The Downtown DeLand Dog Parade was Saturday, February 22, and it was a spectacle as always. The Krewe of Amalee who hosts the parade, always exceeds expectations and raises the bar year after year.
 It's open! Barbecue lovers and 4 Rivers fans in Volusia County can rejoice! The beloved barbecue chain opened its latest location at Daytona Beach's One Daytona, across from the Daytona International Speedway.
 Picture of the St. Francis Hotel that once stood on the banks of the St.John's River, west of DeLand. After several minutes of wandering down the trail off CR 42, east of DeLand on the Lake County side of the river, the cars that can be heard fade into the distance. Slowly, another world begins to emerge. This world of Old Florida was lost in time due to the advances of society, but traces remain of what was once a bustling society.
 The DeLand community lost a pillar on January 31, 2020. Leslie "Gus" Gibbs passed away in his sleep that night. The 76-year-old was known for his retail store retail clothing store, Gibbs for Men, a formal wear store that was open for 40 years in Downtown DeLand. The store closed on January 31, 2018, but it was there that Gibbs became a friend to the community with his friendly customer service.
 Photo cred: GME Principal Shannon Young. https://twitter.com/sbyoung19/status/1202008976440909830 If you are a long-time DeLand native and went to public school, there is a good chance you attended George Marks Elementary School. There is also a good chance that you won't recognize it these days. That's because it has been under construction since the end of the 2018-2019 school year.
 Much to the chagrin of eligible bachelorettes around the country, Tim Tebow recently got married. That will probably go down as his favorite day of his life, but there is another favorite day that likely comes just under that, and it happens every year. That is the day of Night to Shine, a prom that happens around the world for people with special needs. The event is an extension of his non-profit, the Tim Tebow Foundation.
 Cancer is something that has affected many of the people we know. Thankfully, there are many organizations locally and nationally that raise money for cancer research and are inspiring and encouraging so many to continue to fight. One of those organizations is the ME STONG Foundation.
 Volusia County residents might now get their Amazon If you haven't heard by now, that mystery warehouse building that is set to be built in Deltona will belong to Amazon. After a non-disclosure agreement and much speculation over the past several months, the online retail giant will have a new home in Florida.
 If you want to find a good cause to give your hard earned money, time, services or items to, the lists are endless. The world is filled with kind people helping others. DeLand is home to many wonderful organizations and one such is Love Like Lyndsey Loved.
 One attraction to small-towns is low crime. Although DeLand has its fair share of issues, there are two law enforcement leaders that strive to make our area attractable to potential residents and help current residents feel safe.
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