Local News Now

Mayor Adam Barringer's driver warnings made headlines

Headline Surfer photos by Henry Frederick / Prior to beconing mayor in 2009, Adam Barringer was pulled over three times for various offenses and pleaded guilty. Since becoming mayor he's been pulled over five times and received warnings only like the one shown above.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The New Smyrna Beach Police Department's 24-hour summary police reports, a staple of Headliner Surfer editorial content for the past five-plus years has been re-formatted, which makes it more difficult for the public to see who has been stopped, ticketed and arrested.

Graphic for Headline Surfer / SunRail project in Lake Mary.

LAKE MARY -- SunRail construction crews will close the North Palmetto Street railroad crossing beginning 7 a.m. Wednesday through 4 p.m. Friday.

The closure will allow crews to rebuild the crossing, city officials said.

OVIEDO -- How cool would it be to have your music student desire to practice an instrument during the week between lessons? About as awesome as it is for him or her to perform rock songs on stage.

The School of Rock in Oviedo has inspired young people, ages 8 to 18, for the past two years at the same location, 5420 Deep Lake Road, just off 426, Aloma Road, in Seminole County. If you live in Edgewater like we do, it's not that far away.

Headline Surfer graphic / A man living at 3222 Roland Drive in Deltona, as shown here in this locator map, was shot inside his residence and two men suspected in the shooting are at large.

DELTONA -- A Deltona man was airlifted by helicopter to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach with a non-life threatening bullet wound to his head after he was confronted by two men inside his residence just before 8:30 p.m. Sunday, a Volusia County Sheriff''s official said.

Photo for Headline Surfer / The 5-month-old Emergency Operations and Sheriff's Communications Center on Tiger Bay Road has issues with its E911 system.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Volusia County is currently experiencing intermittent problems throughout the area with its emergency 9-1-1 system today, a Sheriff's Office official said.

"Because of the problems, some callers have been unable to reach 9-1-1 and are receiving a recording," agency spokesman Gary Davidson told Headline Surfer.

"The situation appears to be affecting both landline and cell phones," Davidson said.

Headline Surfer graphic / Jermaine Green, shown here in a prior Volusia County Branch Jail mug, and the suspect shot by cops early on this Wednesday morning, has a lengthy arrest record.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Violent crime continues unabated in Daytona Beach with a report of city cops forced to open fire on a man who had a knife to a woman's throat and plunging it into her chest inside a residence in the 800 block of Magnolia Avenue, according to WESH TV.

The shooting happened after two officers responded to a domestic dispute call at 2:45 a.m. during which cops were forced to break down the door when nobody answered, Police Chief Michael Chitwood told the Orlando TV station.

Headline Surfer photo (main image) by Henry Frederick / The City of Port Orange is gearing up for Family Days, part of the New Smyrna Beach Area Beach Weeks, sponsored by the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority.

PORT ORANGE -- Everything is bigger and better than your typical carnival event at the Port Orange Family Days, which will be held Oct. 3-6, at the Port Orange City Center: There's the Tall Man. There's the ferris wheel. And on and on.

Port Orange Family Days is the epitome of togetherness -- wholesome clean fun for every member of the family -- mom, dad, the kids, grandparents -- people of all ages who live, work and play in the ultimate family city -- Port Orange.

The Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority is keenly aware of this, which is why Port Orange Family Days is an integral part of the SVAA's Fall tourism-destination event, Beach Weeks, which begins Sept. 28 and runs through November with myriad activities from the New Smyrna Beach Jazz Festival to a book fair and other activities sure to draw the interest of locals and tourists alike based on the success of the inaugural summer Beach Weeks this year.

Headline Surfer photo / Lynne Plaskett's storied political life, including her tale of being cured of cancer by aliens, earns her the 500th spot on Headline Surfer's countdown of the 'Top 500 Newsmakers of Central Florida' (greater Daytona Beach-Orlando) as part of the 24/7 internet newspaper's 5th anniversary celebration.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Lynne Plaskett opted to retire rather than seek another term on the New Smyrna Beach City Commission, but her final motion and vote has certainly sparked controversy. Then again, controversy is nothing new to this politician who, in the mid-1990s claimed she was cured of lymphoma by an alien spaceship the size of a dinner plate that levitated and scanned her body.

Photo for Headline Surfer / Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, shown here, still gets three times the pay raise of the rank-and-file employess at City Hall with his amended raise.

ORLANDO -- The intense media scrutiny and public outcry over the 21 percent salary increases for himself and his elected colleagues on the City Council was too much for even Mayor Buddy Dyer to endure.

And so one week after voting himself and the others the mega raises, Dyer did an about face Monday and counter-offered a more palatable 6 percent increase.

Instead of seeing his $160,892 salary go to $195,500, it would climb to $170,545.

Still, the 6 percent hike is three times what other municipals workers are slated to receive in the new fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.

Sticking to his guns philosophically, the mayor said the initial raise request was justified based on the marketplace, but acquiesced, saying in part: "Upon reflection, while the economy is still recovering, I think the percentage of the increase probably sends the wrong message to the public."