John Robert Dance, 65, of Flagler County, Florida, passed away peacefully on November 22, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on June 15, 1959. In 1972, his family relocated to Flagler County, where he later graduated in 1977 from Flagler Palm Coast High School, went on to a career with the Florida Highway Patrol and started his own businesses, remaining a cattleman and outdoorsman all his life.
Bunnell
Tonya Gordon and Tina-Marie Schultz Will Not Run Again for Bunnell City Commission; Bonita Robinson Will
The Bunnell City Commission will have two open seats in the March 4 municipal election as incumbent Commissioners Tina-Marie Schultz and Tonya Gordon, both have decided not to run again. Three candidates have announced: former Bunnell Commissioner Bonita Robinson and Grand Reserve residents David John Atkinson and Lyle Dean Sechrist. Gordon has been serving since 2020, Schultz since 2021. Mayor Catherine Robinson is running for re-election and is not expected to face opposition.
Five Star Pizza Owners Building $2 Million ‘Party and Play’ Indoor Playground in Bunnell, 1st in County
The owners of Five Star Pizza in Palm Coast, Ormond Beach and Deltona are preparing to build a $2 million indoor playground in Bunnell, making it the first of its kind in Flagler County. The playground will be called Party and Play and will be part of a 10,000-square-foot building that will be built on Steel Rail Drive in Bunnell, with projected construction starting in January or shortly thereafter.
Hot Diggity Dogs & Shakes in Bunnell Has a New Top Dog: David Zummo
Hot Diggity Dogs & Shakes, a Bunnell icon known for serving classic comfort food, including specialty hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches, milkshakes and more, has been purchased by David Zummo.
A Mile-Long Veterans Day Parade of 1,000 Participants Unites Flagler’s Cities, County and Schools in Salute
After a Veterans Day parade of more than 1,000 participants representing all cities, the county and the School Board, among others, ambled through Bunnell in a mile-long procession, hundreds of people gathered at the Government Services building for the day’s ceremonies, including a Veteran Day essay by middle schooler Mellissa Ryon, a keynote speech by Randall Stapleford, and musical performances.
Daisy Henry Street Now Glides Through the Heart of Bunnell, Along Carver Gym Late Pastor Championed and Saved
This morning, a stretch of four blocks of East Drain Street, along the gym’s ballfields on one side and family homes on the other, became Daisy Henry Street, so renamed for the former city commissioner and pastor by a city that wanted to “honor a legacy,” in the words of City Manager Alvin Jackson, and bolden Henry’s already distinguished mark on Bunnell’s history.
Bunnell, Palm Coast and County Will Host Joint Veterans Day Ceremony and Parade Nov. 11
The parade will travel east on Moody Boulevard and conclude at the Government Services Building where the traditional ceremony will begin. Retired U.S. Naval Captain James Randall “Randy” Stapleford – a career naval aviator who served from 1972 to 2003 – will be the grand marshal of the parade and will share a few words at the ceremony.
Portions of East Drain Street in Bunnell Will Be Renamed in Honor of Former Commissioner Daisy Henry
Following a vote by the Bunnell City Commission in July, Bunnell government will rename a portion of East Drain Street in the south part of the city after Daisy Henry, the long-time city commissioner and a local icon who was all but synonymous with life around and beyond Drain Street. The street will be called Daisy Henry Street. That ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 1 at 8:30 a.m. at the intersection of East Drain Street and South Pine St. in Bunnell, with ample parking near Carver Gym.
Total Hurricane Milton Damage to Private Property in Flagler and Cities: $18.8 million, Government Costs Yet to Be Tallied
Flagler County suffered an estimated $18.8 million in private property damages countywide from Hurricane Milton, and an additional $14 million in damages to just under 11 miles of beachfront, with additional estimates yet to be calculated such as costs to government infrastructure and services, and losses to the federal portion of the beach in Flagler Beach–the 2.6 miles the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers just renourished.
Hurricane Milton’s Flagler Path in Pictures: Flooding, Beach Erosion, Damaged Roads and Roofs, but Nothing Disastrous
Hurricane Milton barreled through the midsection of the Florida Peninsula Thursday morning, lashing Flagler County with tropical-storm-force winds (and a few hurricane-force gusts) and up top 19 inches of rain in parts of the county. But damage overall was mostly minor despite floodwaters. Here’s an album in pictures and video.
Flagler County in Federal Disaster Declaration: Residents Can Seek Help; Beach Will Be Repaired at 100% U.S. Expense
President Joe Biden on Friday approved a major disaster declaration for 34 Florida counties that suffered damage from Hurricane Milton, including Flagler, Volusia, St. Johns and Putnam counties. The declaration will help individuals and local governments to shoulder recovery costs, including–for governments–reimbursements for the majority of costs incurred by damage sustained or services provided during the storm and the recovery period.
33-Year-Old Man With Mental Health Issues Again Arrested After Crash with Injuries and 5 MPH Chase on U.S. 1
Kyle McNary, a 33-year-old Palm Coast resident Baker Acted and arrested after a severe mental health breakdown in late August was again arrested on numerous charges after allegedly attacking his step-father and causing a severe vehicle crash on U.S. 1, after which he led police on a crawl of a chase at 5 miles per hour on the highway.
Bunnell Marks Progress of Its City Hall Complex with ‘Graffiti Hour’ Contest
About 50 City employees, representing the various City departments, gathered for a friendly competition in which they created chalk murals, showcasing the spirit of collaboration and creativity within the City. This event allowed all current employees with the City to leave behind a mark on this legacy project for the City of Bunnell and be a part of the on-going growth and changes occurring in the City of Bunnell.
Bunnell Police Detective Jeff Traylor Is CrimeStoppers’ Flagler County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year
Bunnell Police Detective Jeff Traylor was named the Flagler County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Thursday at the 24th Annual CrimeStoppers of Northeast Florida awards banquet. The occasion was held at the Daytona 500 Club at the Daytona International Speedway before a gathering of law enforcement personnel and officials from across the Seventh Judicial Circuit that includes Flagler, Volusia, St. Johns and Putnam counties.
Flagler School Board’s Lease of Old Courthouse Hides Sharply Higher Costs and Falling Enrollment
When the Flagler County school district administration first proposed last May to lease the old courthouse in Bunnell, it did so under the rosiest of assumptions: that the lease would allow the district to consolidate half a dozen programs under one roof, that it would create more classroom space at some of its elementary schools, and that it would save money. By the time the School Board approved the proposal last month, and the County Commission followed last week, only one of the three propositions was true.
Bunnell Police’s Micheal Fansler Gets Second Life Saving Award in 5 Months
At the regular city commission meeting Monday evening, Bunnell Police Chief David Brannon presented Officer Micheal Fansler with the agency’s Life Saving Award. In attendance at the meeting was the patient Officer Fansler saved along with several of the patient’s family members.
Mondex Mother Faces Felony Child Abuse Charge Over Joining Fight Between Daughter and Another Girl
Kahtrynn Ann Stephanopoulos, a 34-year-old resident of Berrybush Street in the Mondex, or Daytona North, west of Bunnell, was arrested and charged with felony child abuse in an incident that took place at a bus stop last week. She is accused of joining rather than stopping a fight between her daughter and another teenage girl as students on the bus looked on, bellowed, cheered and taunted, and at least one of them took video of the whole scene.
With Some Reservations and $635,000 in Renovations, School District Prepares to Rent Old Courthouse
The Flagler County School Board and the Flagler County Commission are preparing to sign a joint agreement that will lease the old courthouse in Bunnell to the district for just two years, with two options to renew for five years each, and an option to buy. Some school board members have reservations about the building’s quality, but will not stand in the way of approving the lease.
Flagler Library’s ‘Nexus Center’ Breaks Ground with a Shovelful of History and Images of a Future Page-Turner
Flagler County, Palm Coast and Bunnell officials along with advocates and friends of the library gathered at the 7-acre site of the future “Nexus Center” south branch library for a groundbreaking today, which was as much of a celebration of the future building as it was a recognition of Library Director Holly Albanese’s perseverance to finally get to this point, after nine or 19 years, depending on hos you calculate it.
Yolonda Williams, 50, Is Stabbed and Killed by Husband, Jermaine Williams; He Is Charged with 1st Degree Murder
Bunnell police have charged Jermaine Mandell Williams Sr., 52, with first-degree murder in this morning’s fatal stabbing of his wife, 50-year-old Yolonda Williams, a well-known resident of South Pine Street in the city, after a confrontation with her husband. Jermaine Williams had abused, demeaned and tortured his wife for years. Two and a half years ago she had told police that her husband had been beating her for 30 years, but was afraid to tell anyone for fear that he would kill her. She was a social worker and had five children.
Organized Fraud Involving Florida’s Osceola Turkey Leads to Charges Against 4
On July 24, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Division of Law Enforcement announced charges against four individuals involved in a fraudulent scheme to defraud hunters seeking Osceola turkey hunts. Larry William Collins, David Preston Mills, Paul Neil Beckham and Vernon Robert Flowers were charged with multiple felonies, including organized fraud, conspiracy to commit organized fraud, cheating and the unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
Flagler County Library’s $14 Million South Branch ‘Nexus Center’ Breaks Ground in August, Ending 10-Year Wait
Almost a decade after Holly Albanese and the Library Board of Trustees first conceived it, the south branch of the Flagler County Library–to be called the Nexus Center–will break ground on Aug. 5 on the 7-acre parcel opposite the Flagler County Sheriff’s Operations Center, a short walk down from the future Bunnell City Hall now under construction. The 23,000-square-foot, one-floor library, combined with the county’s social services offices, will open at the end of October 2025.
Bunnell Breaks Ground on Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion
The City of Bunnell, in collaboration with PC Construction and CPH Consulting, is marking a momentous milestone with the groundbreaking ceremony for the Bunnell Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion. This undertaking has been years in the making and is the first step of many as the City continues to focus our efforts to bring the plant up to advanced wastewater treatment and to meet environmental sustainability requirements.
Humbling Flagler, DeSantis Vetoes Almost a Third of Local Projects, Including YMCA, Tourist Center, and All Bunnell’s Asks
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday signed a $116.5 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year, after vetoing close to $950 million in spending approved by lawmakers in March. The vetoes include $46.52 million from what had been a record $151 million in appropriations for Flagler County, Palm Coast, Bunnell and Flagler Beach, a heavy loss that dampens earlier hopes for a big haul.
‘Iron Man’ Robber Is Re-Arrested on an Arson Charge After Truck Fire and Explosion at Bunnell Lot
Lakhram Mahadeo, the Palm Coast resident who drew attention as the so-called “Iron Man” bank robber in 2013, served eight years in prison and was serving probation for that armed robbery of the Wells Fargo branch on Belle Terre Parkway, was arrested again on an arson charge stemming from a bizarre incident involving a semi truck he allegedly set on fire after it broke down.
Nearly $1 Billion in New Construction Raises Flagler County Taxable Values 12% Over Last Year, a Salve to Budgets
“Humming along” is how Flagler County Property Appraiser Jay Gardner describes the year’s property values: powered by nearly $1 billion in new construction alone, $631 million of it in Palm Coast, taxable property values in Flagler County rose around 12 percent this year, and 13 percent in Palm Coast, about the same as last year. The estimates being finalized this week play a central role in local governments’ budgeting and taxing decisions.
Spectrum Launches Long-Awaited High-Speed Fiber Option for Western Flagler County
Charter Communications’ Spectrum, the internet, phone, cable television and wireless service company, last week launched high-speed internet and other services to more than 900 homes and small businesses in rural, western Flagler County. The fiber-optic network is now available in Andalusia, Bimini and Daytona North, also known as the Mondex, reaching into areas of the county that had been chronically underserved but for satellite connections.
Development Is Devouring the Tree Canopy. Palm Coast and Flagler Officials Say They’re Trying to Catch Up With Protection.
There was a bit of a disconnect today in a panel discussion by Flagler County’s five mayors and County Commission chair about how attractive Flagler County is to its residents and those who keep pouring in, and how quickly developments are razing swaths of tree canopy. They spoke of the importance of preserving the region’s quality of life, but also how the torrid growth rate is inevitably bringing congestion, and numerous developments, some of them–as with a 6,000-home plan in Bunnell–colossal.
Flagler School Board Supportive of Leasing Old Courthouse in Bunnell as Christian School Exits
The Flagler County school district is likely to take over the lease of the old Flagler County courthouse in Bunnell, which since August 2015 has been the home of First Baptist Academy, a Christian school. The school is leaving in August. The county has been looking for a new tenant. The school district has been looking to consolidate a half dozen programs under one roof. It would do so at the courthouse t a cost of at least $212,000 a year, not including the cost of reconstructing the building according to district needs.
Daytona North/Mondex Residents Have Been Paying a Special Tax Since the 1980s. Is It Fair, ‘Wise’ and Worth It?
Flagler County Commissioner Leann Pennington is hoping county government will rethink the special tax Daytona North–also known as the Mondex–residents have been paying since the 1980s for road maintenance, either to scrap it altogether or to better define its purpose, and lay out specifically what benefits residents get out of it.
Bunnell Police’s Shane Groth, Chief’s ‘Right-Hand Man,’ Is Promoted to Lieutenant
In Bunnell, any change in a police department of 14 uniformed officers radiates disproportionately on a small town of 3,500, as did the promotion of Shane Groth to lieutenant–essentially, second in command–in a pinning ceremony before the City Commission earlier this week.
Bunnell Approves Plan That Would Add 6,000 Homes, a Town Center, and Increase City’s Population Fivefold
The Reserve at Haw Creek would be Bunnell’s largest development yet, and one of the largest in the county’s history. It would sprawl over nearly 3,000 acres west and south of the city. It would add nearly 6,000 homes, mostly single family and some apartments, plus commercial and industrial acreage. It would result in a potential population increase of 15,000 in a city with a current population of 3,500. Bunnell would be unrecognizable.
Rev. Daisy Henry, ‘Matriarch of Bunnell’ and Determined Advocate for Carver Gym, Dies at 77
The Rev. Daisy Henry, a pastor, the former Bunnell City Commissioner and long-time advocate for South Bunnell and the Carver Center, died on Friday in Bunnell. Community members have been paying tribute to her tenacity and forthrightness through the years. She was 77.
Looking Past ‘Some Real Losers Over the Years,’ Bunnell Mayor Robinson Delivers a Buoyant State of a City
“I’ve been on this board a long time. And we’ve had some real losers on this board over the years,” Bunnell Mayor Catherine Robinson said with remarkable candor Monday evening, speaking from a dais at the Government Services Building that has known its share of losers, not just from Bunnell government: the County Commission and the School Board also hold their meetings there. She had just delivered a celebratory State of the City address.
Commerce Parkway Construction Images Show Leveling of Thick, Long-Undisturbed Forest
Bunnell government has released images showing the ongoing churning-like clearing through a thick forest of pines, brush and wetlands in the first stage of construction for Commerce Parkway, the two-lane road cutting a swath from State Road 100 to the north, to U.S. 1 to the south, east and south of the city.
Local Governments Ask Court to Dismiss Suit by ‘Disgruntled Citizen’ Challenging Carver Center Agreement
The three local governments and one agency that each have a role in funding or running the Carver Center in South Bunnell have filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against them filed by what they call a “disgruntled citizen” who doesn’t like the Flagler County Sheriff’s Police Athletic League’s involvement at the center, and who they say has no standing to sue.
Local Firebrand Sues Sheriff, County, Bunnell and School Board Over ‘Illicit’ Carver Center Agreement
Eric Josey, a retired New York cop with a brief, checkered history at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and an often controversial local firebrand in the name of African-American causes, is suing the Sheriff’s Office, the County Commission, the School Board and the city of Bunnell over the four agence’s recent joint agreement in running the Carver Center, also known as Carver Gym, in Bunnell.
19-Year-Old Bunnell Man Is Third Shooter in Bunnell Firefight That Left Victim in Critical Condition
The third and last individual wanted by Bunnell police in the March 16 shooting that left a bystander in critical condition was arrested today, closing the police department’s portion of the investigation as the matter moves to the State Attorney’s Office and Circuit Court.
The Day Bunnell Shook with Groundbreakings: New City Hall, New Road, New Urban Horizon
Bunnell and Flagler County government held a pair of groundbreakings today to mark the construction of a new Bunnell City Hall and the digging through of the future 1.7-mile Commerce Parkway from State Road 100 to U.S. 1. The opening of Commerce Parkway may re-balance the city geographically and economically, adding a commercial and industrial component to go with the heavy residential development of Grand Reserve to the north.
Bunnell’s Chicken Pantry Is No More After 68 Years of Joyfully Frying Everything That Moves
After 68 years in business under more than half a dozen owners and in two locations, Bunnell’s Chicken Pantry is no more. Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson, whose office is across the way, said he’d been hearing of the business having financial difficulties before he saw the iconic red chicken on State Road 100 had been removed.
Admitting to Role in Killing Him, Tyrese Patterson Called 16-Year-Old Noah Smith His ‘Dog’ and ‘Best Friend’
Circuit Judge Terence Perkins has denied a motion by 22-year-old Tyrese Patterson’s attorney to exclude a long confession from his upcoming trial on a charge of murdering 16-year-old Noah Smith in a crossfire in Bunnell two years ago. That confession includes details about what led up to the killing, and how Patterson described his relationship with Smith as “best friends” who hung out together frequently. Startlingly, he also said the killing had not changed him.
Shooting in Bunnell Leaves a 20-Year-Old Man in Critical Condition
A 20-year-old man is in critical condition after suffering gunshot wounds in Bunnell late Saturday night, according to Bunnell Police Chief Dave Brannon.
AdventHealth Foundation Leads Community Business Drive to Donate 4 Defibrillators to Bunnell Police
The AdventHealth Palm Coast Foundation and seven local businesses split the cost of four defibrillators, totaling $8,000, to jump start Bunnell’s effort to have 16 Automatic External Defibrillators for its police department.
State Road 100 Repaving from Bunnell to Old Kings Road Begins April 1
Flagler County officials advise residents that the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) road resurfacing project for State Road 100 – East Moody Boulevard – will begin April 1. The project area runs from North Palmetto Street in Bunnell to Old Kings Road in Palm Coast.
Housekeeper Arrested on Charge of Stealing Deceased Client’s $20,000 Ring
Ruth Ann Robertson, 57, of Bunnell, had cleaned the deceased client’s home a few days after the death, and pawned a ring later appraised at $20,000 for about $1,200. She faces a felony grand theft charge.
Bunnell Brawl Involving Up to 60 People Ends with 6 Arrests as Even Corrections Deputies Are Summoned to Help
A late-night brawl involving 40 to 50 people–and up to 60, according one sheriff’s report–on South Anderson Street in Bunnell Saturday ended with the arrest of four adults and two juveniles, including one, Andrea Armster, 41, on a felony charge of battering a law enforcement officer. The incident involved so many people, and so many law enforcement officers, that detention deputies from the jail had to assist.
St. Mary Catholic Church in Korona, a Legacy of Immigrants, Is Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The community of Korona’s St. Mary Catholic Church (also known as the St. Mary Mother Church) at 89 St. Mary’s Place in Bunnell was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on Jan. 25. The structure meets several NRHP requirements for historic significance including: architecture, ethnic heritage (European, Polish), and exploration/settlement. The very unique Shrine of Saint Christopher, a short distance north of the church, was also listed as a contributing resource.
20 Years Later, 1.7-Mile, $14.5 Million Commerce Parkway from SR100 Is a Go. Just Don’t Call It a ‘Bypass’ Anymore.
The concept of a new Bunnell road from State Road 100 to U.S. 1 has been talked about for 20 years. It’s been debated, opposed, embraced and finally funded. Monday, it’ll clear its last hurdle when the County Commission approves a $9.5 million contract to build the 1.7-mile, two-lane road going south from Commerce Parkway, past the Sheriff’s Operations Center and the future sites of the south branch of the Flagler County Public Library and Bunnell’s City Hall. The project will take between 18 months and two years.
Proposed Joint Agreement on Bunnell’s Carver Center Governance Gives Sheriff’s PAL New and Larger Role
A proposed joint agreement on governing the Carver Center in South Bunnell–the area’s only recreation and community center–gives the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s Police Athletic League a broader presence and a much more prominent role in the management of the facility, especially in programming and running the gym.
Drone Footage Shows Extent of Flagler Playhouse Fire’s Irreparable Devastation; Likely an Electrical Cause
Drone footage of the aftermath of the Flagler Playhouse fire shows annihilating damage you cannot see from street level, with the entirety of the theater–the main building–as if systematically bombed through its nave. The multilayered roof of metal, asphalt shingles and wood has collapsed, melted from within. The iconic spire somehow kept standing at the front of the building, held up by metal trusses, though it’s a matter of time before it is removed.
