Volusia News Now

The Deltona City Commission holds its next meeting 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 15, Commission Chambers, 2345 Providence Blvd.

EDGEWATER -- A Madison, Ala. school principal banned the word "Easter" from her school this year. Say what? She says it was in the interest of religious diversity.

Headline Surfer photo / County Councilwoman Deb Denys

PORT ORANGE -- Dist. 3 County Councilwoman Deb Denys is the featured speaker for the April 15 meeting of the Greater Volusia Young Republicans, where she is expected to discuss tighter regulations for new CRAs.

ORMOND BEACH -- Volusia County Property Tax Alcoholics Anonymous usually open their dialogue with the following epithet: "Only when you acknowledge you have a problem, can you devise a solution." 

No joke either: Bronze star recipient not pleased NSB mayor called cop/Iraq War veteran a 'pr-ck' while sarcastically shaking his hand

Volusia County Chair Jason Davis, shown here in an American flag campign photo, turns 51 today, April 1, 2013. What isn't a joke to Davis, recipient of the Bronze Star, is New Smyrna Beach Mayor Adam Barringer disrespecting a city cop who served his country with a tour of duty in Iraq.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- County Chair Jason Davis is 51 years old today and that's no April Fool's joke.

"Yes, I was born on April 1, 1962," Davis said over the weekend with a laugh. "I'll be 51 on April 1, no fooling."

Another thing that's far from a joke to Davis, a Bronze Star recipient for his tours of duty in the Iraq, is the verbal abuse a New Smyrna Beach cop took from that city's mayor before the start of the municipal Christmas parade.

Victim arrested dozens of times on misdemeanor charges like drinking in public

Carl Labreck, 49, struck and killed by train, is shown here in a 2012 Volusia County branch jail mug shot. He had been arrested dozen of times over past several years on misdemeanor charges like drinking in public. 

DAYTONA BEACH -- A man killed by a train on the tracks of the Florida East Coast Railway on Monday night at the crossing near International Speedway Boulevard has been identified as 49-year-old Carl Labreck, authorities confirmed.

His body was found 75 feet from where he was struck just before 8:30 p.m. A train dispatcher called the crash in to authorities.

Investigators with the FEC and local police are trying to figure out he was standing on the tracks in the first place. The city had an epidemic of suicides by train a decade ago where several men stood in the path of oncoming trains, even with lights and sirens by the conuctors.

DeBary woman claims nearly $300,000 with winning Fantasy 5 ticket 

Noble Geathers shown here on his Facebook page, is a rich young man, thanks to his winning lottery scratch-off.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Noble Geathers has reason to smile. After all, it's not every day that a 19-year-old kid pockets half a million bucks. At least before taxes, any way.

The 2011 Daytona State College graduate claimed his $500,000 prize in the Gold Rush Tripler Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee earlier this week.

Photo for Headline Surfer / Scott Barkley of DeLtona is the sixth and final suspect aarrested for his alleged role in the armed invasion of a DeLand-area home at 1302 9th Ave. as shown in this locator map.

DELAND -- Sheriff's deputies apprehended a sixth and final suspect wanted in connection with a Feb. 25 armed home invasion outside the DeLand city limits.

"Volusia County Sheriff's deputies located 19-year-old Scott Barkley at his Deltona home (Tuesday) morning and arrested him without incident," Sheriff's spokesman Brandon Haught said.

Headline Surfer photos / Derrick Henry, shown far left, was sworn in as mayor of Daytona Beach in November. At right is Michael Chitwood, who has been police chief here for seven years.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Despite the press release marketing of Daytona Beach Police Chief Michael Chitwood in the daily print newspaper, Daytona Beach has the distinction of being the most dangerous city in Florida and the 34th most dangerous in the United States.