Archive

Lightning believed to be cause of weekend Oak Hill house fire

Newspaper Section

OAK HILL, Fla. -- Lightning was the apparent cause of a Saturday afternoon fire that had rolling bright orange flames shooting 20 feet into the air from the roof before everything just caved in as firefighters kept the blaze contained to the Maytown Road Home, which was destroyed.

Seminole County Sheriff's Office seeks public's help in identifying two men who burglarized an AT&T store near Winter Springs

Newspaper Section
By HENRY FREDERICK
Headline Surfer

WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. -- Seminole County Sheriff’s Investigators are asking the public's help identifying two burglary suspects who broke into the AT&T Wireless store near Winter Springs, early last month.

Rookie Sheriff Mike Chitwood got a $54,000 job for his gal-pal campaign mgr and a $280K armoured vehicle is budgeted, but what he most desires is control of Beach Safety & the Branch Jail

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- County Manager Jim Dinneen has given rookie Sheriff Mike Chitwood lots of goodies since he took office on Jan. 1: In fact, Daytona's former top cop was able to reward his bright young gal-pal campaign manager, Janelle Homan, with a plumb job as a PR specialist shooting videos and feel-good pics with a salary of $54,000 a year. That's a whopping 20 grand more than what a starting deputy would make if Chitwood were to actually hire one.  

New Turnbull Bay Bridge in New Smyrna Beach dedicated in memory of Mike Eader

What a great day in the neighborhood! In this photo from the official groundbreaking, Jeanne Eader is telling about (her new deceased husband) Mike Eader's passion to get the Turnbull Bay Bridge replaced. The NSB Commission led by native son Mayor Jim Hathaway, Volusia County Council led by District Councilwoman Deb Denys and State Senator Dorothy Hukill along with other State of Florida officials including former Florida Department of Transportation District Secretary Noranne Downs all had leadership roles in the project. I love it when a plan comes together!

Volusia County Council leaders to celebrate ReleTech grand opening today in Daytona Beach

By HENRY FREDERICK
Headline Surfer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Members of the Volusia County Council, along with other dignitaries and business leaders, will celebrate the grand opening of TeleTech during a ribbon cutting at 3 p.m. at 260 Jimmy Ann Drive.

TeleTech is a customer experience provider headquartered in Colorado, with more than 48,000 employees worldwide. The company was recruited to the area by Team Volusia Economic Development Corp., over competitive locations in Mobile, Alabama and three cities in Texas.

Tornado turms over cars in Salisbury, Md.

Newspaper Section
Tornado rips through Salisbury, MD / Headline SurferYouTube download / Headline Surfer video / The National Weather Service says the storm that blew through Salisbury, Maryland, on Monday was most likely a tornado. Local reports say trees were split, cars were overturned, and homes and buildings were damaged. No serious injuries were reported. (Aug. 8)

SALISBURY, Md. -- The Weather Channel reported cars were overturned and trees and utility poles were downed Monday after a likely tornado touched down in Salisbury, Maryland, according to officials. The storm hit around 1:40 p.m., leaving a heavy concentration of damage near Salisbury University and along South Salisbury Boulevard, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

While looking at some of the damage, Salisbury Mayor Jake Day remarked, "it's not good here." 

$140,000 raised by Stewart-Marchman-Act Foundation at dinner/auction with NASCAR driver Austin Dillion the featured speaker

By HENRY FREDERICK
Headline Surfer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The Stewart-Marchman-Act Foundation raised nearly $140,000 at its annual Dinner Celebration and Auction featuring NASCAR driver Austin Dillon at the Daytona 500 Club at Daytona International Speedway, event organizers said.

This year's big draw was Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. The funds raised came through sponsorships, live auction sales and tickets for prizes.

Learning new things about me in Full Sail master's in new media

Newspaper Section

SANFORD, Fla. -- I have learned a lot more about who I am through my coursework online in pursuit of a Master of Arts degree in New Media Journalism from Full Sail University.

I never dreamed I'd be back in school pursuing an advanced degree 33 years after receiving my BA in Political Science with Specialization in Public Administration with a concentration in Writing from Central Connecticut State University. But here I am today doing just that since March with nine more months to go.

County Council's Billie Wheeler supports Headline Surfer's standing as working press; condemns Sheriff Mike Chitwood's punishing tactics: removal from email media alerts, denial of press cards, banning from press conferences

Newspaper Section

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. --While saying she cannot tell the sheriff what to do since they are both elected leaders, Volusia County Councilwoman Billie Wheeler nonetheless condemned "how he has treated Headline Surfer" and that she emphatically supports and recognizes the online news outlet as "the press."

CREEPY: Seminole County Sheriff's Office asking public's help in IDing man trying to get into Longwood woman's home through pool area

Newspaper Section

LONGWOOD, FLA. -- Talk about creepy! Some guy was trying to get inside a Longwood-area woman's home through the pool area, looking into windows and trying to open a door once inside the screened-in porch surrounding the pool under the cover of darkness, a Seminole County Sheriff's official said.