Monday – April 30, 2007

AIRTRAN TO CONTINUE AIR SERVICE AT DAYTONA BEACH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT -- Strong community support has convinced AirTran Airways to stay in Daytona Beach year round. Airline officials have informed Daytona Beach International Airport the carrier plans to continue low fare air service beyond the planned seasonal period that was to have ended July 9. Effective July 9, AirTran will continue to offer one daily nonstop flight to its Atlanta hub with connecting service to numerous destinations. The daily nonstop flight will leave Atlanta at 12:19 p.m. and arrive in Daytona Beach at 1:38 p.m. This flight will depart Daytona Beach at 2:13 p.m. and arrive in Atlanta at 3:38 p.m. For more information on AirTran Airways and reservations go to www.airtran.com.

NATIONAL TOURISM WEEK FEATURES PANEL DISCUSSION -- The Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is sponsoring a National Tourism Week program at 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 15, at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort. The event will feature a breakfast and panel discussion on tourism-related topics. Scheduled panelists include County Manager Jim Dinneen, Hotel Motel Association President Bob Davis and other industry professionals. Special guest panelist will be Bud Nocera, President/CEO of Visit Florida, the state's tourism marketing organization. Tickets for the event are $15. Corporate tables of 10 are available for $140. Please register no later than May 8 and make checks payable to the Daytona Beach Area CVB, 126 E. Orange Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32114. For more information, contact Lori Campbell Baker at 386/255-0415 or lcb@daytonabeachcvb.org.

VOLUSIA COUNTY RANKED HIGH BY INC MAGAZINE – Volusia County has moved up in INC Magazine’s annual ranking of the nation’s best midsize markets for doing business. The Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach metropolitan statistical area (MSA) was fifth among 393 MSAs nationally as a hot spot for job growth. This is up from seventh place from INC’s 2006 survey. In the top spot was the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area. INC’s rankings are based on an annual analysis of job growth data supplied by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

MEDIAN SALE PRICE OF HOMES CONTINUES DECLINE -- The Florida Association of Realtors has released its sales report for March 2007. The median sale price of an existing single family home in Volusia declined 12 percent over the past 12 months -- from $225,700 in March 2006 to $199,600 in March this year. During this same period, the sale price of condominiums declined 20 percent -- from $234,100 in March 2006 to $188,000 in March this year. Statewide, the median sale price for an existing single family home in March was $236,900 and $208,800 for a condo.

MATCHING GRANTS AVAILABLE TO AREA TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES -- The county Department of Economic Development and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) have created the da Vinci Partnership. The partnership provides professional and technical expertise in identifying and drafting research proposals to attract federal research and product development funding for Volusia manufacturing and software development companies. Matching grants, known as a “Leo”, are available to Volusia County companies to cover the cost of research, preparation and submission of funding proposals to federal agencies as part of the U.S. Small Innovative Research (SBIR) program. To learn more about the da Vinci Partnership and its SBIR users group, please contact Jackie Dreher, Business Manager, at 386/248-8048 or by emailing jdreher@co.volusia.fl.us

WORKSHOP COVERS BASICS OF HIRING, RETENTION -- A workshop on hiring and retaining employees is scheduled for Wednesday, May 16, at 7:45 a.m. at Riverside Pavilion, 3431 Ridgewood Ave., Port Orange. Registration for Port Orange/South Daytona Chamber members is free. The nonmember cost is $10. Guest panelists include Joe Coury, Awake Consulting & Coaching, Inc., Larry Bucholz, Vision HR, Jeanne Rademacher, Training Incentives Incorporated, and Mark Topol & Co., CPAs. For information please contact Heather Baker at hbaker@pschamber.com

NEWS ITEMS WANTED! – Please send your business news items to Dave Byron, Volusia County Community Information Director, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand, 32720-4612, by fax at (386) 822-5072 or by e-mail at dbyron@co.volusia.fl.us.