In a Florida Supreme Court case with major ramifications for the medical-marijuana industry, the Florida House contends a disputed 2017 law helps prevent “diversion” of pot to the illegal recreational market, minors and other states.
Save the Minor Leagues
These teams have provided a way for folks in rural and underserved areas to see baseball and future major leaguers for a fraction of the price of traveling to an MLB city. And they’re a way to boost the communities they play in.
6 Years Late, $13 Million in Debt, County Concedes Incompetence Running Utility as It Seeks Plantation Bay Bailout
Flagler County officials admitted to the catastrophic consequences of the Plantation Bay utility deal and to the county’s inability to manage the plant as they look for ways to extricate the county from a huge debt load.
Residents Near Flagler Airport Threaten Lawsuit Over Noise, and Get County’s Pledge to Examine Issue
A half dozen residents described intolerable noise from flight-school planes at the Flagler airport, and got the county administrator’s pledge of a workshop in January to examine solutions.
Palm Coast’s Starlight Parade Draws Record Number of Participants and 10,000 Spectators
Over 80 participants registered to either have a vehicle or walk in the parade—including multiple community groups, civic organizations, local schools and private local businesses.
Tuesday Briefing: Women United Mini-Grants, Food Truck, Elijah Jackson Trial, Thomas Jefferson’s Foresight
Women United Flagler Chapter hands out grants to 10 local organizations, the Palm Coast council meeting was cancelled, it’s Food Truck Tuesday in Central Park. A meet and greet for newly minted Judge Andrea Totten was cancelled.
Education Commissioner Corcoran Wants Prayers at School Athletic Events ‘Permitted to Greatest Extent Possible’
As a three-year legal battle continues over the issue, Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran wants the Florida High School Athletic Association to reconsider policies that prevented Christian schools from offering a prayer over the stadium loudspeaker before a 2015 state championship football game.
Roy Longo Honored for 504 Missions on Fire Flight, 30 Years as Flagler Rescue Paramedic, and that Dolphin
Roy Longo, who became a local hero after saving a dolphin in distress with a county ambulance in 1999, was honored for his 30 years of service tonight, the last seven as a medic on Fire Flight, the county’s emergency helicopter.
Prosecution Seeks To Take Picture of Defendant’s Erect Penis. Judge Says No. Twice.
51-year-old Elijah Jackson’s trial began in Bunnell this morning. He faces accusations of transmitting an image of his penis to his 15-year-old cousin. The prosecution on two occasions sought to have Jackson’s penis photographed while erect, for comparative purposes.
Fight at FPC Over Student’s Clothing Turns Into Brawl, But No Charges Are Filed
Sheriff’s deputies concluded the Dec. 11 fight had started within the school, then spilled into the parking lot by the Auditorium, involving dozens of students, and briefly continued in the parking lot near Olive Garden and through SnapChat.
Crime Rate in Flagler and Palm Coast Continues Steep Drop in 1st Half of 2019
The crime index in Flagler County and Palm Coast dropped in the first six months of 2019, continuing a steep decline of the last two years, falling 15.1 percent compared with the first six months of 2018. The declines were especially steep in Flagler Beach and Bunnell.
Monday Briefing: Bethune-Cookman’s Nurses, Elijah Jackson on Trial, Another World
Where the other world is, Elijah Jackson goes on trial on charges of using a computer to lure a child, the county commission and the East Flagler Mosquito Control District board meet.
City of Palm Coast to Host Inaugural Tech Beach Hackathon
The City of Palm Coast is proud to announce the official launch of the inaugural Tech Beach Hackathon event for January 17-20, 2020 at the Palm Coast City Hall (160 Lake Ave).
Daytona State College to Admit New Cohort into Massage Therapy Program this Spring
Daytona State College’s Massage Therapy program will admit a new cohort in the Spring term of the 2019-20 academic calendar. The program is limited access, but only requires a standard GED and students must be 18 years old. A background check and drug screening are also required to ensure candidates are eligible to sit for […]
Flagler College’s Regional Accreditation Is Reaffirmed
After more than a year of planning, research and work, Flagler College had its accreditation reaffirmed with no recommendations for improvement by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) at their 2019 Annual Meeting in Houston, Texas this week. “I cannot stress how important this accreditation process was for […]
Florida Aquarium Partners with NOAA on New Coral Reef Restoration Initiative
The Florida Aquarium is taking another step to save dying reefs by joining the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and local partners to announce the first high-level bold strategy to protect and restore seven coral reef sites in the Florida Keys.
The Price of America’s Inability to Track Child Deaths from Abuse and Neglect? Sometimes, More Lives.
Reliable statistics on deaths and near-deaths from abuse and neglect can help shape better policies to protect children. A new report shows the breadth of government failures to collect and report this information.
EF1 Tornado Struck From West Flagler Through Flagler Beach, With 110 MPH Winds Over 20 Mile-Path
The National Weather Service this afternoon confirmed that an EF1 tornado touched down in West Flagler early this morning (Dec. 14) and cut a 20-mile path northeast to Flagler Beach then offshore.
Calling It Terrorism, Judge Finds FPC Girl Guilty of Threatening to Kill Teacher; She’s Appealing
Circuit Court Judge Chris France, applying an extremely broad definition of terrorism, today found a 17-year-old former Flagler Palm Coast High School student guilty of threatening to kill her teacher through written messages to a fellow-student a year ago.
Johnnie Thomas Jr. Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for ‘Cold-Blooded’ Killing of Robert Emmanuel
Johnnie Spydale Thomas Jr., a 26-year-old Bunnell resident with a long record of crime and incarceration, was sentenced to 25 years in prison this morning for bludgeoning 60-year-old Robert Emmanuel during a crack deal outside Emmanuel’s Bunnell home two years ago.
Weekend Briefing: Starlight Parade, ‘Actually’ and Weird ‘X-mas Carol’ on Stage, Coffee With Cops, LGBT Gathering
Palm Coast’s Starlight Parade on Saturday, plays and concerts at CRT, the Playhouse, the Auditorium and Matanzas High, Coffee with a Cop, the David Snelgrove death penalty case, and much more.
$600,000 Sought to Help Pulse Massacre Survivors
Two House Democrats want the Legislature to set aside nearly $600,000 to keep open the doors of a center that helps survivors of the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando.
Florida House Revives Controversial College Survey That Would Undermine Intellectual Freedom
During the final hours of the 2019 legislative session, Senate Appropriations Chairman Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, warned senators the so-called intellectual freedom survey would “keep coming up again” and urged the Senate to block it from passing every time.
Palm Coast Starlight Parade Traffic and Parking Information for Dec. 14
To improve traffic flow into and out of this Saturday’s Starlight Parade, the City of Palm Coast is planning several strategies related to traffic flow, temporary road closures and parking.
Watch The Station Sparkle: Palm Coast Firefighters Release Another Fire Truck Light Show
This is the second year in the row the Palm Coast Fire Department released a holiday entertainment video to help create a larger audience for their general messages of community involvement and Fire safety around the holidays.
FWC Approves Changes to Spotted Seatrout Rules
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved several rule changes for spotted seatrout. Spotted seatrout are one of Florida’s most popular inshore fisheries.
Bistro Café and Mr. Pancho Mexican Grill on Palm Coast’s Utility Drive Targets of Overnight Burglaries
The burglars stole some $4,000 in cash from one business and $150 from another, causing about $600 in damage along the way and the loss of about $500 worth of food that had been stored in a fridge they’d left open. The burglars are at large.
Man and Woman Severely Injured in T-Bone Crash at Bulldog Drive and SR100; No Students Involved
Two people were severely injured in a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of State Road 100 and Bulldog Drive–or Aviation Way, the road that leads to the county airport–at 1:41 this afternoon.
3 New Cell Towers in Palm Coast Now Beaming AT&T’s Signal in Previously Dead Zones
Two cell towers recently built in Palm Coast went live with AT&T’s signal in the last eight days, and a third had gone live in September, significantly reducing dead cell zones in town.
Thursday Briefing: ‘Actually’ at CRT, Mediation for Captain’s BBQ, ‘A Christmas Carol’ at Playhouse, Madrigal Dinner
Lots of shows this evening: City Rep’s “Actually,” the Playhouse’s sort of “Christmas Carol,” Matanzas High’s Madrigal show, plus a Whitney lecture on the dramatic impacts of global warming on the Antarctic.
Physician Assistants and Certain Nurses Could Practice Independent of Doctors Under Proposed Law
Bill sponsor Cary Pigman, R-Avon Park, said the proposal (HB 607) would go a long way toward improving patients’ access to primary-care providers, especially in medically underserved areas of the state.
Ex-Palm Coast Deputy Manager Beau Falgout Lands Similar Job in Mooresville, N.C.
Beau Falgout, who resigned as deputy manager in Palm Coast in mid-October, six months after being passed over for the manager’s job in favor of Matt Morton, was named assistant town manager in Mooresville, N.C., on Tuesday.
City Rep’s ‘Actually,’ a #MeToo Whodunit Treading the Blurry Lines of Consent, Assault and Guilt
“Actually,” the newest production at Palm Coast’s City Repertopry Theatre opening this weekend, tells the tale of two Ivy League freshmen – a young black man and a young white woman — who become mired in a he said/she said, was-it-date-rape scenario.
250 Journalists Imprisoned Globally in 2019, Including Spike of 30 on ‘Fake News’ Allegations
The number of journalists imprisoned for their reporting globally reached at least 250 for the fourth consecutive year, with China and Turkey topping the list of the world’s leading jailers, the Committee to Protect Journalists found.
Anthony Leo Frassrand, 1966-2019
Anthony Leo Frassrand resident of Los Angeles, CA died at age 53 in LA on November 22nd, 2019. Tony is survived by his beloved wife Alba, his loving parents Margaret and Thomas “Hal” Frassrand, his siblings Thomas, Miechell, Tiffany, Brett, Tera; his nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends. Tony was born in Detroit […]
Wednesday Briefing: SuperWash’s $13,300 Donation to AdventHealth, Dinner With Santa at FPC, Rising Seas
SuperWash Express donates more than $13,000 to AdventHealth to support breast cancer care funds, FPC’s SGA’s annual Dinner With Santa, the dislocations of rising seas, freedom of speech.
DeSantis Orders All High School Seniors to Take Civics Exam Similar to Immigrants’ Citizenship Test
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday his administration will require all high school seniors in Florida to take a civics exam, similar to the one taken by people who want to become naturalized U.S. citizens.
God, Homosexuality and Government Intrusion Frame Senate Panel’s Push For Abortion Restrictions
The 6-3 vote by the Senate Health Policy Committee followed a hearing that lasted more than 90 minutes as Chairwoman Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart, tried to balance testimony between people on both sides.
A Plea From the Middle, Against Extremism
No matter what side Americans fall on politically, most hold many common beliefs and convictions in common, placing them far closer to a shared middle than the extremes of our current political discourse, argues former sheriff Jim Manfre.
For Public, Diversity and Technology Don’t Rate as High as District’s Priorities in Superintendent Search
Inspirational, trustworthy and innovative. On top of current educational issues. Financially savvy. Good listener. Familiar with Flagler schools. Those are the top qualities unidentified respondents want in the next Flagler County school superintendent, according to a school district online survey.
Flagler Beach and Bunnell Will Split $1 Million in Grants To Reduce Sewer Pipe Pollution
Bunnell and Flagler Beach will each receive $500,000 for pollution-reducing sewer-pipe improvements thanks to a pair of grants from the St. Johns River Water Management District Governing Board. The district board approved the two grants at its monthly meeting in Palatka earlier today.
Bunnell Mayor Slaps Down Latest Attempt to Fire City Manager Jackson, Silencing Commissioner
Bunnell City Commissioner Jan Reeger didn’t get far as fellow-Commissioner John Rogers then Mayor Catherine Robinson shut down Reeger’s latest attempt to fire City Manager Alvin Jackson Monday evening, using questionable tactics.
Tuesday Briefing: Marion Gavins Jr. in Court, Affordable Housing, Cordone & Kilgore, FPC Band Benefit, Print’s Decline
Marion Gavins Jr., accused of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Curtis Grey last April, is scheduled for a pre-trial, FPC’s band has a benefit concert, Cordone & Kilgore’s show at the Palm Coast Community Center.
Lunatic Conspiracy Theories Are Corroding Today’s GOP
How do the horrific events of Charlottesville, the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, and a similar hate crime in California directly relate to the eye-rolling pronouncements by Devin Nunes, Rudy Giuliani, and other Republicans in defense of President Donald Trump?
School Deputies Now Equipped With Ankle First Aid Kits and Bullet-Proof Rifle Plates
The Flagler County Sheriff’s school resource deputies are now all equipped with rescue tactical ankle medical kits and rifle plates in case of traumatic incidents. The ankle kits were acquired through a grant, the plates through sheriff’s funds.
13 Florida Cities and Gun-Control Groups Counter NRA Claims and Push for Assault-Weapons Ban
The political committee Ban Assault Weapons NOW, the gun-control group Brady and a coalition of 13 cities filed briefs Friday saying that the proposal meets legal tests to go before voters.
Federal Judge Refuses to Dismiss Lawsuit Challenging Juvenile Solitary Confinement
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker issued a 21-page order Friday that cleared the way for the case to continue. Walker wrote that the plaintiffs have “alleged sufficient facts” to bring the lawsuit.
Flagler Beach Officers Punch and Tase Man To Subdue Him During Domestic Violence Incident
The incident with the 26-year-old Flagler Beach resident was a culmination of loosely related altercations involving Hobbie that had progressively become more violent. He’s being held at the county jail on $120,000 bond.
Flagler Humane Society Volunteer Injured and Hospitalized After Attack by Pitbull Terrier
A dog at the Flagler Humane Society attacked a volunteer on Thursday (Dec. 5), severely injuring the volunteer, who was hospitalized at Halifax hospital in Daytona Beach. The dog, a pit bull terrier mix, was euthanized.
Monday Briefing: Debating Alvin Jackson, Caroling for Seniors, FPC Band Benefit Concert, Might Is Wrong
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is the winner of the Northeast Florida Regional Leadership Award for Excellence in Public Safety, Commissioner Jan Reeger again discusses the fate of Bunnell manager Alvin jackson, FPC’s band holds a benefit concert at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church.