Local News Now

NEW SMYRNA BEACH – A 20-year-old Okeechobee man became the second shark-bite victim of 2009 in the New Smyrna Beach surf when a shark punctured his right ankle late Monday afternoon, the Volusia County Beach Patrol said.

The unidentified man was surfing in front of the Minorca Condominium, 2600 block of North Peninsula Drive, when the shark bit into his right ankle, an injury described by Volusia County Beach Patrol Capt. Scott Petersohn as "very minor -- two or three puncture wounds."

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- April has arrived, and with it, Earth Month. A "Recycled Art Walk" will be held on Flagler Avenue in New Smyrna Beach, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.,
Saturday, April 25.

The Citizens Resource Group on Recycling will be on hand to present information about recycling in our community and what you can specifically do to help our environment: "Think Globally, Act Locally."

The Atlantic Center for the Arts Volunteer League will man a table and children will be shown how to make art with recycled materials. ACA will also offer information about their community programming.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH – A 22-year-old man was shot in both legs Sunday night when a bullet passed through one and lodged in the other, New Smyrna Beach piolice said.

Amario Dempsey, 22, New Smyrna Beach, was admitted to Bert Fish Medical Center for the gunshot wounds following the 8:30 p.m. shooting at North Myrtle and Rose Court, police Sgt. Valerie Joyce said.

Police responded to numerous 9-1-1 calls of shots fired, but when police arrived at the scene, they were told by bystanders that a witness to the shooting took the victim to the hospital.

Courtesy photo. Edgewater Fire Rescue extinguished a fire that damaged parts of two homes and destroyed a boat Sunday night on Tule Tree Drive.

EDGEWATER -- Two homes were damaged and a boat destroyed by a fire Sunday night on Yule Tree Drive.

The garage of one home in the 2900 block was damaged as were the eves of the home next door.

Courtesy photo. Bats like this one can eat up to 3,000 insects in one night.

Bats are beautiful because, most of the time, they make life for humans much easier. They are the most important controller of might-flying insects.

Experts with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report that a single bat can eat up to 3,000 insects a night.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A 22-year-old Edgewater man was critically injured when he lost control of his motorcycle early Thursday morning in the 100 block of South Dixie Freeway and crashed in the mrdian, New Smyrna Beach police said.

The biker's name is being withheld until family memberscan be notified, police said. He was airlifted to Haslifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach following the 2 a.m. crash between Second and Third streets, said Sgt. Christopher Roos.

The victim suffered head and leg injuries, police said, but did not indicate whether he was wearing a helmet.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Despite pleas from citizens led by Bouchelle Island resident William Kolesczar for the immediate hiring of outside counsel to invalidate the longstanding waterfront lease of city-owned waterfront property with the Angler's Club, commissioners led by the mayor Tuesday night said at least one more meeting should be held.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The Council on Aging is aking you to consider exchange your gold for cash or hunt Hunt for buried treasure in your home today and turn it into cash tomorrow.

Bring in all types of unwanted gold and silver jewelry in any condition, dental gold and sterling silver flatware. After all, it's a fundraiser for a good cause. The location is theBrannon Senior Center, 105 South Riverside Drive, New Smyrna Beach. The event is 8 a.m to 4 p.m Tuesday, April 21.

April 14, 2009: Charles E. Merz and Kimberly A. Curran, Edgewater.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Bouchelle Island resident William Kolesczar said he will ask the New Smyrna Beach City Commission tonight to take legal action to invalidate the Angler's Club lease on the basis "it does not serve a public purpose."

"They have grounds to file a suit right now," Kolesczar said an hour before the scheduled 6:30 p.m. meeting in the DeBerry room on the third floor of the Utilities Commission Building, 200 Canal St.