Winter weather in Atlanta hurt flights here, but increased fan travel interest in Rolex race had positive impact on travel

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DAYTONA BEACH -- Passenger traffic at Daytona Beach International Airport increased 1 percent in January compared with January of last year, Volusia County officials saids. During January, 44,605 passengers flew in and out of the county-operated airport.

This compares with 44,170 travelers recorded in January, 2013. For the 12 months ending in January, traffic increased 4 percent to 608,412.

Dale Earnhardt, Sr. lost life on last lap of 2001 Daytona 500

DAYTONA BEACH -- Having won the pole for Sunday's Daytona 500, rookie driver Austin Dillon is no joke when it comes to bringing out the No. 3, emblazoned on the side of a Ricard Childress car for the first time since Dale Earnhardt's tragic death on the super speedway a dozen years ago in the Great American Race.

Dillon, the rookie driver and Childress' grandson, is no fluke. He was the Nationwide Champion in the junior NASCAR circuit last season. He turned a lap of 45.914 seconds or 196.019 mph in the DOW Chevrolet on the 2.5 mile track on Sunday at Daytona International Speedway. Joining him on the front row is Martin Truex.

The field for the Daytona 500 will be set after Thursday's running of the Budweiser Dual races at Daytona.

For Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who finished second in the 2001 Daytona 500, where his dad lost his life when he slammed into the retaining wall off turn 4 of the final lap when he was bumped from behind by Sterling Marlon, Dillion's showing in the upcoming Daytona 500 is bittersweet.

“It’s a symbol for my father and that stylized number and that flag is a symbol to him,’’ said the 39-year-old Earnhardt Jr., who came back in the July race that year to win and then winning the 2004 Daytona 500. “When somebody raises that flag up over their motor home, or wherever they may fly it, it’s a way for them to show their support and their fandom for my father.’’

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Headline Surfer videos by Henry Frederick / Christmas on Canal features Santa Claus, the lighting of the CRA Christmas tree and horse drawn carriage rides. The five-year holiday tradition has run up a tab of $120,000. Cindy Jones, a Canal Street merchant, pushed for the artificial tree's purchase in 2009.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- It's called "Spark the Spirit on Canal," but each year the CRA-sponsored event draws lesser crowds with the tree lighting and political speeches, parents tugging their little ones into a hut to have a photo taken with Santa, perhaps a horse-drawn carriage ride and then the mad dash home -- in an about 20 minutes or so.

Photo for Headline Surfer / Randell Holley, shown here in this jail mug, was  arrested in August  on charges of defrauding customers along his mail route.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Some residents near New Smyrna Beach had been relying on the services of one particular mailman for several years and had developed a trusting relationship with him.

But Randell Holley, 67, stood accused in August of using that trust to essentially steal from his customers in a scheme that goes back to at least 2010.

Volusia County Sheriff's investigators arrested Holley Aug. 8, and charged him with organized scheme to defraud. 

The alleged criminal activity lodged against the mailman comes in at No. 67 in the Headline Surfer® countdown of the top 100 stories of 2013.

Photo for Headline Surfer® / Kandas Baker is shown here in a Volusia County jail mug following her arrest in December on meth lab-related drug charges.

OAK HILL -- A tip to narcotics agents led to the discovery of a meth lab in the home of a 43-year-old Oak Hill woman.

Agents with the East Volusia Narcotics Task Force responded Dec. 10 to Kandas Baker’s home on Bills Hill Road to investigate a complaint about drug activity.

They asked Baker if there were drugs or anything else illegal inside the home. Baker said there wasn’t and agreed to let agents come in and look around, Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said.

"When they got to Baker’s bedroom, they found all the makings of a meth cooking operation, including digital scales, lithium batteries, battery cutters, Sudafed, coffee filters, Coleman fuel, lithium strips, drain opener, rubber tubing and plastic bags containing approximately 4 grams of meth," Davidson said.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Speedweeks will bring heavy traffic to Volusia County with Thursday's Budweiser Duel races at Daytona International Speedway, and calumniating with Sunday'a running of the Daytona 500, which will impact Votran bus services.

Report Card Grade: F

Photo for Headline Surfer® / Term-limited Volusia County Councilwoman Pat Northey of Deltona who has taken the unprecdented political step of trying to wrest fellow Democrat Joyce Cusack's at-large seat from her in this year's elections in a three-way race that includes conservative Republican Webster Barnaby, puts outr a nine-page 'newsletter' on the county's website that reads like a campaign press release. The 24/7 internet newspaper has written to Supervisor of Elections Ann McFall as to whether Northey's Volusia County Council District 5 County Council Update violates campaign protocol or election law. The latter appears at the end of this report card notebook.

DAYTONA BEACH -- All that's missing from term-limited County Councilwoman Pat Northey's latest newsletter is the fine print: "Political ad paid for and approved by Patricia Northey, candidate for Volusia County Council at-large seat, 2014 elections."