Local News Now

NSBNews.net photo by Sera Frederick / George Richford, a controversial figure on the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority, has resigned in the wake of the scandal involving the taxing agency's fired director, Nicole Carni.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The fallout from scandals with New Smyrna Beach's two special taxing authorities continues with the sudden resignation of George Richford from the board of the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority.

Richford's letter to Volusia County Council member Joyce Cusack was short and to the point: "Please accept my resignation, effective immediately from the SVAA Board. Thank you for the appointment."

A ruling by Circuit Judge William Parsons, chief judge of the 7th judicial circuit, denied condemned death row murderer Jerone Hunter, shown here, a chance at having his death sentences set aside for his role in the 2004 Deltona Xbox murders of six people in a Telford Lane home, the largest mass murder case in Volusia County's history.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Mass murderer Jerone Hunter is not getting off Florida's death row anytime soon, if ever, after a circuit judge's ruling Wednesday that he failed to prove ineffective assistance of counsel at his capital murder trial six years ago.

DEBARY -- Scott Marlowe, author of “The Cryptid Creatures of Florida,” will discuss sea serpent sightings in Florida at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at DeBary Hall Historic Site, 201 Sunrise Blvd.

Marlowe is a cryptozoologist - a person who searches for animals whose existence has not been proven - and is known for his efforts to document sightings of bigfoot-like creatures known in Florida as the skunk ape. He has traveled the world for more than 30 years collecting and analyzing accounts of strange animal encounters and legends. He studied at Polk Community College and Rollins College and taught an online course called “Cryptids in Myth, Legend and Folklore” at Florida Keys Community College last fall.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Adults can learn about computers, e-readers, gardening and more at the New Smyrna Beach Regional Library this February. Upcoming programs include:

● E-books and e-readers: Wednesday, Feb. 1. Librarian Tobey Mason and Library Assistant Kristin Heifner will show patrons how to use the library’s downloadable media options including Freegal’s free and legal music downloads and Overdrive’s popular audio books and e-books. They will focus on Nooks at 9:30 a.m. and Kindles at 10:30 a.m. Registration is required.

● DVD learning series: 2 p.m. Thursdays, Feb. 2, 9 and 16. During each one-hour session of “Mr. Lincoln: The Life of Abraham Lincoln,” Professor Allen C. Guelzo of Gettysburg College will discuss Lincoln’s life, focusing on the man, his politics, his opposition to slavery, and the gifts that equipped him to lead the nation through the Civil War. Registration is not required. This taped course is sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

NSBNews.net photo by Sera Frederick / Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi introduces Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann, to 2,500 supporters in Ormond Beach on Sunday evening.

ORMOND BEACH -- State Attorney General Pam Bondi was here Sunday night to support Mitt Romney at the big rally, but where were other Sunshine State Republican office holders? NSB News reached out to the offices of U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, Congressman John Mica, Congresswoman Sandy Adams and Gov. Rick Scott.

Both the Rubio and Scott camps said they were remaining nuetral -- at least for the time being.

May 2, 2011, may not be rembered as much as Sept. 11, but Osama bin Laden didn't get to rejoice on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks he masterminded. That's because American Navy Seals took him out. Bin Laden was shot to death. Payback is a son-of a-bitch.

Frontrunner calls Gingrich 'Washington insider'

NSBNews.net photo by Henry Frederick / Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi claps as Mitt Romney fires up the crowd in Ormond Beach on Sunday night.

ORMOND BEACH -- Like clockwork, Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney arrived at 6 p.m. to a raucous crowd 2,500 supporters with an opening question: "Are you ready to send Barack Obama home to Chicago?" The crowd roared with a yes.

"This is a decision point for this country," Romney said, adding Obama represents big government while he supports one that is small and simple. "If I'm president of the United States, we'll get rid of Obamacare," Romney said, drawing an even bigger roar.

The latest political demonstration fad was born Sept. 17 in Zuccotti Park near New York City's Wall Street and became known as "Occupy Wall Street," a leaderless mass targeting the wealthist 1% of Americans.