Local News Now

Editor's Note: Morton Culligan of DeBary, a citizen watchdog (shown here at far left), who often appears at Volusia County Council meetings, and an attendee at a HeadlineSurfer.com public candidate debate for the at-large County Council seat at the Oak Hill City Hall back in June for which candidate Pat Northey (shown here far right) was a no-show, wrote the following after Thursday'sCounty Council meeting and sent it to local media outlets. Culligan was reacting to Councilman Joshua Wagner's criticism of Northey for the mailer on County Council at-large incumbent Joyce Cusack (shown here in the middle). Culligan's reference to 'Fast Freddy' is Fred Lowry, candidate for the district 5 seat Northey now holds, but is term-limited in, which is why she's challenging Cusack. Lowry is battling fellow candidate Rich Gailey of DeBary, who won the August primary:

DELAND, Fla. -- Whats next? Big Spat at Volusia Council meeting. Pat Northey slips back into the gutter -- again.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Nicole and Mike Kirkland of Edgewater dressed up their 1-year-old son, Nolan, as a shark, three years ago for the New Smyrna Beach Halloween parade.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Margie Patchett, the no-nonsense co-founder and executive director of Volusia Tax Reform, interviewed three candidates for Counry Council and as such is the featured newsmaker interviewee for today's Headline Surfer® multimedia presentation of The Sunday Conversation.

SANFORD, Fla. -- SunRail trains are operating on a normal schedule with the Columbus Day holiday on Monday, with 34 regularly-scheduled train trips per day, a DOT spokesman said.

"As usual, the first train leaves Sanford at 5:06 a.m. and the last stop of the day is in DeBary at 10:18 p.m.," Florida Department of Transportstion regional spokesman Steve Olson said.

Please check www.sunrail.com for the schedule and regular pricing options.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Then-Winter Park Vice Mayor and City Commissioner Karen Diebel talked up Democratic Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas of New Smyrna Beach as though she was her only real opponent in the 2010 elections, but in doing so, she perhaps under-estimated the strength of her own GOP party rival, Sandy Adams.

Big mistake!

Teen girl hasn't been seen or heard from since Saturday

ENTERPRISE, Fla. -- The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in finding 17-year-old runaway Charise Torres.

Charise took off on Saturday night from the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home in Enterprise and hasn't been seen or heard from since by her caregivers, authorities said.

"While she isn’t believed to be in any danger, Charise is on medication for a diagnosed medical condition," Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson told Headline Surfer® on Tuesday. "Because of her condition, authorities are anxious to find Charise to make sure she’s O.K. and receives necessary medical care."

Sheriff's spokesman: Ankle monitoring device found in Burger King bathroom

DELTONA, Fla. -- The search has ended for an inmate who failed to return to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach after a court-authorized furlough to attend a funeral over the weekend.

Andrew Rodriguez, 27, was captured at 11:01 p.m. Monday after an anonymous call led Sheriff’s deputies to his whereabouts.

"Late Monday night, a tip received through Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida led deputies to the house on Evergreen Avenue," Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson told Headline Surfer® this morning shortly after his capture.

"Just as deputies were heading into the house to search for Rodriguez, he bolted out of a side door and was quickly captured without offering resistance."

Incumbent has never lost an election & plans to keep that streak intact Nov. 4

DAYTONA BEACH -- At-large Councilwoman Joyce Cusack knew the so-called Waverly investigation was a farce -- a certifiable "witchhunt" -- from the onset pushed by the likes of her opponent, district 5 term-limited Councilwoman Patricia Northey.

Native son hoping to follow in late father's footsteps as municipal leader

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The time has come for an experienced community leader to take the reigns in New Smyrna Beach and right the ship that has run aground, especially in the last couple of years. That leader is none other than Jim Hathaway.

With that said, Headline Surfer® wholly endorses Hathaway for mayor of New Smyrna Beach in the Nov. 4 general elections over City Commissioner and former colleague Jack Grasty.

The taxpayers of the city by the sea have been hit with an increase in taxes for the new fiscal year that began Wednesday, following a tax increase last year as well. This is unacceptable in a city known for its charm that has a large bloc of seniors on fixed incomers and working class families struggling to put food on the table.