Top 100 Stories

PONCE INLET -- A boater came to the rescue of two fishermen whose boat capsized Saturday while they were trying to pull up the anchor, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

While the anchor was being hoisted two large waves capzied the 14-foot boat. The boater who wintneesed the situation called the Coast Guard, but seeing the dire situation, took it upon himself to rescue the fisherman.

The rescued fisherman, who were uninjured, were thn given a lift to the Coast Guard station. Names of the three were not immediately available.

ORMOND BEACH -- A 24-year-old man was arrested Friday morning after Volusia County Sheriff's investigators identified him as one of the suspects who stole a customized Cadillac Escalade worth $150,000 at gunpoint March 11 from a residence near Ormond Beach.

"The distinctive truck was easily spotted by law enforcement officers moments after the initial robbery near Ormond Beach, and just a few miles later
the driver smashed the truck into a tree and then fled on foot," Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said.

DAYTONA BEACH -- A 19-year-old Oviedo man was fighting for his life today at Halifax Medical Center after being shot several times in a hallway at the Ocean Sands Hotel, according to Daytona Beach police.

The unidentified man was shot in the head, groin and hand in the 4 a,n, incident on the eighth floor of the hotel, 1024 North Atlantic Ave.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Christopher Trull the middle of the threeTrull brothers, who absconded from his probation nearly three years ago after a brief imprisonment for his role in the fatal attacks on a group of Spring Breakers here in New Smyrna Beach, was captured Thursday night in Nassau County after police there responded to a domestic violence call.

Dear Friends,

This week we have been celebrating Sunshine Week – recognizing Florida’s open government laws. We serve the people of Florida with openness and transparency every day. However, every year during this week, we strive to find new ways to make state and local government more accessible to the public. To achieve this goal, today we launched a new
Web site, www.FlaRecovery.com.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Black College Reunion is expected to bring heavy traffic in the Daytona Beach area and Votran riders could experience delays, interruptions and route deviations beginning today and continuing through Sunday night, Volusia officials said.

The routes that could be affected by BCR are 1 A/B, 8, 10, 17 A/B, Trolley, Night Service and Sunday Service.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH --. A 17-year-old Mims girl is the first shark-bite victim for 2009 in Volusia County, where a record 24 attacks were reported last year.

The girl was surfing just south of Ponce de Leon Inlet Wednesday evening when she got nipped, a bite small enough that Band-Aids were used and stitches averted, the Beach Patrol reported.

This year's shark season has gotten off to a later start compared to 2008, when the first bite was Feb. 17.

DAYTONA BEACH -- A service is planned 11 a.m. Friday for the Rev. Hal Marchman, a founder of the Stewart-Marchman Center and longtime chaplain for the Daytona International Speedway.

The 89-year-old Marchman died Sunday at Indigo Palms, an assisted living center.

The memorial service at Central Baptist Church, 142 Fairview Ave., will celebrate Marchman's achievements.

He was pastor of the church from 1959 until he retired in 1987. He also co-founded the Stewart-Marchman Center, a substance-abuse treatment agency, now
called Stewart-Marchman-Act Behavioral Healthcare.

PORT ORANGE -- The 36th annual All-County Jazz Band and Orchestra Festival will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday at Spruce Creek High School, 801 Taylor Road.

The concert, featuring more than 100 musicians from Volusia County public schools, is free of charge to the public.