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NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Gov. Charlie Crist has appointed New Smyrna Beach resident Nancy Maddox to the Florida Historical Commission. Maddox has been cultural and recreation manager for Volusia County government since 2001.

The 11-member commission was established in 2001 by the Legislature to enhance public participation and involvement in the preservation and protection of the state's historic and archaeological sites and properties, said county spokeswoman Pat Kuehn.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Vehicle after vehicle pulled up to the street corner on Flagler Avenue on this temperate Sunday afternoon to get their hands on a John McCain-Sarah Palin election sign during the inaugural Uncorked wine- and food-tasting event.

But just as many, if not more of these same signs are being pilfered from people's lawns, say local Republican campaign officials.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- It was food, wine and merriment over the weekend on Flagler Avenue for the inaugural uncorked -- a wine- and food-tasting event along quaint Flagler Avenue on Friday, Saturday and most of today, before windin down just before 5 p.m. as planned.

Dennis Shepherd, a DJ hired to play jazz during the outdoor venue said the "turnout was really good," considering this was the first one put on by area merchants.

DELAND -- A 17-year-old DeLand girl was killed when her pick-up truck crashed on Emporia Road at 3:30 this morning and caught fire, the Florida Highway Patrol reported.

Daniela Revera was alone and behind the vehicle when she crashed on Emporia, just east of Old Stead Road north of DeLand in the northwest area of the county, the highway patrol said.

She over-corrected the vehicle and ended up in a ditch where she flipped over, the FHP reported, adding she was not wearing her seatbelt.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The latest reports from Volusia County Environmental Management show 634 sea turtle nests on Volusia County beaches so far this nesting season, which began May 1.

Of these, 16 are green sea turtles and 618 are loggerheads, historically the most common turtles to nest on Volusia County’s beaches. The previous record high for turtle nests was 628 in 1999. In 2007, officials logged 562 nests.

DELTONA -- A 28-year-old Deltona woman sustained lacerations Saturday night after armed intruders ransacked her house and struck her in the back of the head several times with a gun, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office reported.

It’s unclear if anything was taken in the attack, which occurred at about 10 p.m. at a home on Utah Drive, sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said.

The victim declined an ambulance ride and made other arrangements to go to the hospital, where her head wounds were stitched up. The attack, which wasn’t random, is under investigation by the sheriff’s Office.

PORT ORANGE -- A 9th-grader at Atlantic High School was arrested on campus Friday on charges of bringing a gun to school, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office reported.

The boy kept the gun -- which was unloaded -- along with some ammunition in a case in his book bag and didn't display it or threaten anyone. A sheriff's
deputy stationed at the school seized the weapon early Friday morning before classes started.