Top 100 Stories

County Council to discuss buffer for Daytona Beach International Airport

DAYTONA BEACH -- The Volusia County Council will discuss the land use and future management plan process for the Daytona Beach International Airport buffer at 10 a.m. Thursday during the County Council meeting, spokeswoman Pat Kuehn said.

This discussion is a follow-up to action taken by the County Council about the airport during the Dec. 4 meeting, Kuehn said.

Volusia Sheriff: Osteen murder suspect in custody

OSTEEN -- David Wright, Jr., the suspect in the Dec. 5 homicide in the parking lot of a service station in Osteen, has been arrested, Volusia County Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said.

Acting on information developed by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, Seminole deputies responded to the Seminole Garden Apartments in Sanford this morning and located Wright inside one of the units.

Blood drive Saturday in Edgewater in honor of firefighter -- goodies for those who give

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EDGEWATER -- The Edgewater Fire-Rescue will host a blood drive and bone marrow screening Saturday in honor of Miami-Dade Firefighter Catherine Wall, who is fighting Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a very serious and aggressive disease of the bone marrow, said Edgewater Fire-Rescue spokeswoman Lt. Jill Danigel.

Wall is a 24-year veteran of MDFR and has received various accolades for her volunteerism and community involvement, said Danigel, also Edgewater's fire marshal.

County to meet with firefighters' union on Monday

DELAND -- TheV olusia County Personnel Division and representatives of the International Association of Firefighters union, which represent county firefighters will meet 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday to discuss collective bargaining negotiations, said Dave Byron, Volusia County chief spokesman.

The two sides will meet in the second floor conference room of the Volusia County Personnel Division, 230 N. Woodland Blvd., Suite 262, DeLand.

The meeting was originally slated for Wednesday, but moved up to Monday.

For more information, please call (386) 736-5951.

Christmas spirit theme of Saturday's Art Walk on NSB's Flagler Avenue

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Photo by Sandi Carroll for NSBNEWS.net. Cutline: Jason Lott smiles as he makes a glass ornament at Galleria di Vetro Dec. 5. Lott, along with Kyle Carni and Vaigale Duers-Stevens, will demonstrate flameworking as part of Art Walk on Flagler Avenue, which will be held 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Santa will slip away from his workshop and busy schedule to visit Art Walk on Flagler Avenue on Saturday.

He knows that it is the perfect place to take a relaxing stroll and do some last minute shopping. Santa will be on the avenue until from, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., then he must get back to work at the North Pole. So bring your cameras and your "wish list" to the gazebo at Flagler and Pine streets.

You can visit this special holiday Art Walk from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., as you avoid the traffic and the crowds at the malls and stroll along Flagler Avenue, the charming five blocks between the Indian River and the ocean.

Festival of Lights to be held Saturday at DeBary Hall

DEBARY -- The City of DeBary will present the fifth annual Festival of Lights at DeBary Hall Historic Site, 210 Sunrise Blvd., from 6 - 9 p.m. Saturday, Volusia County spokeswoman Pat Kuehn reported.

"The festival will feature a laser light show, concessions and holiday music," Kuehn said. "A children’s area will include bounce houses, cotton candy, popcorn, face painting and Santa’s Workshop, where parents can take pictures of their children with Santa Claus. Children also can enjoy “Storytime with Mrs. Claus” on the mansion’s veranda.

Volusia Sheriff's deputies to hold Christmas party Thursday for kids at fairgrounds

DELAND -- Volusia County Sheriff's deputies will play host Thursday night at the agency's annual holiday program for underprivileged children in Volusia County, Sheriff's spokeswoman Judie Edwards said.

Now in its 20th year, the 100 Deputies/100 Kids program will welcome approximately 250 children to the festive holiday event at the Volusia County Fairgrounds/Agricultural Center on State Road 44 east of DeLand.

Mother Nature continues to fascinate

Photo by Capt. Budd Neviaser for NSBNEWS.net. Cutline: These wild turkeys in New Smyrna Beach avoided becoming a Thanksgiving dinner.

These No Karenia brevis, the Florida red tide organism, was detected in the samples collected from Mosquito Lagoon, Indian River lagoon, or the Banana River, thus far this month.

Christmas Tree lit up atop Bert Fish Medical Center

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NSBNEWS.net video by Sera King. Video highlights: Performances by the Showdolls and singer Roxi Tomei and the lighting of the Christmas tree atop Bert Fish Medical Center.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Christmas came early to Bert Fish Medical Center. Santa Claus pressed the button to light up the Christmas tree atop the hospital and performances by the Showdolls of New Smyrna Beach High School highlighted Sunday night's entertainment before some 500 people.

Though the crowd thinned considerably after the first 90 minutes of the 6 p.m. gathering in front of the hospital, dozens remained to the end to see the tree lit up shortly before 8:30 p.m.

"Lights of Love" was the theme of the evening, sponsored by the Bert Fish Medical Center Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the hospital that raised $12,000 for the hospital through this event, said Garry Mac, hospital spokesman who served as emcee.

Volusia residents can appeal by Dec. 9 if denied FEMA clean-up assistance for T.S. Fay

DELAND -- Emergency Management officials are advising citizens affected by Tropical Storm Fay they may have a second chance for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Volusia County spokeswoman Shelley Szafraniec.

Citizens who applied for disaster assistance from FEMA following the storm - and later received a letter stating they were not eligible for disaster aid - may be able to reopen the chance for disaster assistance with an appeal letter. Appeal letters are due to FEMA by Tuesday, Dec. 9.