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Similar vetting to be held in Daytona, New Smyrna Beach, Port Orange, DeLand, Deltona, Lake Mary & Sanford

 DAYTONA BEACH -- Qualifying for the 2014 elections ends June 20. With that in mind, Headline Surfer® will begin its 2014 "public candidate debates" in the Oak Hill City Hall on June 24-25 with a focus on the district 3 and at-large County Council races as well as the two city commission seats.

DAYTONA BEACH -- In an unprecedented move that infringes on first amendment rights, Daytona International Speedway has informed Headline Surfer that its request for media credentials for the July races culminating in the Coke Zero 400 under the lights, will not be honored.

DAYTONA BEACH -- I can’t believe the Daytona Speedway is again sticking it to our HeadlineSurfer.com Publisher Henry Frederick, who has done nothing, but favor the races even when he was relegated to placing his laptop next to the salad bar outside the main media outlet on the Spredway grounds where he was relegated for five years.

Now he doesn't even have that spot.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla -- Mayor Derrick Henry and his wife, Stephanie, were among the dignitaries for Saturday's Volusia County-Daytona Beach NAACP Freedom Fund and Awards Banquet.

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.

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.

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.

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."