Headline Surfer photo illustration / Sheriff Mike Chitwood said he tested positive for COVID-19, on Friday, July 31, 2020.
By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla -- Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said he tested positive earlier today for the coronavirus and plans to self-quarantine for the next 14 days.
Here is what Chitwood posted on his Facebook page: I have tested positive for COVID-19. My symptoms are on the mild side, but per my doctor's orders, I must self-quarantine for 14 days and not have face-to-face contact with anyone. If there is a bright side, I am allowed to exercise outdoors, just not with other people.
I am encouraging anyone who is not feeling up to par to get tested. I have no idea how I contracted this and that is a lesson in itself: Anyone can catch this.
Chitweood told the Daytona Beach News-Journal he wasn't feeling so great Thursday night and took his temperature, which was 102, and all night long he had a fever, chills and coughing. So on Friday morning he went to get a rapid test.
“The doctor comes in and says, ’I have good news and bad news for you. The good news is me and my husband; we love you. You and your deputies do a great job. The bad news is you have COVID-19.”
Chitwood told the print daily that Chief Deputy Joe Gallagher will run the Sheriff’s Office in his absence, although Chitwood said he would still attend Zoom meetings and phone conferences.
The Sheriff barred Headline Surfer from his press conferences and had his PIOs removed the award-winning news outlet from the VCSO's email media alerts for breaking news. These media policies began Jan. 3, 2017, when Chitwood was sworn in as sheriff.
Chitwood won a four-way primary outright in August 2016 to become the elected sheriff after then-Sheriff Ben Johnson announced his retirement, effective the end of 2016 after 16 years in the elected office. Chitwood was automatically returned to office in June when he drew no opposition during qualifying.
Chitwood's banishment of Headline Surfer dates back to 2012 when he was upset that the 24/7 online news outlet won two journalism awards from the Florida Press Club in general news and public safety categories for this story published on May 14, 2012: Daytona police chief promotes patrol supervisor who taunted female cop for more than a year .
Chitwood banned Headline Surfer after a story was posted announcing the awards. But Daytona Beach City Manager ordered Chitwood within a week to restore Headline Surfer to the Daytona Beach Police Department's email media alerts. Chitwood was police chief for 11 years. Chitwwod's VCSO is the only law enforcement agency that excludes Headline Surfer.
Henry Frederick is publisher of Headline Surfer, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet launched 12 years ago that serves greater Daytona Beach, Sanford & Orlando, Florida via HeadlineSurfer.com. Frederick has amassed more than a hundred journalism industry awards in print & online -- more than than all other members of the working press combined in Central Florida since the mid-1990s. He earned his Master of Arts in New Media Journalism with academic honors from Full Sail University in 2019. Having witnessed the execution of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Florida's death chamber and other high profile cases, Frederick has appeared on national crime documentary programs on Discovery ID and Reelz for his investigative reporting and cops & courts breaking news stories.