EDGEWATER, Fla. -- I have to say that I am extremely disappointed that the seventh anniversary of HeadlineSurfer.com (April 7, 2008), promoted in social media (Facebook & Twitter) seems to have gone unnoticed by the politicians elected to serve us.
None of the powers that think so highly of themselves as they put their hands in the pockets of major advertisers that they kow-tow to even half heartedly noticed the success and hard work of Henry Frederick and those of us who have been writing for him all this time. They may dislike what is written since this sward-winning internet newspaper tells the truth backed by facts (or as Publisher Henry Frederick likes to point out, supported by public records), but they should be proud that this whole venture started in their area.
If these politicians had tried to financially support us as they do the Daytona Beach News-Journal, we would still be based in New Smyrna Beach. And Henry Frederick and his wife, Serafina, would not have been threatened with being shot to death in a phone call in February by one of the so-called elected officials of Oak Hill (in response to a story regarding a manufacturing plant in Oak Hill with two elected officials allegedly scheming, including the one making the death threats).
The negativity and threats have had a major impact on Serafina King-Frederick to the extent that she closed her account with Facebook to avoid the evil put upon her. No one, especially an elected government official, should have such power over anyone or the perception of having power; certainly not through threats or coercion.
The internet newspaper was launched April 7, 2008, in New Smyrna Beach as NSBNews.net and in 2012, re-branded as HeadlineSurfer.com by Publisher Henry Frederick, with assistance from his wife, Serafina King-Frederick. The Fredericks lived in New Smyrna Beach, but were forced to move to Sanford in Seminole County after local politicians led by Mayor Adam Barringer attacked their advertising base in 2013. Barringer opted not to seek re-election in 2014. Frederick has received awards for five investigative reporting stories chronicling corruption 8nvolving Barringer, including the fact that in the last tw ywars in office, he raised taxes while not paying his own.
The negativity and threats have had a major impact on Serafina King-Frederick to the extent that she closed her account with Facebook to avoid the evil put upon her. No one, especially an elected government official, should have such power over anyone or the perception of having power; certainly not through threats or coercion.
Another elected official, County Council's Deb Denys, used her position on the dais last month to call Henry Frederick a "bully" behind his back, even going so far as asking one of her colleagues, "How do you capitulate to a bully?" All because Frederick was questioning the legality of appointments to the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority.
No one government agency should be able to tell a media outlet what to write or not write about because they hand them a check every month. The majority of the elected officials and board members of local hospitals and state college as well as the speedway are all in each others pockets and the taxpayers of Volusia county end up paying the price with lousy roads, infrastructure badly in need or repairs, poor use of CRA monies (street parties for bar as opposed to blight) and so much more.
Then these same politicians have the nerve to ask for government funding for bogus projects that never seem to be started or finished when they themselves could foot the bill with their profits which they understate so they can qualify for such funding.
The good ole boy network around here is disgusting, and I for one, am tired of it all. I wish there were more we could do other than point out what is going on and watch it continue from generation to generation. They are like the Bush family and other politicians and I have to agree with Barbara Bush when she asked “Aren’t there any other families?"
I guess sane people don’t want to get involved with the twists, turns and backstabbing of politics so we get the same types election after election. They promise on thing, but do the opposite when in office.
What chance do we the people have? We do try to elect new blood but the old blood finds a way to corrupt them and off we go again. It’s a sad situation with what seems to me to have no solution.
All of this makes me so wary of the future.