POLITICS

New Smyrna Beach City Commissioner and Volusia County candidate Jim Hathaway and City Manager Pam Brangaccio were among notable public figures absent from the Memorial Day ceremony at Riverside Park that drew several hundred people.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Mayor Adam Barringer was in attendance at the Memorial Day service put on by the VFW, as was City Commissioners Jack Grasty and Judy Reiker. So too was Fire Chief Dave McCallister and Assistant City Manager Khalid Resheidat.

Among the no-shows were City Commissioner and Volusia County candidate Jim Hathaway, City Manager Pam Brangaccio, City Commissioner Lynne Plaskett and Police Chief Ron Pagano. Also not in attendance were Hathaway's heir apparent on the city commission in Jason McGuirk and Steve Casserly, who is seeking the seat held by Plaskett who has not said whether she's running again.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Volusia County Council seat 3 candidate Deb Denys has embraced new tools in helping her get the word out: Internet news and social media.

"The electronic media is where readers are getting their news," Denys said. "I'm getting my message where people are sharing ideas and that's on sites like Facebook and Headline Surfer."

Headline Surfer / NSBNews.net file photo

Should City Commissioner Lynne Plaskett opt to run again for her zone 4 seat, she'll have competition.  Qualifying papers have been taken out by Patrick Casserly. Click the PDF attachment for details on his filing.

Photo for NSBNews.net / Headline Surfer

DAYTONA BEACH -- Recently retired Volusia County Judge Stasia Warren announced Tuesday she's running for state attorney in the 7th Judicial Circuit against first-term incumbent R.J. Larizza.

Terry Shoemaker of St. Augustine is a third candidate. All three are Republicans. If one of them doesn't secure a 50-percent plus one vote victory in the primary, then the top two vote-getters will face off in November.

Warren made her surprise announcement in a press release e-mailed to NSBNews.net / Headline Surfer and other media outlets, saying in part: “I have faithfully served the law and our community by delivering justice from behind the bench."

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES -- The results of Tuesday’s primaries can be simply described: Santorum won – Gingrich lost – Romney forges ahead.

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES -- There were 10 state Republican primaries and caucuses held on Super Tuesday. The media insists that the only one that really matters is Ohio.

By Stan Escudero

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES -- In the past week Mitt Romney won big in Nevada, where he took 50% of the vote (55% in 2008) and Rick Santorum swept the three beauty contests in Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado.

Ho-Hum.

Greater New Smyrna Beach included in new redistricting plan

NEW SYRNA BEACH -- Following the introduction of a compromise redistricting plan scheduled for final passage in the Florida House and Senate this week, Representative Sandy Adams announced she will declare her candidacy for the new District 7, based in Seminole County and including parts of Orange and Volusia counties.

“I strongly believe in public service and working to make our nation’s economy stronger and more secure," Adams said Monday.

Frontrunner calls Gingrich 'Washington insider'

NSBNews.net photo by Henry Frederick / Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi claps as Mitt Romney fires up the crowd in Ormond Beach on Sunday night.

ORMOND BEACH -- Like clockwork, Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney arrived at 6 p.m. to a raucous crowd 2,500 supporters with an opening question: "Are you ready to send Barack Obama home to Chicago?" The crowd roared with a yes.

"This is a decision point for this country," Romney said, adding Obama represents big government while he supports one that is small and simple. "If I'm president of the United States, we'll get rid of Obamacare," Romney said, drawing an even bigger roar.