Volusia News Now

Photos for Headline Surfer /

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- As a political consultant, here's the best practical advice I can share with you today: It’s Election Day! Don’t waste it.

 That means get out and vote. No excuses.

Today is the day where all the voting whether it’s early or absentee really counts. Election Day is the day the ones who have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for the “October Surprise” to happen vote

Headline Surfer® photos /

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- This endorsement of Joyce Cusack for re-election in the at-large seat on the Volusia County Council will be short and sweet. Cusack is first class all the way in her dealings with the public and the issues at hand on the dais and in her every-day life.

And that's how it should be. Her challenger, Patricia Northey, has served the county with honor and distinction for many years, but in the last two years, she had come to the realization that her political career was coming to an end.

At-large Councilwoman Joyce Cusack's reaction on the embarrassing predicament of her term-limited nemesis on the dais: 'It couldn't happen to a better person'

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The fallout from Saturday morning's suspension of Volusia County Council at-large candidate Pat Northey's has continued well into this weekend with incumbent Joyce Cusack not mincing her words in decribing the plight of her term-limited district 5 County Council rival: "It couldn't happen to a nicer person."

Not only is she paid $44,000 as a part-time councilwoman, but receives another grand each month from a $12,000 annual pension for longevity on the dais of 2-plus decades

DAYTONA BEACH -- After all these years as a career politician, district 5 term-limited County Councilwoman finds herself in an embarrassing situation on this Saturday -- the final day of early voting -- leading up to Tuesday's general elections: Her campaign website has been shut down for non-payment.

DELTONA -- Rich Gailey has done everything a candidate for public office can do to win the support of the voters, even taking the ALS ice bucket challenge.

Headline Surfer® photos / The internet newspaper was a big winner in the 2014 Florida Press Club Statewide Journalism Contest with finalists announced Wednesday. This is the fourth year in a row that HeadlineSurfer.com has been recognized for award-winning content.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Four of the six stories won by Headline Surfer® in the 2014 Florida Press Club Statewide Journalism Contest focused on political corruption with two of them on New Smyrna Beach Mayor Adam Barringer. There was one story each on the corrupt leadership of the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority and Daytona Beach City Commissioner Carl Lentz, IV, who was trespassed from a strip club by the cops.

No contest cocaine plea in open court defines candidacy of Stephen 'Steve' Sather

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- There is a reason why Stephen P. Sather goes by "Steve Sather" in his run for the zone 2 seat on the New Smyrna Beach City Commission. There's less of a chance anyone looking him up in the Google search engine will find the ugly truth behind his drug past.

Intrigity counts in this race and that is why Jake Sachs deserves the support of the voters for the zone 2 seat in Tuesday's general election.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The "Open Letter to Gov. Rick Scott" regarding government corruption in Volusia County and the need for intervention is undergoing a series of fact checks and polishing of the writing to ensure it is clear, concise and on point.

Once this process is completed, the letter will be published on HeadlineSurfer.com today and a copy sent to the governor's press office. 

Because Headline Surfer® is a small operation with no network affiliations, the internet newspaper will reach out to select media outlets and alert them to the published story and links to the coverage since there are some sidebar elements as well.

The internet newspaper had hoped to have it published on Sunday as promoted, but as things turned out, that was an ambitious goal that in hindsight wasn't realistic.