Ron DeSantis’ narrow win in Tuesday’s election for governor will bring an unprecedented expansion of conservative Republican power in Tallahassee.
Thursday Briefing: Animal Cruelty Investigations, Rickey Wheeler Appreciation, Wickline Center Uses
Flagler agencies host a two-day training session on animal cruelty investigations, the more than 100 volunteers who helped search for missing child Rickey Wheeler are recognized.
The Death of WNZF’s Ron Charles, Friend and Colleague, at 56
Ron ‘Charles’ Gitschier, 56, built Flagler County’s first radio station WNZF as its chief engineer for the past 10 years, was its news director and a man of rare integrity and humility.
Dog Attacks 76-Year-Old Woman on Palm Coast’s Regent Lane, 3rd Pit Bull Incident in 2 Weeks
A pit bull mix that ran loose attacked a 76-year-old woman in her back yard on Palm Coast’s Regent Lane Monday, a day after a pit bull mauled a 9-year-old girl in the P Section.
Hansen, Mullins Win County Commission, Howell and Branquinho Win Palm Coast, McDonald Re-Elected to School Board
The races for Flagler County Commission and Palm Coast council were not close in a mid-term election that saw turnout rise to an astounding 64 percent.
Amendments: Felons Will Get Voting Rights, Dogs Won’t Race Anymore, Homestead Expansion Fails
More than 64 percent of Florida voters had cast ballots for Amendment 4, which is designed to restore voting rights to an estimated 1.4 million felons who have completed their sentences.
Rick Scott Wins ‘Nasty’ U.S. Senate Race, Ending Bill Nelson’s 46 Years in Government
Scott’s win even more firmly cemented control of Florida and the U.S. Senate for Republicans. Nelson for the past eight years has been the only Democrat elected statewide.
Powered by Trump Turnout and ‘Hamilton’ Tickets, DeSantis Defies Polls and Edges Out Gillum
DeSantis’ win was a crushing blow for Democrats, who had pinned their hopes on Gillum making history as the state’s first black chief-of-state and recapturing the governor’s mansion for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century.
Wednesday Briefing: Wetlands Restoration Meeting, Youth Orchestra Concert, Immigration Attorneys
It’s the day after: no better time than to head to the Auditorium for the Flagler Youth Orchestra’s fall concert, the second of two community meetings on the Flagler County Wetland Restoration Project is scheduled.
Fire Flight Lands on Belle Terre Near Publix To Pick Up Man Injured in Motorcycle Crash
The man was traveling north on Belle Terre Parkway at 2:32 p.m. when, just south of Eastwood Drive, he lost control, his bike flipped and went airborne, sending him crashing.
Being Trans in America Was Already Scary. Now It’s Terrifying.
On any given afternoon, the author is regularly and publicly catcalled, mocked, laughed at, and treated as an object of social disgust. Donald Trump is about to deny her right to exist.
A Few Big Legislative Races, Scattered Through Florida
Donors, party leaders and political operatives don’t like to toss away money on lost causes. With that in mind, here are some of the races to watch Tuesday in various regions of the state.
Pit Bull Mauls 9-Year-Old Palm Coast Girl In Incident Similar to Attack on Pizza Man
For the second time in two weeks a pit bull slipped through the front door and attacked the person there, in this case a 9-year-old girl who was severely injured.
Palm Coast Woman, 35, Stabs Boyfriend In Latest Bout of Violence Involving Both
Monique Garcia, who pleaded guilty in a domestic-violence attack on Justin Campbell two years ago, is charged with stabbing him twice in a W-Section incident Monday.
Election Day Briefing: Polls Open Until 7 PM, Storm-Damaged Tree Removal, Election Night Parties
Today: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 80s. South winds 5 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 60s. Southwest winds 5 mph. Details here. Today’s document from the National Archives and the Astronomy Picture of the Day. Today’s tides: at the beaches, at the Intracoastal Waterway. Drought Index: 282 The OED’s Word of […]
Death For Dangerous Dog Cooper Likely as Judge Sees Scant ‘Legal Basis’ to Stop It
A circuit judge gave supporters of Cooper, the dangerous dog condemned to death, little hope today after a one-hour hearing in an appeal designed to commute the dog’s death sentence.
Flurry of Polls Show Gillum and Nelson Decisively Edging Past DeSantis and Scott
Andrew Gillum and Bill Nelson have built solid leads among independents, women and minorities, with Ron DeSantis and Rick Scott leading only among white men.
Buying Their Election: Mullins and Hansen Shatter Spending Records for Flagler County Commission Seats
The nearly $200,000 Joe Mullins and Greg Hansen have spent so far puts them on pace to match or outspend all 26 other county commission candidates in the past three years combined.
Monday Briefing: Diabetes Flag-Raising, Great Kids Awards, Dangerous Dog Hearing, Flagler Cares
The case of Cooper the dangerous dog finally gets its hearing in circuit court, the Flagler County Commission decides whether to appoint one of its most generous financial contributors to the planning board, November Great Kids.
Save Our Home: We Have 12 Years
There’s an urgent message of hope amid the latest climate report’s dire warning: We’ve got a little bit of time to save the only home planet we’ve got. And it’s going to take all of us to do it.
Yes, Your Car Can Be A Weapon, Florida Supreme Court Rules, Altering ’95 Definition
The Supreme Court made the somewhat-unusual move of backing away from a 1995 decision, which said a weapon must be “commonly understood to be an instrument for combat.”
In Miami on Final Stretch, Obama Chides GOP For ‘Repeated Attempts to Divide You’
The former president’s trip to the Sunshine State was sandwiched between two appearances in Florida by President Donald Trump, who held a rally Wednesday in Lee County.
Palm Coast Approves Cultural Grants. Just Don’t Call It “Religious Outreach.”
The Palm Coast City Council this week approved grants for 13 cultural events by local non-profits, totaling $34,500. The Palm Coast United Methodist Church’s description of its mission as “religious outreach” drew an objection in the context of cultural grants.
Unemployment Rate At 3.7% Approaching 50-Year Low as Economy Adds 250,000 Jobs
It is the longest uninterrupted expansion since before the Great Depression. The average monthly gain this year has been just over 210,000 jobs, equal the average monthly gains of the last two Obama years.
Seminole Woods Girl, 13, Fabricates Kidnapping Story After Her Phone Is Confiscated
A Seminole Woods girl’s claim of having been kidnapped provoked a commotion, a lot of concern and a significant response from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office before she owned up to the fake claim.
Restoring Felons’ Right to Vote:
Why I’m Voting Yes on Amendment 4
In 46 other states, the right is restored either immediately or on completion of probation. Florida stands out for harshness, accounting for a quarter of America’s disenfranchised.
Fight Escalates to Shooting in Espanola, Leaving Man With “Multiple Gunshot Wounds”
The shooting was called into 911 at 9:58 p.m. It took place at 98 Knox Jones Avenue. Traces of blood were reported outside the church near there.
Weekend Briefing: First Friday, Freedom Fest at Airport, Navy Jazz Ensemble, Tommy Tant Classic
Freedom fest brings a couple of dozen aircraft to the Flagler Airport, the Tommy Tant Surf Classic takes Flagler Beach after First Friday there, the Navy’s Jazz ensemble is at the Auditorium.
With 3.7 Million Early Votes In, Election Day Delays May Ease Despite Epic Ballot
While the lengthy ballot will cause some delays, it is not expected to be as bad as 2012 as a majority of voters will have already cast ballots.
Paul Peacock of Indian Trails and Cara Cronk of Buddy Taylor Are District’s Administrators of the Year
Indian Trails Middle School’s Paul Peacock is this year’s Principal of the Year in the Flagler district, and Buddy Taylor Middle School’s Cara Cronk is the assistant principal of the year.
Joseph Bova Scrawls Guilty Plea in Mobil Station Murder, But Is Judged Still Incompetent
Joseph Bova is accused of first degree murder in the execution-style shooting of store clerk Zuheili Roman Rosado at the Mobil convenience store on State Road 100 in February 2013.
Legendary B-25 Bomber Among Two Dozen Aircraft at Flagler Airport’s Freedom Fest Saturday
Freedom Fest 2018 will include an air parade, a special pinning ceremony for Vietnam-era veterans, three tribute rock bands, numerous displays and fireworks to end it all.
Thursday Briefing: Joseph Bova Status, Critics Choice Dinner, Palm Coast Finance’s Winners
The case of Joseph Bova, accused of gunning down store clerk Zuheili Roman Rosado at a Palm Coast gas station in 2013, is back in court, Palm Coast’s finance department wins two awards.
Amendment 13: ‘Humane Treatment of Animals’ Would End Dog Racing in Florida
Florida is one of a handful of places in the country with dog racing, and passage of the amendment would be a serious blow for an industry that has been in the state for decades.
As Palm Coast Looks to Rewrite Feral Cat Rules, Advocates Plead For More Accommodation
The Palm Coast council is again wrestling with the often divisive matter of feral cats, with advocates asking for tolerance and opponents asking for more containment of what they consider nuisances.
Flagler Representative On Federal Juvenile Justice Panel Describes Efforts Decimated By Trump
Cheryl Massaro, director of the Flagler County Youth Center, describes how the Trump administration disbanded and stopped the work of the Federal Advisory Committee for Juvenile Justice she was appointed to two years ago.
Showdown Over Local Control as State Aims to Stop Miami Beach From Raising Minimum Wage
Attorney General Pam Bondi claims a state law bars Miami Beach from gradually increasing its minimum wage to $13.31 an hour in 2021. The case also has drawn attention from local governments, which have sided with Miami Beach.
Wednesday Briefing: Halloween, Canvassing Board, Stetson Woodwind Ensemble, Trump in Lee County
It’s Halloween: be careful out there, the Flagler Canvassing Board meets again to go through mailed-in ballots, the Stetson Woodwinds Ensemble is in concert, Donald Trump is in southwest Florida.
Ex-‘Funworld Place’ Owner Indicted on Federal Gun and Drug Charges as State Drops Its Own
Jerard Davis, 33, a resident of Palm Coast’s Buttonwell Lane, was originally arrested after a high-profile search of his business, from where police claimed he was selling drugs and counterfeit merchandise.
Palm Coast Council Gets Primer on Dangerous Dog Rules: ‘You Don’t Have a Role in Process’
The presentation was a more formal way of assuring the council that it had immunity in dangerous-dog decisions–as long as it remained on the sidelines.
Stepped-Up Sheriff’s Patrols, New Sex-Offender App, Candy Buy Back: Halloween Game Plans
Flagler sheriff’s personnel will be conducting heavy patrols and providing crossing assistance at critical points for Halloween, the FDLE has a new safety app, and Flagler Dental is doing candy buy-back for 10 days afterward.
Journalists Say Trump’s Caravan Claims Are ‘Evidence-Free.’ It’s a Lot Worse Than That.
Journalists have a duty to give context, not just to report on whether a sound bite contains truth on a sliding scale. Otherwise, it’s journalistic malpractice.
Tuesday Briefing: $28,000 Raised For FHF’s Hospice, Taste of Fun Coast, TNR, Bunnell Town Hall, Hall of Terror
It’s Taste of the Fun Coast, a fund-raiser for the Flagler County Free Clinic, at the Hammock resort, Palm Coast talks trap, neuter and release and dangerous dogs, Bunnell hosts a town hall, Fire Station 21 hosts its annual Hall of Terror.
From Wing Joint to Hair Salon, Florida Voters Split on Gillum-DeSantis Race for Governor
Interviews with a diversity of Florida voters reveal the searing differences of opinions between voters–and their solidified opinions about Ron DeSantis and Andrew Gillum, with days left in the gubernatorial race.
One Email From Serial Litigant Shuts Down Flagler Beach’s Video Access to Public Meetings
Eddie Sierra, a deaf south Floridian, is filing lawsuit after lawsuit against local governments across Florida if they stream government meetings without close-captioning them for the deaf.
Alleged Armed Robbery Leaves Man Injured at Dakota Joe’s on Old Dixie Highway
Employees at Dakota Joe’s, a business at 2245 South Old Dixie Highway, were allegedly the targets of a violent armed robbery that resulted in a man’s hospitalization late Sunday night.
Man Who Dislocated Flagler Deputy’s Shoulder During Arrest Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison
The judge’s sentence was much lighter than then 30 years or more it could have been based on the initial charges against Pitter: in February he’d faced a charge of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, a first-degree felony.
Gargiulo Foundation’s Flagler Canvas Brims With More Artists, More Galleries, More Artist of the Year Nominees
Rather than just declare a Flagler County Artist of the Year, this time the Gargiulo Art Foundation nominated six potential winners and is working up to a winner through shows at two separate galleries.
Monday Briefing: PCAF’s Latest Turtles, Rotary Club Looking For Bands, Leslie Pitter in Court, Eric Holder on Voting Rights
The Palm Coast Arts Foundation’s community public sculpture project dedicates its latest at Long Creek Nature Preserve, the Flagler Rotary is looking for musical acts to play at Fantasy Lights, corrections as a people skill.
Amendments 1, 2 and 5: Taking Aim at Taxes Through Homestead Exemption, a Cap and Supermajorities
Three proposals on the November ballot that would make tax-related changes to the state Constitution have drawn conflicting views from the real-estate industry, local governments and other groups about the measures’ potential economic impacts.