Volusia County | featured news

<span style="font-size: 12px;">PALM COAST - The Flagler County Chamber of Commerce has hired Brian Genk as director of membership development.<span style="font-size: 12px;">He will be responsible for recruiting new members to the Chamber and helping existing ones maximize their membership experience.<span style="font-size: 12px;">Genk fills a position that was vacated when Heather Thompson left the Chamber earlier this month.A U.S.

BUNNELL — Walk into Robert Snyder Jr.'s office, and there's a good chance you won't be the only one on your feet.Snyder is likely to be standing behind his desk. For the past two years, he's used a customized work station designed to promote healthier living. It's a practice Snyder picked up from his predecessor, Patrick Johnson, who served 11 years as Flagler County's public health director before retiring in June. Snyder assumed the role as the county's administrator for the Florida Department of Health earlier this month.

DAYTONA BEACH - The new Trader Joe's distribution center on the east side of Interstate 95 has been given the green light from the city to begin operation.How much of the three-building complex is now in use and how many of its expected 450 jobs have been filled remains somewhat of a mystery.Both Trader Joe's and World Class Distribution Inc., the company that operates distribution centers across the country for the upscale grocery store chain, are privately held and rarely speak to the media. The two companies share some of the same top executives, according to state incorporation r

New Smyrna Beach High School football fans had to sit in unfamiliar territory last season at their own stadium - the visitor's section.The rusted home bleachers were closed in August 2014 - just before the start of the high school football season - after an engineer recommended the grandstands be demolished and replaced, citing inadequate support columns for the permanent press box, and corrosion.

Kai Koreniuk could hardly believe his ears.He could have sworn he had heard the time had come to make his professional soccer debut for Vitesse Arnhem. He asked first-team assistant coach John Lammers again to be sure.“He nodded, ‘Yes, be at the club at 4:15 (p.m.) for the team meal,' ” Koreniuk said in a direct message on Twitter. “That's when it hit me.”The 17-year-old from Ormond Beach and Seabreeze High School entered as a substitute in the 86th minute of Wednesday's friendly against Greek club Asteras Tripoli F.C.

Volusia County Sheriff's Office Major Case investigators were called to a DeBary home where two dead people were found Thursday, a sheriff's spokesman said.The Sheriff's Office was called around 1:37 p.m. and notified that residents detected a bad smell coming from a home on Jasmine Drive, said sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson.Firefighters and deputies forced their way into the home and found two dead persons inside, Davidson said.Davidson said no immediate details were available as deputies had not been on the scene long.

The fastest growing part of the Florida electorate isn't Democrats or Republicans. It's people with no party.There are lots of reasons for this. I like to think that in a time of hyper-partisanship, most normal people have trouble identifying with either major party. Even the one they half-agree with.Over the past 10 years in Florida, Democratic voter registration went up 9 percent. Republican registration by 7 percent. But voters with no party affiliation? A dramatic 47 percent.In heavily Democratic Broward and Miami-Dade counties, there are actually more no-party voters than Republicans.

DETROIT - Harley-Davidson is recalling more than 185,000 motorcycles in the U.S. because the saddlebags can come loose and fall off, increasing the risk of a crash.The recall covers certain 2014 and 2015 Road King, Street Glide, Electra Glide Ultra Classic, Ultra Limited, Police Road King, Police Electra Glide and CVO Ultra Limited bikes.

Watch “Dirty Dancing Havana Nights” in the park, hear pop at the Bandshell, hear rock in the garden . . .1. WATCH “DIRTY DANCING HAVANA NIGHTS”: Revolution-era Cuba provides the backdrop in the movie “Dirty Dancing Havana Nights.”The film will be shown outdoors at dusk (approximately 8:15 p.m.) in Riverfront Park, corner of Beach Street and Magnolia Avenue, Daytona Beach.Admission is free. Information: 386-257-6036, ext. 16166.Moviegoers should bring lawn chairs or blankets. Hot dogs, popcorn, candy and soft drinks will be available for sale.

DAYTONA BEACH — A man accused of spraying bullets into a house party and injuring four people will not be prosecuted, Daytona Beach police and the State Attorney's Office said Thursday.Spencer Hathaway, an assistant state attorney and spokesman with the State Attorney's Office, said there is insufficient evidence in the case to successfully prosecute Vincent Tyrone Smith for the April 3 shooting.Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood said that's because witnesses and victims in the shooting shut down and would not cooperate with investigators."The witnesses and the victim refused