7NJ0103C1125 NEWS-JOURNALÀ 7NJ0103C1125 ZALLCALL 15 23:54:28 11/24/07 B

Classic cars of
every sort on
display at
Speedway
PAGE 3C
Local
FINAL EDITION: NEWS FROM YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR STATE
SECTION C
SUNDAY
NOVEMBER 25, 2007
THE NEWS-JOURNAL

Mark Lane ‘‘As the sun

Addicted
comes out of
that eastern
sky, it’s a new
day for all. It’s
a new day for
us,’’ says Ray

to God
Kelley. Kelley
FOOTNOTE uses a fiery
style of

Seminoles speaking to
rouse his
audience.

and slots, Former meth user calls on religion to help Daytona Beach’s homeless
continued
R
eaders may recall a
column that appeared
in this space last week
with the downer headline
‘‘Better than nothing.’’ The
piece was about the state’s
pact with the Seminole Tribe
of Florida and the heading ni-
cely conveyed my enthusiasm
for the undertaking.
The burden of the thing was
to explain an interesting polit-
ical contradiction. Namely,
that many people who don’t
like big casino gambling sup-
port Gov. Charlie Crist’s com-
pact with the Seminole Tribe
of Florida. A compact that al-
lows expanded casino gam-
bling.
This is not a position that
gives me warm feelings of be-
ing in the right. Instead, it’s a
case of supporting the less-bad
outcome. One that would ben-
efit the state as a whole while
South Florida and, to a smaller
extent Hillsborough County,
absorb the social and econom-
ic costs. One that would penal-
ize future gambling
expansion.
Yup, we need to allow more
gambling to keep it from
spreading. Ain’t Florida poli-
tics wonderful?
Conversely, people who
would like to see more casino
gambling in Florida and want
the state to get into the video
lottery business are against
the compact. Foremost among
them are parimutuel owners
— the people who run dog and
horse tracks and jai alai fron- News-Journal photos/JUSTIN YURKANIN
tons. A man stands up in praise during Ray Kelley’s sermon at the Daytona Outreach Center on the corner of North Street and Ridgewood Avenue on Nov. 1.
They want to limit Indian Kelley, a former drug addict, now devotes his life to religion and his ministry in the heart of Daytona Beach’s notorious drug area is intended to help drug
gambling in order to spread addicts, homeless people and prostitutes turn their lives around.
casino gambling. And now
there’s a new wrinkle in the
dispute. Florida House Speak- By SETH ROBBINS
er Marco Rubio filed suit Mon- STAFF WRITER MORE ONLINE
Ball

F
day to void the agreement aded tattoos coat Ray Kelley’s thick forearms. When he .
Ave
oug

with the Seminole Tribe be- received the sleeves of ink, which included a large cross son
N. B

Ma
h Rd

cause it usurps the Legislature on his left elbow, he didn’t know he would become a
eac

and violates the principle of

.

preacher one day.

h

separation of powers. On a gray evening, near the J-Foods store on North Street and Daytona
St.

From the time the Semi- North Ridgewood Avenue, Kelley shakes the hands of men and Beach
noles first opened bingo halls women streaming into the fence-lined, grassy lot. Every Thurs-
in 1979, the state has been ne- day night at 6, he preaches here. Across the street, dope runners
N. R

.
gotiating and litigating over Ave
huddle under an awning to escape the drizzling rain. rv iew
Sp

idg

their gambling operations. Fai

‘‘No church. No Food. No Late Birds,’’ reads a sign that Kelley
ruc

ewo

And yet, nowhere in the state

eS

and his wife, Susan, tacked to the chain-link fence encircling

od

constitution is anything au- Watch the Video

t.

Ha

the field. Jesus of Nazareth of-

Ave

thorizing the governor to

lifa

A serial killer’s stomping grounds

.

fered loaves and fishes to sus- Meet the Kelleys and the locals
N. B

xR

work out compacts with Na-

THE CITY YOU’VE tain a poor, hungry crowd
1
they are trying to help not only get
ive
eac

tive American tribes. Nothing North

r

through his sermons. Tonight

NEVER KNOWN
h

says he can’t, either. And am- off drugs, but off the streets of an
St.

biguities like that are why we
have lawyers.
It surprises most people to
discover that Florida gets no
tax money from current Semi-
nole gambling operations.
That’s because there is no
compact between state and
tribe to do this.
This happened because the
past two governors opposed
any agreement that might rec-
ognize and tax Indian opera-
tions. After Gov. Lawton
Chiles refused negotiations,
the tribe sued and the state
wound up losing a major U.S.
Supreme Court case in 1996.
Gov. Jeb Bush took more of
a passive-aggressive approach
to the tribe’s proposals — ne-
gotiating only to the degree
Kelley’s disciples, in orange T- Ridgewood area they call ‘‘the devil’s territory’’
UPDATE: 1 YEAR LATER shirts, stir pots of chili and ar- area Blv
d. — Ridgewood Avenue in Daytona
range pyramids of hamburger way
Sp eed Beach. Follow the link:
buns for after the service. It worked for Jesus, and it works on nal
atio news-journalonline.com
Ridgewood. Inte
rn VOLUSIA COUNTY
‘‘We’re in the devil’s territory,’’ he says of this notorious cen- N
Map
ter of drugs and prostitution, ‘‘and you have to get dirty when Are
you’re in the devil’s territory. We get cussed out. We get called More Updates Inside, Page 4C
names. We get beer thrown at us. We get hugs by people that
Catch up with:
stink. To get dirty is to be on the front lines doing God’s work.’’ News-Journal P Curtis Anderson, the half-blind painter
For Ray Kelley and his wife, the front line sits squarely at the
intersection of North Street and North Ridgewood Avenue, Revisiting the Neighborhood P Police officer Penny Dane on the beat
P Worried mom Jennifer LaForge returns
where they founded the Daytona Outreach Center six months Next month will mark two years since the murder P Homeless resident Gene Mayer still
ago in an abandoned copy shop overrun by drug dealers, prosti- of Laquetta Gunther, the first of three women police here
tutes and thieves. say were gunned down by a serial killer. The women P Neighbor Stacey Dittmer frustrated
All of whom are now welcome to come in for a blessing. Or use frequented Daytona Beach’s downtrodden North with police
the phone. Ridgewood Avenue neighborhoods, whose people and P J Food’s Issa Nakoul no longer in retail
‘‘We just love on them,’’ says his wife, Susan. problems were examined in a News-Journal series P The sad end of former prostitute Tara
last year. The killer still eludes police, but it is not
SEE ADDICTED, PAGE 5C Price, who tried to get clean
believed he’s struck here again. P Also police crack down on crime in

that the federal government seth.robbins@news-jrnl.com The series is on the Web at: news-journalonline.com North Ridgewood Avenue neighborhood.
mandated, and maybe not
quite that.
But everything changed af- PDFA-0000672876
ter 2004 when voters approved ADVERTISEMENT
local-option slot machines for
Broward County. Under feder- INSIDE ON THE
al law, if a state allows casino
games, then it must allow Indi- COMMUNICATION TRANSIT IT’S CHRISTMAS!: SPOT
an tribes the same games. BREAKDOWN: DEVELOPMENT: Volunteers go
Under a federally-imposed Pierson’s pledge Flagler County Victorian in historic
deadline, Gov. Crist got a re- to serve its taking steps to home. PAGE 2C
soundingly just-OK deal for Spanish-speaking improve bus
the state that would give Flor- residents has been system, but
ida a cut of Seminole gaming.
So here’s the worse-case sce- a hollow promise so riders are being
nario for the lawsuit opposing far, leader says. turned away
that deal: The compact gets PAGE 2C now. PAGE 3C
voided by the courts. The feds
then allow expanded slot ma- William
chines in Seminole casinos Kurras, 86
with no taxation or oversight
by the state. Then Florida, COMING JOB: Retired
plumber
stuck with casinos anyway,
gets in the video lottery busi- MONDAY BORN IN: New York
ness and allows casinos all NOW LIVES IN:
over the place. South Daytona
Yet why are many Republi- HELPFUL HOUND: Confined to a
wheelchair due to being born with WHAT BRIGHT-
cans cheering on this suit? Be-
cause it fights casino spina bifida, Lynn Blaes finds her ENS YOUR DAY?
gambling. life has been made a little easier I love talking to
Am I missing something by the service dog she acquired people.
529 Seabreeze Boulevard • Daytona Beach
here? this year. — Debbie Roberts Monday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm • Friday 10 am-9 pm
mark.lane@news-jrnl.com www.seabreezejewelry.com

Magenta Cyan Yellow Black

7NJ0502C1125 NEWS-JOURNALê 7NJ0502C1125 ZALLCALL
The Daytona Beach News-Journal
Working in ‘Devil’s Territory’
ADDICTED
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1C
‘SELF-DESTRUCTION TOUR’
Both former methampheta-
mine addicts, the Kelleys hope
to revive those on drugs and al-
cohol with a heavy dose of com-
passion and Christianity.
‘‘I’m two bad choices away
from being just like them,’’ Ray
Kelley, 46, says. ‘‘So when they
see me, they see that they’re a
couple of good choices from be-
ing just like me.’’
In 1987, the Kelleys were
shooting pool in a Clearwater
bar, acquainted less than a
week, when they made a bet to
wed if he lost. ‘‘I scratched the
8-ball,’’ Ray Kelley says. They
were married the next day.
He worked as a construction
foreman. Susan was a house
painter. Both were heavy drink-
ers, and Ray had dabbled, all his
life, in drugs.
In 1999, Ray Kelley offered a
meth pipe to his wife. ‘‘I never
dreamed,’’ she says, ‘‘that put-
ting that pipe in my mouth
would change my life forever.’’
For the next five years, the
Kelleys were on what they call
their ‘‘self-destruction tour.’’
They spent hundreds of thou-
sands of dollars on the drug,
eventually losing their home.
They separated. Susan went to
her mother’s, where she slept on
the couch next to the couple’s
8-year-old daughter. Ray Kelley
lived out of a storage unit.
By 2005, Ray Kelley was home-
less, stealing from friends and
burglarizing houses to feed his
$700-a-day addiction.
APPEAL TO GOD
Then on July 11, 2005, after
spending several nights on the
streets near Ridgewood Avenue,
Ray Kelley asked God to kill
him. But he was left standing.
‘‘I said to God, ‘if you’re real
and you can take this addiction
away from me, I will be yours
until the day I die.’ ’’
Weeks later, his wife re-
turned. Though their bodies
ached for the drug, they made a
pact to quit, and kept it.
After getting clean, he drove
the streets of Daytona Beach
asking people if he could pray
for them.
Having never graduated from
high school or had any formal
training in theology, he was
leading a Bible study at a home-
less shelter when he had a vi-
sion of a ‘‘recovery church.’’
Policyholder Forum
When:
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
4:00-7:00 pm
Where:
Hilton Daytona Beach
Oceanfront Resort
100 N. Atlantic Avenue
Daytona Beach, FL 32118
Help Us Continue to Improve
Attendees can ask questions,
offer suggestions for
improvement, get policyholder
service and meet Citizens staff
05 21:59:24 11/24/07
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1C: THE CITY YOU’VE NEVER KNOWN — UPDATE: 1 YEAR LATER
A homeless man who just got out of jail and has missed
the church service at the Outreach Center watches people
receive a free meal afterward. Susan Kelley, right, wife of
preacher Ray Kelley, often watches the gate to enforce the
center’s rule: No Church. No Food. No Late Birds.
The Daytona Outreach Center
was born. It has been funded
ever since by their church To-
moka Christian in Ormond
Beach.
Ray Kelley’s mission owes a
debt not just to Jesus of Naza-
reth, who spent most of his brief
life amid the desperate and des-
titute, but also William Booth,
an evangelist who left the pulpit
in the late 1800s for the streets of
London. Booth, along with his
wife Catherine, implored
thieves, gamblers and drunks to
give their lives to Christ. By
1867, Booth’s mission had grown
to 1,000 volunteers and count-
less more converts. Known as
‘‘The General,’’ Booth dubbed
his recruits the Salvation Army.
Checkered pasts, however,
made Booth’s converts less than
welcome at the established
churches.
Troy Ray, director of Halifax
Urban Ministries in Ormond
Beach, says Kelley’s congrega-
tion faces a similar problem.
‘‘A number of churches in the
area are good about inviting
homeless people in, providing
meals and showers,’’ Ray said.
‘‘At the end, though, it still feels
like they are a guest and not
someone that belongs there.
What Ray and Sue are doing
goes a step further. They say
‘this is your church. This is
your place.’ ’’
RESIDENTS LUKEWARM ON CHURCH
Neighbors of the Outreach
Center, however, group it with
another place on North Street
that attracts transients. ‘‘They
are doing a good service,’’ said
Chris Daun. ‘‘But a majority of
PDFA-0000675573
12/31/07
0000676379
street people for information.
THE PREACHER’S WIFE
Susan Kelley, 42, recently con-
soled her after she heard her
best friend, Vivian, died in the
bushes off Beach Street. ‘‘I don’t
want to die,’’ she had cried.
‘‘The other night I tried to kill
myself. The train was this close.
I don’t want to be out there. I got
kids. I got degrees.’’
Susan Kelley tried entering
Vivian into a treatment pro-
gram the next day. She never
made it. Still, Kelley prays for
her friend.
‘‘It hurts me so much to hear
News-Journal/JUSTIN YURKANIN their stories,’’ she says. ‘‘It re-
opens my wounds a little bit.
But, I don’t ever want them to
close completely. I don’t want to
forget how bad it hurts to be ad-
dicted.’’
Each morning, Susan Kelley
sits at her computer in the front
window of the Outreach Center.
the clients are from other states. Her hair is plain and brown, and
If you feed them, it’s like putting
her face is free of makeup. She
a Band-Aid on a gushing has to remind herself that she is
wound.’’ now the preacher’s wife to the
Ray Kelley remains implaca- outside world.
ble, and other pastors defend his ‘‘They don’t see the crazy
type of service as basic to Chris- meth head who used to run the
tianity itself. streets of Daytona,’’ she says.
‘‘The mandate of the New Tes-
Her favorite part of her day is
tament church,’’ said the Rev. L. when someone wanders into the
Ronald Durham, pastor of the Outreach Center wondering
Greater Friendship Baptist what it is they do — that and
Church in Daytona Beach, ‘‘is to Willie Dee. Dee’s real name is
bring Christ to where the people Charles Hickson, and he has
are; not to sit in the stained glass been a drug dealer on the streets
walls of the sanctuary waiting for more than a decade. Now, he
for them to come in.’’ sweeps the walk of the conve-
Walls and a roof would be a nience store next door, and has
luxury for Ray Kelley’s congre- begun to do odd jobs around the
gation. For now, the field will Outreach Center.
have to do. ‘‘I know he’s going to be a
Hoarse from yelling, he reads mighty man of God one day,’’
to men and women in folding she says, ‘‘when he gets done
chairs. ‘‘As it was in the days of with the junk.’’
Noah so will it be at the coming Night falls and all that illumi-
of the Son of Man.’’ A cigarette nates the field is the white glow
tips precariously from a listen- of the J-Food Store sign. Men
ing man’s lips, each tongue flick and women gobble their chili,
counting the seconds of the ser- quickly lining up for seconds —
mon. Ash-colored clouds sweep a hot meal is hard to come by.
the sky and leaves rustle; a Dee, however, eschews the
downpour can’t be too far. free food and thanks Ray Kelley
‘‘It ain’t going to rain,’’ Ray for his preaching. He remem-
Kelley shouts. The crowd stirs. bers when J-Foods didn’t exist,
‘‘It ain’t going to rain tonight.’’ when live oak trees, lined with
‘‘Amen,’’ cry several women.
Spanish moss, were scattered
This is a proposition they can along the boulevard, and a pic-
get behind; many will spend the ture show was just around the
night in the woods among the corner. He appreciates what the
damp palmettos. Kelleys are doing, but he’s not
He bounds among the folding ready for God yet, he says.
chairs, sweat matting his cop- ‘‘But, I know when the man
per hair to his forehead. ‘‘The upstairs gives me that message,
only thing that is going to rain I will be sitting on those steps
on us is the Holy Spirit.’’ that morning,’’ he says, point-
‘‘You tell it preacher,’’ replies ing to the cement stoop.
a woman whose brother looks The Kelleys will gladly open
for her nightly, often paying the door.
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Sunday, November 25, 2007 5C
DEATHS
MARY ANN BOWEN, 86, Orange City,
a former restaurant owner/
operator, died Thursday.
a postal clerk for the Post
Office, died Friday.
GORDON JOSEPH KNOLL, 75, Orange
LINDA HELEN BURKE, 69, DeLeon City,
owned/operated an installation
Springs,
company, died Friday.
a native of Troy, N.Y., died VIRGINIA I. O’TOOLE, 84, Daytona
Thursday.
Beach,
LUCY CARDINALE, 86, Deltona, a former resident of Orange
a homemaker, died Wednesday.
City and DeLand, died
SANDRA GIBSON, 69, Orange City, Thursday.
a homemaker, died Friday.
MADGE KEY PINKSTON, 80, Palm
CHARLES L. GUTH, 77, Holly Hill Coast,
a retired machinist for
a homemaker, died Thursday.
Lockheed-Martin Aerospace GEORGE R. SCOBIE JR., 70, New
Industries, Orlando, died Smyrna Beach,
Tuesday. retired as a journeyman
LESLIE K. HALL, 54, New Smyrna plumber for L&P Mechanical
Beach, Contractors, died Thursday.
Paid Notices
Funeral Services
BURKE, LINDA HELEN — Fu- BOWEN, MARY ANN — Funeral
neral service for Linda Helen service for Mary Ann Bowen, 86,
Burke, 69, DeLeon Springs, who Trafford Avenue, Orange City,
died Novem- who died Nov. 22, 2007, in
ber 22, 2007,
Orange City, will be 1 p.m. Mon-
at Florida Hos-
day, Nov. 26, at the Allen-Sum-
pital Fish Me- merhill Memorial Chapel in
morial, Orange DeLand. Burial will be at Oak-
City, will be 10 dale Cemetery. Calling hours are
a.m. Wednes-
from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Monday
day, Novem-
prior to service. Mrs. Bowen was
ber 28, at St.
born May 4, 1921, in Bauline,
Peter’s Catho- Newfoundland, Canada, and
lic Church, De-
moved to this area in 1962 from
Land. Burial
Canada. She was a former res-
will be at Oak-
taurant owner and manager. She
dale Cemetery. Mrs. Burke was
was a member of the Moose
born in Troy, N.Y., and moved to
this area in 1973 from Mechan- Club Ladies Auxiliary, DeBary
#655, and the American Legion
icsville, N.Y. Beloved wife and
Ladies Auxiliary, DeBary #259.
devoted mother, she was an ani-
She enjoyed music, dancing and
mal lover and a member of
fund-raising for children. The
Tuesdays Knitters at DeLand Li-
brary and Artist of Month at Stu- family would like to thank Vitas
dio 308. Survivors include her Hospice Care, who helped take
son, Daniel Scott Burke, Baker, care of her for 3 years and also
Fla.; three daughters, Sandra provided care and loving support
Ann Bishop, Great Falls, Va., to her and her family. She was
Jean Leigh Miller, DeLand, Joann predeceased by her son, Ber-
Lynne Pifer, DeLand; three sis- nard Paul Bowen. Survivors in-
ters, Gail Huffstutler, Liberty Hill, clude her son, Robert Joseph
Texas, Sandra Chambers, Lake Brown, Nova Scotia; daughters,
George, N.Y., Bonnie Hohman, Millicent Manning, Alberta, Can-
Wynantskill, N.Y.; grandchildren, ada, Levina McDonald, Clem-
Melanie Bush, Ft. Wainwright,
mons, N.C., Madonna A.
Alaska, Matthew Burke, current-
Mathews, Orange City, Fla., Edna
ly in Iraq, and Joshua Miller, Carwile, Lexington, N.C.; broth-
Kaitlyn Miller, Erika Pifer, and ers, Henry King and Bernard
Zachary Pifer, all of DeLand; and King, both of Newfoundland; sis-
great-grandchild, Madison Mae ters, Barbara Moss, Newfound-
Bush, Ft. Wainwright, Alaska.
land, and Bernice Griffin, Chicago,
Ill.; 16 grandchildren; 18 great-
grandchildren; and 6 great-great-
grandchildren. Memorial dona-
tions may be made to Vitas Hos-
pice Care, 533 North Nova Road,
PDFA-0000671902
Ormond Beach, FL 32174.
DAVIS, LOUISE — A Celebration
of Life for Louise Davis, 95, Holly
Hill, will be held Wednesday,
Nov. 28, 2007,
at 12 noon at
Lohman Fu-
neral Home
Chapel, 733
W. Granada
Blvd., with
Chaplain
James Smith
As Low As
officiating. Her
family is invit-
ing friends for
6.25
visitation
Wednesday from 11 a.m. until 12
APR noon. Interment will be held at
Daytona Memorial Park. Louise
20-Year Term died Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2007, at
Bishop’s Glen. Surviving her are
a son, Darwin, and his wife, Lin-
da Direks, North Carolina;
daughter, Joan and her husband,
Ray Kerr, Ormond Beach; four
grandchildren, Carla Direks, Su-
san Hender, Sherman Hender,
Linda Warrick; and three great-
grandchildren, Sam, Marion and
Brandon. Louise was born June
28, 1912, in Plankinton, S.D., the
daughter of Theophiel and Mary
Elegeer DePaepe. She worked
for a time at Bells Portrait Studi-
o’s in Dewitt, Iowa. Louise came
to Florida in 1998 from Denver,
Colo. She enjoyed cooking, sew-
ing, traveling in her motorhome
and spending time with her fam-
ily. Condolences may be shared
with the family online at
www.lohmanfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements are under the
careful direction of Lohman Fu-
neral Home Ormond.
Continued on Page 6C
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