Pierson

Pierson's Chipper Jones not returning to MLB to play for the NY Yankees or anyone else

Chipper Jones Chipper Jones, shown here in a photo from his website, was all smiles at the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Kansas City, Mo., hitting a single in the 6th inning.

PIERSON -- Coaxing Chipper Jones out of retirement from the Major Leagues and playing first base for the New York Yankees is nothing more than wishful thinking.

The Pierson native had been rumored to fill-in for injured All-Star first baseman Mark Texiera, but the former Atlanta Braves' infielder has no intention of returning to baseball and certainly not donning the pinstripes for the Bronx Bombers.

“I already know the answer,” Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman told the New York Daily News on Tuesday in Tampa, hoping against hope. “But I might as well throw it out there anyway.”

Jones, himself put a definitive end to any fanciful thoughts by Cashman or any other baseball suitors, tweeting: “Enough with the rumors! While I am flattered about the speculation of being enticed out of retirement, I'm happy with life as a bad golfer!”

Pride of Pierson Chipper Jones in 2012 MLB All-Star speech: 'I am not going out losing my last one'

Chipper Jones Chipper Jones, shown here in a photo from his website, was all smiles at Tuesday night's MLB All-Star Game in Kansas City, Mo., hitting a single in the 6th inning.

PIERSON -- Chipper Jones -- the pride of Pierson, Florida --  rallied his National League All-Stars in a pre-game speech Tuesday night before they took to the field in Kansas City and shut out their American League counterparts, 8-0.

Outdoor fire ban remains in effect for Oak Hill, Pierson, Lake Helen and unincorporated Volusia County

NSBNews.net / Headline Surfer video and photo by multimedia editor Sera Frederick
Smoke chokes the air in the woods of Pioneer Trail in Samsula near New Smyrna Beach as shown in this video.

SAMSULA -- A 55-acre fire that raged in the woods of Pioneer Trail left the unmistakable stench of smoke for days.

North Carolina motorcyclist killed in Seville I'd; third Bike Week fatality

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PIERSON -- A 61-year-old Concord, N.C. man killed Sunday on Bunnell Road just east of Seville when he crashed his Harley-Davidson into a fence, has been identified as Jack Norman, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Norman may have been speeding when he lost control of his 2005 Harley on a curve and left the roadway, the FHP said this morning. After striking the fence, Norman, who was not wearing a helmet, was thrown from the bike, which then caught fire. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the 4:35 p.m. accident. Alcohol may have been a factor, according to an initial highway patrol report This was the first motorcycle fatality in Volusia County since the start of Bike Week 2012, which got under way Friday.

Volusia County Fire Services to lift fireworks and outdoor burning bans Saturday in Lake Helen, Oak Hill, Pierson and other unincorporated areas

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.

Pierson woman charged with gunshot murder of live-in boyfriend

Audra Anderson of Pierson charged with 2nd-degree murder.Courtesy photo / Bloodshed in a Pierson home was not a suicide as first believed, but murder with a live-in girlfriend charged with shooting her boyfriend to death.

PIERSON -- Audra Anderson She initially claimed she had just woken up and wasn't sure what had happened, insisting that her boyfriend, 38-year-old Robert Wood, must have accidentally shot himself. But with Wood succumbing to his injury, Volusia County Sheriff's investigators further questioned her about the details of the shooting that occurred shortly before 9 a.m. Saturday morning at the couple's home on Buckles Road.

"Anderson told investigators several different stories, eventually admitting that she fired the fatal shot that killed Wood," agency spokesman Gary Davidson said.

1st day of summer today and wild fires continue with new blazes in New Smyrna Beach, Pierson and Osteen

Courtesy graphic / The National Weather Service in Melbourne shows temps today will continue in the low 90s with no rain relief in sight until Thursday.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Today is the first day of summer with no rain in sight until Thursday at the earliest with the threat of continuing wild fires the new reality.

Wild fires continue to make for heavy smoke throughout Volusia County as firefighters battle four active blazes

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.

Fireworks ban goes into effect Monday for Oak Hill, Lake Helen and Pierson

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.