The Global Climate Strike is Friday, with half a dozen locations in Central Florida, City Repertory Theatre opens its new season with Neil Simon’s “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” Great Guitarists at Stetson.
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Global Climate Strike on Friday: Kids Are Demanding Action, But Will Adults Act?
Led by 16-year-old Swedish student and climate activist Greta Thunberg, the Global Climate Strike, calls on world leaders to take decisive climate change action ahead of the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York on September 23.
Facts Dissolve in Antifreeze In Largely Misinformed Protest of Palm Coast’s Taxes and Budget
Palm Coast’s 2020 tax rate and the size of its budget drew some protesters at a hearing Wednesday, but many residents addressing the council were misinformed or mis-characterized the numbers.
City Repertory Theatre’s New Season: Shakespeare, Teen Lust and Two Neil Simons
Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre continues to push boundaries with three tales of adolescent love and lust, “Romeo and Juliet” not least, but also a couple of box office-pleasing Neil Simons.
Home Invasion Robbery in Palm Coast’s P-Section Points at Victim’s Nephew and 2 Suspects
Alexander Brown, 20, and two unknown men are wanted in a home-invasion robbery on Pine Grove Drive in Palm Coast at midday Wednesday. Brown is the nephew of the victim.
Thursday Briefing: Fall Chill, AdventHealth Foundation, Opioid Task Force, Inspired Mic, Royko at 87
Judge Bryan Rendzio of St. Johns family court speaks on the impact of addiction on families at the Opoid Task Force meeting, the Inspired Mic holds its September edition at Hidden Treasures.
James Taylor Found Guilty, Again, of Molesting His Step-Daughter, 11, and Faces Life in Prison
It was the third trial on the same charge for ex-Palm Coast resident James Taylor, 41, after a mistrial and a remand for a new trial on appeal. He faces an almost certain sentence of life in prison because of his past as a felon and sex offender.
11 Florida School Districts Back Arming Teachers, But Education Department Remains Secretive
Senators asked, but a Florida Department of Education official did not provide information about the exact number of teachers who have chosen to be trained and armed in schools.
Flagler Approves Unattended Tethering of Dogs Outdoors, Against Humane Society Objections
A revised Flagler County ordinance allows unattended tethering of dogs within certain rules while banning the use of weights or injurious equipment. The relaxed rules were in response to the American Kennel Society, but go against the Flagler Humane Society’s recommendations.
Wednesday Briefing: JJ Graham’s “Nadia” Turtle, Private Investigator Sheila Wysocki, Ex-Border Patrol Chief at Tiger Bay
Private Investigator Sheila Wysocki is the featured Fearless and Focused lunch speaker, JJ Graham’s “Nadia” is the newest turtle addition to the arts foundation’s public art series, the Flagler Tiger Bay Club Hosts Former U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Fisher.
The Rich Should Be Taxed Differently Than You and Me
A 10 percent surtax on incomes over $2 million should be levied on wages and salaries and investment income gained from wealth, including capital gains and dividends.
A Black Senator Feels Bamboozled By All-White Panel Discussing Racism and White Nationalism
Senate Minority Leader Audrey Gibson said blacks and Hispanics, the targets of racism, were not represented by a panel of experts who appeared before a Senate committee exploring issues related to mass violence and white nationalism.
Palm Coast Fire Capt. James Neuenfeldt Awarded Sons of the American Revolution Service Medal
Palm Coast Fire Capt. James Neuenfeldt has been awarded the 2019 Fire Service Medal & Certificate by the Flagler Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution for his coordination and leadership of the car seat and ISO programs for the Palm Coast Fire Department.
Flagler Health Officials Target Hot Spots to Protect Against 363% Statewide Increase in Hepatitis A
Flagler County Health Department officials are visiting the county jail, drug programs and homeless ministries to administer vaccines in attempts to limit the hepatitis A outbreak concentrated in central and south-central Florida.
Setting High-Intensity Precedent, Flagler Commission Approves 50-Home Subdivision in Hammock
The Flagler County Commission in a 3-2 vote approved the 50-home Beachwalk development at the intersection of A1A and Jungle Hut Road, rejecting arguments by Hammock residents that the subdivision is not in line with the Hammock’s low-intensity character.
Greg Hansen Will Represent County Commission on Canvassing Board Through 2020
Greg Hansen will serve on the three-member county canvassing board alongside County Judge Melissa Distler and Elections Supervisor Kaiti Lenhart, assuming Lenhart doesn’t have to have her own substitute. Commissioner Charlie Ericksen is an alternate.
Tuesday Briefing: Taylor Trial, Judge Distler Speaks, Palm Coast and School Board Set Tax Rates, FPC Election
County Judge Melissa Distler speaks about the judge-selection process, FPC votes for homecoming king and queen, the Palm Coast City Council and the school board set the next fiscal year’s property tax rates, James Taylor’s trial begins, Food Truck Tuesday in central Park, Chadley Ballantyne, Bass-Baritone, Kristie Born, Piano, in recital at Stetson.
Brief: Charter School Fights School Board Takeover Over Security in Broward
A Davie charter school is challenging a Broward County School Board decision to take over the school’s operations because of an alleged failure to comply with security requirements.
A Gun Registry In Florida Is a Bad Idea. Just Ask Canada.
A panel of Florida economists weighed the burden of a proposed constitutional amendment that aims to ban assault weapons but grandfather in guns already circulating, as long as their owners register them with the state. Bad idea, says Nancy Smith.
Same Molestation Charge, Third Trial for James Taylor After Mistrial and Appeals Court Reversal
James Taylor, 41, is accused of molesting his step-daughter, 11 at the time, by brushing her chest area over her clothes “for a couple of seconds” in 2013 in Palm Coast. A conviction could send him to prison for life.
As Hurricanes Pile Up, Florida Lawmakers Seek New Ways To pay For Damages Amid Falling Revenue
Because of an increase in powerful hurricanes affecting Florida, financial forecasters suggest establishing a new fund to collect reimbursements from FEMA to help buttress the state’s general revenue fund.
A 14-Year-Old Girl at Buddy Taylor Middle Is Hospitalized After an Apparent Overdose
A 14-year-old student at Buddy Taylor Middle School was hospitalized Friday morning after showing signs of a drug overdose and claiming she’d ingested 10 pills.
Intensive 50-Home Beachwalk Development in the Hammock Would Set a Dangerous Precedent
The developer is proposing to build 50 homes crammed into a parcel along Jungle Hut Road of fewer than 13 acres, under the guise of a planned unit development. County commissioners Monday evening have a chance to stop the plan.
Welcome to a Redesigned FlaglerLive Ahead of Our 10th Birthday: Here’s What To Expect
Redesigns are gimmicky, disorienting, and just plain irritating, but sometimes they’re necessary. Almost 10 years after FlaglerLive launched, it was time to bring the place up to code, but the essentials won’t change: The focus is still first and last on quality, serious news reporting, with as little attention as possible to the technical gimmickry necessary to get it to you.
Monday Briefing: Beachwalk Development in the Hammock, Bunnell Budget, Taylor Retrial, BB King at 94
The Flagler County Commission takes on the controversial Beachwalk development along Jungle Hut Road yet again, the Bunnell Commission votes on the next fiscal year’s taxes, James Taylor is back in court for a retrial on molestation charges.
Flagler Chamber President Jorge Guttierez Resigns as Shrunken Organization Continues to ‘Hemorrhage’ Cash
Jorge Gutierrez’s resignation is on the heels of another critically difficult financial year for the Chamber of Commerce as it sought loans, got behind on payroll and now looks for county government for help.
Trump Taps Justices Luck and Lagoa For Federal Bench Just Months After Joining Florida Supreme Court
DeSantis praised the nominations of Lagoa and Luck for seats on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a statement issued by his office. The governor appointed the pair to the Florida Supreme Court shortly after he took office in January.
Flagler Beach Strains To Assure Residents That Big Utility Fixes Have Nothing To Do With The Gardens Development
Many Flagler Beach residents worried that the city commission’s approval of $1.4 million in water and sewer projects were designed to accommodate the planned Gardens development along John Anderson Highway. Not so, city officials insist.
Despite Repeated Calls For Unity, Democrats Throw Debate Punches On Health Plans
Unity was in the air on Thursday, as a trimmed-down cast of 10 Democratic presidential candidates met on the debate stage again and nodded to the stakes: the possibility of another four years of President Donald Trump.
Soon-To-Be Tropical Storm Humberto to Echo Dorian Path Up Florida Coast This Weekend
NHC expects the weather system they’re calling a “tropical disturbance” to move over the Bahamas today and turn into Tropical Storm Humberto either later today or overnight, then head for a path up or near the Florida coast.
Weekend Briefing: Museum Fund-Raiser, James Taylor in Court, Film Festival, Anna Maria Soprano
The Flagler Beach Museum hosts a fundraiser at Oceanside Beach Bar and Grille, Meshuggah Nuns” at the Daytona Playhouse, the Florida Film Academy’s inaugural International Student Film Festival.
From Social Security to Medicare to Great Public Works: America’s Socialism in Action
The GOP hopes the S-word will scare you, but great public works projects underpinned by socialist funding principles transformed this country for the better, as did socialist programs like Social Security and Medicare.
Contributions Are Pouring In For Assault Weapons Ban Aiming for 2020 Ballot
Ban Assault Weapons NOW, the political committee behind the proposed constitutional amendment, drew more than 28,000 contributions totaling $595,000 in August, by far the largest amount in a single month since the committee was launched in March 2018.
Flagler Schools Require Only One Hurricane Make-Up Day, Leaving Thanksgiving Week Off Intact
The Flagler School district’s extension of the school day by a few minutes a few years ago builds up enough time in the schedule to create a surplus from which the district can then account for hurricane days. A third day will convert a teacher work day into a hurricane make up day.
Gender-Conscious Flagler Beach Charter Commission Proposes Minor Changes for Ballot
The seven-member Flagler Beach Charter Review Commission that convened for the first time in 10 years this year had a hard time coming up with proposed changes to the city’s charter at its half-dozen meetings since late June.
Thursday Briefing: “Meshuggah Nuns,” $1.4 Million Water and Sewer Improvements, Charter Review
The Flagler Beach City Commission is set to approve four separate water and sewer improvement projects for close to $1.4 million, “Meshuggah Nuns” at the Daytona Playhouse, sea oats along A1A.
Obscenities Aside, Kimberle Weeks Appeal May Come Down to Judge’s Baffling Decree on ‘Public Meetings’ Definition
Circuit Judge Margaret Hudson refused to allow a definition of “public meetings” during ex-Elections Supervisor Kim Weeks’s trial last year even though both defense and prosecution wanted a definition, which went to the heart of the case. That’s now a central plank in Weeks’s appeal.
A 60-Year-Old Man Tied to Burglaries and a Car Theft Is Arrested in Palm Coast
Timothy Smith, 60, faces a series of charges, including grand theft auto, after being found in possession of stolen credit cards and been tied to burglaries in Palm Coast early Wednesday morning.
DeSantis Wants Federal Judge to Pause Felon Voting Rights Lawsuit Challenging Restrictions
The Republican governor and Secretary of State Laurel Lee on Tuesday asked U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle to put the federal lawsuit on hold until the Florida Supreme Court rules in a related case.
Bunnell’s John Cicalo, 50, Is Struck By Vehicle and Killed as He Walked on Mahogany Blvd.
John Cicalo, a 50-year-old resident of west Flagler, was killed Tuesday night and Julie Kerns, 39, was seriously injured when a man driving a pick-up truck on Mahogany Boulevard in the Mondex struck them as they were walking on the right shoulder of the road.
Wednesday Briefing: String Orchestra Open House, Palm Coast Budget Hearing, Suicide Awareness Walk
The Flagler Youth Orchestra holds its annual open house ahead of its 15th season at Indian Trails Middle School, the Palm Coast council holds the first of two budget hearings, Mario Vargas Llosa on New York after 9/11.
Palm Coast and Flagler Rally For the Bahamas, With Caution To Ensure Efforts Aren’t Wasted
Palm Coast businesses and individuals such as Shane Bonner are leading herculean efforts to help hurricane-shattered Bahamas. The Red Cross’s Rebecca DeLorenzo cautions against uncoordinated efforts that could lead supplies never delivered to their intended recipients.
Vaping-Related Illnesses and Deaths Rise, as Do Calls for More Stringent Regulations
E-cigarettes devices heat liquid into an aerosol that is inhaled into the lungs. The liquid can contain nicotine, flavorings and other ingredients. The liquid can also include marijuana.
Defense Tries to ‘Smear’ Victim in Case of HIV-Infected Man Accused of Raping 16 Year Old
Victor Williams, 42, of Palm Coast, is accused of drugging and raping a 16-year-old boy. His defense’s strategy is to portray the boy as promiscuous and not credible, in hopes of lessening the charges against Williams, who faces life in prison if convicted.
Tuesday Briefing: Intracoastal Waterway Cleanup, Tammy Almond in Court, Apollo’s 50th, Stetson Recital
Palm Coast’s 12th Annual Intracoastal Waterway Cleanup, Tammy Almond,, who’s accused of manslaughter, is in a pre-trial hearing, Tammara Phillips, flute, Kristie Born, piano, in concert at Stetson.
In Defeat for Conservationists, Court Rules Florida May Spend Trust Fund Money Liberally
An appeals court Monday overturned a circuit judge’s ruling that said Florida lawmakers improperly diverted money that flowed from a 2014 constitutional amendment designed to boost land and water conservation.
2 Men Complain of Cold Burgers at McDonald’s, Brandish Guns, and End Up Facing Felonies
Jawan Davis and Jordon Dunn, both 20, were unhappy with the five burgers they got from the McDonald’s on Belle Terre Parkway, and brandished guns at the restaurant employee early this morning.
In Wake of Measles Outbreak, A State Ends Religious Exemption for Vaccinations
New York has eliminated religious exemptions by law. Florida is a religious-exemption state, as well as a medical-exemption state. and Flagler County in 2017 had the second-highest proportion of kindergarten students in the state with an exemption, most of them for religious reasons.
Monday Briefing: Heat Index to 104, Victor Williams in Court, Grand Reserve Growth, Cancellations
Grand Reserve in Bunnell, the city’s and one of Flagler’s fastest-growing subdivision, plats for 117 new single-family residential lots, Victor Williams, the man accused of sex with an autistic child, is in court for various motions, a few cancellations resulting from Dorian.
What America Could Learn From Canada
Better health care, longer lives, a better standard of living, more overall well-being: Canada is becoming a model for what Americans aspired to but keep seeing eroded in their own lives.