With the withdrawal of Oceanside Grill owner John Lulgjuraj, Jane Mealy and Steve Settle were automatically re-elected to the Flagler Beach City Commission, making the March 5 election unnecessary.
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Florida’s Ex-GOP Chairman Jim Greer Pleads Guilty to Theft and Money Laundering, Ending Circus
The guilty plea set off a round of political finger-pointing in Tallahassee, with Republicans laying the blame for the debacle on Crist, a newly-minted Democrat who could challenge current GOP Gov. Rick Scott in 2014. Democrats, meanwhile, tried to tag the RPOF with Greer’s ethical baggage.
In Fischer Hit-and-Run Case, Prosecution Ties 11-Hour Silence to Criminal Behavior
That Jamesine Fischer stayed at the scene of the fatal accident that took the life of 76-year-old Françoise Pécqueur in November 2011, the prosecution argued in court today, doesn’t diminish the fact that she never reported the accident to authorities until 11 hours later, a fact central to the prosecution’s case as it was revealed today.
Flagler Fire Flight and Other Strike Teams Helping Volusia Battle Blaze Near County Line
What started as a controlled burn near Barberville in northwest Volusia County went out of control this afternoon, growing first to 100 acres, then possibly doubling in size by 4:30 p.m., according to Flagler County Fire Chief Don Petito. The fire was sending smoke and the familiar, acrid smell of burning brush wafting over portions of Palm Coast and Bunnell.
Angel Roman, Guilty of Brutalizing Kittens, Sentenced to Treatment, Not Prison
Flagler Circuit Judge David Walsh sentenced Angel Roman to one year of community control and four years of probation, saying the days of sending mentally ill people to prison for animal cruelty “are long gone.”
Thomas Gilmore Masse, Formerly of Yale, Is Stetson’s New Dean of Music
Thomas Gilmore Masse has been named the next Dean and Professor of Music of Stetson University School of Music. Masse joins Stetson from Yale University where he serves as Associate Provost for the Arts.
Ten Tenors Rekindle Flagler Love Affair With Two Shows at the Auditorium
The Ten Tenors, an Australian group that’s been coming to the Flagler Auditorium for years, is among the rarest of acts that commands two shows locally. The Ten Tenors will perform Feb. 11 and 12.
John Fischer’s Hate Speech
In twice calling for a return of school prayer in the last three weeks, Flagler County School Board member John Fischer did so not from good will but out of angry resentment for “special interests” and “political correctness” that he claims are standing in the way of “our rights.” He is offensively wrong, and the school board should resist his call to prayer.
Partisan Vote Approves 401k Plan for State Workers’ Retirement as Showdown Looms
The measure passed the House Government Operations Subcommittee after a contentious and at times emotional three-and-a-half-hour meeting. The bill would require all employees who begin working for the state on or after Jan. 1 to join a “defined contribution” plan.
Light, Poetry, Action: Hollingsworth and Art League’s New Shows Look to Raise Roofs
The Flagler County Art League opens its second annual Art & Poetry Show this evening as Hollingsworth Gallery opens its fourth annual Members’ Show. Both events, near each other, are free and feature a wine and cheese reception from 6 to 9 p.m.
Rather Than Allow Middle School Gay-Straight Alliance, Lake Board Plans Ban on All Clubs
A group of students at Carver Middle School in Lake County, Fla. have tried to establish a GSA, saying the student-led club is needed to address name-calling, bullying and harassment in school. In response to the students request, the Lake County School Board has begun the process of banning every non-curricular club at every school in the district rather than follow their legal obligation to recognize the GSA at Carver Middle School.
Deputies Defuse Tense, 4-Hour Stand-Off With Armed Offender Near Seminole Woods
It was the 84th time since 2008 that Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies were responding to William Sitton’s house, where he had barricaded himself in a bedroom, gesticulating about Satan and daring deputies to shoot him. The stand-off was resolved when deputies fired bean rounds and mace.
Sheriff Seeking Public’s Help to ID Theft Suspect
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in identifying a man who used a stolen credit card at a local tire store. Two images are provided. A reward of up to $1,000 is offered.
Man Thrown Off ATV in Mud Muckers’ Park Is Evacuated by Fire Flight
In later afternoon Friday, a frequent visitor to Mud Muckers, riding an all-terrain vehicle at no more than 20 miles an hour, according to authorities at the scene, somehow lost control deep in the woods off State Road 11 and was thrown from the vehicle, precipitating a trauma alert.
Three-Year Effort to Abolish Death Penalty in Florida Fails in 9-4 Justice Committee Vote
The rare vote to kill a bill in committee, rather than just bottling it up never to be heard, gave death penalty opponents their first chance to extensively argue for a repeal, following several years in which the measure’s sponsor, Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, has been unable to persuade Republican leaders to put the bill before a committee.
The Missing Link in Ever-Rising Health Care Costs: Personal Responsibility
Car insurance costs go down when drivers drive responsibly for a few years. A similar approach to health care could help bring costs down, but first, Milissa Holland argues, people must take responsibility for their own health and lifesrtyles–and the way they seek out medical help: the ER is usually not the answer.
County and Bunnell Buy Plantation Bay Utility for $5.5 Million in Hurried Late-Night Deal
The two governments late Wednesday evening jointly voted to buy the troubled Plantation Bay utility, a wreckage of a 28-year-old water and sewer system serving about 1,600 customers, most of them in Volusia County, plunging Flagler County in the utility business.
Drones Among Us: Florida Police Want Video Surveillance Power Over Big Sports Events
Bill sponsor Sen. Joe Negron and police couldn’t agree on the use of drones as extra eyes in the sky at large-crowd events, such as a football game, with Negron saying monitoring crowds goes too far – and that he’d vote against his own bill (SB 92) if it were changed to allow that.
Drinking On the Job Aside, Investigation Finds a Broken Flagler Beach Fire Department
Four Flagler Beach firefighters, including the fire chief, broke the city’s zero-tolerance policy on drinking on the job, but the independent investigation broadened to find a severely dysfunctional fire department riven by cliques, lacking authority and pointing tio disturbing acts such as record falsification.
DNA Leads Back to Two Men Wanted for 2009 Armed Robbery of Palm Coast Bank
Four years after their armed and violent robbery of Floridian Bank on Palm Coast’s Boulder Rock Drive, Antonio Clark and Antonio Aviles, both 27, were arrested thanks to DNA evidence from clothing they’d discarded after the robbery. They’d stolen $1,661.
Integrity Report Critical of Enterprise Florida as an Obstacle to Job Creation Is Itself Tainted
Questionable bonuses, conflicts of interest and a ‘pay to play’ mentality is hampering taxpayer driven economic development efforts, according to a study conducted by Integrity Florida and paid for by Americans for Prosperity/Florida, a conservative advocacy group funded in large part by the Koch brothers.
Coastal Cloud, a Next-Generation Computing Management Firm, Unveils Plan for 100 Jobs
Coastal Cloud is a newly-formed subsidiary of Graphene LLC, a computing consultancy, that will provide cloud-based data management services while hiring locally some 100 jobs over three years, at an average wage of $46,500, the company announced to the county’s economic development council today.
Palm Coast Council Heavily Criticized Over Planned 22% Water Rate Hike
The Palm Coast City Council Tuesday evening weathered a verbal barrage of questions and criticism from 15 people upset at the city’s plan to finance $78 million in water and sewer charges over the next five years, in part by raising water rates 22 percent in the next three years. But little change is expected.
Flagler School Board Approves Posting Cops at All Elementary Schools Through Year’s End
The doubling of cops to cover all of Flagler County’s 11 public schools would bring the total school-cop program cost to between $1 million and $1.2 million. The district’s share would be less than half, but would still require dipping into savings–or cutting programs–because the district has no money budgeted for additional security.
Gulag Glimmers: Fewer Florida Ex-Felons Re-Offending after Prison, Freeing Beds
The percentage of inmates who commit another crime within three years of release has dropped from 33 percent for those freed as of 2003 to 27.6 percent for those freed as of 2008, reducing the total number of inmates admitted.
T-Bone Crash at U.S. 1 and Commerce in Palm Coast Sends 2 to Hospital
Two sedans collided in a T-bone crash at the intersection of U.S. 1 and Commerce Boulevard in Palm Coast just after noon Tuesday, sending a man and a woman to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Flagler Has Its Own Stand Your Ground Case As Paul Miller Invokes It in Mulhall Shooting
Doug Williams, defense attorney for Paul Miller, the 66-year-old Flagler Beach resident who shot and killed unarmed neighbor Dana Mulhall in an argument last year, will try to dismiss the second degree murder charge against Miller by invoking Florida’s stand your ground law. But The defense faces an uphill battle, and the move may be merely tactical ahead of the trial.
Wildfire Laps to Within Inches of P-Section House, a Reminder of Tinder Season
A wildfire broke out at 2:15 Monday afternoon on Porpoise Lane at the southeast corner of Palm Coast’s P Section, near Royal Palm Parkway, and burned within inches of a house, melting a segment of a backyard fence and a few soffits before firefighters stopped the flames, which devoured a third of an empty lot next to the house.
Lea Stokes, Former Flagler Chamber Chairman, Arrested on 2nd Drunk Driving Charge
Lea Ann Stokes, who heads Flagler Beach’s Preferred Management Services, was on the way to a Super Bowl party Sunday evening when she was arrested in Flagler Beach, and tried unsuccessfully to use her connections to get out of the arrest.
Medicare Advantage Works As Long As You’re Healthy, But Boots Off Neediest Patients
People leaving medicare Advantage for traditional Medicare are have higher levels of significant health problems, fueling concerns that the private plans cater to more profitable, healthy beneficiaries but don’t provide the most attractive care for the very ill.
Minor Injuries to 4, Including a Student, as FPC School Bus Rear-Ends a Van on Belle Terre
A Flagler County school bus with 27 high school students on board rear-ended a Dodge minivan at the intersection of Pine Grove Parkway and Belle Terre Boulevard Monday morning, sending three people to the hospital with minor injuries. A fourth victim–a student–had minor injuries and declined medical attention.
School Security’s Buy-A-Cop Delusions
The Flagler County School board this week will debate adoption of a new security plan that includes adding armed cops in elementary schools. The approach would be costly, ineffective, and more emotional than intelligent. Smarter approaches–and far greater priorities–abound.
For Children’s Advocates, Scott’s “Florida Families First” Budget Blurs Reactions
Backers of early childhood education and an expansion of Medicaid were disappointed, educators were guardedly happy about raises, and others applauded more money for prevention services to keep youths out of the juvenile justice system, plus $145,360 for juvenile health and mental health.
Week In Review: The Return of Candidate Rick Scott and Other Surprises
Rick Scott, the little-known, populist, former tea party politician emerged this week as a sweet-talking alternative to the Rick Scott who got elected in 2010 promising to be stingy and mean, to “Get to Work” at slashing the size of government.
Trey Corbett, Former Elections Supervisor Candidate, Cleared of Alleged Ethics Violation
In a footnote to one of the most contentious local elections of 2012, Trey Corbett, a candidate for Flagler County Supervisor of Elections, was cleared of ethics violations by the Florida Commission on Ethics.
As Flagler Beach Sees a Fortune From Parking Fees, Locals See Only Alienated Tourists
Flagler Beach government could make up to $3 million over 5 years by turning its streets into revenue-generating parking slots, but the city manager’s proposal faces stiff-but not unanimous–opposition from local residents and businesses, who fear jeopardizing the city’s charms and its appeal to tourists.
M. Louis, Palm Coast’s Oldest Salon, Defies Economy With a Spa Expansion
M. Louis’s Beauty Factor Spa, holding an open house Sunday (Feb. 3) at the salon’s new location, is an indication that small businesses in Palm Coast can still find ways to expand and broaden their reach despite the slow economy.
Florida Taxpayers Asked to Subsidize Pro Soccer on Top of NFL, NBA and Other Sports
Up to two Major League Soccer franchises would be eligible for subsidies given to other pro sports teams in Florida under a bill filed in the Legislature, a nod to Orlando’s bid to bring an MLS team to the area.
U.S. Economy Adds 600,000 Jobs in 3 Months, But Unemployment Edges Up to 7.9%
The nation’s economy added 157,000 jobs in January, and revisions to November and December figures added 127,000 jobs to previous calculations, for a total of 600,000 new jobs in the last three months. Still, the unemployment rate went up a fraction, to 7.9 percent: job growth hasn’t been robust enough to go beyond the natural growth in the workforce.
Eyeing Re-Election, Scott Ends Austerity: $4 Billion Extra Spending in $74.2 Billion Budget
Gov. Rick Scott’s $74.2 billion budget proposal unveiled Thursday is the largest in the state’s history and includes a $4 billion spending increase that targets constituencies Scott hopes to win back as he seeks re-election in 2014, among them teachers, environmentalists and what state workers will remain on the payroll.
The Problem With Florida’s Medicaid Program Isn’t Cost. It’s Too Many Working Poor.
Florida has too many working poor whose employers don’t provide health insurance. Rather than complaining about the costs of coverage, we should try to increase the earnings of our people, argues Rick Outzen.
Three-Vehicle Wreck Hurts 3 and Closes Florida Park Dr. at Fawn Lane Almost 3 Hours
A three-vehicle crash shut down Florida Park Drive in Palm Coast between Fawn Lane and Fayette Lane shortly after 2 p.m. Thursday afternoon. Three people were hurt, none with life-threatening injuries.
A Shooting in Woodlands Leads to Arrest, 2nd Shooting at Madison Green Does Not
Flagler County sheriff’s deputies and paramedics were busy Wednesday night with two shootings in Palm Coast. One, in the Woodlands, was related to a domestic fight between a married couple, and led to the husband’s arrest. The other took place at Madison Green Apartments, injuring a man. The shooter, in that case, is still at […]
Rebecca DeLorenzo Strengthens Chamber President Candidacy With New Designation
Rebecca DeLorenzo, the interim president at the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce and Affiliates, has earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Association leadership, the highest professional credential in the association industry. The designation burnishes her already substantial credentials as she aims for the permanent presidency of the chamber.
Beyond Doctor’s Orders: When Health and Fitness Are Not Always a Matter of Choice
The discipline it takes aside, getting healthy can be costly, writes Milissa Holland, in many more ways than one: healthy food is more expensive, exercise isn’t always as easy as deciding to do it, and even health insurance plans for the poor are becoming intractable. An invitation to discuss a central issue in most people’s lives.
Gov. Scott Floats $1.2 Billion Boost to Education, Including $480 Million for Teachers
Scott’s $2,500-a-year raise for Florida teachers, costing $480 million, would be included in the $1.2 billion increase for K-12 education, which would add to last year’s $1 billion increase, yet the total, if approved, would still be off the all-time high for per-student education funding.
Lt. Steve Cole Will Be Sheriff’s Point Man On Growing School Cops and Victims’ Beats
Cole’s appointment might have been routine in any other year. But the use of school resource officers is the leading issue for the Flagler County School Board in the wake of the Newtwon school shooting, and ahead of a Feb. 5 meeting on the school district’s revamped security plans.
Economic Growth Contracts By 0.1 Percent In Worst Showing Since 2009, With Asterisks
It is a sharp and unexpected decline from the previous quarter’s 3.1 percent growth rate, but may be due top one-time shocks, including a 22 percent decline in military spending and Hurricane Sandy. Several indicators, including personal spending and saving and residential investment, are encouraging.
Flagler’s Tourism Council Would Relax Rules Governing Subsidies for Special Events
The changes, affecting $100,000 in bed-tax dollars county government, through the tourism council, awards organizations that put on special events, would dispense with the requirement that organizations spend the money advertising their event, and would allow them to spend it on incidental expenses that may be more difficult to track.
When Doctor-Assisted Suicide Is the Humane Option
In oncologists’ offices and Alzheimer’s nursing homes, illness is not “a portrait in blacks and whites, but unending shades of gray, involving the most profound of personal, moral, and religious questions.” Including when may it be right to help end a life.