Local News Now

Courtesy photos/New Smyrna Beach Police Department. New Smyrna Beach Police motors officer Chris Salomone finished second overall among 83 police motorcycle officers from the U.S. and Canada at the Great Lakes Training Seminar at Ontario College in Ontario, Canada. He finished first overall in the windshield division.  These photos were taken locally prior to the training competition.

By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Few doubt that Harley-Davidson is the king of the road when it comes to motorcycles. The same can be said for New Smyrna Beach police motors officer Chris Salomone, who competed last weekend in the Great Lakes Training Seminar at Ontario College in Ontario, Canada.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Saturday's planned debates for the mayor and two city commission seats have been moved to the Hidden Lakes Golf Club to address parking, seating and traffic limitations.

The program gets under way at 9 a.m. in the Hidden Lakes' Greenview Room, which seats up to 200 people. Hidden Lakes is located at 35 Fairgreen Ave.

Audrey B. Bowen, 85, of New Smyrna Beach and Osteen, a bus driver for Seminole County School District for 15 years before her retirement, who enjoyed spending time with her dog "Little Jon," died Tuesday, August 25, 2009.

James George Knighton, 41, of New Smyrna Beach, who owned and operated Knighton Air Care, Inc. of New Smyrna Beach for 11 years and loved spending time with his boys and his wife of 15 years, Kathleen, died Sunday, August 23, 2009.

Emma A.Morin, 78, who recently celebrated her 59th wedding anniversary with her spouse, Marcel G. Morin, died Sunday, August 23, 2009.

Courtesy photos/Volusia Jail mugs. A Volusia County grand jury handed up two indictments today in two high-profile murder cases. Joseph Edward Jordan, 39, far right, was charged with first-degree murder and robbery in the June 29, hog-tied beating death of his Edgewater roommate, 50-year-old Keith Cope. In a separate case, the grand jury returned first-degree murder indictments against Ronald Roscoe, far left, and Tarod Weaver, both 21, in the July 20, shooting death of 13-year-old Lloyd Robinson Jr. of Daytona Beach.

EDGEWATER -- He was hogtied and left for dead. And that's exactly what happened to 50-year-old Keith Cope. He died two weeks later at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach. A Volusia Grand jury earlier today returned an indictment of first-degree murder and robbery against his roommate, 39-year-old Joseph Edward Jordan, said Assistant State Attorney Christopher Kelly on behalf of State Attorney R.J. Larizza.

EDGEWATER -- The city is warning residents to ignore blue flyers passed around neighborhoods questioning the quality of the city's water quality.

The flyers are misleading because people have to look at the fine print to realize they do not represent the city of Edgewater, said Brenda Dewees, director of city's Environmental Services Department.

"City of Edgewater employees are not delivering these door hangers," she stressed in a news release.

Dewees believes the messages are being marketed buy a private entity looking to generate business.

Courtesy photo. Recently retired Stetson University President H. Douglas Lee, of DeLand, died earlier today. He was 66.

The following was written by Stetson University in announcing the death of its president:

DELAND -- Dr. H. Douglas Lee, DeLand, who recently retired after 22 years as president of Stetson University, died early this morning at Florida Hospital-DeLand of complications following surgery. He was 66.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Today is the final day to register to vote in the Sept. 22 primary races for mayor and two city commission seats, according to the Volusia County Board of Elections.

City residents who are not registered may do so by going to the Department of Motor Vehicles (in the K-mart plaza on State Road 44), the New Smyrna Beach Public Library (1001 S. Dixie Freeway) or at the Volusia County Board of Elections Office in DeLand (125 W. New York Ave., DeLand). For more information on registering for the primary, please call the Supervisor of Elections at (386) 736-5930.

NSBNEWS.net photos by Henry Frederick. Mayor Sally Mackay has set up shop on Canal Street for her re-election bid for a second term as mayor of New Smyrna Beach. Ironically, campaign headquarters are at the former newspaper mecca, the Canal Street bureau of the Daytona Beach News-Journal/Pennysaver offices.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Dozens of volunteers showed up this sunny Saturday morning and into the early afternoon to pick up their share of lawn signs, buttons and placards for the re-election campaign of first-term Mayor Sally Mackay, who opened up her headquarters on Canal Street at the former bureau offices of the Daytona Beach News-Journal/Pennysaver.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A 54-year-old man died after washing ashore unconscious this afternoon between Flounder and Drum avenues, the Volusia County Beach Patrol said.

The swimmer, whose indentity was not released because relatives had not yet been contacted was given CPR by lifeguards who spotted him on the beach just after 3 p.m. He was rushed by EVAC ambulance to Bert Fish Medical Center in New Smyrna Beach where he was pronounced dead, said Capt. Scott Petersohn, spokesman for the Beach Patrol.

NSBNEWS.net video by Sera Frederick.