Firefighter-paramedics from every agency save people every day, but when the same employer signs the checks of the person saved–PIO Carl Laundrie–and his saviors, the intersection lends itself to the sort of recognition the county commission organized at the top of its meeting Monday evening.
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Weekend Blotter: An Argument Over Kitty Litter, Another Over Sex, Land 2 in Jail
Avelino Garon, 59, of Palm Coast was accused of threatening his wife’s life after allegedly threatening to throw a cat against the wall during an argument over its kitty litter. Separately, Christina Quintanilla was accused of aggravated assault against Jessica Nagledinger, whom she accused of having oral sex with her husband.
Democrats’ Allie Braswell Withdraws from CFO Race as Bankruptcies Are Uncovered
Allie Braswell, who last week was rolled out as the Democrats’ first high-profile challenger for a state Cabinet post, ended his campaign Monday following revelations that he had filed for bankruptcy three times, most recently in 2008.
Al Jazeera America Lands, Kids Riot in Polk County, Executioners Cry For Drugs
Al Jazeera America, launching Tuesday, is CNN’s and Fox’s latest competitor, juveniles riot at a Polk County prison, Rick Scott shows how to pay to get him to play, Richard Ford offers his 10 tips to be a fiction writer, and some magic from Alexander Calder.
13-Year-Old Boy On a Bike Struck By SUV at Belle Terre and Ponce de Leon
Just after Buddy Taylor Middle School let out, a boy of about 13 riding his bike south along the northbound lanes of Belle Terre Parkway was struck by a pick-up truck as the boy was crossing Ponde de Leon at 1:38 this afternoon. He was slightly injured.
Sticker Shock: How Bunnell Rang Up a $24,000 Legal Bill Its First Month With a New Attorney
The $24,000 July bill from City Attorney Lonnie Groot and his firm amounts to almost half the city’s entire annual budget for legal services. Groot and commissioners said the fee is the result of several high-profile cases, but commissioners and staff alone rang up $7,363 in billable hours.
Tallahassee For Sale: Six Lobbying Firms Collect More Than $1 Million Each
Bolstered by huge paydays from some clients, at least six lobbying firms, including the Southern Strategy Group, collected $1 million or more in legislative lobbying fees between April 1 and June 30.
Three Occupants Pulled from 41-Foot Hatteras Yacht Sinking in Intracoastal in Flagler Beach
A 41-foot Hatteras yacht carrying three people began sinking in the Intracoastal Waterway after 10 a.m. Saturday. The boat was listing severely, but was still afloat around noon, with several people in and out of it, trying to salvage it. No one was injured.
James Wolfe, Popular English Teacher and Coach at Matanzas, Accused of Sex With a Student
James Wolfe, a successful cross country coach at Matanzas, was arrested and charged with seven counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, whom he allegedly drugged, based on allegations dating back to between August 2010 and May 2011, when the alleged victim was 16.
Alertness Leads to Arrest of 2 Suspected Burglars in the Act, Texts Lead to Their Accomplice
Three young Ohio residents–Haylie Harger, her fiancee Corey Shaw and Michael Pettit–are accused of attempting to burglarize Truss Systems in Palm Coast on U.S. 1, but were caught in the act, with Harger leading cops to her location after texting her fiancee–who by then was at the Flagler County jail.
Child Trauma-Evacuated, 2 Adults Injured After 2-Vehicle Wreck on Royal Palms and US1
A child had to be evacuated on a trauma alert and two adults–each driver of the two cars involved–were taken to Florida Hospital Flagler with less serious injuries after a 2:30 p.m. wreck at the intersection of U.S. 1 and Royal Palms Parkway in Palm Coast.
Kevin Spearmon Leads Police on Yet Another Chase, Ending With Taser, Jail and No Bond
Kevin Spearmon of Palm Coast has repeatedly been arrested–and served a prison sentence–for fleeing police and doing drugs. He was arrested again for the same reasons Thursday, when he was in the company of a 16-year-old girl, and was subdued after another chase in the P-Section and a Taser shot to the back before being taken to jail where he’s being held without bond.
Florida Unemployment Stuck at 7.1% For 3d Month, Flagler’s at 10.3% On Low-Pay Jobs
The national economy, Florida’s and Flagler County’s might as well be the three twins of lethargy: all three economies are mirroring each other in fitful but anemic activity, adding some but mostly low-paying jobs as Florida’s unemployment rate remains at 7.1 percent for the third straight month and Flagler’s continues in the low double digits, at 10.3 percent.
Team Feed Flagler Kicks Off Food Drives at Local Events
Team Feed Flagler, the annual community Thanksgiving meal and food drive led and chiefly sponsored by Flagler County government, has scheduled several drop-off locations for donated food over the next three months. Chart included.
After 31 Days, Dream Defenders
End Their Protest at the Florida Capitol
Dream Defender leaders said they’ll carry their campaign against the “stand your ground” self-defense law and what they consider other forms of racial bias to the polls, trying to defeat the elected officials who opposed their demands, including Gov. Rick Scott, who is up for re-election next year.
Marco Rubio’s Redemption Tour, Egypt’s Day of Shame, North Carolina’s Tarred Legacy
Marco Rubio is trying to get back into his tea party graces for all the wrong reasons, Robert Fisk nails the Egyptian army’s mass murders, North Carolina retreats to the dark ages, synthetic pot’s owners are imprisoned, students discover a new ADHD high.
Early Morning Fire Demolishes Flagler Beach’s Iconic Seaside Shoppe; Bayer Office Saved
Flagler Beach’s iconic Seaside Shoppe, for two decades a mainstay of the city’s commercial life, was demolished by an early morning fire the owner detected at 4 a.m. when she smelled smoke.
Palm Coast’s Landon Digs In Heels Against Elections Supervisor “Demands” For Early Voting Arrangement
The Palm Coast City Council is backing City Manager Jim Landon’s decision to charge the elections supervisor for early voting use of the Community Center on Palm Coast Parkway, while the supervisor shows equal intransigeance as she refuses to accept a smaller room Landon is ready to make available for the 13 days of early voting at the center.
Breast Cancer Therapy Technique at Florida Hospital Flagler Now Reduces Radiation Exposure
The Prone Breast Board radiation therapy technique, allowing patients to rest on their stomach rather than their back, significantly decreases radiation exposure to the lungs and heart.
Not Enough Votes for a Special Session on Stand Your Grounds, But Protest Continues
Republicans have returned enough “no” votes in a poll of legislators to quash the idea of a special session to address the state’s stand your ground law, yet the Dream Defenders, a group of protesters whose around-the-clock sit-in at the Capitol stretched to a 30th day on Wednesday, are not quitting.
Battle of the Trees: Palm Coast Slams Lawsuit’s “Inaccuracies” By Citing Inaccuracies of Its Own
In an unusually long and defensive press release, Palm Coast counters an attempted injunction by Dennis McDonald–to stop the cutting of trees around Palm Harbor–by calling his claims “inaccurate” and “misleading,” even as the city itself makes flatly inaccurate claims about the age of trees it is about to remove, among other issues.
Severe Weather Alert for Palm Coast and Rest of Flagler Until 7 PM
The National Weather Service issued a significant weather advisory for the county and , along with southeastern Putnam and northeastern Marion, in effect until 7 p.m. as Flagler emergency dispatchers have summoned all district volunteer firefighters to their stations to assist with numerous issues such as downed power lines and trees.
Fish and Wildlife Asking Public to Report Sightings of 3 Rare Snake Species
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists are asking the public to report sightings of three rare snake species–Florida pine snake, southern hognose snake and short-tailed snake–to help with research.
Art For Shock’s Sake: The Business and Aesthetic of Rejection
Peter Cerreta, the Palm Coast artist who had a work of his own rejected at the “Monsters of Bigotry” show at Hollingsworth Gallery, adds his perspective to the debate about art that belongs (or doesn’t) in galleries and museums, concluding that “not every piece that shocks for shock’s sake” does.
Sorry, Teachers: Don’t Yet Bank on Debit Cards for Classroom Supplies Gov. Scott Promised
Gov. Rick Scott touted the $250, tax-free debit cards as he talked about education issues across the state, but as of Tuesday, more than 130,000 teachers out of Florida’s 170,000 are not in line to get one of the Chase debit cards this year.
Nickel and Diming County Foregoes Program That Would Have Reduced Jail Population
The Flagler County judge and sheriff had supported a proposed pre-trial release program that would have kept low-grade, non-violent offenders out of jail, saving them money in the short term and the county money in the long term, but the county commission eliminated the proposal as part of a $400,000 cut from next year’s budget proposal.
Red-Light Running Causes 2-Vehicle Wreck on Palm Coast Parkway and Boulder Rock, Hurting 2
Emily Palisoc, a 16-year-old Palm Coast resident and former Miss Junior Flagler County, and Rute Costa, 30, collied at the intersection and were both sent to Florida Hospital Flagler. Red-light cameras will reveal which of the two ran a red light.
After Two Stays, Supreme Court Clears Marshall Lee Gore For Year’s Fourth Execution
Rejecting arguments that he should avoid lethal injection because he is insane, the Florida Supreme Court on Tuesday approved the execution of Marshall lee Gore, convicted of killing two women in 1988 in Miami-Dade and Columbia counties.
“Podunk,” “Bad Faith” and Bigotry as Bunnell Votes 3-1 to Advertise for a New City Manager
Three Bunnell city commissioners would not give Manager Armando Martinez more than $80,000 a year. He would not accept less than $97,500. The difference was only one of the cleavers that produced another ugly, late-night wrangle on the commission, featuring offensive language and a commissioner walking out.
Stop and Frisk Unconstitutional, Children on Steroids, Jeb Bush Goes Splat and Texting Deaths
A judge gives stop-and-frisk its overdue what-for, parents push steroids on their athlete children, a Tennessee judge’s Messiah complex, Werner Herzog’s haunting film on texting and driving, Larry David stands up again.
Sharps Liquor Again Target of Armed Robbery Followed By Shot Fired at Subway in Flagler Plaza
Sharps Liquor at Flagler Plaza was the target of an armed robbery late Monday night, the fourth time the store has been targeted by armed robbers in less than two years. The robbery may have failed. Moments later, a man fired a gun at the Subway sandwich shop adjacent to Sharps. No one was hurt. The suspect fled.
Stand Your Ground Special Session: Florida Democrats Invoke Unique Tactic in Hunt for Votes
Vastly outnumbered Democrats have a week to convince enough Republicans lawmakers to support a special session of the Legislature on the Stand Your Ground law. The Secretary of State’s office has to find 96 lawmakers to trigger such a session.
Elections Supervisor Wants to Expand Early Voting to Palm Coast Community Center. City’s Response: Pay Up
Even though Palm Coast City Council candidates will be on the ballot, the city is charging the Supervisor of Elections for use of the Community Center on Palm Coast Parkway as a second early voting location in the city, raising questions about cooperation from a city that has seen its voter turnouts fall drastically over the years.
Eric Holder Takes on the “War on Drugs,” Mandatory Sentences and Epidemic Imprisonment Rates
Attorney general Eric Holder on Monday delivered a seminal speech outlining a plan to revamp federal drug policy and incarceration rates of non-violent and elderly offenders, and urging Congress to review mandatory sentencing in light of a “war on drugs” that has not worked. The full speech.
A Sex Case for Romeo and Juliet’s Law, Revenge Vandalism and Caught in the Act: Weekend Round-Up
Todd Marine of Flagler Beach is accused of raping a 14-year-old girl, but the charge must be weighed against Florida’s Romeo and Juliet law. Bradley Sanguinetti is arrested in the alleged act of breaking into a car, and Tamara Natto is arrested for defacing her ex’s home with insulting suggestions.
Flagler Humane Society Truck Collides With Lexus at SR100 and CR302; Trauma Alert for 2
Anthony McKay, 32, was at the wheel of the Humane Society truck and Allyson Bennett, 32, and 4-year-old Aayden Samples were in the Lexus. Both adults were taken to Halifax. The boy appeared uninjured, and there were no animals aboard the truck.
Hillary’s Movie: Spoiler Alert
The Republican temper tantrum over the nascent NBC Hillary Clinton movie tells us only one thing: The GOP is scared to death of a Hillary presidential run. How else can you explain the weeping and whining over a film that hasn’t even been scripted, and may yet be produced by Fox Television Studios?
In God’s Name: Polk Sheriff Grady Judd, a Modern-Day Comstock, Is Elected State Sheriffs Association President
Grady Judd is known for his colorful language and controversial quotes, sometimes evoking Anthony Comstock, the head of the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice in the late 1800s, as he crusades against sex and porn and brandishes god’s name at every opportunity.
Oxycontin’s Biggest Pusher, Pardon Obsession, Boobies and Free Speech, Gen-X in Crisis
Oxycontin maker Purdue Pharma hides its list of abusive physicians, benefits of daydreaming, when Sartre and Camus were friends, an appeals court in defense of boobies, Schiff does Bach’s Italian Concerto, Florida’s tax evaders.
The Painting You Will Not See in Hollingsworth Gallery’s ‘Monster of Bigotry’ Show, and Why
Constance Payne’s “Will You Take Me Seriously Now” was top be part of the new “Monster of Bigotry” show at Palm Coast’s Hollingsworth Gallery, but only if Payne agreed to have it draped, because of its explicit content. She refused, calling it censorship. Gallery owner JJ Graham defends the decision on several grounds.
Carl Laundrie Recovering Well After Harrowing 24 Hours as Doctors Investigate
Carl Laundrie, the long-time public information officer for Flagler County government, was awake and conversant, and eating normal food, after nearly drowning when his SUV swerved into a pond near the county’s Emergency Operations Center in Bunnell Friday afternoon.
Teens Smash 17 Mailboxes on Palm Coast’s Wellshire Lane in Early Morning Spree
Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Oleksandr Podolskyy, 18, of Point Pleasant Drive in Palm Coast, in connection with the morning spree that left 17 mailboxes down on Wellshire Drive. Residents said one or two other younger boys were also arrested.
Lawmakers Will have $435 Million More to Work With in 2014 as Recovery Continues
The added revenue swells to $2 billion the net increase from this year’s budget in the general revenue, but lawmakers aren’t scheduled to take up the budget again until next spring’s legislative session, and other revenue forecasts are expected in the interim, meaning it will likely take awhile before the full budget picture is known.
Flagler Beach Murderer Paul Miller Is Moved to Dade Prison, 350 Miles from Home
Paul Miller, the 66-year-old Flagler Beach resident sentenced to life in prison in June for the murder of Dana Mulhall, may serve out his life sentence in South Florida if his ongoing appeal is unsuccessful.
Court Injunction Sought to Stop Palm Coast’s Tree Removal Around Palm Harbor Center
Calling Palm Coast’s tree removal illegal, resident Dennis McDonald filed an injunction in circuit court Thursday seeking to halt removals planned for road-widening and as part of a redevelopment of the Palm Harbor shopping center that may significantly alter the character of the area.
Predatory Human Traffickers Luring Teens and the Homeless as Cops Warn of Backyard Crisis
A nationwide crackdown last week by the FBI on child sex trafficking yielded 159 arrests and freed 105 children — nearly all girls between 13 and 17 — but experts say it’s the tip of the iceberg as 450,000 children run away from home each year and that one-third will be lured into prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home.
Silver Alert for Lionel Maloney, 79, of Palm Coast, Cancelled as He’s Found in North Carolina
The missing man is Lionel Victor Graham Maloney, 79, of 50 Brice Lane. He was last seen around 9:30 a.m. Maloney is 5′ 8”, weighs 165 lbs and has white hair and a white mustache. He was last seen wearing light blue jeans and a light blue shirt. Maloney is diabetic and suffers from severe dementia.
One Suspect Arrested, Police Looking for Another in Armed Home Invasion in St. Augustine
Benjamin Leon White, 20, 300 Whispering Circle in St. Augustine, was booked into the St. Johns County Jail where he remains in lieu of $250,000 bond Wednesday in connection with a home invasion/robbery that occurred early Monday morning. A second suspect is still being sought.
Cool to Sudden Roma Court Proposal, Flagler Sheriff Restates Preferences for Proximity
Flagler County Sheriff Jim Manfre was surprised by an unexpected proposal from the owner of Roma Court, the chronically vacant strip mall on Palm Coast Parkway, to lease the building to the county for sheriff’s operations, and cited several factors that fall outside his preferred options.
“I Did It”: Iron Man Bank Robbery Suspect Lakhram Mahadeo of Palm Coast, Is Arrested
Lakhram Mahadeo, a 2005 FPC graduate, was arrested Wednesday at his Palm Coast home and charged in connection of the June 20 bank robbery, in which the robber wore an Iron Man mask and stole $2,300. He’s being held on $100,000 bond.