It’s late summer in Florida, and if you have children, you are likely running out of things to do to keep them entertained without melting in the heat and humidity. No one wants to go outside in the heat, and the options are limited … until now.
 Those that miss DeLand having a Cuban restaurant won’t have to wait much longer. Ileana and Isidro Castro are eager to open the doors of Chica’s Cuban Cafe in newly renovated space inside a charming old cottage on Howry Avenue, across from the DeLand Police Department and fire station. The couple was born in Cuba and immigrated to Miami, however they’ve lived in DeLand for the last 14 years.
 Chipotle fans can rejoice! If you haven’t heard by now, DeLand is getting a Chipotle restaurant, quick-serve, fast-casual Mexican restaurant that is famous for fresh ingredients that are sourced locally.
 Baseball fever came to DeLand for a short period of time. For the first time in school history, the Stetson University baseball team hosted and won an NCAA Regional Championship. The team went on to the Super Regional tournament against University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, NC where Stetson's cinderella season came to an end, but it lit a spark in a town that is hungry to see their hometown university be national competitors.
 Ask any DeLandite his or her opinions on the housing development boom of South DeLand or the newest roundabout just south of downtown and you’ll get a variety of opinions and probably start some heated arguments. However, you ask the same residents about the improvements made to Georgia Avenue in Downtown DeLand, and you’re likely to hear a chorus of approving responses.
 Cemeteries are a place to memorialize loved ones that have passed on before us. They provide a rich history of our past and help shape stories to tell future generations. Cemeteries, like any property, require maintenance, that if left unattended will let those stories fade. That has been the recent case at Union Cemetery, a traditionally African American cemetery that has been in disrepair until now.
 Our founding father, Alexander Hamilton, once said, “Look around. Look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now.” Okay. He didn’t say it, but his character in the Tony Award winning show Hamilton did. And he was right when one looks at the epic line-up coming to 2018-2019 Fairwinds Broadway Across America series at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando.
 Old jail from Georgia Ave. The Georgia Avenue streetscape renovations are nearing the home stretch. There is not much work left to do other then paving the street and installing decorative pavers. The project is the foundation to the continued revitalization of the area and is expected to attract new businesses that fit the vibrant SoNy (South of New York) district. One key component to the revitalization may come from a property swap between the city of DeLand and Volusia County, according to the West Volusia Beacon.
 If you attended George Marks Elementary as a kid, raise your hand. Okay, you probably look ridiculous, so you can put it down. If you grew up in DeLand and went to George Marks, you aren’t alone with several other longtime residents who proudly state they are a GME Bulldog.
Anyone who has walked the streets of DeLand knows what a jewel it is. After all, its downtown was named “America’s Mainstreet” in 2017. But, what you may not know is that DeLand is home to a new local “celebrity” thanks to a commercial for the prescription drug Chantix. Mark Blanchette, a fine arts photographer who calls DeLand home, was featured in the commercial that started airing in January. One of the settings is DeLand's Forno Bello restaurant.
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