Hunting up to 200 black bears in Flagler and other parts of Florida would be allowed as part of a management plan as the state’s bear population of 2,500 is in increasing contact with its human population of nearly 20 million.
Thursday Briefing: Rape Suspect James McDevitt in Court, Jobs Council in Session, Apollo 16 in Memory
James McDevitt, accused of raping a woman in Flagler Beach in 2013, appears before a judge today for a final docket sounding before a scheduled trial next week. With more on Pope Francis, Magna Carta and Apollo 16.
Special Session Ahead for Legislature as Lawmakers Fail To Resolve Budget Clash
Gov. Rick Scott’s administration, federal officials and House and Senate leaders have waged a public war over health dollars, which President Obama’s administration declared Tuesday are tied to an expansion of Medicaid.
Supreme Court Turns Down Red-Light Camera Appeal, Leaving In Place Restrictions On Who May Issue Tickets
The Florida Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an appeal on a red-light camera case with a direct bearing on Palm Coast’s traffic-enforcement program. Five justices concurred in turning down the appeal, without explanation, as is customary when the court turns down a case.
Candor, Humor and a Few Sharp Jabs from Jim Landon in a State of the City Overview
Addressing Walmart’s renewed interest in its potential second store in Palm Coast, golf courses, construction and economic activity, Palm Coast City Manager spoke for almost two hours Monday morning to some 90 residents about the state of the city and its near future.
27-Year-Old Woman Accused of Robbing and Assaulting 67-Year-Old For Prescription Pills
Tara Lynn Davis, a 27-year-old resident of Espanola Road in Bunnell, was booked at the Flagler County jail on three felony charges: robbery, battery on a person 65 or older, and grand theft.
Rep. Ron DeSantis Makes It Semi-Official: He’s Considering a Run for Rubio’s Senate Seat
DeSantis’s quick rise after his election to the House in 2012, his frequent presence on conservative talk shows and relentless criticism of the Obama administration has made him a favorite of tea party conservatives and some further to the right.
Bunnell Joins County in Big-Debt Refinancing Trend, Saving Large Amounts
By cutting its financing costs by almost half, Bunnell will save $600,000 on two loans dating back to the 1990s. County government similarly saved millions by refinancing loans for the courthouse and the Government Services Building.
Wednesday Briefing: Landon’s Futurism, Shakespeare’s New Rape Play, Goodbye Percy
Jim Landon’s “Making Our Future Together” Lunch ‘n Learn lecture today is sold out, three Flagler middle school girls are named to a prestigious STEM conference, Shakespeare’s new authenticated play is making students uncomfortable, and it’s Take a Wild Guess Day.
For Palm Coast’s Money-Losing Golf Course, Grass Is Always Greener On Other Side of Promises
An update on the city’s golf course did not go well this morning at city council. Instead of projecting when the golf course and tennis center would stop losing money, City Manager Jim Landon directed the company managing the operations to simply stop making projections to the city council.
Sheriff’s Awards Go To Deputy Pedersen, Detention Deputy Ward and Volunteer Ramos
Deputy Erik Pedersen was recognized for going beyond the call of duty in helping a 94-year-old woman reconnect to the world, and Detention Deputy Ronald Ward stopped an inmate from committing suicide.
Rep. Jason Brodeur: My Religious Freedom Bill Will Encourage More Adoptions
Rep. Jason Brodeur, the Sanford Republican, sponsored the controversial bill that would allow adoption agencies to discriminate in their decisions on whom to place where, even on behalf of the state’s foster system. Brodeur defends his bill.
Last Patrol: Undersheriff Rick Staly Looks Back On 40 Years as a “Cop’s Cop,” and Forward
Undersheriff Rick Staly, who retires this week, took his last road patrol last Friday, an unusually quiet evening he spent driving and reflecting on his career and how law enforcement has changed since his first days as a cop in 1974.
Florida Lawmakers Float Measure to Regulate Drones Amid Buzz of Privacy Concerns
The proposals prohibit the use of aerial drones to capture images that could infringe on the privacy of property owners or occupants but also give police some authority to use drones.
Tuesday Briefing: Palm Coast’s Golf Dreams, VPK and Kindergarten Round-Up, Anchors’ Demise
The Palm Coast City Council again hears from the management company trying to keep the city’s golf course and tennis center from soaking in the red, VPK and kindergarten registration is today, Frank Rich tells us why the anchorman’s job is the dumbest.
Rubio Joins Growing List of Presidential Hopefuls, Setting Up Showdown With Bush
A primary showdown between Rubio and Bush could cause friction in Tallahassee, where the GOP dominates state government, and a scramble is expected for Rubio’s senate seat.
Sheriff’s Deputy Under Investigation After He’s Found at “Young Adults” Drinking Party
The deputy, Jonathan Kuleski, 22, was in the company of about 15 people in a wooded area behind houses along Wood Aspen Drive and Wood Acre Lane in Palm Coast.
Police Badge More Than “Just a Trinket Or Souvenir”: Sheriff and Bunnell Deny Ex-Cop
When David Barbee, who’d worked with the Flagler sheriff’s office and the Bunnell Police Department for a badge and retirement ID–though he did not retire from either agency–he was denied from both agencies. He is protesting the decision to the Bunnell commission tonight.
Geography as Destiny: Hospitals Leave Downtowns For More Prosperous Digs
By moving to wealthier areas, hospitals can reduce the percent of uninsured and lower-paying Medicaid patients, but relocations often spark anger from those left behind, who worry about loss of jobs and of access to care, particularly for the poor.
Monday Briefing: Gunter Grass Is Dead, Desalination in California, Rubio Announces
The great German writer Gunter Grass, author “The Tin Drum,” is dead, Marco Rubio announces his plans for the 2016 presidential election this evening.
Ron DeSantis Considering Run For Rubio’s Senate Seat as Jeff Atwater Looks To 2018
Ron DeSantis, the congressman representing the district that includes all of Flagler County, is “strongly considering” a Senate run, according to Politico, while Atwater’s decision not to run opens the way for many others.
A Bigger Public-Health Problem Than Hunger: The Global Obesity Threat
The total economic impact of obesity is about $2 trillion a year, or 2.8% of world GDP – roughly equivalent to the economic damage caused by smoking or armed violence, war, and terrorism, according to new research by the McKinsey Global Institute.
Upon Further Review: Inside the Police Failure to Stop Darren Sharper’s Rape Spree
Nine women reported being raped or drugged by Sharper to four different agencies before NFL safety Darren Sharper’s capture. His Sharper’s rampage of druggings and rapes could have been prevented, according to a two-month investigation by ProPublica and The New Orleans Advocate.
Art League’s “Priceless” Fund-Raiser Nets $11,500, Opening New Era–and Possibilities
Best-selling author and art-crime sleuth Robert Wittman’s appearance at the Flagler Auditorium turned into the art league’s largest and most successful fund-raiser in the non-profit organization’s 36-year history.
As Rideshare Apps Like Uber Build Up Fares, Florida Senate Taps Insurance Requirements
As taxi and limo services call for stricter regulations on growing “transportation network companies,” the Senate has expanded an insurance measure to include a requirement for around-the-clock coverage on the vehicles of app-connected rideshare drivers.
Daytona State Honors 179 Students, Employees and Alumnus at Awards Convocation
A list of those honored is included. The awards convocation is the preceding event to the college’s commencement exercises that will take place on Monday, May 18, at 2 and 6:30 p.m. at the Ocean Center.
Will Florida Senate Recognize That Every Child Has the Right To Be Loved?
The choice is not whether church-sponsored agencies have a right to practice their religion. Of course they do. The issue is whether they have a right to enforce their beliefs against others when acting as agents of the state. They do not.
Draft Lease With YMCA at Belle Terre Racquet Club May Be Ready in May, But First, a Trial
The Flagler schoolo administration has made steady progress toward a lease agreement with the YMCA to take over the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club, but a negligence lawsuit hanging over the club since 2012 may be heading for trial at the end of May or in early June.
Weekend Briefing: Flagler Beach’s 90th Birthday Bash, a Murderer Returns, Millennials’ Hookup Culture
Enoch Hall, on death row for the murder of a Volusia prison guard in 2008, challenges his conviction before Flagler’s Judge J. David Walsh, who presided over his trial. The Palm Coast Garden Club holds its annual sale, Flagler Beach holds its 90th birthday celebration.
Recovering From Major Cancer Surgery, County Chairman Meeker Addresses REC Expulsion
The Flagler County Republican Executive Committee’s expulsion of County Commission Chairman Frank Meeker may not be legal, and reflect the REC’s intention to put clubbish concerns ahead of county interests.
Relearning to Love the Bomb
The shocking thing about nuclear weapons is that they seem to have lost their power to shock. While the nuclear deal just reached with Iran is very good news, that effort should not obscure the bad news elsewhere, writes Garth Evans.
Rejoice, Students: There’ll Be Less Testing. But Not Much Less. House Approves Roll-Back.
The bill puts a hold on the use of student test data for school grades, teacher evaluations and student promotion to fourth grade until the new Florida Standards Assessments can be independently validated.
Guess Who’s Rethinking Guns In Schools: Colleen Conklin May Not Oppose Designating Concealed Carriers, But She’s In a Minority
Most Flagler County School Board members, the superintendent and the sheriff say school officers, not individuals carrying concealed weapons, can best address security needs in local schools. A bill making its way through the Legislature would allow school boards to designate employees or volunteers to carry concealed weapons.
Dennis McDonald Sues Palm Coast Again, This Time Over Tripping On a Cracked Sidewalk
The city’s insurer denied Dennis McDonald’s claim for damages over an injury he suffered while walking on a Club House Drive sidewalk in 2013. He’s suing the city for damages of more than $15,000, though he’s yet top pay a slightly larger debt to the city, by a judge’s order, in compensation for a frivolous and unrelated lawsuit he’d filed five months after the accident.
Thursday Briefing: Anger Management at the County Jail, Renewed Debate on Police Tactics
Police tactics are again under scrutiny after a video captured the cold-blooded killing of an unarmed man running away from a cop in South Carolina. “Fresh Off the Boat” fails its writer, and the White House condemns “gay therapy.”
Gov. Rick Scott Angling For Sen. Bill Nelson’s Seat in 2018
Scott in an OpEd lectured Obama on how he’s balancing budgets, creating jobs and demonstrating “fiscal responsibility” here in Florida. He’s preparing for his next makeover and political campaign, writes Daniel Tilson.
Florida House Advances ‘Conscience Protection’ Bill That Discriminates Against Gay Adoptions
Three hours of debate and numerous attempts to diminish the ability of private, religious adoption agencies to deny placement among gay couples failed as the bill now appears headed for approval Thursday.
Palm Coast Man, 18, and Ex-Girlfriend, 20, Charged With Capital Child Rape
Paul Dyckes, 18, had been arrested on child porn charges in late March. Further investigation led the FDLE to uncover two incidents in which Dykes and his ex-girlfriend, Erin Marie Vickers, allegedly raped two children younger than 5.
As Sheriff Defends Cops’ Body Cams, Public Defender Warns Of Untenable New Work Load
Public Defender James Purdy agrees with Sheriff Manfre that cops’ body cams are a valuable addition, but he says neither his nor the state attorney’s office have the manpower required to review the data being generated by the cameras, and the Legislature isntt about to provide more money or attorneys to help.
Wednesday Briefing: Renaming State Colleges, SC Cop Charged With Murder, Florida as Obamacare Capital
A South Carolina cop is charged with murder after video surfaces showing him shooting a suspect in the back, after the suspect was stopped for a broken taillight.
Midnight Crash on I-95 Leaves Palm Coast’s Jeffrey Coffey, 30, in Critical Condition
Jeffrey Coffey, a resident of Palm Coast’s S Section, was in critical condition after a wreck on I-95 just after midnight Wednesday morning (April 8), the Florida Highway Patrol reports.
The Solar Price Revolution: Why Renewable Energy Is Becoming Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels
As some countries prepare to generate solar-powered electricity at half the cost of its production in the U.S., assumptions that generating electricity with natural gas or coal is less expensive or more efficient than solar power are rapidly becoming untenable.
Florida Senate Calls For Police Policies on Body Cameras, Addressing Privacy and Data
Body cams are worn by deputies at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Jim Manfre instituted the practice when he took office in 2013 and has been an ardent defender of the cameras.
Travis Hutson Wins Senate Seat, Paul Renner Wins House in Special Election
Republicans Travis Hutson and Paul Renner have won the special election for Florida Senate District 6 and House District 24, respectively. Hutson defeated Democrat David Cox. Renner defeated Adam Morley.
Blues No More: Island Grille Will Pick Up Where Famed Flagler Beach Restaurant Left Off
Island Grille Restaurant will open before Memorial Day where Blue Restaurant used to be, with a partnership bringing together Blue’s Chef Gary Maresca, Woody’s Joe Rizzo and Chris Zwirn, Realtor David Alfin, and Flagler Beach’s Carla Cline.
Man, 18, Arrested After Rayonier Complains of Dumping, Partying and Shooting On Its Land
The arrest of James Cortright, 18, of Bunnell’s Mondex, follows Rayonier officials’ concerns about an area it manages in Palm Coast, just west of U.S. 1 and two miles north of County Road 13 that had been repeatedly used for illegal dumping, trespassing, illegal burns and illegal discharges of firearms.
Tuesday Briefing: Wittman at the Auditorium, Cops’ Body Cams, and Jeb’s Hispanic Origins
Florida lawmakers talk of regulating cops’ body cameras. The Flagler school board and Palm Coast City council have full agendas today. Jeb Bush discovers his Hispanic origins.
From One Second To The Next: Werner Herzog’s Texting and Driving Documentary
Werner Herzog’s texting and driving documentary on the consequences of tragedies started as announcements he’d agreed to make for AT&T’s “It Can Wait” campaign.
In Reversal, Scott Opposes Expanding Poor’s Health Insurance and Opens $2.2 Billion Budget Hole
Scott’s opposition means Florida would again forego $47 billion in federal aid over the next 10 years while fewer poor Floridians would have health coverage–and the state’s budget would lose $2.2 billion in current aid that federal officials will no longer provide to the state under its existing medicaid system, which falls short of federal standards.
County Rejects Contractor’s Sharp Protest as It Approves $9 Million Matanzas Interchange Bid
Watson Civil Construction of Jacksonville, sharply protested the bid award, claiming that Hubbard’s bid was incomplete and that the county’s process in accepting the bid went grossly against the county’s own policy. The process the county allowed, Watson claimed, set a precedent that will allow future bidders to game the system to their advantage.