Local News Now

Headline Surfer photos by Henry Frederick / Palmer Wilson is shown here outside the Brannon Center in New Smyrna Beach during a 2010 charity event. He was first appointed to the SE Volusia Advertising Authority last summer by then-County Chair Frank Bruno, at left inset, and re-appointed Thursday by County Chair Jason Davis. 

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Palmer Wilson has been appointed and re-appointed to the board of the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority by two consecutive county chairs, sandwiched between the 2012 general elections.

The retired Maryland cop was first appointed in July by then-County Chair Frank Bruno to fill the remainder of a two-year term on the ad authority and then re-appointed Thursday for another two-year term by County Chair Jason Davis, who won in November.

Overnight tourism stays were with Speedweeks/Daytona 500 and Bike Week

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Finally, more than a dozen hot air balloons were launched early Sunday. Only a few hundred people, however, saw them ascend into the morning skies as they headed inland to their destination in Port Orange.

Headline Surfer photos by Henry Frederick / At far left, a young man takes a photo of his girlfriend near a cow Sunday at the New Smyrna Beach Balloon & Sky Fest. A miniature horse uses the under-saddle blanket of his companion to take care of an itch.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- With hot air balloons taking to the skies just after dawn and few people on the ground, farm animals stood out at the New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport. There were a couple of mini horses, several majestic horses, a big ol' cow and half a dozen floppy-eared bunny rabbits.

Among the few hundred people at the airport on the final morning of the three--day weekend New Smyrna Beach Balloon & Sky Fest with a dozen or so large balloons being launched, nearly a quarter of them paid as much attention to the animals as they did the balloons -- young and old alike.

Headline Surfer photos by Henry Frederick / A Re/Max balloon is all that is visible in the way of balloons Saturday at the New Smyrna Beach Balloon & Sky Fest. The early morning manned hot air balloons that were supposed to take to the skies couldn't because of gusting winds. That was a bummer for Latoya King and her girl, Semayah, shown here in the cockpit of an airplane, who got to the municipal airport at dawn in hopes of seeing the majestic balloons in flight.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Latoya King brought her 6-year-old daughter Semayah to the New Smyrna Beach Balloon & Sky Fest on Saturday for one reason: The hot air balloons. But they were grounded due to gusting winds and it's possible the same scenario could play out again at dawn on this third and final day.

At left is a snapshot of the lead item in the Google news Directories early Saturday: Headline Surfer called into question legitimacy of attendance figures promoted by local print media in advance of the three-day New Smyrna Beach Balloon & Sky Fest. 

DAYTONA BEACH -- If there was any hope of the New Smyrna Beach Balloon & Sky Fest living up to the attendance hype in the Daytona Beach News-Journal, the opening Friday night cancellation puts the predicted 50,000 attendance figure to rest.

There's still a possibility that with gusting winds, the manned hot air balloons might not float their way down to the New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport during the exected 7 a.m. hour, if the winds are gusting.

The Friends Bank branch, 2222 State Road 44, New Smyrna Beach, is held up Friday by a lone robber shown here in a surveillance snapshot.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A lone man robbed the Friends Bank branch leading to a 9-1-1 call at 11:45 a.m. today, New Smyrna Beach police said, adding he had already run off when they arrived.

Police said the was given an undisclosed amount of money, but they did not say whether he displayed a weapon or implied he had one on him. They also didn't say whether he handed a teller a note or just asked for money.

Physical evidence was collected at the scene, police said, without explaining what that meant.

The overhead sign across International Speedway Boulevard adjacent to Daytona International Speedway is an example of significant wayfinding signage in the city that features the Great American Race -- the Daytona 500, and of course, the World's Most Famous Beach.

DAYTONA BEACH -- The city is seeking feedback on preliminary signage designs and list of venues for its wayfinding signage program, now in the second of three phases.

An open-house style meeting is 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 25, in the Rose Room at the Peabody Auditorium, 600 Auditorium Blvd.

More than 60 landmarks and destinations have been identified throughout Daytona Beach, said Susan Cerbone, spokeswoman or the municipality. She said landmarks include municipal buildings like courthouses and drivers’ license office, cultural venues; attractions and tourist destinations, shopping districts and parking lots.