Local News Now

State Road 44 at Southwind Cove Way as shown in the map was the scene of a deadly tractor-trailer accident Tuesday night in Lake County.

LEESBURG --  A 63-year-old tractor-trailer driver died at Leesburg Regional Medical Center after crashing his rig into a pond after slumping over the wheel from an a possible sudden medical condition that had him travel across the southbound lanes of State Road 44 earlier tonight, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

The driver was identified as Larry J. Stokes of Jacksonville, who was transported to the hospital from the 5:30 p.m. crash scene on S.R. 44 at Southwind Cove Way just outside Leesburg in Lake County.

City officials not so enthusiastic opting instead to consider a hotel along the water

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Wayne Heller, owner of the Riverview Hotel pleaded with city officials to allow him to relocate the historic Delta Queen here from Chattanooga, Tenn. "as soon as possible."

If you see the woman shown here, Carol Jean Pace, please call Holy Hill police at 386-248-9475. She's been reported missing and endangered.

HOLLY HILL -- Police are seeking the public's help in locating Carol Jean Pace, 48, who was reported missing from 522 Ridgewood Ave., Apt. No. 5, in Holly Hill on April 18, 2012.

"According to Ms. Pace's associates, she has not been seen at that location since April 13," Holly Hill Police Chief Mark Barker said.  "Ms. Pace is considered mentally challenged and may be in danger of exploitation. At the time of her disappearance she was depressed over the recent death of her boyfriend."

Those lose to her told police that she left behind all of her clothing, medication, and personal belongings when she left the apartment, Barker said, adding cops were told she has no known living relatives in the area.

Headline Surfer videos and photos by Sera Frederick / 

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The inevitable happened Sunday: Kmart closed its doors for good with customers scrambling at the last-minute with some priced-goods slashed 90 percent.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- They don't want to get mentioned, but I want to thank them for helping the less fortunate among us in Southeast Volusia at Thanksgiving and again at Christmas.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A 59-year-old Deltona motorcyclist was killed Saturday night when he was struck by a motorist in a Ford Bronco that made a left turn from southbound Tomoka Farms Road onto Ludlow Boulevard in Samsula, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Earnest Alan Smith, who was wering a helmet on his 2007 Honda while riding north on Tomoka Farms Road, was ejected from his motorcycle in the collision in the collision and pronounced dead at the scene of the 9:40 p.m. crash.

Chadwick Dean Vogt, 40, of Port Orange, the driver of the 1990 Ford Bronco, was not injured. He was not wearing a seatbelt.

“A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.” -- Thomas Jefferson

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Is it not ironic that Thomas Jefferson is an icon of the Democrat Party? And that he would be on record believing that government, in order to be “good” government,” should be minimal and stay out of the way of individuals’ efforts to profit from their labor?

ORMOND BEACH -- The Volusia County Sheriff's Office is investigating a shooting here in the overnight hours that sent a motorist to the the hospitsal with two gunshots.

The 48-year-old victim had just driven away from a store in Ormond Beach when he was shot twice in his car near 1336 Par Ave. at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The man was transported to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach where he is currently in surgery. A female in his car was uninjured.

About five minutes later deputies found a van that matched the description of the suspect vehicle given by eyewitnesses to the shooting.

"With the assistance of the Daytona Beach Police Department and a Sheriff's Office helicopter, the van was tracked as it drove recklessly through a residential area until it finally crashed a 421 Whitney St. in Daytona Beach," Sheriff's spokesman Brandon Haught said.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Four years ago, a series of city commission meetings led by then-Mayor Sally Mackay, were heavily attended by merchants and chamber leaders on the beachside's Flagler Avenue who lobbied for special zoning that would pave the way for a new hotel: The $16 million Hampton Inn & Suites.

Those rallying cries were led by Steve Dennis, then-Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce director and CRA commission member, and Robert Wayne Lott, the president-elect of the chamber, a member of the Southeast Volusia hospital board taxing district and purchaser of the weekly Observer newspaper with his wife, Michele Lott.