Headed by Helga van Eckert since 2012, Flagler County’s $500,000-a-year economic development department had been more successful with PR and taking credit for others’ work than producing much of its own.
Lance Mussack, 41, of Flagler Beach, Arrested on Child Porn Charge
Lance C. Mussack, 41, was incarcerated on a felony charge of possession of child pornography–alleged images of his girlfriend’s pre-pubescent child, taken while she was asleep.
Victor Williams, 43, Sentenced to 10 Years for Sex With 16-Year-Old Boy, and Hears Furious Earful From His Victim
Victor Williams was defiant to the end at his sentencing, while the victim’s 50-minute testimony described Williams as a “monster” who caused the victim’s life to spiral into depression, drugs, suicidal thoughts and self-loathing.
Monday Briefing: Tourism Grant Revamp, Short-Term Rentals Again, Snelgrove Trial Day 6
The county commission considers broadening eligibility for tourism capital grants, David Snelgrove’s death-penalty phase trial enters its sixth day with more defense witnesses, the BUnnell commission discusses a dog abuse case’s costs.
How Wealthy Towns Keep People With Section 8 Housing Vouchers Out
Section 8 vouchers should give low-income people the opportunity to live outside poor communities. But discriminatory landlords, exclusionary zoning and the federal government’s hands-off approach leave recipients with few places to call home.
What You Need to Know About How Section 8 Really Works
The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program is a form of government rent assistance. In 2018, upwards of 5 million people across the country lived in a household that used a voucher to help pay some or all of their rent.
Palm Coast Arts Foundation Hosts Celebrity Golf Tournament with Lopez and Rodriguez
orld famous legendary golfers Nancy Lopez and Chi Chi Rodriguez will be the guest celebrity golfers for the Palm Coast Arts Foundation’s first charity golf tournament on May 11 at Palm Coast’s Grand Haven Golf Club.
Search Warrant in Palm Coast’s B-Section Suggests Target In Sight in Circle K Murder Investigation
For the sheriff’s office to advertise tactics their search for the Circle K killer from last November points to confidence in the trail, the sort of confidence that clearly seems not to be jeopardizing detectives’ ability to find their suspect, or suspects.
A Day After a Teacher Is Arrested for Battering a Student, a 15-Year-Old Is Arrested for Battering FPC Dean
A 15-year-old Flagler Palm Coast High School student was arrested and charged with battery against FPC Dean Erin Davis, the student’s second such charge involving a faculty member since August.
Florida Supreme Court Unanimously Rejects Constitutional Proposal to Deregulate Utility Industry
The ruling was a victory for state leaders, business groups and utilities that fought the amendment, which was proposed for the November ballot by a political committee known as Citizens for Energy Choices.
Weekend Briefing: CRT’s ‘They’re Playing Our Song,’ Light the Way March, Poverty and Women at AAUW, DSC’s Spring
City Rep’s “They’re Playing Our Song” all weekend, effects of poverty on Florida women, a talk at AAUW, sign-ups for spring term at DSC, David Snelgrove trial day 5.
Death of Alexandra Lawson, 22, at Yacht Harbor Marina Ruled a Drowning, But Investigation Ongoing
Alexandra Svetlana Lawson had been reported missing by her boyfriend earlier this week, and was found in the water at the marina Wednesday morning.
Grim Day for Snelgrove’s Defense as Prosecution Makes Largely Unanswered Case for Death
A jury tasked with deciding whether to recommend death for David Snelgrove saw a psychologist for the defense unable to convincingly show that Snelgrove is a simple-minded individual who could not weigh the severity of the double-murder of an elderly couple he committed in Palm Coast 20 years ago.
Flagler Schools’ Graduation Rate Rises to 89%, Powered by Girls
There is a sharp disparity between boys and girls: among girls, 97 percent of Matanzas’ students graduated, and 91 percent of FPC’s did. Among boys, the rate was 91 at Matanzas and 82 at FPC.
Maturing, Soaring Opelka Roars Into 2020 With Top American Ranking in His Sights
In an exclusive interview with FlaglerLive, Opelka reveals himself as young man who thinks before he speaks, is comfortable in his own skin, and understands that as his fame grows, his responsibility of handling that fame increases.
Florida Lawmakers Pressured to Increase Penalties Over School Safety as Grand Jury Finds Flaws
The grand jury wants the Legislature to give the Florida Department of Education more power to investigate non-compliant districts and to allow the state agency to sanction local school officials, reprimands that could include fines or removal from office.
Thursday Briefing: Countywide Spelling Bee, Romeo and Juliet, Snelgrove Trial,
The annual countywide spelling bee is at Wadsworth Elementary’s cafeteria at 6 p.m., the Snelgrove death-penalty phase trial is in its fourth day, the National Ballet of Odessa Presents Romeo and Juliet at the Flagler Auditorium.
Jeffrey ‘Rocco’ Paffumi, 47, Teacher at Buddy Taylor Middle, Arrested for Battery on a Student, 14
Jeffrey Allen Paffumi, a teacher at Buddy Taylor Middle School, was arrested after physically throwing a 14-year-old student out of his classroom after the student would not turn down his music and called him a name.
Video and Pictures Revive Vivid Reactions to Double-Murder in Snelgrove’s Death-Penalty Trial
To reservations from the defense, the jury watched video and saw pictures of the crime scene following the murders of Glyn and Vivian Fowler in Palm Coast 20 years ago, part of a penalty phase–the third in 18 years–requiring the jury to decide whether to recommend death for Snelgrove or life in prison.
3 Arrested in Palm Coast After ‘Smash-and-Grab’ Thefts at Racquet Club and E Section
Three Orlando residents were arrested and charged with numerous counts of fraud, possessing stolen credit cards, burglary and other charges following an alleged brief spree of thefts in Palm Coast Tuesday.
City Rep Theatre is Playing Neil Simon’s ‘Song’ in Bow to Broadway Romance
Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre stages Neil Simon’s “They’re Playing Our Song,” the popular, semi-autobiographical story of Marvin Hamlisch and songwriting partner Carol Bayer Sager–or of Simon and Marsha Mason.
Wednesday Briefing: Palm Coast’s Popeyes, Snelgrove Trial Day 3, Paws to Read, Pirro at Tiger Bay
Popeyes is hiring and getting set to open on State Road 100 in Palm Coast, opening arguments in the David Snelgrove death penalty-phase trial, host Jeanine Pirro at Volusia’s Tiger Bay.
Palm Coast Fugitive Who Taunted Sheriff With Where’s Waldo Cartoon Is Caught in D.C.
Steven V. Young disappeared last spring while deputies were searching his residence in palm Coast’s P Section for forged currency. He taunted the sheriff after he was featured on Fugitive Bingo–and was found and arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service.
U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz Supports A) Bigger Government; B) Taking Away Women’s Rights; C) More Intrusive Government; D) All of the Above.
Michael Waltz, Flagler County’s voice in the House of Representatives, recently signed on to a Friend of the Court brief saying the time is right to reconsider Roe v. Wade, the seminal 1973 Supreme Court case that established a constitutional right to an abortion.
Favoring Student Profits, House Speaker Says College Athletics Have ‘Basically Become Pro Sports’
House Speaker Jose Oliva offered support Tuesday to lawmakers who want Florida’s college athletes to be able to cash in on their names and images, as three influential House committees prepare to jointly discuss the issue next week.
Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez Will Lead Florida’s 2020 U.S. Census Efforts
Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez to lead the state’s 2020 U.S. Census efforts. Nunez will chair Florida’s Complete Count Committee, whose members were also named Monday.
For Jury in Double-Murderer Case, Snelgrove’s Mental Disability Is a Gray Matter of Life and Death
David Snelgrove’s double-murder of an elderly couple in palm Coast 20 years ago is not in dispute, but whether he should be put to death for it is. A jury will have to contend with the brutality of the murders as opposed to the mitigating factor of his mental disability.
School Board’s New Suicide-Prevention Policy Would Require Training for All Faculty
With youth suicide rising sharply in the past decade, the Flagler County School Board will discuss adopting a proposed suicide-prevention policy, the district’s first, which calls for two hours of continuing education training for all faculty, including administrators.
Tuesday Briefing: Snelgrove Trial, Suicide Prevention, Chess on the Porch, Palm Coast’s 20th Anniversary
The Palm Coast City Council marks the city’s 20th anniversary, double-murderer David Snelgrove’s trial runs into a second day of jury selection, the Flagler County School Board discusses a proposed suicide prevention policy.
New Rules Regulating CBD Products and Hemp in Florida Now In Effect
New rules regulating CBD products address issues such as pesticides, how packages are labeled and the inspection of products sold or produced in the state, and are derived from a federal law opening the door to CBD and hemp regulations.
Daniel Engert, a New York Town Manager and Jail Administrator, is Flagler Sheriff’s New Jail Chief
Daniel M. Engert, who will run the Flagler County jail and the sheriff’s courts division, was a 29-veteran of the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office and an elected councilman and town manager in a small Upstate New York community for the last 13 years.
20 Years After Double Murder in Palm Coast, David Snelgrove Faces Death Penalty Trial for 3rd Time
David Snelgrove murdered Glyn and Vivian Fowler in Palm Coast in 2000, but is in yet another penalty phase of his trial this week because two previous recommendations for death were not unanimous.
Monday Briefing: 911 Center’s Training Milestone, Mayor’s 90/90 Challenge, Snelgrove Death Penalty Phase
The latest sentencing phase for David Snelgrove, convicted of murder two decades ago, begins with jury selection, Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland’s Fitness Challenge begins, auditions for “Ripcord” at the Flagler Playhouse.
DSC’s Florida Lifestyle Institute Announces History Course for Seniors
The Florida Lifestyle Institute at Daytona State College opens the gateway to infinite opportunities and learning experiences. Starting January 21, the Florida Lifestyle Institute in conjunction with Wisdom In Senior Education (WISE), will host a three week history course for seniors, entitled “From the Crown to Brexit: A History of the United Kingdom in the […]
Lubert-Adler Sells Hammock Beach Resort and Other Properties to Tampa Company For $18 Million
The complex deal included two undeveloped but well-positioned commercial properties and closed December 31. The total value of all recorded transactions is $18.26M. The buyer is Tampa-based KDG Capital, a private equity fund headed by Dr. Kiran Patel.
Voting Rights Restoration Gives Felons a Voice in More States, But Florida Muddies Trend
In the past year, six states implemented measures restoring voting rights to people with felony convictions, including Florida, though Florida alone raised new obstacles: the payment of fines and restitution before rights may be restored.
Charges Will Be Dropped, But Flagler Deputy Petkovsek Returns to Duty Facing Stiff Disciplinary Measures
Flagler County Sheriff’s detective Richard Petkovsek was off duty when he was arrested outside a St. Augustine bar for disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest. He was reinstated after losing 42 days of pay and will be on probation for a year, among other disciplinary measures.
Three Years of Documenting Hate
“Go back to your country” or “go back to X country” was one of the most common phrases encountered in both hate crimes and bias incidents, along with a large number of hate incidents in schools, particularly after the 2016 election. Latinos have been targeted based on the (often erroneous) belief that they are immigrants or for speaking Spanish.
Proposed 9-8-8 Suicide Prevention Number Could Lead to Surge in Calls
The FCC unanimously approved a proposal to set aside 9-8-8 as the replacement for the existing national suicide hotline number: 800-273-8255. The new number isn’t expected to go live for a year or more.
Two Men Arrested After Fleeing Deputies During a Traffic Stop, With 323 Grams of Pot in Their Trunk
The two men were pulled over in the early hours of Monday morning for a routine traffic stop on State Road 100, by the I-95 overpass when the driver slammed on the accelerator and fled toward Palm Coast Parkway.
2019 In Review: New Sheriff In Town
In 2019, the change brought by DeSantis was the most important story in state government and politics. During his Jan. 8 inauguration address, DeSantis praised Scott, who was elected to the U.S. Senate last year, for leaving a “strong foundation” but also pointed toward what was to come.
In Flagler, Life-Saving Policing You Can Be Proud Of
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is entering its eighth year without a single officer-initiated shooting of a civilian, a heroic achievement that contrasts tragically with jurisdictions across the country where 900 to 1,000 civilians lose their lives annually.
Ronald H. Collins Jr. Charged With 2nd Degree Murder in Death of Woman Found in West Flagler Monday
Ronald H. Collins Jr., 51, turned himself in for the killing of Jillian Petrotto, 31, whom he said he killed in a rage over her wanting to buy drugs. He’d killed her in Volusia, then brought her to Flagler.
Ronald H. Collins Jr. Charged With 2nd Degree Murder in Death of Woman Found in West Flagler Monday
Ronald H. Collins Jr., 51, turned himself in for the killing of Jillian Petrotto, 31, whom he said he killed in a rage over her wanting to buy drugs. He’d killed her in Volusia, then brought her to Flagler.
Nikki Fried Backs Cities and Counties on Immunity for More Restrictive Local Gun Laws
The law, passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature in 2011, threatens tough penalties — including fines and potential removal from office — if local elected officials approve gun regulations.
Inside Documents Show How Amazon Chose Speed Over Safety in Building Its Delivery Network
Amazon ignored or dismissed safety concerns about its delivery network to prioritize speed and explosive growth, according to new documents and interviews with insiders.
Two Open Florida Supreme Court Seats Draw 31 Applicants, Two From 5th District
The candidates, primarily appellate and circuit judges from across the state, are seeking to replace former justices Robert Luck and Barbara Lagoa, who were appointed by President Donald Trump to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
She Thought She Had a Cold. She Briefly Saw a Doctor and Got Antibiotics. Her Insurance Bill: $25,865
A woman, worried that her sore throat might be strep, got swabbed at her doctor’s office. The sample was sent to an out-of-network lab for sophisticated DNA tests ― with a price tag similar to a new SUV.
A Year-End Thank You To Our Readers and Supporters From the FlaglerLive Board of Directors
As you and your family make decisions as to which organizations will receive your charitable donations, please keep in mind that there are those who would like nothing more than to have aggressive news outlets like FlaglerLive disappear entirely.
Florida Unemployment Approaches Historic Low at 3.1%, Flagler’s at 3.3%
Flagler County’s rate remained steady at 3.3 percent, the same rate as in October but down from 3.9 percent a year ago. Flagler County’s labor force dipped somewhat, to 48,352, but is still about 1,200 people higher than a year ago.