Volusia News Now

Hukill-Bruno to spar in media-style public candidate debate in New Smyrna Beach on Oct. 21

Epps-Wagner headline 3 debates in Port Orange on Oct. 21; Shelley-Henry Daytona mayoral debate waiting on venue

Dorothy HukillFrank BrunoDist. 8 Florida Senate candidates Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, and Frank Bruno, D-Ponce Inlet, have agreed to participate in a 90-minute public candidate debate sponsored and moderated by Headline Surfer on Oct. 21 at the Brannon Center in New Smyrna Beach. 

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Headline Surfer held eight public candidate debates leading up to the Aug. 14 primary and has held three more so far during the general election cycle. Five more are planned before early voting gets under way and the biggest of them all is a showdown between Republican Dorothy Hukill and Democrat Frank Bruno.

Hukill radio ad making fun of opponent Bruno with New Jersey-style Italian-American accent has voters up in arms

Newspaper Section

A political ad on the radio by state Republicans and endorsed by dist. 8 state senate candidate Dorothy Hukill makes fun of her Democratic opponent, Frank Bruno, by using a New Jersey-style Italian-American accent similar to that of the character Vinnie Barbarino in the TV show, "Welcome Back Kotter," starring John Travolta. The ad portrays Bruno as a "political boss in Volusia" who wants to tax everything in sight as well as taking expensive trips on the public dime.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The advertising in the state senate race between Dorothy Hukill and Frank Bruno is starting to get really ugly and personal, too. It's not just the high-priced TV ads between the two political heavyweights, but a state Republican Party radio spot against the Democrat, Bruno, that has drawn the ire of voters, especially those of Italian-American heritage.

Orlando Magic sign free agent Chris Johnson

Orlando Magic player Chris Johnson / Headline SurferThe Orlando Magic signed free agent small forward Chris Johnson, 22, waivbed by the LA Clippers. Orlando's roster now stands at 20, but must be reduced by Nov. 1, the day before the Magic open the regular season at home gainst the Denver Nuggets.

ORLANDO – The Orlando Magic have signed free agent forward Chris Johnson, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today.

Per team policy, terms of the deal with Johnson, 22, were not disclosed. He was cut last week by the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

SpaceX blasts off from Cape Canaveral to the delight of fans on the coastline of Brevard, Volusia and Flagler counties

Newspaper Section

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The SpaceX rocket was launched Sunday night into the heavens with private enterprise taking over for NASA in delivering cargo to the International Space Station. Countless people along the Atlantic Coastlines of Brevard, Volusia and Flagler counties took to the beaches or intercoastal waterways to see the 8:35 p.m. liftoff.

Nighttime SpaceX launch sight to behold for us space shuttle fans

OAK HILL -- Although we have had to say good-bye to the space shuttle program, apparently all is not lost across Mosquito Lagoon. At the launch site at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station stood a Falcon 9 rocket that blasted off Sunday night from Kennedy Space Center for the International Space Station.

New Smyrna Beach cops: 'Limited investigative leads' being pursued in shooting of 22-year-old man on beachside

NSB shooting site / Headline SurferHow and why a young man was shot over the weekend at 836 24th Ave., in New Smyrna Beach is sketchy. The location of the 9:14 p.m. shooting is shown at left.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A 22-year-old man was being treated over the weekend at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach for non-life threatening injuries suffered when he was shot Saturday night on the beachside.

Here is a written synopsis by Sgt. Christopher Roos of what occurred in the 9:14 p.m. shooting of Samuel D. Stultz at 836 24th Ave.: "Contact was made with the victim and witnesses who were able to provide limited investigative leads. New Smyrna Beach Fire and Rescue responded to the scene and treated the victim. The victim was later taken to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach for non-life threatening injuries."

Obama needs to deal with the terrorist killings in Libya

DEBARY -- Lately there has been the focus on the debate that Obama lost. But how quickly the president and the liberal media have moved on from the murder of Ambassador Chris Stephens and the other three Americans at the Libyan embassy in Benghazi.

The Sunday Conversation: Clerk of the Circuit Court Diane Matousek dealing with Internet age

HeadlineSurfer video and photo by Serafina Frederick / Diane Matousek, the Republican Clerk of the Circuit Court for Volusia County from Deltona, in the Nov. 6 electioms, is the guest for The Sunday Conversation.

DELTONA -- Since her first election campaign in 1992, Diane Matousek's motto as clerk of the circuit court has been "setting the standard for quality customer service."

Volusia County Sheriff's Office: Body found in Lake Monroe in DeBary identified as that of Apopka resident; apparent suicide
City
Henry Frederick Sun, 10/07/2012 - 01:48
Lake Monroe Park in DeBary / Headline SurferThe death of an Apopka man found eight days ago floating in Lake Monroe near the park in DeBary as shown here was determined to be the result of a suicide.

DEBARY -- A body found floating in Lake Monroe on Sept. 29, has been identified as 42-year-old Jin Tak Han of Apopka.

His death was the result of drowning and has been determined to be a suicide, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said.

A passerby at Lake Monroe Park in DeBary spotted the body and notified a park employee.

The employee flagged down an off-duty deputy, who launched a boat into the river and retrieved the body and brought it to shore. An autopsy confirmed the death was the result of suicide, Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said.

Edgewater's Tia McDonald in new book Henry Frederick Sun, 10/07/2012 - 01:26
Key Words

EDGEWATER -- Local gal Tia McDonald, 19, who has travelled quite a bit in her young modeling career, including a spot in an MTV music video shoot, was recently in Australia, where she took part in the making of a book, "Faiy Tale -- Once Upon a Time, Act 1," by Somsay Toumngeun, including being on the cover and the inspitration for one of the characters.