Local News Now

NEW SMYRNA BEACH --. A 17-year-old Mims girl is the first shark-bite victim for 2009 in Volusia County, where a record 24 attacks were reported last year.

The girl was surfing just south of Ponce de Leon Inlet Wednesday evening when she got nipped, a bite small enough that Band-Aids were used and stitches averted, the Beach Patrol reported.

This year's shark season has gotten off to a later start compared to 2008, when the first bite was Feb. 17.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Award-winning fiber artist and quilter Lauren Austin will appear at the New Smyrna Beach Regional Library at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 25, as part
of the Live in the Library arts and entertainment series. Austin will show her newest work documenting recent projects in Kenya and the Bahamas and will discuss her experiences, techniques and life-long obsession with fabric.

Her quilt, “Journeys Begin from Home,” was one of 44 selected worldwide for the Historical Society of Washington’s exhibit, “Quilts for Obama,” to celebrate President Barack Obama’s inauguration.

I read a very interesting article today about recycling and reusing nuclear waste. You know, that stuff the government has terrified us about for years and has buried in Yucca Mountain . Whenever the notion of more nuclear power plants comes up the first thing that happens is the chatter about the waste. What will we do with all the waste?

Come to find out, we can reprocess this material with relative ease and effectiveness. The problem is the government has made that process illegal.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Spring begins Friday, but its beautiful weather is here already. Residents and visitors - including many spring breakers - are getting
out and enjoying Volusia County’s beaches, but are reminded to stay safe while enjoying the 47 miles of county beaches, officials say.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The citizen who first wrote to the city earlier this year to question the validity of the Angler's Club lease agreement with the city for primate riverfront propety is at it again. He e-mailed the city again last night demanding answers as to the veracity of the longstanding lease he and others have dismissed as a "sweethart deal" that favors the rich.

Harvey T.K. Mitchell continued his call for an independent outside counsel, something at least two other residents -- William Kolesczar and William Gerhartz -- asked for at the March 10 City Commission meeting.

Editor's Note: The following was written by the staff of Congresswoman Susanne Kosmas, D-New Smyrna Beach.

(Washington, DC) - Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24) commented on the announcement by President Obama and the U.S. Department of Energy that Florida will receive more than $300 million for energy efficiency grants and weatherization as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Could you be the next Tiger Woods? You can find out by playong in Saturday's golf outing at the Hidden Lakes Golf Course to benefit New Smyrna Beach High School's Project Graduation,.a drug- and alcohol-free event for graduating seniors.

Here are the plannrd events:

8 a.m.-noon, 4 Person Best Ball Scramble Shotgun Start (all ages welcome)
$60 Per Person;
$200 Per Foursome;
$100 Hole Sponsor;
Cart, Green Fees, Range Balls, 50/50, Mulligans, Coffee & Doughnuts,
BBQ lunch provided by Duke Daniels BBQ.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A “Culinary Art Walk,” will be held from 10 a.m.-5 pm. March 28, with area chefs presenting demonstrations in addition to the variety of interesting
and unique art works displayed by resident and visiting artists on Flagler Avenue.

The event is held in the five blocks between the Indian River and the ocean; and also includes entertainment, demonstrations, and a free prize drawing. Art Walk on Flagler is held the fourth Saturday of each month.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A 5-acre brush fire on Turnbull Bay Road earlier this afternoon destroyed some fencing, but did not touch half a dozen homes in its potential path, Volusia County officials said.

The 4 p.m. fire just west of the city limits was extinguished by fire crews from thecounty, New Smyrna Beach, Port Orange and the Florida Division of Forestry, said Shelly Szafraniec, Volusia Fire Services spokeswoman.

Szafraniec said no evacuations werre ordered, though several families left on their own and Turnbull Bay Road was closed to through traffic while firefighters fought