Volusia News Now

Photos for Headline Surfer® / Anthony Pupello and Gary Blair drew no opposition for their seats on the Orange City Council, but at-large incumbent Bill Crippen, shown here in the inset, did and so his is the only race to be settled in the 2014 elections.

ORANGE CITY -- There is only one contested race in Orange City for the at-large seat with Vernon Stafford challenging the incumbent, Bill Crippen.

LAKE HELEN -- So much for transparency and public information in Lake Helen: According to the city's website two seats are listed as up for elections, but no information on who qualified is listed.

Headline Surfer® did get a live person on the phone, but as soon as the internet newspaper said it was calling about qualifying, the phone was transferred to a recording in the city clerk's office.

DELAND -- Andy Kelly has qualified to run for his old seat against incumbent Pat Patterson in the district 1 County Council race, according to the Volusia Supervisor of Elections website.

County Council at-large & district 3 races, municipal seats to be debated

DAYTONA BEACH -- The first public candidate debates of the 2014 primary elections will be held Tuesday and Wednesday nights at Oak Hill City Hall in the City Commission chambers featuring two municipal seats and the highly contested races for County Council district 3 and at-large seats.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Two Daytona State College officials will be honored as “hometown heroes” tonight during a banquet kicking off the Daytona Beach area’s annual Juneteenth celebration, commemorating African-American freedom and emphasizing education, achievement and community involvement.

Photos for Headline Surfer® /

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Sandy Winkler, the longtime executive secretary in the city's manager office, has a comforting expression on her Facebook page that reads: "When God closes one door, he opens another."

Winkler has been a loyal and dedicated municipal employee since 1978. She's gone about her job and stayed clear of the small-town politics over the years. Winkler a private, but friendly person has other expressions, too like "Focus on the Good" and "I am thankful -- for my blessings are too many to count."

Larger crowd for Father's Day despite thunderstorms

DAYTONA BEACH -- Volusia County Beach Safety had a busy day Monday with rescues in choppy water, displaying ellow flags signalling moderate rip current conditions.

"We rescued nine people out of the ocean today without incident or injury," Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue spokeswoman Capt. Tamra Marris told Headline Surfer® of Monday's activity, otherwise there were no major issues to report.

Photo for Headline Surfer® / Eugene Blackwell, Sr., 45, is being held without bail in the alleged Sunday shooting of his 18-year-old son, whose condition is critical.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A dad shot his 18-year-old son multiple times during a domestic dispute on Father’s Day, New Smyrna Beach cops said.

Eugene Blackwell Sr., 45, was arrested on a charge of attempted murder for allegedly shooting his son, Eugene Blackwell Jr., 18, after a domestic argument turned violent, police said. The victim was airlifted to Halifax Medical Center shortly after the 6:34 p.m. shooting. He is currently undergoing surgery at Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach for multiple gunshot wounds and listed in critical condition.

DAYTONA BEACH -- It wasn't unusual for Indy racers like AJ Foyt and Johnny Rutherford to rub fenders at Daytona International Speedway in the 1970s, before the advent of restrictor-plate racing with speeds exceeding 200 mph and plenty of wrecks.

The 1974 Firecracker 400, the big July 4th weekend event at DIS in front of 60,000 spectators in the stands and infield run on a Thursday afternoon, was no different, won by David Pearson in a last lap duel with Richard Petty, by pulling the slingshot pass.

In fact, Rutherford, who won the first of his three Indianapolis 500 cham,pionships, was among the early drivers to crash on the high banks of Daytona. Rutherford won the Indy 500 again in 1976 and in 1980.