NSBNEWS.net: Volusia County / State

DELAND -- A 17-year-old DeLand girl was killed when her pick-up truck crashed on Emporia Road at 3:30 this morning and caught fire, the Florida Highway Patrol reported.

Daniela Revera was alone and behind the vehicle when she crashed on Emporia, just east of Old Stead Road north of DeLand in the northwest area of the county, the highway patrol said.

She over-corrected the vehicle and ended up in a ditch where she flipped over, the FHP reported, adding she was not wearing her seatbelt.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The latest reports from Volusia County Environmental Management show 634 sea turtle nests on Volusia County beaches so far this nesting season, which began May 1.

Of these, 16 are green sea turtles and 618 are loggerheads, historically the most common turtles to nest on Volusia County’s beaches. The previous record high for turtle nests was 628 in 1999. In 2007, officials logged 562 nests.

DELTONA -- A 28-year-old Deltona woman sustained lacerations Saturday night after armed intruders ransacked her house and struck her in the back of the head several times with a gun, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office reported.

It’s unclear if anything was taken in the attack, which occurred at about 10 p.m. at a home on Utah Drive, sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said.

The victim declined an ambulance ride and made other arrangements to go to the hospital, where her head wounds were stitched up. The attack, which wasn’t random, is under investigation by the sheriff’s Office.

PORT ORANGE -- A 9th-grader at Atlantic High School was arrested on campus Friday on charges of bringing a gun to school, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office reported.

The boy kept the gun -- which was unloaded -- along with some ammunition in a case in his book bag and didn't display it or threaten anyone. A sheriff's
deputy stationed at the school seized the weapon early Friday morning before classes started.

PORT ORANGE -- State Rep. Dorothy L. Hukill, R-Port Orange, whose district includes Southeast Volusia, welcomed Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp to
Volusia County for the inaugural Volusia Economic Development Summit.

The Sept. 30 Summit, hosted by Hukill, brought together state and local policy makers, economic development experts, and community business leaders to explore ways to expand Volusia's economy.

DEBARY --- The Walgreens pharmacy at 15 Charles R. Beall Ave., was roobed Sunday morning of oxycodone pills by a man with a gun under his shirt. No shots were fired and no one was injured during the brief incident. The suspect got away with a couple bottles of prescription pills from the pharmacy and ran northbound from the store. The Volusia County Sheriff's Office was notified of the robbery at about 11:36 a.m. About 15 deputies and a Sheriff's Office helicopter began arriving on scene at Walgreen, within two minutes of being dispatched.

DELAND -- Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen Thursday presented the Volusia County Council with a $634.7 million proposed budget earlier today to fund the operations of county government for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, insisting cutting taxes would hurt services. The proposed budget calls for all county property tax rates to be at or below rollback rates, according to county spokesman Dave Byron. “Further property tax reductions cannot be made without severely impacting services,” said Dinneen in his budget message to the County Council.

DELAND -- Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen Thursday presented the Volusia County Council with a $634.7 million proposed budget earlier today to fund the operations of county government for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, insisting cutting taxes would hurt services.

The proposed budget calls for all county property tax rates to be at or below rollback rates, according to county spokesman Dave Byron.

DELTONA -- Volusia County narcotics agents found 416 marijuana plants in three homes in Deltona during raids yesterday and earlier today, according to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.

The plants have an approximate combined street value of more than $900,000. A man in one home was arrested, and an investigation is
ongoing to find any other people who were involved in the grow operation, Sheriff's spokesman Brandon Haught said.