Local News Now

Early Voting: 6,862 voters go to 5 Volusia County precincts; 50% are Dems

Early voting at NSB LibraryHeadline Surfer photo by Serafina Frederick / The lines were long with waits of up to an hour or more Saturday at the New Smyrna Beach Library, the second heaviest of the five early voting precincts across Volusia County.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Voter turnout was intense today on the first day of early voting for the 2012 general elections with people standing in line for more than an hour waiting to vote at the New Smyrna Beach Library, which was second among the five voting precincts.

Daytona Beach cops: Wife heard gunshot in Mike Graham suicide; found him face up with bullet wound in forehead

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Mike Graham1st in a series: The sound of a gunshot coming from inside a residence in Daytona's Beachside where Biketoberfest had opened Oct. 18, was unmistakable to Diane Marie Hamilton, who had just stepped outside following an argument she had with husband Edward Gossett of Tampa Bay, a former pro wrestler known in the ring as Mike Graham. When she returned to the bedroom, she found his lifeless body on the bed face up with a bullet hole in his forehead. The handgun was on a pillow immediately to his left. 

DAYTONA BEACH -- Former pro wrestler Mike Graham's suicide during the opening night of Biketoberfest here in Daytona Beach is even more tragic than initially reported for this reason: His wife, Diane Marie Hamilton, was leaving the residence where they were staying for the fall biker rally when she heard the gunshot, ran back inside and found her 61-year-old husband face up on the bed with a bullet wound in his forehead.

Investigative series: Mike Graham's suicide in Daytona endemic of real-world tragedy in pro wrestling

 

DAYTONA BEACH -- As shocking as retired pro wrestler Mike Graham's self-inflicted gunshot to the head during his visit to Daytona Beach for Biketoberfest is, he's just the latest in a long line of dead wrestlers used up and disposed of in the world of sports entertainment with suicide, homicide and athletes dropping dead in a culture of steroids, pills and alcohol abuse.

Headline Surfer will take a hard look at the dark side of wrestling in this special investigative series looking at the ups and downs of professional wrestling with the World's Most Famous Beach as a backdrop. You'll hear from a former professional wrestler who wrestled Graham many times in the squared circle as well as a few of the modern-day stars as to where pro wrestling is at with commentary from bloggers who follow it as well as sports psychologists. The series will begin later today with our multi-media presentation of stories, blogs, fast facts graphics, photos and videos.

Intense Hukill-Bruno public candidate debate in New Smyrna Beach draws 200-plus

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Of the 15 public candidate debates Headline Surfer sponsored and moderated, the ugliest by far was Sunday's battle between dist. 8 state senate candidates Dorothy Hukill, the Republican, and Democrat Frank Bruno.

New Smyrna Beach High students to take over city commission

NSB High studentsHeadline Surfer photo by Henry Frederick / New Smyrna Beach High social studies students held a mock city commission meeting last year at city hall. City Commissioner and current County Council dist. 3 candidate Jim Hathaway is shown here sitting in the audience with City Attorney Frank Gummey seated behind him. A new crop of students will do the same on Thursday.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- When Mayor Jaquandra Walker bangs the gavel Thursday morning, she and a dozen or so other New Smyrna Beach High social studies students will have taken over the dais in place of the adult leaders of the community in a mock city commission meeting.

Lynne Plaskett: Strong advocate for New Smyrna Beach's Westside

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NSB Mayor Adam BarringerMayor's Message
By Adam Barringer
Mayor of New Smyrna Beach
Exclusive for Headline Surfer
 

Jim HathawayLynne PlaskettNEW SMYRNA BEACH -- In three weeks, our city commission will have two new members, as Jim Hathaway leaves to seek election to the Volusia County Council and Lynne Plaskett leaves to enjoy retirement.

Daytona cops: Wife found ex-wrestler dead with bullet wound to head in apparent suicide during Biketoberfest visit

Mike Graham Former pro wrestler Mike Graham,  whose real name was Edward Gossett,  was distraught over the suicide of his son at Biketoberfest two years ago, when he, too, took his own life Thursday during the biker rally in Daytona Beach. Graham's wrestling-promoter father killed himself in 1985.

DAYTONA BEACH -- An incident report released by Daytona Beach cops, confirms former pro wrestler Mike Graham, visiting here for Biketoberfest, was found dead "lying face up" on a bed Thursday night in a North Halifax Drive home from an apparent self-inflicted "gunshot wound to the forehead."

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Daytona cops: Wife found ex-wrestler dead with bullet wound to head in apparent suicide during Biketoberfest visit