Local News Now

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Howrah! Howrah! Ron Sachs came marching home and got a hero's welcome today after 10 months in harm's way in Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne. Sachs was met at Daytona Beach International Airport just after 1:30 p.m. by his wife, Melinda, their two children and dozens of family members and friends, along with a police motors escort back to his home on the beachside. Sachs, 40, is a New Smyrna Beach cop.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- An unidentified 44-year-old surfer became the recrd-breaking 23rd shark-bite victim at noon today when he was nipped on the foot, the Volusia County Beach Patrol reported.

The surfer received a Band-aid from a lifeguard for a small cut and went right back into the water.

The man, whose name wasn't immediately available, was surfing near the South Jetty where surfers and sharks share the water. The bite broke the 2001 record of 22 such attacks, then dubbed the "year of the shark."

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Special events bring our community to a standstill certain times of the year.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A retired police chief armed with 40 years of budgeting experience and backed by more than 200 supporters told the New Smyrna Beach City Commission at Wednesday's public hearing that an 11.2 percent mill-rate increase was not going to fly and that there would be hell to pay come election time or even sooner through voter recalls for any of them who didn't heed his warnings. He got his way and that means $1 million has to be cut unless the city dips into already dangerously low reserves.

New Smyrna Beach Revised Millage.

New Smyrna Beach Proposed Budget.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The lawyer for the Florida Law Enforcement found dead with his wife in their Cedar Avenue home died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head while there were no outward signs of trauma to the wife's body, autopsies done this morning by the Volusia County Medical Examiner's Office revealed, New Smyrna Beach reported.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A husband and wife were found dead in their home at 9:35 this morning at 312 Cedar Ave., after a "well-being" check, New Smyrna Beach police reported.

After gaining access to the residence, responding officers discovered the bodies of two deceased individuals, a male and female," police spokesman Sgt. Michael Brouillette said.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The Observer newspaper returned today under new ownership as a free weekly publication. News-Journal Corp., meanwhile continues to cut back its workforce as its ownership prepares for a possible sale later in the year.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A gunman robbed the Spits of 44 liquor store in the K-Mart plaza Sunday night, police Sgt. spokesman Michael Brouillette reported.

The man grabbed the clerk and pointed a gun at him just after 9 p.m. while ordering him to open the register, which he did before fleing with an undisclosed amount of money, Brouillette said.

The robber was described as black, in his early 20s. His face was covered by a blue bandana and he had a black beanie on his head.

Anyone with information is asked to call New Smyrna Beach police at (386) 424-2000.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Police Cmdr. William Drossman urged some 300 people gathered at a service earlier tonight at VFW Post 4250 to commemorate the seventh anniversary of 9/11 to not lose sight of America's purpose as the leader of the free world.

"I fear the nation has forgotten the freedom we're fighting for," said the 53-year-old, who attended the U.S. Naval Academy and as a Marine was a liasion advisor in a country bordering Vietnam in 1973.