Local News Now

Courtesy graphic / The Volusia County map at left shows the fire locations with active wild fires in bright red and mop op fires in yellow.

DELAND -- The weekend thunderstorms were both a blessing and a curse in the fight against wild fires, bringing much needed rain, but with lightning strikes, igniting new blazes across Volusia County's rural areas.

Firefighters from multiple agencies and Division of Forestry are working 65 brush fires in Volusia County. There are six active fires and the remaining 59 fires are in the mop-up or monitoring stages. Lightning ignited 14 new fires Saturday.

"Personnel from county and city fire departments numbering 32, along with 15 apparatus, are battling six active fires totaling 2,871 acres," Volusia County spokeswoman Michelle Coats said.

There is a high likelihood that more lightning-caused fires will erupt as a result of thunderstorms that moved through the area Friday and Saturday. Predicted weather conditions for today have put fire officials on alert.

Anthony Weiner (D-NY) resigned his seat in Congress, as he should have done a week ago. By all accounts he had been an effective representative and a passionate supporter of liberal and Democratic Party causes. He would have been a strong contender to become the next mayor of New York with the future possibility of a governorship or even more. But he was a deeply flawed man who quickly succumbed to the arrogance, the hubris, which often comes to characterize powerful politicians.

NSBNews.net videos by multimedia editor Sera Frederick / The above videos show our coverage of the Seaside Festival on Flagler Avenue in New Smyrna Beach. The video to the left shows highlights from the 2010 festival and the video to the right shows highlights from the 2009 festival. 

Tonight's Seaside Fiesta runs from 5 to 9 p.m. NSBNews.net will have extensive coverage.

You may have heard this saying before, I have. It is based on the theory that "Like attracts Like" or the "Law of Attraction." The Law of Attraction says: That which is like unto itself is drawn.

This explains why we enjoy the company of people who are most like us, and why some people become best friends compared with "two boaters passing each other in the Intercoastal with a mere wave."

OAK HILL -- Firefighters from Division of Forestry, Volusia County Fire Services and additional task force teams of city firefighters are working six active fires throughout the county this morning, including a 35-acre fire in Oak Hill near Volco and Beacon Light roads.

Crews remained on scene overnight, with mop up operations expected to continue at all locations throughout the day today, Volusia County spokeswoman Joanne Megley said, adding, of the Oak Hill fire in particular, "There were a number of homes threatened, but no evacuations were ordered."

Courtesy photo / There is a changing of the guard at the Smyrna Yacht Club in New Smyrna Beach. Sean McGuidwin, shown far left, has taken over as general manager for Sandy Lounsbury, shown at right. Standing in the middle is Commodore Ron Blackwood.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH --  It was the burgee as well as the torch that was passed to Sean McGuidwin as the new general manager of the Smyrna Yacht Club from Sandy Lounsbury who has retired after seven years at the helm and 30 years altogether.

The announcement was made Tuesday, though the transition was made earlier this month.