Increasing rain chances this weekend, but is it a washout?

Hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists are expected to hit the pavement starting Friday and for the next 10 days during the 2024 Daytona Beach Bike Week, and with such a big event comes an increased law enforcement presence on the roads.

A reminder to check twice for motorcycles — especially starting Friday as the roadways are expected to be packed full of motorcyclists for Bike Week, which is kicking off in Daytona Beach.

A Jacksonville man was shot and wounded in an apparent road rage incident as he drove along Interstate 95 on Saturday, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.

On Wednesday, Flagler Hospital remembered the arrival of that first case by honoring its staff that took care of that man and nearly 600 COVID-19 patients over the last 12 months. Flagler Health+ said it has also tested thousands of people and, more recently, provided thousands of vaccines. Inside the hospital, dedicated units were established to safely care for COVID-19 patients, with many unknowns about transmission at that time. For months this team rotated call every day and night, providing guidance and support for achieving the best outcomes for our patients with COVID-19 diagnosis. Flagler Health+ said their collaboration helped chart the course for recovery for patients, with some of the best outcomes in the state.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – St. Augustine is expecting increased motorcycle traffic downtown as motorcyclists travel to Daytona Beach for Bike Week, which is scheduled through Sunday, but News4Jax was told there are fewer bikers stopping by the ancient city this year. Since St. Augustine is only about an hour from Daytona Beach, many Bike Week participants will traditionally stay overnight in the historic city or stop by for some shopping and sightseeing. But Sean Taylor, owner of Old City Gifts in downtown St. Augustine, told News4Jax the crowds of bikers who would normally visit St. Augustine is nowhere near the numbers in years past. AdTom Leventry, a Pennsylvania resident who has been attending Bike Week for several decades, said he enjoys coming to St. Augustine. Leventry said that based on his observation, it appears 10% of the people attending Bike Week are wearing masks.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A Times Square performer known as the Naked Cowboy was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest without violence and cited for panhandling while working a gig at Bike Week in Daytona Beach, Florida. In body-camera video from one of the officers, Burck repeatedly questioned why he was being detained after an officer put handcuffs on him. Ad“We told you to stop panhandling and you still accepted money from people,” a male officer told him. A female officer told him that he was blocking businesses by drawing a crowd around him. AdVideo on Burck's Facebook page, The Naked Cowboy, showed him performing and taking pictures with fans Saturday morning.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Daytona Beach’s annual Bike Week has brought tens of thousands of motorcyclists to the city and its neighbors this weekend — and few of them are wearing masks. The city made a bargain with its bars — 60% capacity indoors in return for the permits necessary for temporary outdoor sales and entertainment. “I’m grateful to be open for Bike Week, grateful that the city allowed the vendors and the full Bike Week thing,” said Bobby Honeycutt, owner of Froggy’s Saloon, told The Daytona Beach News-Journal as the 10-day event began Friday. AdThe Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the event, estimates 300,000 to 400,000 motorcyclists will attend. Sam Acquaro is attending his 46th straight Bike Week, even though he believes his son caught the virus at last year's, which happened just as the pandemic began spreading around the country and world.