Local News Now

DAYTONA BEACH -- Ann Romney visited a beachside school this morning

DAYTONA BEACH -- As shocking as retired pro wrestler Mike Graham's self-inflicted gunshot to the head during his visit to Daytona Beach for Biketoberfest is, he's just the latest in a long line of dead wrestlers used up and disposed of in the world of sports entertainment with suicide, homicide and athletes dropping dead in a culture of steroids, pills and alcohol abuse.

Headline Surfer will take a hard look at the dark side of wrestling in this special investigative series looking at the ups and downs of professional wrestling with the World's Most Famous Beach as a backdrop. You'll hear from a former professional wrestler who wrestled Graham many times in the squared circle as well as a few of the modern-day stars as to where pro wrestling is at with commentary from bloggers who follow it as well as sports psychologists. The series will begin later today with our multi-media presentation of stories, blogs, fast facts graphics, photos and videos.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Of the 15 public candidate debates Headline Surfer sponsored and moderated, the ugliest by far was Sunday's battle between dist. 8 state senate candidates Dorothy Hukill, the Republican, and Democrat Frank Bruno.

Headline Surfer photo by Henry Frederick / New Smyrna Beach High social studies students held a mock city commission meeting last year at city hall. City Commissioner and current County Council dist. 3 candidate Jim Hathaway is shown here sitting in the audience with City Attorney Frank Gummey seated behind him. A new crop of students will do the same on Thursday.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- When Mayor Jaquandra Walker bangs the gavel Thursday morning, she and a dozen or so other New Smyrna Beach High social studies students will have taken over the dais in place of the adult leaders of the community in a mock city commission meeting.

Mayor's Message

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- In three weeks, our city commission will have two new members, as Jim Hathaway leaves to seek election to the Volusia County Council and Lynne Plaskett leaves to enjoy retirement.

Former pro wrestler Mike Graham,  whose real name was Edward Gossett,  was distraught over the suicide of his son at Biketoberfest two years ago, when he, too, took his own life Thursday during the biker rally in Daytona Beach. Graham's wrestling-promoter father killed himself in 1985.

DAYTONA BEACH -- An incident report released by Daytona Beach cops, confirms former pro wrestler Mike Graham, visiting here for Biketoberfest, was found dead "lying face up" on a bed Thursday night in a North Halifax Drive home from an apparent self-inflicted "gunshot wound to the forehead."

RELATED:

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Debates and the transparency, or lack thereof, of candidates, their handlers and the media is discussed in this episode of The Roundtable, Headline Surfer's online news and public affairs show.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Former professional wrestler Mike Graham who was in Daytona Beach for Biketoberfest was found dead Friday by his wife, reportedly of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was 61.

Headline Surfer photo by Serafina Frederick / The ban on texting while driving on the beach as shown here in New Smyrna Beach may be expanded to all Volusia County roadways. The topic was broached Thursday by the County Council.

DELAND -- Volusia County's elected leaders are steadfastly in favor of a countywide ban on texting while driving for all motorists on roadways, including the 16 cities and towns, in addition to the unicorporated areas.

p>The County Council earlier this year adopted such a ban for motorists driving on the county's beaches.

"I certainly think there's no reason not to do that," council member Pat Northey said of pushing for a county ordinance with the municipalities included.