NSBNEWS.net: Volusia County / State

Courtesy photo / Jail mug

Johneschia Allen, 19, is accused of robbing a Daytona Beach-area convenience store.

DAYTONA BEACH -- A teenage woman accused of robbing a convenience store on Derbyshire Road turned herself in Wednesday night to anser criminal charges.

Johneschia Allen, 19, was being held on $30,000 bail at the Volusia County Branch Jail on charges of robbery with a firearm and use of a firearm during a felony.

ORANGE CITY -- Law enforcement authorities late Thursday afternoon made the safe recovery of a 6-year-old girl who was the subject of an Amber Alert out of Wildwood, Florida.

Volusia County Sheriff's deputies on alert for Karmen Barfield -- the little girl who reportedly was the victim of a parental abduction -- spotted her father's Ford pickup truck in the vicinity of Graves Avenue in Orange City.

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Clayton Gonsalves, shown here in this photo released by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office was airlifted to Halifax Medical Center with unspecified gunshot wounds Wednesday afternoon after he was fired upon by two Sheriff's sergeants after he pointed a gun at them, an hour after shooting his widfe in the arm in their Deltona home.

DELTONA -- Two Sheriff's deputies fired on a Deltona man Wednesday afternoon who had earlier shot his wife in the arm during a standoff. He was airlifted to Halifax Medical Centerand his wife transported by ambulance to Florida Hospital Fish Memorial in Orange City.

DAYTONA BEACH -- A woman with a handgun robbed a convenience store Sunday near Daytona Beach, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said.

One employee was in the story when a woman with a handgun walked into Kelly's Food Mart, 1000 Derbyshire Road, and demanded cash. There were no shots fired or any injuries.

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Flights at Daytona Beach International Airport climbed by more than a fourth compared to the same time a year ago.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Passenger traffic at Daytona Beach International Airport increased 27 percent in June compared with June 2009.

Over the past six months, total passenger traffic has increased an average of 13 percent per month over the same period last year.

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Here is the latest installment of Gov. Charlie Crist's Notes from the Capitol:

Dear Friends,

I continue to be committed to recovery efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. Last week, I called a Special Session of the Florida Legislature from July 20, 2010 through July 23, 2010, to address a constitutional amendment banning offshore drilling in Florida waters.

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South Daytona City Manager Joseph Yarbrough says he's pleased city employees are forgoing raises in the third and final year of their contracts to help the municipality deal with its budget crunch, calling it the most challenging in his 35 year-career.

SOUTH DAYTONA ─ As City officials scramble to balance the budget, union employees agreed to forego raises for the final year of a three-year contract.

Forced by the "most challenging budget" of his 35-year career, City Manager  Joseph Yarbrough asked bargaining units if they would forego both merit and cost of living raises for next year.

Those agreeing to a wage freeze include a total of 75 police, fire and general bargaining unit employees.

DAYTONA BEACH - Starting July 19, homeowners facing new foreclosure actions on their homestead residences in Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties will be referred to mediation.

Late last year, the Florida Supreme Court ordered courts to implement residential mortgage foreclosure mediation programs to help deal with the state's foreclosure crisis. Officials believe mandatory mediation will help homeowners stay in their homes while also keeping caseloads at bay.

Courtesy photo/NASCAR.

By Mark Williams for NSBNEWS.net

DAYTONA BEACH -- The green flag has waved on the historic Daytona International Speedway repavement. On Monday, crews began the process by removing lights poles, safer barrier and safety fence.

The safety fence and 57 light poles in both ends of the high banks are being removed as well 8,300 linear feet of safer barrier throughout the facility. The asphalt removal is expected to begin later this week or early next week.

By Mark Williams for NSBNEWS.net

DAYTONA BEACH -- Headed out for the Fourth of July holiday weekend? Good news for you if you drive. Gas prices across Central Florida have stabilized.