Local News Now

DELAND -- In a surprising development today, Carl Persis resigned from his seat on the county council representing greater Ormond Beach, effective June 28, so he can continue his campaign for the office of Volusia County chair.

Because he's in the state's Deferred Retirement Option Program for early retirees from his tenure as principal with the Volusia County School District, he was required to have at least six months of separation from any other public service job, including elective office.

"I positioned myself for the 24/7 responsibilities for the chair's position by ending my service with Volusia County schools after 35 years," Persis said in a statement released by Volusia County government this afternoon.

EDGEWATER -- A 24-year-old man with two friends was throwing rocks at a train when he fell into its path and was killed overnight, Edgewater police said.

The Florida East Railroad notified Edgewater police at 1:25 a.m. that a northbound train struck the man in the 25oo block of Hibiscus Drive, just north of 26th Street. The victim's name is being withheld while police notify relatives.

Previous train fatality in Edgewater

EDGEWATER -- Police are looking for an unidentified man who robbed the Kennedy Space Coast Federal Union branch on Monday afternoon.

Here is a synopsis of what happened as described in a media release this morning: At approximately 3:08pm an unidentified white male entered the Kennedy Space Coast Federal Credit Union located at 2810 South Ridgewood Ave. He handed the teller a note demanding money and left the bank with an undetermined amount of money. He then ran from the bank heading south on South Ridgewood Avenue.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Gov. Rick Scott's visit to Daytona Beach and candidate qualifying across Volusia County are debated in the first episode of Headline Surfer's news and public affairs show, The Round Table.

DELTONA -- The jazz concert scheduled for tonight in the Deltona Amphitheater has been cancelled because of the rain. The concert will likely be rescheduled for some time in July.

"We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused,"Deltona spokeswoman Wendi Jackson said. "Please have a safe evening."

Gigi Bennington and Gene Emter had no opposition in qualifying for their seats Friday on the Edgewater City Council.

EDGEWATER -- Incumbents Gigi Bennington and Councilman Gene Emter have been returned to their respective seats on the Edgewater City Council because no one else challenged them in the 2012 elections.

With qualifying ended noon Friday, Bennington, of district 2, and Emter, of district 4, were awarded four-year terms.

Bennington was first elected in 2007, and Gene Emter in a special election earlier this year to fill the seat held by Ted Cooper who died suddenly of a heart attack in November.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Three people have qualified for the zone 4 commission seat held by two-term incumbent Lynne Plaskett who isn't running again. They are Steve Casserly, Kirk Jones and Ed Bidault Jr. Mayor

Adam Barringer automatically reclaimed his seat because he had no opposition for mayor. Jason McGuirk gets Jim Hathaway's commission seat because there were no other candidates either.

Hathaway is running for County Council against New Smyrna Beach resident and former elected school board member Deb Denys and Edgewater Councilman Justin Kennedy.

GOP State Rep. Dorothy Hukill didn't' wait long to go on the offensive against Volusia County Chairman Frank Bruno, a Democrat, in the race for the state senate now that qualifying for the 2012 elections is over.

PORT ORANGE -- It's on!

Just an hour and 1 minute after today's noon deadline to qualify to run in the 2012 elections, Republican State Rep. Dorothy Hukill threw the first stone in her heated race for the state senate against Democrat Frank Bruno, Volusia County chairman.