NSBNEWS.net video by Sera Frederick. Police chart courtesy NSB Police Dept. As part of New Smyrna Beach's proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, New Smyrna Beach police are going to have to make do with far less, including five officer positions frozen and no raises for anyone on the police force, concesessions made by Police Chief Ronald Pagano and the Teamster's Union on behalf of the rank and file. Despite a steady increases in calls for services (as shown in the chart), Pagano said response time to emergency calls will not be compromised, but other less critical calls for service could be delayed as officers take on more responsibilities.

July 9, 2009: Wesley D. Whitehair and Lisa A. Brewster, Edgewater.

NSBNEWS.net Video by Sera Frederick. New Smyrna Beach resident Robert Tolley urges the City Commission to take its time in ironing out a possible contract with city manager finalist Pam Brangaccio of Tampa Bay, who is seeing an annual salary of $132,500 compared to the $120,000 former City Manager John Hagood was receiving when he was dismissed earlier this year. The lesser amount is also what Interim City Manager Khalid Resheidat is receiving and it looks like he'll remain that position at least through August.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- With the city proposing a 27 percent mill-rate increase to support its proposed budget, neither city commissioners nor the mayors, nor were several citizens who spoke out Wednesday inclined to give City Manager finalist Pam Brangaccio $12,500 more a year in salary than the $120,000 former City Manager John Hagood was getting.

NSBNEWS.net video by Sera Frederick. Jana Jasinski of the Institute for Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Central Florida speaks to the New Smyrna City Commission about the results of a survey on citizen satisfaction with city services. See her presentation in our video and check out the resuls in our story and Fast Facts summaries.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Knowing a budget with a propsed increase in millage rates couild be a tough sell, city leaders paid the University of Central Florida $7,600 to conduct a citizen survey to guage citizen response to the quality of services provided.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A larceny suspect swam across the Indian River in an attempt to get away from police just west of the Diamond Head condominiums and ran into the 300 block of Quay Assisi before he was apprehended and arrested Tuesday, police said.

Chester Stobierski, 81, of New Smyrna Beach, a deep sea fisherman, who enjoyed "social networking" at the Surf Lounge in New Smyrna Beach, died Tuesday, July 7, 2009.

July 7, 2009: James R. Brown, New Smyrna Beach, and Maria T. Lao, Palm Coast; Anthony R. Schwanke Jr. and Heather L. Ridley, Edgewater; Peter L. Wood Jr. and Michelle E. Lawson, Edgewater.

Courtesy graphic/The Observer. The Observer front page devoted its lead story to asking readers to buy subscriptions to keep the weekly newspaper going, especially in this tough economy with its reserves used up. In the spirit of journalism cooperation, and as a fellow member of the Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce, NSBNEWS.net is posting the Observer's story here, written by its editor, Robert Burns: 

Help Us Help You
By Robert Burns
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The country’s newspapers are in crisis. If they are to continue serving communities all over the country, they need support. The Observer is one of those newspapers that need to have community support to thrive.