Local News Now

Daytona racing giant's recently promoted senior VP just a few laps from the charm of his native New Smyrna Beach 

DAYTONA BEACH -- NASCAR executive Ed Bennett has a saying from Mark Twain that he tries to live his life by: Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of the your life.

With an attitude like that it's no wonder the New Smyrna Beach native has moved up the corporate ladder, promoted this month to senior vice president with a trio of up-and-comers -- Jim Cassidy, Zane Stoddard and Kim Brink -- moving up to vice president.

As if his new position isn't challenging enough, Bennett gets to keep his other day jobs as NASCAR chief administrative officer and president/chief executive officer of GRAND-AM Road Racing.

A kitchen fire in an apartment at the Groves Apartments on Aug. 18, resulted in a man's death, but the fire was contained to his unit.

PORT ORANGE -- A 66-year-old man perished in a fire in his residence at the Groves Apartments in August, but firefighters were able to limit the flames to the victim's dwelling.

He was identified as Richard Lynn Wagner. The tragedy comes in as No. 75 in Headline Surfer's countdown of the top 100 local stories of 2012.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Here are the Top 10 ways to positively change your day. 1. Don’t blame others for making you unhappy.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Future Hall of Famer and occasional New Smyrna Beach resident Johnny Damon was picked up by the Cleveland Indians for the 2012 MLB season, his sixth team.

The outfielder/DH played the previous season for the Tampa Rays where he batted .261 with 16 HRs and 73 RBIs in 150 games. He's played on two World Series championship teams -- the Boston Red Sox in 2004, and the New York Yankees in 2009.

Damon's new team is No. 77 in Headline Surfer's countdown of the top 100 local teams of 2012.

Photo for Headline Surfer / This shot taken from the rafters of the New Smyrna Beach High School gymnasium on Dec. 12, will be used for a new poster to help high school students throughout Central Florida learn about the importance of organ and tissue donation.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Some 350 students, along with a few teachers and administrators, formed the No. 8 inside the high school gym in December to symbolize the number of lives that could be saved from the organs of someone who has died.

Adam Royce Duke, shown at far left with his sister Danielle on his Facebook page, was struck and killed by a train in Edgewater in June. A remembrance photo of him with a nephew placed on his profile page, describes him as "Son, Brother, Friend."

EDGEWATER -- A man killed after slipping on the railroad tracks while throwing rocks at a train on June 12 has been identified by cops as 24-year-old Adam Royce Duke.

And a local family remembering the loss of a father now come to grips with the loss of his son, a young man with a life filled with possibilities. It coms in as No. 79 in Headline Surfer's countdown of the top 100 local stories of 2012.

EDGEWATER -- Over the Chtistmas holiday, my cousin and I were discussing the “Fiscal Cliff” and how disgusted we are with the lack of cooperation between political parties and she made a comment that I think is the crux of the whole situation: “If the founding Fathers and composers of the Constitution did not compromise, we would still be bowing to the Queen of England.”

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES -- It is in the nature of critical negotiations, especially those with a deadline, that no deal can ever be reached until the last possible moment. This is primarily because neither side can be sure that they have reached the other side� s bottom line until just before time runs out.