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Editor's Note: One week after the New Smyrna Beach 'Cudas finished the 2008 football season with a convincing 21-13 victory over the DeLand Bulldogs, Peter Mallory, a member of the 1952 squad that triumphed in the miracle on the gridiron, was so thrilled by what the 21st-century team had done against their playoff-bound opponents that he was inspired to write this story:

The one thing you had to admire about first year Coach Pete Maman was that he showed absolutely no signs of the panic and despair that must have gripped him as he looked out over the practice field. No matter how many times he counted heads he could only find 12 candidates who had shown up for his first August practice session at New Smyrna High School in 1952. I was among them.

DEBARY -- Volusia County Sheriff’s investigators have filed felony charges against a 22-year-old man accused of masturbating several times while driving alongside a bus full of high school children. The incidents, which occurred over the past two weeks in DeBary, were brought to a halt on Monday when a concerned parent alerted the Sheriff’s Office after going on a morning stakeout in search of the suspect, Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said this afternoon.

DELAND, Fla -- Nearly 200 trails enthusiasts gathered Friday at Lake Beresford Park in West Volusia to celebrate Florida’s designation as the Best Trails State in America, said Volusia County spokeswoman Pat Kuehn. 

DAYTONA BEACH -- The Volusia County Council is seeking public input on the implementation of a competitive process for awarding concession service contracts on Volusia County public beaches.

The County Council will hold a special listening session at 6 pm. Monday. The meeting will be at the Volusia County Beach Safety Headquarters, 515 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach.

To support this effort, a web-based public input questionnaire has been developed to assist the County Council in developing beach concession service standards, Volusia County spokeswoman Michelle Coats said.

DAYTONA BEACH -- The Ocean Center box office has moved to its new home at 101 N. Atlantic Ave., after months of temporary facilities set up during Ocean Center construction activities. The relocation is just in time for the Glenn Wilkes Classic over the weekend.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is now under $2 a gallon at most stations in Southeast Volusia, cheaper than a gallon of milk or a pack of cigarettes.

Still, motor vehicles aren't lining up at the pumps.

April Brown had the pumps all to herself this afternoon when she filled her Mercury Grand Marquis for $40. Back in July, that same tank fill-up would have cost her $80 when a gallon of unleaded gasoline was more than $5.

"These prices are reasonable now," the 39-year-old New Smyrna Beach resident said. "They are very beneficial. I can now go more places like Deltona and work another job."

Though gas prices are down, other necessary commodities such as bread and milk are not.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The Daytona Beach News-Journal raised the price of its daily newspaper by a quarter, from .50 cents to .75 cents, effective today. An announcements was posted with sales racks throughout Southeast Volusia with this morning's delivery.

The announcement was addressed "attention customers" and stated: Effective Monday, November 24th, the Daytona Beach News-Journal daily edition price will increase to $.75. This increase does not include the Sunday edition."

There was no mention of the price increase in the Sunday or Monday newspaper editions.

PONCE INLET -- A 250-pound, 5-foot-long loggerhead sea turtle will be released today after being cared for at the Volusia County Marine Science Center and at a Clearwater facility after nearly a year of coordinated care, said Michelle Coats, a spokeswoman.

The adult female loggerhead sea turtle now known as Patti will be released at 11 a.m.. The beachside release will be on the north side of Winter Haven Park, 4589 S. Atlantic Ave.