Volusia News Now

NSBNews.Net provides Volusia County with 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage for a 21st-century world. This website can also be accessed through VolusiaNews.Net

Photos and story submitted by contributing writer Dale Smith / Dr. Arlen Stauffer was chosen Tuesday night as New Smyrna Beach's nominee for countywide citizen of the year award. City Commissioner Jim Hathaway, shown in the smaller photo, ran the meeting in place of the mayor who was at a conference.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH - Dr. Arlen Stauffer, a physician and chairman of the NSB Balloon Fest, was chosen at tonight's City Commission meeting as New Smyrna Beach's nominee the Volusia Leaque of Cities' citizen of the year award.

NSBNews.Net provides Volusia County with 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage for a 21st-century world. This website can also be accessed through VolusiaNews.Net

Courtesy photo by Dorothy Kirby / This photo as taken from inside motorist Dorothy Kirby's car of an overturned trailer on I-95 in New Smyrna Beach on Monday morning.

NEW SMYRNA -- A trailer towed by a pick-up truck overturned early Monday on Interstate 95, briefly blocking the southbound lanes and causing traffic to snarl for more than two miles, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

I try not to be a difficult person and sometimes I succeed. A lot of times I don’t. Getting older does have one advantage: You can speak your mind more often without worrying what the consequences are going to be. Maybe angering your boss, your wife’s family, that kind of thing. There have been dealings in Volusia County in the business and arts communities over the years that I have just shut my mouth about and kept my opinions to myself because as a businessman, I did not want to piss anyone off.

NSBNews.Net provides Volusia County with 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage for a 21st-century world. This website can also be accessed through VolusiaNews.Net

Photo and story submitted by Dale Smith / Shawn Lane, president of Cudas Unhooked, right, receives a symbolic check for $3,000 from members of the Bouchelle Island Social Committee, from left, Sue Willard, Barbara Dees and Vicky Lillyforth.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Residents of Bouchelle Island have adopted Cudas Unhooked, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping at-risk students at New Smyrna Beach High School.

NSBNews.Net provides Volusia County with 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage for a 21st-century world. This website can also be accessed through VolusiaNews.Net

SOUTH DAYTONA -- The South Daytona Police Department has been awarded re-accredited status by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation -- the third such time since 2002.

The South Daytona Police Department was initially accredited on February 6, 2002. Its first re-accredidation was in 2005, with this being the third one. Many of the 276 standards that were reviewed by the team of assessors were critical to life, health and safety issues.

Undergoing the voluntary state accreditation process provides an agency with a “quality assurance review” and encourages intense self-scrutiny, resulting in more efficient and effective daily operations.

NSBNews.Net provides Volusia County with 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage for a 21st-century world. This website can also be accessed through VolusiaNews.Net

Courtesy photo / The late Les Richter, a NASCAR executive, was among six football players and an NFL films pioneer named Saturday to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

  DAYTONA BEACH -- Football fans gearing up for today's Super Bowl between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers likely have heard of newly inducted Pro Football hall of famers Deion "Prime Time" Sanders, Marshall Fault and Shannon Sharpe. Diehard football fans likely have heard of Chicago Bears defensive end Richard Dent.

NSBNews.Net provides Volusia County with 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage for a 21st-century world. This website can also be accessed through VolusiaNews.Net

DELTONA -- A long-time Volusia County Sheriff's deputy was found dead Friday, purportedly a victim of suicide.

"The Volusia County Sheriff's Office regrets to announce the untimely death of longtime deputy Carl "Pete" Willard," Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said in a brief press release. "Willard was found dead in the backyard of his home in Deltona early Friday afternoon. Deputies were initially dispatched to the residence after receiving a call regarding a suicidal person."

NSBNews.Net provides Volusia County with 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage for a 21st-century world. This website can also be accessed through VolusiaNews.Net

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia / The Daytona Beach News-Journal and Daytona International Speedway have an exclusive marketing agreement. Read our story below and here is a link to what the News-Journal reported online overnight: http://www.news-journalonline.com/business/local-business/2011/02/03/news-journal-becomes-official-newspaper-of-dis.html

DAYTONA BEACH -- The Daytona Beach News-Journal is reported in its Thursday edition that it has signed an exclusive "marketing agreement" making it the "official newspaper of Daytona International Speedway."

The announcement comes on the heels of Speedweeks and the Feb. 20 running of the Daytona 500.

NSBNews.Net provides Volusia County with 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage for a 21st-century world. This website can also be accessed through VolusiaNews.Net

Photos and story by contributing writer Dale Smith / Volusia County Councilwoman Pat Northey presents Team Volusia Economic Development Corp. CEO Helen Cauthen with a ceremonial Volusia County pin Thursday during the council meeting to "officially" welcome her as the new business recruiter at an annual base salary of $125,000.

DELAND --  Just one month into her job, new Team Volusia Economic Development Corp. CEO, Helen Cauthen, has been a very busy woman.

I contemplated calling this blog "The Wild Life," among other things. My last name is only the beginning.