The July 19 shooting death of Markeis McGlockton, with his three young children nearby at a Circle K in Pinellas County is prompting the latest calls to repeal the 2005 law.
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Weekend Briefing: Back To School, Canvassing Board Testing, Movie In the Park, Free Sportsfighing Club Clinic
It’s back to school for a day before the weekend, the Flagler Sportsfishing Club offers a free clinic, “Beauty and the Beast” free in Palm Coast’s Central Park, Musorgsky’s Pictures.
CDC Experts Will Examine Sheriff’s Operations Center and Meet With Employees
After three weeks of seeming inaction on the troubled Sheriff’s Operations Center, the county has agreed to a two-day site visit from CDC experts in occupational safety and health issues.
Bomb Threat Briefly Interrupts Evening Shift at Palm Coast Data
A bomb scare briefly interrupted the evening shift Monday Palm Coast Data as employees from the building that contains the company’s call center were evacuated.
A Day Before School Starts, FPC Principal Dusty Sims Announces He’s Leaving District For
State Education Job
Dusty Sims, the popular and charismatic principal at Flagler Palm Coast High School since 2015, is leaving the school for a state Department of Education job, overseeing failing schools.
Thursday Briefing: Roundabout at Matanzas Woods, Meet The Teachers, Music Jam
The state transportation department holds a public information meeting about the coming roundabout at US1 and Matanzas Woods in Palm Coast, elementary schools have Meet the Teacher day, heat index up to 102.
At Parkland Massacre Commission, Lessons of Columbine Compete With Tragic Repetitions
Security enhancements include more active-shooter drills, upgraded cameras with a central monitoring system and single-point entries for visitors.
Flagler Approves $227,500 in Tourism Spending, Including $150,000 for Marina
The grants were part of the annual county tourism bureau’s funding round and are designed to enhance tourism and the visitor count in the county.
Palm Coast Physician Florence Fruehan Accused Of Groping Female Patient; State Orders Him Restricted
Long-time physician Florence R. Fruehan of Palm Coast Urgent Care, who is also an elected official, is under an Emergency Restriction Order from the State Department of Health.
Wednesday Briefing: Union Negotiations, “Who We Are,” Bunnell Charter Review, School Shooting Commission
The Parkland massacre commission meets for two days, the Bunnell Charter Review board meets, Ron deSantis and Adam Putnam debate.
New Back To School Normal For Flagler School Employees: How To Deal With a Mass Killer
The Flagler Auditorium today filled with 1,000 faculty members for “active shooter” or “incident survival” training through a vivid, disquieting presentation by Sheriff’s officials.
Flagler Group Launches Tiger Bay Club in Hopes of Fostering Non-Partisan Diversity
Flagler County now has a Tiger Bay Club of its own, joining nearly two dozen other cities or counties in Florida with an organization devoted to non-partisan, political discussions and civic debate.
Court Ruling With Broad Implications Throws Out Limits on Medical Pot Operators
The cap on the number of medical marijuana operators “directly contradicts the amendment,” Leon County Circuit Judge Charles Dodson ruled in an eight-page order.
Tuesday Briefing: Active Shooter Training, School Board Self-Rules, Vocational Education, Heat Index to 102
The Sheriff’s Office conducts a first-of-its kind active shooter training for Flagler school staff, the superintendent welcomes back faculty and staff, chess at European Village.
Grim Flagler Milestone in 2017: Most Suicides In County’s History, Highest Rate in Florida
There were 31 suicides in Flagler-Palm Coast in 2017, five more than the previous high, a third of them affecting people 45 to 54. The county’s rate is significantly higher than the average in states most severely affected by suicide.
State Attorney Files Battery Charge On Flagler Beach Commissioner Eric Cooley, Ending Speculation
The State Attorney filed the battery charge on Commissioner Eric Cooley on allegations he struck the woman he lived with and worked with at Flagler Beach’s 7-Eleven.
FlaglerLive Wins 1st Place For Court Reporting In Society of Professional Journalists’ Sunshine State Awards
FlaglerLive was awarded the courtroom honor for a series of articles written to give readers a front-row seat in the courtroom, reflecting proceedings with analytical and vivid detail and accessible narratives of the legal context.
Monday Briefing: Happy 50th Colleen Conklin, Korean War Veterans, Vacation-Rental Fees, Tourism Grants Galore
School Board member Colleen Conklin is the longest consecutive-serving elected official in Flagler, the county commission approves a slew of tourism grants, Korean veterans are honored.
Bright Futures ‘Medallion’ Scholarships For 46,000 Floridians Increase to Cover 75% of Tuition and Fees
The expansion is part of a record $519 million Bright Futures program legislators approved this year, with the the medallion portion of the scholarships increased to about $190 million.
Sheriff Staly and 2 Deputies Pull Guns on Suspects at End of I-95 Chase That Reached 100 MPH
Tavarius Stokes, 23, had allegedly pulled a gun on the mother of his child in Bunnell and was wanted on a warrant when Sheriff Rick Staly joined the chase and was part of apprehending Stokes and another man today.
America’s Pre-Existing Condition
Florida is among the states suing to end the requirement that people with pre-existing conditions be covered by insurers. It’s the latest cynical attempt to end Obamacare.
Democratic or Republican, Florida’s Candidates For Governor Say What Voters Want To Hear on Environment
Candidates’ solutions are mostly general and vary on how to keep up with the state’s growing population and businesses while keeping springs and rivers clean from the Panhandle to the Everglades.
Weekend Briefing: First Friday in Flagler Beach, BCC’s Wildcats on Netflix, Tax Holiday, African Fashion Show, Music Festival
Tax holiday all weekend, Bethune-Cookman’s marching band featured in featured in Netflix’s “Marching Orders,” a music and arts festival in Palm Coast’s Central Park.
Florida’s Back-To-School Sales Tax Holiday Is This Weekend: Here’s A Guide (No Electronics)
Florida’s sales tax holiday on school supplies, clothing, shoes and other select accessories is this weekend–starting at a minute after midnight Friday, Aug. 3, through midnight Sunday, Aug. 5.
Judge Throws Dog Racing Ban Off November Ballot, Calling It “Outright Trickeration”
“Contrary to the words presented for consideration by the voters, the amendment would not end dog racing, nor would it eliminate wagering on dog racing,” the judge wrote.
Thursday Briefing: Sheriff’s Quarterly Awards, National Guard Construction, Congressional Debate
The huge National Guard facility at the Flagler Airport is coming along, Democratic candidates for Flagler’s congressional district debate in Daytona, Trump’s judicial nominees discussed.
In Rebuke to Palm Coast Council and Public, Landon Fends Off Request For More Timely Information
Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland wants Manager Jim Landon to make council meeting materials to council and public sooner than on meeting days. Landon’s stunning answer: don’t bet on it.
County Employee Faces Termination After Accessing Judges’ Secure Area To Complain About His Case
Gerald Pikaard, a 61-year-old trades worker, used his county-issued ID badge to access the chambers of County Judge Melissa Moore-Stens and her assistant to complain about his DUI case’s disposition.
Amazon’s Deceptive Bargain With Local Government Purchasing–at Local Business’ Expense
Amazon’s bid to dominate local government purchasing has gone under the radar. IKt’s appealing on the surface, but could make it harder for agencies to buy from local vendors.
Wednesday Briefing: Get Your Free Immunization, GOP Congressional Candidates Debate, Heat Index to 105
Republican candidates in Congressional District 6 in a debate sponsored by The News-Journal, free immunizations at the Health Department, Sacha Baron Cohen’s limits.
Canadian Firm Poised to Light Up Florida Marijuana Market in $93 Million Deal
A Canadian love-fest for Florida pot companies continues to blossom with a $93 million deal that includes a Ruskin-based grower yet to begin selling marijuana products.
Swip Swap Leads to Arrest of Palm Coast Woman in Hit-and-Run That Injured a Man
Joyce Ramirez, 57, previously convicted of a felon, had fled the scene of the crash because she had no insurance or a registered car. A Swip Swap user helped identify her.
Palm Coast Would Raise Water and Sewer Rates 20.6% Over the Next 4 Years
The average monthly residential bill for water and sewer is $65.76. It would rise to $79.33 by 2022, when the average annual bill will be $163 higher than it is now.
Tuesday Briefing: Palm Coast Taxes and Water Rates, Heat Index to 102, Crabbing the Intracoastal
The Palm Coast Council talks water and sewer rates possibly ahead of a rate hike, as well as property taxes, John Knowles’s Separate Peace, Trump in Tampa with Scott and DeSantis.
Dog Racing Ban, On November Ballot, Gets a Boost From Doris Day
The Doris Day Animal League made a $1.5 million contribution to the Committee to Protect Dogs, backing Amendment 13, which appears on Florida ballots this fall.
A Body Is Found in Intracoastal Search For Matthew Otis, 20, Who’d Disappeared Off a Boat on Sunday
Matthew Otis, 20, of Palm Coast, was lost in the Intracoastal around 6:30 Sunday evening as he and friends were boating and tubing on the water.
Woman Accused of Breaking Into Palm Coast Home and Kidnapping Her Two Children
Sara Elisabeth Jones, 29, of Palm Coast, is accused of kidnapping her two children, whose custody she’d lost, and taking them to Tennessee, where she was arrested.
Monday Briefing: Free Immunizations, Deadline for Party Registration Switch, Mobley Sentencing
Today is the last day to register or change your party affiliation for the Aug. 28 primary election, Dante Mobley is sentenced, the Health Department offers free immunizations.
Immigrant Youth Shelters: “If You’re a Predator, It’s a Gold Mine”
An investigation of police reports and call logs from more than two-thirds of the shelters housing immigrant children provides a snapshot of what has largely been kept from the public as well as members of Congress.
For FPC Student-Athlete Allen Roberson, 16, A Summer Battling a Rare Brain Tumor And Aiming For Next Run
Allen Roberson, an honors student and a runner at FPC, went through complicated surgeries on July 3 and 12 and has been mending through radiation and chemotherapy since.
‘Funworld Place’ Business Owner Accused of Selling Crack Out of Palm Coast Parkway Store
Jerard K. Davis of Palm Coast, who’s twice served prison stints for selling cocaine, was arrested at his business near Sunshine Academy and allegedly found with crack and other drugs that he was selling.
After Noting Many “Deficiencies” In Flagler’s Public Transportation System, State Ordered 2 Buses Off the Roads
Last November state inspectors noted 45 “deficiencies” in Flagler County’s public transportation system, and last week ordered two buses off the roads because safety problems had not been addressed.
Weekend Briefing: Back To School Jam, Health Screenings, LGBTA Caucus, Wizard of Oz at Playhouse, Lifeguards
The Back to School Jam is at FPC’s gym Saturday, a lifeguard competition in Flagler Beach, free health screenings at the Palm Coast Community Center, Flagler Playhouse features The Wizard of Oz.
Flagler Beach Sets Tentative Property Tax Rate 21% Higher. Don’t Panic: It Won’t Stick.
Flagler Beach commissioners were forced to agree to a proposed tax rate that will be mailed to property owners even though they had not held their first budget workshop yet.
In Restoration of Florida Felons’ Voting Rights, Lawyers Make Novel 1st Amendment Argument
Lawyers for the plaintiffs maintain that Florida’s discretionary process violates the First Amendment, despite a dearth of cases anywhere in the country supporting that argument.
Palm Coast Woman Leads Uber Driver at Gunpoint On Strange Run in E-Section
Betty Jo Halter, 44, of Palm Coast’s E Section, allegedly forced an Uber driver to take her around town at gunpoint in search of a man, before the driver managed to get away.
Cops Behaving Proudly: Sheriff and Flagler Beach Police Chief Sum Up Solid State of Law Enforcement
Sheriff Rick Staly and Flagler Beach Chief Matt Doughney appeared at a chamber breakfast to speak of the state of law enforcement in the county, from diminishing crime rates to improving PR.
Thursday Briefing: Cops at Common Ground, Flagler Beach Talks Wickline and Taxes, Greyhound Racing Ban
The Flagler Beach City Commission discusses the uses of its Wickline Center, Flagler Beach Police Chief Matt Doughnet and Sheriff Rick Staly give a law enforcement update at a Chamber breakfast.
Jury Finds Matthew Nesbitt Guilty on 7 Counts in Near-Lethal Confrontation With Cops and Dog, Faces 15 Years in Prison
The trial provided a rare and detailed look into the raw emotions, fears, confusions, split-second judgments and calculations of deputies in a potentially lethal confrontation.
Palm Coast Man Faces 1st Degree Felony in Alleged Burglary and Assault of Ex-Girlfriend
Jason Piercey, 42, of Palm Coast, is accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s house and assaulting her and a friend as they were in the pool, according to a sheriff’s report.