Henry Frederick's blog

NSBNEWS.net is a mess right now. That's my reality. And I'm actually pleased to be in this position. That's because we are growing at rapid speed to provide comprehensive daily news coverage for greater New Smyrna Beach. I make no apologies for our current state of affairs. My vision for a first-class news organization that truly serves the public's interest is getting closer to reality.

NSBNEWS.net video by Sera Frederick. A biker is OK early Friday after striking the concrete median on North Dixie Freeway directly in front of the home of Henry and Sera Frederick. The song "Ballad of Easy Rider" by the Byrds is added for your enjoyment.

How quickly the news shifts. It was just a few weeks ago that Jamie McMurray rocketed across the finish line at Daytona International Speedway to win his first Daytona 500. The next day, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was welcomed to the Ocean Center by a raucous crowd. New Smyrna Beach residents were at both events.

Mayor Adam Barringer's draft Economic Development Plan was presented to the City Commission last week with little fanfare.

Between updating the Web site and the increased volume of hits, NSBNEWS.net "crashed" for nearly six hours. We apologize for the delays.

We hope that you are enjoying the Bike Week coverage as well as the other community happenings that make where we live such a special place. You may notice inside pages in flux. That's because we're continuing to upgrade and adding new features and bloggers.

The web site is divided into 10 inside topical pages, in addition to the Home page. You'll also see rotating headline flashes on each. We're also up to 19 bloggers.

NSBNEWS.net photo by Henry Frederick. Police Chief Ronald Pagano's cops have busted a burglary ring and shut down a meth lab.

These are challenging times for New Smyrna Beach Police Chief Ron Pagano. Finances are extremely tight, but he has done a yeoman's job keeping his undermanned police force on the streets and the results have been powerfully strong, especially with a rash of beachside burglaries involving rental properties where electronics such as flat-screen TVs were targeted.

NASCAR driver Jamie McMurray is living proof that big boys do cry. And why not? After all, he won the Daytona 500. Yes!

"It's a dream, it really is," said McMurray, in Victory Lane, who was first in the No. 1 Chevrolet across the checkered-flag finish in the Great American Race.

It's perfectly fine to cry during the thrill of victory. McMurray was asking for his wife. That made me think about my wife, Sera, and I cried (inside my head). After all, this is just another assignment, even if it is the Daytona 500.

I was excited when I saw the e-mail alert from the National Weather Service this morning that the wind-chill advisory had expired. And what a beautiful day it has become as I filed this blog just after 2 p.m. on a sunny Saturday afternoon here in our beloved New Smyrna Beach. Sera and I got out for a little while with a trip to Wal-Mart, the bank and and back home.

This has been the absolute worst winter I can remember in my 15 years here from New York and New England, where, of course, winter is much, much worse. It felt good to wear shorts again outside today.

Sera and I were pleased the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl over the Indianapolis Colts and the quarterback the pundits had already claimed was the greatest of all time. Peyton Manning may very well become the greatest QB, but on this night of nights, the best quarterback was Drew Brees.

I spoke with Mayor Adam Barringer before the game, and he, too, was rooting for New Orleans.

I have an ongoing battle with bronchitis and a painful acne-skin reaction to the prednisone, which has put me under the weather again, so to speak. I hope to catch up on things Tuesday. Going out in the cold for the CAPS fundraiser and the two days of the IMAGES art festival weren't perhaps very smart on my part.

Between the cold, the wind and the rain, it has been a tough few weeks, I'm sure for a lot of people with respiratory problems.

Anyone who has been to our quaint home on North Dixie Freeway can attest how cold it can get inside when the temperature outside is cold. I've been battling bronchitis for two weeks and had no choice, but to put on the heat. That's why Sera and I were pleased to learn the Utilities Commission is offering to work with customers on what will likely be a higher bill in the next billing cycle.

I found this news item on the U.C.'s Website, which also is on the city Web site, headlined, "Historic Cold Weather and Energy Demand."