Observer weekly newspaper long gone from heart of New Smyrna Beach business district; now operating in publisher's Edgewater home

NSBNews.net photos by Henry Frederick / The weekly Observer newspaper had been a fixture in New Smyrna Beach for nearly a century where members of the public could stop by and look at the archives, chat with the editor or take out an advertisement. All of that changed six weeks ago when Michele and Robert Lott moved the operation from Flagler Avenue to their Edgewater home. To date, they haven't told their own readers why.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The weekly Observer newspaper has reached a new low, even in this economy.

The owners moved it the first week of April from the heart of the business district on Flagler Avenue to the privacy of their home on South Riverside Drive in Edgewater.

Michele and Robert Wayne Lott moved the operation without informing their readers, even to this day.

Neither did their editor, Robert Burns, who confirmed in an e-mail to NSBNews.net that he remains a full-time editor with the newspaper. He did not indicate where he is working from.

A home occupation license was obtained with the city of Edgewater in mid-April, but not with the Volusia County Division of Revenue, which also is required.

The Observer also has the distinction of being the first print media outlet in the Sunshine State operating in a private dwelling.

The Observer also has the distinction of being the first print media outlet in the Sunshine State operating in a private dwelling.

Such a setup is not unusual for Internet-only newspapers, also refered to as new media. NSBNews.net, which was launched in July 2008, operates out of the publisher/editor's home in Sugar Mill County Club community in New Smyrna Beach.

FlaglerLive.com operates out of its publisher's home in that county. When the Lotts purchased the Observer weekly newspaper in the summer of 2008, they opened in grand style on a Canal Street storefront in the heart of the business district. A year later they moved the operation to Robert Wayne Lott's rental suite on Flagler Avenue where he was proprietor of Lott Financial Services.

Six weeks ago, they moved out of the city altogether to their Edgewater home. Michele Lott did not return respond to an e-mail inquiry Friday from NSBNews.net. Messages left for her by phone have not been returned, though Robert Wayne Lott told NSBNews.net in a terse phone conversation after the move that neither he nor his wife would answer any further questions. He then hung up.