Top 100 Stories

Sea turtle 'Francis' to be freed from Marine Science Center after rehab for partially-amputated flipper off NSB waters

Francis, 6 pound gree sea turtle to be released back into the Atlantic Ocean / Headline Surfer®PONCE INLET, Fla. -- Due to rough surf and weather conditions, the release back into the Atlantic waters won't come until Thursday for a 6-pound green sea turtle rehabbing at the Marine Science Center from a partially amputated flipper.

The release of the turtle, named "Francis" was to be today, but because of the rough surf, the turtle's release has been tentatively rescheduled to 3 p.m. Thursday. Staff expects to release him at 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, at the Beach Street ramp in Ponce Inlet.

BARGAINING RIGHTS: Daytona cops dump Teamsters in favor of PBA by voting margin of nearly 2 to 1

Daytona Beach cops leave Teamsters for PBA / Headline Surfer®Mike Scudiero, PBa represents Daytona PD / Headline Surfer®Teamsters Bob Walker / Headline Surfer®DPPD Chief Mike Chitwood / Headline Surfer®Photos for Headline Surfer® /
Mike Scudiero, staff representative for the Coastal Florida Police Benevolent Association (shown at far left), is pleased Daytona Beach police officers have terminated their 20-year relationship with the Teamsters in favor of his union's representation. Teamsters 385 Business Agent Bob Walker is not talking about the switch. Police Chief Mike Chitwood isn't either.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The Teamsters' 20-year stranglehold on bargaining rights for the rank-and-file cops in Volusia County's largest municipal police force come to an abrupt end Thursday night.

6th Congressional GOP candidate Adam Barringer makes taxpayer protection pledge

Party Lines Political Notebook / Headline Surfer®

Raised taxes 2 years in in a row as NSB mayor while not paying his own

Congressional candidate Adam Barringer raised taxes as NSB mayor without paying his own / Headline Surfer®

NEW SMYERNA BEACH, Fla. -- Sixth Congressional candidate Adam Barringer, whose political career is built on a flimsy house of cards with his charm and good looks as selling points, himself up, is now touting himself as "the first candidate in the race to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge!"

St. Cloud City Council tabs Joe Helfenberger of Iowa as manager

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Joe Helfenberger of Iowa the new city manager in St Cloud, FL / Headline Surfer®Photo for Headline Surfer® /
Joe Helenberger, shown here in Ottumwa, Iowa, where he has announced his resignation, has been hired as St. Cloud's next city manager.

ST. CLOUD, Fla. -- By a unanimous vote, the St. Cloud City Council has tabbed Joe Helfenberger of Ottumwa, Iowa, as its new city manager with a starting salary of $159,000.

Helfenberger, who has a master’s in public administration, has 30 years of experience in local government management in several cities in Iowa and Wisconsin.  His new job will pay him $37,000 more than what he was making in Iowa.

Osceola County Sheriff's Office: Kissimmee man victim of drowning in Shingle Creek

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Matthew Gilmore of Kissimmee is a drowning victim / Headline Surfer®Photo for Headline Surfer® /
Matthew Gilmore, shown left, of Kissimmee, FL, drowned on or before Sept. 27 near the Shingle Creek bridge, according to the Osceola County Sheriff's Office. 

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- The Medical Examiner's Office has positively identified a body found in Shingle Creek as that of Matthew Gilmore, 39, from Kissimmee, and determined his cause of death as a drowning.

The incident does not appear suspicious, therefore, Osceola County Sheriff's detectives are investigating this as an accidental drowning and are working with the Medical Examiner's Office to determine if drugs or alcohol may have been a factor in his death, according to a press release.

Kissimmee pilot, woman in mobile home killed in plane crash near West Palm Beach

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Dan Golloway, ofKissimmee, piloting a small plane, died Tuewsday when it crashewd near West Palm Beach, FL. / Headline Surfer® Photos for Headline Surfer® /
Daniel Shalloway, 64, of Osceola County, a pilot and business owner, was killed Tuesday night when he crashed into a mobile home near West Palm Beach. A resident of the home was killed, too.

Dan Shalloway of Osceola County killed in plane crash / Headline Surfer®WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A Kissimmee pilot who lost his life and claimed that of a woman in a mobile home when his small plane crashed Tuesday was remembered as a man who "lived for adventure."

"Dan lived for adventure -- (he) loved to fly," said Alan Byrd, who worked with the doomed pilot, Daniel Shalloway, who was the founder of Machine Gun America, a Kissimmee business whose customers shoot automatic machine guns and other firearms. "He was an engineer by trade and actively involved in politics. He was passionate about his community,"

Kissimmee cops: Firearms recovered from juveniles

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Guns recovered from Kissimmee High School students

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Kissimmee Police Department working with officials at Osceola High School have recovered two unloaded guns that were brought on campus on two separate occasions.

"The first incident occurred on Sept. 28, when a student made staff members aware that the male student had brought a gun to school," Kissimmee Police spokeswoman Stacie Miller told HeadlineSurfer.com. "The School Resource Officer located the student and recovered the unloaded .380 handgun. The second incident occurred on Oct. 7, when a student made a teacher aware that a male student had showed him a gun while in class."

Miller said the secind student was located by the school resource fficer and the unloaded .380 handgun was recovered. Both students were arrested and taken to the Juvenile Detention Center in Orange County.

Kissimmee cops team up with Special Olympics Florida Osceola County athletes for family-Friendly game of kickball

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KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Kissimmee Police and Special Olympics Florida announce the first annual Heroes vs. Heroes Kickball Challenge 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today today at the Kissimmee Lakefront Park.

Members of the Kissimmee Police Department will team up with Osceola County Special Olympic athletes for two family friendly kickball games that will be officiated by characters from Medieval Times. The event will also consist of carnival games, raffles, a DJ, bounce house and food trucks. The public is encouraged to attend and cheer on the players while supporting Special Olympics Florida.