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William Drossman is employed as the commander of the New Smyrna Beach Police department, the second ranked position there. City Manager Pam Brangaccio told the daily newspaper he had retired within the last 60 days. Despite several e-mails seeking clarification, city manager didn't admit she erred in saying his position had been vacated for two months via retirement.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Police Cmdr. William Drossman was stunned when he read a story published in Saturday's Daytona Beach News-Journal that had City Manager Pam Brangaccio announcing he and two other city employees had retired in the last 60 days and that their positions would likely be eliminated in the upcoming fiscal budget because of declining tax revenues.

"That's news to me," Drossman said when contacted Saturday afternoon by phone. Drossman, who suffered a serious muscle injury a couple of weeks ago, had his wife go to the store and buy a copy of the newspaper so he could see it for himself.

Here is an 11:28 p.m. Sunday radar snapshot graphic of a tornado watch affecting East Central Florida from the National Weather Service as shown in the area marked in red.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A tornado watch has been issued for greater New Smyrna Beach and northern Brevard County until 5 am Monday by the National Weather Service in Melbourne.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Researchers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have received reports of more than 150 dead or distressed greater shearwaters, gull-like birds, along Florida’s east coast in Brevard, Indian River, St. Johns and Volusia counties this week.

Headline Surfer photo by Henry Frederick / Althea Philord, shown here at New Smyrna Beach City Hall commission chambers, is head of the city's nationally-recognized finance department.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The City of New Smyrna Beach Finance Department has earned national recognition for meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting from the Government Finance Officers Association in Chicago.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Four men, on of whom was armed with a handgun, forced their way into a home on Downing Street overnight and robbed two young men, before fleeing, police said.

Here is a synopsis of what happened as described by New Smyrna Beach Police Sgt. Christopher Roos in the 1:30 home invasion at 804 Downing St.: "The initial responding officers were able to ascertain from the victims, Stephen Michael Jackson, 20, and Aramis Arkeem Ponder, 22, that at least four unknown males, one of whom was armed with a handgun, forced entry into the home and demanded money and property belonging to the victims. The suspects later fled the scene with the victims’ property. The scene was secured and turned over to the New Smyrna Beach Investigative Division, who is investigating the incident. The identity of the suspects is still unknown."

Oak Hill averts legal action by disqualifying 2 commission candidates

Courtesy photo / Big John as shown here on his radio station, WELE, and a former member of the Volusia County Council, is a Holly Hill mayoral candidate, after all.

DAYTONA BEACH -- It took a judge's ruling to ensure Big John could run for mayor after the Holly Hill city clerk refused to qualify him.

Circuit Judge Richard Graham ruled in favor of John following a hearing Wednesday in his Daytona Beach courtroom, saying in part that although John hadn't followed proper procedures, his actions weren't flagrant enough to merit being disqualified from running for elective office.

Headline Surfer file photo / Jeff Bracy, shown here from a meeting last summer when he was on the Oak Hill Personnel Board discussing the future of then-Police Chief Diane Young, is now a city commissioner-elect.

OAK HILL -- The city clerk has disqualified two candidates for commission seats because she erred in qualifying them in the first place because their campaign finances were not secured when qualifying officially ended.

Courtesy photo / Gwen Azama-Edwards is making another run for elective office, having already served as a Daytona Beach commissioner and city clerk. This time she's going for one of the key municipal leadership posts in all of Volusia County: mayor of the city that is known as the "World's Most Famous Beach."

DAYTONA BEACH -- Gwen Azama-Edwards said she understands the need for marketing the beachside for tourism opportunities, but she sees far too little emphasis placed on the neighborhoods. That is one of the key issues in her race for mayor.

"We need to show as much concern and desire to please our residents as we do the tourists," said the former longtime city clerk and commissioner, whose benchmark is bringing government back to the people. "We have a declining population, businesses are leaving and we're not attracting families. A city without young people declines."