Top 100 Stories

Robert Lee Freeman was arrested Dec. 1, on a misdemeanor charge of possession of an open container of alcohol and booked into the Volusia County Jail overnight, as shown in his mugshot at left and the snippet from the New Smyrna Beach PD 24-hour activity summary report. But this unidentified woman on Flagler Avenue drinks openly during the 2011 New Year's Eve celebration.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Meet Robert Lee Freeman, the exception to the rule when it comes to city cops enforcing the open container law. It's ironic that the word "free" is a part of his last name considering he was charged with being in possession of an open container of alcohol in public.

Countdown to 2013 on Daytona's Main Street includes beach ball drop

Videos produced by Sera Frederick / Will this New Year's Eve be free of public drinking like what occurred during the last celebration on New Smyrna Beach's Flagler Avenue?

The 2012 New Year's NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The $16 million Hampton Inn on Flagler Avenue has opened just in time to ring in the new year, with the avenue closed to vehicular traffic to start the countdown with 5 minutes of fireworks at 9 p.m. and then continuous partying.

A motorist seen driving recklessly before dawn Saturday smashed his pick-up truck into a tree in front of Daytona Fire Station No. 5 shown here.

 DAYTONA BEACH -- A motorist was killed early Saturday after changing lanes several times while northbound on Nova Road before smashing his pick-up truck into a tree, Daytona Beach police said in a press release.

Here is a synopsis of what happened 4:03 a.m. Saturday as described in the release: Vincent G. Yulo, 47, of Port Orange, was on Nova and has just passed North Street when he lost control of his 1990 Chevy pick-up truck, after changing lanes several times.

DAYTONA BEACH -- The past year has been a trying one for business, but Daytona's top chamber executive responsible for cultivating businss relationships between the private marketplace and municipal and county governments with the goal of building stronger business said his organization held it's own in the entrenched recession and stands ready to make progress in 2013.

Daytona racing giant's recently promoted senior VP just a few laps from the charm of his native New Smyrna Beach 

DAYTONA BEACH -- NASCAR executive Ed Bennett has a saying from Mark Twain that he tries to live his life by: Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of the your life.

With an attitude like that it's no wonder the New Smyrna Beach native has moved up the corporate ladder, promoted this month to senior vice president with a trio of up-and-comers -- Jim Cassidy, Zane Stoddard and Kim Brink -- moving up to vice president.

As if his new position isn't challenging enough, Bennett gets to keep his other day jobs as NASCAR chief administrative officer and president/chief executive officer of GRAND-AM Road Racing.

A kitchen fire in an apartment at the Groves Apartments on Aug. 18, resulted in a man's death, but the fire was contained to his unit.

PORT ORANGE -- A 66-year-old man perished in a fire in his residence at the Groves Apartments in August, but firefighters were able to limit the flames to the victim's dwelling.

He was identified as Richard Lynn Wagner. The tragedy comes in as No. 75 in Headline Surfer's countdown of the top 100 local stories of 2012.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Here are the Top 10 ways to positively change your day. 1. Don’t blame others for making you unhappy.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Future Hall of Famer and occasional New Smyrna Beach resident Johnny Damon was picked up by the Cleveland Indians for the 2012 MLB season, his sixth team.

The outfielder/DH played the previous season for the Tampa Rays where he batted .261 with 16 HRs and 73 RBIs in 150 games. He's played on two World Series championship teams -- the Boston Red Sox in 2004, and the New York Yankees in 2009.

Damon's new team is No. 77 in Headline Surfer's countdown of the top 100 local teams of 2012.

Photo for Headline Surfer / This shot taken from the rafters of the New Smyrna Beach High School gymnasium on Dec. 12, will be used for a new poster to help high school students throughout Central Florida learn about the importance of organ and tissue donation.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Some 350 students, along with a few teachers and administrators, formed the No. 8 inside the high school gym in December to symbolize the number of lives that could be saved from the organs of someone who has died.