Volusia News Now

Investigative Reports: How Robert Lott acquired taxpayer and private dollars only to seek bankruptcy protection for upwards of half a million in debts

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Robert Wayne Lott was once the financial kingpin of Flagler Avenue: president of the Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce, member of the hospital's board of trustees and purchaser with his wife of the weekly Observer newspaper. But despite his inside connections and influence to access taxpayer dollars, he got out from upwards of half a million in debts through federal bankruptcy.

After a nearly year-long investigation, Headline Surfer will tell you who the creditors were, where the money came from and who the players were along the way. The 24/7 Internet newspaper's "Show Me the Money" investigative report on Lott will be published Sunday.

Photo for Headline Surfer / There is plenty of family fun with two free holiday movie showings sponsored by Port Orange Family Days at the amphitheather at the city center.

PORT ORANGE -- The Port Orange Family Days gets the holiday season in full swing Dec. 7 and 14 with "free" showings of the modern classics Home Alone and Beethoven's Christmas Adventure in the Kenneth W. Parker Amphitheater at Port Orange City Center, 1999 City Center Circle.

FDLE: Several thousand porn images located on home computer

FDLE agents, along with Altamonte Springs cops, obtained a search warrant and then moved in on the 582 Sable Palms Circle residence of 34-year-old Alan Smith where they said they found several thousand child porn images in his desktop computer on Tuesday.

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS -- A 34-year-old Altamonte Springs man has been arrested on charges of possession of child pornography for allegedly having several thousand porn images of children on his home computer, officials with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said.

Prosecutor: Bullet remains lodged in victim's liver nearly 18 months later

Michael Elijah Wynn, now 33, will have to wait until he's at least 58 years old before he has any hope of being released from prison for shooting his ex-girlfriend's lover multiple times outside a Daytona Beach apartment complex with one of the bullets still lodged in the victim's liver.

DAYTONA BEACH -- A man's jealous rage has landed him in prison for a minimum of 25 years in prison for shooting his ex-girlfriend's beau.

It took a jury two and a half hours to find Michael Elijah Wynn guilty as charged to attempted second-degree murder with a firearm and aggravated battery with a firearm, both first-degree felonies, in the April 26, 2011, shooting of Carlton Jones Jr., who was dating his ex-girlfriend.

Because the near-killing involved a gun, Circuit Judge R. Michael Hutcheson sentenced Wynn to 30 years prison with a minimum mandatory of 25 years, immediately after the jury's verdict Wednesday in the three-day trial.

Headline Surfer photos by Henry Frederick / This surfer dude finds the perfect wave to glide with his board Saturday in the cool Atlantic waters off New Smyrna Beach while his friend waits for the next big wave.