Local News Now

DAYTONA BEACH -- Headline Surfer has the top stories in three Volusia County cities this morning in the Google news directories, a testament to the power of new media.

Heading the Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach directories is the 24/7 internet newspaper's story headlined "Volusia League of Cities calls cops on internet newspaper to protect embattled mayor from glare of media spotlight."

OAK HILL -- This little city, famous for Mosquito Lagoon and more recently the demise of its police force, has a connection to Super Bowl lore. It's the winter home of Miami Dolphins great Larry Csonka and his name was bandied about quite a bit before the 2012 Super Bowl between the NY Giants and NE Patriots.

DAYTONA BEACH -- When an elderly woman hit the gas pedal instead of the brakes and careened into the Intracoastal Waterway near the Brannon Center, Adam Barringer and two other men jumped in and rescued her from an almost certain drowning death as her car began sinking. That was five years ago.

DAYTONA BEACH -- The Volusia League of Cities called the cops to ensure greater Daytona Beach's internet newspaper wouldn't rain on the parade of embattled New Smyrna Beach Mayor Adam Barringer, who received the taxpayer-funded organization's top award Thursday night even though he's facing multiple state ethics charges.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Widely banned because of their dangerous and unpredictable effects, synthetic drugs such as K-2 and bath salts still find their way onto the shelves at gas stations, convenience stores and smoke shops around the country. As it turns out, large quantities of the substances were coming from an illegal distribution ring based in New Smyrna Beach. 

Photo for Headline Surfer / Retired Stetson University President H. Douglas Lee President is shown at left in this undated photo announcing his passing on Aug. 29, 2009.

DELAND -- The Stetson University community in August 2009, mourned the passing of Dr. H. Douglas Lee, of DeLand, who had just retired after 22 years as president of Stetson University.

Lee died during the early morning hours of Aug. 29, 2009, at Florida Hospital-DeLand of complications following surgery. He was 66.

The milestone comes in at No. 498 in Headline Surfer's countdown of the Top 500 Stories as part of its 5th anniversary.