Local News Now

The latest on former New Smyrna Beach City Commissioner Jim Hathaway tops local news coverage early this Saturday morning in the Google News Directories as shown here in this snapshot graphic.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Jim Hathaway's recent "surprise" party has led to the announcement that he's going to be the grand marshal for the 2012 New Smyrna Beach Christmas Parade that will be held Dec. 1.

A community blog by New Smyrna Beach High School junior Cheyenne Drews asking citizens to sign a petition to have voters reconsider a referendum for additional school district funding that was rejected in the Nov. 6 general election.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The New Smyrna Beach High School’s football team was in the headlines for its undefeated streak in the regular season. Cudas Pride is exploding, but there’s an underlying problem that isn’t being acknowledged.

Investigative Reports: How Robert Lott acquired taxpayer and private dollars only to seek bankruptcy protection for upwards of half a million in debts

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Robert Wayne Lott was once the financial kingpin of Flagler Avenue: president of the Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce, member of the hospital's board of trustees and purchaser with his wife of the weekly Observer newspaper. But despite his inside connections and influence to access taxpayer dollars, he got out from upwards of half a million in debts through federal bankruptcy.

After a nearly year-long investigation, Headline Surfer will tell you who the creditors were, where the money came from and who the players were along the way. The 24/7 Internet newspaper's "Show Me the Money" investigative report on Lott will be published Sunday.

Photo for Headline Surfer / There is plenty of family fun with two free holiday movie showings sponsored by Port Orange Family Days at the amphitheather at the city center.

PORT ORANGE -- The Port Orange Family Days gets the holiday season in full swing Dec. 7 and 14 with "free" showings of the modern classics Home Alone and Beethoven's Christmas Adventure in the Kenneth W. Parker Amphitheater at Port Orange City Center, 1999 City Center Circle.

FDLE: Several thousand porn images located on home computer

FDLE agents, along with Altamonte Springs cops, obtained a search warrant and then moved in on the 582 Sable Palms Circle residence of 34-year-old Alan Smith where they said they found several thousand child porn images in his desktop computer on Tuesday.

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS -- A 34-year-old Altamonte Springs man has been arrested on charges of possession of child pornography for allegedly having several thousand porn images of children on his home computer, officials with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said.