Volusia News Now

PORT ORANGE, Fla. -- Drew Bastian, a retired city firefighter who won election to his district 3 seat in 2012, is seeking a second four-year term on the Port Orange City Council in the 2016 elections.

Bastian pointed out in a Facebook post to Headline Surfer® in response to its exclusive reporting Thursday on fellow City Councilman's Don Burnette's candidacy for mayor, that had him undecided on whether to seek re-election, that in fact, he had decided to do so several weeks ago. This is what Bastian posted:

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- It's not unusual for US military personnel to do several tours of duty in say, Afghanistan. But you'd have to be hard-pressed to find a local who served his country in three separate branches of the military in three distinct wars or conflicts involving US men and women who have been in harm's way in serving our great nation.

One such US hero is the late Boyd "Buddy" Richardson of New Smyrna Beach, who served in three branches of the military during three major wars: the Army during World War II, in the Marines during the Korean War, and in the Navy during the Vietnam War. Richardson died in 2010 at the age of 81.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Some 400 swimmers were stung by jellyfish over the weekend of Aug 23-24 at the World's Most Famous Beach in Daytona and extending south to Ponce Inlet and New Smyrna Beach.

Fortunately, lifeguards had plenty of vinegar on hand to treat the stings. The stings occurred both Saturday and Sunday according to the Volusia County Lifeguard Corps, which flew purple and yellow "pest" flags to warn swimmers about the presence of jellyfish in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Jellyfish deliver an uncomfortable sting through tiny venomous barbs on their tentacles. The sting often causes burning, itching and swelling around the site of the injury, according to the Mayo Clinic medical website.

DAYTONA BEACH -- The continuing violence that has gripped this city for the better part of a decade now continued on a hot Friday night in July with a woman plunging a large steak knife into the upper chest of a friend in her bedroom.

Cops who responded to a 9-1-1 call at a residence at 847 North St in the heart of this tourism city that is home to Daytona International Speedway and the "World's Most Famous Beach®" found the deceased 60-year-old woman with the mortal wound clearly visible. She apparently pulled the knife out of her own chest and then died, homicide detectives said of the July 11 killing.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla -- It's a new era in space flight with the Dec. 5 launch of the Orion spacecraft from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral.

NASA’s Orion spacecraft launched successfully atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket at 7:05 a.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station here in Central Florida.

Photo for Headline Surfer® /

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla -- The first New Smyrna Beach High Cudas Homer coming Parade on Thursday in more than a decade leads to tonight's homecoming game at New Smyrna Beach Municipal Stadium.