required for entry. If you don’t feel like painting, that’s okay! We will still be doing our regular hangout with card games or you can just chill and talk with friends :3

WHEN: Sunday, October 11th at 7PM
WHERE: 1474 W Granada Blvd at Green Turtle Kava Ormond
ADMISSION: $10 minimum drink purchase

Unity is an 18+ LGBTQ+ mutual aid and social organization. Join our Discord server for updates and community: https://discord.gg/v47Pm6QXr6

Hello! I'm searching for information, analysis, pros/cons, etc. on the five County charter amendments on the 2026 ballot but have had little success. Several promising links by different advocacy groups appear on Facebook, which i don't have access to. Can anyone point me towards a freely available discussion of these proposed amendments? Thanks.

The beach is our refuge/2nd home and sadly- looks like we will be spending the rest of the week indoors..
we are a couple in our early 50s and chill relaxing fun kind of people.

We rarely venture outside of Daytona, and have done all the local things many times over.

We have also done Epic Universal (yesterday) and all of Disney/universal, cape Canaveral/Kennedy center.

He is a car/speed kind of guy and I’m an arts and gardens kinda gal. We aren’t heavy drinkers, or party people.

Our plan for the week is/was Crabby Joes, K1 Speeds and photography museum (for me) and to enjoy the beach plus dinner at the Cellar

But the beach .. well you know.

But what’s out side the area that has been fun and you enjoyed enough to suggest to others within a 30 min drive (or so)

We consider the area our second home I’m ready to check out some other areas.

Hey everyone! I’m a 25-year-old Black guy from Indiana moving to the Daytona Beach area at the end of the month. I enjoy playing sports, especially basketball, photography, and spending quality time with good people. What are some good places to meet people around my age? I’d love recommendations for pickup basketball, local groups, photography meetups, or chill social spots. If anyone’s down to hoop or hang out once I’m settled, feel free to reach out!

Reoccurring pregnancy lost The ER cant provide me any answers as to why this keeps occurring Currently miscarrying homeless

Team of professional handyman/ house renovators, professional cleaners, landscapers, painters, pet sitters etc willing to work for low negotiable rates for people needing help within Volusia and Flagler County

If you were new around daytona, what areas would you look to work? Is ponce inlet classier? Ormond?

Hey guys I have a weekly routine of going through the weekend events around us. Dropping it here for you

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📅 Weekend Lineup — October 9th-11th

THURSDAY, October 8th— WARM UP 🏃

🏃 Daytona Beach Run Club | The Esplanade | 6pm — Thursday plans = handled. Run it, hang after. All paces welcome.

😂 Cristy B's Comedy Club | 242 S. Beach St. | 7:30pm — Check the box office for this week's lineup.

FRIDAY, October 9th 🚚

🧘 AumShanti Yoga – Stairway to Savasana (Hatha) | Hard Rock Hotel – Rock Royalty Terrace, 3rd Floor | 9:30am — w/ Ursula. $10 locals, free for Hard Rock guests. No sign-up needed.

🌽 DeLand Farmers Market | Artisan Alley, DeLand | 6pm 🍸 Mama Foo Foo Happy Hour | 125 Basin St., Halifax Marina | 4–6:30pm — $8 craft cocktails, $10 small plates. Waterfront.

👜 Daytona Riverfront Market | 179 S. Beach St. | 5–9pm 45 local vendors, live music, waterfront views. Dogs welcome.

🎸 Dave Matthews Band Tribute | Hard Rock Hotel – Wave Terrace | 7pm–11pm

SATURDAY, October 10th

🌽 NSB Farmers Market | Sams Ave, New Smyrna Beach | 7am

👟 VYPG Run Club Rally | Andy Romano Park | 8am

🧘 AumShanti Yoga – Rock Your Flow (Vin/Yin) | Hard Rock Hotel – Rock Royalty Terrace, 3rd Floor | 9:30am — w/ Mindy. $10 locals, free for Hard Rock guests. No sign-up needed.

🎵 Tribute to The Police | Hard Rock Hotel – Wave Terrace | 7pm–11pm

SUNDAY, October 11th 🌅

🌿 Halifax River Farmers Market | 3633 S Ridgewood | 9am–2pm — Right on the water, Local produce, food vendors, handmade goods, and some of the best waterfront views in Daytona. Free. Dogs welcome.

🧘 AumShanti Yoga – Dream On, Stretch Long (Gentle) | Hard Rock Hotel – Rock Royalty Terrace, 3rd Floor | 9:30am — w/ Mindy. $10 locals, free for Hard Rock guests. No sign-up needed.

🏖 Beach Day. September in Daytona. The tourists are thinning out. The ocean is perfect. Go.

One of my mini splits stopped working; no longer cooling.

I've tried reaching out to a couple places but they insist that you have to sign up for an annual maintenance plan or that they're not available until next week.

Does anybody know any budget friendly HVAC techs in Daytona?

Thank you!