NEW SMYRNA BEACH — There’s a simple question to ask the New Smyrna Beach Barracudas The two-time state champions sit one win away from another trip to the state semifinals “All of our lines really came out and just played well,” coach Jonathan Cunningham said But the girls were able to get themselves back out of that and come back and win all those New Smyrna Beach claimed each line in two sets except Line 5 They’ve now won five of their last six matches “If you told me at the beginning of the year we'd be there I would take that any day,” Cunningham said with a smile After capturing the first Florida High School Athletic Association beach volleyball state title in 2022 the Barracudas brought back the same roster and repeated in 2023 Luoma’s partner during her senior campaign was Gabby Bissell Bissell remains in the top pair as a senior this spring She’s the last remaining starter from New Smyrna Beach’s 2023 championship lineup “Now we're really starting to seam together and work together better,” Bissell said “I feel like it definitely clicked when we played against Bishop Kenny and Ponte Vedra and we were just playing all over the court The Barracudas squared off with Bishop Kenny and Ponte Vedra on April 2 It fell 4-1 against Bishop Kenny for its only loss this season then flipped the score for a 4-1 victory over the Sharks Bissell and Jones beat the Crusaders’ top pair Seniors Abrie Green and Naia Bubaloni fell 2-1 at Line 2 but that’s also when Green saw a shift in her new duo “Just playing against tougher competition (No you really got to see we actually do have the drive and the heart that it takes to get to where we are now,” she said New Smyrna Beach is one win away from its third state final four appearance in four years Two wins away from three finals in four years Here’s that question again: How does it continue as the program changes and matures they've just improved so much,” Cunningham said “All these girls have been a part of the program,” he added “So even though you haven't seen their faces or their names playing year-round and just putting in the work they were ready to step into those positions.” Shop top-rated travel products and services to help you save on your next trip:  A potential SpaceX rocket launch is on the horizon — and if all goes according to plan Below is more information on rocket launches from NASA and Cape Canaveral and suggestions on where to watch them from this part of Florida Rocket launch tally: Here's a list of all the missions from Cape Canaveral, Florida (psst, there's a lot) For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at rneale@floridatoday.com or Space Reporter Brooke Edwards at bedwards@floridatoday.com. For more space news from the USA TODAY Network, visit floridatoday.com/space The best views to watch a rocket launch from here is along the beach Readers have also mentioned seeing a rocket launch from New Smyrna Beach • South New Smyrna Beach (Canaveral National Seashore) New Smyrna Beach features 17 miles of white sandy beaches despite its reputation as the "Shark Bite Capital of the World," New Smyrna Beach has always been a haven for surfers who come for the waves The nearby riverside park area is across South Atlantic Avenue with tennis courts The river by the park can be a great viewing spot for manatees • Apollo Beach at Canaveral National Seashore (south of New Smyrna Beach) Canaveral National Seashore runs along Florida's East Coast in Volusia County and Brevard County then travel east until it turns into State Road A1A • Oak Hill riverfront is the southernmost city in South Volusia County This location has about 350 feet of beautifully restored shoreline picnic tables and kayak launching facilities Facilities include a 520-foot observation pier with two covered decks and seating • Bird Observation Pier on River Road across from A.C Facilities include a 100-foot observation pier the Barracudas slotted as the boys runner-up with their 56 points trailing only Wesley Chapel’s 65 eight points behind runner-up Mount Dora and 12 behind winner Lake Wales Mainland also tallied a sixth-place finish and Deltona and Seabreeze tied Gateway for 19th All four boys event victories collected by local teams came from New Smyrna Beach Its 4x800-meter relay team of Brett Remensnyder Chase Bissell and Sam McDuffie posted a winning time of 8:02.62 Tim Beauchamp starred in the throwing events topping the shot put leaderboard with a mark of 17.77 meters and launching the discus farther than anyone at 60.24 meters Brison Sullivan also notched the day’s best javelin throw of 60.46 meters Annie Brock and Sydney Traub crossed the finish line in 4:03.26 Mainland’s Amyah Watlington also secured first place in the 100 hurdles with a time of 14.13 seconds The Class 3A state championships will take place Friday at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville BEACH VOLLEYBALL: New Smyrna Beach remains model of consistency Local teams earned three top-five placements at the Region 1-4A meet Saturday at Seminole High School in Sanford which put the Hawks second behind Creekside’s 101 Flagler Palm Coast also sprinted to 41 points and a fourth-place finish DeLand and University ranked 17th and 27th Flagler Palm Coast settled into fourth place with 49 points Mackenzie Roy again helped to lead the Spruce Creek girls’ charge The senior outpaced everyone in the 1,600-meter and 3,200-meter runs Roy also served as one-fourth of the victorious 4x800 relay team Jada Hawkins and Channing Irby worked together for a time of 9:29.51 Mikayla Palmer took first place in the high jump with a mark of 1.62 meters Sanaii Gaines won with a mark of 5.42 meters DeLand’s Kylie Neira locked down the pole vault title by clearing 3.6 meters Colby Cronk staked out the Bulldogs’ lone victory Tryce Mills grabbed a javelin win (54.2 meters) for Spruce Creek The Hawks’ 4x100-meter relay foursome of Trell Edwards Xavier Lucas and Denali Campbell also brought home the gold in 41.69 seconds The 4A state meet is scheduled for Saturday at Hodges Stadium During the Region 1-3A meet Friday at Pine Forest High School in Pensacola Matanzas was the lone local representative clinching 10th on the girls leaderboard with 20 points Peyton Cerasi dominated the distance events She won the 1,600-meter in 5:06.57 and the 3,200-meter in 11:07.13 Region 2-2AAs the only local team in Region 2-2A Atlantic tied for 22nd in the boys standings at the regional meet The Sharks recorded four points Friday at Astronaut High School in Titusville Like the other classifications’ state meets Father Lopez’s girls club raced to fifth place during the Region 2-1A meet Saturday at Satellite High School The Green Wave’s 62 points sat only 15.5 points behind champion Holy Trinity First Baptist Christian was 20th in the girls standings Father Lopez tied for 18th and Trinity Christian tied for 26th The Green Wave’s Mackenzie Brewton snatched the area’s only event victory She won the shot put event with a heave of 12.03 meters Class 1A’s state championships will occur Saturday at Hodges Stadium NEW SMYRNA BEACH – A 23-year-old Orlando man was found hiding behind a home in New Smyrna Beach after a crash with a golf cart The crash involving a vehicle and a golf cart happened Monday around 5:45 p.m The New Smyrna Beach Police Department said witnesses reported seeing the driver of the vehicle run away from the crash toward Buena Vista Park with a “visible injury to his forehead.” Police located Sedillo behind a home on Granada Street about a half a mile away from where the wreck happened Officers found two open containers of beer during a search of Sedillo’s vehicle The department said Sedillo was arrested and faces charges of DUI Copyright 2025 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved Brenda Argueta is a digital journalist who joined ClickOrlando.com in March 2021 She is the author of the Central Florida Happenings newsletter that goes out every Thursday TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us / Follow on Social Media Careers at WKMG Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications EEO Report Disability Assistance Copyright © 2025 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group Joshua Champion has been named Chief Operating Officer (COO) at AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach He officially steps into his new role on April 7 Champion has 15 years of leadership experience within AdventHealth including roles in human resources and hospital operations he served as Vice President of Ancillary Services at AdventHealth Daytona Beach leading a team of more than 850 people across clinical and non-clinical departments and even medical operations at the Daytona International Speedway "Joshua brings a strong track record of leadership and a deep commitment to serving both our team and our patients," said Dr. Dennis Hernandez "His experience and passion for improving health care make him a great fit for our community and I’m excited to see the impact he’ll have in this role." In his new role as COO at AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach he will oversee the hospitals operations in various clinical and non-clinical departments and the strategic development of services for the community at large Josua will also continue overseeing biomedical engineering for all seven hospitals in AdventHealth’s East Florida Division while also working on local initiatives to improve sustainability and health equity in Volusia County "I am humbled and truly honored to join the team at AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach,” said Champion “This hospital has a strong legacy of caring for the community and I look forward to building on that foundation and supporting our incredible caregivers.” Champion earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Health Care Administration from Oakwood University in Alabama and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Webster University He is also a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and a Certified Leadership Coach Champion fills the COO position previously held by Khelsea Bauer who recently became the president and CEO for AdventHealth DeLand Baby Mattie needed a liver transplant but was too sick to even get on the list For the nurses at AdventHealth for Children her organs were shutting down and her little body was fighting a battle that seemed insurmountable AdventHealth is expanding its nursing workforce enhancing hands-on training programs and reinforcing its commitment to exceptional patient care our organization embarked on multiple global mission projects that made a significant impact on the lives of two families in need AdventHealth Carrollwood has been awarded an “A” Hospital Safety Grade by The Leapfrog Group a national nonprofit upholding the standard of excellence in patient safety in hospitals and ambulatory.. Dozens of community members and several organizations came together to help support the AdventHealth Lake Placid and Wauchula Foundations during the 11th annual Clays and Camo fundraiser we honor the extraordinary acts of kindness and compassion demonstrated by our nurses across the region Three remarkable nurses from AdventHealth Avista's surgery center have embarked on.. AdventHealth is proud to join Nemours Children’s Health System as the official medical services provider for the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona A local nurse and a CEO were recognized by the Central Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce the new senior executive officer of AdventHealth for Children speaks with Becker's Hospital Review about the future of pediatric care The spring 2025 Leapfrog grades have been released and four AdventHealth Rocky Mountain Region hospitals have achieved top honors for patient safety AdventHealth North Pinellas achieves elite national status as a straight- ‘A’ for patient safety  Our website uses cookies. Please review our privacy policy to find out more about the cookies we use Browsing our website means you accept these terms Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More — New Smyrna Beach city commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to extend a development moratorium at Venetian Bay for a second time This moratorium prohibits issuing building permits for new development in parts of Venetian Bay following ongoing flooding issues that started in the fall of 2023 The first moratorium was adopted in April 2024 the second extension will last for six months Related Story: New Smyrna Beach ordinance proposes moratorium to stop development in Venetian Bay due to flooding issues City officials say they hope the extension will allow the Venetian Bay Homeowners Assocation to address the ongoing flooding issues there’s an area that has experienced some street flooding in the last year," said  Shane Corbin the director of development services for the city of New Smyrna Beach this is to prevent additional impervious surface from going into that area." This decision comes following two non-hurricane-related storms in 2023 that caused street flooding in areas of Venetian Bay Related Story: New Smyrna Beach city officials seek to extend Venetian Bay development moratorium “We had two floods back in 2023 from rainstorms that never should have happened," Portofino Gardens resident Nicholas Rella said "Three or four of our roads are completely impassable for almost three to four days." He said he was glad to see the moratorium extended once again because it shows they’re taking it seriously and they’re trying to help us,” he said Johns River Water Management District issued a warning letter to the Venetian Bay Homeowners Association that lists five concerns that needed to be addressed regarding compliance with their stormwater permit City staff worked with the homeowners association engineer to complete an extensive modeling analysis of the system using StormWise modeling software staff gauges and a USGS gauge on Spruce Creek The engineers agreed that wetlands to the east of Portofino Gardens are occasionally backflowing into the system creating conditions that it was not designed to handle storm drains backing up into streets and standing water for extended periods of time the homeowners association worked on resolving each comment in the letter Johns River Water Management District to go to Venetian Bay Homeowners Association," Corbin said then we’ll talk about what next steps are going to be the attorney has been tasked with looking into what other enforcement options we might have." the building moratorium will last until July 22 Johns River Water Management District permit compliance or if it is extended by a subsequent ordinance – New Smyrna Beach police are implementing a “special event zone” ordinance for a “senior skip day” planned for the beach on Thursday The zone will enforce stricter penalties for rule breakers within the designated area As visitors cross the bridges to the beachside in New Smyrna they will be greeted with signs warning them of the special event zone This area extends from Bouchelle Island to Third Avenue “We hope all goes well; there’s been some problems the past few years,” said Jamie Oberst at Dolly’s Gifts on Flagler Avenue [EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos] On Presidents’ Day last month, teens took over the beach and Flagler Avenue, leading to the arrest of two teens for gun-related incidents Law enforcement is determined to prevent similar issues “I feel like the city is trying to work that out it seems to be a little more helpful,” Oberst said The special event zone is specifically for Thursday’s senior skip day as state law allows it only for unsanctioned events that are typically promoted on social media a strong police presence will continue for spring break Flagler Avenue’s city parking lot will be transformed into a command center so you have to expect it to be busy,” said Terry Bartley “We can only do so much — the town’s only so big.” Bartley noted that while teens don’t spend much money at local businesses the arrival of spring break signals the start of the lucrative season — The South Causeway Bridge has begun to reopen to traffic in New Smyrna Beach as police conduct an investigation into a multi-vehicle crash Officials say the crash stemmed from reports of a reckless driver on who Volusia County Sheriff's Office deputies attempted to make a traffic stop Police say the driver sped away from deputies and crashed on the west side of the South Causeway Bridge near Magnolia Street Five vehicles were involved in the crash and two people continuing its strong record of philanthropic work and investment in AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach has contributed $475,000 to expand the hospital’s orthopedic robotic surgery program This major contribution is provided by generous donors and funds raised by the Foundation’s Board of Directors through events "We are extremely grateful to the Foundation, our Auxiliary, and the many friends of our hospital for this generous gift,” said Dr. Dennis Hernandez, CEO of AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach we will continue building our robotics program to give patients access to advanced surgical care this will help us deliver the best possible outcomes for our patients The hospital brought the first surgical robot to the community in January with the da Vinci Xi® minimally invasive system “This is proof of the incredible community we have here,” said Cindi Flanagan Chair of the AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach Foundation This gift will have a lasting impact – not just for our current patients With more than 250 surgeries performed this year with the da Vinci system the addition of a second robot will focus on orthopedics including partial and total knee replacement procedures Several new orthopedic surgeons have recently joined the team to meet this growing need “Our focus on cutting-edge technology and world-class clinical talent is about one thing: delivering the best care possible to the community,” said Dr chief medical officer of AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach “This donation ensures our clinicians can continue to lead the way in exceptional care and innovation.” All AdventHealth hospitals in Pasco County continue to earn straight ‘A’ hospital safety grades from The Leapfrog Group – Hundreds of high school seniors are flocking to the beach Thursday for “Senior Skip Day,” but this year law enforcement is stepping in to keep things under control police are enforcing doubled traffic fines and any vehicles causing disturbances can be impounded for up to 72 hours Officers are also monitoring crowd sizes and responding to any signs of trouble While some visitors appreciate the added security believes the presence of officers is a good thing I think it doesn’t hurt to have law enforcement around We heard last year got a little out of control on Senior Skip Day,” she said I feel like everyone’s -- if police are coming not really trying to have any police kind of interview us or anything like that I hope we can all stay positive and have a great day,” she said police say the Special Event Zone will remain in effect until the crowds clear out tonight officers warn that heavy patrols will continue and a juvenile curfew will also be enforced News 6 will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates on enforcement efforts in New Smyrna Beach Stay with us on-air and online for the latest developments NEW SMYRNA BEACH — When Angelique Barbara bought more than 11 acres of land in the Samsula, Spruce Creek area to make room for her horses, she realized it was an opportunity to create a home for other animals who might require special care “There was a bunch of orphaned goats that needed a home then we started adopting these pigs that needed a home who has degrees in veterinary science and pathobiology and is a doctor of chiropractic because we have had so many rescue animals the 11 acres provide shelter and care for more than 80 animals of several different species and those with health and/or behavioral challenges that hinder their adoption prospects.” the organization has three in-house staff members who care for the animals daily Caring for animals: Edgewater Animal Shelter agrees to partnership with NSB Police for intake, care of animals stables and shelter spaces to accommodate every animal though some like to roam around and explore a turkey that was surrendered from a farm where wild turkeys would “beat him up so they wanted a place for him to go,” Angelique Barbara “The same farm that (Tom) came from they brought an elderly sheep to us as well that can’t really do much anymore,” she said Almost every animal living at the sanctuary has been surrendered by former owners who no longer had the means to provide the care these animals required “It’s mostly either that they are old and have health issues or the owners just can’t keep them anymore,” Barbara said The first step is to have them checked by a veterinary doctor to determine the care they might need it’s often the case they need to have their hooves trimmed and their tusks trimmed because they will actually grow where they are going in their mouths,” Barbara said would help with until she recently moved out of town because a lot of the animals you can’t really find a vet to treat them so we have to take them all the way to Gainesville,” she said Because of the variety in animal species at the sanctuary it’s always “a process getting to know more about a particular animal and exactly what their needs are,” Barbara said These will often vary between dietary requirements “Like the sheep have been a learning experience,” Barbara said adding that they often face “different health issues than any of the animals.” “They are kind of more sensitive to medication and you can’t really sedate them like other animals,” she added One of the recent challenges involved caring for three baby lambs they rescued three months ago coli enteritis (an intestinal inflammation) “They had to be on special antibiotics,” Barbara said She also incorporates her experience with chiropractic and holistic care into some of the animals’ treatments Raising funds and ‘giving back to the community’Securing the necessary funds to keep up with the animals’ care demands has been another challenge but one that offered an opportunity to engage with the community Barbara opens the sanctuary for scheduled visits especially for people who are looking to decompress from their daily stressful routines spending some time in the “serene” environment “They are a good way for us to raise money for the sanctuary one planned for May and the other for October Anita Barbara said they are “getting more volunteers now,” which also helps alleviate their workload “It’s really a matter of having people helping us in contributions,” Anita Barbara said and we only have so much funds we can allocate towards that So that is our limitation and then also obviously space.” NSB rooster: Kidnapped rooster Garbanzo returned home to Third Wave in New Smyrna Beach They also are open to financial contributions and supply donations from people who can’t volunteer their time anything like that,” Angelique Barbara said Helping community reconnect with animalsIt is the founders’ shared love for animals that keeps them dedicated to their nonprofit’s mission and drives them to expand and hopefully make room for more animals in need Angelique Barbara has her own private company where she teaches “people how to make sure animals aren’t in pain that their bodies are feeling good through massage therapy “I feel like it’s just another way to give back At times we don’t have as much money as we want to for them has been a vegetarian since she was a child saying she hoped that more people were aware of the “violence and brutality” with which farm animals are treated find animals that have been treated humanely — free-range chickens She also encouraged people to interact more with animals so that they are more aware where these animals are coming from “There is a huge disconnect,” Anita Barbara said it’s a drop in the bucket but that’s the kind of difference we really try to make.” To learn more about Angel's Animal Sanctuary visit angelsanimalsanctuary.org or call 407-406-2205 This story was updated because it contained inaccurate information and an inaccurate headline The fire was not caused by power lines as previously reported A 270-acre wildfire near New Smyrna Beach on Tuesday afternoon was 80% contained Smoke is expected to affect the area so motorists are advised to exercise caution as they travel in the area near Ranchette and Holly roads west of New Smyrna Beach according to a Facebook post from the Volusia County Professional Firefighters Association Volusia County officials said the fire was first reported at 2:44 p.m Volusia County Fire Rescue and fire departments from the cities of Edgewater and New Smyrna Beach also assisted in fighting the fire Volusia County fire units were on scene Wednesday mopping up and finishing containment A Florida Forest Service Strike Team will also be mapping the fires in the area creating spot overs near Sharp Road but did not threaten any homes The Florida Forest Service Bunnell and Orlando districts had bulldozers cutting lines around the fire A Florida Forest Service helicopter was joined by two other helicopters from Flagler and Seminole counties and they dropped water on the fire to help contain it This story has been updated with new information Firefighters are working a 200-acre brush fire near New Smyrna Beach that is only 5% contained but the Tuesday afternoon blaze is currently not threatening homes Volusia County Fire Rescue and firefighters from other departments are fighting the fire The Florida Forest Service has bulldozers at the scene cutting lines around the fire "No homes are threatened at this time," she said Authorities working the fire said it is located between Kola and Magnolia roads with spot overs occurring at Sharp Road near Ranchette Road Matt Rinaldi lives on Omega Ranch Road off State Road 44 He said the fire is at the back of a neighbor's property on the road "I'm extremely concerned for my property," Rinaldi said "I'm going home to put sprinklers on my roof and turn them on and make sure that a firefighters' command unit on scene said three helicopters were dropping water on the fire Shortly after the brush fire was reported near New Smyrna Beach on Tuesday Volusia County officials announced that an outdoor burn ban will take effect at 12:01 a.m warming fires and cooking fires is prohibited Outdoor burning can only be conducted with the authorization of the Florida Forest Service Outdoor cooking done with a contained gas or charcoal grill (excluding a fire pit) is permissible under the ban Volusia County Fire Chief Joe King said the burn ban is necessary because of severe drought conditions Volusia County’s Keetch-Byram Drought Index is 517 The drought index measures soil dryness with zero indicating total saturation and 800 being desert-dry Sheldon Gardner and David Wersinger contributed to this report A vehicle that fled from a traffic stop in New Smyrna Beach crashed on the South Causeway Bridge Monday in a wreck involving five cars Monday about a reckless driver in the 7300 block of Turtlemound Road according to a Facebook post from New Smyrna Beach Police A Volusia Sheriff's deputy saw the vehicle and tried to stop it near Third and South Peninsula avenues But the vehicle sped away toward the South Causeway Bridge The deputy deactivated his emergency lights and lost sight of the vehicle as it crossed over the bridge "Shortly later, the vehicle crashed on the west side of the bridge near Magnolia Street," the Facebook post stated The crash involved at least five vehicles and two individuals were transported to a hospital as trauma alerts No one else involved reported any injuries New Smyrna Beach Police said eastbound traffic reopened around 5:10 p.m. Florida's digital database of restaurant health inspections is updated regularly with information on which local restaurants pass and fail The database can be searched by county or by restaurant name You will see which restaurants were fined and forced to close temporarily Disclaimer: The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation describes an inspection report as "a 'snapshot' of conditions present at the time of the inspection." On any given day an establishment may have fewer or more violations than noted in its most recent inspection An inspection conducted on any given day may not represent the establishment's overall 'It's only going to get better': Beloved Daytona Beach restaurant reopens at new location Beloved Hammock restaurant of 24 years rebrands and reopens under original owners Revamped rooftop bar offers craft cocktails, panoramic views of Daytona Beach passed their inspections from April 20 – 26 with zero violations: Daytona Beach.Volusia County restaurant inspections with high-priority violationsThe following restaurants administrative complaints or were temporarily closed due to failed inspections from April 20 – 26: — It’s no secret that the Florida coast has taken a beating from storms and other shore-eroding events over the last few years Between hurricanes and increased boat wakes experts say all that energy has diminished the shoreline But that is something the Marine Discovery Center is working to change teaming up with the University of Central Florida to work on shoreline stabilization efforts Organizers say they need more volunteers to help them do it “I am always getting covered in some cement splatters as well it's fun and we're doing all the dirty work for the ecosystem,” she said Frey teaches volunteers how to get their hands dirty using PH-balanced cement and jute fabric to create what she calls "jute volcanoes." it's creating biodegradable ecosystems that will build back the slope of eroding shorelines “I always like to tell people to picture a crab trying to come up and here and having spaces to cling on to,” said Frey While the volcano shape buffers wave energy the rough surface creates the perfect base for organisms to grow and protect coastline vegetation especially because we have such a high energy environment and when that wave energy washes up to shore over time you're going to get a lot of oyster reefs that are getting suffocated and then shorelines that are washing away,” said Frey the Marine Discovery Center is working to make 1,500 of the volcanoes by spring provides all of the planning and permitting monitoring and the research side of things And we provide the volunteer network and make all of our units,” said Frey Frey organizes volunteers like Amy Bueschel and her husband who were making the volcanoes for the first time As Ponce Inlet locals who witnessed the impacts of the hurricanes on eroding shorelines firsthand they jumped at the opportunity to help the area it's a good way to give back and for those that have lost their homes and things like that," Bueschel said they don't have to worry about that because we're trying to redo what we undone what we've done in the past." She said not only is it fun to make the volcanoes “It's a super-good warm and fuzzy feeling to know that there's something that you did that's going to last for a while and hopefully help generations to come,” said Bueschel they let it dry and stack them until they will be ready to be deployed in the greater Indian River Lagoon area this spring Frey said about 1,400 were deployed already this year with much success “Once we see them out in the water and actually get to see the life that starts to grow on them and the impact that they're having in our environment While they still need to make more than a thousand of the structures before the next deployment Frey said she is hopeful more volunteers will see the beauty around them and want to do their part to save it “Fostering that love is what's going to help us learn to protect this lagoon and actually have an impact for many years to come,” she said Anyone 16 years and older looking for more information on the project, or how to volunteer, can visit the Marine Discovery Center's website NEW SMYRNA BEACH — Renowned for its curated selection of gourmet pantry items and kitchen accessories this Canal Street shop is elevating its offerings from shelf to table in historic downtown New Smyrna Beach The Galley, located at 417 Canal St., a stone’s throw from The Spott will soon be found just a few doors down at 421 Canal St. where the gourmet grocer plans to relocate by early April and later expand with a brand-new café when their petite shop’s building was recently put up for sale the decision to relocate became inevitable 'We feel very supported': Family-owned business to expand with New Smyrna Beach bakery ‘It’s a leap of faith’: Beloved burrito brand to open first brick-and-mortar in NSB it was now or never to bring their ever-evolving vision to life with the opening of their European-style café It would be cool having something small — like going to Italy where you have a glass of wine and music playing,” Erdei said there’s so many things we wanted to do over the years to change and grow and this sort of fit the bill,” Adams added Best New Smyrna Beach restaurants for seafood, drinks or tapas the new café — a connected expansion of the local shop — will likely embrace a rather sultry design plush leather sofas and a richer color palette “We want to create nice little spaces for people to just be and enjoy themselves so it sort of speaks for itself and doesn’t need a lot,” she said of the character-rich space built in 1916 While American dining often leans into efficiency over experience the European-style café will celebrate the art of lingering — bringing simplicity quality and connection to its sliver of sidewalk ‘Dance while you eat’: Southern beach bar coming to New Smyrna Beach’s Flagler Avenue Date night approved: 8 Best romantic restaurants in the Daytona Beach area inspired by items Erdei himself has long enjoyed during the couple's travels will likely offer a selection of European meat sandwiches as well as vegetarian options; soups; breakfast toasts; pastries; and small desserts alongside espresso beverages and a curated selection of wines “I appreciate the difference with the European meats because I feel like it’s made with love,” Erdei said “… And I want to be unique … something where you come in and you’re going to remember that place.” The café will predominantly serve breakfast and lunch though it may reopen in the evening with tapas-style offerings Adams and Erdei officially took over The Galley in 2018 its former owners and the couple's good friends expressed plans to part ways with the 2014-born shop We’ll buy it — I can run a store,’” Adams said The gourmet grocery store is every food enthusiast's slice of retail paradise among a number of other non-food kitchen accessories that complement the culinary experience Popular beachside coffee trailer to open first brick-and-mortar in Port Orange Cornering the market: Local to open 2 Daytona Beach restaurants originally the plan was to offer grab-and-go sandwiches and stuff like that,” Adams said but what we found was that … we weren’t really able to create the quality of food that we wanted They then shifted focus to the shop’s now best-selling selection of balsamic vinegars and premium olive oils of which they offer more than three dozen variations “The extra virgins are just a huge passion (of mine) now — talking about the nutritional value of them and helping people be healthier but also enjoy what they’re eating,” said Adams a first-tier certified olive oil sommelier Options range from the mango white balsamic and blackberry ginger dark balsamic vinegars; to the Eureka lemon ‘olive oil doesn’t go bad’ and … It absolutely does Olives just happen to make an oil-based juice instead of a water-based juice “You wouldn’t drink orange juice that was a year old and think it was going to pump you full of nutrients Peanut butter on a smash patty? I tried 2 of the funkiest burger joints in Daytona Beach. Flagler Beach restaurant of nearly two decades announces temporary move to new location who holds a degree in business management from the University of Central Florida while simultaneously working both in local real estate and as a licensed laser technician at her sister-in-law’s med spa — roles she maintains having never formerly trained in the culinary arts though Adams will instinctually insist “he’s a chef” — one who’s talents have graced the kitchens of local restaurants assisted living facilities for nearly two decades Fast-casual seafood chain brings New England-style lobster rolls to Daytona Beach New Daytona Beach doughnut shop serves pastries, breakfast sandwiches, coffee and more brings order and attention to detail to the local shop their dynamic energy and infectious humor have been an unmatched recipe for business success — one they hope carries over at the new café “We keep joking amongst ourselves that we’ll be like the European Cracker Barrel come shop and maybe see some of the things that you’re going to be eating — just more of an experience,” Adams said Erdei is looking forward to getting started “… I think it’s going to be good for me and for us.” The Galley plans to relocate to 421 Canal St The accompanying café is slated to open in early summer call 386-426-5611 or visit facebook.com/thegalleyagourmetpantry Thousands of New Smyrna Beach Utilities customers were without power Monday morning An equipment failure episode left approximately 6,000 customers without power at one point wrote NSB Utilities spokeswoman Ellen Fisher in an email "Our power outage this morning that started about 8:40 a.m was due to equipment failure," Fisher wrote "Our restoration efforts were slowed by the weather but weather was not the initial cause of the outage." NSB Utilities' fluroide decision: Citing operational costs, residents' concerns, New Smyrna Beach to stop water fluoridation Earlier this morning, the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for parts of Volusia County as bands of showers and storms with the potential for damaging wind gusts of 40-60 mph were pushing through Daytona Beach and elsewhere in Volusia and Flagler counties ahead of a cold front Restoration efforts took crews about three hours – As spring break kicks off for many school districts New Smyrna Beach and Volusia County law enforcement are preparing for the annual influx of visitors Police are already in full force to manage the crowds that gather at the beaches each year “Please make sure that your kids are supervised and make sure they behave themselves because ultimately we have zero tolerance,” said Sgt with a message directed at parents allowing their children to visit New Smyrna Beach during spring break Several teenagers have already faced trouble primarily for alcohol-related offenses and underage drinking on the beach on the first day of break there are some fights that break out every now and then the underage drinking can bring narcotics and guns sometimes,” said Helms On Senior Skip Day Thursday several teens were arrested for alcohol-related offenses two teens faced arrest due to gun incidents on President’s Day The zero-tolerance enforcement style was influenced by 2022’s spring break which saw an 89% increase in juvenile arrests for destructive behavior on Flagler Avenue with officers stationed throughout the area there’s zero tolerance so that the people who are just here to have a good time and enjoy a family-friendly atmosphere get that,” said Police Chief Chris Kirk Officers are already issuing citations for seat belt violations before teens even reach the beach “We have plain clothes officers as well as other technology to keep an eye on things,” Kirk added “There’s nowhere here out of view so if you’re underage drinking we’re definitely going to find it and enforce it.” NEW SMYRNA BEACH — Almost 80 people took over the sidewalk at the busy intersection of State Road 44 and Mission Drive in New Smyrna Beach to protest the Trump Administration Thursday Protesters brought signs and wore clothes criticizing the president and even calling for his impeachment Jeff Bezos and other prominent American billionaires “When we are under such extreme duress from a wannabe dictator who participated in the protest with his wife “There is not going to be one thing that makes the difference Change is incremental and you just have to do something Pat Sones said gatherings such as Thursday’s indicate a “collective growing movement” of voices against the federal government’s policies which she argued “are hurting everyday Americans and their pocketbooks.” She called “ridiculous” the president’s statement during an April 30 Cabinet meeting about how, because of recent tariffs imposed on China, American children will have to settle for “two dolls instead of 30 dolls” for Christmas this year “The growing recognition of how this is affecting more and more people is going to have a big impact,” Pat Sones said Stephen Gregory also criticized the president’s April 30 remarks saying that it is difficult to point out something that is “going right.” He spoke out against DOGE and the thousands of federal employees fired by the Musk-led agency “It’s as if everybody that they fired was not working,” Gregory said “These people worked their (expletive) off every day It’s going to collapse so much stuff in this country Rob Murphy said even though he recognizes Trump and his government allies were fairly elected he argued “they don’t seem to care anything about the Constitution.” “What terrifies me is the assault on our rights and the rule of law,” Murphy said He said he takes “a little bit of heart in seeing people like us out here today and all across the country.” “That doesn’t happen because everything is wonderful,” Murphy said “It happens because people don’t like what is going on and they are scared.” Two more May Day protests are scheduled for Saturday: One in DeLand at 10 a.m. and one in Daytona Beach at 11 a.m. Visit mobilize.us/mayday for details NEW SMYRNA BEACH — While Flagler Avenue businesses always expect some kind of spring break hijinks few incidents can outdo the kidnapping of a restaurant’s live mascot And that is exactly what happened Tuesday night when a group of college students in town for vacation snatched up Garbanzo While he was found safe later in Edgewater and returned to the restaurant staff and community members expressed their frustration over the situation “It was around 1:10 in the morning,” said the restaurant’s evening manager repeating a witness' account of the incident “(They) shoved him in the back and then got in the Uber and took off.” But the rooster bandits didn't know who they were messing with my father who is also with the police department and some of the business here on Flagler as well pulling their camera footage to see if they could see anything,” Sharkey said He said it was difficult to hear what had happened even though Garbanzo has gone missing before — but he's always been found roaming nearby because we do take care of him,” Sharkey said The other ones we don’t mess with so much.” Garbanzo becomes part of the Third Wave familyGarbanzo began taking over Third Wave’s front porch deck two years ago and has since become a part of the restaurant's family A friend of one of the servers used to own the rooster Teen spring breakers, be aware: New Smyrna Beach sets zone with increased penalties We don’t give him chicken — that’s the only thing we won’t give him.” The rooster even has his own reserved spot on the front porch The night manager said he was glad to resolve the situation in less than 24 hours otherwise he would have become increasingly worried Where was Garbanzo?Sharkey said a former Third Wave employee who lives in Edgewater's Florida Shores neighborhood spotted the animal at an Airbnb in the area It is unclear how the former employer was able to bring Garbanzo back to the restaurant which was a big relief for Sharkey and staffers who said he lived “next door” and witnessed the incident wrote “it is very empty in this part of Flagler without Garbanzo here.” “You know he may be a rooster but he is family and we care for him as one,” Osborn wrote “He might be a little loud when u trying to sleep but his noise is relaxing unlike drunk idiots screaming at the top of there (lungs).” Several other users expressed their anger with the spring breakers their appreciation for the effort to return Garbanzo and their love for their favorite Flagler Avenue mascot something Sharkey said he was “shocked” to see online Sharkey said he is keeping Garbanzo safe in a caged area in the back of the restaurant “I was honestly shocked by how many people actually care for him We had a bunch of people on the front porch they pulled up with him and they were all cheering — As student crowds start coming to Florida for spring break local law enforcement agencies are preparing for a busy week Thousands of people are heading to New Smyrna Beach as their destination of choice the New Smyrna Beach Police Department established a "Special Event Zone" in connection with "Senior Skip Day." The zone will stretch from Beachway Avenue to Third Avenue And we welcome every tourist in town,” said Ignacio Barsottelli He said this week the city will see a combination of two crowds in town: snowbirds and spring breakers And although he says it's good for business “We just want them to behave," he said But we just want to have a peaceful town like we always have." the New Smyrna Beach Police Department is taking steps to keep everyone safe. Officers sat up a Mobile Command Center in the parking lot of the Flagler Avenue Beachfront Park steps aways from one of the busiest beach ramps during this time of year The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office also has deputies patrolling the beach in the area I see the sheriff's cars going around,” Barsottelli said He said he appreciates the measures in place to make spring break a pleasant time for all.  Florida permits the sheriff or chief administrative officer of a municipality to designate an area as a special event zone in response to events including unpermitted activities or gatherings organized via social media that involve 50 or more people and cause significant disruptions to the normal flow of traffic on public roadways The law includes the following provisions: Courtesy of New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau  With thousands of Central Florida high school students about to be simultaneously set free for spring break next week the City of New Smyrna Beach isn’t wasting any time in preparing to control the potential for disruptive behavior In accordance with Florida law, the New Smyrna Beach Police Department will establish a Special Event Zone starting at 8 a.m action tied to the expectation of big crowds tied to "Senior Skip Day" unfolding that day throughout Central Florida The boundaries of the zone encompass an area that includes all of the beachside east of the Indian River from Beachway Avenue to the north and 3rd Avenue to the south The designation will remain in effect for as long as necessary, according to a post on the department’s Facebook page Signs have been placed to alert those in the area What is a Florida 'special event zone'?Under a law established in 2022 Florida law permits a municipality to designate an area as a special event zone in response to events Virginia Stephens is bracing for impact of another unwelcome invasion of teenage students at the Seahorse Inn the 20-room hotel on the beachside end of the popular tourist thoroughfare “We’re dreading it,” she said of a potential invasion that has become a source of congestion occasional bad behavior and aggravation over the past three years for business owners along one of the city’s marquee tourist thoroughfares Compounding that dread is the fact that students in six Central Florida school districts — Volusia Seminole and Osceola counties — all will be on vacation next week the influx is spread across multiple weeks but it doesn't seem to ease the potential for disruption they were all on spring break same week and everyone was like they did that and the misery just lasted for three weeks instead of one." “They (students) are killing businesses,” said Stephens who has owned the beachside hotel with her husband “We have regulars who just don’t come in March anymore They are infiltrating us on every holiday.” Stephens and other Flagler Avenue merchants applaud measures taken by the City of New Smyrna Beach and its police department to control spring break crowds and behavior They state that several preventative measures in place for the last two years have changed the tone of spring break in the city for the better A citywide spring break curfew for minors has been in place annually since 2023 a year after New Smyrna Beach endured the presence of hundreds of spring breakers that flooded the streets and wreaked havoc along the main business district That 2022 spring break mayhem contributed to an 89% increase in juvenile arrests in 2022 The curfew measure prohibits unaccompanied minors from being in public from 11 p.m the New Smyrna Beach police department has bolstered its presence The increased patrols also received a positive review from Wayne Lundberg a Flagler Avenue restaurant closer to the river and the police chief had his guys really on the ball Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood has offered numerous blunt warnings to spring breakers and their parents about the consequences of bad behavior “Let the word go forth, if you act a fool we have a place for you,” Chitwood said in a Feb. 24th Facebook video that has garnered nearly 200,000 views I don’t care if you’re in Naples or Tampa or in Georgia You are coming down to pick up your child and remove them from our community.” Volusia County Sheriff’s deputies made 52 arrests and issued 200 citations during spring break in 2024 Chitwood said that he expects last year's arrest totals could potentially double this year Such messages are music to the ears of Virginia Stephens “Every time I hear Sheriff Chitwood say something else I’ve never lived anywhere where they leapt into action like they did in response to this.” Students arriving next week will encounter extra officers stationed at popular hot spots “We are increasing patrols along Flagler Avenue and the beach approaches to ensure that crowds are managed effectively,” she said “Additional officers will be assigned to these areas Our primary focus will be to ensure public safety and minimize any disruptions that could arise from larger crowds.” There is a zero-tolerance approach to illegal activities during the event “Respect for the community and its laws is essential We encourage everyone to enjoy their time responsibly and be respectful of residents and other visitors Anyone caught breaking the law will be held accountable.” – New Smyrna Beach Police are setting up a special event zone this weekend for an unsanctioned “Meet for Toyota Truck” event This comes a week after spring breakers were involved in multiple violations and crimes in Volusia County “Had a very long discussion with the chief deputy They’re making 20 arrests per day,” said Vice Chair of the Volusia County Council Matt Reinhart The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office posted videos to social media showing some of those crimes including a Daytona Beach shooting that left two 19-year-old victims with gunshot wounds “We’re trying to revitalize that area; these types of activities don’t revitalize it Volusia County leaders voted unanimously to discuss creating an ordinance to crack down on unsanctioned events They’re a danger to themselves,” Andy Rock “A lot of people from out of state and out of the country come here because they want to enjoy it so let’s keep it to where they can still have fun.” We asked beachgoers about some of the ideas the council wants to consider like limiting the number of people that can group together on the beach “Whenever you try to restrict people’s ability to stick together that’s a potential problem for everybody.” The council also mentioned increasing fines for children and their parents and adding a curfew “I don’t particularly disagree with curfew and increased fines for individuals that are gonna do something wrong especially if it’s egregious,” said Avellan The council says they plan on working with New Smyrna Beach and several other cities to get their input New Smyrna Beach police on Tuesday issued a warning after arresting two juveniles, one with a handgun who was in a fight and another for shooting at chickens with a BB gun that violence will not be tolerated in the city as spring break approaches on Monday police were called to an assault and battery in a Flagler beach parking area on Flagler Avenue where witnesses said they saw the 15-year-old boy display a firearm in his waistband during a fight who tried to walk away from police and resisted arrest a loaded 9mm pistol was found in his waistband The firearm had a magazine containing 22 bullets The teen was on probation for a previous offense It was not immediately clear what his former crime was "A juvenile is under arrest and another gun is off the streets after officers responded to a disturbance in the Flagler Avenue beach lot after a fight broke out between several juveniles," New Smyrna police said in a Facebook post preventing what could have been a far more dangerous situation." this time for shooting at chickens with a BB gun "intentionally trying to strike the animals with the intent to cause harm or great bodily harm or death," police wrote in the teen's arrest report A witness called police after seeing the teen pull out the BB gun and shoot at the chickens in the parking lot at 223 Flagler Ave. The witness yelled at the teen and the boy ran to a sport utility vehicle where police found him When police questioned the teen about shooting the chickens he said he was waiting for his friends but got bored so he took his revolver-style BB gun and shot at the roosters at Coronado Civic Center no roosters or people were injured during the incident," police said who police said was also on probation for domestic battery was charged Monday with felony cruelty to animals and a probation violation as we approach the busy Spring Break season this serves as a critical reminder to both juveniles and parents: incidents involving violence and weapons 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐁𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃," police posted on Facebook "NSBPD and our law enforcement partners are committed to ensuring that our community remains safe and anyone engaging in criminal activity will face serious consequences." please talk to your teens about responsible behavior understand that your actions today can have consequences that last your entire life," said the police statement on Facebook LAKELAND — All year, the New Smyrna Beach Barracudas have repeated the phrase “Win one more.” It’s written across the back of their team shirts For the first time in program history, the Barracudas became state champions “It was unreal in the moment when the game was over because I was still thinking in my head ‘We just have to win another one,’” coach Aisha Patrick said “It didn't seem real,” senior Olivia Olson said of the final buzzer “I was thinking I still had to win the game or whatever I thought something more was supposed to happen Much like its semifinals victory over Clearwater New Smyrna Beach started slow against the Hurricanes (17-9) It tallied only two points in the first five minutes The Barracudas rallied toward the end of the first quarter Sophomore Iniya Reddicks nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to cut their deficit to just 15-14 “We start practices with situations,” Patrick said “We always start playing with us being down by 10 so we always talk about making sure you get that one stop On the first possession of the second quarter Reddicks handed New Smyrna Beach its first lead Olson swished a 3-pointer to make it 19-15 The Barracudas entered the break with a 29-26 advantage they kept Gainesville off the scoreboard until the 3:28 mark of the third quarter They had a chance to trim their deficit to one possession in the final five seconds of the quarter but missed two of three free-throw attempts Olson then drained a running heave from just inside midcourt as the clock reached zero Olson sunk a short jump shot to push New Smyrna Beach’s lead to double digits (50-40) for the first time It didn’t score for more than three minutes after that After a pair of free throws by Sariah Ammons padded the Barracudas’ cushion to 52-46 the Hurricanes slashed it to three points with a 3-pointer by Jamison Cardwell “(We emphasized) just continuing to trust each other and not getting down when they go on a run because we know that's going to happen,” Olson said The Cardwell 3-pointer was Gainesville’s last basket Olson stepped to the charity stripe three times converting four of her six tries to ice the game as New Smyrna Beach’s defense held strong The contest ended with the ball in Corrin Austell’s hands “This is definitely the highlight of my four years,” said Austell the only senior on the roster who played her entire high school career for the Barracudas and polished off a double-double with 12 rebounds Reddicks (11 points) and Austell (10) joined her with double-digit point totals New Smyrna Beach shot 47.5% from the field It smothered the Hurricanes to a 39.6% overall shooting percentage That number sagged to 25.9% in the second half The Barracudas turned the ball over 17 times but forced Gainesville into 21 giveaways A game-high five of those were steals by Reddicks Cardwell and Jayden Terry paced the Hurricanes with 18 points apiece “I'm down we don't have another game to play but I'm happy they got to play their last possible game of the season “New Smyrna Beach is the state champion of 2025.” — Dry conditions continue across Central Florida as crews in New Smyrna Beach monitor a 300-acre brush fire Responders tell Spectrum News 13 that the Honeydew fire is 90 percent contained The Florida Forest Service and Volusia County Fire Rescue will still at the scene “Nothing soothes the heart or gives the heart more joy than to help someone," said Samsula resident Mike McDonald She was trapped back in there yesterday," he said The woman returned to her home Thursday as conditions were more under control so the less they can be out in the woods and possible get in our way and get anyone injured it would be better that they didn’t," he said low relative humidity and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior according to the Volusia County Professional Firefighters Association This is a developing story. Stay with Spectrum News 13 on-air, online and the Spectrum News app for updates Savoring the sea: Exploring the best seafood restaurants in the Daytona, Flagler area Best Daytona Beach restaurants? 5 area favorites everyone should try at least once Beachin’ Burritos a once popular breakfast burrito food trailer began welcoming guests to its first brick-and-mortar eatery Owner Vince Siravo started the brand in 2023 with his wife after moving to the area from Colorado a few years prior Beachin’ Burritos is known for its pork green chile Its menu ranges from bestselling breakfast and lunch burritos like the The OG and Pineapple Express to the fan-favorite pork green chile mac and cheese Read more: ‘It’s a leap of faith’: Beloved burrito brand to open first brick-and-mortar in NSB 900 Spring Garden Ranch Road, De Leon Springs; 386-277-2032, facebook.com located at the former Spring Garden Ranch Restaurant a 1949-established horse training facility in De Leon Springs The new restaurant, a place for "boots, beats, whiskey, wine and good times," offers one-of-a-kind views of the horse track, as well as live music, karaoke and a full bar. Its lengthy soft-opening menu features specialty pizzas, loaded subs, wings and salads, among other items, according to its Facebook page Country Line Saloon's full menu is coming soon The popular chain is known for its variety of hot and cold subs from the Jersey Shore Favorite and Club Supreme to Mike’s Chicken Philly and the Chipotle cheesesteak Kale Cafe Vegan Kitchen formerly known as Kale Cafe Juice Bar & Vegan Cuisine in Daytona Beach — just two doors down from the brand’s original location at 116 N which owners Camille Holder-Brown and Omar Brown closed after a more than decade last April in preparation for their relocation The restaurant’s interior features vibrant colors hand-picked décor and local art gracing every wall inspired by the duo’s Caribbean roots and well-traveled lives features best-sellers like the veggie burger Read more: 'It's only going to get better': Beloved Daytona Beach restaurant reopens at new location Lines & Vines Coffee quietly opened under owner and Ormond Beach-native Abby Moor at the end of April offers nearly two dozen other espresso drinks tea lattes and loose-leaf teas; drinks include your standard cappuccino and macchiato including several homemade and sugar-free options Alongside smoothies and freshly-made acai bowls Lines & Vines Coffee houses a handful of locally sourced pastries located at the former Bela Lisboa Restaurant soft-opened within Port Orange's Tuscan Village Shoppes in mid-April who bring nearly three decades of industry experience to their new venture Alongside several key dishes retained from Bela Lisboa baskets and fried bites now decorate the made-to-order menu which has already proven popular among recent visitors The Pelican Bistro’s cocktail menu is currently in the works alongside a new selection of beer and wine Pizza Rays opened for business in Port Orange last month at the former location of Señor Taco Too offers a vast selection of Italian-style pizzas pepperoni or “Your Way” with up to four toppings while subs range from the Ray’s Original Italian and the steak and cheese to the pizza sub and the pastrami and cheese sub Pizza Rays offers pickup and delivery through DoorDash New Smyrna Beach; Instagram.com/sharkysnsb Sharky’s NSB the newest restaurant and bar to grace New Smyrna Beach’s bustling Flagler Avenue biscuit brunches and country tunes aplenty for locals to enjoy Chef and restaurateur Patrick Kennedy opened the “Southern beach bar,” which sits across the street from Tayton O’Brians Guests can choose between more than a dozen signature cocktails and frozen daquiris at the eatery’s full bar enjoy old-school Southern brunches from 10 a.m on weekends and sift through a generous daily spread of Southern-inspired comfort foods from crispy fried chicken sandwiches and pimento cheese-layered smash burgers to smoked local fish dip Read more: ‘Dance while you eat’: Southern beach bar coming to New Smyrna Beach’s Flagler Avenue 140 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach; 386-947-7470, facebook.com/rooftoponeforty revamped and reopened the space with live music Whether perched at a high-top or lounging on a sofa guests can enjoy the comfort of the coastal overlook while sipping on a cocktail of choice and enjoying several tapas-style plates and entrees compliments of executive chef Chris Eldridge Options range from Angus beef sliders and lamb meatballs to classic charcuterie and maple bourbon Dijon salmon Read more: Revamped rooftop bar offers craft cocktails, panoramic views of Daytona Beach Email hperray@gannett.com to be added to the list The couple’s decision to part ways with the establishment was summed up with a single word: “Tired,” Vagos told The News-Journal this was a good opportunity for us to just take a bit of a break.” Despite the gamble of its tucked-away location Bela Lisboa proved to be a chance worth taking — one Vagos looks back on with few critiques “We’re gonna take some time off … Put our ideas together and come up with a plan,” Vagos said “You might see us again around this area .. Bela Lisboa Restaurant was located at 3510 S Read the full story: ‘You might see us again’: Port Orange restaurant to close after 4 years This Southern grill closed its doors for good over Easter weekend after more than four years serving the Edgewater area The former Florida Roadhouse restaurant reopened as Elliott’s Steakhouse in 2021, under owners Karyn and Doug Elliott, before rebranding and reopening as Elliott’s Roadside Grill — a “family friendly, casual dining restaurant” — in September 2023 Though known for its Southern staples like meatloaf dinners and pot roast bowls, after joining forces with Milo’s Pizza Corner last May the restaurant released a brand-new joint menu featuring what became bestsellers like pizza “We are forever thankful for your patronage and support We offer our sincere apologies if your experience was not the best We have had some really rough times but some really great times too,” the restaurant’s April Facebook post reads “… I am not sure what the future of the beautiful property is yet but I will keep you posted," the post continued "Our goal is to get the pizza up and running again somewhere Elliott’s Roadside Grill was located at 4170 U.S Read the full story: ‘We are forever thankful’: Roadside grill permanently closes in Edgewater Following roughly four months in Ormond Beach South Florida-based chain closed its doors for good last month Thirsty Turtle Seagrill opened its original location in Juno Beach and expanded with its first Volusia County location in December when it replaced the former Burntwood Tavern restaurant famous for its made-to-order honey garlic wings quietly closed the doors to its Ormond restaurant in April as evidenced by a sign taped to its door that read “We regret to inform you that the Thirsty Turtle Seagrill is now closed We enjoyed being part of the Ormond Beach community for a short time Thirsty Turtle Seagrill was located at 254 N. Nova Road, Suite 250, in Ormond Beach. The brand maintains seven other locations across Florida, according to its website Read more: ‘The Turtle’s swimming north’: Seafood sports bar chain to open in Ormond Beach After four weeks and four intense rounds of head-to-head matchups, readers decided which local restaurants would advance in The News-Journal’s 2025 best pizza competition The final round of voting took place March 31-April 4, with the final two pizzerias, Don Giovanni Contemporary Italian & Pizzeria and Sky’s Pies Pizza, battling it out for the crown. With less than a 50-vote difference, Sky’s Pies Pizza came out on top as our 2025 champion Read the full story: Four rounds, one winner: Daytona Beach area’s best pizza restaurant crowned! After four devoted years navigating the highs and hard-won lessons of the industry, KJ and Stephen Stavris, owners of Big Tuna’s Beach Bar & Grill recently sold their beloved Daytona Beach restaurant bringing a meaningful chapter in their culinary story to a close As Daytona Beach locals and parents to a young daughter the couple said the heart-tugging decision to sell was made entirely on their own terms driven by a desire to shift their focus toward family officially took over as Big Tuna’s owner in the final week of March with plans to keep offerings unchanged for the first six months Read the full story: ‘It’s time to take a break’: Beloved Daytona Beach restaurant, bar sells to new owner recently paid a visit to Port Orange’s Giuseppe's Steel City Pizza and Deltona’s Crustini Pizza & Cuisine The 39-year-old competitive eater — ESPN’s former top-ranked eater in Europe, according to his Instagram — is known for filming himself taking on various restaurants’ food challenges which present impossibly large amounts of food to be devoured within a certain amount of time often for a cash prize — or simply bragging rights he brought his camera and appetite right here to Volusia County Read the full story: Beard Meats Food YouTube star, competitive eater films at Port Orange, Deltona restaurants The Hammock Grill by JT’s began serving Palm Coast-area patrons in February under original owners John and Brandy Doering showcases a brand-new menu of “Southern flare food” and weekly rotating chef’s specials — a thoughtful blend of new creations and former menu favorites requested by longtime customers Read the full story: Beloved Hammock restaurant of 24 years rebrands and reopens under original owners The New Smyrna Beach Barracudas started their season with a long winning streak As they enter the Class 5A girls basketball state semifinals Watch Florida playoff basketball games on NFHS Network No. 1 New Smyrna Beach will battle fourth-seeded Clearwater at 5 p.m Wednesday at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland it would advance to Friday’s finals against No let’s look back at the Barracudas’ road to get here This is the first girls basketball final four appearance in school history Strength of schedule rating: 14.21 — 27th in the state falling in the first round of the FHSAA playoffs They returned standout guards Corrin Austell and Sariah Ammons and added two All-Area first-team transfers Olivia Olson from Mainland and Iniya Reddicks from Deltona Olson brought valuable playoff experience after making the dance with Spruce Creek in 2023 and placing as a state runner-up with the Buccaneers in 2024 New Smyrna Beach stormed out of the gates with a 10-game winning streak and nine of the 10 contests featured a margin of victory of at least 20 points the Barracudas defeated Cocoa to become the first Volusia-Flagler squad — boys or girls — to hit 10 wins this season all against high-level competition like Palm Bay (now No “I think it really kind of woke everybody up,” Olson said last month New Smyrna Beach took out any frustration on Space Coast with a 75-20 victory on Jan New Smyrna Beach girls basketball playoffsFor the second year in a row They trailed Gateway 39-37 heading into the fourth quarter but they closed with a 19-9 run and pulled away That showdown posed their biggest threat in postseason play so far In the Region 2-5A quarterfinals It did the same to River Ridge in the quarterfinals 63-34 “I think the sense of urgency is different,” Patrick said after toppling River Ridge and there are some really good teams out there We're trying to make sure we do what we need to do and control what we can control to make sure we can continue to push.” The push continued against Leesburg in the region finals Feb the Barracudas opened up a double-digit lead on the backs of Austell and Reddicks’ scoring prowess and maintained it throughout the second half The Yellow Jackets assembled a couple of runs They cut the ’Cuda lead to 10 points after it reached a game-high 21 in the third quarter The trio accounted for all but five of the Barracudas’ points in the 69-56 triumph “and everyone else did their role really well.” New Smyrna Beach players and coaches remained on the court for 30 minutes snapping photos with the trophy and finally chopping down one of the nets in their gymnasium Wednesday’s semifinal showdown with Clearwater sits first on the to-do list It will occur after each squad enjoyed more than a week off from games The Barracudas still put in plenty of practice time We occasionally recommend interesting products and services If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently NEW SMYRNA BEACH — The fact that New Smyrna Beach is a prime spot for catching great waves is no secret to locals and visitors who surf year-round But when a national publication shines a light on the city’s surfing scene, as Southern Living magazine did last week chances are surfers from coast to coast will discover why New Smyrna is “one of the best places to surf in the world." At least according to a 2012 ranking by National Geographic Southern Living's placement of New Smyrna as "one of the South’s best surfing destinations" might be a more grounded assessment The magazine put the Volusia County coastal town alongside North Carolina's Wrightsville Beach The story pointed out how “surf culture runs deep” in the city, highlighting its history, surfing events the best surfing spots in town and other factors that make NSB a top-notch surfing destination has lived in the city for a just few years but the California native has been surfing “forever.” “We lived in a lot of different places in Florida and my (dad) said New Smyrna Beach was the one that embodied most of the same surf culture that we experienced on West Coast,” said Probst who works at Rip Curl surf shop on Flagler Avenue New Smyrna has a “tightknit” surfing community particular to small beach towns in the U.S — similar to what her family experienced in the Golden State “Everyone is pretty chill with each other and they’re all pretty nice,” she said New Smyrna’s small-town feel is part of the reason for its success with a “relaxed and laidback vibe” that “is perfect for surfers looking to catch a wave without fighting crowds.” “It gets crowded sometimes out at (Ponce Inlet) “Everyone is on pretty good terms with everyone And there’s not a lot of hostility in the water which is something that you see a lot in like Hawaii and even California.” In major surf towns in those states and even in Florida “people get overprotective about their spot.” The north side of the Ponce De Leon Inlet shares its popularity with Smyrna Dunes Park on the south side which is why Southern Living listed both as top surfing spots in the city “The Inlet is the place where the Intracoastal Waterway Indian River North and Halifax River all empty between stone jetties into the Atlantic Ocean,” the magazine wrote “When a south or southeastern swell comes through The area is also Probst's favorite spot to surf “When a hurricane comes and there’s like a bigger swell But area surfers also often have to deal with the ever-present threat of shark bites “My friend actually got bit a couple of months ago,” Probst said “But her (bite) wasn’t that bad — she got really lucky with it.” 'I never thought it would happen to me': Surfer recounts shark bite in New Smyrna Beach Volusia County has topped the list for shark bites in the world since 1992 according to the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File (or ISAF) Southern Living also pointed to Bethune Beach Park as another popular (and often less crowded) surfing spot in the city’s coastal southside The magazine also encouraged readers to learn about the city’s surf culture history through the New Smyrna History Museum’s East Coast Surf Exhibit which features “dozens of world class surfers” from the city The sailboat that had been stranded on New Smyrna Beach is no longer worth even the one dollar its owner was selling it for Volusia County got the vessel for less: Nothing The registered owner surrendered it to the county And Volusia County then demolished the boat on Monday and trucked it on its last voyage to the Tomoka landfill according to county spokesman Clayton Jackson The boat had been stranded on New Smyrna Beach since last month. The owner had been quoted more than $20,000 to remove it according to news reports he offered it for sale for a dollar hoping someone could continue using the sailboat Volusia County received the necessary approvals to remove the boat from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission over the weekend The county coordinated with a contractor to safely remove any potentially harmful liquids from the boat to prevent any environmental contamination to the beach or ocean “This immediate removal was critical as the vessel posed significant risks to the public and the environment The concern of the vessel breaking its anchor lines during a future storm or tidal event caused additional concern as it would result in potential leaks or scattering hazardous debris along the beach and into the water with the potential of impacting vulnerable structures and shorelines,” according to a statement from Volusia County Volusia County will receive a recycling credit toward the cost of removing the boat He said the county had not received the invoice yet Another sailboat ran aground in Flagler County in October It was destroyed by the battering surf as it rested on the beach and the debris was subsequently removed. Volusia County Fire Rescue stated it has contained the 270-acre wildfire near New Smyrna Beach that officials stated could have been started by a powerline Both the Volusia County Fire Rescue and the Florida Forest Service were battling the fire that sparked Tuesday near Ranchette and Holly roads "VCFR is not actively working or monitoring any brush fires at this time All brush fires are out," stated an official with the fire rescue to Spectrum News on early Thursday morning Volusia County Fire Chief Joe King said on Wednesay they believe a powerline might have sparked the fire King said the crews are facing dry conditions and winds as the drought index reaches 520.  Learn more about the drought index here Volusia County also issued an outdoor burn ban on Tuesday because of the unusually high drought indicators Wednesday and it applies to the county’s unincorporated areas don’t throw cigarettes out of a moving car make sure when you’re cooking outside that you’re cooking a regulare grill Especially with any type of open flame because people don’t realize how fast it’ll go,” King said crews were still working to get the fire 100% contained.  LAKELAND — One thought entered Iniya Reddicks’ mind as the final buzzer sounded Wednesday and junior Sariah Ammons accounted for 12 of the Barracudas’ 14 points in the fourth quarter as they closed out the victory For the first time in program history, the top-seeded Barracudas (26-5) are headed to the state championship game “After we got the nervousness out in the first quarter we started to play together more and play our defensive game,” coach Aisha Patrick said But once we started getting deflections and getting downhill The Tornadoes (18-10) controlled the first quarter They tallied the first points of the game on a Quenya Turner basket during their first possession New Smyrna Beach responded with an old-fashioned 3-point play by senior Corrin Austell but following back-to-back buckets by Clearwater it maintained a lead for the majority of the half The Tornadoes led 16-9 at the end of the opening period senior Olivia Olson notched the Barracudas’ first 11 points pulling them to a one-point deficit of 21-20 After sophomore Riley France tied it at 21-21 with a free throw Reddicks provided a 2-point basket and Olson tacked on a pair of makes from the charity stripe to give New Smyrna Beach a 25-21 advantage It closed the first half on a 13-2 run and carried a 26-23 advantage into the break We focused on defense because we weren’t getting stops and they went on a run The Barracudas kept padding their lead in the third quarter Ammons extended it to double digits (42-32) in the final minute It hovered around there for the remainder of the contest Ammons amassed seven of her 12 points in the fourth She became especially crucial after Austell New Smyrna Beach’s other main ball-handler The only ’Cuda other than Reddicks and Ammons to score in the quarter was Olson who grabbed her own rebound and laid it back in with 50 seconds to go Olson spiked the ball to the floor and all five Barracudas on the court sprinted toward their bench “I lost (in the finals with Mainland) last year so this is really important to me to get back to a state championship,” Olson said The fact that we’re here and have the opportunity is amazing.” Reddicks and Ammons followed with 16 and 12 After shooting 26% from the field in the first quarter New Smyrna Beach converted at least 45% of their attempts in each of the final three periods Its percentage sat at 41.2% for the evening Allevia Williams and Taina Sturdivant each contributed 15 points “I’m excited to be the first program at New Smyrna Beach to make it to the finals,” Patrick said “I want to thank all the fans and supporters and I think they gave the girls that energy I’m looking forward to seeing everybody there on Friday.” Spring break was off to a busy yet relatively peaceful start as of Saturday afternoon in New Smyrna Beach, with a stepped-up police presence in the city along hotspots such as Flagler Avenue a decent-sized crowd of people walked along the busy street and sunbathers and beachgoers enjoyed the warm temperatures and clear skies law enforcement officers were plentiful in the area The New Smyrna Beach Police Department had a mobile command center set up in a parking lot at the Flagler Avenue beach ramp It wasn't the first time at spring break for Orlando residents Lucas Natali who said he was "about 16." Rosenthal said he approached this year's events more cautiously after getting hit with traffic tickets last year I got over $700 worth of tickets," he said "They're definitely heavy on the rules," Natali said The two said they like to visit New Smyrna Beach to meet up with friends and enjoy the surroundings The New Smyrna Beach Police Department had made about 10 arrests and issued about 250 traffic citations over about 2 1/2 days of spring break through Saturday afternoon Reve said the arrests were relatively minor things such as drug possession Last year, authorities arrested a 16-year-old after he pulled a gun out in a crowd of spring breakers on New Smyrna Beach The city instituted a special event zone on Thursday in anticipation of "Senior Skip Day." It was only in effect that day the law doubled the fine for noncriminal traffic infractions in the event zone owner of the North Beach Surf Shack food truck said she welcomes spring breakers who want to respectfully enjoy the city She also said she welcomed the increased police presence the police presence is keeping some of the riffraff Reve said the police department has not changed its approach to the event this year compared to last year The department is getting help from agencies across the county Dozens of officers are in the Flagler Avenue area at any given time not including the Volusia Sheriff's Office The goal is for people to enjoy themselves safely and respectfully "We don't want the loud music and the revving engines and the peeling out of the tiers NEW SMYRNA BEACH — A "major" brush fire has broken out on the far west side of New Smyrna Beach The “Honeydew Fire” near Samsula had reached 75 acres in size as of 4 p.m. south of State Road 44 near South Cucumber and Honeydew Lanes according to a post in the association's Facebook page from the Volusia County Professional Firefighters Association stated that the fire had reached 100 acres in size Volusia County Spokeswoman Pat Kuehn released this statement: "The fire near the Samsula Landfill has grown to 75 acres and New Smyrna Beach Fire Department are on scene with aerial reconnaissance from Air One and the firefighters are protecting surrounding homes no homes are in immediate danger at this time drivers along State Road 44 rolled down their windows to take a peek down Samsula Drive where a Volusia Sheriff's Office patrol car made way only for several fire trucks coming in and out including New Smyrna Beach Fire Department Edgewater Fire-Rescue and Forest Service vehicles Smoke was heavy at the intersection of S.R where authorities had put up "low visibility" warning signs along the road's shoulders