2011 Top Stories

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Karen Foxman, one of the top prosecutors in the State Attorney's Office, won big in in her quest for a circuit judgeship in Volusia, Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns counties with two-thirds of the votes in last summer's primary for a circuit judgeship.

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ORLANDO, Fla. -- Tragedy struck two Orange County families, each of whom suffered the death of a toddler just 12 hours apart -- a 3-year-old girl run over in a hit-and-run on Sept. 4, 2014, a Friday night, and a 1-year-old boy struck and killed the following Saturday morning by his mother's boyfriend backing out of the driveway, the Florida Highway Patrol reported.

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DELAND, Fla. -- It started with a date riding on a motorcycle and culminated in marriage for radio personality Leslye Gayle and Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson as the two exchanged nuptials on Sept. 13, 2014.

"I've known Ben for a long time working in the news business and had interviewed him many times, but it wasn't until he was a guest on my show 6 1/2 years ago and I was newly divorced did we start dating," Gayle, co-host of the Magic Morning Show on Magic 107.7 FM for 14 years, and prior to that a news anchor at WKMG Local 6, told HeadlineSurfer.com. “Our first date was a motorcycle ride in and around DeLand and we’ve been together ever since!”

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WINTER GARDEN, Fla. -- A Louisiana family's visit to Walt Disney World was supposed to be magical. Instead, it turned into a nightmare:  Orange County Sheriff's deputies found a 9-month-old baby found unresponsive on Aug. 23, a Saturday, when they responded to a 9-1-1 call from a family member at the Lake Tiki Village resort six miles away from Walt Disney World. 

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 ORMOND BEACH – The Captain James Ormond Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution recognized Seabreeze High School graduating senior Vania Bustamante in April with its "Good Citizen" award during a recent ceremony at the historic Anderson-Price Memorial Building.

The award recognizes Bustamante dependability, service, leadership and patriotism in her daily school and community life. She also received a $100 scholarship and an American flag that was flown over the U.S. Capitol on Veterans’ Day last year.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Volusia County Republican Party Chairman Tony Ledbetter barred Headline Surfer® from the GOP Lincoln Dinner at the Daytona Beach Resort & Conference Center in Daytona Beach on Sept. 19, even though the the internet newspaper had an entry ticket paid for by then-Volusia County Council candidate Rich Gailey, whose candidacy was backed by the GOP.

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EDGEWATER, Fla. -- The Florida Department of Law Enforcement a called in to investigate why Edgewater cops did not take away the belt worn by a 51-year-old man who used it to hang himself while in their custody in November.

Rickey Walls was arrested just after 1 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18, after threatening family members with a knife in his Edgewater home, according to an Edgewater PD report. He was being held in a holding cell pending transport to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach when he apparently hanged himself with his own belt.

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PORT ORANGE, Fla. -- What a way for Port Orange City Councilman Don Burnette to kick off 2014.

Burnette was still celebrating his UCF Knights' big win over the Baylor Bears in the New Year's Day Fiesta Bowl hours after the game. Then again, he was two time zones away from home, knowing he'd feel the jet lag when he returned home to Port Orange.

Headline Surfer videos by Henry Frederick / Here are the sights & sounds from the 2014 Fourth of July fireworks from the Sanford Pier. Shown belo are Sanford residents Gordon Obermeyer and Maranda Torres sporting USA T-shirts.

SANFORD, Fla. -- Gordon Obermeyer and Maranda Torres, along with their two small kids, were among the thousands of patriotic Central Florida citizens who descended upon the the Sanford Pier for the colorful lights and loud booming noises in the night sky.

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DELAND, Fla. -- A DeLand-area house fire in late November left a married couple out shopping at the time homeless and the smoke inside killed their four Persian cats.