Daytona Beach

Vince Carter is gearing up for the NBA season on Christmas day with his new team, the Dallas Mavericks, who open up at home against the team they beat in the finasls last season, the Miami Heat.

DAYTONA BEACH -- The Dallas Mavericks have good reason to be pleased with the addition of Vince Carter as the NBA season begins Christmas Day. Carter, the Mainland High School McDonald's All-American, known as "Vinsanity," practiced for the first time Thursday, slowed by tendinitis in his knee.

DAYTONA BEACH -- The first drowning of 2011 occurred Thursday when a 52-year-old man wading in shallow waters stumbled and drowned in what was a calm surf, the Volusia County Beach Patrol said.

Beach Patrol officials were unclear what may have caused Mark Howe to drown in the 5:20 p.m. incident near the Zelda Boulevard Beach ramp with no major rip currents reported. Alcohol or a medical condition may have been factors, Beach Patrol spokeswoman Tammy Marris said. The drowning victim had lived nearby.

Courtesy photo / Circuit Judge returns for a second stint as chief judge of the 7th Judicial Circuit that includes Volusia, Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns counties.

DELAND -- Circuit Judge William A. Parsons will lead the Seventh Judicial Circuit as chief judge beginning July 1. Elected by the 42 circuit and county court judges in Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties, Parsons will have administrative supervision over all courts in the 7th Judicial circuit which includes Volusia, Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns counties, during his two-year term.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla -- One of the best stories on the complicated and often boring topic of home values and tax assessments was written and published Thursday in the Daytona Beach News-Journal by metro reporter and projects editor Derek Catron.

ORMOND BEACH -- A 36-year-old Daytona Beach man was electrocuted Thursday morning while trimming branches and died a short time later at Florida Hospital Ormond Memorial, police said.

Police and fire rescue personnel responded to a 9-1-1 call at 597 N. Beach St. for the 11:40 a.m. accidental death.

Courtesy photo / NASCAR Sprint Cup driver parachuted to Daytona International Speedway to help promote July's Coke Zero 400 race.

DAYTONA BEACH -- NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Brian Vickers is known to fly around the high banks of Daytona International Speedway in a race car so when he skydived from a plane Wednesday he gave new meaning to flying on the track.

Vickers skydived solo into the legendary infield of the "World Center of Racing" from a jumping height of 5,000 feet.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Henry Frederick transitioned from an award-winning career in print media with numerous journalism-industry awards to digital media in 2008. Here is a listing of his print media awards:

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- In a stunning reversal of its verbal report, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools has decided only one man is responsible for the problems at Daytona State College with no justification, of course: Mori Hosseini. He is a local philanthropist, owner of ICI homes and one of 17 members of the Board of Governors of the Florida State University System. His wife, Forough Hosseini, is on the DSC board. Apparently, when he speaks his mind that is considered undue influence on board members.

DAYTONA BEACH -- An alert clerk at the 7-Eleven at 1200 Flomich St., foiled a masked robber early this morning by running from the counter and into the back of the store as he was coming in and when the robber didn't see anyone he quickly took off, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said.

"No weapon was seen or implied," Sheriff's spokesman Gary Haught said of the 2:34 a.m. Saturday robbery attempt at the 24-hour convenience store, just outside the city limits. "This is the second time the store was targeted. A man had robbed it Monday morning and got away with some cash."