Victor Jesus Ortiz, 70, of Palm Coast, was in critical condition Monday evening after he lost control of his car, swerved, and overturned in shallow ditch on Belle Terre Parkway, just south of the Palm Coast Fire Department’s Station 25.
For Palm Coast, Florida Park Drive’s Heavy Traffic Is an Old Bane Without Ready Solutions
Residents along Florida Park Drive have complained year after year about the heavy traffic, the noise and the pollution, but Palm Coast officials say there’s little they can do legally to alleviate an old ITT mistake.
Palm Coast’s Holland Park Closing For Rest of the Year For Major Reconstruction
the $4.28 million project will take 15 months and will result in better lit courts, a bigger playground, new restrooms, a refurbished dog park, a new loop road to exit the park and a perimeter trail, among other improvements.
Heroin Overdoses Spike After Florida
Cracks Down on Prescription Pill Abuse
Five years ago, Florida was the prescription drug capital of the U.S. Seven people died every day from overdoses. The state cracked down, but this year, heroin overdose deaths are expected to be double those number four years before.
No Surprise: Florida’s Economic Development Agency Wants Tax Subsidies for Daytona Speedway, Jaguars and 2 Other Sports Venues
Daytona International Speedway is seeking $3 million a year for 30 years to subsidize its operations, the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars have asked for $1 million a year for three decades.
FBI Agents Interview 2 Palm Coast Employees In Inquiry Over Tony Capela Issues
Palm Coast officials downplayed a 90-minute interview by two FBI agents of a public works division manager Wednesday and a briefer interview with the public works director, saying it’s related to settled matters in connection with ex-streets superintendent Tony Capela.
Flagler Unemployment Falls to 7.6%, Lowest Since April 2008, as State and Nation Improve
Flagler County’s better numbers in December are clouded by the fact that they are not do to healthier job creation, but rather to a decreasing in the county’s labor force.
Second Armed Robbery in 2 Days Hits Palm Coast Store, This Time at 7-11 Near Starbucks
Thursday evening’s robbery took place at the Mobil station and 7-11 convenience store on Palm Coast Parkway, near Starbucks and Old Kings Road. No one was hurt. The robber escaped with about $94 in cash.
11 Deputies, Several of Them Military Veterans, Join Flagler Sheriff’s Office
The 10 men and one woman, all starting at $33,012 a year, include a retired police chief, four veterans of the U.S. military, and several deputies with college degrees.
Flagler Youth Orchestra Returns to United Methodist Church’s Concert Series Saturday
The Flagler Youth Orchestra’s 30-piece Harmony ensemble return for their annual performance in the Palm Coast United Methodist Church’s Concert Series Saturday, Jan. 24, at 4 p.m.
Isolating Scott, Florida Cabinet May Seek Investigation of FDLE Chief’s Abrupt Exit
Longtime Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey left his job abruptly in December. The departure touched off a controversy this month after Bailey disclosed that he was forced out of the job and made potentially damaging allegations about the actions of Scott and the governor’s aides.
Publix at Palm Coast’s Town Center Is Target of an Armed Robbery Wednesday Evening
The Publix store at Palm Coast’s Town Center was robbed late Wednesday evening by a man claiming to be dying of AIDS and feared to be armed. No one was injured, but the robber got away and has not been located.
Teen Who Twice Fled Home Returns; Stepfather Opts to Drop Charge Against Him
Dawson Blaine King, a 15-year-old resident of 47 Westmount Lane in Palm Coast who’d gone missing on Jan. 15, was brought home only to get into a fight with his parents and run away again late Tuesday night.
Last of Seven Bridges on County Road 305 Is Completed and Re-Opens to Traffic
Construction began on the bridge June 23, 2014. The total cost of construction is approximately $2.5 million paid for by a State Department of Transportation grant.
Rick Scott’s Firing of FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey Unravels Political Motives
The firing of a police commissioner because he would not allow his agency to be politicized sends the worst possible message to FDLE and the entire law enforcement community, writes Dan Gelber.
Spirited Proposal to Relax Dress Code in Flagler Schools Meets More Resistance Than Reason From Board
Michael Manning, the student representative on the school board, is proposing to extend Friday’s more relaxed dress code to all days of the week, and he doesn’t fear challenging board members’ claims along the way.
8 Weeks After FSU Shooting, House Panel Approves Concealed Guns on Florida Campuses
Currently, people are banned from carrying such weapons at Florida colleges and universities, with the exception of stun guns or similar devices. Data show that 246,632 Floridians between the ages of 21 and 35 have concealed carry permits.
Supreme Court May Invalidate Fair Housing Provision Cities Use to Combat Segregation
The Supreme Court has been weakening many civil rights protections for decades. It appears on the verge of gutting the Fair Housing Act. It hears arguments in a case today that will be decided by the end of June.
Palm Coast’s Reilly Opelka, 17, Picked as Wild Card For Main Draw of Men’s Futures Tourney
Reilly Opelka’s pick marks the first time in at least four years that a Palm Coast resident was selected by USTA as the Main Draw Wild Card for the tournament played in the city.
Seeking $500 Million Cut, Scott Asks for Lower Taxes on Cell Phone, Satellite and Cable Bills
The governor’s office said it would save about $43 a year for a family that spends $100 a month on cell-phone and cable services, though spending on such services varies widely by household.
Candles and Prayers Flicker in Memorial For Elisa Homen, Victim of Jan. 9 School Bus Crash
Some 50 people, including her nearly 4-year-old son and her fiancee, gathered for a memorial to Elisa Marie Homen, the 22-year-old recent Palm Coast resident who was fatally injured in a collision with a school bus on Whiteview Parkway on Jan. 9.
Flagler Schools’ Classroom to Careers Symposium Showcases Business’ Growing Presence on Campuses
The first Flagler County education symposium featured the spread of flagship programs that merge private or non-profit businesses with classroom projects, from banking to journalism to medicine.
Florida Prison Ban on Beards Violates Muslim Inmates’ Religious Rights, Supreme Court Rules
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Florida and six other states could not ban inmates from growing beards for religious reasons. The case originated in Arkansas.
Sheriff’s K-9 Units Sniff 2 Drug Busts; Unusual Heroin Arrest Echoes National Crisis
Two Palm Coast residents arrested in separate traffic stops were arrested on numerous drug-trafficking charges, including, in one case, heroin trafficking, which reflects the rise in the use of the drug nationally.
Palm Coast’s Pink Army Run Raises $13,152 for Florida Hospital Flagler’s Breast Cancer Fund
After an event that drew upwards of 1,000 runners, a record, Palm Coast’s Pink Army Run last October netted $13,152, money that will help defray the cost of mammograms and other breast-cancer diagnoses or treatments.
Missing From Salamander Hotel Proposal: Community Consensus and Respect for Past Agreements
Chris Goodfellow, a resident of the Hammock, argues that Salamander Hotels’ proposed 198-room re-development requires a precedent-setting change the county commission should avoid absent clearer consensus from the Hammock community.
Palm Coast Fire Department Unveils New $360,000 Truck and Logo on Jan. 27
The public can see Palm Coast’s new fire truck and its new logo on Jan. 27 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the City Marketplace parking lot.
Photography Traces an Evolution From Minor to Major Key at Flagler County Art League
In a sign of the art form’s evolving seriousness in Palm Coast, the Flagler County Art League’s annual juried photography show drew 90 entries, 10 of which did not make the exhibit.
Tuesday Evening Memorial Set for Elisa Homen, Victim of School Bus Crash on Whiteview
A memorial service is scheduled for Tuesday at 5 p.m. for Elisa Marie Homen, the 22-year-old Palm Coast resident who succumbed to her injuries four days after a collision with a school bus on Whiteview Parkway on Jan. 9.
American Sniper: For North Miami Beach Police Chief, Targeting Blacks Isn’t Profiling
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2015, Florida is still making national news over racism. Thank you for that, Police Chief J. Scott Dennis, writes Nancy Smith.
Legal Aid For Poorer Floridians Diminishing, Commission Starts Work on Seeking Fair Fix
With Gov. Scott opposed to moire funding, the 27-member Florida’s Commission on Access to Civil Justice will have to figure out how to provide additional funding for civil legal aid without simply asking for money from state legislators.
When Bigots Hide Behind Religious Freedom
Kelvin Cochran, the former Atlanta fire chief, and his supporters, are using the veil of religious freedom to justify homophobic and bigoted views that have no place in the workplace.
At Salvo Art Project:
Jan Geyer, Artist of the Year
In Palm Coast less than three years, artist Jan Geyer has made her impact on the local arts community through her own studio at City Marketplace and her associations with Hollingsworth-Salvo Art Project and the Flagler County Art League.
Attention Florida Pot Growers: State Would Pick 5 Nurseries To Cultivate Marijuana Under New Rule
A panel comprised of the director of the state Office of Compassionate Use, an accountant and a member of the Drug Policy Advisory Council would pick five nurseries to grow, process and dispense medical marijuana under a revamped rule released Thursday by the Florida Department of Health. The selection committee would take the place of […]
At Hemming Park, Jacksonville Evolves From Axe Handle Saturday To Civil Rights Saturday
Jacksonville filled Hemming Park with racial hatred and violence 55 years ago. But January 10, 2015 was a celebration of love as it became the location of a series of gay marriages, writes Julie Delegal.
Death Becomes Them: In CRT’s “Grace and Glorie,” An Odd Couple Does Hospice (and Velveeta)
In Tom Ziegler’s “Grace and Glorie,” opening at Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre Friday, two women are brought together in an unlikely friendship as one prepares the other for death.
Florida Ban on Judges’ Campaign Cash Teeters as Supreme Court Takes On The Case
The U.S. Supreme Court’s ultimate decision in the Florida case could have far-reaching ramifications, as 30 of the 39 states that elect judges have some kind of restriction on judicial candidates making personal pitches for campaign money.
Flagler Humane Society Ends Year With 50% Fewer Euthanized Animals, Among Other Milestones
The Flagler Humane Society saw a 25 percent increase in adoptions and a 12 percent increase in lost animals being returned to their owners in 2014, netting an 88 percent save rate for all animals entering the shelter.
Facing $236,000 Deficit, School Board Rethinks Belle Terre Swim Club and Adult Education
Membership at the Belle Terre Swim and Racque Club is down almost by half in two years, maintenance is wanting, and patrons like the Palm Coast Synchro Belles are complaining of poor conditions, prompting the School Board to rethink how it can keep it and Community Education going.
Flagler Deputies Now Equipped With Bean-Bag Firing Shotguns For Less Lethal Encounters
As debates about police tactics in violent encounters with individuals continue, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has converted 30 shotguns from its existing stock to use as less lethal weapons in such potentially perilous situations.
Flagler Commissioner Revels Faces $2,500 Fine Over Ethics Violations as Investigation Points To Discrepancies
Though she was the swing vote, County Commissioner Barbara Revels now concedes that she should have abstained from voting to buy the old Memorial hospital in Bunnell in 2013, and that she should have filed a conflict-of-interest form.
In a Blow to Utilities, Alternative-Energy Coalition Proposes Solar Power Amendment For 2016 Ballot
Backers of the initiative said during a news conference in Tallahassee that they are using the constitutional amendment route because well-funded utilities have repeatedly lobbied the Legislature and the Florida Public Service Commission against expanding solar and other alternative-energy choices.
Elisa Marie Homen, 22-Year-Old Involved in Friday’s School Bus Crash, Has Died
Elisa Marie Homen, the 22-year-old Palm Coast woman involved in a school bus crash that sent 25 children to a local hospital, died on Tuesday from her injuries, FHP and family report.
Palm Coast Staples Store’s General Manager Is Arrested Over Refund Fraud Scheme
Robert M. Harper, the general manager of the Staples store on Old Kings Road in Palm Coast, was arrested Tuesday after confessing to defrauding the store of at least $3,000 by creating fake refunds to himself since last April. Customers were not involved.
Flagler County Government’s Citizens Academy Taking Applications Before Jan. 30 Start
Seats are still available for Flagler County’s popular Citizens Academy program, a free nine week course designed to introduce participants to the day-to-day operations of Flagler County government.
Candidates In Special House and Senate Election Strain to Distinguish Themselves
Five Republican candidates in the Jan. 27 special primary for House and Senate fielded questions from three Flagler County business groups in an open forum with few surprises Tuesday evening at the Hilton Garden Inn.
Child Thrown From Bridge in Tampa Prompts New Look at DCF’s Porous Safety Net
Records of the case reveal that many answers were already available — in the form of arrests that could have raised alarms at the state abuse hotline operated by the Florida Department of Children and Families.
A Muslim Cartoonist on the Charlie Hebdo Massacre: Shame, Fear, But Mostly Hope
Cartoonist Khalil Bendib, an American Muslim and native of Algeria who’s known his share of censorship and death threats, writes of grief and human solidarity in the wake of the attack.
Big Names, Big Numbers and Zombies Animate 2nd Flagler Film Festival at Hilton
Organizers of the three-day Flagler Film Festival, which concluded Sunday at the Hilton Garden Inn in Palm Coast, say attendance was up about 25 percent despite inclement weather.
Attorney At Center of Suits Against Palm Coast and County, Is Arrested on Battery Charge
Joshua Knight, the Palm Coast attorney hired by two Ronald Reagan Assemblies members to litigate actions against Palm Coast and the county that were found frivolous, was arrested on domestic battery and false imprisonment charges Monday afternoon.