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OAK HILL -- Sgt. Manny Perez returned to work this morning from his March 30 paid suspension, but things are far from settled with him accusing embattled Police Chief Diane Young of being corrupt, engaging in a relationship with a drug dealer, ticket fixing and other allegations, all of which she has denied.
Courtesy photos / A large mid-June fire shown here in the Maytown Road area between Oak Hill and Osteen was among dozens of wild fires plaguing rural Volusia County, have finally been quelled by several weeks of steady rain leading to county officials announcing Wednesday that bans in place on fireworks use and outdoor burning would be lifted by this weekend.
DELAND -- Volusia County Fire Services will lift the outdoor and fireworks bans for the county’s unincorporated areas as well as the cities of Lake Helen, Pierson and Oak Hill at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
The burn ban had been issued March 3, and the fireworks ban took effect June 6.
“The environmental conditions have improved because of the recent rain storms,” Volusia County Fire Services Chief Joseph Pozzo said earlier today, referring to the 12-plus inches of rainfall in the last few weeks. “But there is still a lot of dry vegetation throughout the county, so we ask residents to continue practicing wildfire safety.”
Pozzo notes that residents should not discard cigarettes from moving vehicles or park a hot car or operate all-terrain vehicles on dry grass. Outdoor fires and grills should be attended constantly and extinguished completely, and lawn mowers and farm equipment should be checked to make sure they have properly working spark arresters.
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OAK HILL -- There are no working sergeants left under the command of embattled Police Chief Diane Young, the latest abruptly resigning over the weekend citing work-related stress from the "constant scandals and rumors" in the department.
The first to go was Sgt. Mike Ihnken, first demoted and then fired outright in March. Two days later, Sgt. Manuel Perez was suspended with pay. The third to go was Sgt. Brian Riley who resigned Saturday.
His departure means Oak Hill has no sergeants and only Young as a supervisor. Between suspensions, and the recent resignation of a new officer as well as a third cop unable to work due to injury, Oak Hill has only three able-bodied cops and Young available to patrol the city 24/7.
NSBNews.net was denied Riley's letter of resignation by Chief Young and City Clerk/Administrator Laura Goodearly with stone-walling throughout the day Monday, which continued well into the 6 p.m. City Commission meeting.
NSBNews.net video and photos by Henry Frederick / Oak Hill City Hall had a courtroom feel to it Monday night with Police Chief Diane Young and suspended Sgt. Manuel Perez airing their differences before the Personnel Board with a happy ending. Perez, was represented by attorney David Hood, former Ormond Beach mayor. Young is shown at left with Personnel Board member Jeff Bracy. The video has highlights from both sides. NSBNews.net was the only media outlet present.OAK HILL -- Suspended Sgt. Manuel Perez is returning to the police force after an intense hearing Monday night before the city's Personnel Board where he and Chief Diane Young were able to iron out their differences.
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Courtesy graphic / Rain could be the biggest weapon deployed by firefighters today in quelling the local wild fires, including the biggest -- the Maytown Road Fire that straddles Oak Hill and Osteen with 2,397 acres burned since June 13. That fire is 90 percent contained. Click on the attachment below to see the spate of wild fires across the Sunshine State.NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The Volusia County Council has extended the declaration of local emergency for seven days.
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NSBNews.net file photo / Dr. Tom Omby, shown in this photo earlier this year in a Daytona Beach courtroom with then-Bert Fish Medical Center CEO Bob Williams, is among several members of the hospital district's board replaced by Gov. Rick Scott. Omby was chairman.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A metamorphosis of the Southeast Volusia Hospital District governing board is on the fast track with Gov. Scott on Wednesday announcing the immediate appointments of Joseph Benedict, Patrick E. Corbett, and Harold "Derwin" Smothers as members whose terms run through March 15, 2015.
Courtesy photos / With at least four active wild fires, including a large one in the Maytown Road area, shown here, at and at least half a dozen still simmering for several days, firefighters throughout Volusia County continue to work them this morning.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- James Arlotta loves to take his early run on the beach, but not this morning.
"The air is full of smoke," the 54-year-old beachside resident said. "I was out in the smoke all day yesterday and it bothered my eyes and breathing. So when I got up this morning and went outside the smoke was so thick I didn't think it would be healthy to run in."
Smoke is everywhere and driving is particularly hazardous on the interstates.
Firefighters from the Division of Forestry, Volusia County Fire Services, and additional task force teams of city firefighters, continue to work four active fires on this Thursday morning while monitoring several other fires closely, with mop up as needed, throughout Volusia County.
"There are no evacuations at this time," Volusia County spokeswoman Joanne Magley told NSBNews.net at 7:30 a.m.
OAK HILL -- Firefighters from Division of Forestry, Volusia County Fire Services and additional task force teams of city firefighters are working six active fires throughout the county this morning, including a 35-acre fire in Oak Hill near Volco and Beacon Light roads.
Crews remained on scene overnight, with mop up operations expected to continue at all locations throughout the day today, Volusia County spokeswoman Joanne Megley said, adding, of the Oak Hill fire in particular, "There were a number of homes threatened, but no evacuations were ordered."
Courtesy photo / Thick smoke billows from a wild fire off a muddy dirt road in DeLand near Daytona Park Estates subdivision where a dozen homes were briefly evacuated earlier in the week.DELAND -- With growing concern about the extreme dry conditions, the spate of wild fires and a forecast that calls for less than normal rainfall, Volusia County Fire Chief Joseph Pozzo has been authorized to enact a fireworks ban that begins Monday in the unincorporated areas of Volusia County and the cities of Lake Helen, Oak Hill and Pierson, which are part of the county’s unified fire district.
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Photo by Sera Frederick / Commissioner Ron Engele gave the ejection signal at the April 25 meeting as shown in this file photo to have NSBNews.net removed from the meeting. Two weeks later, he was a no-show and Mayor Mary Lee Cook apologized publicly to NSBNews.net for Engele's boorish and illegal behavior, adding the rest of the commission was guilty as well for not standing up to him.OAK HILL -- Without explanation, department head supervision of the police department was switched from Commissioner Ron Engele to newly appointed Commissioner Douglas Gibson tonight.
Engele was returned to department head supervisor of roads and bridges. Gibson, who was appointed by the commission at a special meeting Friday told NSBNews.net after Monday's meeting he had "no idea" why this occurred. Gibson, though, said he wasn't opposed to it since he is a retired trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol and believes his experience in law enforcement should benefit the city.
