Florida Gov. Rick Scott is meeting with Donald Trump Monday, but only to talk strategy, not to be vetted as a running mate, the governor claimed in several interviews.
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At Sheriff’s Forum, 6 GOP Candidates Thump More Chests Than Manfre, and Few Ideas Clash
The two-hour forum before 300 people revealed some sheriff’s candidates better prepared than others, only a few differences of opinion, and less focus on Jim Manfre than on the future.
Weekend Briefing: Golf Reopens in Flagler Beach, Synchro Belles’ Annual Show, Democratic Picnic, Chess Open
Flagler Beach’s long dormant Ocean Palm Golf Course re-opens Saturday under new ownership, leased from the city, Flagler County’s Democratic Executive Committee holds a potluck picnic at Hershel King Park, and the weekend’s best reads.
Florida Government’s Legal Bill For Fighting Same-Sex Marriage: $500,000
The settlements came after U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle ruled in April that the lawyers in the consolidated cases were entitled to the fees, and nearly two years after Hinkle first ruled that Florida’s voter-approved same-sex marriage ban was unconstitutional.
Lawsuit Against Palm Coast’s Golden Corral Alleges Sexual Harassment of 17-Year-Old Girl
The lawsuit and the company’s response raise questions about the extent of a company’s responsibility in protecting its employees from undue hostility and differentiates, in the company’s view, between issues involving peer-employees as opposed to employees and their supervisors or superiors.
In Flagler Elections, Primary May Decide Half the Local Races, Including Supervisor
Underscoring the importance of turnout, All voters, regardless of party affiliation, may vote for Supervisor of Elections, School Board and Palm Coast council in the Aug. 30 primary, with the results in two of the three races deciding the outright winners. That’s assuming no one pulls the write-in ploy.
Thursday Briefing: Sheriff’s Candidates in Action, Inspired Mic, Buchanan’s Heir, Sadism’s Anniversary
Flagler Young Republicans host a forum for the six GOP sheriff candidates, the Inspired Mic has another night at the new Europa, Trump’s lineage back to Pat Buchanan, and Edward MacDowell.
Acknowledging “Dark Times,” Flagler’s Democrats Say They’re Back and Battling For Long Haul
The Flagler County Democratic Party is hoping top shed years of disarray and political bankruptcy as it fields a few more candidates and organizers in a push for local and state successes. But the difficulties are still as prominent as organizers’ optimism.
Three Years On, Palm Coast Resident Sues Sheriff’s Office Over Wreck With Patrol Car
The t-bone crash involving sheriff’s deputy James Gore, who was going through a red light while answering a call, and E-Section resident John Mitchell at Pine Lakes Parkway and Palm Coast Parkway on Oct. 31, 2013.
NRA Calls for Renewed and Extended Hunt Of Florida Bears that “Terrorize Homeowners”
Florida wildlife officials approved a controversial bear hunt last year but have not made a decision about another hunt yet. They’re expected to receive a staff recommendation by June 22.
Florida Hospital Flagler Donates $5,000 to School District’s Flagship Programs
The $5,000 donation went to the Flagler County Education Foundation to support a variety of Flagship programs in the district, especially Rymfire Elementary’s health sciences program.
M & M Fence Company Owner Sought on Grand Theft Charges
Luis Michael Maldonado Sr., owner of M & M Fence Company of St. Augustine, is wanted on grand theft charges after cashing customers’ checks without doing the contracted work.
Attorney Again Asks for Bova, Accused of Mobil Mart Murder, To Be Declared Incompetent
It’s been almost year since Joseph Bova II’s last appearance in court, but his attorney says he has deteriorated since and should again be judged incompetent to stand trial. His next hearing is scheduled for early July.
Wednesday Briefing: Hurricane Season Starts, Palm Coast’s GOP Candidates, A Man Sentenced to Baptist Church
The Flagler County Republican Club hosts a candidate forum for the GOP contestants in Palm Coast’s mayoral and council races, hurricane season is upon us, Island Grille celebrates its one-year anniversary, a Catholic man is sentenced to 12 Sundays in Baptist church.
Senate Majority Leader McConnell Asks Rubio To Run for Senate
McConnell’s comments on the MSNBC show “Morning Joe” came after reports during the past week that Rubio is being pressured to run for re-election this fall.
Holland Park Renovation Advancing But Not Making Up Time
The city has started invoking the liquidated damages provision of the contract against Tumbleson White Construction Inc. of Gainesville. “We are trying to hit them in the pocketbook at this point,” the city manager said.
In Feud’s Latest Distortion, Palm Coast Blames County for “Killing” $600,000 City Road Grant
Palm Coast and the county are at it again, but in this case the city appears to have misrepresented the county’s intention not to violate the law in the latest flare-up of an ongoing feud between City Manager Jim Landon and County Administrator Craig Coffey.
Can You Be Punished For Refusing DUI Test? 2 Highest Courts About to Decide.
Sept. 1 arguments before the Florida court on the question may be made moot by a decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, expected in June, on the same issue. U.S. Justices were skeptical of breath tests.
Intersection at Old Kings Road and Town Center Blvd. Will Finally Get a Traffic Light
The $154,000 project will include some new landscaping and will also result in the closure of the makeshift parking area for people who use the Lehigh Trail. The zone must be closed to make the new arrangement safer.
Florida Insurers Requesting an Average 17.7% Rate Increase in Obamacare Plans for 2017
While the requested increases for Florida vary from zero to 40 percent, all requested increases for silver plans are under 14 percent, and half are under 3 percent.
Tuesday Briefing: PTSD Memorial at Heroes Park, Old Kings Traffic Light, Legacy Florida in Everglades
You may finally be looking at a traffic light at Town Center Boulevard and Old Kings Road, you will be looking at a PTSD-suicide memorial at Heroes Park, and the latest analyses on the two most disliked people in America, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
Obama in Hiroshima:
The Shallowness of American Atonement
Paul Tibbets, who captained the Enola Gay to its mission over Hiroshima, proudly sold WMD memorabilia into his old age, and President Obama refused to apologize in what was the first visit by a sitting president to Hiroshima in 71 years.
Hurricane Amnesia Worries Officials as Florida Weathers 11th Year Without Direct Hit
On Friday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration gave a “near-normal” forecast for the 2016 Atlantic season, which means a 70 percent chance of 10 to 16 named storms, of which 4 to 8 could grow into hurricanes.
Flagler County Approves Manatee Protection Plan With Speed Zones on Intracoastal
The county has been under mandate to develop a plan since 2006, when state and federal authorities halted issuing permits for boating slips on the Intracoastal Waterway, where seven manatees have been killed by boats since 2006.
Dangerous Rip Currents Expected As Tropical Depression #2 Approaches S.C. Coast
Elevated onshore flow and building surf will create an elevated rip current risk along the coast today through Memorial Day as Tropical Depression #2 tracks toward the South Carolina coast, the National Weather Service cautions.
Art Walk Renaissance as Calypso and ZinkZank Galleries Open Within Brush Stroke of Salvo
Weldon and Richlin Ryan’s new Calypso Fine Art Gallery at Marvin garden, along with Sheila Skipp Zinkerman’s ZinkZank gallery and Salvo Art Project, are burgeoning an art walk similar to what existed at City Marketplace before an exodus two years ago.
Developer Charlie Faulkner Arrested on DUI and Criminal Mischief Charges Over Political Sign
Charlie Faulkner, president of Flagler Beach’s Faulkner and Associates, was arrested after a cop spotted him throwing a Chris Yates for Sheriff sign into the woods on State Road 100, though Faulkner was acting on a property he manages.
Marco Rubio Says He’s Out For Good: No Senate Run, No Plans For Governor in 2018
Rubio said he has heard from colleagues and Florida activists “in the last day or so” who want him to re-up for six more years in the Senate, but he ruled that out in favor of eventually endorsing Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera for Senate.
Memorial Weekend Briefing: Ceremonies from Veterans to Heroes Park, FPC Reunion, FBI’s Email Ploy, Sexist Canon
Monday is dominated by Memorial Day ceremonies from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., FPC Class of 1996 have their 20-year reunion, the FBI wants to sneak into your email, thoughts on the sexist canon we still should read.
FTI Director’s Suspicions Lead to Arrest of 2 Boys, 14, One of Them Carrying Stun Gun
FTI Director Kevin McCarthy got suspicious when he saw the two boys walking on FPC’s and FTI’s campus. They fled when he and a deputy confronted them but were soon after arrested in the Target shopping center.
Golden Lion’s Key Lime Tartar Sauce Yields $2,800 in Latest Donations to Needy
The Bunnell Food Pantry, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and Halifax Urban Ministries of Daytona Beach were the beneficiaries of the third distribution of proceeds from Golden Lion’s sauce.
Domestic Confrontation in R-Section leads to Search and Weapons Charges Against Felon
Deputiues had been alerted to Michael Jason Jozefek’s property on Palm Coast’s Rippling Brook Drive because of a fight. A search uncovered a gun and drugs, resulting in eight charges against the felon.
County, Palm Coast and Flagler Beach Drum Up Trio of Memorial Day Commemorations
Each of the three government is putting on its own ceremony Monday, starting at 8 a.m. in Palm Coast, 10 a.m. at county government, and 1 p.m. in Flagler Beach.
Gov. Scott Likens Obama Guidance on Transgender Equality to “Blackmail”
Gov. Rick Scott issued his harshest comments yet about the federal government’s guidance on how public schools should treat transgender students, but stopped short of saying whether his administration would enter the fray against the Obama administration’s controversial initiative.
Profiling By Computer in Florida: What Algorithmic Injustice Looks Like in Broward
Courtrooms are using computer programs to predict who will be a future criminal, informing decisions from bail to sentencing. Meant to be fairer than human biases, one such program in Florida is particularly likely to falsely flag black defendants as future criminals, wrongly labeling them this way at almost twice the rate as white defendants.
Kenneth Kirkland II Faces Life in Prison for Daytona Car-Jacking and Armed Robbery
Kenneth Jerome Kirkland, II, was convicted late Wednesday (May 25) by a jury of three men and three women on charges of carjacking with a firearm, grand theft, and principal to robbery with a firearm. He faces a life sentence at a sentencing hearing to be set at a later date. The jury deliberated two hours.
Thursday Briefing: FPC and Matanzas Graduation Ceremonies, McLaughlin Town Hall, Imagine’s Colleen Fonte
FPC and Matanzas will both be holding graduation ceremonies at Daytona’s Ocean Center this afternoon and evening, Commissioner Nate McLaughlin holds a town hall meeting, Imagine School’s Colleen Fonte is a national winner.
Neighbor Dispute Over Bird Nesting in Palm Coast’s C-Section Escalates Into Lawsuit
Bryan Streetman’s neighbors on Collingwood Lane accuse him of disturbing the neighborhood’s peace and privacy by busing a drone, laser lights and screeching noises to scare off Purple Martin birds as they nest.
Judge Rejects Sweeping Challenge to School System, But case May Head for Supreme Court
A Leon County judge said lawmakers met their constitutional obligation to provide free, quality public education for Florida students, but advocates plan to appeal, laying the groundwork for a landmark opinion by the Florida Supreme Court.
Sen. Travis Hutson Qualifies By Petition for His 4th Election in 4 Years
Sen. Travis Hutson so far faces just one opponent, Democrat Curtis Ceballos of Palm Coast, though qualifying does not end until June 24.
Failed Tag Light Leads to Convicted Felon Carrying Assault Rifle and Ammunition
Gegxan R. Coriano, a 41-year-old convicted felon arrested late Monday night, had to be wrestled to the ground before a search of his car revealed a Century Arms .223 caliber assault rifle and two magazines with ammunition.
Wednesday Briefing: Toby Tobin Talks Home Building, Michelle O’Connell Autopsy, Cornel West on Trump and Clinton
Toby Tobin gives the county economic panel an update on Flagler construction, Cornel West goes off on Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, Pasco bans a book for middle schoolers.
Transgender Indecency
There were pragmatic ways to ensure access to bathrooms for transgender people until lawmakers hijacked the process with predatory bans that dehumanize people and make a mockery of decency.
In Latest Reversal, Sheriff Manfre Does Not Appeal Ethics Judgment as Deadline Passes
That means Manfre will concede to a $6,200 fine and a public reprimand and censure that the ethics commission approved on April 15, thus finally ending a saga that began two years ago and has severely damaged his chances for re-election.
Retired Deputy Edward Lueck Gets 15 Years in Prison Over Child Sex Assaults
The victim was 5 years old at the time of the crimes, and was a neighbor of Lueck’s, who is a 69-year-old retired Volusia County Sheriff’s deputy.
Old Kings Road To Be Resurfaced May 24-27
Palm Coast is planning road resurfacing on Old Kings Road South from Utility Drive to Town Center Blvd. starting Tuesday, May 24, and through the rest of the week.
NRA Pressuring Gov. Scott to Block Rep. Charles McBurney’s Bench Bid
McBurney, R-Jacksonville, angered Second Amendment advocates during this year’s legislative session when his committee did not move forward with a measure tied to the state’s “stand your ground” self-defense law.
Flagler’s Third Graders Improve English Skills and Climb to 10th Best in Florida
The proportion of students who scored a 3 or better (out of 5)–that is, students who are proficient in English at their grade level–also improved, from 60 percent to 63 percent.
Tuesday Briefing: Bring Your A Game Camp, Food Truck Tuesdays, Bernie Loses the Halo, Grandma in the Attic
The Bring Your A Game summer camp is explained, Bernie takes flack from his own, what to do when Grandma moves into the attic, and the rescheduled Food Truck Tuesday.
When Bernie Sanders Mirrors Donald Trump
The same Democratic candidate who decried Donald Trump for condoning violence in North Carolina in March turned right around and did the same thing in Nevada when his rally devolved into chaos. He condoned it.