Local News Now

Courtesy photo. Judy Reiker addresses the Republican Club of Southeast Volusia during a recent luncheon about her candidacy for the Zone 1 seat on the New Smyrna Beach City Commission against incumbent Randy Richenberg and fellow challenger Frank Dalton Jr..

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Judy Reiker went 1 for 3 among the pre-primary endorsements for Zone 1 commissioner, winning the support of the Southeast Volusia Board of Realtors while being bypassed by the police and fire unions, which went for incumbent Randy Richenberg.

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla -- A 73-year-old Montreal tourist's drowning death Wednesday was ruled accidental after an autopsy was performed a Volusia County spokesman said. Raymond Gravel drowned in the ocean near the Perry's Ocean Edge Resort. His body was pulled to shore after he was seen floating face down in the surf just after 11 a.m., said Volusia County Beach Patrol Capt. Scott Petersohn, the agency's spokesman.

G. Thomas Lomax, 88, of New Smyrna Beach, a former engineer with Lockheed-Martin Corp., died Friday, Sept. 18, 2009.

Joan A. Harding, 92, of Edgewater, who moved here in 1976 and was a devout member of Sacred Heart Church, died Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009.

Artice Lee Smith, 47, of Oak Hill, who served in the U.S. Army and worked in construction, died Tuesday Sept. 15, 2009.

EDGEWATER -- A man was killed Saturday while directing a motorist backing up his truck with an attached trailer and police said they are trying to determine whether he was run over over crushed by the vehicle, according to an Edgewater police news release.

The victim's name was not released because police are trying to contact his relatives.

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla. -- Lauren Heaton, 18, of New Smyrna Beach, was among five young women employed as strippers at the Biggins Gentlemen's Club who made decent tip money showing their assets to paying customers.

Sept. 19, 2009: Daniel G. Wells, Edgewater, and Sharon A. Daley, Fountain Inn, S.C.

Joan A. Harding, 92, Edgewater, a former cook for a church, died Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009.

Lois Clara Frase, 79, of New Smyrna Beach, a homemaker and gardener, married for 62 years to Theodore G. Frase, died Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009.

Rick Hunter, 59, Edgewater, a retired welder, died Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009.

Sheriff Ben Johnson's annual Battle of the Badges charity fishing tournament returns to New Smyrna Beach today.

As usual, there will be plenty of activities, both on the water and on land, between 10 a.m.-3 p.m., when the fishing tournament weigh-in will take place at Riverside Park.

Among those scheduled to fish in the tournament are Sheriff Johnson, Nassau County Sheriff Tommy Seagraves, retired Lake County
Sheriff Noel Griffin, Jr., Sheriffs Youth Ranches President Roger Bouchard and several local media personalities. Other activities at the

Courtesy photos/NSB mug shots.Tamera Jo-Ann Busbey, Kyle Patrick Doolin, Daniel J. Weekley, William R. Taylor and Brian Vanaller (not pictured) were all charged in connection with shooting into an occupied dwelling that stemmed from a domestic dispute.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A boyfriend-girlfriend dispute is believed to be the reason for a gun being fired into a residence that has resulted in five arrests, New Smyrna Beach police said.