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50 years of technical progress

My technical career started right here at New Smyrna Beach High School in Frank Skanga’s Physics and Chemistry classes.

Mr. Sganga had a unique way of making science fun and inspiring many of his students on to technical careers. To augment all of this my mother also encouraged to go into technology and even bought me the ultimate computing device, a Kueffel and Esser slide rule. With this “amazing instrument” I could multiply divide and raise arbitrary numbers to arbitrary powers with three- to four-place accuracy.

It really made my classmates jealous and intimidated.

Happy Mother's Day

Sera and I wish everyone a happy Mother's Day. For those of you who have a living mother, give her a hug and a kiss and thank her for being who she is. For those who have lost a mother, take a moment of silence and reflect on the everlasting love you have with her.

We're all descended from mothers and fathers, some of them known to us, others not, depending on life circumstances. Regardless, the generations flow and the circle of life grows.

Back in the saddle today

We'll have fresh content as the day progresses with new stories, blogs and news items, following several days of personal illness.

We'll get you updated on the news of the day as well as what's happening this weekend, including a preview of the upcoming Boston Celtics-Orlando Magic series that begins Sunday.

Shuttle Atlantis rockets into space on final run

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NSBNEWS.net: Volusia County / State

Courtesy photo/NASA.

Space Shuttle Atlantis takes off at 2:20 p.m. EDT without a hitch.

CAPE CANAVERAL -- After a successful launch Friday at 2:20 p.m. EDT, the STS-132 crew of space shuttle Atlantis began on-orbit operations.

Saturday, the six astronauts will survey the shuttle's heat shield, checkout the spacesuits for the upcoming spacewalks and prepare for docking to the International Space Station on Sunday.

After reaching orbit, the crew also was told that a preliminary debris assessment looks good.

70 sites to participate in summer food program

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NSBNEWS.net: Volusia County / State
Wellness

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Volusia County’s Human Services Office will sponsor a Summer Food Service Program for children at 70 sites from June 14 through Aug. 13.

The program, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, provides nutritionally balanced meals regardless of race, color, sex, disability or national origin. It is approved for areas in which 50 percent or more of the children qualify for free and reduced price meals during the school year.

Summer feeding sites provide meals to all children in the immediate vicinity in addition to those enrolled in the summer program.

Gov. Crist highlights oil spill response efforts

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NSBNEWS.net: Volusia County / State

Courtesy photo.

Gov. Charlie Crist's Weekly Notes from the Capitol:

Dear Friends,

This week I have been working to protect Florida’s businesses and communities from the possible destruction of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. As the oil continues to seep into the ocean and inch towards our coastlines, it is crucial that we work from all possible angles to protect our state.

Sheriff's Office: Dropped driver's license puts DeLand scrap metal thief behind bars

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NSBNEWS.net: Volusia County / State

DEBARY -- Investigators certainly wish there were more criminals like Matthew Hall, Volusia County Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said of the accused man.

Davidson said that when the 26-year-old went into a vacant home in DeBary to steal an air conditioning unit, he left behind a major clue: His driver's license.