Circuit Judge Terence Perkins sentenced former Palm Coast resident 56-year-old Philip Martin to 25 years in prison for rubbing, caressing and massaging various body parts of a girl who’d been in his trust when she was 9, 10 and 11. But the judge acknowledged that he would have imposed a lesser sentence had he not been bound by minimum-mandatory requirements.
July 4 Fireworks in Flagler Beach Appear Back On as City Seeks to Lock In Producer, But Questions Persist
In a special meeting called for Monday, the Flagler beach City Commission will consider approving a $24,000 agreement with a Green Cove Springs company to produce the July 4 fireworks, resolving the risk of a dark July 4 created when the city failed to contact its previous fireworks producer in time.
Palm Coast Fire Department’s Battalion Chief Sean Major Retires After 31 years
In 1991, Sean Major was working at a Lawn & Landscape with then-Lieutenant Mike Beadle. He was encouraged to check out the fire department as a volunteer. Lieutenant Beadle’s encouragement would lead to a 31 year career of service to the citizens of Palm Coast.
Sheriff’s Office Hosts 2022 Fallen Officers Memorial Ceremony
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) hosted the 2022 Fallen Officer Memorial and Candlelight Vigil just outside of the Flagler County Courthouse Thursday. Supporters and participants were able to observe the service and help us honor our fallen brothers and sisters.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, May 6, 2022
Philip Martin is sentenced, the Sheriff and Crime Stoppers announce a large reward in the Noah Smith murder investigation, “Waiting for Godot” and “Proof” are on local stages, First Friday in Flagler Beach.
A White Woman Wrote an Opera About Emmett Till. Now Some Critics Want It Cancelled.
A white woman named Clare Coss wrote the libretto, or text, for the opera, which she based on an award-winning play she had written called “Emmett, Down in My Heart” in 2015. Critics claim the opera elevates the guilt of white audiences while capitalizing on Black trauma.
To School Board’s Janet McDonald, Freedom of Speech Doesn’t Belong in School and ‘Does Not Mean Freedom of Movement’ or Activity
Flagler County school Board member Janet McDonald staked out an extreme position against students’ free speech in schools during a discussion on a proposed policy controlling the place and manner of student demonstrations. The rest of the school board, however, is defending students’ right to protest even on school grounds, during school hours.
For the Mother of Curtis Gray, Lost to Gunfire, Keymarion Hall’s Death Triggers Grief and Impulses to Help
Carmen Gray, the mother of Curtis Gray, murdered three years ago when he was 18, had been preparing for Saturday’s Rise Above the Violence “Mindfulness Event” at Washington Oaks State Park when she learned of the shooting death of Keymarion Hall. She talks about her reaction, her PTSD and the goals of Saturday’s event.
Fugitive Sex Offender Who’d Been Working as Tattoo Artist in Flagler Beach is Arrested
Chase Graham Quirona, 31, of Palm Coast and Louisiana, was booked without bond at the Flagler County jail after a deputy uncovered his fugitive status for failing to register as a sex offender even as he’d been working as a tattoo artist at a parlor in Flagler Beach.
In a Post-Roe America, Expect More Births in a Country Where Maternal Mortality Continues to Rise
The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among wealthy countries. And it may get worse as abortions become more difficult to obtain, say public health experts.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, May 5, 2022
Flagler Beach Detective Rosanna Vinci is the guest speaker at the Palm Coast Democratic Club, “Proof,” the David Auburn play, is staged at the Flagler Playhouse, Nelly Bly, Daniel Bell on the end of American Exceptionalism.
All Those Fitness Trackers Have Reduced Mobility, Not Improved It
The manufacturers of these devices certainly want consumers to believe that tracking fitness or health-related behaviors will spur them on to increase their activity levels and make them healthier. Analysis of research published over the past 25 years suggests otherwise.
Hop on a Bus and Tour Half Dozen Flagler County Parks – for Free
More than a dozen lucky residents will be able to join Parks and Recreation staff and the Flagler County Parks Advisory Board for the Summer 2022 Tour of Parks on June 10.
Florida’s New Abortion Law May Require ‘Extreme Measures’ to Ensure Women Can Legally Abort
A 15-week abortion ban in Florida takes effect July 1 and the highest court in the nation has signaled its support for overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade case. Florida’s abortion clinics and independent providers are already preparing for the 15-week ban, including out-of-state help from a network of clinics in abortion-friendly states.
Flagler County Judge Totten Elected Without Opposition, as Are Seven Circuit Judges
Formerly appointed Flagler County Court Judge Andrea Totten was elected without opposition to a six-year term, as were Circuit Judges Dennis Craig, Matt Foxman, Kenny Janesk, Howard O. McGillin Jr., A. Kathleen McNeilly, Dawn D. Nichols and Stasia Warren.
Palm Coast Council Looks for ‘Break-Even Point’ in Lease With Green Lion Café at Palm Harbor Golf
The city conceded that it has–and continues–to lose money through its current lease, which requires the Green Lion to pay only $600 a month in rent and no utility costs. The aim of the new lease is to bring the city to a break-even point, but how utility payments are figured in–as part of, or in addition to, rent–remains to be decided.
Dyllan Lemoine, 21, Arrested on Sex Charge After Video Circulates in an Elementary School
A video circulating through a local elementary school depicting sexual acts involving 21-year-old Dyllan Lemoine and a female child at Hidden Lake Park in west Flagler resulted in Lemoine’s arrest on Tuesday.
Keymarion Hall, 10th Grader at Flagler Palm Coast High School, Is Shot and Killed, 24 Year Old Wounded
Keymarion Hall, a 10th grader at Flagler Palm Coast High School, was shot and killed on a street in Bunnell late Tuesday night and 24-year-old Nysean Giddens, who was fleeing with others in a vehicle, was wounded and apprehended.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, May 4, 2022
The Palm Coast Code Enforcement Board meets, it’s an all-civil docket for Flagler’s felony judge, remembering the Haymarket Square “massacre,” and a few words about the less attractive side of Socrates.
How Roe v. Wade Changed the Lives of American Women
With the availability of a greater range of contraception and abortion drugs other than medical procedures available today, along with a strong demand for women’s labor in the U.S. economy, it seems unlikely that women’s status will ever go back to where it was before 1973. But Americans shouldn’t forget the role that Roe v. Wade played in advancing the lives of women.
Supreme Court Draft Repealing Roe v. Wade Intensifies Debate Among Florida Legislators
A leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion decision ignited a sense of urgency Tuesday among Florida Democrats while drawing praise from Republicans.
Mullins Misinformation and Commission’s Sly Maneuver Frame 4-1 Vote to Scrap School Board Deal
The Flagler County Commission’s vote on Monday was on a significant policy matter controlling school construction and development that was not publicly noticed until hours before Monday’s meeting. It was yet another snub to process, to the Flagler County School Board, and it was colored by disinformation and inaccuracies from Commission Chairman Joe Mullins.
Palm Coast Council Tries Again With Green Lion Café, Almost Tripling Rent, But Differences Remain
The Palm Coast City Council this evening will consider approving a new lease or an amended lease with the Green Lion Café at the city-owned Palm Harbor Golf Club, raising the popular restaurant’s rent from $600 to $1,665 and ending subsidies for utilities. But key differences remain between the Green Lion and the city.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, May 3, 2022
The Palm Coast City Council considers a new lease with the Green Lion Cafe, the school board considers a different student-protest policy, two progressives speak about what Democrats get wrong about rural America.
A Recession Ahead Is Likelier Than a Soft Landing
By raising interest rates, the Fed is hoping to achieve a “soft landing” for the U.S. economy, taming inflation without causing unemployment to rise or triggering a recession. Research suggests that engineering a soft landing is highly improbable and that there is a significant likelihood of a recession in the not too distant future.
Policy Changes On Opioid Overdoses and Seizures Coming to Florida Schools
The new law exempts school district employees from civil liability if they administer an opioid antagonist to a student under Florida’s Good Samaritan Act. The law will go into effect on July 1, 2022.
Ex-Jimmy’s Hang Ten Owner James Harris Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison in Lewd Filming of Daughter
James Harris, the 61-year-old former owner of Jimmy’s Hang Ten in Flagler Beach, pleaded guilty today to three counts of sexually abusing his step-daughter and was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by 15 years on probation.
Local Attorney Delgado Accepts Sanction for ‘Inappropriate’ Call with Client
Delgado admitted the communications “had the appearance of impropriety and not becoming of a lawyer,” according to a consent judgment he reached with the Florida Bar. He entered a conditional guilty plea for consent judgment, was reprimanded by publication and placed on probation for two years.
Voting Precincts Will Drop from 23 to 21 as In-Person Polling Declines, Flagler Beach Will Get Early Voting Site
Flagler County’s voting precincts will be reduced from 23 to 21 as far fewer people are turning out to vote in person on Election day itself, in contrast with sharp spikes in early voting and voting by mail. Early voting sites will increase from three to four, with Flagler Beach getting its own early voting site from here on, according to a plan by Supervisor of Elections Kaiti Lenhart.
Florida Gas Prices, Averaging $4.18 a Gallon, at Their Highest in Four Weeks
In Palm Coast and Flagler County, prices this morning were at $4.15 a gallon for regular at the 7-Eleven on East Moody Boulevard in Flagler Beach, and at $4.17 at the two RaceTracs on State Road 100, and $4.18 at the RaceTrac on Palm Coast Parkway.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, May 2, 2022
The Flagler county Commission will consider Supervisor of Elections Kaiti Lenhart’s proposal to reduce seven precincts down to three, the Beverly Beach town commission meets, Bill McKibben on nature shows.
Is Blasting Out Earth’s Location to the Cosmos A Good Idea?
Before he died, iconic physicist Stephen Hawking was outspoken about the danger of contacting aliens with superior technology. He argued that they could be malign and if given Earth’s location, might destroy humanity. Others see no extra risk.
College Students and Staff: Ignore the Voluntary but Autocratic ‘Viewpoint Discrimination’ Survey
Calling it the latest example of creeping authoritarianism, the president of the University of Florida’s faculty union urged students and employees to ignore the so-called “viewpoint discrimination” survey now required on Florida’s college and university campuses, in compliance with a law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, May 1, 2022
City Repertory Theatre stages “Waiting for Godot” in a 3 p.m. matinee, “Proof,” the David Auburn play, is staged at the Flagler Playhouse, it’s Labor Day in 140 countries, Tucker Carlson’s stoking of white fear and racism.
Students Lead More Public Schools to Close for Islamic Holidays
Some public school districts across the nation will be closed on Monday or Tuesday in observance of the Islamic holiday Eid al-Fitr, a festive celebration marking the end of the month of Ramadan, a month of fasting observed by Muslims worldwide.
Some 1,500 Will Earn Degrees at Embry-Riddle Graduations
Nearly 1,500 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University students will earn degrees at the spring 2022 commencement ceremonies for the Daytona Beach, Florida, and Worldwide campuses this May. Polaris Dawn Commander Jared Isaacman will serve as the keynote speaker at the Worldwide Campus event.
Revamped Lawsuit Targets DeSantis’s ‘Intentionally Racially Discriminatory’ Redistricting Plan
In documents filed in federal court in Tallahassee, voting-rights groups and five individual plaintiffs alleged that the plan Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed through the Legislature should be blocked because it will reduce — or eliminate — the chances of Black candidates being elected in North Florida and the Orlando area.
The Insurgent History Calendar: May 30
It is Voltaire’s death anniversary. Voltaire died in his 84th year in Paris in 1778, 33 days before Jean-Jacques Rousseau died in Geneva.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, April 30, 2022
Florida Master Gardener Plant Clinic at the public library, “Proof,” the David Auburn play, is staged at the Flagler Playhouse, Nixon and Kissinger’s invasion of Cambodia, Walter Lippmann on good will.
It’s Not Just Florida: Here’s How Brits’ Right to Protest Has Been Restricted
Britain’s police, crime, sentencing and courts bill has become law after an extended period of back and forth between the House of Commons and House of Lords. From its conception, the bill has been extremely controversial, particularly because of the increased powers it hands to police to stop protests.
FDLE Arrests 3 at Dade Correctional Institution Officers for Murder
Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested three correctional officers accused of murdering an inmate at Dade Correctional Institution (CI) on February 14, 2022. The officers, Christopher Rolon, 29, Kirk Walton, 34, and Ronald Connor, 24, are each charged with murder.
Ex-Democratic Minority Leader Sen. Gary Farmer Files to Run for Judge Instead of Seeking Re-Election
Sen. Gary Farmer, a Lighthouse Point Democrat who was ousted as minority leader at the end of the 2021 legislative session, filed paperwork Thursday to run for circuit judge in Broward County instead of seeking re-election to the Senate.
Gov. DeSantis Vows to Sign Law Allowing Open, Permitless Gun Carrying Before He Leaves Office
Citing some 25 states that have already done it, Gov. Ron DeSantis gave “constitutional carry” — allowing people to carry guns without concealed weapons permits — his full endorsement during a news conference on Friday.
State School Board Appoints Sen. Manny Diaz Jr. as Florida’s Education Commissioner, Replacing Corcoran
Diaz will assume the role June 1 and become the state’s first Hispanic education commissioner. In the meantime, Department of Education Senior Chancellor Jacob Oliva–a former Flagler school superintendent–will serve as interim leader of the agency.
Flagler’s All-White Juries Aren’t What They Used To Be. Thank Wokism.
It wasn’t that long ago when an all-white jury deciding the fate of a Black man accused of raping a white woman, let alone a white underage girl, would have taken no more than the few minutes necessary to sign the verdict form declaring the man guilty. That’s assuming the man made it to the courthouse in the first place. Those days are over.
Flagler Beach Could Have Had Its July 4 Fireworks Had It Not Waited Until April 24 to Book the Show
Several things were said by officials at the Flagler Beach City Commission meeting that were either inaccurate or incomplete, and a key point of information was left out: the commission was not aware that it was not until April 24 that the city contacted Santore to book the show, or that Santore was prepared to do the show had it been contacted earlier.
July 4 Fireworks in Flagler Beach May Not Happen as Long-Time Pyro Supplier Santore Is Booked Elsewhere
Fireworks by Santore, the fireworks manufacturer, cannot produce Flagler Beach’s Independence Day show on July 4 for only $25,000. The city may have another option with a much smaller provider, but that may not pan out, leaving the city without a fireworks show on that day.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, April 29, 2022
“Proof,” the David Auburn play, is staged at the Flagler Playhouse, the Flagler County Public Library hosts its latest free history presentations by Zach Zacharias, Luka Tristam performs Vittorio Monti’s “Czardas,” Tom Wicker on reporters.
Why Do Teens Engage in Self-Harm?
By all accounts, young people are experiencing a seemingly unprecedented level of emotional distress. Humans tend to behave in a way to seek pleasure and avoid pain. Why then would some intentionally hurt themselves?
Palm Coast Councilman Ed Danko’s Husky Mix at the Center of a Dog-Biting Incident at Holland Park
Palm Coast City Council member Ed Danko was accused of belligerence toward two Palm Coast animal control officers, initially refusing to quarantine his dog and provide the dog’s veterinary history, after his dog was accused of biting another at Holland Park. He signed the required documents five days after the incident.