Local News Now

DAYTONA BEACH --  Gov. Rick Scott today announced the appointment of Judge Wendy W. Berger, of St. Augustine to the 5th District Court of Appeal.

Judge Berger, 43, has served on the 7th Judicial Circuit Court since 2005. Previously, from 2001 to 2005, she served as an assistant general counsel in the Executive Office of the Governor. From 1993 to 2000, she served as an assistant state attorney for the 7th Judicial Circuit.

Judge Berger received bachelor's and law degrees from Florida State University.

A kitchen fire in an apartment at the Groves Apartments over the weekend resulted in a man' death, but the fire was contained to his unit.

PORT ORANGE -- The man who perished in his residence at the Groves Apartments early Saturday morning in a fire contained to his unit has been identified as 66-year-old Richard Lynn Wagner.

THE VILLAGES -- The profile story on Volusia County Republican Jim Oddie's interaction with Wisconsin Congressman and VP hopeful Paul Ryan's visit to The Villages was trending in the Internet search engines.

Courtesy photo by Holly Smith / Wanna get away? Here is a scenic shot of New Smyrna Beach on an early Friday morning as shown here with this couple. Who wouldn't want to hear the roar of the waves and watch the sun come up?

OAK HILL -- School starts Monday in Volusia County and Burns Sci-Tech. in Oak Hill will be ready! Their huge new building was dedicated Wednesday, Aug. 15, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Photo for Headline Surfer by Holly Smith / Gourmet Food trucks line scenic Flagler Avenue in New Smyrna Beach during the March Bazaar. The trucks return later this month. More photos inside.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Mark Aug. 31 on your calendar for another NSB Waterfront Loop event: The Food Truck Bazaar will line the beachside’s scenic Flagler Avenue from 5-8:30 p.m., that Friday.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A public meeting is set for Sept. 5 to discuss the Causeway Landings affordable housing development proposed at the former Food Lion Shopping Center in the 100 block of the North Causeway

The meeting will begin at 5 p.m., a Wednesday, at the Brannon Center, 105 S. Riverside Drive.

David Glunt of Madden Moorhead & Glunt Civil Engineers has requested the meeting to present the project, which is proposed at the 14-acre site.

A kitchen fire in an apartment turned deadly for a Port Orange man early Saturday.

PORT ORANGE -- A man died early this morning in an apartment fire contained to his residence in the Grove Apartments on Clyde Morris Boulevard, Port Orange police said.

Here is a synopsis of the 1:42 a.m. fatality as reported by police Lt. David Meyer: "The Port Orange Fire Department responded to a fire at the Groves Apartments 3780 Clyde Morris Blvd., Port Orange. Upon arrival the fire was found to be contained in a single upstairs apartment of Building # 14. The lone male resident of the apartment was transported to Halifax Hospital where he was pronounced deceased."

Meyer added, "The fire appears to have originated in the kitchen area of the apartment and does not appear to be suspicious in nature. The identification of the deceased is pending notification of the next of kin."

Volusia County Council dist. 4 candidate retains 2nd-place finish for November runoff

Courtesy photo / Councilman Joseph Perrone knows firsthand that every vote counts, especially in a small town like Ponce Inlet as affirmed by a manual ballot recount Friday.

DELAND -- Two races from Tuesday's primary went unchanged after recounts Friday.

Ponce Inlet Town Councilman Joseph Perrone won re-election over Joe Villanella by one vote in a recount Friday confirmed, unchanged from Tuesday's primary giving him the win, 609 to 608.

In another race requiring a recount, Shannon McLeish of Ormond Beach held onto her 27-voter margin over third-place finisher Jay Young for the right to go against Volusia County Council Council dist 4 primary primary winner Doug Daniels in the Nov. 6 runoff.

Frank Bruno and Dorothy Hukill are vying for the newly created dist. 8 state senate in the Nov. 6 general elections. 

OCALA -- It could be an election horse raise to the finish between Democrat Frank Bruno and Republican Dorothy Hukill in the newly-dawn dist. 8 state senate seat that comprises parts of Marion, Lake and Volusia counties.

After all, Ocala, the Marion County seat, is "horse capital of the world" and its motto is "God be with us."

With those all-American labels, the city of Ocala is the ideal place for a good ol'-fashioned political battle in the November general elections between Democrat Frank Bruno and Republican Dorothy Hukill for the newly created dist. 8 state senate seat.