Mayor Sally Mackay sets up re-election campaign headquarters at former Daytona Beach News-Journal/Pennysaver building on Canal Street

NSBNEWS.net photos by Henry Frederick. Mayor Sally Mackay has set up shop on Canal Street for her re-election bid for a second term as mayor of New Smyrna Beach. Ironically, campaign headquarters are at the former newspaper mecca, the Canal Street bureau of the Daytona Beach News-Journal/Pennysaver offices.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Dozens of volunteers showed up this sunny Saturday morning and into the early afternoon to pick up their share of lawn signs, buttons and placards for the re-election campaign of first-term Mayor Sally Mackay, who opened up her headquarters on Canal Street at the former bureau offices of the Daytona Beach News-Journal/Pennysaver.

Volunteers like Patricia Noite Kershner loaded up vehicles with signs, brochures, buttons and other campaign paraphernalia for all points New Smyrna Beach.

Nobody was more excited than Mackay herself who returned from a brief visit at the Farmer's Market up the street just after lunch to greet more volunteers.

"This is fantastic," Mackay said, taking stock of the inventory in the main office of the former Pennysaver. In the former newsroom where a large planner calendar hangs on the wall amid empty cubby holes, Mackay's campaign schedule is outlined for the next several weeks.

The News-Journal's departure there is the mayor's benefit with spacious room and an ideal location amid the downtown business district, which she said is one of her priorities, in terms of working to create more job opportunities.

The News-Journal closed shop on Canal Street 14 months ago after management closed its bureaus here as well as in DeLand, Orange City and Bunnell and terminated nearly half of its employees after losing a protracted court battle with its minority partner, Cox Enterprises of Atlanta, after spending $13 million on the lively arts Center on Beach Street dubbed "The News-Journal Center," which is now owned by Daytona State College.

Regardless, Mackay sees the Canal Street locale as a means to bond further with the downtown merchants.

"I am 100 percent behind the business community," the incumbent and former Realtor said.

Her opponents, Marilee Walters and Adam Barringer have strong business ties in the community.

Walters is owner of The Sanctuary, a clothing and shoe store on Flagler Avenue, and Barringer is a principal in Barringer Construction on Wayne Avenue and the So Napa restaurant on Third Avenue.

The three will square off in the Sept. 22 primary.