NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Several thousand people descended on Flagler Avenue for Thursday's third annual NSB Shrimp and Seafood Festival and nobody had a bigger smile than Matt Clancy, of the family-owned Clancy's Restaurant and Cantina.

"Look at all of these people -- this is incredible,"Clancy said, as people rubbed elbows inside the popular Tex-Mex style eatery, with even more on the outside patio and on the front and east sides of the building.

Flagler Avenue, New Smyrna Beach's quarter mile stretch to the beach, had so many people milling around, it looked like a giant ant colony.

But several candidates or their signs could be seen in the sea of people, including Sharon Luebbers, running for School Board district 3 and Ellen Darden for County Council, district 3.

NSBNEWS.net photo by Henry Frederick.

The crowds were inside and outside. Consumption of alcoholic beverages was allowed outside for this event, but moving forward, the City Commission voted unanimously the week before to end sidewalk sales and consumption of alcohol.

Still, police reported no major issues with crowd control or drinking.

NSBNEWS.net photos by Sera Frederick.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- NSBNEWS.net filed an incident report with the New Smyrna Beach Police Department against the NSB shadow website Friday after a copy of its breaking news story on the departure of Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce President Steve Dennis was allowed to be posted without NSBNEWS.net's written or verbal consent. A copy of the police incident report is attached to this story.

NSBNEWS.net photo by Henry Frederick.

Steve Dennis, longtime executive director/vice president of the Southeast Volusia Chamber Commerce was fired today by the board. No reason was given in a brief press release sent out by e-mail this afternoon.

NEWSMYRNA BEACH -- The reign of Steve Dennis as executive director/vice president of the Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce came to an abrupt end today when he was dismissed after more than two decades at the helm of the organization that has seen declining enrollments in recent years.

The chamber put out a tersely-worded "press release" at 3:51 p.m. promoting the hiring of Samantha Bishop as interim head of the organization without explaining why Dennis was fired.

Our children are our future.That’s a fact. They will grow up, hopefully, and run this country someday. And how do we treat these future leaders of our land? Abysmally, that’s how.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Early voting at the New Smyrna Beach library continues to far outpace those going to the polls in Volusia County in advance of the Aug. 24 primary.

Results from Monday's voting from the Volusia County Supervisor of Elections show NSB leading the way with 184 casting ballots, followed by 147 at the Daytona Beach Library, 139 at the Ormond Beach library, 138 at the Deltona library and 92 at the DeLand Dept. of Elections.

Overall, following seven days of Early Voting, New Smyrna Beach leads the way with 1,261, with Deltona second at 1,107, followed by Ormond Beach at 1,079, Daytona Beach at 1,056 and DeLand at 749.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Recently, thieves targeted numerous vehicles in the City of New Smyrna Beach and surrounding areas.

"The majority of items stolen from the vehicles were stolen because the vehicles were left unlocked, with valuables left inside in plain view," police spokesman Sgt. Mike Brouillette said. "Several locked vehicles were targeted because something of value was left in plain view. Two vehicles were even stolen because keys were left in the ignition or inside the vehicle.

City Commissioner Judy Reiker threw the taxpayers under the bus with her vote to keep the Anglers Club lease in place. I also cringed when she said "A deal is a deal is a deal." I voted for Reiker and so did my husband. I will make sure she is never re-elected!

These "gentlemen" as Reiker referred to the Anglers, are certainly "in my opinion," not gentlemen. They are self-serving ego maniacs that feel they deserve a free ride.

How sad.

NSBNEWS.net photos by Sera Frederick.

Sharon Luebbers, a candidate for the Volusia County School Board district 3 seat that represents greater New Smyrna Beach, Edgewater, Oak Hill and Port Orange, installs signs Wednesday during early voting at the New Smyrna Beach Regional Library on U.S. 1.  A voting sign directs voters to the proper entrance way inside the library.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -Even though greater New Smyrna Beach is much smaller than Daytona Beach and Deltona and close in population to the DeLand and Ormond Beach areas, New Smyrna Beach is leading Volusia County's four early voting precincts through the first six days with six days to go before early voting makes way for the Aug. 24 primary.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Former Mayor Sally Mackay had reason to smile during Tuesday's City Commission meeting. She did not speak publicly, but her facial expressions spoke volumes about the commission's 4-0 vote to honor the longstanding lease with the Anglers Club, with the city regaining control of the prime waterfront property when the lease expires in three decades.

Recently I traveled to New York. Last year I met a now 7-year-old girl who was visiting her now late grandfather next door to me. I helped out the family when Fern, the girl, needed to be side-tracked and had a good time.

I have kept in touch with her through mail and sending pictures. Then, this summer, we got a