New construction alone means an additional $1.2 million in revenue for Palm Coast, despite the Year of Covid. That will be compounded by millions of new dollars in government coffers drawn from the federal government’s stimulus. The two combined means that tax increases are very unlikely, and tax decreases possible.
Bunnell
Judge Orders 6 Dogs Permanently Seized from Bunnell Owner After They ‘Languished’ in Deplorable Conditions
The Flagler Humane Society seized eight dogs from a Booe Street home in early April as their owner was in jail for weeks in another county and had left the dogs with little or no care. One dog died. The owner abjured another, saying the dog had never belonged to her. The judge may ban the owner from ever owning dogs again.
Gaines Smith Jr. Arrested Over Bunnell Shooting Spree Targeting Two Women, With Children Present
Two Palm Coast women, ages 35 and 44, reported to police that Gaines Smith Jr. had allegedly threatened them and fired his gun, along with several other armed men, in the area of East Martin Luther King Avenue and South Moore Street in Bunnell. Children were near the women. No one was injured.
Recalling Unhappy History, Water Leaks at City Hall Again Cause Some of Bunnell’s City Offices to Relocate
Twelve years ago Bunnell evacuated its city hall due to water leaks. Later this month it will evacuate some of its city offices at its City Hall to a strip mall due to water intrusion. The move will cost the city $800 a month and is indefinite.
It’s a County Priority, But Quest to Bring Broadband to Flagler’s West Side Runs Into County Hurdles
County Commissioner Joe Mullins is seeking county staff’s help with an informal broadband “task force” he leads to land a grant that could improve internet services on the west side, raising questions about the extent to which the county can get involved in a group it has not formally recognized or knew much about even though broadband access is now a county priority.
A Driver’s License and a Beer: Tax Collector Will Open New Location Next to Brown Dog Pub at St. Joe Plaza
The Flagler County Tax Collector will replaced its closed branch location at the Staples shopping center with a new branch at St. Joe Plaza on Palm Coast Parkway later this month.
Bunnell City Commission Raises Its Lawyers’ Pay to $90,000 After Seven Years
The Bunnell City Commission for the first time in over seven years approved an amendment to its contract with its city attorneys of the Winter Park-based Vose Law Firm, raising the contract’s value to from $84,000 a year to $90,000 a year.
Bunnell Commissioners Holding Secret Session to Devise Strategy in Fired Employee’s Lawsuit
The Bunnell City Commission is going behind closed doors this evening to discuss how to proceed with–and whether to settle–a lawsuit brought against the city by Lisa Moore, a former custodian who claims she was forced to resign at the end of 2019.
Flagler Health Department Issues First Rabies Alert in 11 Years, for Bunnell and Southern Part of the County
The Health Department issued the rabies alert for Bunnell and the Korona community in response to a raccoon that tested positive on Tuesday after attacking a dog. The center of the alert is near Old Cemetery Road in Korona, an unincorporated community north northeast of Favoretta on US 1 and south of Bunnell.
At Groundbreaking on $23 Million Sheriff’s Operations Center, County Hopes ‘Difficult’ Years of Errors Are Over
Sheriff’s, county, Bunnell and Flagler Beach officials broke ground today on a 51,000-square foot, $23 million Sheriff’s Operations Center on the future Commerce Parkway in Bunnell, possibly ending eight years of costly errors and misjudgments and what will be a four-year exile for the sheriff’s agency from a place of its own.
Flagler’s Cold-Weather Homeless Shelter, In New Home, Opens for 15 Guests With a Few Dollars’ Help from Local Governments
Flagler County’s only cold-weather shelter for the homeless moved from its old location after 12 years to Church on the Rock on U.S. 1, where it operated for the first time this year, on Monday and Tuesday nights, with security, privacy from formerly resentful neighbors, and elbow room to spare.
Bunnell Joins Palm Coast and Ag Museum in Cancelling Halloween Gigs; Sheriff’s Car Event Gridlocks
Bunnell’s big annual Halloween event at Saw Mill Estates was cancelled as the city worried of becoming the next superspreader, and the CDC is advising against large trick-or-treating or trunk-or-treating events. The sheriff’s trunk-or-treat event at Rymfire Tuesday drew an outsized response and complaints about delays.
Bunnell Resident Accused of Threatening Census Worker With Assault Rifle and Firing a Shot
Michael Cooper is a 32-year-old resident of 4758 Clove Avenue in Daytona North, is accused of pointing an assault rifle at a Census worker then firing a shot after the worker got in his car to leave.
Bunnell’s Jay Pringle, 57, Critical, Son Jaymes, 17, Seriously Injured Following Crash on SR40
Jay Pringle, a 57-year-old resident of Bunnell, is in critical condition, and his 17-year-old son Jaymes was in serious condition following a head-on crash on State Road 40 Saturday afternoon (Sept. 19) that also resulted in the death of a 75-year-old Daytona Beach man and injuries to two other passengers.
County and City Taxes Will Stay Flat for Most Homesteaded Properties Except for Spike in Bunnell
Residents of Flagler County and each of its cities will again see little to no change in their property tax bills next year as governments are adopting tax rates that either stay flat or roll back a little, with the exception of Bunnell.
15-Year-Old Shot at Unauthorized Event Attended by Hundreds at Bunnell Bar Saturday
A 15-year-old Flagler County resident was shot and wounded late Saturday night during an event attended by some 400 people, called “Bunnell Hood Affair” at The Place, a bar at 411 South State Street in Bunnell.
Flagler’s Free Clinic Extends Hours to Accommodate Unemployed or Uninsured due to Covid
The Flagler Free Clinic has extended operating hours to assist anyone who has become unemployed or lost their medical insurance due to the covid-19 pandemic.
Flagler Beach and Bunnell Join Palm Coast in Requiring Masks, But Also Skirt Enforcement
All three governments’ resolutions passed unanimously, but all three expressly said they were not interested in a “mask police,” or having law enforcement involved in enforcing the requirement.
3 Flagler Deputies Shoot White Man in Mondex in First Officer-Involved Shooting in 8 Years
Three Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies fired and wounded a man who was a passenger in a car during a traffic stop in the Mondex, or Daytona North, just before midnight Wednesday in the first officer-involved shooting in the county since December 2012.
Flagler’s Taxable Values Rise at Slowest Pace in 4 Years, But Still Enough to Help Budgets
Local governments are looking to keep tax rates flat. Flagler Beach’s valuations increased 5.3 percent, Palm Coast’s by 5.8 percent, Bunnell’s by nearly 10 percent and the school board’s by 4.7 percent.
Flagler Cases Rise to 13, Including 17-Year-Old Girl; Florida’s Near 5,500; Social Distancing Extended To May 1
Despite the rising numbers, Flagler County continues to be among the counties where testing has lagged, with a mere 143 tests conducted in total, many of them through the Flagler Department of Health and some at AdventHealth Palm Coast.
With Bogus Claims About Sunshine and Saltwater, Flagler Beach Commission Won’t Close Beach For Now
The chairman of the Flagler Beach City Commission, the police chief and the parks and recreations director all cited bogus and debunked claims about either saltwater or sunshine’s supposedly beneficial effects against the coronavirus.
Ken Bryan and Deborah Phillips Win in Flagler Beach, Shupe Is Out; John Rogers and Tonya Gordon Win in Bunnell
Ken Bryan, a former St. Johns County Commissioner, and Deborah Phillips won the municipal election in Flagler Beach, unseating Marshall Shupe, John Rogers won a fourth term in Bunnell, and Tonya Gordon won her first there, unseating Jan Reeger.
Bunnell Police Conducting Death Investigation in Shooting of Man in Duplex on S. Bacher Street
A man died of a gunshot early this afternoon at 203 South Bacher Street in Bunnell, in the nearby presence of two other individuals. The Bunnell Police Department was conducting what it was calling a death investigation.
2 Homeless Deaths in 24 Hours: Bunnell Police Investigating Death of Man Found By Branch Library
A homeless man who was known often to frequent the Bunnell Branch Library was found dead outside the building early Monday morning by the library’s branch manager. The death is not believed to be a homicide, but an investigation is ongoing.
In a First for Flagler’s Black Heritage, Espanola Schoolhouse Is a Step Closer to National Register Listing
The Espanola Schoolhouse will be the first piece of Flagler County black history to be recognized nationally for its historical significance to education and black ethnic heritage.
Cold-Weather Homeless Shelter May Move to Church on the Rock, But Weekly Outreach Remains at 1st United
The Flagler County Commission approved the first step in a county-city agreement to underwrite cold-weather homeless shelter operations at Bunnell’s Church on the Rock, though the Sheltering Tree’s outreach operations will remain at First United Methodist, also in Bunnell.
Florida League of Cities Recognizes Bunnell Mayor Catherine Robinson
Mayor Robinson began serving the people of Bunnell in 1994 when she won one of 4 available seats on the City Commission. Serving for 8 years as the Vice Mayor. Then in 2008 was elected Mayor by an overwhelming majority of votes.
Anna May Kalin (Huntley) July 4, 1954 – January 22, 2020
Anna May Kalin was an amazing, loving, and caring woman. She was currently an Infant Teacher at Sunshine Academy in Flagler Beach. She loved all of her babies, their families, and her co workers.
Bunnell’s Carl Gandy, 56, Is Killed, Wife Rena Hurt in Hit-and-Run Crash on S.R. 40; Driver Who Fled Identified
Carl Gandy, a long-time and well-known resident of Bunnell who’d been the director of a Stewart-Marchman Act residential treatment center in DeLand, was killed mid-morning Saturday in a head-on crash on State Road 40 in Volusia County. His wife Rena, 46, was injured.
Flagler Beach and Bunnell Will Split $1 Million in Grants To Reduce Sewer Pipe Pollution
Bunnell and Flagler Beach will each receive $500,000 for pollution-reducing sewer-pipe improvements thanks to a pair of grants from the St. Johns River Water Management District Governing Board. The district board approved the two grants at its monthly meeting in Palatka earlier today.
Bunnell Mayor Slaps Down Latest Attempt to Fire City Manager Jackson, Silencing Commissioner
Bunnell City Commissioner Jan Reeger didn’t get far as fellow-Commissioner John Rogers then Mayor Catherine Robinson shut down Reeger’s latest attempt to fire City Manager Alvin Jackson Monday evening, using questionable tactics.
In Replay of Martinez-Era Ploy, Bunnell Mayor Shuts Down Latest Move Against Manager Alvin Jackson
Bunnell City Commissioner Jan Reeger Monday evening again raised questions about City Manager Alvin Jackson’s future only to be shut down by Mayor Catherine Robinson, who maneuvered to stop Reeger from finishing her arguments or make a motion.
Two Engineering Companies On Contract With Bunnell Giving City a “Gift” For Its Christmas Event
Kimley-Horn and CPH Engineers, on contract with Bunnell city government, made a combined $1,750 gift to the city for its Christmas event on Dec. 13, a gift city officials say is no different than any corporate sponsorship of city events.
Parent Who Allegedly Threatened to Burn Down Bunnell Elementary Over Racism Faces Felony Charge–and Potential Hate Crime
A 23-year-old parent of two children at Bunnell Elementary accused school staff of being racist and was heard allegedly threatening to burn down the school. The sheriff’s office forwarded a felony charge to the State Attorney’s Office and recommended a more serious charge under the state’s hate-crime law.
The Thrill Is Gone: Bunnell’s Alvin Jackson Survives Firing Attempt, Then Gets Small Raise After Tepid Evaluations
An attempt by Bunnell City Commissioner Jan Reeger to fire Manager Alvin Jackson failed Monday, but brought to light divided opinions about Jackson’s performance and serious claims about his financial and employee management.
For 1st Time in 11 Years, County Tells Bunnell Homeless Are Shared Problem as Shelter Backers Seek Compromise
As a federal investigation forced Bunnell government to allow the re-opening of a homeless cold-weather shelter there, County Administrator Jerry Cameron told city officials what they haven’t heard in 11 years: that homelessness is a shared responsibility.
Justice Department Is Investigating Bunnell Government Over Closure of the Cold-Weather Homeless Shelter
The Sheltering Tree had operated Bunnell’s cold-weather shelter for 11 years out of 1st United Methodist Church on Pine Street until the Bunnell City Commission shut down the operation in July, refusing to approve a special zoning exception for it.
Johnnie Thomas Jr. Pleads Guilty to Killing Robert Emanuel, 60, in 2017; Faces Up to 25 Years in Prison
Johnnie Spydale Thomas Jr., 26, of Bunnell, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2017 killing of Robert Emanuel during a drug transaction in Bunnell. He faces between 15 and 25 years in prison.
Hurricane Dorian: Sandbag Locations In Palm Coast, Bunnell, Flagler Beach and the County
Sandbag locations in Palm Coast, Bunnell, Flagler County in preparation for Hurricane Dorian. Most of the locations are self-serve.
Sid Nowell, Pioneering Lawyer, Mediator and Past President of Flagler County Bar, Dies at 69
Sid Nowell (1950-2019) broke barriers for local black attorneys, served as a Bunnell city attorney for eight years, as the NAACP’s attorney and former Sheriff Manfre’s attorney, coaching, serving on boards and presiding over the Flagler County Bar Association along the way.
Flagler County and Bunnell Governments Lose Their Finance Directors in Middle Of Budget Season
Bunnell lost virtually the entirety of its finance department when four employees resigned and the new finance chief was forced to resign in an unexpected shake-up, with the county sending in help.
Flagler’s 4 Mayors and a Commission Chairman Boast of Renewed Energy and Problem-Solving
Mayors and the county commission chairman speak as if clouds have lifted and new sources of energy are driving their organizations–resolving chronic controversies and problems, reinvigorating economic plans, even cleaning house, especially in Palm Coast’s administration.
Ex-Bunnell Commissioner’s Son Edwin Henry, 56, Found Dead on Martin Luther King Blvd.
Edwin Devon Henry, the 56-year-old of former Bunnell City Commissioner Daisy Henry, is believed to have died of a medical condition he’d been battling.
Bunnell Commission Ends Homeless Shelter Operations After 11 Years; Church Pledges Legal Fight
The Bunnell City Commission voted this evening to end the operations of the Sheltering Tree, the county’s only cold-weather homeless shelter, at a church in Bunnell. The church and Sheltering Tree organizers say they will pursue legal avenues.
A Little Over a Dozen Arrests, One Notable Fight, 2 Brush Fires and 30,000 People: A Heat-Soaked July 4 in Flagler
Flagler Beach witnessed one serious fight that led to two arrests, and two brush fires, while Palm Coast had a minor party-related disturbance and Bunnell seemed to verge on the brink of a serious commotion until an arrest defused the situation.
In Proxy War Over Homeless Shelter, Bunnell Shuts Down Church’s Other Relief Works
The Bunnell commission voted 5-0 to deny First United Methodist Church on Pine Street so much as new showers or new bathrooms, in essence preventing the church from operating as an overnight relief center for volunteer emergency crews during natural emergencies.
Bunnell’s Mean Streak
The city that calls itself the crossroads of Flagler County is losing its bearings, its heart, and sometimes its mind–over the homeless, over panhandlers, over the sheriff’s office. It is becoming petty. It is becoming mean and resentful, and discriminatory.
Determined Advocates Gather to Plan Reversal of Bunnell’s Vote Against Homeless Shelter
The Sheltering Tree board that runs Bunnell’s cold weather shelter held a brainstorming session with supporters to reverse a city boards decision that shut down the shelter after 11 years,
County Calms Bunnell’s Anger Over Sheriff’s Move to Palm Coast, Disarming Threats of Lawsuit
Sheriff Rick Staly’s and County Manager Jerry Cameron’s joint appearance before the Bunnell City Commission on Monday went a significant distance to disarm the city’s threats of a lawsuit and calm its anger over the sheriff’s move to Palm Coast.