Local News Now

Armed New Smyrna Beach man foils burglary; two 18-year-old Oak Hill residents arrested

Devon RamseyKatie GravitzJennifer JonesCourtesy photos / Devon Ramsey and Katie Gravitz, both 18 of Oak Hill, are accused of the burglary of a New Smyrna Beach-area residence with help from Jennifer Jones, a roommate of that home who is accused of being an accomplice and planning the crime.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A burglary caper at a mobile home park near New Smyrna Beach was foiled late Saturday afternoon by a neighbor with a gun who decided to take matters into his own hands, a Volusia County Sheriff's spokesman said.

The neighbor chased down the fleeing suspects and detained them for responding deputies. After deputies sorted everything out, they discovered that the break-in was an inside job planned by the victim's roommate, Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said.

New Smyrna Beach High School Salutatorian Drew Walker challenges his fellow classmates to 'go further and find a way to thrive'

2011 NSB High School Salutatorian Drew WalkerNSBNews.net video by multimedia editor Sera Frederick / Salutatorian Drew Walker addresses his classmates during the graduation ceremony Saturday at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach. A copy of his speech is attached. 

DAYTONA BEACH -- Nice guys don't always finish last. Sometimes they finish second. Such is the case with Salutatorian Drew Walker who encouraged his classmates to endure as they face the realities of a 21st-century world with an entrenched economy where those planning to attend college will have to deal with higher tuition rates and decreasing financial aid.

New Smyrna Beach High Class President Imran Lufi misses Homecoming due to illness, but makes up for it at graduation

Video by multimedia editor Sera Frederick / Class President Imran Lufi addresses his classmates at Saturday's graduation at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach. The full text of his address is attached.

Imran LufiDAYTONA BEACH -- New Smyrna Beach High Senior Class President Imran Lufi missed out on Homecoming where he was named king because of appendicitis. There was no way he'd miss the chance Saturday to say a final farewell to his 399 classmates at the 2011 graduation ceremony at the Ocean Center.

President Obama's bumbling foreign policy in Middle East will lead to more unrest

In just a few sentences, and apparently without congressional input, President Obama betrayed the only democracy in the Middle East: Israel. Obama’s bumbling foreign policy in the Middle East will cause great unrest and the possibility of renewed fighting is very real as Muslim nations see America’s weakness.

Deborah Boyd resigns from the New Smyrna Beach based-Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority

Deborah BoydPhoto by Henry Frederick / A tough-talking, no-nonsense director for eight years with the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority, Deborah Boyd is moving on.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Deborah Boyd, the stalwart of a revenue stream that was being pulled in different directions has resigned her management post with Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority.

Autopsy results: Body found in flames of minivan in wooded area of Deltona that of a man

DELTONA -- The body found in the charred remains of minivan rental found early Thursday on a dirt trail in a wooded area off Lake Helen Osteen Road is that of a man and the case is being investigated as a possible homicide.

"The Volusia County Medical Examiner's Office performed an autopsy on Thursday, but has not ruled on the cause of death," Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said. "The victim is an adult male who has not yet been positively identified. However, it isn't the person who rented the minivan, as investigators have located him safe and sound."

Volusia County Sheriff's Office: Body of human found in burning van in Deltona

DELTONA -- The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office has launched an investigation after a body was found inside a burning vehicle in woods down a dirt trail off of Lake Helen Osteen Road near Haulover Boulevard early this morning.

The initial call about the fire came in from a resident at about 12:10 a.m. Thursday leading to the grisly discovery of the body, Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said.