Local News Now

 NSBNEWS.net video by Sera Frederick. Flare Elliott of Friends of Historic Canal Street, Inc. speaks to the City Commission earlier this month about the potential for passenger rail service through Florida East Coast tracks.

Editor's Note: The following news blog was written by Flare Elliott of the Friends of Historic Canal Street, Inc. and was sent to NSBNEWS.net by Elliott:

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The Florida Department of Transportation has applied for $268 million dollars in federal stimulus (ARRA) funding to restore Amtrak passenger rail service on the existing 326 miles of FEC railway between Jacksonville and Miami by 2012.

NSBNEWS.net photos by Henry Frederick and NSBNEWS.net video by Sera Frederick.
At left, Jeanette Humphrey, an organizer of the annual Slovenian National Benefit Society Polka Festival, shows homemade Klobase (sausage). In the video, people enjoy dancing to the polka music. More than a thousand people were expected by day's end Sunday over the course of the three-day event in Samsula at the SNPJ Lodge. Below, Kara Maruszak, 17, of Cleveland, International Miss SNBJ, was at the festival.

SAMSULA -- Kara Maruszak is the international face of the Slovenian National Benefit Society. The 17-year-old Cleveland girl lit up the dance hall at the annual Polka Festival celebrating the Slovenian heritage with food, music, dancing and great conversation.

Hundreds turned out Saturday at the SNBJ Lodge, 421 North Samsula Road, for the three-day festival that ends Sunday afternoon. Admission is $10 per person and food platters are as low as $6, including sausage and chicken salad sandwiches, salad, sliced fruit and desserts, all homemade.

But the real attraction for the predominantly Slovenian gathering, of course, is the Polka music and the dancing. With banjos, accordions, percussion and vocals, the temptation to get on the floor and dance is overwhelming.

And why not?

EDGEWATER -- The Edgewater Public Library will host a two-part genealogy program for beginners in February and March. The program is for people who want to learn how to research their family roots.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- bThe New Smyrna Beach Regional Library’s "Live in the Library" series
will focus on literature with presentations by Florida authors at 2 p.m. every Sunday in March.

Courtesy photo/Jail mug/VCSO. Charles Gardiner, 35, of New Smyrna Beach, has been suspended with pay from New Smyrna Beach High School, where he has been employed asa a night janitor since October 2007, after his arrest Thursday on charges of unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl two years ago.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The 35-year-old New Smyrna Beach man accused of having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl has been suspended and placed on paid administrative leave from his job as a janitor at New Smyrna Beach High School, even though authorities said Friday he worked the 3-11 night shift and the relationship was off campus.

Courtesy photos/Jail mugs/NSBPD.

Joseph Leonard Bompadre, 40, of Edgewater. at far left; and Daniel L. Ellis, 38, of New Smyrna Beach, were arrested on burglary charges early Friday morning and other suspects in a recent rash of residential beachside rental properties, New Smyrna Beach police said.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Two men were arrested early Friday on burglary charges and are now considered suspects in the recent rash of predominantly beachside residential properties, New Smyrna Beach police said.

Courtesy photo/Jail mug. New Smyrna Beach resident Charles Gardiner III was arrested Thursday on charges of having sex with a 13-year-old girl, according to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Charles Gardiner III insisted that he cared about the 13-year-old girl he had befriended and thought he was doing something good by being there for her and engaging in unlawful sex with her, the Volusia County Sherioff's Office said in announcing his arrest.

Photo for Headline Surfer / A large pothole caused delays during the 52nd annual running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday won by Jaime McMurray.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Daytona International Speedway has begun installing reinforced concrete in Turn 2 today, Track President Robin Braig announced Thursday.

NSB NEWS.net photos by Henry Frederick.

At far left, New Smyrna Beach Mayor Adam Barringer and his girlfriend, Shannon Sumner, and Margaret and Danny Micklelbrink, owners of Clancy's Cantina, attend Sarah Palin's speech at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach on Monday. The photo was shot with a cell phone since cameras weren't allowed. There was a veritable who's-who of prominent New Smyrna Beach residents among the 2,000 in attendance at the annual convention of the Daytona Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, including Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce President Sue Williams and her husband, Tom; NSB Realtor Bill Roe and his wife; Jay Pendergast and his wife, Mary Claire; and Herman Mitchell, past president of the Southeast Volusia Kiwanis Club. At upper right, Palin autograsphs copies of her book, "Going Rogue" at Books-A-Million at the Volusia Mall earlier in the day. She also attended Sunday's Daytona 500 race.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Sarah Palin drew a thunderous ovation from 2,000 fans at the Ocean Center on Monday night, including New Smyrna Beach resident Danny Mickelbrink when she suggested America drill for oil in Florida's offshore as well as Alaska's frozen tundra instead of relying on foreign dictators who abhor democracy.

NSBNEWS.net photos by Henry Frederick. Sarah Palin signs copies of her book, "Going Rogue," at Books-A-Million for 900 fans who stood in line from noon until 3 p.m. Monday. Among them was Richard Vyse, 55, of New Smyrna Beach and general manager of the New Smyrna Beach Holiday Inn. It was the first of two appearances on the day with Palin speaking to 2,000 at the Ocean Center as guest speaker for the Daytona Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. She also attended Sunday's Daytona 500 race at Daytona International Speedway.

DAYTONA BEACH -- The line started forming two hours before the high noon start of Srah Palin's book signing show at what else of all places -- Books-A-Million -- at the Volusia Mall.  Among those in line was Richard Vyse, New Smyrna Beach resident and general manager of the NSB Holiday Inn.