Local News Now

96. WKMG TV news anchor Lauren Rowe steps out of media spotlight to shock of Orlando-area fans

Top 100 Local Stories of 2014 / Headline Surfer®

Lauren Rowe leavers WKMGORLANDO, Fla. -- It was an unexpected shocker as reported April 24, by Orlando Sentinel TV columnist Hal Boedecker, with the headline: "Lauren Rowe leaves WKMG effective immediately."

A decade ago, she was known as Lauren Perkins, but has long since married and with two children, she had an intense on-air schedule as the featured anchor on the WKMG channel 6 newscasts.

NSB cops: Edgewater motorcyclist killed Christmas day after striking palm tree while speeding

NSB biker crash scene locator / Headline Surfer®Headline Surfer® graphic /
The locator map shows where Matheu W. Laurrell crashed his motorcycle into a palm tree on North Riverside Drive, splitting the tree in half. The biker was not wearing a helmet. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- A 30-year-old Edgewater man was killed on this Christmas holiday when he struck a Palm tree with his motorcycle and splitting it in half while "traveling at a high rate of speed in the 500 block of North Riverside Drive, cops said. 

Thousands line streets for New Smyrna Beach Christmas Parade with return of familiar face: Mayor Jim Hathaway

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Emma Larkowski, 3, enjoys the 2014 New Smyrna Beach Christmas Parade / Headline Surfer®

Headline Surfer® videos by Henry Frederick / 
Emma Larkoswski, 3, takes in the excitement and wonderment of the annual New Smyrna Beach Christmas Parade held Dec. 7, in the beachfront city, beginning on Flagler Avenue near the beach approach, heading west across the North Causeway Bridge to the mainland and south on Riverside Drive, then west onto Canal Street, just before U.S. 1. The parade was more than 2 1/2 hours in length. Enjoy the 14 videos shot & produced by the internet newspaper. The video camera battery died about 10 minutes before the parade finally ended, well under darkness. Below, New Smyrna Beach Mayor Jim Hathaway, the parade's grands marshal, is shown with his wife, Paula.
 

NSB Mayor Jim Hathaway & wie, Pul, grand marshall, of the Christmas parade / Headline Surfer®NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Count 3-year-old Emma Larkowski among the 10,000 thousand or so locals who loved the 2014 New Smyrna Beach Christmas Parade, certinly among the longest and most festive in Volusia County, with newly-elected Mayor Jim Hathaway serving as the grand marshal.

Hathaway returned to the City Commission with his overwhelming victory in the November general elections over then-Commissioner Jack Grasty after a two-year absence, having given up his municipal post and 18 years of tenure to run for a seat on the County Council in 2012.

Waverly Media audio recordings in care of Volusia County Council-hired investigator Jon Kaney 'no longer exist'

Jon Kaney / Headline Surfer®DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The audio recordings created by court reporters to supplement written transcripts in the Waverly Media sworn interviews of two dozen witnesses and under the custody and care of County Council-hired investigator Jonathan Kaney, Jr. have been discarded.

This, despite the fact, that under Florida Public Records Law, these audio recordings, once created are public records and must be retained by government responsible for them.

Headline Surfer® learned of this unprecedented development in a public records request for 25 audio recorded interviews in an email reply from County Attorney Daniel Eckert.

Ex-Daytona cop & political consultant responds to community columnist's blog on perceived police brutality

Editor's Note: Guest columnist David Lee Davis of Daytona Beach takes issue with the stance taken by Headline Surfer® community columnist Darlene Vann in her Dec. 22 "'Musings" stance headlined, "Disgusted with instances of police overkill." Here is link to Vann's column: http://headlinesurfer.com/content/414151-disgusted-instances-police-overkill.

97. Daddy's little girl & 61,000 kids return to school in Volusia County

Top 100 Local Stories of 2014 / Headline Surfer®

New Smyrna Beach siblings attend Burns Sci-Tech in Oak Hill

Ray Catheline with daughter Olivia of NSB on 1st day of school / Headline Surfer®Misty Burris Catheline of NSB with daughter Olivia 1st day of school / Headline Surfer®NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Daddy's little girl returned to school in August along with about 61,000 other Volusia County students.

It was the day of school for Ray Catheline's little princess, Olivia, who entered kindergarten at the Buns Sci-Tech Charter School in Oak Hill. Big brother, Nicholas entered second grade.

Kid Rock to perform during Daytona 500 pre-show

Daytona Speedweeks / Headline Surfer®

Kid Rock to perform at 2015 Daytona 500 pre-race show / Headline Surfer®DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – American rock star Kid Rock will perform on pit road during the pre-race show before the start of the Daytona 500.

His song set includes his new single, "First Kiss."

"We’re thrilled to have Kid Rock entertain the thousands of race fans in attendance and the millions more watching on FOX," Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said in a press release. "Kid Rock is an avid NASCAR fan and will provide race fans with a spectacular performance leading up to the start of the much anticipated Daytona 500.

Community Foundation of Volusia & Flagler to honor Mori Hosseini in 2015

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The Community Foundation of Volusia & Flagler didn't have to search long and hard to come up with a prominent business leader as its 2015 recipient of the "Herbert M. Davidson Memorial Award for Outstanding Community Service."

NSBPD accreditation process promoted in press release but evidence room thefts & revolving door of chiefs omitted

NSB cop shop / Headline SurferActing Police Chief Donna Lavallee / Headline Surfer®Acting Police Chief Donna Lavallee may be all smiles regarding steps towards accreditation in the New Smyrna Beach PD, but all is not hunky dory despite a PR statement from City Hall.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Amid the backdrop of the continuing fallout of the theft of items from the New Smyrna Beach Police Department uncovered two years ago and a revolving door of top cops in the interim, the office of City Manager Pamela Brangaccio put out a press release Friday announcing the police agency was moving towards accreditation.

98. Ex-Flagler Ave kingpin Robert Lott serves as bouncer as taps flow for Rotary fundraiser

Top 100 Local Stories of 2014 / Headline Surfer®
Boozefest at Rotary fundraiser in NSB / Headline Surfer®Robert Lott boozes it up at Rotary fundraiser in New Smyrna Beach / Headline Surfer®Headline Surfer® photos /
Robert Lott sucks down a beer while manning the door at the Brannon Center Aug. 28, at the Brannon Center for Rotarians holding a fundraiser where alcohol was the big draw.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Robert Lott was still wearing the same ratty clothes, though he went out of his way to show off his new plastic shoes when the internet newspaper showed up to take photos in August of the "Cheeseburger in Paradise" fundraiser at the Brannon Center.