Volusia News Now

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- God created the Heavens and the Earth, beast and fowl and mankind, all in six days. On the seventh day, He rested. New Smyrna Beach officials and the developer with golden shovels broke ground on the Hampton Inn. They rested for 73 days before construction began anew today.

Watch what Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard told the media about his trade request.

ORLANDO -- Dwight Howard has asked the Orlando Magic to trade him, according to the Orlando Sentinel's online edition which broke the story earlier today.

Courtesy photo / Nicholas Leach, 31, of Lake Mary, is being held at the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach on a felony charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after his arrest Saturday in an alleged stabbing of a Deltona man over a drug debt.

DELTONA -- Nicholas Leach of Lake Mary drove to Deltona to collect on a drug debt, but after he allegedly stabbed the victim several times earlier today, he was arrested and transported to jail, Volusia County authorities said.

Sheriff's deputies were called out early Saturday morning to investigate the stabbing of a Deltona man who said he was attacked by a stranger trying to force his way into the victim's home, agency spokesman Gary Davidson said, adding it took some doing, but Sheriff's investigators uncovered the real story.

TITUSVILLE -- Authorities are looking for 41-year-old Leoneil Sloley of Titusville, in connection with a drug operation smashed in New Smyrna Beach.

A fugitive warrant was issued Friday for Sloley, charging him with conspiracy to traffic in cocaine 200 grams or more, unlawful use of two-way communications device, and sale of cocaine.

Sloley is among five fugitives wanted in connection with the drug operation. Three of the others are from New Smyrna Beach and the fourth is from Daytona Beach.

NSBNews.net video by Sera Frederick / The video showcases an interview with cookbook author Ed Pankonin.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Ed Pankonin, author of "Simple & Fresh" and a board member with the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority, manned a booth at the 16th annual Norwood's Holiday Food & Wine Festival. Pankonin was pleased with last weekend's turnout, about 300 on the opening Friday and 1,200 on Saturday, according to estimates provided by Norwood's owner Don Simmons. See what Pankonin has to say about the festival and tourism in general by clicking on our exclusive video above.

NSBNews.net photo by Henry Frederick / A photo of Edgewater Councilman Ted Cooper is displayed on the dais in front of the chair he occupied in the council chambers, along with his name plate and flowers following his memorial service Tuesday.

EDGEWATER -- Myron Hammond returned to his creaky chair at his Edgewater Towing garage, jumping on the phone and choking back tears as he checked on parts for a customer.

Minutes earlier, he had returned from a memorial service for Councilman Ted Cooper, the silver-haired gentleman, whose life was cut short at 61 from a massive heart attack six days earlier. 

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The Observer removed its "subscription" offer on its website Tuesday, one day after NSBNews.net pointed out that solicitations for paid subscribers was posted even though the Observer weekly newspaper has not published for a month and its owners told the Daytona Beach News-Journal they had come to the end of the line.

The Observer's former editor, Robert Burns, now identifies himself on his personal Facebook page as employed with Hometown News. though the Fort Pierce-based weekly with a Southeast Volusia edition doesn't identify him as such.