Local News Now

Governor appoints Oviedo resident and A. Duda & Sons VP to seat on Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

City
OVIEDO, Fla. -- Gov. Rick Scott on Monday appointed Oviedo resident Richard Hanas to a vacant seat on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

 

Body of out-of-state man, 25, who drowned, recovered in New Smyrna Beach surf

Swimmers ordered out of water Sunday afternoon for massive search with help of Coast Guard and Sheriff's helicopter

Rescuers search for tourist in New Smyrna Beach who later washed up as a drowning victim / Headline Surfer®Map of drowning in New Smyrna Beach near Flagler Avenue / Headline Surfer®Photo for Headline Surfer® / Rescuers search for aan out-of-state tourist who disappeared under the surf Sunday near the Flagler Avenue Beach approach. His body washed ashore late Sunday evening.
 

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The body of a 25-year-old old out-of-state swimmer reported missing at 12:30 p.m. in the surf near the Flagler Avenue approach was recovered nearly nine hours later after apparently washing up on shore.

Qualifying: Only one contested race on Orange City Council with two other incumbents drawing no opposition

Party Lines political notebook: Orange City, FL qualifying / Headline Surfer®

Anthony Pupello returned to Orange City Council without opposition / Headline Surfer®Gary Blair returned to Orange City Council without opposition / Headline Surfer®Bill CRIPPEN is being challenged in the 2014 elections for his at-large Orange City Council seat / Headline Surfer®Photos for Headline Surfer® / Anthony Pupello and Gary Blair drew no opposition for their seats on the Orange City Council, but at-large incumbent Bill Crippen, shown here in the inset, did and so his is the only race to be settled in the 2014 elections.
 

ORANGE CITY -- There is only one contested race in Orange City for the at-large seat with Vernon Stafford challenging the incumbent, Bill Crippen.

Lake Helen qualifying: Two incumbents face pair of challengers each in 2014 primary

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LAKE HELEN, Fla -- The two incumbents up for re-election here in rural Lake Helen in West Volusia have two challengers each in the 2014 elections with qualifying having ended noon Friday.

Lake Helen has 2 commission seats listed for qualifying, but no info posted on website & nobody available by phone

LAKE HELEN -- So much for transparency and public information in Lake Helen: According to the city's website two seats are listed as up for elections, but no information on who qualified is listed.

Headline Surfer® did get a live person on the phone, but as soon as the internet newspaper said it was calling about qualifying, the phone was transferred to a recording in the city clerk's office.

Andy Kelly qualifies to run for district 1 County Council seat held by incumbent Pat Patterson

DELAND -- Andy Kelly has qualified to run for his old seat against incumbent Pat Patterson in the district 1 County Council race, according to the Volusia Supervisor of Elections website.

First public candidate debates of 2014 elections in Volusia County to be held Tuesday & Wednesday at Oak Hill City Hall

County Council at-large & district 3 races, municipal seats to be debated

Headline Surfer® graphics / A debate for the district 3 County Council seat between challengers David Machuga, Justin Kennedy and incumbent Deb Denys, will be held 7:15 p.m. Tuesday at Oak Hill City Hall,  234 US 1 in Oak Hill. A debate for the at-large County Council seat between challengers Webster Barnaby, Patricia Northey and incumbent Joyce Cusack, will be held 7:15 p.m. Wednesday at the same locale.

DAYTONA BEACH -- The first public candidate debates of the 2014 primary elections will be held Tuesday and Wednesday nights at Oak Hill City Hall in the City Commission chambers featuring two municipal seats and the highly contested races for County Council district 3 and at-large seats.

Daytona State College officials to be honored tonight as 'hometown heroes' in Juneteenth celebration banquet

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Two Daytona State College officials will be honored as “hometown heroes” tonight during a banquet kicking off the Daytona Beach area’s annual Juneteenth celebration, commemorating African-American freedom and emphasizing education, achievement and community involvement.

498. NSB executive secretary Sandy Winkler community inspiration in support of late husband's cancer battle

Newspaper Section
Top 500 Newsmakers of Central Florida / Headline Surfer®
Sandy Winkler and daughter stand on fire truck named after late husband, who died of cancer / Headline Surfer®The Winkler family of Southeast Volusia / Headline Surfer®Photos for Headline Surfer® /
Sandy Winkler, a longtime New Smyrna Beach city employee, stands on the front bumper of a city fire truck, re-painted in pink and named for her late husband, Paul, who succumbed to cancer in December, after a 10-month battle.
 

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Sandy Winkler, the longtime executive secretary in the city's manager office, has a comforting expression on her Facebook page that reads: "When God closes one door, he opens another."

Winkler has been a loyal and dedicated municipal employee since 1978. She's gone about her job and stayed clear of the small-town politics over the years. Winkler a private, but friendly person has other expressions, too like "Focus on the Good" and "I am thankful -- for my blessings are too many to count."