Local News Now

Courtesy photo / Tiffany and James Pembertonlived in Daytona Beach about a year. Both were found dead Sunday in their Breakers apartment, victims of an apparent murder-suicide.

DAYTONA BEACH -- An Iraqi war veteran shot and killed his wife and then turned a rifle on himself in a murder-suicide over the weekend, Daytona Beach police said.

The wife was identified as Tiffany Pemberton, 25, and the husband, Jason Pemberton, 28. Both were found in their residence at 778 Jimmy Ann Drive No. 1614.

NSBNews.net photo by Sera Frederick / George Richford, a controversial figure on the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority, has resigned in the wake of the scandal involving the taxing agency's fired director, Nicole Carni.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The fallout from scandals with New Smyrna Beach's two special taxing authorities continues with the sudden resignation of George Richford from the board of the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority.

Richford's letter to Volusia County Council member Joyce Cusack was short and to the point: "Please accept my resignation, effective immediately from the SVAA Board. Thank you for the appointment."

NSBNews.net photos by Henry Frederick / New Smyrna Beach Assistant City Manager points to locations off the I-95 interchange with S.R. 44 for new gateway signage.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Drivers entering New Smyrna Beach from Interstate 95 by the end of 2012 will be greeted by a new City entrance way as they exit onto State Road 44. Next week, the City will break ground on two Gateway Beautification projects along the state roadway.

We can't forget. We won't forget. We will never forget. The 10th anniversary of 9/11 was marked again by the reading of the names of the victims, but mostly the comfort of knowing Osama bin Laden was taken out by U.S. spcial forces on orders of President Obama.

Photo for NSB News by Joe Raedle /Getty Images

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Mitt Romney is making a campaign stop in Ormond Beach Sunday and nobody is more thrilled about it than New Smyrna Beach's Joe Stich, GOP Volusia County chair.

"I think there's a lot of support here for Romney. It's a positive thing that he's coming here," Stich told NSB News this afternoon in confirming the Republican presidential hopeful's local visit, one day after South Carolina's primary.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- When I was growing up in Edgewater and going to private school, I didn't  come into contact with many African-Ameicans. However, I will point out  that the first crush I ever had was on a black girl named Tiffany.

NSB News videos by Multimedia Editor Sera Frederick /
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- It was cold Saturday, but the cars were hot.

SVAA Director Nicole Carni breaks down in tears last fall after discussion of her $110,000 salary being reduced to $85,000 and yet again to $71,755.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Volusia County Chairman Frank Bruno didn't mince words this morning about the controversy swirling around suspended Southeast Volusia advertising Director Nicole Carni: "She'll be lucky to stay out of jail."

Asked if that meant Carni is under criminal investigation, Bruno said that is something being held close to the vest: "That isn't something I'm really going to get into, but let's just say it has been discussed."

Carni reiterated at mid-day to NSBNews.net that she has done nothing wrong.

By DOROTHY L. HUKILL

State Representative Hukill's House, exclusive weekly blog for NSBNews.net

PORT ORANGE -- 2012 is now upon us. This coming year will bring many challenges, and we as a people will face many choices to determine which way we want to move forward. Our economic situation remains uncertain.

We have all worked together to get things back on track, but we haven’t yet returned to where we want to be. Many are still hurting. But the New Year will also produce new opportunities. Various signs point to a budding recovery, and many Americans are now doing better today than they were just one year ago.

By PAT NORTHEY
Volusia County Council Vice Chairwoman
Guest blog written exclusively For NSBNews.net
DELTONA -- It is a brand New Year; an opportunity for reflection and renewal. It was my honor to serve as your Vice Chair of the Volusia County Council this past year. And what a year it was; we adopted a budget with a reduction in dollars while consolidating public safety communications around the county and bringing our ambulance service, EVAC, in house.