Local News Now

Headline Surfer® graphic / Rocco Park, 2490 Sunset Drive, shown here at left, is where the body of a woman was found early Tuesday.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The body of a woman was found this morning at a city park in Turnbull Bay, New Smyrna Beach cops said.

The discovery was made just after 6 a.m. at the park, located at 2490 Sunset Drive, Master Sgt. Eugene Griffith said in a press release, adding her death may have resulted from a drug overdose. Her name or age was not released.

An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday to try nd determine the manner and cause of death.

Videos by Indy Cars for Headline Surfer® / 1st video: Highlights of the 2014 running of the Indianapolis 500, including several crashes and the dramatic finish that saw the Ryan Hunter-Reay take the checketred flag in the second-closest finish ever. 2nd video: Post-race interviews with Hunter-Reay, Helio Castroneves, and Marco Andretti, as well as rookie Sage Karam, winning team owner Michael Andretti, Indy 500 legend Mario Andretti and disappointed contenders Ed Carpenter and James Hinchcliffe.

INDIANAPOLIS -- A Florida racer, Ryan Hunter-Reay, driving the No. 28 for team owner Michael Andretti, won the Indianapolis 500- i a nail-biting finish with hard-charging Helio Castroneves in what turned out to be the second-closest margin of victory at .06 of a second.

Heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for tonight's Coca-Cola 600

YouTube download / NASCAR driver Kurt Busch crashes in practice for the Indianapolis 500, which forced him to use a back-up car for today's race.

INDIANAPOLIS -- NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Kurt Busch driving for Andretti Autosport, finished a respectable 6th in today's Indianapolis 500, which was won by Ryan Hunter-Reay, of Fort Lauderdale.

Busch left the track immediately after the race to flly to Charlotte Motor Speedway where he will start in tonight's Coca-Cola 600. He'll become the fourth driver to participate in both races on the same day. 

Headline Surfer® graphic / Ruthy's Kozy Kitchen, 618 W. Canal St., as shown in the locator map in the inset, was the target of an overnight burglar or burglars,  who broke in through a window and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Ruthy's Kozy Kitchen on West Canal Street, the eatery that nearly closed four years ago because of 18 months worth of delays in completion of a CRA-funded street beautification project, was burglarized earlier this week, New Smyrna Beach cops said in a delayed report.

WASHINGTON, DC – The office of U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) today released a list of upcoming Mobile Office Hours throughout Florida.

Each week, Rubio’s staff offers a variety of constituent services, assisting people with a wide range of issues, including problems with Social Security, Medicare, Veterans Affairs, and more. Here is a list of mobile office dates and locations:

Headline Surfer® photos / In the game of musical chairs, New Smyrna Beach Mayor Adam Barringer is out in terms of a third run, former Commissioner Jim Hathaway is still weighing whether to get back in and run for mayor and Commissioner Jack Grasty, shown in the inset, is indeed running for mayor.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Amid a mountain of personal tax debts and continuing corruption in New Smyrna Beach governance, Adam Barringer is not seeking a third term. And as expected, two-term City Commissioner Jack Grasty has filed papers to run for the top municipal post.

Photos for Headline Surfer® / Phil Giorno, former longtime Volusia County Democratic Chairman has generated enough signatures to officially qualify for the Volusia County Council District 5 seat in the 2014 elections against fellow challengers Rich Gailey of DeBary, Deltona City Commissioner Fred Lowry, Jr., and Deltona resident Donald Mair. Giorno is shown at the Supervisor of Elections Office in DeLand with his certified petition.

DELTONA -- Veteran politician Phil Giorno has reason to smile these days. After all, he's qualified by petition to run for the district 5 seat on the Volusia County Council held by term-limited incumbent Patricia Northey representing Deltona, DeBary and Enterprise.

New Smyrna Beach has new website, but municipal election qualifying information either non-existent or hidden on back page

Headline Surfer photos® / Mayor Adam Barringer may not seek a third term as he deals with a mountain of personal debts and legal issues leading to speculation that either former Commissioner Jim Hathsway, shown with him to his left, or two-term Commissioner Jack Grasty are gearing up for possible runs.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- There is chatter in the city of charm that there are two possible suitors for mayor should incumbent Adam Barringer opt not to seek a third two-year term amid his lingering myriad legal and financial problems: Current City Commissioner Jack Grasty and former City Commissioner Jim Hathaway.