Local News Now

EDGEWATER COPS: City man on tracks struck and killed by train

Newspaper Section

Photos for NSBNEWS.net.

The bright lights from the Florida East Coast Railraod train, shown in these two photos, shows through the darkness of night as it sits idled on the tracks on Indian River Boulevard early Monday after striking and killing a pedestrian on the tracks.

EDGEWATER -- A 34-year-old city man was killed early Monday after he was struck by a Florida East Coast Railroad freight train on the tracks in the vicinity of State Road 442, also known as Indian River Boulevard, Edgewater police said.

Tornado strike damages home on NSB's Sandpiper Avenue

Newspaper Section

NSBNEWS.net photos by Jeanette DiCara.

Pete Johnson of New Smyrna Beach looks at blown  insulation covering the outside of his home like snow, with pieces of the roofing twisted on his side balcony, following a small tornado that touched down on the beachside just after 1:30 p.m. Saturday  A tarp was placed on Johnson's Sandpiper Avenue home a short time later. Below, roofers begin repairs about two hours after the tornado touched down.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A small tornado touched down on the beachside just after 1:30 p.m., damaging the roof of a couple of homes on Sandpiper Avenue and Laurel Bay Drive, but no injuries were reported, New Smyrna Beach officials said.

"The roof of a home at 707 Sandpiper was damaged," City Commissioner Jack Grasty told NSBNEWS.net. "A garbage dumpster was moved about 75 feet into a car, but there wasn't much other destruction."

EDGEWATER COPS: Port Orange man charged witrh sexual battery on girl, 14, after drugging her

Newspaper Section

EDGEWATER -- A 27-year-old Port Orange man was arrested Tuesday on charges he committed sexual battery on a 14-year-old girl after drugging her to the point where she was incapacitated, Edgewater police said.

The alleged incident occurred in Edgewater the night before, Edgewater police Detective Chris DeRosa said, adding that the accused confessed to the crime in a telephone call from police, leading to his 12:10 p.m. Tuesday arrest.

Ex-planners Rakowski and Lingenfelter sought Oak Hill's planner job just weeks before scandal broke

NSBNEWS.net photo by Sera Frederick

NSBNEWS.net Investigative Reporting

Previous coverage click below:

NSB's Planning Debacle

Just weeks before New Smyrna Beach's planning debacle brought dozens of city projercts to a grinding halt in June, Chad Lingenfelter, shown here with his hand raised, and Mark Rakowski, the two planners blamed by city officials for the mess, applied unsuccessfully for the planner's job in Oak Hill. See the attachments posted with this story for their applications to Oak Hill.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- In another bizarre twist in the city's planning debacle, then-Chief Planner Chad Ligenfelter and his former boss, Mark Rakowski, both applied for the planner's position in Oak Hill, just weeks before the scandal broke last month. Neither won over Oak Hill officials who were pleased and relieved New Smyrna Beach's embarrassment wasn't passed on to them.

NSB COPS: Man, 23, arrested on child-porn charges; including sexually explicit pictures of a toddler

Newspaper Section

Courtesy photo / NSBPD

Kenneth W. Crist, 23, of 605 Goodwin Ave., New Smyrna Beach, was arrested Friday on charges of possessing photos of child pornography.  According to New Smyrna Beach police, the sexually explicit photos possessed by Crist included that of a child no older than 3.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Police uncovered a dirty little secret behind the doors of 605 Goodwin Ave. when they arrived with a search warrant Friday morning. The occupant of the residence, 23-year-old Kenneth W. Crist soon found himself behind bars, charged with possessing pornographic photos of children, New Smyrna Beach police said.

Obituaries

John Lester Turnblom, 90, of Edgewater, born in Worcester, Mass., and served in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II, receiving the Bronze Star, died Monday, July 26, 2010. Full obituary under Settle-Wilder Funeral Hiome listings.

Cassandra Fought, 60, of New Smyrna Beach, a homemaker, died Monday, July 26, 2010.

Peter Frederick Funk, 85, of New Smyrna Beach, former owner/operator of an automobile dealership, died Monday, July 26, 2010.

John "Jack" Slater, 76, of New Smyrna Beach, an actor, died Sunday, July 25, 2010. Full obituary under Settle-Wilder Funeral Hiome listings.

NSB COPS: Public's help sought in capturing armed robber

Newspaper Section

Courtesy photos / NSBPD

Here are two still photos taken from the surveillance video at the Kangaroo Express, showing a gunman who robbed the convenience store store Sunday night. If you know who this is, please call NSB police Detective Nicki Diffin at 386-424-2248.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Still photos from a surveillance video from Sunday' nights armed robbery at the Kangaroo Express Mart, 2600 N. Dixie Frwy., were released Wednesday to the media in hopes that someone will turn in the armed robber.

Sheriff's Office takes over Oak Hill patrols for 22 hours to allow cops to get firearms certifications

Newspaper Section

OAK HILL -- Police Chief Diane Young and her five officers were back on patrol mid-day Wednesday, one day after they received firearms certification from the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, which stepped in and policed the community in the interim.