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Gretchen E. Johnson, 68, New Smyrna Beach, a former teacher, died Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009.

Sylvia Jean Harless, 53, of Oak Hill, a cook, died Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009.

George Marion Beckert, 77, of New Smyrna Beach, a retired math teacher and computer specialist at the University of Maryland, where he received a masters degree in economics, died Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009.

Robert C. Scheskie 54, New Smyrna Beach, a motorcycle safety instructor, died Monday, Feb. 23, 2009.

Photos by Sandi Carroll. "Red, Hot, & Cole" opens at the Little Theatre of NSB Feb. 27, with performances through March 13. Pictured are cast members Mike Funaro and Patti Earl as George Kaufman and Hedda Hopper, and Laurie Lawrence and Brian Fitzgibbons as Linda and Cole Porter. "Red, Hot, & Cole" is a musical a celebration of the life of Cole Porter.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The New Smyrna Beach Regional Library offers a variety of free computer classes that can help beginners learn the basics.

Discover everything you always wanted to know about e-mail at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 1. Participants will learn how to get a free e-mail address, compose e-mails, and add pictures and documents to their e-mails.

An Internet Searching class will start at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 8. The instructor will explain the web browser Microsoft Internet Explorer and features such as favorites, homepage, font size and Internet options.

PORT ORANGE -- State Rep. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, whose district includes Southeast Volusia, has filed legislation in Tallahassee to make the state’s tax system more fair and equitable for all Floridians.

The “Sales Tax Fairness Restoration Act (STAFR)” will put all state sales tax exemptions, except those for necessities, on the path to an automatic and uniform review process by a special legislative body. To ensure that only worthwhile exemptions stay on the books, exemptions will sunset unless determined to be beneficial for the state by an open and accountable review.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Khalid Resheidat was appointed interim city manager tonight after the City Commission removed John Hagood from his post.

NSBNEWS.net photo by Sera King. Lois Tipton, one of the oldest residents of West Canal Street in New Smyrna Beach, told city commissioners Tuesday she's concerned labeling her neighborhood as historic could limit her ability to sell her property if she so desires.

DAYTONA BEACH -- There’s a new carrier at Daytona Beach International Airport (DBIA) to bring island lovers to the Bahamas again.

Beginning Thursday, Feb. 26, IslandPass LLC will offer flights from DBIA to Marsh Harbour in the Bahamas’ Abaco Islands Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, and Treasure Cay Wednesdays and Thursdays. The flights depart Daytona Beach at 7:30 a.m. Return flights from the Bahamas leave the islands at 10 a.m. One-way flight time is less than 90 minutes.

DELAND -- Volusia County Government employees gave the Ocean Center food drive a jump start this month, compiling more than 4,100 items, said Vickie Pleus, a county spokeswoman.

That effort was amplified Sunday, Feb. 22, by guests of the Ocean Center grand opening who more than doubled those contributions, bringing the food drive total to 8,740 items.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Performance artist Dominique Holloway will host a poetry reading and celebration at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, at the Volusia County Library - City Island.

Dr. Jose Carmona, director of the Embry-Riddle Language Institute, will read several of his poems. Spruce Creek High School students who are part of the international baccalaureate program and their teacher, Ligia Cabrera, will read original poems and interpret poetry from the book “Vatos,” a tribute to Latino men.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Passenger traffic at Daytona Beach International Airport (DBIA) decreased 40 percent in January 2009 compared with January 2008.

During January, 28,102 total passengers arrived and departed through the county-operated airport, compared with the 46,777 travelers recorded in January 2008. For the 12-month period ending Jan. 31, 576,196 passengers traveled through DBIA, compared with 695,418 total passengers in 2008 and representing a 17 percent decrease.