Courtesy photo / William Paul Hill, who was shot and killed Sunday by Lake County deputies near DeLand, served 14 months in prison for dealing cocaine before his release in May 2003, as shown in his Florida Deparment of Corrections mugshot.

DELAND -- A 45-year-old ex-con wanted on suspicion of domestic battery with his wife was shot and killed this afternoon by Lake County Sheriff's deputies after emerging from a home near DeLand with a handgun he pulled out from behind.

William Paul Hill continued walking toward the deputies despite their demand that he drop the weapon and they opened fire on him. The gunman's wife had told deputies the day before that he went on a rampage while high on drugs, destroying furniture and making it clear he was not going back to prison. Deputies found seven long guns and 450 rounds of ammunition there, but learned from the battered spouse that two handguns were missing.

"They ordered him to show his hands at which time he reached back and had the gun out," Lake County Sheriff's Lt. John Herrell told NSBNews.net. "The deputies were in fear for their lives and shots were fired and he fell."

Herrell said he couldn't comment how many of the five deputies fired their guns

They call us the Cuda Nation; Cuda Team, Cuda Country, Cuda Spirit… a Cuda family. But this Cuda family of New Smyrna Beach High School is down one team player tonight. Frederick Fernandez, age 55, also known as Mr. Fernandez, a math teacher, has died.

 Churning waves in wake of Hurricane Irene blamed for two deaths locally

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A popular New Smyrna Beach High School teacher died earlier today while surfing in post Hurricane Irene waves of 5 to 7 feet that forced him under with what turned out to be a major head laceration, the Volusia County Beach Patrol said.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Mayor Adam Barringer laughed when asked what he thought of Hurricane Irene and all of the media hype: "It was the big nothing."

The upcoming Co-Ed Softball season will tentatively begin on Monday, Oct. 3, at the New Smyrna Beach Sports Complex. Interested teams will need to attend the managers meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 14, in the portable located next to the city Parks & Recreation office, 1000 Live Oak St.

DAYTONA BEACH -- It's amazing how far TV news will go to hype a hurricane that clearly isn't coming here. But that didn't stop a WESH reporter from deliberately walking in the surf to make a point Thursday night.

The reporter alluded to the windy palm tree branches and the swollen waves from Hurricane Irene, which steered clear of Florida as it headed to the Carolinas.

For 200 years, American forces have fought in many wars: Valley Forge, Gettysburg, world War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, all for the cause of freedom. What is it about the United States of America, are we the only country that will fight for freedom for other countries so that their people can be free?