The Indian Trails Sports Complex is expanding for the second time in three years, a reflection of Palm Coast’s success in attracting quality sports tournaments that draw thousands of out-of-town visitors to the county, filling restaurants and hotels. The Palm Coast City Council Tuesday evening unanimously approved expanding the complex from eight fields to 10, just three years after the complex was expanded from four fields to eight.
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Charles Cowart Jr., Just Released From Jail on Dropped Charges, Is Arrested For Burglary
Charles Cowart Jr. was accused of breaking into a Cowart family-owned house in Flagler Beach Monday evening–the same house where part of the incidents that led police to investigate Cowart and three other men on rape and kidnapping charges had unfolded in March 2013. Those charges were dropped last week.
TALKiT, the New Palm Coast-Based Social Media App, Is Introduced to Economic Advisory Council
TALKiT, the innovative, Palm Coast-based social media application whose developers say will revolutionize the way individuals and institutions communicate in real time, got its formal introduction to the Flagler County Economic Opportunity Advisory Council Wednesday morning.
Palm Coast Council May Consider Red-Light Camera Referendum, But Wants More Talk
There were no dramatic moves Tuesday evening among council members or from the city manager. A dozen members of the public addressed the issue, as did City Manager Jim Landon, as did most of the council members and the mayor. But in the end, the most conclusive action was that the council should talk the matter over more thoroughly at a workshop soon.
Voucher Scams: Floridians Should Be Fighting the Privatization of Public Schools
We’re decades into a war waged by shadowy business interests and religious groups, working through “cooperative” legislators and governors to gradually undermine most of the state’s public schools and ultimately privatize them, argues Daniel Tilson.
Dog Parks, Bungee Jumping, Bike Paths and Free OJ: Perks in State’s $77.1 Billion Budget
But while much of the money in Florida’s 2014-15 budget went to must-have programs such as education, health care and prisons, smaller items are littered through the more-than-400-page document. Here are some examples.
5 Teens, Most of Them Students at Matanzas, Arrested Over Vandalism at Indian Trails Middle School
The evening of May 3, seven teenagers, most of the students at Matanzas and Palm Coast high school, broke into Indian Trails Middle School, trashed a bathroom, entered the office of a coach and stole loose change, all the while laughing and capturing their acts with their phone videos. Two of the teens had been arrested in march in connection with the robbery of a pizza delivery woman in Palm Coast.
Joint Restaurant Experiment Ends as Palm Coast’s Red Lobster Closes and Olive Garden Grows Larger
Three years after Darden Restaurants opened a combined Red Lobster and Olive Garden restaurant at the Target shopping center, the company announced that it would close Red Lobster as it prepares to either sell or spin off the brand, which has been losing customers.
Certainties of the Annual Ceremony to Fallen Officers: Sorrowful Remembrance, and More Victims
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s grounds Tuesday morning were the site of one the year’s most solemn public gatherings—the annual ceremony in memory of fallen law enforcement officers, locally and nationwide, with the latest Floridian law enforcement officer killed just last Saturday.
Supreme Court’s Decision Allowing Prayers at Government Meetings Reverberates Locally
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision today allowing explicitly religious prayers at local government meetings had two direct connections to Palm Coast and Bunnell. So the ruling had particular resonance locally—happily for some, not so happily for others.
Patron, Angered By Food, Arrested For Punching Chicken Pantry Owner; Woman Arrested Over Rogue Gunshot
Spencer Veney, 52, of Palm Coast, was arrested after getting upset over the food at the Chicken Pantry and allegedly punching out the owner. Ashley Ross, 27, of Bunnell, was arrested for firing a .22-caliber gun in public the following evening. Both incidents drew large crowds.
Palm Coast Calls on Local Contractors to Apply For City Hall Project
The Vendor Roundtables will be held Tuesday, May 13, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Tuesday, July 22, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Flagler-Palm Coast Campus of Daytona State College. Contractors will be given information on the scope of work for the new City Hall and the anticipated schedule of bidding and construction.
Support for Medical Marijuana Surges to 88% in Florida, Stoking Prospects for Amendment 2
The prospects for Amendment 2 don’t stop with pot. The Amendment is expected to draw out voters who support it. The turnout may influence the outcome of the governor’s race pitting incumbent Rick Scott against former Gov. Charlie Crist, whose boss, John Morgan, is leading the battle to legalize medical marijuana.
Red-Light Cameras, Guns, Pot, Tax Cuts: Rating the 2014 Legislative Session
Florida lawmakers ended the 2014 legislative session after passing a budget and a flurry of other bills dealing with issues such as child welfare and school vouchers. But hundreds of bills died as lawmakers headed home to gear up for re-election campaigns. Here are 10 issues that passed during the session and 10 issues that failed.
Turned Down for a Job Outside the Classroom, a Teacher Rediscovers Her Mission
It’s a sad notion that administrators, school boards, human resources offices and so-called reformists have unfortunately inculcated in teachers over the years, this idea that if you want to be successful or be taken seriously, or make any sort of impact, that you must stop teaching to do so.
How Donald Sterling’s Apologists Give Private Bigotries a Pass
If racism and intolerance are learned, it is the Donald Trumps of the world who are the teachers. Our country can only move beyond its present ugly divisions when people who have attained power and influence actively work to promote tolerance. Doing nothing is no longer acceptable.
Legislature Approves Medical Marijuana Bill Narrowly Targeting Epilepsy and Other Seizures
The proposal would make Florida one of a handful of states that allow “Charlotte’s Web,” a low-THC strain of marijuana that proponents say doesn’t get users high but can end or dramatically decrease potentially fatal seizures in children who suffers from a rare form of epilepsy that can cause hundreds of seizures a week. The allowance would extend to some forms of cancer and Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Mayor and City Manager Rethink Red-Light Cameras’ Fate as Council Member Proposes Referendum
With City Manager Landon saying drivers are feeling harassed by red-light cameras, Mayor Netts losing faith in their original purpose and council member Bill McGuire proposing an outright referendum on the matter, the backlash against ATS’s cameras has become so strong that the council will next week discuss the possibility of eliminating them.
Federal Order Formalizes Agreement Between Flagler Sheriff and ACLU Ending Postcard-Only Mail at Jail
Flagler County Sheriff Jim Manfre had nothing to do with a sadistic postcard-only mail policy at the Flagler County jail when he was targeted by an ACLU lawsuit charging First Amendment violations. A federal judge formalized the final settlement of that lawsuit on Thursday.
An Everlasting Horror Reenacted and Remembered as CRT Ends Season With 2 Holocaust Shows
Adam Fisher’s “An Everlasting Name” and Charlotte Raspanti “I Never Saw Another Butterfly” give voice to children and survivors of the Holocaust in a pair of productions ending City Repertory Theatre’s third season at City Market Place, starting this weekend.
Unemployment Falls Sharply to 6.3% as Economy Adds Nearly 300,000 Jobs, But Labor Pool Shrinks
People are reentering the workforce, they’re applying for work, they’re finding jobs, with an economy in April adding more net jobs for the 50th consecutive month–ironically, one of the longest peace-time recoveries on record, following the Great Recession of 2007-08. But a huge number of people are also leaving the workforce. That has resulted in an unemployment report for April that looks very bright at first, but that dims somewhat when analyzed more closely.
Nellie, 61, World’s Oldest Dolphin in Captivity, Dies at Marineland’s Dolphin Adventure
Nellie, the oldest Atlantic bottlenose dolphin in human care, was born at Marineland’s Dolphin Adventure in 1953 and exceeded her life expectation by at least three decades and making an impact in television and stadium shows before she died on Thursday.
Flagler Seeks, Flagler Wins: Bill Restoring Vacation-Rental Regulation Authority Passes House and Heads for Scott’s Desk
The Flagler County Commission has been leading the fight to overturn a 2011 state law prohibiting the regulation of short-term rentals. Thursday morning, the Florida Senate voted 37-2 to give back some home-rule authority to local governments. The House approved the measure 90-27 on Wednesday, sealing a major victory for Flagler County.
75 MPH Speed Limit on Some Highways Nears Reality as Bill Goes to Gov. Scott
After a sometimes-emotional debate, a divided Florida House on Wednesday gave final approval to a proposal that could lead to 75 mph speed limits on some highways. The House voted 58-56 to pass the bill (SB 392), which was backed by the Senate last week.
For 2nd Time in 6 Weeks, a Flagler Judge Declares Palm Coast’s Red-Light Camera System “Improper” and Issues Stern Order
After a hearing on red-light camera citations where Palm Coast was, inappropriately, a no-show, Flagler County Judge Melissa Moore-Stens on Wednesday ordered the city to show why it was circumventing the court’s authority by telling drivers they could settle their camera citations by directly paying the city rather than follow legally required steps–and pay fines–through the court system.
John Allan Waugaman, 53, of Palm Coast, Survives Suicide Attempt Off Flagler Beach Bridge
John Allan Waugaman, 53, of Marbella Court in Palm Coast jumped off the north side of the Flagler Beach Bridge early Monday morning but survived the suicide attempt as two men helped him to shore below.
Despite Scott’s Policy and PR Assault, Crist Maintains 10-Point Lead in Latest Poll
Despite two months of high-profile policy initiatives designed to boost Gov. Rick Scott’s re-election campaign and sagging numbers against former Gov. Charlie Crist, the latest Quinnipiac University Poll shows Crist maintaining a healthy 10-point lead over the incumbent, a two-point improvement since late January, before the legislative session and Scott’s PR onslaught got under way. Crist’s lead is especially pronounced among Independents.
Cyclist Janet Schutte, 77, Critical After a Collision With an SUV on Palm Coast’s White View Parkway
Janet Schutte, 77, a long-time resident of Wood Cedar Drive in Palm Coast, was struck by an SUV as she rode her bicycle on White View Parkway in Palm Coast early Tuesday morning, though she rode along the parkway’s well-marked bike paths.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Flagler and Palm Coast Until 7 p.m.
The National Weather Service in Jacksonville issued a severe thunderstorm warning shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday for Flagler County and Palm Coast, among other areas in Northeast Florida, effective until 7 p.m.
Hunting Camp Rape Case: Charges Against 3 Men Dropped as Defense Denounces Prosecution’s “Lies”
13 months after the alleged incident, charges were dropped against Charles Cowart and Daniel and Frank Goggans for lack of evidence that they engaged in anything but consensual sex and partying with a woman they picked up in Flagler Beach. Defense attorney Marc Dwyer accused prosecutors of pursuing a case with scant evidence and shoddy tactics. Charges against a fourth man, Kurt Benjamin, may be dropped in May.
As Florida House Opens Schools to Guns, Lawmaker Declares Gun-Free Zones “The Most Dangerous Places in America”
In a debate that showed sharp divisions about how best to protect children and teachers, the Florida House on Monday approved a bill, 71-44, that could lead to some public-school employees or volunteers carrying guns on campus.
“Growing Up Fisher” Is Perpetuating Stereotypes About Blind People
“It’s hard for me not to cringe,” writes Kathi Wolfe, a legally blind writer, when the main character on Growing Up Fisher “does things that most blind people in real life would rarely, if ever, do. He hits cars in crosswalks with his white cane, checks his guide dog into a restaurant cloakroom, chops down trees with a chainsaw, and takes his clients’ cars for rides.”
Pit Bull That Killed 3 Dogs Last Week Attacks a Cat, Then a Cop, Before Being Shot
David LaBrie Jr., a Palm Coast resident, is a two-tour veteran of the war in Afghanistan and a seven-year veteran of the Ormond Beach Police Department. His very brief encounter with a pit bull early this morning went less well than his tours, and ended with LaBrie sustaining several bites and the dog dead from two gunshots.
Wings Over Flagler Leader and Bunnell Director Arrested on Drunk Driving Charges Over the Weekend
Bill Mills, a lead organizer, with WNZF, of Wings Over Flagler since the event’s inception four years ago and its rejuvenation this past weekend, was arrested just before midnight on Friday night on the Flagler Beach Bridge. Mick Cuthbertson, Bunnell’s community development director, was arrested early Sunday morning after going against traffic on U.S. 1 and crashing into a car.
Late-Night Session Nears Agreement on $75 Billion Budget, Including Increase in Student Funding
After two days of what appeared to be faltering negotiations the deals were a sign that lawmakers could finish the budget and have it on lawmakers’ desks by Tuesday. The legislative session is scheduled to end Friday, and lawmakers are required to wait 72 hours before voting on the completed budget.
Wings Over Flagler: Rockin’ the Runways Edition Flies In For Weekend of Roars
Some 30 plans and a half dozen musical acts will highlight the revived and renamed Wings Over Flagler event at Flagler County Airport Friday and Saturday. The event wasn’t held last year, but a new partnership between WNZF, the county and Wings organizers ensured that returned this spring.
Disturbance Call Leads Cops to Trove of Thefts in Flagler Beach, Including a Palm Coast Solar Panel
Hunter S. Watson, 24, of 1636 South Daytona Avenue in Flagler Beach was arrested and charged with grand theft and burglary Thursday in connection with a series of thefts that allegedly included a golf cart and a solar panel that belongs to the city of Palm Coast.
Jacksonville Symphony Returns for Sunday Picnics and Pops Concert, With a Prayer to the Rain Gods
Last year’s Picnics and Pops concert in Palm Coast’s Central Park had to be cancelled because of rain. The Jacksonville Symphony is bringing essentially the same program that was rained out, under the direction of Morihiko Nakahara.
Matanzas High School Junior Kathryn Perez Named Runner-Up in New York Times Editorial Writing Contest
Kathryn Perez, a witty, self-assured 16-year-old junior who started writing when she was about 5, caught the attention of the New York Times judges with a counterintuitive editorial celebrating Barbie’s feminist virtues.
250-Mile, Coast-to-Coast Bike Trail
Across Central Florida Nears Reality
Sen. Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, thanked House members for supporting his Coast-to-Coast bike-trail connector, which was vetoed last year by Gov. Rick Scott when lawmakers backed the project as a $50 million item.
Progress Florida Launches Executive Accountability Project as Culture of Secrecy Pervades Scott Administration
The culture of self-serving deal-making that grips many of our state capitals has operated essentially in secret, relying on tactics to avoid Government in the Sunshine laws and a lack of public attention. The Executive Accountability Project will focus on providing the public a never-before-seen look at the inner workings of how their elected officials are conducting “the people’s” business behind closed doors.
In Clearest Pro-Immigrant Shift Yet, Gov. Scott Demands a Senate Vote on In-State Tuition for Undocumented
The governor, who originally came to office threatening to crack down on undocumented immigrants, said Tuesday that his opinion on the issue was shaped by stories he’s heard from students who grew up in Florida and would benefit from being able to pay the cheaper, in-state tuition rates.
Latest Beer-Sale Proposal Protects Big Distributors as Craft Brewers Are Limited to 2,000 Off-Site Kegs
A Senate proposal that would allow small craft brewers to directly sell beer in bottles and cans, as long as they limit to 2,000 kegs how much beer is made for off-site sales, continues to leave a bad taste for the growing industry.
On Again: Carver Center Auction Opens Bids for Safaris, Bowling, Pizza in a Commissioner’s Home (BYOB) and More
The popular Carver Center Online Auction is back for the fourth year, with some 67 items to bid on through the rest of the month as Bunnell’s Carver Center foundation hopes to yet again raise at least $5,000. It has done so quite successfully in previous years.
A Film Studio Grows in Palm Coast: 10th Voyage Nurtures Zombies and Ambitions
Operating from a plain-looking office complex in Palm Coast’s Hargrove Grade, 10th Voyage Studio is the creation of three young men–Patrick Appolonia, Scott Nance, and Lenny Mosco–who believe that the days of bigness in film-making are over: they’re poised to make technology and versatility pay in a city with little competition.
Sheriff’s Deputies Waiting Tables at Bob Evans in Special Olympics Fund-Raiser Tuesday, Ahead of Saturday Torch Run
Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies will be waiting tables at Bob Evans restaurant in Palm Coast on Tuesday, April 22, from 4 to 8 p.m. in a fund-raiser for the Special Olympics, and on Saturday morning, a torch run through Flagler will begin at the Woody’s Barbecue parking lot.
0-For-5: In latest Blow to Scott, U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Appeal on Drug-Testing State Workers
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision not to take up the case means that the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling stands: Drug tests can’t be justified constitutionally for many of the 85,000 workers who would have been subject to Scott’s policy. The two sides continue to carry out a painstaking process of looking at different categories of workers to determine whether some could be subject to drug testing — a process stemming from the appeals court ruling.
A Rabbi, a Priest and a Bible Walk Into a Seminar: An Interfaith Class in Palm Coast Delivers Weekly Punchlines
Every week since December at St. Thomas Church in Palm Coast, Rabbi Merrill Shapiro and Rev. Robert Elfvin have led an interfaith seminar, open to all, on the Bible as it is read through Jewish and Christian eyes. No ideas are out of bounds and some are off the wall, but participants find it bracing, eye-opening and overdue. Ezra Salkin reports.
Florida State University’s Rape Problem: Football First, Morals Later
The Jameis Winston revelations are one more reminder of just how far universities and their apologists are willing to go to protect the multibillion-dollar enterprise that we call “college sports.” What is the cost to the women at Florida State—and the parents who send them there–who surely can have no illusions about what will happen if they dare to cry rape?
Dream Act’s Florida Push Dies as Senate Panel Kills Proposal to Give In-State Tuition to Undocumented Immigrants
Supporters of the bill seemed taken aback by the news, which came less than a week after Sen. Jack Latvala, the Clearwater Republican who sponsored the bill, announced that half the Senate had agreed to join him in sponsoring the measure. Latvala and Negron are locked in a battle over the Senate presidency for the session beginning after the 2016 elections.