Local News Now

Headline Surfer videos by Henry Frederick / 

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- When all is said and done, Southeast Volusia Advertising Director Carl Watson understands what his No. 1 priority is as head of the tourism effort in greater New Smyrna Beach: "It's putting heads in beds."

Watsion added for emphasis, "I think aboiut putting heads in beds when I wake up in the morning and I think about putting heads in beds when I get ready to go to sleep at night."

Witnesses reported vehicle 'all over the road'

Headline Surfer graphic / At left is a snapshot of a portion of the arrest report charging off-duty VCSO deputy Stephanie LeClerc with DUI of alcohol or drugs. She failed a field sobriety test and twice refused to submit to a breathalyzer leading to her arrest.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- An off-duty deputy was arrested Saturday night on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs after at least one motorist called 9-1-1 to report she was "all over the road" and even driving in the oncoming traffic lane. When she was pulled over, fellow deputies saw that her 7-year-old daughter was in the front passenger seat.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Bikes, babes and booze are the common denominators for Biketoberfest, the annual Fall motorcycle rally in greater Daytona Beach that draws tourists nesr and far.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Volusia County Councilman Joshua Wagner was a strong proponent of the new fiscal year budget of $701 million and was pleased to see bipartisan support for it. He tackled the tough questions in Headline Surfer's online newsmaker show, "The Sunday Conversation."

Was longest-serving member of the House until his death

Photo for Headline Surfer / Florida's longest serving Congressman, CW Bill Young, shown here at left, died Friday. He was 82.

ORLANDO -- Gov. Rick Scott issued a statement earlier tonight from Orlando regarding today's passing of Florida U.S. Congressman C.W. Bill Young, 82, and the the longest-serving Republican in the House, who had been hospitalized in recent weeks at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

“Ann and I join all Floridians as we mourn the passing of Representative Bill Young," Scott said in a statement e-mailed to Headline Surfer and other Florida media outlets.

Photo for Headline Surfer / At left is a Florida DOT webcam shot of I-4 at S.R. 46, earlier tonight, where highway construction has now been completed.

SANFORD – A major construction project on Interstate 4 in the Sanford area is now complete.

The project includes a new loop ramp at State Road 46 as well as a 3.5 mile-long section of roadway along the interstate called a collector-distributor, which eliminates weaving among exiting and merging traffic on the interstate itself.

No details released on double-track fatality by Daytona Beach PD

DAYTONA BEACH -- Two motorcyclists are confirmed dead after crashing into each other on the track during a riding school demonstration Thursday as part of Biketoberfest, an official there confirmed.

"Yes, there were two deaths,"DIS spokesman Lenny Santiago told Headline Surfer just after 3 p.m. today, adding details of the double fatality are contained in a Daytona Beach police report, which he was earlier told police were distributing to media.

Headline Surfer video by Henry Frederick / A man and woman take off on their chopped Harleys on Main Street in Daytona Beach. Check out how the woman biker handles the steering with her high-rise handlebars like a piece of cake.

DAYTONA BEACH -- More and more women are riding their own bikes at the motorcycle rallies in and around Daytona Beach.

Headline Surfer photo / Palmer Wilson, shown here (far left) at the Aug. 8 meeting of the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority in his then-role of chairman  was fired later that day by the County Council only to be re-instated two weeks later in a unanimous vote. Then he was removed a second time Thursday in yet another 4-3 vote.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Six days before the County Council removed Palmer Wilson from the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority on Thursday in a 4-3 vote led by Deborah Denys an unprecedented second time, another member of the tourism board asked that re-reconsideration of funding for two local chambers be added onto the agenda for today's meeting.

The request to have the funding discussed was requested by fellow SVAA board member Tony Stagni and approved by the executive director, Carl Watson, without the knowledge or consent of Wilson, who was chairman until his ouster.