Volusia News Now

Thanksgiving Day: Internet newspaper's Central Florida Politician of the year: Volusia Councilwoman Joyce Cusack

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- She was born in the segregated "Westside" community of New Smyrna Beach; she and her family barred from swimming, sunbathing or surfing at the World's Most Famous Beach® in Daytona or even the beaches in New Smyrna, Ponce Inlet, the Shores or Ormond, for that matter.

Teamster 385 Business Agent Bob Walker: Volusia County 'being stingy' with under-paid deputies

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Teamsters 385 and Volusia County discuss contract talks for VCSO deputies / Headline Surfer®

 

Headline Surfer® video & photos /

DELAND, Fla. -- Asked how Volusia County's 430-plus deputies and sergeants can live on meager wage increases like the 2 percent given in 2013 with this year's election cycle in mind, Teamsters 385 Business Agent Bob Walker was frank in answering the question: "They can't."

Melody McSorley Johnson -- adoptive mom with conservative values & new School Board member

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New Volusia County School Board member Melody McSorley Johnson / Headline Surfer®Photo for Headline Surfer® /
Melody McSorley Johnson of Deltona, is shown here with her husband, Nathan, and their three adopted children, Shannon, 16; Nick, 13; and Chase, 10.

DELTONA, Fla. -- Melody McSorley Johnson has maintained from the onset of her 2014 campaign that it's "all about the children" and not the partisan politics of aggressive GOP leader Tony Ledbetter or the criticism of liberal Dems. On Thanksgiving Day, you will meet this special lady, who along with her husband, Nathan Johnson, adopted three children.

HeadlineSurfer.com will bring you beyond the headlines of a school board candidate's first run for office and why she was so successful despite all the political rhetoric on both sides in what is supposed to be a non-partisan board. But as has been the case in Volusia County for several election cycles has become all too political.

Passenger traffic at Daytona Beach International Airport drops 8 percent in October: Less seats offered by Delta

Delta offered less seats in October at Daytona Int'l Airport / Headline Surfer®Photos for Headline Surfer® /
Daytona Beach International Airport saw a second monthly declined in October for 2014.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Passenger traffic at Daytona Beach International Airport decreased 8 percent during October in comparison with the previous October, attributed to fewer seats offered by Delta, Volusia County officials said.

During October, 47,075 incoming and outgoing passengers traveled through the county-operated airport. This compares with 50,930 passengers in October 2013.

"The airport’s passenger traffic decline in October was the second monthly decline in 2014 and can be attributed to fewer seats offered by Delta Air Lines, the airport’s primary air carrier, combined with some increase in seats offered by U.S Airways," Rick Karl, airport director, told Headline Surfer®. "Passenger loads for both air carriers reached 95 percent during October, an increase of 1 percent from last October."

NASCAR could have egg on its face even if winless driver finishes ahead of 3 others & doesn't win Homestead today

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2014 Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt, Jr, Jeff Gordon & Jimmie Johnson out of running in 'The Chase' finale despite 13 victories between them

 
NASCAR CEO Brian France architect of The Chase / Headline Surfer®

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- NASCAR CEO Brian France boasted in January that this season's revised Chase format would produce a bonafide Sprint Cup champion with the emphasis on track wins along the way. But it hasn't quite worked out that way.

Elections were a nail biter in greater Daytona and Florida with governor's race

Dana Swanson columnist / Headline Surfer®By Dana Swanson
Dana's Domain
Political Columnist
 
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Thank goodness the Nov. 4 mid-term elections are over. With the polls having Democrat Chrlie Crist and Republican Rick Scott so close, every voter mattered for Florida.

Dust settles on Volusia County elections: GOP has majority on School Board & County Council

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- For perhaps the first time in Volusia County history or at least in the last several decades, the Republican Party has a majority on the County Council and the School Board, even though they are deemed non-partisan elected posts per home-rule charter.

NSB Trail open to public, but policing it another matter for severely short-handed cop shop

Nsb Trail doesn't have security / Headline Surfer®Photo for Headline Surfer® /
A new trail has open in New Smyrna Beach as part of a county-wide rails to trails program, but city officials haven't said how they are going to be able top police it with a already short-handed police department.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Walkers, runners and riders now have a new path to blaze in New Smyrna Beach with Tuesday's opening of the Pedestrian Trail.

So says a press release from the municipality.

The trail spans 2.2 miles from West Pine Avenue just north of S.R. 44 off Mission Road to Sugar Mill Drive.

NSB Commissioner-elect Jake Sachs snubbed by opponent after trouncing in general election

No contest cocaine plea continues to dog Stephen Sather's public office runs 

Jake Sachs defeats Steve Sather for NSB commission seat / Headline Surfer®

Jake Sachs wins NSB commission seat in Nov. 4, 2014 elections / Headline Surfer®Steve Sather loses NSB commission seat with past cocaine plea / Headline Surfer®Photos for Headline Surfer® /
Jake Sachs, far left, is the winner of the New Smyrna Beach zone 2 commission seat over Stephen Sather in the Nov. 4, 2014, elections.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Jason McGuirk, a New Smyrna Beach commissioner and the vice mayor, called Jake Sachs to offer congratulations after his decisive victory over Stephen "Steve" Sather in the commission zone 2 race in Tuesday's general elections.