Top 100 Stories

JetBlue to launch service between Daytona Beach International Airport & New York City's JFK year from now

JetBlue to offer flights from New York City's JFK to Daytona Beach Int'l Airport in Feb 2016 / Headline Surfer®JetBleue to offer flights between JFK & Daytona Beach Int'l Airport / Headline Surfer®Photos for Headline Surfer® /
Daytona Beach International Airport is getting a third air carrier in JetBlue in February 2016, to compliment Delta and US Airways.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Central Florida’s Daytona Beach International Airport will become a new destination for New York City's JFK Airport-based a year from now, the air carrier announced Friday.

The carrier will operate daily service from Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (IATA code JFK) to Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB), using Airbus A320 jets configured with 150 or 165 seats.

And nobody in Volusia County government is happier with the news than first-term County Chair Jason Davis, who put a premium on economic development and tourism as major points in his 2012 election campaign. 

Daytona 500 tickets hawked on Facebook by Speedway in hopes of putting fannies in new plastic seats

Key Words
Speedweeks/Daytona 500
Daytona International Speedway hawking Daytona 500 tickets on Facebook / Headline Surfer®Graphic for Headline Surfer® /
At left is an example of the ongoing ad campaign on Facebook by Daytona International Speedway to push ticket sales for the Feb. 22 running of the Daytona 500. Multiple Speedway videos inside featuring Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Like a used-car salesman, Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood, III, has been talking about the new wider plastic seats installed as part of the $400 million Daytona Rising. And he's turned to Facebook to put fannies in those seats, even though a sellout is iffy.

So DIS has turned to Facebook. Yes, Facebook. Imagine the ridicule the NFL would face for pushing Superbowl tickets on the the social media site. After all, the Daytona 500 is billed as the Superbowl of NASCAR.

NASCAR media Day at Daytona: Dale Earnhardt Jr. says goal is to perfom well in The Chase

Dale Earnhardt Jr wins the 2014 Dayton 500 / Headline Surfer®
Headline Surfer YouTube download / Video by FOX Sports
Fox Sports interviews Dale Earnhardt, Jr., reigning Daytona 500 champion during Wednesday's Media Day at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- HeadlineSurfer.com was denied media credentials for Speedweeks 2015 because of its exclusive coverage of the billionaire France Family's (and proxies ) of a quarter million bucks in the campaign coffers of politicians in hopes of obtaining $250 million in taxpayer subsidies. So the internet newspaper turned to YouTube to provide coverage of what drivers like 2014 Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. had to say.

Five reasons why Dale Earnhardt Jr. could go back-to-back victories in the Daytona 500

 

YouTube Downloads / NASCAR videos /
Highlights of the 2004 & 2014 Daytona 500 rces won by Dale Ernhardt Jr.
 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. goes for back-to-back Daytona 500 victoris / Headline Surfer®DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- There are many reasons to like Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s chances of winning the Daytona 500 for a second consecutive time. Here are five reasons in particular as observed by HeadlineSurfer.com:

• 1. PROVEN WINNER: He's already a two-time winner of the Great American Race, winning the first time in 2004 and again in 2014;

• 2. BLOODLINES: He's the son of the legendary Dale Earnhardt Sr., seven-time NASCAR cup champion and 1998 winner of the Daytona 500;

• 3. HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS: Junior is a driver for Rick Hendrick's team, the very best in stock car racing;

New Smyrna Beach to hire Mike Coffin as its next top cop

Mike Coffin to be new chief of police in New Smyrna Beach / Headline Surfer®NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- On Tuesday, municipl leaders will take formal action to confirm 54-year-old Mike Coffin as the city’s top cop, s forgone covlusion since he's the hand-picjked choice of the city manager.

He also was the strongst candidate ranked informally by Mayor Jim Hathaway. 

"i like his experience and his appraoch to policing -- his no-nonsense approach to serving the public," Hathaway told Headline Surfer®.

Video REWIND: Dale Earnhardt Jr. funny on Jimmy Kimmel

Dale Earnhardt Jr appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live / Headline Surfer®

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. knows how to get the job done when it comes to racing at Daytona as the countdown begins for Speedweeks and the 500 race on Feb. 22. But Earnhardt was nervous as all nervous heck in the hours leading up to his appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," last September to hype NASCAR's Chase championship format.

Attendance booster: Sprint Unlimited race at Daytona to be split into 2 segments; select fans paired with crew chiefs

Headline Surfer® Youtube download / Video by Full NASCAR Races /
Enjoy thecomplwte race coverage of the 2014 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. In hopes of beefing up attendance at this year's Sprint (notice empty seats in image below) as shown during spin-out crash involving Jimmy Jognson in rthe No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet, NASCAR will pare select fans with crew chiefs of the racers. 

Jimmy Johnsaon wrecks in 2014 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona / Headline Surfer®Jimmy Joghnson's car torn up in crash in Sprint Unlimited 2014 race from Daytona / Headline Surfer®DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Select fans will be paired with crew chiefs foe the Sprint Unlimited, a new way to boost attendance for the opening Speedweeks race at Daytona International Speedway.

NASCAR has announced that the Speedweeks 75-lap Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday will be split into two segments. A competition caution at lap 25 will separate the segments in the non-points event, scheduled for an 8:15 p.m. ET start . 

And brand new this year, select fans will be paired with each crew chief for a random drawing to determine starting and pit road positions. The drawings will take place 3:30 p.m. Friday at the FDOT Main Stage inside the Sprint FanZone.

88. Newborn sperm whale dies after beaching itself in Daytona Beach Shores

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

Baby sperm whale beaches itself to die in Daytona Beach Shores, FL on Oct. 11, 2014 / Headline Surfer®DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla. -- The discovery of a beached whale in October was a story with a sad ending, but certainly a part of nature.

The discovery of a 10-foot sperm whale in the 2600 block of South Atlantic Avenue on the shore around noon on Saturday Oct. 11, drew dozens of onlookers, said Beach Safety spokeswoman Tamra Marris. The whale was not euthanized as some media outlets reported, but died on its own just before rescuers arrived. 

Fred Lowry uses VCSO district groundbreaking for self-promotion, but silent on low pay for deputies & sergeants

Fred Lowery speaking and self promoting in DeBary, FL / Headline Surfer®Dis 5 county councilman does bidding for influential Daytona insiders who comprised 80% of his campaign funding while dissing media asking about transparency

DEBARY, Fla. -- The newest member of the Volusia County Council has already shown his true colors when it comes to transparency and the opportunity to stand tall for under-paid Sheriff's deputies and sergeants who were negotiating with management in good faith last month when the county declared an impasse -- walked away from talks.

89. VCSO: New Smyrna Beach-area man dies in early morning November house fire

Top 100 Local Stories of 2014 in Central Florida / Headline Surfer®
New Smyrna Beach house fire claims man sleeping inside / Headline Surfer®Danny Henry perished in a house fire on Nov, 6, 2014 in NSB / Headline Surfer®Photos for Headline Surfer® /
Danny Henry, 44, perished in a fire that engulfed his concrete block home on 302 Oak St., just outside the New Smyrna Beach city limits, shortly after midnight on Nov. 6. His brother, who also lived there, escaped the flames, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- A house fire near New Smyrna Beach during the early morning hours of Nov. 6, claimed the life of a 44-year-old man, identified a short time lster that day as Danny Henry, who lived there with his brother.