Top 100 Stories

Port Orange man charged with molesting 4-year-old girl

Courtesy photo/Jail mug. Joseph William Hurst, 58, of Port Orange, was charged Wednesday with sexually battering a 4-year-old girl, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said.

ORMOND-by-the-SEA -- A 53-year-old Port Orange man was arrested Wednesday on charges of melesting a 4-year-old girl while at the child's mother's home, a Volusia County Sheriff's spokesman said.

Woman in wheelchair struck and killed trying to cross Ridgewwod Avenue in South Daytona; had been warned before about not using crosswalk

SOUTH DAYTONA -- A 69-year-old woman confined to a wheelchair was killed Monday after she was struck by a car while trying to cross Ridgewood Avenue outside of a crosswalk.

Diane Elizabeth Knoop was thrown 25 feet and died a short time later at Halifax Medical Center woman, South Daytona police said.

The woman was leaving Rossi's Diner at 1:30 p.m. when she attempted to cross over in the 2200 block of South Ridgewood, before she was struck by motorist Mary Louise Peless, 58, of Daytona Beach. Police said the motorist was not at fault because she was not able to stop in time.

Hollywood Legend Johnny Duncan live at the Athens Theatre in DeLand

DELAND -- Hollywood legend Johnny Duncan will appear live on stage at the historic Athens Theatre next month.

"We'll start off the show with Al Gliniecki, who will be on stage attempting to beat his one minute Guinness World Record tying cherry stems with his tongue," said Athens manager Ed Kirkland of the 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13 event. "Then we'll show an episode of the 1949 serial Batman & Robin, followed by Gene Autry's Trail to San Antone. Johnny starred in both films, so it will be a real treat to see him
on-screen and then have him walk up live on stage," said Kirkland.

Obituaries

Karol Lisa Torrisi, 46, of Edgewater, a native of Mount Kisco, N.Y., and a Catholic who enjoyed watching game shows, and whose priority was her family, survived by her husband of 25 years, Tom; two daughters, Jennifer and Amanda Torrisi; stepdaughter, Kara Zissu; her mother, Margaret (Albert) Gregory; two sisters, Kathy and Karen Hack; and two brothers, Ken and Kevin Hack,died Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009.

Jury doles out death penalty for Tomoka inmate and corrections guard murderer Enoch Hall

Newspaper Section

Courtesy photos.Corrections officer Donna Fitzgerald was murdered by an inmate at Tomoka prison -- stabbed 25 times on June 25 while she was working alone in a section of the prison with 13 inmates. A jury Thursday night unanimously recommended a death sentence for Enoch Hall.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Corrections officer Donna Fitzgerald was a single mother working extra hours at the Tomoka Correctional Institute when she was savagely attacked the night of June 25 -- stabbed 25 times to death by an inmate already serving two life sentences. Now a death sentence has been recommended for her killer. That inmate, Enoch Hall, already found guilty of capital murder at trial, could be headed to Florida's death row after the 12-member jury deliberated 2 1/2 hours before returning a unanimous recommendation of death just after 7:30 p.m., said State Attorney spokesman Christopher Kelley.

Former Zone 2 Commissioner candidate Steve Sather backs mayoral candidate Adam Barringer in Tuesday's municipal elections

Newspaper Section

Courtesy photo (far left) / NSBNEWS.net photo by Henry Frederick. Steve Sather (farther left), who finished third in the Sept. 22 primary behinfd fellow challenger Palmer Wilson and incumbent Jack Grasty for his Zone 2 City Commission seat, is backing the candidacy of mayoral candidate and primary winner Adam Barringer over incumbent Sally Mackay in Tuesday's general election. Barringer, has been endorsed by the police and fire unions, the Board of Realtors and NSBNEWS.net.

Marriage Licenses (Volusia clerk of court records)

Oct. 28, 2009: Joel L. Tippins, New Smyrna Beach, and Svetlana Elina, Kaliningrad, Russia.

Oct. 27, 2009: Kevin L. Frederick and Dawn M. Shettlesworth, Edgewater; Jason J. Alexan and Rachel M. Roberson, New Smyrna Beach.

Oct. 24, 2009: Robert K. Finch, New Smyrna Beach, and Linda L. Johnson, DeLand; William C. Picardi, Edgewater, and Alexise P. Wright, New Smyrna Beach; Mark S. Morrissette and Michelle M. Crossman, Edgewater.

Obituaries

Mary Ann V. Burger, 66, New Smyrna Beach, originally from Ohio, where she was a big Cleveland Browns fan worked for many years at The Morning Journal newspaper in Lorain as an advertising supervisor, Monday, Oct. 26, 2009.

Darlene B. Fought, 72, of New Smyrna Beach, a former special needs teacher at Atlantic High School, died Friday, Oct. 23, 2009.

Carmen L. Lanther, 70, of Oak Hill, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, who retired from McDon­ald Douglas and NCR where she worked for many
years as an electronic assem­bler, died Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009.

Beach Patrol officer accused of having sex with under-age girl contests termination

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The Volusia County Beach Patrol officer arrested earlier this month on charges of having sex with an under-age girl between 20-25 times at his Port Orange home, is now contesting his termination.