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Blackwater Music and Arts Festival Review Florida gets trash-talked a lot, especially by many of the teens and twenty-somethings who are who are living there. However, despite what the kids might say, Florida has some real gems and sparkling locales that are often overlooked or remain unknown. The Spirit of the Suwanee Music Park near Live Oak, FL is perhaps one of the greatest of these natural treasures and it is the site of numerous music festival ranging from large scale rock extravaganzas to small time folk and bluegrass jamborees. Its most recent

Barring cataclysms such as war nations, especially great nations, do not collapse overnight. Nations fall bit by painful bit, over many years, sometimes in such tiny slices that their own citizens do not realize what is happening around them. The Roman Empire’s fall took centuries. Europe collapsed between the years 1914-1945.

The surf temperature is in the low 80s. Catches of whiting and bluefish describe the past week’s activity in the surf and piers. In Ponce Inlet, there has been plenty of redfish activity and some tarpon have also been caught and released.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Sunday, Oct. 16, Is National Feral Cat Day, but Volusia County is extending it to the whole month of October. Halifax Humane Society is offering FREE cat spays and neuters along with shots every friday in October. Yes, FREE! Now there is no excuse for not spaying or neutering you cat.

By JIM HATHAWAY

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Earlier this week, the citizens of Volusia County were given a demonstration in functional, common sense government.

The Turnbull Bay Bridge, a vital artery for the residents of the Turnbull Bay area, was reopened after an efficient and effective repair job paid for by the City of New Smyrna Beach and the County of Volusia.

Republican Eric Cantor has the nerve to call the demonstrators against Wall Street a “Mob.” That tells me that he is afraid of the American people who are rising up against the politicians and just may get him and others ousted from their cushy congressional seats.

NSBNews.net photo by Henry Frederick / Volusia County Councilman Frank Bruno is tops in campaign contributions in the 2012 elections in his bid for state senator with $118,700 as of Friday, and NSBNews.net is first with the story.

DELAND — Frank Bruno's campaign for state senate announced today that the Democrat has generated a six-figure haul in campaign contributions from hundreds of donors across the voting district.

The total as of 1 p.m. today is $118,700 for Volusia County Council Chairman Bruno in his race race for the seat held by term-limited Evelyn Lynn. His likely Republican opponent is Republican State Rep. Dorothy Hukill.

“The outpouring of support from hundreds of supporters in this community sends a strong message to Tallahassee: it’s time for a change in leadership,” Bruno told NSBNews.net.

DELTONA -- Come enjoy the hauntingly good music of Jim Nelson “The Entertainer” as the city celebrates the Deltona Parks & Recreation Senior Halloween Costume Ball, 5-8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 21 at the Lakeshore Community Center, 980 Lakeshore Drive.

Wear your best costume as prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place in a costume contest. Tickets are $2 at the door, but the sinister snacks are free. Door prizes will be awarded and photographers from the photo department at Walgreens will take pictures available for purchase at Walgreens the next day.

Ellen Darden, president of the New Smyrna Beach Board of Realtors, is making a second consecutive run for the district 3 seat on the Volusia County Council. At this point, her competition would come from New Smyrna Beach Vice Mayor and Commissioner Jim Hathaway, shown in the smaller photo

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Ellen Darden announced today that she is running in the 2012 election for the County Council seat held by outgoing Joie Alexander, who is not seeking re-election to that post.

Darden said she spoke with the incumbent before throwing her name in the ring for the position that represents Southeast Volusia. “I have spoken to Councilwoman Alexander, and she is definitely not running again for the District 3 seat,” Darden said.

NEW SMYRNA Beach -- They waited 40 day and 40 nights in Noah's Ark. For those who live near the Turnbull Bay Bridge, the wait was 56 days and then the county reopened it.