Archive

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The City Commission unanimously moving municipal elections to "even" years to coincide with larger voter turnout for the presidential elections and at a cost savings of nearly $46,000, but in doing so the commissioners and the mayor gave themselves another year in office.

That didn't sit well with a couple of residents.

"To me it's a little wrong," Robert Rees said. "You spent $7 million on Esther Street and $400,000 on Dunn Lumber. The ($46,000) savings is peanuts to me."

DELTONA -- The Volusia County Sheriff's Office is investigating the armed robbery of a woman as she was withdrawing money from an ATM in Deltona Tuesday night.

DELAND -- The Volusia Forever Advisory Committee will meet at 3:30 p.m. today in the first floor training rooms of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave. The agenda includes a discussion of the 2010 meeting schedule, goals and work plan, an acquisition update and a land management overview.

Washington, DC -- In response to President Obama's State of the Union address, Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas, D-New Smyrna Beach (FL-24), issued the following statement: "We must redouble our efforts to create jobs and promote fiscal responsibility. Though the President's speech was a step in the right direction, with a call for tax relief to help small businesses hire new workers, investments in clean energy jobs, and the creation of a bipartisan debt commission, it remains to be seen whether or not he can overcome the partisan bickering and special interests that stand in the way.

SANFORD -- A Deltona woman was killed Tuesday afternoon when she drifted off Interstate 4 eastbound near the State Road 46 exit ramp and slammed into a concrete bridge, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

ORANGE CITY -- Rabbitt Burns was shot dead in her kitchen while fixing breakfast. Despite living alone, the table was clearly set for two.

Courtesy photo. Edgewater fire Services responded to a clothes-dryer blaze mid-day Wednesday that was limited to the garage of the 36th Street home  

EDGEWATER -- A clothes-dryer fire Wednesday afternoon in the garage of a home at 1215 36th St. was quickly extinguished by Edgewater Fire-Rescue, but not before causing $20,000 in damages.

However, firefighters prevented the 12:01 fire from spreading, which saved the $150,000 home, said Capt. Jill Danigel, the agency's spokeswoman.

The fire was extinguished in 16 minutes, with mutual aid from New Smyrna Beach. "Upon arrival crews found flames and heavy smoke pouring for the attached garage of the home," Danigel said.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The City Commission has unanimously agreed to a new one-year contract with its police officers that provides no wage increases and actually costs the city less money.

Contributing photo / Jeanette DiCara.

New Smyrna Beach police and firefighters tend to this 5:40 p.m. Wednesday fender-bender involving two vehicles on State Road 44. These photos were taken looking south on Myrtle Avenue.