DELAND -- Reporting non-emergency crimes such as theft and vandalism to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office can now be done from the comfort, convenience and privacy of a computer, agency spokesman Gary Davidson said.

The Sheriff's Office has launched a new service that gives residents the option of filing certain reports
on-line. The service can be used to report harassing phone calls, lost property, theft, vandalism and identity theft as long as there are no
known suspects. Users must be at least 18-years-old to file a report.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Taking advantage of New Smyrna Beach's scenic and environmental beauty, the city's water taxi service is increasing its fares from $12 to $15 as of Wednesday as it transitions from a grant-operated program to a community-backed entity.

The Marine Discovery's taxi off the North Causeway provides 45-minute trips on the Intracoastal waterway to Inlet Harbor in Ponce Inlet, where along the 12-mile route, seafarers get an up-close view of dolphins, birds and other acquatic life, as well as breath-taking vews of the shoreline

DELAND -- The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded Volusia County a $2.4 million grant to improve efficiency and reduce fossil fuel emissions. The grant allocation, announced Friday, was provided by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, which is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

DELAND -- There is no immediate danger from two wild fires burning in Volusia County -- one in Daytona Beach and the other in DeLand -- though both continue to generate significant smoke, officials said this morning.

Firefighting crews from the Division of Forestry and Volusia County Fire Services, and personnel from Plum Creek Timber Company and the St. Johns River Water Management District, continue to work daily on the fires -- in Tiger Bay State Forest on Indian Lake Road in Daytona Beach, and Woody Tract, (between I-4 and U.S. 92, in DeLand.

DELTONA-- A 2-year-old Deltona girl drowned Friday evening in the family backyard pool while her mother was resting in bed and had thought she was with her, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said.

"The mother was resting in bed while her five other children, ages 8 to 14, were playing and cleaning house," Sheriff's spokesman Brandon Haught said. "The mother told
Sheriff's investigators that she had the toddler in bed with her, but the girl apparently got up when the mother had fallen asleep.