Local News Now

Larger crowd for Father's Day despite thunderstorms

DAYTONA BEACH -- Volusia County Beach Safety had a busy day Monday with rescues in choppy water, displaying ellow flags signalling moderate rip current conditions.

"We rescued nine people out of the ocean today without incident or injury," Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue spokeswoman Capt. Tamra Marris told Headline Surfer® of Monday's activity, otherwise there were no major issues to report.

Photo for Headline Surfer® / Eugene Blackwell, Sr., 45, is being held without bail in the alleged Sunday shooting of his 18-year-old son, whose condition is critical.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A dad shot his 18-year-old son multiple times during a domestic dispute on Father’s Day, New Smyrna Beach cops said.

Eugene Blackwell Sr., 45, was arrested on a charge of attempted murder for allegedly shooting his son, Eugene Blackwell Jr., 18, after a domestic argument turned violent, police said. The victim was airlifted to Halifax Medical Center shortly after the 6:34 p.m. shooting. He is currently undergoing surgery at Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach for multiple gunshot wounds and listed in critical condition.

DAYTONA BEACH -- It wasn't unusual for Indy racers like AJ Foyt and Johnny Rutherford to rub fenders at Daytona International Speedway in the 1970s, before the advent of restrictor-plate racing with speeds exceeding 200 mph and plenty of wrecks.

The 1974 Firecracker 400, the big July 4th weekend event at DIS in front of 60,000 spectators in the stands and infield run on a Thursday afternoon, was no different, won by David Pearson in a last lap duel with Richard Petty, by pulling the slingshot pass.

In fact, Rutherford, who won the first of his three Indianapolis 500 cham,pionships, was among the early drivers to crash on the high banks of Daytona. Rutherford won the Indy 500 again in 1976 and in 1980.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla -- Mayor Derrick Henry and his wife, Stephanie, were among the dignitaries for Saturday's Volusia County-Daytona Beach NAACP Freedom Fund and Awards Banquet.

DAYTONA BEACH -- In an unprecedented move that infringes on first amendment rights, Daytona International Speedway has informed Headline Surfer that its request for media credentials for the July races culminating in the Coke Zero 400 under the lights, will not be honored.

Similar vetting to be held in Daytona, New Smyrna Beach, Port Orange, DeLand, Deltona, Lake Mary & Sanford

 DAYTONA BEACH -- Qualifying for the 2014 elections ends June 20. With that in mind, Headline Surfer® will begin its 2014 "public candidate debates" in the Oak Hill City Hall on June 24-25 with a focus on the district 3 and at-large County Council races as well as the two city commission seats.

Photo for Headline Surfer® / Rich Gailey, candidate for County Council District 5 seat representing DeBary, Deltona and Enterprise, is shown here at the recent Memorial Day tribute at Memorial Gardens in Deltona, with his wife, Lisa; their son, Ricky, and daughter, Jackie. Among the fallen the Gailey family paid respect to were Gailey's father-in-law, Nate Feldman, who enlisted in the Army and served in Korea. He died two years ago.

DELTONA -- While there are many issues on the home front to be concerned about, Rich Gailey, candidate for the Volusia County Council district 5 seat representing DeBary, Deltona and Enterprise, is troubled by the recent swap of prisoners of war between the US and the Taliban.

What Gailey has trouble with in the swap of five high-level Taliban enemy combatants who were being held at Guantanamo Bay by the US for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan is the American intelligence information showing the American soldier was a deserter.

Stephen Sather counted on longtime friends -- Mayor Adam Barringer & Commissioner Judy Reiker -- for planning board post despite drug past 

Stephen Sather, shown at far left, who pleaded no contest in open court to trying to buy an ounce of cocaine for $2,000 from an undercover cop posing as a drug dealer in 1992, failed miserably in his maiden run for municipal office five years ago. Now he's back for round 2. 

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Back in 2009, political insider Stephen Sather ran for city commissioner against incumbent Jack Grasty, a combat-injured Vietnam veteran; and a third candidate with a squeaky-clean image in retired Maryland cop Palmer Wilson.

DELTONA -- The Friends of the Deltona Library will hold a book sale 1 to 4 p.m. Friday, June 27, and 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 28, at the Deltona Regional Library, 2150 Eustace Ave.