Volusia News Now

Incumbent silent on growing advertising authority controversy and her role in it

Photos for Headline Surfer® / David Machuga is shown  in front of the historic Volusia County Courthouse where he filed paperwork to run for the dis. 3 seat on the County Council against incumbent Deborah Denys in the 2014 elections. 

DAYTONA BEACH -- Citing Abraham Lincoln's "government of the people, by the people and for the people," David Machuga of New Smyrna Beach announced his candidacy today for the district 3 seat on the Volusia County Council against first-term incumbent Deborah Denys who finds herself in the midst of a media firestorm over her handling of the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority.

Headline Surfer® photo by Henry Frederick /

A Port Orange cop car is shown at 6:30 p.m. near the intersectioon of Nova Road and Spruce Creek Boulevard in Port Orange as a rainstorm pelted the area.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Heavy rain pelted Central Florida with wing gusts reported as high as 50 mph plus lightning strikes, from Kissimmee in Osceola County and heading to the coastal communities.

The storm started during the evvening commute over Central Florida moving eastward over Orange, Lake and Marion counties and into Brevard, Volusia, Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns Counties just before 7 p.m.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Headline Surfer® is unable to access Yahoo mail, the first time this has happened in the internet newspaper's 5 1/2 years.

The lack of accessibility began shortly after 2:30 p.m. Headline Surfer alerted its contacts on Twitter and Facebook and is doing so here as well.

Other major News in Works: NSB mayor to announce statehouse run, but ethics issues continue to dog him; latest on Waverly Media 

Headline Surfer photos / Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority Chairman Tom Clapsaddle, shown here at left, continues to make news since the politically-motivated ouster of his predecessor, Palmer Wilson, in October.

DAYTONA BEACH -- "Who's the rat?" was the mantra of Gene Sheldon, a member of the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority during the holidays in asking who the source was behind leaking the free lunch credit card scandal to the media.

Sheriff Don Eslinger ecstatic for employees;  2nd time honored in three years

Photo for Headline Surfer® / Florida Department of Transportation representative Dana Crosby, shown at podium, presents the top Florida school safety award award to Seminole County Crossing Guard Supervisor Jojo Sturm.  At far left, Carl the Crossing Bear is near and dear to Seminole County school children in this Halloween pose as part of emphasis on pedestrian safety.

SANFORD, Fla. -- When it comes to the safety of children in the crosswalks, Seminole County's crossing guards are all business.

And for the due diligence of the dedicated personnel to that end, the Seminole County Sheriff's School Crossing Guard Program has been named 2013 “Florida School Crossing Guard Program of the Year” by the Florida Department of Transportation.

Parents remain behind bars on no bond status; four children in care of DCF

Photos for Headline Surfer® / Marko Capers and Keyanta Capers, were jailed on no bond status over the weekend after their arrests Friday on multiple drug dealing charges.

SANFORD, Fla. -- The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Sanford husband ad wife for trafficking prescription drugs, drug possession and even involving their own 13-year-old son in one of the illicit drug sales.

Agents with the City County Investigative Bureau began investigating in September after receiving information about illegal drug activity occurring at 817 Windtree Court. 

Agents then conducted a series of undercover operations and made controlled purchases to identify Marko Capers, 32, and Keyanta Capers, 35, as the persons involved with the drug deals, a Seminole County Sheriff's spokeswoman said.

Headline Surfer photos® / Crossing guard Donna Bryant helps second grader Tyrek Colley, 7, cross Ronnac Lane at Palm Street in front of the Chisholm Elementary School in New Smyrna Beach to open the 2011-'12 school year in Volusia County. 

DAYTONA BEACH -- They're out there every day with their green uniforms, and flourescent orange and yellow vests with the Volusia County Sheriff's emblem on their backs, ensuring students have a safe journey to and from the nearby elementary schools.

"Yet many residents may not take the time to thank Volusia’s school crossing guards for their service to the community," Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson told Headline Su4rfer®. "This Friday, however, is a day to do just that as the annual school crossing guard appreciation day is observed here in Volusia County and throughout the state."

Their first priority is making sure that young students safely get across bustling roadways as they walk and bike to and from school each day. However, being a school crossing guard is much more than that.

Co-defendant's guilty plea to filing a false statement accepted by court

Photo for Headline Surfer® / James Sotolongo and Ramara Garrett and his longtime live-in girlfriend, Ramara Garrett, parents of a 9-month-old baby, are among four defendants accused of mortgage fraud involving seven homes in Volusia County valued at $13 million, according to a federal grand jury indictment. The other two accused are Christopher Mencis and Stephanie Musselwhite, shown in the inset.

ORLANDO -- A federal judge rejected -- at least for the time being -- a guilty plea for James Fidel Sotolongo that would have capped his prison sentence at five years in a deal negotiated with the U.S. Attorney's Office that had him copping to only one of 13 counts in a grand jury indictment.