NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Sera and I wish everyone in New Smyrna Beach and communities throughout Volusia County and across the Sunshine State a joyous Easter Sunday.
This is a day of worship, of hope, of renewal.
Be thankful for what you have in family, health and happiness; most of all, your faith.
Grade: A
Gov. Rick Scott appointed Jacksonville area State Attorney Angela Corey as special prosecutor to head the state's investigation into the Feb. 26 shooting death of Trayvon Martin.
The governor also announced that Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll will oversee a task force to study the merits of the "Stand Your Ground" law, which Sanford police cited as the reason George Zimmerman wasn't charged in the killing of the 17-year-old Miami boy.
Grade: F
Beach Patrol: 10 lifeguards to cover the entirety of Volusia County beaches
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Sera and I went to the beach this afternoon to shoot video of the beach driving situation -- the much-hyped changes that are supposed to lead to better safety. This experience is why I never assume anything and always "check it out."
It was an eye opener. We only saw one lifeguard as far as the eye could see in either direction near the Flagler Avenue approach. There were no brochures from the toll booth operator for motorists regarding new safety measures, and during the hour we were there, we saw no Volusia County Beach Patrol vehicles. As for the new ban on parking in front of three parks, motorists were not banned from parking on the beach in front of the Flagler Avenue park.
By Peter Mallory
EDITOR'S NOTE: Peter Mallory will return with his award-winning blog, "The Right Side," in a couple of weeks. He is recovering from illness.
Previous coverage click below:
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Florida and the nation are waiting on the 6 p.m. press conference by special prosecutor Angela Corey on whether she will file criminal charges against George Zimmerman in the Feb. 26 gunshot slaying of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. NSBNews.net will have local reaction from citizens, legal experts and the attorney for Trayvon's parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin.
NSBNews.net is likely the smallest media outlet to interview the grieving parents in person (the video/story package can be found here on our home page). NSBNews.net is rounding out its multi-media coverage of the weekend college student march from Daytona Beach to Sanford as well as sidebar stories on a Sanford police car sprayed with gunfire earlier this week across the street from the gated community where Trayvon lost his life and mini profiles on Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and retired Miami Heat star Alonzo Mourning from an earlier rally in Miami.
Previous coverage click below:
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- I'm no lawyer, but I have extensively covered Florida's criminal and civil courts in Daytona Beach and DeLand as a member of the working press since the mid-1990s, including the appeals and ultimate death sentence execution of serial killer Aileen Wuornos and the civil trial won by Dale Earnhardt's widow in keeping his autopsy photos sealed from the public. With national media outlets predicting a manslaughter charge by the special prosecutor against George Zimmerman in the Sanford gunshot slaying of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, some experts have said he could get as little as five years if convicted. I disagree.
Florida statutes are clear on manslaughter. Because Trayvon was a minor, that's an enhancer that makes the charge "aggravated manslaughter." And because a firearm was used in the killing, Florida's 10-20-life statute must be applied.
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