Henry Frederick's blog

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Is the Daytona Beach News-Journal protecting embattled New Smyrna Beach Mayor Adam Barringer? After all, it does receive municipal general fund and CRA advertising revenues. It's a fair question considering he's also the subject of two complaints with the Florida Commission on Ethics: hosting a private dinner party at his restaurant in November for ex-Commissioner Jim Hathaway with upfront costs paid with a city credit card; and for calling a cop a "pr-ck" after he tried to drive through a closed street for the NSB Christmas Parade.

Republicans Ritchey, Hukill, Escudero, Santiago and Davis racing hard for checkered flag

DAYTONA BEACH -- Isn't it funny how Glenn Ritchey said goodbye to elective politics to focus on his Jon Hall Automotive dealerships, yet he's still active in pitching the virtues of a modernized Daytona International Speedway? That's because Ritchey is smart. He knows what real economic development is.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- People ask me all the time why I make so many personal and financial sacrifices to report the news in this electronic medium called the Internet. After all, it's a challenge being a one-man band writing stories and selling ads.

Those who know me understand that I believe in the sanctity of journalism and it's really the only thing I know how to do that I truly enjoy. And with print media's slow death, I had to find a way to re-invent myself after more than 20 years of reporting for daily newspapers.  

DAYTONA BEACH -- Volusia County Chair Jason Davis was absolutely right in calling Daytona Beach News-Journal Editor Pat Rice hypocritical for writing an opinion piece critical of the newly elected leader for wanting to cut the county's gasoline taxes when he hadn't paid a delinquent speeding ticket fine of $131, 100 days after he walked out of court with adjudication of guilt withheld for his no contest plea.

Photo copyright NSB News LLC

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Now that the Orlando stations have gotten their initial feeding frenzy out of their system with the suspension of Edgewater Police Chief Dave Arcieri -- including two of the stations using our photo of him without our permission -- we'll bring you an exclusive behind the scenes interview with Arcieri today.

We'll also have the fallout from New Smyrna Beach Mayor Adam Barringer's verbal abuse of rookie cop Ralph Hunnefeld, who you will discover as we did, is an American hero. 

EDGEWATER -- As someone who has built this 24/7 Internet website from scratch nearly five years ago, I take great pride in the volume of original stories, blogs, photos,videos and graphics elements amassed. With that said, I will not sit idly by while larger media outlets like Orlando TV stations WKMG and WFTV use one of our copyrighted photo images as their own in reporting "the big story."

New Year's Eve revelers drink on the public sidewalk in front of the Om Bar on Flagler Avenue in New Smyrna Beach during New Year's Eve 2011.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Come with me tonight to Flagler Avenue or later on to Main Street in Dayona Beach where you'll see how valuable your CRA and advertising authority dollars are to who else, but the bar owners. It's all about pushing the booze.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Like a lot of motorists passing through the busy intersection of Old Mission Road and State Road 44 on this particular Friday afternoon of Nov. 30, I saw a Volusia County Sheriff's Office helicopter circling above.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- There's little time to catch one's breath when it comes to keeping up with the news throughout Volusia County. From this end, the reality is it's one metro-trained reporter with the dual role of seeking ads to support it -- up against an established print giant with several hundred employees that has enjoyed a veritable monopoly on advertising and reporting for more than a century.

Most days, it's like climbing Mount Everest without a claw hammer, rope or harness.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- When I got word that New Smyrna officials were going to honor retiring Police Chief Ron Pagano on Tuesday night, it got me thinking: With three weeks left before we say goodbye to 2012, and usher in the "teens" if there is such a label, we have seen time march forward with a clearly defined changing of the guard across the Volusia County political landscape.