Volusia News Now

Hearing planned next month in federal court in Orlando for possible new trial

Photo for Headline Surfer® / Ramara Garrett, shown at far left, was found 'not guilty', but her live-in boyfriend, and father of their baby girl, Joim Sotolongo, was found guilty in a mortgage fraud  trial and is awaiting sentencing.

ORLANDO -- The scheduled July 28 sentencing hearings for Jim Sotolongo and Stephanie Musselwhite have been re-scheduled to Sept. 13 in U.S. District Court in Orlando with a hearing on the possibility of a new trial sandwiched in between.

By ANDEW SPAR

DAYTONA BEACH -- There has been a lot of talk about due process for teachers over the past few years.

Recently, a California court struck down a state law that provides teachers with due process, also known as tenure. Florida, which really has never had tenure, did away with continuing contracts in 2011, for anyone who did not have that right already.

Tenure is often misunderstood. It is often characterized as a job-for-life status. That is simply not true. Tenure means that before a teacher can be fired, the administration must have a valid reason for terminating the teacher.

Tenure is often misunderstood. It is often characterized as a job-for-life status. That is simply not true. Tenure means that before a teacher can be fired, the administration must have a valid reason for terminating the teacher.

The green flag is waved to start the Coke Zero 400, but there would be no checkered flag for race winner Aric Almirola in the rain-shortened Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH -- Aric who? And no checkered flag? That's right. The Coke Zero 400 race winner, Aric Almirola, was decided by NASCAR. Not by the competition on the track in Sunday's rain-shortened race.

Photo for Headline Surfer® / Fans in raingear try to wait it out nearly an hour after the scheduled 8 p.m. Saturday start of the Coke Zero race.

DAYTONA BEACH -- The Coke Zero 400 race under the lights at Daytona International Speedway has been called off by NASCAR with a scheduled run for 11 a.m. Sunday.

Independence Day celebration for families like Obermeyer-Torres

Headline Surfer videos by Henry Frederick / Here are the sights and sounds from the 2014 Fourth of July fireworks show from the Sanford Pier in Sanford, FL. Shown in the photos are Gordon Obermeyer and Maranda Torres of Sanford sporting USA T-shirts and Alexis Marie Obermeyer, 8, and Anthony Lamar Torres, 18 months. More photos & videos with the story. 

SANFORD -- Thousands of patriotic citizens descended upon the downtown and the Sanford Pier for the July Fourth fireworks show.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Just weeks after the Volusia County Council approved $20 million in taxpayer funds for the "One Daytona" retail village across from Daytona International Speedway, County Chair Jason Davis was miffed to learn a luxury hotel was part of the project, but not revelead until after $20 million in funding was secured for the private venture.

Headline Surfer® photo /

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The HeadlineSurfer.com Public Candidate Debates will continue with a new session at the Brannon Center on July 28, with vetting for two New Smyrna Beach city races as well as two seats on the Volusia County Council.