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.
Bunnell
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.
Backers and Foes of Bunnell’s Condemned Homeless Shelter Duel Ahead of Appeal
The Bunnell City Commission got a preview of the two sharply divided sides that will appear before it again soon in defense of and in opposition to the preservation of the cold-weather shelter for the homeless at First United Methodist Church on Pine Street.
Bunnell Rudely Tells Church’s Cold-Weather Shelter for Homeless to Get Out Of Town
Bunnell’s zoning board voted to disallow the Sheltering Tree, the county’s only cold-weather shelter, from operating out of the United Methodist Church, potentially ending 11 years of service by the non-profit. The Sheltering Tree intends to appeal to the city commission.
2019 Flagler Jail Bookings, Sheriff’s, Bunnell and Flagler Beach Crime and Incident Reports (Archived)
Archived 2019 Flagler County jail bookings, commanders’ crime and incident reports, Flagler Beach and Bunnell police shift reports and archive.
Stabbing Involving 2 Buddy Taylor Middle School Students Just Off the Bus Leads to Charges
A Buddy Taylor Middle School student stabbed another during a fight immediately after the two students got off their school bus Wednesday afternoon near the corner of Chapel and Hope Streets in Bunnell.
Deputies Seized Weapon and Drugs From a Bunnell House on Tuesday. Today, The House Burned.
The duplex at 502 East Drain Street in Bunnell was the scene of a drug raid Tuesday, and a house fire today. Both times, the house was unoccupied. A fire marshal was investigating the case.
As Bunnell and Flagler Fight Over Sheriff’s HQ, Nassau County’s Example May Point The Way
As Bunnell serves notice to Flagler County that it intends to go ahead with its challenge of the county’s decision to build a sheriff’s district office in Palm Coast, the county is opening its own possibility of extending the county seat to Palm Coast to get around any constitutional issues.
Joe Mullins Walks Back $2 Million Deal to Keep Sheriff’s Ops in Bunnell, But Calls for End to Bunnell Police Department
County Commissioner Joe Mullins says he still supports a sheriff’s district office for Bunnell–but also wants the Bunnell Police Department merged with the sheriff’s office, because the city has only a “ceremonial” department.
Bunnell Condemns County’s Decision to Move Sheriff’s Building to Palm Coast, Threatening Lawsuit and Kindling Feud
The Bunnell City Commission approved an angry resolution against the county, instigating a feud that county officials say is misconstruing the county’s and sheriff’s intentions and missing the bigger picture.
Video Shows Shooting Outside Bunnell Circle K as Detectives Still Seek ID of Gunman
A weapon was recovered that may be tied to the shooting outside a Circle K store in Bunnell Sunday night–a shooting and the fight that preceded it captured by the store’s surveillance video.
18-Year-Old Man Shot at Bunnell’s Circle K During an Argument, Suspect Sought
An 18-year-old man was shot in the back outside the Bunnell Circle K on State Road 100 shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday. The man survived. Authorities are looking for a suspect seen in surveillance video.
Bunnell Panics as Emerging Options for Sheriff’s New Operations Building Include Palm Coast Library Site and Town Center
Without evidence, Bunnell officials fear talk of moving the sheriff’s operations center out of the city is a first step toward moving the county seat to Palm Coast, and see the move as illegal.
Why the State Attorney Opted To Drop Sexual Assault Charge on Ex-Commissioner’s 20-Year-Old Son
Stephen Connor Brady, 20, was charged with statutory rape after an 18-year-old woman he knew accused him of assaulting her in November. The State Attorney’s Office dropped the charge when it found that inappropriate behavior may have been misinterpreted.
Sheltering Tree, Flagler’s Only Homeless Shelter, Raises Nearly $12,000 in Latest Fundraiser
The cold-weather shelter opens for overnight stays whenever the temperature falls to 40 or below. It operates out of at Bunnell’s First United Methodist Church, and provides other support services to the homeless.
Recount Not Necessary: Jan Reeger Officially Wins Bunnell Seat by 2 Votes Over Daisy Henry
The Bunnell Canvassing Board met today to determine whether a provisional ballot might trigger a recount in the race between Jan Reeger Daisy Henry. It did not, as the ballot’s vote went to a third candidate.
Mealy and Belhumeur Keep Seats in Flagler Beach, Reeger and Baxley Win in Bunnell, Newcomer Doug O’Connor Wins Beverly Beach
Jane Mealy and Rick Belhumeur won decisively in Flagler Beach, Jan Reeger won by two votes in Bunnell, incumbent Bill Baxley won by a far larger margin, and in Beverly Beach, newcomer Doug O’Connor unseated one of three incumbents.
Cecil C. Sowell, 1931-2019
Cecil C. Sowell, 87, of Flagler Beach, died February 17, 2019 at the Stuart F. Meyer Hospice House. A veteran of Korea and Vietnam, he was a builder, a deacon and a family man.
Gargantuan Egos Gone, 3 Cities’ Managers And County Get Down to Unusual Business
Flagler County’s three city managers and its commission chairman led a Common Ground panel presentation reflecting the vast change-overs at the top of local government and anticipating a new way of doing business ahead.
As Rap Video Productions Take to South Bunnell, City Enacts Strict Regulations
Recent rap video productions in South Bunnell led the city to draft new permitting regulations that would require producers to have insurance, workers’ comp coverage and explain the scope of their project, among other requirements.
The Sheltering Tree, Flagler’s Cold-Weather Shelter, Holds Fundraiser March 10
The “Have a Heart for the Homeless” dinner and dance will raise money for the shelter assisting new, near, or chronically homeless, and the all-volunteer effort needs your help.
Sharon Diane “Dee” Likins, 1943-2019
Sharon Diane “Dee” Likins, age 75, passed to her Lord’s hands peacefully surrounded by family on Thursday, January 10th, 2019 at The Stuart F Meyer Hospice House in Palm Coast, Florida.
Bunnell’s Catherine Robinson Yet Again Re-Elected Unopposed, 6 Running For 3 Seats
By the time Catherine Robinson takes the oath of office for her next term, she may face a very different commission, certainly with two new commissioners at the table, and possibly three.
Beyond Coffey: Alternate Locations Emerge for Sheriff’s Operations Center as Calls to Abandon Troubled Building Mount
A 20,000 square-foot building built to attract new business and industry is one of the options for the sheriff’s operations center as the sheriff, employees and at least two county commissioners don’t see a path back into the troubled Operations Center anymore.
Three Finger Charlie Bar Owner in Bunnell Busted for Running Alleged Gambling House
Undercover agents of the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco began investigating alleged illegal gambling activities at Three Finger Charlie’s in late July.
Flagler-Palm Coast’s Crime Rate Falls Sharply in First 6 Months of 2018, Arrests Up 35%
The drop in crime in Flagler and Palm Coast was reflected across almost every category and the addition of 23 new deputies led to a steep rise in arrests in the first six months of 2018.
The Story Behind A 28-Year-Old Flagler Veteran’s Suicide: Strife, Depression, And a Father’s Questions
Abdul Ganiyu Ayanwale, a 28-year-old Army National Guard veteran, killed himself by gunshot at his Bunnell apartment on Nov. 16 after a series of personal and legal difficulties.
Watermain Leak Shuts Down Service in Bunnell and Leads to City-Wide Boil-Water Notice
Bunnell residents, businesses and government offices, including the courthouse, have been under a boil-water notice since Thursday following repairs to a watermain on East Moody Boulevard.
In a Surprise, Bunnell Commissioner John Sowell Is Resigning, With Eye on County Seat
Bunnell City Commissioner John Sowell is resigning Friday and moving to a different part of the county, and is considering a run for the county commission seat held by Dave Sullivan.
Passing Over Nate McLaughlin, Bunnell Hires Ex-Manager Candidate Rodney Lucas as Development Director
Ex-County Commissioner Nate McLaughlin had applied for the $62,000-a-year community development director in Bunnell, but Manager Alvin Jackson picked Rodney Lucas, saying McLaughlin didn’t have the required experience.
Bunnell Takes Page From St. Augustine to Adopt Harshest Anti-Panhandling Rules in Flagler
Bunnell’s new ordinance prohibits panhandling within 20 feet of any business or commercial property, alongside drivers or diners, but limits penalties to fines.
The Death of WNZF’s Ron Charles, Friend and Colleague, at 56
Ron ‘Charles’ Gitschier, 56, built Flagler County’s first radio station WNZF as its chief engineer for the past 10 years, was its news director and a man of rare integrity and humility.
Stepped-Up Sheriff’s Patrols, New Sex-Offender App, Candy Buy Back: Halloween Game Plans
Flagler sheriff’s personnel will be conducting heavy patrols and providing crossing assistance at critical points for Halloween, the FDLE has a new safety app, and Flagler Dental is doing candy buy-back for 10 days afterward.
Bunnell’s Charter Review Panel Submits 7 Amendments that May Go To Voters in March
The proposed amendments commissioners facing criminal charges, commissioners’ pay, the city manager’s geographical residential requirement, and who may serve on the charter committee, among others.
2018 Flagler Jail Bookings, Sheriff’s, Bunnell and Flagler Beach Crime and Incident Reports (Archived)
Archived 2018 Flagler County jail bookings, commanders’ crime and incident reports, Flagler Beach and Bunnell police shift reports and archive.
Bunnell Signs Manager Alvin Jackson, Who Makes a Point of Not Holding Cities “Hostage” With Severance
Bunnell commissioners unanimously voted to hire Alvin Jackson as their next manager for $82,000 and a purposefully restrained severance package that contrasts with Palm Coast’s experience.
Crashed Hydrant in Bunnell Cuts Off Water Citywide, Shutting Down Courthouse
A car crash against a hydrant caused the water pressure to fall and shut down service citywide in Bunnell in late morning. It was not expected to be restored until 5 p.m.
Bunnell Selects Self-Proclaimed Economic Development Guru Alvin Jackson as Manager
Alvin Jackson was the only candidate interviewed twice. His first interview turned off commissioners for being too flashy. His second was calmer, and he’d schmoozed commissioners behind the scenes.
Once Reviled, Bunnell Bypass’ New Direction Gets Eager Support as Economic Engine
The Flagler County Commission approved an application for an $8 million grant that would build a bypass around south Bunnell, seen as an economic development engine.
In Second Attempt, Bunnell Commission Will Interview 4 Candidates for City Manager
In Bunnell’s latest round of interviews, candidates include one from Iowa, one from Massachusetts, and two from Florida. Interviews are slated for Monday and Tuesday.
Only 6 New Names After Bunnell Re-Opened Call For City Manager Applicants
The Bunnell City Commission this evening will again select a new batch of candidates to interview for city manager after its previous attempt last month fell short.
Fearing Lawsuit, a Commissioner Questions Streaming Government Meetings
A deputy clerk in Bunnell and a city commissioners wanted to end streaming government meetings from fear of getting sued until the city attorney saw an overreaction.