Local News Now

NSBNews.net photo by Sera Frederick /

OAK HILL -- It didn't take former cop Michael Ihnken long to fire back at embattled Police Chief Diane Young for his dragged out suspension and ultimately his dismissal from the force. Ihnken has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit in circuit court against the city of Oak Hill.

The suit was filed on his behalf by attorney William MacQueen and received by the clerk of the court this afternoon. Paperwork on it wasn't immediately available because it hadn't yet been scanned, a court official said.

Lawsuits filed in circuit court seek a minimum of $15,000. Ihnken was fired March 28, barely six weeks after his status was changed from paid to unpaid administrative leave at the rquest of Police Chief Diane Young.

The chief had accused him of failing to keep his firearms training certification up to date.

DELTONA -- A special breakfast to celebrate Deltona Seniors will be held 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 23 at the Deltona Community Center, 980 Lakeshore Drive.

The Senior Citizen Celebration Breakfast, sponsored by Deltona Parks & Recreation, is only $2.50 per person and includes eggs, pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Local beekeeper Marlin Athearn will discuss beekeeping, honey cultivation, and the importance of healthy bees for our food supply at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 16, at the New Smyrna Beach Regional Library, 1001 S. Dixie Freeway.

As you may have heard or read, after the U.S. Census Bureau announces new the population figures, district boundaries must be adjusted. According to the Volusia County web site, the 2010 Census results, received in March, indicate the county has 494,593 residents, which calls for about 99,000 people in each district. This will require substantial shifts in most of the districts.

Midway through summer and there’s never a dull moment. With babysitting, friends, and oh yeah, doing more school work, I’m keeping busy. That’s right, more school!

The sea surface water temperature of the surf above Ponce Inlet has been dropping from the low  80s to the mid-70s. This could possibly indicate that the annual summer cold water upwelling is about to or has started to occur.

As we say goodbye to the last shuttle launch with Atlantis, it seems like just yesterday that we started launching men into space. Back then as the Apollo missions returned to earth, we watched with baited breath as the capsule floated under its parachute to the sea hoping all was well with the men inside.

I took a photo of the last space shuttle launch from my back yard and watched my family viewing it climb into the heavens with awe, waiting for the usual rumble sound. Since my youth, I have been encouraged to follow aerospace technology having a father who was a pilot by profession and a brother who worked for Grumman in Melbourne.