Top 100 Stories

Aug. 28, 2008 -- Shanti and Eric Sutton of New Smyrna Beach, boy, 7 pounds 11 ounces, 2:01 p.m., Florida Hospital Ormond Memorial.

Aug. 28, 2008 -- Melanie and Nicholas DeLuca IV of Edgewater, girl, 5 pounds 5 ounces, 9:59 a.m., Florida Hosital Ormond Menorial.

Aug. 21, 2008 -- Mikel Plaskett and Brittany Evans of New Smyrna Beach, boy, 9 pounds, 8:24 a.m., Florida Hospital DeLand.

Aug. 21, 2008 -- Jennifer and John Scalo of Edgewater, boy, 7 pounds 4 ounces, 1:49 p.m., Halifax Health Medical Center.

-- Martha Ann Hope, 57, New Smyrna Beach, nurse's assistant.

-- James Alvy Dyett Sr., 71, New Smyrna Beach, retired construction manager engineer.

-- John Peter Okula, 87, Edgewater, former asphalt construction worker.

--John B. Gordon, 84, of New Smyrna Beach, died Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008. He was a retired office manager.

-- Lawrence Jerome Vize, 87, Edgewater, died Monday. Aug. 25, 2008. He was a retired meat processor.

-- Robert W. Troutner, 54, Edgewater, died Monday, Aug. 25. He was an electrician.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- When No. 5 Florida hosts the unranked Miami Hurricanes 8 p.m. Saturday in the Swamp, Harvin Clark will be rooting for his beloved Gators. Clark will always be a hero to New Smyrna Beach fans, especially if they are also Gator fans.

However, his role as arch villain to Miami fans nearly four decades ago will never die.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Who wants to strike it rich? Who wants to enjoy great food and drinks and dance the night away with the chance to win thousands of dollars?

This is your chance to become a thousandaire and support the many local diverse needy children's programs funded by the Southeast Volusia chapter of Kiwanis through its largest fundraiser, "Strike It Rich."

The 2008 Kiwanis Club "Strike It Rich" Fundraiser is 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Brannon Center. Tickets cost $125, which admit two people. There is a limit of 400 tickets sold.

The amount of water accumulation after Fay was substantial and led to plenty of flooding. The next bad news is that two new storms – Gustav and Hanna – are about to give us more rain. A few days ago I went to check on my hunting stand. To my dismay, after cutting up four fallen trees blocking the road, I found the water so deep that it was impassable to get to the stand. It was an exciting day though. I saw seven deer including a buck in velvet and roughly 27 wild pigs, and several hawks.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- So what is a working gal supposed to do on Labor Day? Well, work silly.

Just ask Marion Free, dining room manager at Ruthy's restaurant.

"It's just like every other day," said Free, one of two waitresses serving the customers at the bustling restaurant on West Canal Street. "I'm just not going fishing like everyone else."

If you know anything about big-time gambling, you’ll be aware that a “shill” is somebody who plays for the house. A Republican shill is a woman who antes into the Hillary Clinton game while playing for John McCain.

John McCain has chosen a comparative unknown on the national scene as his running mate in Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Governor Palin has many commendable personal attributes but lacks experience in overall national governance and foreign affairs.

Grace Ann Fritchie, 63, of New Smyrna Beach, died Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008. She was a retired flight attendant for Delta Airlines. 

Sept. 19, 2008 -- Melissa Wright and Zack Yancey, Edgewater, girl, 6 pounds, 10:14 a.m. at Florida Hospital Ormond Memorial.

Sept. 15 -- Jesse and Jason McGuirk, New Smyrna Beach, boy, 6 pounds, 14 ounces, 1:38 p.m., Halifax Health Medical Center.

Sept. 12, 2008 -- Kimberly and Phil Tyree of New Smyrna Beach, boy, 7 pounds, 14 ounces, 8:18 a.m., Halifax Health Medical Center.

Sept. 10, 2008 -- Joshua McCormick and KeShanena Evans of New Smyrna Beach, boy, 7 pounds, 12 ounces, 6:28 a.m., Halifax Health Medical Center.