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New Smyrna Beach HS Class President Caitlyn Zona: 'Change for each of us'

Headline Surfer video and photos by Sera Frederick / Caitlyn Zona, president of the 2012 Class of New Smyrna Beach High School adresses her clasmates Saturday night at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, which you can watch by clicking the video. The 17-year-old New Smyrna Beach grad is headed to the University of Central Florida on an academic scholarship where she will major in education.

NSBHS Class of 2012 President Caitlyn ZonaNew Smyrna Beach High School 2012 Class President Caitlyn Zona encouraged her classmates to consider what the word "change" means to them at this point in their lives. Here is the full text of her address:

New Smyrna Beach High School graduating seniors receive $2.2 million in college scholarships

Alexander DulockHeadline Surfer video and photos by Sera Frederick /
Our video shows the graduating seniors who received scholarships from their prospective colleges.
Salutatorian Alexander Dulock, shown here, was the top college scolarship winner with $124,000 from the University of South Carolina.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The 392 graduating seniors of the New Smyrna Beach Class of 2012 has received $2,218,368 in scholarship monies. That's a whopping $2.2 million.  

Fly with '90s band Sugar Ray at Universal Studios in Orlando

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Pavlina Osta of Port Orange talks with '90s pop band Sugar Ray, interviewing in particular lead singer Mark McGrath and guitarist Rodney Sheppard.

Pavlina Osta By Pavlina Osta
Blog: Pavlina's Kids Place
Exclusive to Headline Surfer 

ORLANDO -- I'm at Universal Studios with Sugar Ray before their performance. The band of the 90's that had such super hits as "Fly", "Someday" and "When it's Over" are super fun and relaxed before heading out on stage.

Sacred Heart eighth-grade graduating students treated to special breakfast at Mom's in New Smyrna Beach

Sacred Heart breakfast at Mom's restaurantHeadline Surfer photo by Henry Frederick / Mom's Home Cooking server Mary Barrett, far left, takes orders from Sacred Heart Catholic School graduating eighth graders Thursday morning as teacher Rachel Woelfel goes over menu choices with them. In the inset photo, Mom's proprietor Patty Cook and Woelfel chat while the students decide what they want to eat and drink from a keepsake menu printed up just for them. 

NEW SMYRNA -- The twenty graduating eighth graders from Sacred Heart Catholic School were treated to a breakfast this morning at Mom's Home Cooking, 1201 N. Dixie Freeway. 

Real race for Oak Hill mayor: Commissioner Doug Gibson files to run for top post against Vice Mayor Linda Hyatt

Oak Hill Commissioner Doug Gibson and former Police Chief Diane YoungLinda Hyatt of Oak HillHeadline Surfer file photo / Doug Gibson, shown seated in this photo from last Aug. 1, when he led the vote to disband the city's scandal-ridden police force under Chief Diane Young, is now running for mayor against Linda Hyatt, vice mayor and commissioner, who was opposed to the police being shut down in favor of patrols by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office. Both have since said they are pleased with change.

 OAK HILL -- Saying he wanted to ensure the citizens of Oak Hill get to decide who the next mayor is, Commissioner Doug Gibson filed paperwork today to run for the top elected post. Vice Mayor Linda C. Hyatt did the very same thing earlier this month.

Holly Hill cops: Electronics company employee calls in bomb threat saying she needed a break; 300 evacuated

Latisha Anne Vester, 33, of Daytona Beach, an employee of Metra Electronics in Holly Hill, is being held without bail at the Volusia County Branch Jail on  a felony charge of falsely reporting a bomb threat where she works.

HOLLY HILL -- An employee of Metra Electronics told investigators she called in a bomb threat that forced the evacuation of 300 co-workers there earlier today because she "needed a break."

The bomb threat was called in prior to the day shift and left with the human resources department, which in turn notified police and 300 people were evacuated at 9 a.m., including the caller, identified by police as 33-year-old Latisha Anne Vester, who works in Metra Electronics' paint department.

Police Chief Mark Barker said Vester admitted making the call, saying she "needed a break" from work.

"As far as her explanation -- nothing, and I mean nothing -- surprises me anymore," the Holly Hill police chief told Headline Surfer.

Weather today in greater New Smyrna Beach -- Highs in the low 90s and 30% chance of rain

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Weather graphic from the Weather Underground website.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Here is the weather forecast for greater New Smyrna Beach: There's a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms today with a high of 91 under prtyly cloudy skies and a heat index of 104.  Tonight will have a low of 68 with a 28 percent chance of rain with winds West Southwest at 5-10 mph.

The weather Thursday calls for mostly cloudy skies with a high of 88 and a heat index of 93 with winds from the West at 5 to 10 mph shifting to the North in the afternoon. The chance of rain is 30% with rainfall amounts near 0.2 inches possible. Thursday Night will see mostly cloudy skies with a 20 percent chance of rain and a low of 68, with winds less than 5 mph.