2011 Top Stories

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Beach patrol personnel had somewhat ofd an eventfdul day on Tuesday, Sept. 6 when they rescued a swimmer in the Daytona Beach surf and tended to a dead manatee that washed ashore in New Smyrna Beach.

So it ended up being a day of happy and unhappy situations for beach personnel as Volusia County Beach Safety flew the red flag.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Fifteen community leaders with the United Way of Volusia and Flagler Counties were selected by the agency's executive board in early September to each serve a two-year term on the Community Impact Cabinet that is responsible for strategically mapping United Way priority areas, reviewing requests for funding, and monitoring programs and results from those programs.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The School District of Volusia County and FUTURES Foundation in August announced announced the principals of the year. 

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Attempts to save a 26-year-old Port Orange woman who lost control of her car and ended up submerged in a pond in the Venetian Bay community the afternoon of Oct. 27, 2014, proved fruitless. 

Sarah Marx was later identified in the day as the driver and drowning victim in the 11 a.m. tragedy.

It wasn't as if everyone was just standing around and doing nothing to try and save her.

At left is the final tweet of author and civil rights activist Maya Angelou a couple of days before her death May 28, 2014. She was remembered locally by Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry who said he twice met her, describing her as an 'American literary icon.'

DAYTONA BEACH -Mayor Derrick Henry paid homage to American poet Maya Angelou who passed away at the age of 86.

"I can't think of an American literary icon that I have adored more," said Henry of Mayou, who died Wednesday morning. "I am thankful for having been exposed to her gracious spirit and enormous personality. I have had the pleasure of reading all of her books."

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The 50-year-old Main Street drawbridge in Daytona, was finally opened reopened mid-afternoon Nov. 5 after being closed for 1 1/2 weeks due to repairs.

Thankfully, it didn't have to be closed earlier in October when the four-day fall motortycle rally, Biketoberfest, was in full swing.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- S. Truett Cathy, a billionaiure several times over who saw himself asa simple man, would often say, "I cook chicken for a living.”

The founder of Chick-fil-A, who owned a seasonal home in New Smyrna Beach outside of the gated Sugar Mill golf course community, died Sept. 8, 2014, at his home in Clayton County, Ga., a Chick-fil-A spokesman confirmed. He was 93.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Regan Smith got the bump-drafting help he needed from Trevor Bayne and beat Brad Keselowski to the finish line by .013 seconds to win February's season-opening NASCAR Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway.

Photos for Headline Surfer® / Victor Oladipo underwent corrective surgery for a facial fracture. in October 2014, forcing him to wear a protective mask upon his return to the court.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo was ruled out "indefinitely" after suffering a facial fracture during practice Oct. 23, 2014, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced.

Oladipo, 22, who was evaluated that afternoon after taking an inadvertent elbow to the face during a practice drill, underwent a corrective surgical procedure.

Oladipo made his return from injury on Nov. 14, wearing a facial protection mask as he made his season debut against the Milwaukee Bucks. In 25 minutes off the bench, he recorded 13 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists in a 101–85 win.

Headline Surfer® photo /

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Bob Garrigues was a leading businessman in New Smyrna Beach for decades, before he passed away on July 18, 2014, at the age of 82.

Born and raised in the Baltimore, Maryland area, Bob served in the Army during the Korean Conflict then graduated from Towson State University. He started a staff leasing company in the 1990s but spent most of his career in insurance.