Top 100 Stories

Question of debt must be answered quickly in Washington

Newspaper Section
Key Words

Dorothy HukillHukill's House

By State Rep. Dorothy Hukill
Exclusively on NSBNews.net
 

PORT ORANGE -- The debt crisis that we’ve all been hearing so much about is a serious matter. This situation didn't just happen overnight; it is the result of years and years of political inaction by our elected leaders. 

What happens if the government defaults on the deficit?

Newspaper Section
By Stan Escudero of Daytona Beach Shores
Chief Political blogger for NSBNews.net

This Tuesday, Aug. 2, the supposed drop dead date for raising the debt ceiling, is really getting close now. If you listen to the news anchors on television, you probably think that the United States will automatically default on its debt on that date. This is not true.

The United States would default next week only if it declared that it is unable to pay its debts and then failed to pay the interest on the debt due on August 2nd – approximately $29 billion. That will not happen.

By August 2nd the government will have about six times as much in tax revenues as it owes in debt interest and the very first thing it will do is pay that interest whether the debt ceiling is raised or not.

The problem we will have if the debt ceiling is not raised by August 2 or soon thereafter is that the government will not have enough money to pay all of its bills. If the ceiling is not raised, we cannot borrow and, if we cannot borrow, the amount of money available to the government decreases by 42% of the budget (or what the budget would be if we had one).

Female sunbather from Kansas struck by Beach Patrol vehicle on the beach in Daytona Beach Shores; hospitalized

Key Words

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES -- A 33-year-old female beach visitor from Witchita, Kansas, was hospitalized in stable condition this afternoon after being struck earlier in the day Sunday by a vehicle while sunbathing on the beach in the 3300 block of Daytona Beach Shores. The driver of the vehicle was Tommy Moderie, 21, a part-time Volusia County lifeguard.

Moderie was driving in the northbound driving lane of the beach when he was alerted by a beachgoer of broken glass at the water’s edge.

"In response, Moderie made a right turn and struck the female who was laying on her stomach on the beach east of the driving lane," Volusia County spokesman Dave Byron said in an e-mail NSBNews.net and other media outlets.

Erin Joynt, she was struck with the right front wheel of the county-issued truck, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The victim was transported to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach by EVAC ambulance following the accident which occurred at 10:04 a.m. Her husband was with her at the time of the accident.

Moderie, a seasonal employee, has "worked for the county off and on for about five years and has a spotless record," Byron added in his media e-mail.

We're managing choices here in New Smyrna Beach

Newspaper Section
Adam BarringerMAYOR'S  MESSAGE
By Adam Barringer
Exclusively on NSBNews.net
 

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- As a city, we are working hard to weather the storm of the economic crisis. Since 2008, New Smyrna Beach has encountered decreased property values and reduced revenues coupled with increased costs of conducting "city business."

Another one bites the dust: Daytona State College VP Bob Williams retiring

Newspaper Section
Blog: MISS INFORMED 
By Sally Gillies

After moving Daytona State College Senior Vice President Bob Williams from Economic Development to the College television station, Dr. Frank Lombardo reluctantly accepted Williams' resignation on Thursday.

Pulitzer Prize book author Robert Olen Butler to speak at New Smyrna Beach Library on Aug. 16

Newspaper Section
Courtesy photo / Robert Olen Butler

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Pulitzer Prize winning author Robert Olen Butler will discuss his literary works and read from his new novel, “A Small Hotel,” at the New Smyrna Beach Regional Library at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10.

Hampton Inn & Suites for historic Flagler Avenue in New Smyrna Beach clears final hurdles

NSBNews.net photos by Sera Frederick / On the drawing boards for five years-plus, the proposed Hampton Inn & Suites is the new reality for historic Flagler Avenue in New Smyrna Beach. The developer is South Carolina-based David Swentor (with hand out to the drawing) shown here with CRA Director Tony Otte during a public hearing earlier this year.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Residents soon will see the beginning of the first significant hotel development in the City in more than 20 years. Developers of the Hampton Inn Hotel on Flagler Avenue are expecting to break ground on the project in the next few weeks.

"After nearly five years of meetings and public hearings, we're excited to have a new hotel coming to New Smyrna Beach," said New Smyrna Beach Mayor Adam Barringer.

"The project will serve as an economic generator in the short term with construction jobs and in the long term with the travelers expected to stay here. We anticipate this hotel will exceed the expectations for occupancy."