Abogados de inmigración in Daytona, FL

A Trader Joe's is opening in Daytona Beach.

"At this time, I can share that we have plans to open a store in Daytona Beach," Nakia Rohde, public relations manager for Trader Joe's, replied via email. She continued, "However, I do not have a location or timeline to confirm."

Hometown News Volusia has viewed a document indicating Trader Joe's is opening at 1511-A Cornerstone Blvd. in Tomoka Town Center in Daytona Beach.

Another document, this one obtained by Hometown News, lays out the instructions for a “Coming Soon. Trader Joe's” sign under the heading General Requirements. It details that once the landlord's work on the site has begun, the sign will be placed "in a prominent and visible location near the premises," and remain "until tenant opens for business."

The document is titled "Daytona Beach FL - Exhibit C Trader Joe's Shell Specifications" with a date of March 29, 2024. It is one of many documents within a bid packet labeled "Tomoka Town Center - Lot 2 A&C - Daytona Beach, FL, New Construction."

"That looks like the smoking gun to me. Now everything points to a Trader Joe's," an individual in the management consulting business, who asked for anonymity, replied when shown the document Hometown News obtained.

Although the document seems to be the smoking gun indicating Trader Joe's is the boutique grocer referred to on a Tomoka Town Center map, some people, including Daytona Beach City staff, have reviewed the site plan and think it could be an Aldi grocery store.

Both Trader Joe's and Aldi are owned by the Albrecht family. They have positioned Aldi as a discount grocer, not a boutique grocer, while Trader Joe's is sometimes labeled as a boutique grocery store and at other times falls into the neighborhood grocery store category.

Tomoka Town Center and the vacant lot at 1511-A Cornerstone Blvd. favor Trader Joe's. For instance, Trader Joe's prefers slightly smaller stores than the average grocer, "To size of the space, 13,432 SF is too small for most grocers but fits right into Trader Joe's preferred 12,500 to 15,000 SF floor plans," the management consultant said. The site would be too small for the typical Aldi's as it averages 22,000 square feet.

Commercial retail advisor Lockehouse Retail Group Inc. notes Trader Joe's criteria when evaluating a location are a minimum 80-space parking lot, easy access in and out of the site, excellent visibility and signalized intersections. All those specifications fall in line with what Tomoka Town Center offers.

Cobb Cole, the legal representative listed on paperwork filed with the City of Daytona Beach, offered no comment when asked to confirm Trader Joe’s would open in Tomoka Town Center. Attempts to reach the developer of Tomoka Town Center, North America Development Group, were unsuccessful.

Members of the Daytona Beach City Commission, including Dannette Henry, whose district the shopping center is in, have not heard which boutique grocer is opening at the location. When Mayor Derrick Henry was asked if he heard that Trader Joe's was the tenant, he replied, "I have never been told that."

However, the document Hometown News Volusia obtained, that is part of the "Tomoka Town Center - Lot 2 A&C - Daytona Beach, FL, New Construction" bid packet, mentions Trader Joe's multiple times, including its vendor contacts for items such as cart corals, doors and HVAC. Trader Joe's is listed on all the schematics as well. No other grocer is mentioned.

Given that the document is close to being one year old, had Trader Joe's dropped out, it stands to reason that the bid packet would be updated so that contractors would know who they would be doing business with.

The 1511-A Cornerstone Blvd address may be more recognizable to shoppers of Tomoka Town Center as the vacant land next to Academy Sports + Outdoors. Per a North America Development Group map, the department store Homesense will open in between the boutique grocer and Academy Sports + Outdoors. Estimates regarding the time to build a 13,432-square-foot grocery store range from lightning-quick six months to two years.

Warm, sunny, vibrant, and ever-popular, Florida remains a top destination for travelers from around the globe. In 2024, the Sunshine State welcomed a record-breaking 142.9 million visitors. Given the number of tourists drawn to the Sunshine State, 2024 was a relatively calm year for shark attacks in Florida, with 14 confirmed bites reported. By contrast, in 2023, the state saw increased activity, with 19 confirmed bites.

According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), Florida has consistently topped global charts in terms of unprovoked shark bites. An unprovoked bite is when someone intentionally interferes with or bothers a shark. Still, while shark attacks are rare, specific beaches, such as New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach, and Palm Beach, experience slightly more encounters due to their popularity, warm waters, abundant marine life, and active ecosystems that attract surfers, swimmers, and sharks alike.

Shark Infested Beaches In TexasThe United States leads the pack when it comes to unprovoked shark bites, which means a bite that isn’t instigated by someone intentionally interfering with the marine predator.

New Smyrna Beach

On the east coast of Central Florida, Volusia County has 47 miles of world-class beachfront on the Atlantic Ocean in tourist-heavy areas like New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach, and the Canaveral National Seashore. The county is a popular destination for sun-seekers, adventurous surfers, and nature lovers, drawn to spots like New Smyrna Beach and its 17-mile stretch of white sandy beaches with some of the best surfing along Florida’s central Atlantic coast. Despite its reputation as the "Shark Bite Capital of the World" due to the high frequency of shark encounters, the beach continues to attract fearless visitors to its laid-back surf culture and reliable, year-round waves.

Over the Independence Day long weekend in July 2024, the beach was the site of two shark bites. The first bite occurred in knee-deep water when a beachgoer was bitten on the foot while tossing a football around. A second bite happened when a tourist played in an inner tube in 5 feet of water. A few days later, a teenager training to be a Volusia County lifeguard dove into the ocean and met up with a 4 to 5-foot black tip shark, who took a bite out of his calf. In September 2024, in an area in New Smyrna Beach called Ponce Inlet, a place surfers dub “Shark Park,” a 62-year-old, 18-time East Coast surfing champion known as “Gnarly Charley” stepped on a bull shark while surfing and was bitten close to his Achilles tendon.

Daytona Beach

Another Volusia County beach, Daytona Beach, is famously known as a haven for car lovers, thanks to its rich automotive history and iconic events like the Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway. The hard-packed sands of Daytona Beach were also historically used for car racing, further cementing its reputation as a destination for auto enthusiasts. Still, Daytona’s car culture isn’t the only draw; its beautiful beaches make it a popular spot for surfers and water lovers, which can attract sharks curious about their activity in the water.

Just days after the first three shark attacks in New Smyrna Beach in July 2024, a teenager visiting from Missouri was standing in knee-deep water when he was bitten on the foot. By the end of 2024, Volusia County had recorded a total of eight shark attacks. While all eight injuries were non-life threatening, these incidents serve as a reminder that the warm waters not only attract tourists to the beaches of Volusia County, but they also appeal to sharks.

Melbourne Beach

About 17 miles south of the well-known shark hotspot of Cocoa Beach on Florida’s Space Coast, Melbourne Beach is a pretty, laid-back community in Brevard County with a history of shark sightings, especially in the summer months when sharks migrate through the area. According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), the county has recorded around 160 unprovoked shark attacks since 1882, compared to around 350 recorded bites in Volusia County. In October 2024, a teenager was surfing about 200 yards from shore when a 5 to 6-foot-long shark bit him on his forearm.

Brevard County has 18 documented types of sharks, including spinner, Atlantic sharpnose, and Great Whites. The most commonly seen sharks in the waters off Brevard are blacktips, easily identified by the black tip on their dorsal fin, and tiger sharks. These aggressive sharks are second only to great whites in recorded attacks on humans.

Fort Walton Beach

Fort Walton Beach in the Florida Panhandle is well-loved for its laid-back beaches, fishing opportunities on nearby Okaloosa Island, and attractions like the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park. Historically, shark attacks are exceedingly rare in the emerald-green waters on the Emerald Coast, with only three attacks being recorded according to historical records kept by the University of Florida’s ISAF. In June 2024, two teenage girls swimming in waist-deep water were injured by a suspected bull shark, known to swim close to the shoreline. One of the victims suffered significant injuries to her leg and hand, while the other girl’s injury to her foot was less severe. On the same day, within the span of two hours, a third person was attacked by a shark in Watersound, South Walton, when she was swimming near a sandbar in the Gulf of Mexico.

Bathtub Beach

Stuart is a coastal town on Florida’s Treasure Coast, known as the “Sailfish Capital of the World,” thanks to its world-class sport fishing opportunities. It’s home to two beaches, both perfect for families due to the clear blue water, soft sand, proximity to touch tanks, and hands-on activities for kids at the Florida Oceanographic Society Coast Center, a 57-acre marine life nature center. Thanks to a recent makeover from Martin County, including 35,000 cubic yards of sand, Bathtub Beach, which sits at the northern end of Hutchison Island, is growing in popularity with locals, visitors, and sharks.

In what the Florida Museum of Natural History gives the odds of happening at a 1 in 3.7 million chance, a local man was bitten twice at Bathtub Beach. When he was 16 years old, he was bitten by a 4 to 5-foot-long blacktip reef shark on the hand when he was surfing in waist-deep water. Fast forward eleven years and the same man was bitten for the second time at Bathtub Beach in October 2024. The second attack occurred while he was sitting on his surfboard, and a 7 to 8-foot-long tiger or bullshark bit both his feet in one bite, which required surgery.

Fernandina Beach, Nassau County

Fernandina Beach is the northernmost city on Florida's Atlantic coast, situated on one of Florida’s barrier islands, Amelia Island. Known as one of the quieter beach communities along the coast, it is the perfect destination for museum lovers, with attractions like the Marine Welcome Center and Shrimping Museum. Still, the laid-back town made the news several times in 2024. In late June 2024, a man in his 40s was the victim of a shark attack after suffering a severe bite to his right arm. Then, in December of 2024, a man surf fishing for bull sharks at Fernandina Beach managed to catch a 9 to 10-foot-long great white shark after wrestling with the apex predator for about thirty minutes. The shark was later released back into the ocean.

Florida's beaches attract millions of visitors yearly, from surfing enthusiasts at New Smyrna Beach to car lovers at Daytona Beach and families exploring Bathtub Beach in Stuart. The same waters that attract tourists also appeal to sharks, and even quieter spots like Fernandina Beach occasionally make headlines for shark activity. Sharks are part of Florida's natural marine ecosystem, but attacks remain rare, and most sharks are not dangerous to humans.

Some potential lessons learned from encounters at the six most shark-infested beaches in Florida in 2024 include that most attacks occur close to the shore, and it's rare for victims to see a shark approaching. Shark experts say sharks don't bite more than once in most attacks, and many attacks result from nip-and-runs, bump-and-bites, and sneak attacks, reminding visitors to the Sunshine State to remain vigilant when enjoying Florida's inviting waters.

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A “so Florida” thing to do is coming up: a potential SpaceX rocket launch.

A late night evening rocket launch in semi-cool and semi-breezy Florida could kick off the week if things go according to plan for the space agency.

SpaceX plans to send a Falcon 9 rocket with several Starlink satellites into orbit on Tuesday, Feb. 25. And depending on weather and visibility, there could be a show in the sky above the Fun Coast.

Rockets launch from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral, Florida, in neighboring Brevard County, which is an hour east of the Orlando theme parks. Depending on cloud cover, weather and visibility, people from Daytona Beach to Ormond Beach and other parts of the Fun Coast might see a nice streak in the sky — given the proximity to NASA's Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Below are suggestions on where to watch the rocket launch from this area and other things to know. If there are changes to the launch schedule, this story will be updated.

Rocket launch calendar:Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral

For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at rneale@floridatoday.com or Space Reporter Brooke Edwards at bedwards@floridatoday.com. For more space news from the USA TODAY Network, visit floridatoday.com/space.

Where can I see a rocket launch in Florida? Can you see liftoff from New Smyrna Beach or Daytona Beach?

Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, yes, rocket launches from neighboring Space Coast could be visible in the Volusia County area. When there’s a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, there’s an opportunity for unique photos — the rocket lights up the dark sky and the contrail after makes for a great photo.

Below are suggestions on where to watch them and photos of previous rocket launches as seen from the Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and Port Orange areas of Florida.

What time is the next rocket launch from Florida? Tuesday, February 25: SpaceX Starlink 12-13

Live weather radar: Will it rain in Melbourne, Cocoa Beach or Cape Canaveral, Florida, today? Will weather cancel a rocket launch?

Shown is the National Weather Service-Melbourne radar, which shows conditions in real-time for the Space Coast, Brevard County, Orlando and other parts of Florida. The current date and time show up on the bottom right of this radar embed; otherwise, you may need to clear your cache.

Where can I see a rocket launch in Volusia County, Florida?

In Volusia County, immediately north of Brevard County — home to Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — you can get a great view of a SpaceX, NASA or United Launch Alliance rocket launches.

The best views to watch a rocket launch from here is along the beach. Look due south. Readers have also mentioned seeing a rocket launch from New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach. Here are some recommended spots:

• South New Smyrna Beach (Canaveral National Seashore), there may be parking costs. New Smyrna Beach features 17 miles of white sandy beaches. An eclectic and quaint beach town, despite its reputation as the "Shark Bite Capital of the World," New Smyrna Beach has always been a haven for surfers who come for the waves.

• Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, 6656 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Bethune Beach, which is 3.5 miles south of New Smyrna Beach and one mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore Park, has restrooms, picnic pavilions, showers and nearly 800 feet of beachfront sidewalk, according to Volusia County's site. The nearby riverside park area is across South Atlantic Avenue with tennis courts, pickle ball courts, basketball and volleyball courts, playground, fishing pier and restrooms. The river by the park can be a great viewing spot for manatees, dolphins and pelicans.

• Apollo Beach at Canaveral National Seashore (south of New Smyrna Beach). Canaveral National Seashore runs along Florida's East Coast in Volusia County and Brevard County. To access Apollo Beach, take Interstate 95 to exit 249, then travel east until it turns into State Road A1A. Follow SR A1A south to the park entrance.

• Oak Hill riverfront is the southernmost city in South Volusia County.

• Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill

• Goodrich's Seafood and Oyster House back deck, 253 River Road, Oak Hill

• Seminole Rest national historic site, 211 River Road, Oak Hill

• Riverbreeze Park, 250 H.H. Burch Road, Oak Hill

• Mary Dewees Park, 178 N. Gaines St., Oak Hill. Facilities include a rental building, playground, baseball field, basketball courts, tennis courts, outdoor restrooms, pavilions, picnic areas and grills.

• Nancy Cummings Park, 232 Cummings St., Oak Hill. Facilities include a playground, baseball field, basketball courts, outdoor pavilion and restrooms.

• Jimmie Vann Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill. This location has about 350 feet of beautifully restored shoreline, according to the city of Oak Hill online. Facilities include a pavilion, picnic tables and kayak launching facilities.

• A.C. Delbert Dewees Municipal Pier, 243 River Road, Oak Hill. Facilities include a 520-foot observation pier with two covered decks and seating, the city of Oak Hill site states.

• Bird Observation Pier on River Road across from A.C. Delbert Municipal Pier (see above). Facilities include a 100-foot observation pier.

Rocket launch photo from Port Orange, Florida

Rocket launch photos from New Smyrna Beach, Florida

Rocket launch photos from Daytona Beach, Florida

Rocket launch photo from Ormond-by-the-Sea, Florida

(This story was updated with new information.)

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Anyone ready for a pre-Daytona 500 rocket launch? A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is expected to lift off very early morning on Saturday. And depending on weather and visibility, there could be a show in the sky above Volusia County to kick off Daytona 500 weekend.

Weather permitting, SpaceX will launch another payload of Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit early Saturday morning, a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory shows.

Rockets launch from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral, Florida, in Brevard County, which is an hour east of the Orlando theme parks. Depending on cloud cover, weather and visibility, people from Daytona Beach to Titusville to Melbourne Beach and Vero Beach might see a nice streak in the sky — given the proximity to NASA's Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Below are suggestions on where to watch the rocket launch from the New Smyrna Beach, Port Orange areas, and other things to know. If there are changes to the launch schedule, this story will be updated.

For questions or comments, email Florida Today Space Reporter Rick Neale at rneale@floridatoday.com. For more space news from the USA TODAY Network, visit floridatoday.com/space.

Where in Florida can you see a rocket launch? Can you see a rocket launch from New Smyrna Beach?

Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, yes, rocket launches from neighboring Space Coast could be visible in the Volusia County area.

When there’s a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, there’s an opportunity for unique photos — the rocket lights up the dark sky and the contrail after makes for a great photo.

Below are suggestions on where to watch them and photos of previous rocket launches as seen from the Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and Port Orange areas of Florida.

When is the next SpaceX rocket launch in Florida? No earlier than Saturday, Feb. 15: SpaceX Starlink 12-8

Where can I see a rocket launch in Volusia County, Florida?

In Volusia County, immediately north of Brevard County — home to Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — you can get a great view of a SpaceX, NASA or United Launch Alliance rocket launches.

The best views to watch a rocket launch from here is along the beach. Look due south. Readers have also mentioned seeing a rocket launch from New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach. Here are some recommended spots:

• South New Smyrna Beach (Canaveral National Seashore), there may be parking costs. New Smyrna Beach features 17 miles of white sandy beaches. An eclectic and quaint beach town, despite its reputation as the "Shark Bite Capital of the World," New Smyrna Beach has always been a haven for surfers who come for the waves.

• Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, 6656 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Bethune Beach, which is 3.5 miles south of New Smyrna Beach and one mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore Park, has restrooms, picnic pavilions, showers and nearly 800 feet of beachfront sidewalk, according to Volusia County's site. The nearby riverside park area is across South Atlantic Avenue with tennis courts, pickle ball courts, basketball and volleyball courts, playground, fishing pier and restrooms. The river by the park can be a great viewing spot for manatees, dolphins and pelicans.

• Apollo Beach at Canaveral National Seashore (south of New Smyrna Beach). Canaveral National Seashore runs along Florida's East Coast in Volusia County and Brevard County. To access Apollo Beach, take Interstate 95 to exit 249, then travel east until it turns into State Road A1A. Follow SR A1A south to the park entrance.

• Oak Hill riverfront is the southernmost city in South Volusia County.

• Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill

• Goodrich's Seafood and Oyster House back deck, 253 River Road, Oak Hill

• Seminole Rest national historic site, 211 River Road, Oak Hill

• Riverbreeze Park, 250 H.H. Burch Road, Oak Hill

• Mary Dewees Park, 178 N. Gaines St., Oak Hill. Facilities include a rental building, playground, baseball field, basketball courts, tennis courts, outdoor restrooms, pavilions, picnic areas and grills.

• Nancy Cummings Park, 232 Cummings St., Oak Hill. Facilities include a playground, baseball field, basketball courts, outdoor pavilion and restrooms.

• Jimmie Vann Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill. This location has about 350 feet of beautifully restored shoreline, according to the city of Oak Hill online. Facilities include a pavilion, picnic tables and kayak launching facilities.

• A.C. Delbert Dewees Municipal Pier, 243 River Road, Oak Hill. Facilities include a 520-foot observation pier with two covered decks and seating, the city of Oak Hill site states.

• Bird Observation Pier on River Road across from A.C. Delbert Municipal Pier (see above). Facilities include a 100-foot observation pier.

Rocket launch photo from Port Orange, Florida

Rocket launch photos from New Smyrna Beach, Florida

Rocket launch photos from Daytona Beach, Florida

Rocket launch photo from Ormond-by-the-Sea, Florida

Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper to support local journalism.