Local News Now

Courtest photo / Dr. Carol Gaines joins the medical staff of Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center.

DAYTONA BEACH - Board-certified family medicine physician Carol Gaines, DO, has joined the medical staff at Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center.

"We're extremely blessed that Dr. Gaines has joined our Florida Hospital family," said Dr. Ron Jimenez, Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center's chief medical officer.

OAK HILL -- The Oak Hill Library Book Club will meet at 10:30 a.m. today at the library, next to the Post Office Halifax Avenue, for this month's selection, “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” by John Berendt.

For more information, please call book leader Lorna Brice at 386-345-0630.

Dear Volusia County Chairman Frank Bruno: Thank you for allowing public discourse on the recent ECHO grants given by the county for land purchases. As I stated at the hearing, Volusia Tax Reform has had issues with land purchases made under both the Volusia Forever and ECHO programs based primarily on the disconnect between historical taxable assessed values and final purchase prices.

LAKE MARY -- A 79-year-old Virginia man was found dead in his SUV in the breakdown lane of Interstate 4 this morning, the apparent victim of a heart attack or other medical condition, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Louis Oliver of Alexandria was found behind the wheel of his 2012 Lincoln SUV with the motor running at 7 a.m. near mile marker 98. Troopers at first thought it was a disabled vehicle, but when the driver showed no response, a trooper broke the driver's side window, Florida Highway Patrol spokeswoman Sgt. Kim Montes said.

Courtesy photo / Jim Dinneen, Volusia County manager

SOUTH DAYTONA -- Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen was unable to take a trip to Orlando to board a plane to Washington because someone stole his county-issued SUV, County Chairman Frank Bruno told NSBNews.net by phone tonight.

"It happened Sunday afternoon," Bruno told NSBNews.net in a 7:30 p.m. phone interview from Washington D.C. where he and other elected officials from Central Florida were visiting the White House earlier today.

ORLANDO -- A 27-year-old motorcyclist was struck and killed Saturday night while riding north on Alafala Trail on his 2001 Suzuki by a motorist turning left while southbound on the roadway and into the biker's path, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Kevin Anderson of Orlando was pronounced dead at the scene of the 7:30 p.m. accident near Pasteur Drive. He was not wearing a helmet. James Miron, 23, was wearing his seatbelt and was not injured in his 4-door 2008 Toyota. The accident remains under investigation, the FHP said.

Robert R. Colflesh, as shown here from his Facebook profile, was struck and killed Friday night after stepping into the path of a tractor trailer on the St. Johns River Bridge in Astor near the Volusia County line. The 42-year-old Astor resident is survived by two daughters, 13 and 9, according to his Facebook profile. 

ASTOR -- A 42-year-old Astor man walking on the St. Johns River Bridge stepped into the path of a semi and was killed instantly Friday night. Why?

The question of may never be answered, and today, a 13-year-old girl and her 9-year-old kid sister, continue along life's journey without their dad, Robert R. Colflesh.