Daytona Beach, Volusia County | featured news

WASHINGTON - The United States and Cuba restored full diplomatic relations Monday after more than five decades of frosty relations rooted in the Cold War.
The new era began with little fanfare when an agreement between the two nations to resume normal ties on July 20 came into force just after midnight Sunday and the diplomatic missions of each country were upgraded from interests sections to embassies. When clocks struck 12:00 in Washington and Havana, they tolled a knell for policy approaches spawned and hardened over the five decades since President John F.

Looking forward to some cooler weather with a break from the afternoon stormclouds?
Sorry, this week is likely to be more of the same, according to the National Weather Service in Melbourne. Today is expected to be a very familiar hot day, mostly sunny, with a high near 92 and scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after noon. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Tonight forecasters predict mostly cloudy skies with a low around 75% and a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m..

Associated Press
JOHANNESBURG (AP) Knocked off his board by an attacking shark, three-time world champion Mick Fanning punched the creature before escaping unharmed during the televised finals of a world surfing competition in South Africa on Sunday.
The Australian surfer was struck by the shark from behind and knocked into the water as he sat on his board waiting his turn during the JBay Open in Jeffrey's Bay in the Eastern Cape Province.
As he scans the water, two fins appear and with a splash he disappears under the surface.

Before Daytona Beach adopts a piece of abstract art to beatify its primary gateway, city officials need to come up with some objective, concrete answers.Starting with: Does anybody really want “Vibe: The Wave”?That’s the name given to the proposed 45-foot-tall, football-field-length sculpture with a metallic skin that moves with the wind that would be constructed on the right-of-way just northeast of Interstate 95 at U.S. 92. That interchange is currently undergoing a much-needed makeover to improve its aesthetics.

I prefer not to share negative views with people — there’s so much of that always available without my help. However, in my very humble opinion, the “symbolic” structure that may represent our beloved Daytona Beach is not the image we want to portray.
It’s on the front page of the July 14 News-Journal and takes priority No. 1 — the upper left-hand corner position (if I remember my one-semester journalism class, ever so many years ago).
I picked up this section two or three times before noon.

“A new command I give you: love one another.” — John 13:34So said a troubled rabbi named Jesus, 2,000 years ago in his Last Supper with his disciples. Shortly afterward he was captured, tortured and executed. The Bible says that three days later, he rose from death. The faith founded upon that resurrection claims, according to the Pew Research Center, upwards of 2 billion adherents worldwide.Ponder that. On a planet of 7 billion souls, roughly one out of every three of us is governed by that simple, difficult command. Or, at least, so it is in theory.

The ACC is taking over Pinehurst, N.C., this week to promote the upcoming season.In between the golf and the tea-leaf readings, there will be time for some meaningful questions. The answers won’t come until the fall, but we have to fill the down time before the season kicks off with North Carolina and South Carolina on Sept. 3 in Charlotte.Five ACC-centric questions to consider during the three-day kickoff event:1.

Amateur John Jonas won the 69th playing of the Florida Open with a 54-hole total of 14-under 202 Sunday at Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville. He finished two strokes better than another amateur, Phillip Knowles.DeBary’s Keith Greene finished in a tie for 20th at 4 under with rounds of 67-74-71. Port Orange’s Rod Perry tied for 26 at 3 under (68-74-71). Ormond Beach’s Tom Bryant tied for 54th at 2 over (73-71-74).

<p/>In just two weeks, Volusia/Flagler teams will put the pigskin in the air as fall football practice gets underway.Aug. 3 is the first day of practice allowed by the FHSAA, and the first day of contact practice is Aug. 8.With the new year comes a wealth of things to watch.Who will be the area's top team? Who will be the best player?