Local News Now

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Like father, like son: For the first time in the history of the police department, the City of New Smyrna Beach has two generations of police officers.

When deciding which police department he wanted to work for, Shawn Adkins, son of NSBPD Investigator David Atkins, said it was an easy decision: “My Dad has been really successful at this agency and I have always felt like it was part of my family.”

DAYTONA BEACH -- With his thrilling victory in the crash-marred Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola under the lights Saturday at Daytona International Speedway, 5-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson remains atop the season standings.

Photo for Headline Surfer / Victor Oladipo was in action Sunday in the Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League opener at the Amway Center, scoring 18 points with seven assists, six rebounds, five steals and two 3-pointers in the Magic’s 95-88 defeat of the Boston Celtics. The Magic are hoping the Oladipo, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, can transition from college shooting guard to NBA point guard.

ORLANDO -- The Orlando Magic have signed rookie guard Victor Oladipo, who was drafted second overall by the team in the 2013 NSBA draft, General Manager Rob Hennigan has announced.

Headline Surfer graphic / A man drowned mid-day Saturday in the ocean ocean in the vicinity of the 600  in the 600 block of South Atlantic Avenue, in Ormond Beach, as shown in this locator map.

ORMOND BEACH -- The Fourth of July weekend has taken a tragic turn in Ormond Beach with a report that a 30-year-old man drowned earlier today in the waters off Ormond Beach.

The victim, whose name was not released was pulled to shore just before noon and treated on scene before transport to Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center in Daytona Beach where he was pronounced dead a short time later, Volusia County sheriff's dispatch Sgt. Mike Chilcot told Headline Surfer.

DAYTONA BEACH -- NASCAR is pulling out all the stops for the fans at Daytona International Speedway prior to tonight's Coke Zero 400 race from Daytona International Speedway.

Photo for Headline Surfer / Donna Jane Bennett, mayor of Oak Hill from 1992-'99, died 10 years after her tenure as mayor.

OAK HILL -- Though she was mayor of Oak Hill for the better part of the 1990s, not much has been chronicled the on the relatively short life of former Mayor Donna Jane Bennett, who died unexpectedly in 2009. She was 57.

Bennett's passing comes in at No. 494 in Headline Surfer's Top 500 countdown as part off its 5th anniversary coverage.

Family and friends paid their final respects to the life-long Oak Hill resident in a May 19 service at the First Baptist Church, with the Rev. Emerson Bolton, Sr., officiating.

Bennett died three days earlier at Florida Hospital Ormond Memorial. The circumstances that led to her passing were kept private.

Photo for Headline Surfer / Gov. Rick Scott reflects on meaning of holiday.

NAPLES -- Gov. Rick Scott released the following statement Wednesday from Naples on the eve of the nation's independence celebration: “Ann and I join all Floridians in celebrating our freedom as Americans and remembering our country’s great heritage this 4th of July holiday."

Scott continued: "As we spend Independence Day with our family, we are reminded of those who cannot do the same because they have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. This week, we honor those who have served in the past and are serving our country at home and abroad today."

Photo for Headline Surfer / At left is a poster announcing a contest seeking a new name for the City of Oak Hill with prizes for winning entries.

OAK HILL -- The poster says it all: Wanted! Motto for the City of Oak Hill.

"Obviously, we want to promote our city," Oak Hill Mayor Douglas Gibson told Headline Surfer, echoing the verbiage in the Old West wanted poster.

As he rightfully pointed out, Orlando has a great motto: The City Beautiful. And Daytona's is known around the globe: "The World's Most Famous Beach."

So why not Oak Hill?

"We have endless possibilities for a bright future for our city," said Gibson, elected in November. "A motto would be great."