Local News Now

NSBNEWS.net photo by Henry Frederick/far left. Courtesy photo/near left.

New Smyrna Beach Mayor Adam Barringer, shown in this file photo, led his city's delegation this afternoon at the funeral of South Daytona Mayor Blaine O'Neal, shown near left.

DAYTONA BEACH -- They came by the hundreds to pay their last respects this afternoon to South Daytona Mayor Blaine O'Neal at the Crossroads Baptist Church. Leading the delegation for New Smyrna Beach was 43-year-old Mayor Adam Barringer, who at 43, is the same age as his South Daytona colleague, who died Friday of a heart attack.

NSBNEWS.net video by Sera Frederick.

The Atlantic Center for the Arts' Horsin' Around fundraiser Sunday generated upwards of $100,000 in revenue for the NSB-based arts mecca, which drew 500 art lovers from throughout Central Florida.  In the video, ACA Director Ann Brady and Winter Park resident Doug Ware, who purchased a $1,900 painting speak with NSBNEWS.net.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The late Doris Leeper would have been very proud of the achievements Sunday by Ann Brady and her army of volunteers at Sunday's "Horsin' Around" fundraiser for the Atlantic Center for the Arts. And why not? The event, under a big white tent at the New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport drew some 500 patrons of the arts and generated upwards of $100,000 for the 27th annual fundraiser.

The name of the event has nothing to do with fun and games. Rather, it originated on a horse farm many years ago because of space with proceeds, then and now, going to the arts, said Kelle Groom, public relations specialist for the ACA founded by Leeper.

Courtesy photos.

At left, the Obsession hits the high seas, as does the Sail Away, upper right, at last year's Lipton Cup Regatta sponsored by the Smyrna Yacht Club. The competition heats up this weekend.

The Misty 90 goes into full sail in this photo from last year's regatta.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- America¹s Cup it's not, but this weekend New Smyrna Beach will host a yacht race steeped in Central Florida tradition. Welcome to Smyrna Yacht Club¹s Lipton Cup Regatta this Saturday and Sunday, where a series of offshore races will be held in the Atlantic Ocean just outside the Ponce De Leon Inlet.

In addition to racing enthusiasts, Smyrna Yacht Club is hoping to attract many of the cruising boats in the area and that pass through New Smyrna Beach. All with an appropriate sailing vessel are invited to participate.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- An Orlando motorist in a Volvo SUV was ticketed on a charge of careless driving after running over a sunbather lying on a towel between parked cars Saturday near the South Jetty, Volusia County Beach officials said.

Udi Melamed, 33, pulled in between between two parked vehicles when he ran over Angela Kaleigh Samala, 23, also of Orlando, according to the Beach Patrol. His vision was obscured by another vehicle and he didn't see the woman lying on a towel, the report released Wednesday stated.

Courtesy photos. Riverside Park in New Smyrna Beach was lit up for last year's Relay for Life gathering. In near left photo, remembering loverd ones and the fight against cancer is what drives the many volunteers to raise money. Next weekend's gathering will be no different.

At left is Judy Rosky, the 2010 torchbearer for Relay for Life.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Southeast Volusia Relay for Life will 'Rock the Cure' when it celebrates the 10th annual overnight event April 16-17 in New Smyrna Beach's Riverside Park. Beginning 5:30 p.m.that Friday and continuing into Saturday, it is it held annually as a major fund-raising initiative for the American Cancer Society.

Southeast Volusia Relay for Life is a life-changing event that celebrates the lives of those who have and who continue to battle cancer, remembers loved ones lost and fights back against the disease. Because cancer never sleeps, Relay events are overnight and continue for 18 hours.

NSB News photo /

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Traffic was bumper to bumper Saturday. Eastbound, that is.

And though it eased up Easter Sunday, it was still voluminous well into the night, heading out of this seaside city of 25,000.  

"It's the price we pay for the tourism," said Deb Dugas, a beachside resident who dislikes the nightitime pub crawls, which she sees as locals from Port Orange, Edgewater and DeLand looking to party.

Where else, but to the beach, would onee would find ceaseless traffic jamswith cars, SUVs, pick-ups and motorcycles.

Literally thousands of people -- locals, day trippers and tourists alike on the hard sands and embracing the curling surf the day before Easter.

"It has been that way for years," Dugas said. "You just accept that when it's a holiday like this, you might as well leave the car in the garage."

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A jury has awarded an Edgewater mother $10 million, agreeing with her that EVAC ambulance was negligent in the injuries her son received with his premature birth in 2003, while being transported to an Orlando hospital from New Smyrna Beach.

The verdict followed a two-week trial, in which the jury decided EVAC was negligent in transporting Margarita Stivers Chess, who gave birth to her son in an ambulance while en route to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando after she was initially treated at Bert Fish Medical Center in New Smyrna Beach.

EDGEWATER -- A 24-year-old boater who fell overboard did what his father suggested when out by himself in the water: he wore a whistle. It helped him get rescued from a spoil island in Mosquito Lagoon Sunday night by the Coast Guard.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- a 23-year-old Orlando woman was arilifted to Halifax Medical Center this morning with non-life threatening injuries after she was struck by a car near the Minorca Condominiums while sunbathing between parked vehicles, a Volusia County Beach spokesman said.

The woman's name wasn't released and the extent of her injuries unknown, but the trauma alert transport was "made to be on the safe side" following the 10:30 a.m. accident near the South Jetty area, which is a popular spot for surfers, Beach Patrol spokesman Capt. Scott Petersohn said.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- An 11-year-old girl was found safe on the beach Friday afternoon after her mother feared she had gone into the water even though she didn't know how to swim, Volusia County Beach Patrol officials said.