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Tornado warning issued for southern Volusia County affecting greater New Smyrna Beach, Port Orange, Edgewater and Samsula

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The National Weather Service in Melbourne has issued a tornado warning for greater New Smyrna Beach and Port Orange until 6:30 p.m.

A dangerous cell is moving south from Daytona to New Smyrna Beach, unincorporated Samsula and Edgewater. There is a lot of ligtning and some reports of hail associated with this thunderstorm.

The warning is posted below:

Anthony Weiner: The fall of arrogance

Anthony Weiner (D-NY) resigned his seat in Congress, as he should have done a week ago. By all accounts he had been an effective representative and a passionate supporter of liberal and Democratic Party causes. He would have been a strong contender to become the next mayor of New York with the future possibility of a governorship or even more. But he was a deeply flawed man who quickly succumbed to the arrogance, the hubris, which often comes to characterize powerful politicians.

Half dozen active wild fires and another 65 in mop-up stage have firefighters busy in Ormond Beach, Edgewater and other parts of Volusia County

Courtesy graphic / The Volusia County map at left shows the fire locations with active wild fires in bright red and mop op fires in yellow.

DELAND -- The weekend thunderstorms were both a blessing and a curse in the fight against wild fires, bringing much needed rain, but with lightning strikes, igniting new blazes across Volusia County's rural areas.

Firefighters from multiple agencies and Division of Forestry are working 65 brush fires in Volusia County. There are six active fires and the remaining 59 fires are in the mop-up or monitoring stages. Lightning ignited 14 new fires Saturday.

"Personnel from county and city fire departments numbering 32, along with 15 apparatus, are battling six active fires totaling 2,871 acres," Volusia County spokeswoman Michelle Coats said.

There is a high likelihood that more lightning-caused fires will erupt as a result of thunderstorms that moved through the area Friday and Saturday. Predicted weather conditions for today have put fire officials on alert.

Seaside Fiesta 2011 draws upwards of 8,000 people to Flagler Avenue in New Smyrna Beach

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NSBNews.net videos by Sera Frederick / Here are the first two of our 10 videos showcasing Thursday night's Seaside Fiesta on Flagler Avenue in New Smyrna Beach that police and merchants estimated drew between 6,000 and 8,000 people. We will have a complete story and blog, along with lots of photos and the aforementioned video package, media coverage that is unprecedented in New Smyrna Beach.

Seaside Fiesta in New Smyrna Beach draws upwards of 8,000; emphasis on families

Videos by Sera Frederick / This little boy pushes his kid sister in a dolphin mobile on Flagler Avenue in New Smyrna Beach during Thursday's Seaside Fiesta. The event drew between 6,000 and 8,000 visitors.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Bob McManus, 71, a retired shipyard welder, and his friend, Suzanne Jones, a former Navy nurse, enjoyed the sights and sounds of Flagler Avenue's bustling Seaside Fiesta.

WFTV looks into New Smyrna Beach City Attorney Frank Gummey's salary

New Smyrna Beach City Attorney Frank GummeyNSBNews.net file photo / With municipal budget season around the corner, New Smyrna Beach City Attorney Frank Gummey's annual pay is being called into question.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Realtor Bill Roe has caused a stir with his questioning of the $188,000 salary paid to City Attorney Frank Gummey. Roe, principal owner of Ocean Properties in New Smyrna Beach and a blogger for NSBNews.net, contacted WFTV, which portrayed him as a "tax watchdog" in a story and video package posted Tuesday on its website.

1st day of summer today and wild fires continue with new blazes in New Smyrna Beach, Pierson and Osteen

Courtesy graphic / The National Weather Service in Melbourne shows temps today will continue in the low 90s with no rain relief in sight until Thursday.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Today is the first day of summer with no rain in sight until Thursday at the earliest with the threat of continuing wild fires the new reality.

Daytona Beach man first drowning victim of 2011

DAYTONA BEACH -- The first drowning of 2011 occurred Thursday when a 52-year-old man wading in shallow waters stumbled and drowned in what was a calm surf, the Volusia County Beach Patrol said.

Beach Patrol officials were unclear what may have caused Mark Howe to drown in the 5:20 p.m. incident near the Zelda Boulevard Beach ramp with no major rip currents reported. Alcohol or a medical condition may have been factors, Beach Patrol spokeswoman Tammy Marris said. The drowning victim had lived nearby.