Local News Now

Lack of public information continuing pattern of Police Chief Michael Chitwood

DAYTONA BEACH -- A 9-year-old boy brought 23 rounds of ammo Tuesday to Ortona Elementary School at 1265 N. Grandview Ave., but the Daytona Beach Police Department did not post any information about the incident on its "press release" website.

Some area media outlets are being provided information on a regular basis while a news blackout continues against Headline Surfer on orders of Police Chief Michael Chitwood in retaliation for the 24/7 Internet newspaper's awards from the Florida Press Club for its story on Chitwood's promotion of a patrol supervisor last spring despite allegations of mistreatment of women cops under his command.

Motor sports enthusiast to showcase talents Feb. 13 at News-Journal Center

Photo for Headline Surfer / Mike Curb, founder/CEO of Curb Records, shown here at left, will headline a special show Feb. 13 at the News-Journal Center, 221 N. Beach St. 

DAYTONA BEACH -- Entrepreneurial advice, insight and personal experience will highlight an evening with Mike Curb, one of the most renowned names in music and motor sports, when the L. Gale Lemerand Center for Entrepreneurship at Daytona State College kicks off its 2013 speaker series on Wednesday, Feb. 13.

The event, which is free and open to the public, begins at 7 p.m. at the News-Journal Center in downtown Daytona Beach.

Patrons will have the opportunity to meet the founder/CEO of Curb Records and learn how he built the company into one of the largest and most respected labels in the recording industry and helped launch the careers of some of the biggest names in music.

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES -- Over the past couple of weeks we have witnessed a classic example of Hillary Clinton’s normal level of operation. She fails at a major task, takes all of the responsibility but none of the blame, and emerges smelling like a rose.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Mortgage interest deductions. Flood insurance. Short sale and foreclosure mortgage forgiveness. Property insurance. Commercial Business Taxes. Private property rights. New Federal banking rules. The upcoming Florida Legislative Session. Economic growth and opportunity. The housing market. Settlement payments for improperly foreclosed upon homeowners.

Headline Surfer photo /Adam Barringer acknowledged during his 2009 campaign for mayor that he received a DUI when he was in his early 20s.

DAYTONA BEACH -- New Smyrna Beach Mayor Adam Barringer is far from alone among past or present elected officials in Volusia County with less than stellar driving records.

In the wake of his latest run-in with a New Smyrna Beach cop, Headline Surfer looked at driver-related offenses of County Council members. 

DAYTONA BEACH -- Volusia County Sheriff's deputy David Fuller has been placed on administrative suspension with pay following his arrest Friday night that resulted from a domestic disturbance with his wife.

Deputies responded to the disturbance and arrested Fuller on two misdemeanor offenses, battery and assault, Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said.

Fuller, 41, was off-duty at the time of the incident. He has worked for the Sheriff's Office since March 2004 and is assigned to court security at the Daytona Beach Courthouse Annex.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- When pre-teen Scott Johnson went to the barber for a haircut, he took his father's advice to heart of striking up a conversation: In doing so, he learned that the barber was a stockbroker for 12 years, or so he was told, thinking to himself, "And he cuts hair, too."

A killing in Osteen may be connected to drug growing operating on Trotting Trail as shown in this locator map.

OSTEEN -- A body found in a wooded area of Osteen in April was later identified as 34-year-old Lester Bermudez-Garcia, who was murdered, the Volusia County Sheriff's office confirmed May 2.

The slaying comes in at No. 65 in Headline Surfer's countdown of the top 100 local stories of 2012.