Top 100 Stories

75. Lake Helen city manager quits in October

Top 100 Local Stories of 2014 in Central Florida / Headline Surfer®

Lke Helrn City Hall where politics are as vibrant as anywhere else / Headline Surfer®LAKE HELEN, Fla. -- KC Cichon was such a mystery as the city manager of Lake Helen, there's no photo readily accessible to even show what he looks like.

He quit as city administrator in October after 22 months on the job, having given a verbal notice to the mayor, in August, but submitted no formal letter of resignation when he left. Some say it was Kent Cichon who had run several city officials out of city hall and wore out his own welcome as a result, while others say it was the city elders themselves who pushed him out the door.

76. NSB cops: Dad shoots son on Father's Day

Top 100 Local Stories of 2014 in Central Florida / Headline Surfer®
Eugene Blackwell, Sr., charged with attempted murder in shooting of son / Headline Surfer®Photo for Headline Surfer® / Eugene Blackwell, Sr., 45, remains in jail on attempted murder charges in the shooting of his 18-year-old son, Eugene Blackwell, Jr.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- A dad shot his 18-year-old son multiple times during a domestic dispute on Father’s Day, New Smyrna Beach cops said.

Eugene Blackwell Sr., 45, was arrested on a charge of attempted murder for allegedly shooting his son, Eugene Blackwell Jr., 18, after a domestic argument turned violent, police said.

The victim was airlifted to Halifax Medical Center shortly after the 6:34 p.m. shooting. He underwent surgery at Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach for multiple gunshot wounds.

JD Gibbs, son of racing team owner Joe Gibbs, having difficulty with brain function

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JD Gibbs with NASCAR racing owner Joe Gibbs / Headline Surfer®DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Joe Gibbs Racing announced on Wednesday that president J.D. Gibbs, son of the team owner, is starting treatment for symptoms affecting areas of brain function.

The son of JGR founder Joe Gibbs underwent a series of tests after experiencing a gradual onset of symptoms that includes speech and processing issues. As a result, his race track presence will be limited.

NSB Fire Dept: Electrocuted worker rescued from Canal Street roof; airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center

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NSBFD rescues electrocuted worker on Canal Street / Headline Surfer®Photo for Headline Surfer® by City of New Smyrna Beach /
New Smyrna Beach firefighters stand at the ready to receive a worker who was electrocuted Wednesday while working on a roof in downtown New Smyrna Beach. Firefighters on the roof were able to utilize the fire department’s ladder truck to move the critically injured worker to the ground where he was airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center to undergo treatment for electrical burns. His name was not released.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- New Smyrna Beach Fire Rescue crews responded to a call for a worker who had been electrocuted by coming into contact with a power line while working on a roof in downtown New Smyrna Beach.

Crews arrived on scene at 431 Canal Street 11:41 a.m. today to find the worker was still on the roof and in critical condition.

Has NSB man who allegedly murdered his grandma set up insanity defense by turning himself in to the FBI in Daytona?

Patrick Campbell escorted from FBI in Daytona by New Smyrna Beach cops chargd with murdering his grandmother / Headline Surfer®Patrick Campbell jail mug charged with 1st degree murder / Headline Surfer®Photos for Headline Surfer® /
Patrick Campbell is escorted in handcuffs Thursday from the office of the FBI in Daytona Beach to a waiting New Smyrna Beach PD squad car and a short time later charged with first-degree murder in the bludgeoning of his 64-year-old grandmother, Darlene Robertson. Inset: Campbell's mugshot  is shown at the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach where he's being held without bail.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The last place anyone perhaps might have thought a man wanted for questioning by New Smyrna Beach police in the bludgeoning death of his grandmother would re-surface within the next 48 hours would be the FBI in Daytona Beach. But that's exactly what Patrick Campbell did Thursday morning just before high noon.

77. South Daytona cops: Man attacks ATM with hatchet

Top 100 Local Stories of 2014 in Central Florida / Headline Surfer®

YouTube download / Scene from movie, 'Burn After Reading' with scene starring Brad Pitt as dim-witted Chad Feldheimer, John Malkovich as Osbourne Cox and Frances McDormand s Linda Litzke. Warning: Video clip contains raw language.

Phillip Moore arrested om vandalism charges in 2014 for allegedly whacking an ATM with a hatchet / Headline Surfer®SOUTH DAYTONA, Fla. -- "Appearances can be deceptive." So goes the one-liner in the comedy spoof on espionage in the 2008 movie, "Burn After Reading." Such a one-liner could apply to local resident Phillip Moore, who rides a biycle like the dim-witted Brad Pitt character, Chad Feldheimer.

Gov. Rick Scott appoints private attorney Gisela Laurent of Winter Garden to state juvenile justice panel

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Attorney Gisela Laurent of Winter Garden appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to jjuvenile justice panel / Headline Surfer®WINTER GARDEN, Fla. -- Gisela Laurent, 38, of Winter Garden, president of Laurent Law Firm PA, has been appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to fill an open seat on the Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention State Advisory Group. Her term ends at the discretion of the governor.

Located in Orlando, the Laurent law firm specializes in criminal defense, family law and immigration law.

Windemere's Roger Stevens re-appointed by governor to Fla's Continuing Care Advisory Council

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Roger Stevens, 64, of Windemere, re-appointed to state advisrory council by Gov. Rick Scott / Headline Surfer®WINDEMERE, Fla. - Roger Stevens, 64, of Windemere, the chief executive officer of Westminster Communities of Florida, has been re-appointed by Gov. Scott to the Continuing Care Advisory Council. Stevens' new term ends Sept 30, 2017. He was among three re-appointed to the state advisory panel.

New Smyrna Beach cops: Elderly woman found beaten to death in home; search under way for victim's car

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NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- A 64-year-old woman was found beaten to death in her home at 405 DeSoto Drive by her grown son, New Smyrna Beach police said.

Here is a synopsis of the what occurred after NSBPD received a 9-1-1 call at 10:24 a.m. as described by police spookesman Sgt. Shane Riggle: Earlier this morning, the son of Darlene Robertson responded to her residence at after she did not show up for work today. "