The truck purchase inflamed many a confrontation among Flagler Beach city commissioners and embroiled the city’s fire department in a nearly year-long battle to secure it.
Florida Lawmakers Urged to Require Unanimous Verdicts in Death Penalty Cases
Florida is the only state in the nation where a simple jury majority is enough for a death penalty recommendation, one of several problems at odds with a new U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Florida’s capital punishment system.
Did Goebbels Win? Nazis Are Gone (Mostly), But Deadly Propaganda Is Thriving
It’s not just ISIS: the increasingly sophisticated use of hate speech directed against minorities and migrants has been a worrisome trend in Europe and the United States. Bombs and bullets alone cannot defeat political poison.
FPL Reports Profits of $1.65 Billion for 2015 But Still Seeks 15% Rate Increase by 2019
Despite the good news to FPL shareholders, FPL has asked for an $8.50-a-month rate increase in 2017, rising to $14-a-month by 2019. The Florida Public Service Commission must approve the rate increases after public hearings.
Thursday Briefing: Pier Parties, No to Seismic Testing, A Stand Your Ground Shift, Birding Palm Coast
The Flagler Beach Commission speaks up against oil prospecting’s seismic testing, Nate McLaughlin at Hidden Trails, more birding in Palm Coast, the Legislature talks Stand Your Ground.
Daytona State College Again Earns Prestigious Military Friendly School Designation
Daytona State College has again been designated a 2016 Military Friendly School by Victory Media, the leader in successfully connecting the military and civilian worlds.
Emerald Day Spa Opens in Palm Coast
Jenny Marafurova in December announced the opening of Emerald Day Spa, a high end spa and salon experience at 1490 Palm Coast Pkwy Suite #3 in Palm Coast, with a ribbon-cutting attended by Palm Coast Mayor Jon Netts and others.
A Pair of Big Checks Contribute to Pink Army and United Way
The Pink Army’s 5K run in Town Center last fall raised $12,585.35, and the five Florida Hospitals in Volusia and Flagler counties donated $10,000 to the United Way.
Bomb Squad Detonates Suspicious Package in Mailbox on Prattwood Ln. in Palm Coast
St. Johns County’s bomb squad was called in by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office this evening after a suspicious package was discovered in a mailbox on Pratwood Lane in Palm Coast.
Case Against Man Accused of Animal Cruelty and Battery Starts Anew as He Reverses Plea
Shawn Higgins previously had agreed to plead no contest to charges of animal cruelty and domestic violence after allegedly forcefully throwing a dog on the floor and strangling an ex-girlfriend. He now has withdrawn his plea even though he faces potentially stiffer punishment.
Senate Looks to Boost Education Funding Beyond Scott Request, But Tax Burden Looms
The Senate is proposing spending $7,249 a student, against Scott’s $7,220, but the increase relies on rising local property taxes, which are part of the state funding formula.
Wednesday Briefing: Tennis Tourney Qualifiers, Holocaust Memorial for Capitol, a “Martyr” in Oregon
Qualifiers for Palm Coast’s one professional tennis tournament of the year begin today, but without Reilly Opelka, the Wimbledon juniors champion and Palm Coast resident.
Luigi and Filomena Camporeale Killed in a Wreck With Truck on I-95 Just South of Palm Coast Parkway
Palm Coast’s Luigi Camporeale, 85, and his wife Filomena Camporeale, 76, were killed around 9:30 p.m. on I-95, immediately south of Palm Coast Parkway as Luigi attempted a hard left turn into the lanes of traffic, strucking a semi truck.
Radical Change Ahead for Palm Coast Council as McGuire Won’t Run, DeLorenzo Opts for County and Netts Is Term-Limited
The Palm Coast City Council will see the biggest turn-over in its history this November as Bill McGuire says he won’t run again, Jason DeLorenzo is running for the county commission and Mayor Jon Netts is term-limited. The council will see a complete turn-over in two years, possibly heralding a sea change in the city’s direction.
Palm Coast Council Members Favor Giving Themselves Automatic Raises Tied to Inflation
Palm Coast City Council members are favoring giving the next council what would equate to a 14 percent base-pay increase followed by annual raises indexed to inflation.
Unfounded Threat Briefly Lifts Flagler Schools’ Status to Yellow, Increasing Cop Presence
An unfounded threat reported third-hand to Flagler school officials this morning and mirroring a threat in Florida’s Panhandle prompted the district to raise its security status to yellow before reverting back to normal.
Tuesday Briefing: Palm Coast Council Talks Salaries, Entrepreneur Night at Sevyn, Hammock Resort Delays
The Palm Coast City Council will get a presentation on potentially bumping up its salary and benefits package, this month’s Office Divvy-sponsored Entrepreneur Night is at the new Sevyn club in Bunnell.
Herculean Effort More Than Doubles Memberships at Belle Terre Swim Club, Dimming Talk of Closure
The Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club’s supporters have managed to increase memberships to more than 300 and close an $80,000 budget gap ahead of a Feb. 2 deadline when the school board will decide the club’s fate.
Failed Condo Project in Ft. Lauderdale Lands Donald Trump in Florida Appeals Court
Investors have battled in court for years to get back hundreds of thousands of dollars in deposits from Donald Trump and associates. The 4th District Court of Appeal will hear arguments Tuesday in two lawsuits related to what was pitched as a swanky, Trump-branded hotel/condominium.
Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Palm Coast Home Invasion, Accomplice Pleads for Mercy
Daniel Hall was sentenced today to six years in prison and 10 years’ probation for the August 2014 assault and burglary at an older woman’s home as his accomplice, Carisa Hall, has been pleading with the court to lessen her sentence.
Monday Briefing: Flagler Beach Floods, Trump’s Fascist Backers, FPC v. Matanzas, Bravo Amici
FPC and Matanzas meet in a hoops showdown at FPC, the fascism of Donald Trump supporters, Flagler Beach talks flood plains, a warming trend after a frosty weekend, plenty of singing at the Flagler Auditorium.
Doug Williams, Immigration and Criminal Law Attorney, Joins Chiumento Selis Dwyer as Partner
Chiumento Selis Dwyer, the Palm Coast law firm, announced that attorney Douglas Scott Williams, better known as Doug, has joined the firm as a partner.
Term Limits for Supreme Court and Appellate Judges? Measure Moving Closer to Ballot
Under the proposal, members of the Supreme Court and district courts of appeal would be limited to two full six-year terms. Judges currently have to retire in the election cycle after they turn 70 years old.
Sanders Revives Talk of Single-Payer System, Contrasting Differences With Clinton
Sanders’ main rival for the nomination, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, has criticized the plan for raising taxes on the middle class and said it is politically unattainable.
Authorities Looking for Escaped Convict Gary Bullock and Palm Coast Girlfriend
Aiding in Bullock’s escape, Natasha Quigley stole money, blank checks and a gun from her parents’ home in Palm Coast before the pair absconded with a 3-year-old boy.
Sheriff Manfre Proposes De-Criminalizing Pot Possession; County Officials and State Attorney Open to Idea
Following in the steps of three Florida counties and some 20 states, Sheriff Jim Manfre wants to replace criminal penalties for small amounts of pot with civil fines. State Attorney R.J. Larizza and county officials are willing to explore the new approach.
4 Suspects Sought in Break-Ins and Theft of 19 Vehicles at Holiday Inn and Hampton Inn
Five vehicles parked at the Holiday Inn Express in Palm Coast’s Flagler Plaza Drive and 13 vehicles parked at the nearby Hampton Inn, just off I-95, were burglarized overnight Wednesday, and one stolen from the Holiday Inn parking lot was later recovered in Orlando.
Lawyers for Condemned Florida Man Call for Halt To Execution in Light of “Tectonic Shift”
Lawyers for Cary Michael Lambrix, who has been on Death Row for more than three decades, have asked the Florida Supreme Court to halt his execution in light of a U.S. Supreme Court decision declaring Florida’s court process unconstitutional in such cases.
Flagler Beach Shock: Settle Opts Out of Commission, So Mealy and Belhumeur Are Elected
In a minor shock in Flagler Beach, Commissioner Steve Settle opted not to file for re-election, automatically resulting in the election of Rick Belhumeur and the re-election of Jane Mealy at 5 p.m. Friday.
Ethics Commission Rejects Flagler’s Pitch to Recover Fees from Frivolous Complaints
The state ethics commission found too thin Flagler’s argument to recover fees from frivolous complaints by John Ruffalo and Dennis McDonald against County Attorney Al Hadeed and County Commissioner Nate McLaughlin.
Flagler’s Unemployment Rate Falls to New Post-Recession Low of 5.5%, Florida at 5%
Flagler County’s rate is vastly improved since even a year ago, when it stood at 6.9 percent. There were 487,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 9.7 million.
Weekend Briefing: Home Show at FPC, Right Whales With Gromling, Bottle Club Ban Proposed
The annual home and lifestyle show takes over the campus of Flagler Palm Coast High School this weekend, Frank Gromling, the right whale guy, talks at Gamble Rogers, the Palm Coast Planning Board favors banning bottle clubs.
For One Rookie Deputy, 2 Totaled Patrol Cars and 2 Internal Investigations in 13 Months
A just-completed internal investigation found Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy Jonathan Kuleski had been speeding and imprudent when he crashed and totaled his patrol car on White View Parkway in September. It was the latest in a series of issues for the rookie deputy.
Two Young Women’s Suicides, In Close Proximity, Stun and Mobilize Community
Lindsay Brockhaus, 20, killed herself on Tuesday, a month after her friend Cora Ann Engel, 18, committed suicide by the same method, two years almost to the day after Dalton Coxwell, also a Matanzas High student, had killed himself the same way.
City School Districts? Lawmaker Mulling Proposed Constitutional Amendment
The measure (HJR 539) would mark a dramatic change in how school districts are organized in Florida. The Constitution requires all districts to be made up of whole counties, though a handful of public schools are stand-alone.
Bunnell Elementary’s Sean Gilliam Is Flagler County’s Champion, Buoyant Speller
Sean Gilliam, a sixth grader at Bunnell Elementary, correctly spelled the word buoyancy to defeat 16 competitors. Fifth grader Grayson Ronk of Wadsworth Elementary School was the runnerup.
Thursday Briefing: District Spelling Bee, Warmest Year on Record, Healthcare for Military Families
2015 was by far the warmest year on record, following on 2014, which also set a record, with human-caused warming to blame. The district spelling bee is at Wadsworth Elementary this evening.
Family Life Center Welcomes Board Members Maria Scarol and Sallie Brinkley
The Family Life Center announced this week that Maria Scarol and Sallie Brinkley have joined the Family Life board of directors.
Marketing 2 Go Hires Community Manager Dana Nobile
Marketing 2 Go last week announced the hiring of Flagler County native Dana Nobile as a new Community Manager for the 6-year-old company, which helps firms develop and manage their media presence, public relations and marketing.
Opposing Open Carry, Sheriffs Instead Propose Immunity for Accidental Display of Guns
The Florida Sheriffs Association, which has opposed the open-carry measure, outlined proposed steps that would provide immunity to people who inadvertently or accidentally display firearms.
Fire Demolishes Family Home in Western Flagler After French Fries Are Left Unattended
A house belonging to Caprice and Stephan Williams and their two teen-age sons at 5881 Logwood Lane in Bunnell was consumed by flames Saturday after Caprice briefly left the stove unattended to help a neighbor.
Trump Surges to “Crushing” Lead in Florida While Clinton Begins to Strengthen Again
The latest FAU poll has Trump surging to a 47.6 percent lead, with Ted Cruz, more than 30 points behind and Rubio and Bush hobbling in at 11.1 and 9.1 percent. Ben Carson has all but vanished at just over 3 percent.
As County Has Yet to Pick a Site, Flagler Library Construction May Not Start Before 2018
The Flagler County Commission has been talking about a library expansion for going on three years, but it may be five years before a new branch is actually built as various factors have yet to fall in place.
Wednesday Briefing: Holland’s Rear-View Mirror Campaign, Ballroom With a Twist, Matanzas Wrestles FPC
Milissa Holland flanks herself in history as she launches her campaign for Palm Coast mayor, it’s all about ballroom dancing at the Flagler Auditorium, FPC and Matanzas wrestle, and ISIS is in recession.
Florida Lawmakers Drilling the Way for Fracking Even as Need Is Questioned
The assault on Florida’s environment continues as a Senate committee last week approved a bill that would make it easier for companies to use fracking technology to drill for oil and gas in the state.
Ex-Cop Larry Jones Will Challenge Sheriff Manfre for Democratic Nomination
Larry Jones, who retired from the sheriff’s office in 2014, is the nionth candidate for sheriff in this year’s election, but only the second on the Democratic side.
Two Pit Bulls Shot Dead After Attacking And Killing Pony; Duane Weeks Cited
Two pit bulls in the care of Duane Weeks savaged a neighbor’s pony and killed it before the neighbor shot the two dogs. Weeks agreed to $1,000 in restitution and was cited for letting his animals run loose.
High Schools May Get Greater Autonomy From Florida Athletic Association Requirements
The proposals would allow schools to join the FHSAA on a per-sport basis and limit how much can be charged for some association-sponsored competitions. Currently, a school that joins the FHSAA in any sport has to be a member in every sport.
Tuesday Briefing: Pink Army Tally, More Sunshine Exemptions Considered, Gas Below $1.70
Gas prices continue to crash, but in Palm Coast not nearly as fast as elsewhere, the Legislature prepares to shut down public access to surveillance videos of public buildings.
Gail Downs, 2015 Realtor of the Year, Joins Parkside Realty Group
Parkside Realty Group Broker and Owner Sam Perkovich announced last week that Gail Downs, the 2015 Flagler County Realtor of the Year, has joined Parkside Realty.