Cover Story

NSBNEWS.net video by Sera King. Video highlights: Members of the New Smyrna Beach Class of 1955 recently celebrated their 53rd reunion at Clancy's Cantina on the beachside with song, merriment and a few classic memories. At left is Ken Phillips, star basketball player, and at right is Peter Mallory and Sandy Roberts. The video is dark due to lighting, but is worth checking out, especially for the less than stellar singing of Bobby Howard. So take a stroll down memory lane when times were gentler and poodle skirts were en vogue. 

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Bettie Johnston will never forget the day she and the other cheerleaders wore short skirts for the basketball squad against St. Augustine: "The boys walked right off the court!"

"We always wore our skirts past our knees, but not for this game," recalled Johnston, now 72, of what had to be the most bizarre turn of events for the New Smyrna Beach Class of 1955.

Bank of America surveillance photo provided by New Smyrna Beach Police Department for NSBNEWS.net. Cutline: This man participated in a scheme to skim money from the ATM at the Bank of America Brach on State Road 44 in New Smyrna Beach. If you know who he is, please contact Detective Tony Ford with the New Smyrna Beach Police Department at (386) 424-2240.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Bank of America has informed the New Smyrna Beach Police Department that sometime during the weekend of November 15-16, an organized gang compromised several bank ATM/Debit machines throughout the State of Florida, including the branch in New Smyrna Beach located at 1880 State Road 44, police said this afternoon.

Photo by Sandi Carroll for NSBNEWS.net. Cutline: Jason Lott smiles as he makes a glass ornament at Galleria di Vetro Dec. 5. Lott, along with Kyle Carni and Vaigale Duers-Stevens, will demonstrate flameworking as part of Art Walk on Flagler Avenue, which will be held 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Santa will slip away from his workshop and busy schedule to visit Art Walk on Flagler Avenue on Saturday.

He knows that it is the perfect place to take a relaxing stroll and do some last minute shopping. Santa will be on the avenue until from, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., then he must get back to work at the North Pole. So bring your cameras and your "wish list" to the gazebo at Flagler and Pine streets.

You can visit this special holiday Art Walk from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., as you avoid the traffic and the crowds at the malls and stroll along Flagler Avenue, the charming five blocks between the Indian River and the ocean.

NSBNEWS.net video by Sera King. Video highlights: Performances by the Showdolls and singer Roxi Tomei and the lighting of the Christmas tree atop Bert Fish Medical Center.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Christmas came early to Bert Fish Medical Center. Santa Claus pressed the button to light up the Christmas tree atop the hospital and performances by the Showdolls of New Smyrna Beach High School highlighted Sunday night's entertainment before some 500 people.

Though the crowd thinned considerably after the first 90 minutes of the 6 p.m. gathering in front of the hospital, dozens remained to the end to see the tree lit up shortly before 8:30 p.m.

"Lights of Love" was the theme of the evening, sponsored by the Bert Fish Medical Center Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the hospital that raised $12,000 for the hospital through this event, said Garry Mac, hospital spokesman who served as emcee.

NSBNEWS.net Video by Sera King. Cutline: Check out the festivities on Flagler Avenue's big night in this video.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Quaint Flagler Avenue was not only lit up earlier tonight by the holiday lights, but by more than a thousand smiles as families gathered on the beachside tourist hub to celebrate "Light up Flagler."

Adelle Alleti, owner of Gone Bonkers on Flagler, was one of many merchants thrilled with the turnout. "It's a wonderful night for families to get out and into the Christmas spirit with their neighbors," she said. "That's what a small town is all about, bringing everyone out, especially in these hard times."

Photo by Sandi Carroll for NSBNEWS.net. Cutline: Ken Guilbeault (pictured left) plays interim pastor Justin Waverly and Violet Stoll plays Gina Go Dubberly in an "Away in the Manger" scene.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The Little Theatre of New Smyrna Beach presents the holiday comedy "Christmas Belles," starting 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, at 726 Third Ave.

The play can also be seen Dec. 7 and 14 at 2 p.m. and on Dec. 11, 12, 13 at 8 p.m.

Christmas Belles is a holiday journey into the small town of Fayro, Texas, as the Futrelle sisters attempt to present the annual Christmas program at the Tabernacle of the Lamb Church in spite of chaos and squabbling.

For ticket information, please call (386) 423-1246.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Two years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Hirem Desai became an American citizen. The bloodshed in his native India over the last several days has reinforced his belief that terrorism can happen at any time and any place.

Desai, who works as a cashier at the Marathon gas station on North Dixie Freeway, has been heartbroken over the carnage that claimed nearly 200 lives in Mumbai -- a half dozen Americans.

The world is not big enough for terrorism to hit home, Desai said. "It's bad and getting worse," said the 27-year-old native of Braruch, 200 miles south of Mumbai, India's largest city. Now a resident of South Daytona, he added, "I feel bad for everybody."

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- While countless shoppers got up at the crack of dawn this "Black Friday" morning to rifle through the aisles of the Wal-Mart on State Road 44 in search of super-discounted merchandise, Myrtle Richardson was getting ready to go to do her job -- stand in front of the store all day and ring the bell for the Salvation Army.

"God bless you," she said as every fourth or fifth shopper passed by and dropped a dollar bill or change into the kettle."

This is the season of Thanksgiving. Not just the day, but the season. As Americans, we rarely see people walking around giving thanks for everything we possess and enjoy in this wonderful land: Freedom of speech, freedom to own land, freedom to drive a car, freedom to have a job and earn money and freedom not to work.

All these freedoms come as a right granted to us by the Constitution of the United States of America .

I challenge anyone who is unhappy with the way we live in America to visit a third world country and experience first-hand poverty, rule by authoritarian leaders, the lack of food to feed one’s family. I could go on and on with the list.

Rather than beat this point to death, let’s talk about what it takes to please God for the many blessings we are granted here in the good ole’ U.S.A.

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