“As soon as [police] are seen as somebody who might turn you in if you called for assistance, they’re no longer trusted and they can no longer do their primary job,” the South Miami mayor says.
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Flagler School District Is Finally A-Rated Again, Ending 7-Year Drought With Broad Improvements
The drought ends seven straight years of Bs, after a four-year streak of As before that. Twenty-four of Florida’s 67 districts are A-rated, 54 are either A or B rated.
Michael Kolendo, 74, Dies in Medically Related Crash Near His Home in Palm Coast’s F Section
Michael Kolendo, 74, was dead for possibly more than an hour Wednesday evening in Palm Coast’s F Section when someone on Farmsworth Drive noticed Kolendo’s white car as if parked in a swale, still running, with Kolendo at the wheel.
Thursday Briefing: Heat Index to 103, School Board and Flagler Beach Commission Talk Money, Citrus Numbers
The Flagler Beach City Commission will consider setting a substantially higher proposed tax rate for next year, the school board discusses its general and capital funds, the transportation department completes a phase of A1A seawall construction.
Florida’s New Poll Tax Will Cost the State $365 Million a Year
A report by the Institute for Policy Studies cites new research illustrating the cost of felony disenfranchisement in Florida, where recidivism is higher and therefore more costly to taxpayers than in states where it’s lower.
Appeals Court Rules Florida Marijuana Law’s Restrictions Violate Amendment Legalizing Medical Pot
Florida’s law requiring pot operators to grow, process and distribute cannabis and related products created an “oligopoly” and runs afoul of a constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana in the Sunshine State, an appellate court ruled Tuesday.
County Sends Ultimatum to Clerk of Court, Asking For Additional Space at Courthouse For Sheriff By July 31
The ultimatum was prompted by by County Commissioner Dave Sullivan, who pushed the administration to follow through on a county commission vote almost two months old to secure more space for the sheriff at the courthouse.
Dennis McDonald Now Owes County $70,000 Over Frivolous Case, But Says He Won’t Pay
An administrative law judge is recommending that Dennis McDonald, the former candidate for local office, pay $11,000 to cover the county’s costs in an appeal McDonald had filed against having to pay an earlier judgment of $59,000. So the combined amount he owes is now $70,000.
3 Crashes in Space of 33 Minutes on Flagler Roads: 4 Vehicles, 4 Injuries, All Minor
The crashes took place on Seminole Woods Boulevard, on I-95 near the State Road 100 intersection, and on State Road 100, near Blackpoint Road, all between 12:01 and 12:34 p.m. today.
Hammock Man Faces Kidnapping and Robbery Charges After Suspecting His Pot Was Stolen
Peter Palazzotto, 46, of 3 Hernandez Avenue in the Hammock, is charged with Kidnapping, Battery by Strangulation, Grand Theft, and Robbery, all felonies. The alleged incident took place early Wednesday.
Wednesday Briefing: Fruehan and Deoliveira Pre-Trials, Fearless and Focused Body Language, Sherwood Anderson
Pretrials are scheduled in the cases of Florence Fruehan, the former Palm Coast physician facing two felony battery counts, and Brandin Deoliveira, the former restaurant manager accused of engaging in unlawful sex with a minor.
Benefits of a $15 Minimum Wage: The Non-Partisan Evidence
The report from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office finds that a $15 minimum wage would increase the wages of millions of low wage workers, increase the average incomes of low and lower-middle-income families, reduce poverty, shift money from corporate profits to the wages of low-wage workers, and reduce inequality.
A Shooting Injures a 21-Year-Old Palm Coast Marine, But Stories, Including His Own, Conflict
Late the night of July 5, 21-year-old Carter Reding Goodman, of Ocean Oaks Lane in Palm Coast, was shot, possibly in the Hammock. He and his friends gave different stories about where and how, and physical evidence told yet another story.
Palm Coast Proposal Would Raise Property Taxes 9%; Sheriff’s Request for 6 New Deputies Not in the Budget
Though Palm Coast government is proposing to keep its property tax rate flat, a valuation increase of 9 percent will equate to a tax increase, though homesteaded property owners won’t feel it.
As Hepatatis Rates Continue to Rise, Flagler Health Department Offers Free Screenings Through July
Baby boomers are 75 percent of Hep C cases. That’s because blood products weren’t screened for Hepatitis C before 1992, and many were likely infected when the disease was at its height during the 70s and 80s.
Court Rules Brevard County Commission’s Prayer at Meetings Discriminatory Against Non-Believers
“Brevard County has selected invocation speakers in a way that favors certain monotheistic religions and categorically excludes from consideration other religions solely based on their belief systems,” a federal appeals court ruled.
Tuesday Briefing: Heat Index to 105, Palm Coast Budget, School Board Budget, Recommending a New New Judge
The Seventh Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission begins the process that will lead to recommending a new county judge for Flagler, the Palm Coast council and the school board discuss next year’s tax rate.
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.
Permits Cancelled For Palm Coast Wawa, But City Insists “All Indications” Store Still a Go. Just Not Yet.
The permitting process for a planned Wawa at the corner of State Road 100 and Bulldog Drive was cancelled last week, ostensibly so the developer could switch contractors, when plans would be resubmitted.
Flagler Property Values Rise Nearly 9%, Higher in Cities, Providing Windfall For Local Budgets
Property values are a driver of local government budgets. Generally, as values increase, local property tax revenue rises, assuming governments don’t proportionately reduce their tax rates.
Florida Is The Latest Republican-Led State To Adopt Clean Needle Exchanges
The timing of the statewide legalization of needle exchanges comes as Florida grapples with a huge heroin and fentanyl problem. When people share dirty needles to inject drugs, it puts them at high risk for spreading bloodborne infections like HIV and hepatitis C. For years, Florida has had America’s highest rates of HIV.
Monday Briefing: Last Chance for Sheltering Tree’s Survival, Parade Winners, Rationalism’s Disease, Louis Spohr
It’s the last chance for the Sheltering Tree, the cold-weather shelter battling Bunnell government’s desire to shut it down, a full list of the Fabulous 4th parade winners, Isaac Singer on rationalism.
Our Immigrant Prisons Are An Atrocity
As reports surface about immigrant children sleeping on concrete floors and people being forced to drink water from toilets, one fact has become unmistakably clear: It’s well past time to demand an end to Trump’s cruel and inhumane treatment of immigrants.
Reilly Opelka’s Wimbledon Run Ends in 3rd-Round Loss
Reilly Opelka saw his terrific Wimbledon run come to an abrupt end Friday in London, as he crashed out of the tournament in a straight-sets loss to No. 15 seed Milos Raonic, 7-6 (1), 6-2, 6-1.
Some People Wouldn’t Count: How Citizenship Question Could Reshape State Politics
Some districts could get more in-state political power if Florida decides to use voting-age citizens as the basis for drawing districts, rather than total population, including children and immigrants who aren’t citizens.
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.
Costs Pile Up For Governor and Cabinet’s $400-a-Night Israel Junket, as Do Questions
When Florida Cabinet members jetted off to Israel in late May, some state employees who traveled at taxpayer expense stayed in a more than $400-a-night luxury hotel in Jerusalem, where a Cabinet meeting was held.
New Leadership Called ‘Capricious’ as 2 More High-Level Resignations Strike Palm Coast Government
Interim Communications Manager Jason Giraulo called the new city manager and council “capricious” and described his own managerial abilities as “castrated” in a resignation letter the new manager strongly disputed. Chief Building Official Ricky Lee also resigned.
After 3-Month Halt, Work Will Resume On U.S. 1 Roundabout at Old Dixie, With Road Closures
Work had stopped on the roundabout project at U.S. 1 and old Dixie Highway in mid-April and won’t resume until mid-July, with further road closures and detours. The $4.1 million project is the work of the state Department of Transportation.
In Big Breakthrough, County and City Will Jointly Accommodate Palm Coast Little League and Other Fields of Need
Palm Coast and county governments are drafting an agreement that would significantly relax the proprietary lock on each sides’ fields, instead prioretizing public need, with Palm Coast Little League the vanguard beneficiary.
Flagler Beach Fireworks and “Fabulous Fourth” Parade on July 4
Flagler Beach this year hosts its traditional July 4 celebration, with its Fabulous Fourth parade at 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. fireworks. In Palm Coast, fireworks are on July 3 in Town Center. Both events will feature kid zones and games.
Palm Coast’s Opelka Beats 4-Time Slam Champ Stan Wawrinka in Wimbledon Upset and Biggest Win Yet
Showing poise and maturity well beyond his years, the 21-year-old Opelka scored the biggest victory of his young career in the second round of Wimbledon, defeating three-time Slam champion Stan Wawrinka in five scintillating sets on Court 2.
Independence Weekend Briefing: Heat Index to 110 Wednesday, Parade and Fireworks, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Madness,’ World Cup Final
It’s all about July 4, with fireworks on July 3 in Central Park in Palm Coast band of course in Flagler Beach on the 4th, “A Midsummer Night’s Madness” all weekend at City Repertory Theatre, and a July 4 Willie concert right here.
Inside the Secret Border Patrol Facebook Group Where Agents Joke About Migrant Deaths and Post Sexist Memes
The three-year-old group, which has roughly 9,500 members, shared derogatory comments about Latina lawmakers who plan to visit a controversial Texas detention facility on Monday, calling them “scum buckets” and “hoes.”
A New Hospital For Flagler? Credibility Gap Yawns Between Commissioner Joe Mullins’s Pledges and County Administration’s Caution
The stories told by Mullins’s hyper-optimism and the county administration’s more cautious and deliberate approach illustrate a recurring gulf between the politician’s wishes and promises and what the government administration is in fact delivering (or not).
Flagler Students Mostly Improve in Math, English and Civics, Ranking District in Top Third of State, But Struggle in Science
Imagine School at Town center had a particularly strong showing in English and math, as did Old Kings Elementary. Buddy Taylor middle school had concerning numbers in math’s Florida Standards Assessments but stronger numbers in geometry and algebra.
Tuesday Briefing: Heat Index to 106, Gopher Tortoises in Flagler Beach, Al Hadeed’s Appointments
Flagler Beach’s planning board talks gopher tortoises, County Attorney Al Hadeed is appointed to a couple of state committees overseeing legal issues, the Flagler Beach Charter Review Commission meets, a ventriloquist at the public library.
Two Motorcyclists Killed in Head-On Collision on A1A South of Varn Park
Two motorcyclists were killed in a head-on collision on State Road A1A in the Hammock this evening, just south of Varn Park.
Boos, Jeers and Defiance as Flagler Beach Voices Its Opposition to The Gardens Development on John Anderson
Some 300 to 400 people turned out at a Palm Coast meeting hosted Monday by the developers of a planned 3,966-unit project on John Anderson Highway, the crowd promising staunch opposition.
Florida Turns to the Public To Solicit Ideas on Fighting Toxic Algae Blooms
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is formally accepting information through July 15 on ways to prevent, combat or clean up harmful algal blooms in freshwater bodies and estuaries.
Felon Several Times Over Accused of Brutalizing and Seizing Woman at Bunnell’s Country Store
Henry Brock, 29, of Bunnell, is seen in surveillance video brutalizing a woman in the parking lot of the Country Store in west Flagler, then placing her in the car. He was caught later by deputies and a civilian.
Reilly Opelka Gets First Wimbledon Main-Draw Win and Faces Stan Wawrinka in 2nd Round
Reilly Opelka, who rose up to a career-high ranking of No. 52 earlier this year, took out German Cedrik-Marcel Stebe Monday morning at Wimbledon, winning in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6, 6-1 .
Monday Briefing: Heat Index to 105, The Gardens Development, Deputy Jennifer Prevatt, A Message From BCU President Brent Chrite
Details on The Gardens development along John Anderson Highway are presented in a public meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn, Deputy Jennifer Prevatt is the CrimeStopper Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, Bethune-Cookman University President Brent Chrite provides a video message.
Citing Impact on Education Funding, DeSantis Kills ‘Addiction’ Warning on Lottery Tickets
Noting potential impacts to money for education, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a controversial bill that sought to require warnings about addiction and caution to play responsibly on the front of all lottery tickets.
Bomb Iran? Pass.
Saudi Arabia is dragging the United States toward war with Iran against all American interests when the true threat to the Middle East continues to be Saudi Arabia–and American blindness to that alliance’s consequences.
Interested In Adding More Longleaf Pine Acreage to Flagler County? Forest Service Wants To Help, Including Incentive Money
The Longleaf Pine Incentive Program offers incentive payments for the completion of timber stand improvement, invasive species control, prescribed burning, planting longleaf pine, establishing native plant understory and mechanical underbrush treatments.
Barbara Petersen, Fierce Open Government Advocate for 25 Years, Is Stepping Down From First Amendment Foundation
Barbara Petersen’s retirement from the First Amendment Foundation, after 25 years, takes place as legislators have piled up 1,122 exemptions to Florida’s open government laws.
Group Files Federal Suit Challenging Florida Restrictions on Felons’ Voting Rights Moments After DeSantis Signs New Law
A partisan firestorm erupted in the waning days of this year’s legislative session after Republicans tacked onto the elections package provisions aimed at implementing the voter-approved constitutional amendment that restores the voting rights of felons who have completed their sentences.
Vaping, School Vouchers, Texting While Driving: New Florida Laws Take Effect Monday
A new ban on texting while driving and a ban on vaping, adding toll roads and preventing local governments from uprooting vegetable gardens are among the new laws that take effect in Florida Monday.
The Gardens Project Off John Anderson Highway: The View From the Developers’ Perspective
The Gardens is an 825-acre, 3,966-unit mixed-use development proposed off John Anderson Highway by SunBelt Land Management as a successor to a Ginn proposal a decade ago. Ken Belshe, a member of the development group, describes the scope and intent of the project.