A purse is stolen in the Publix parking lot from a car, under a 3-year-old child’s eyes, cars are broken into at the Fairfield Inn, a computer-repair scam strikes a Palm Coast resident, a deputy causes a wreck, and more incidents.
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Gov. Rick Scott Threatens to Remove Monroe’s Supervisor of Elections Over Early Voting
Gov. Rick Scott issued a statement Tuesday that some read as a veiled threat to the Monroe County supervisor of elections, escalating a conflict over early-voting days in the run-up to the November elections. Harry Sawyer, the Republican supervisor in Monroe, said Monday he didn’t support an effort by Secretary of State Ken Detzner […]
An 11-Year-Old Girl Begins Middle School on the Wings of Her Grandmother’s Legacy
Andrew Skerritt’s grandmother never went further than the third grade before she dropped out to help raise her younger siblings, yet the educational values she gave him will be passed down for generations, he writes.
Flagler School Board Hails Sales Tax Victory and Revenue But Readies to Lose $2 Million
As Sue Dickinson and Colleen Conklin took their seats after winning a fourth term, the school board learned that its sales tax revenue was up to $4.2 million, thanks to more sales activity in the county. But the district is also losing at least $2 million from the expiration of an unrelated tax by year’s end.
Skirting Landon’s Flogging of Cline Construction, Palm Coast Awards New Contract
The Palm Coast City Council awarded S.E. Cline Construction a $208,000 contract to build a water-control structure a week after City Manager Jim Landon argued to the council, harshly and publicly, that Cline was falling down on the job.
At the University of Florida, a War Over the Alligator’s Newspaper Racks
The University of Florida wants the independent Florida Alligator newspaper—which it does not own–to remove its orange racks from campus, and replace them with non-descript plastic bins. Bill Cotterell argues it’s not a First Amendment issue.
After 22 Years of Mostly Broken Promises, County Stops Hunter’s Ridge Development
The Flagler County Commission voted unanimously to stop all permitting on the 5,000-acre development that has yet to go beyond promises, while its developer has failed to meet a laundry list of county demands and requirements.
For $50,000, Flagler County Hires Marketing Firm to Buff Up Economic Development
The Flagler County Commission this evening approved a $50,000 contract with Orlando-based Solodev, a marketing and web-design firm that pledges to launch the county’s revamped economic development website by January 2013.
News-Journal Dynasty’s Post-Mortem: Federal Judge Snips Golden Parachutes’ Last Lines
A federal district judge ruled that Georgia Kaney, the News-Journal’s former publisher, and David R. Kendall, its former chief financial officer, must pay almost half a million dollars in legal fees Cox Newspapers incurred to avoid paying the pair $5.5 million in severance, the latest wrinkle in the collapse of the local newspaper dynasty.
Federal Court Rejects Provisions of Florida’s Early Voting Rules as Discriminatory to Blacks
Facing a potentially razor thin race in a critical swing state, a three-judge federal panel has rejected as discriminatory a provision of a state law passed last year that reduced the number of early voting days, but offered Florida election officials a way to make the changes comply with the federal Voting Rights Act.
Wallace Stevens Read by Bill Murray
Bill Murray reads two poems by Wallace Stevens, “The Planet on the Table” and “A Rabbit As King of the Ghosts” as part of Poets House’s 17th Annual Poetry Walk.
You’ll Shop for 43 Minutes a Day, But You Won’t Take 15 Minutes to Vote Every Two Years
Less than 16 percent of Florida’s eligible voters, and 20 percent of Flagler’s, cast a ballot in last Tuesday’s primary, once again reminding the world that Americans’s interest in community and citizenship is among the lowest of any democracies. Perhaps it’s time to make voting mandatory.
Disaster Recovery Days:
Rebuilding a Business After Hurricane Andrew
When Hurricane Andrews ravaged the physical location of the main offices of his electronic protection firm in Miami 20 years ago, Frank Gromling discovered new sources of ingenuity and rewards, despite, and at times because of, the struggles to rebuild.
Tea Party Mojo: What Ted Yoho, Republican Who Defeated Cliff Stearns, Stands For
Ted Yoho’s policy positions show him to be more than just a flame thrower with broad anti-government pronouncements. He unseated 12-term Congressman Cliff Stearns through a showman’s eye and the ability to use it to his campaign’s advantage.
Thelma Wagenhoffer, Who Drove Her Car Into Belle Terre Publix, Loses Her License
Thelma Wagenhoffer, the 76-year-old woman who drove her Toyota Camry through the glass entrance of the Publix Supermarket on Belle Terre Parkway on April 14, was found guilty of careless driving Thursday in Flagler County traffic court.
SUV Crosses Belle Terre, Flips Across Ditch And Through Backyard; One Woman Hurt
A Palm Coast nurse’s aid, was at the wheel of her Ford Escape SUV when she lost control going down Belle Terre Parkway at lunchtime and flipped through the backyard of a house on Point of Woods Drive. She was rtaken to Florida Hospital Flagler.
Unemployment Rises Again, to 8.8% in Florida And 12.7% in Flagler, Clouding Recovery
After falling steadily by 2.1 percentage points over the past year and holding steady at 8.6 percent in June, Florida’s unemployment rate ticked back up to 8.8 percent in July, and there was a net job loss of 3,300 in the state.
Pit Bull Ban and Common Sense Prevail in South Florida Referendum
In overwhelming fashion, Miami-Dade voters decided Tuesday to continue to ban pit bulls from the county. The results show common sense still rules strong, argues Steven Kurlander.
Planning Board Unanimously Backs Big Senior Complex Near Woodlands, Upsetting Many
The recommendation now goes before the Palm Coast City Council, which is expected to approve land use changes to enable the 216-unit assisted and independent living facility despite the conversion of conservation land and traffic issues that concern Woodlands residents.
Two-Week DUI Crackdown Begins on Flagler and Florida Roads as FHP and Sheriff Mobilize
The Florida Highway Patrol and the Flagler County Sheriff’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign begins Aug. 17 and stretching through the Labor Day weekend, which ends Sept. 3. It’s part of a national anti-DUI campaign, but no local checkpoints are scheduled.
Court Clerk Gail Wadsworth Says Hail Mary Worked As Lawmakers Reverse Budget Cuts
In Flagler County, some 20 courthouse employees can go back to working full time after agreeing to furlough themselves down to 37.5 hours a week rather than see one of their own laid off. Courthouse hours that were cut back on July 1 will be restored for the public.
Flagler Beach’s Allen Whetsell Is Kiwanis’s Florida Governor, a First for Flagler and Volusia
Allen Whetsell, the general manager at Craig-Flagler Palms Funeral Home, a Kiwanian for 30 years and a recent candidate for supervisor of elections, was installed as Governor of the Florida District, giving the service organization its first Flagler governor in 95 years.
FPL Claims Settlement Would Scale Back Rate Hike to $548 Million, But Opponents Cry Foul
The $548 million increase is down from an initial proposal of $690 million, but the state’s Office of Public Counsel, which represents consumers and the Florida Retail Federation, say FPL’s rates should decrease — not increase — next year.
Sheriff’s and School Bus Director’s Caution: “Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible.”
With Flagler County schools resuming on Thursday, Aug. 15, the sheriff’s office and the school district’s transportation department–responsible for 85 bus routes traveling 8,000 miles a day–are reminding parents, students and all drivers to heighten their prudence. A list of bus routes and times is included.
With David Richardson, Floridians Elect the First Openly Gay Member of the Legislature
In primary elections shaped by newly drawn districts, Florida voters Tuesday appeared to send three incumbent House members packing, rejuvenated the political careers of a few old names — and likely elected the state’s first openly gay lawmaker.
Calculating One’s Risk for Alzheimer’s: Most People Want To Know
Alzheimer’s disease can’t be prevented or cured, and it ranks second only to cancer among diseases that people fear. Yet about two-thirds of respondents would want to know if they were destined to get the disease.
Ayn Rand vs. Paul Ryan
Modern conservatives, Paul Ryan included, ignore the fundamental principles that animated Ayn Rand: personal as well as economic freedom, argues Jennifer Burns, while Maureen Dowd calls Randism “a state of arrested adolescence.”
Share Your Florida Panther Sightings and Photos
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has launched a new website that makes it easy for citizens who spot Florida panthers to share the information and pictures online.
The Winners: Fleming, Manfre, Holland, Conklin, Dickinson, Wadsworth, Larizza, Corbett, Ericksen, Meeker and the School Tax
Flagler County election results posted live and fresh as soon as they’re tabulated, with rolling analyses of the races.
Woodlands Residents Fear Radical Changes as Grand Haven Proposes New Developments
The Grand Haven developer is looking to plant a 200-bed assisted living facility at the southeast edge of the Woodlands, near their midst, potentially—and radically—changing the complexion of the old neighborhood. The proposal goes before the Palm Coast Planning Board Wednesday evening, at 5:30.
Your Only Job Today: Vote
Polls opened at 7 this morning. They will close at 7 this evening. You have one, brief job today–by far a more important job than sitting at your desk or punching a clock: find your precinct and go vote.
In Two Key Flagler County Races, Candidates Swell Their Coffers With Their Own Money
As the primary campaign culminates with Tuesday’s vote, the races for Flagler County Court Judge and Flagler County Sheriff have overwhelmed all others in money raised and spent, but with notable exceptions, candidates’ own money talked loudest.
Fire Consumes Seminole Woods House That Belongs to a Family of Four
A single-family house on 15 Seaman Trail East in Seminole Woods, belonging to a couple with two young children, was demolished by a fire that started at 3:30 Monday afternoon. A neighboring house was protected. No one was injured.
Florida Hospital Flagler Spared Sister Hospitals’ Fraud Lawsuit and Medicare Penalties
Florida Hospital Flagler came out unscathed by readmission penalties Medicare is levying on 2,000 hospitals, including most hospitals in Florida. FAF was also not among seven sister-Adventist hospitals named in a whistleblower lawsuit alleging fraudulent billing that a federal judge said last week may now go forward.
Paul Ryan’s Budget: The CBO Analysis
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office produced a 17-page analysis of the budget Congressman Paul Ryan submitted in 2012. The full analysis is presented.
Election Homework: The Goods on Paul Ryan
Everything you always wanted to know about Paul Ryan but were afraid was true: profiles, backgrounders, an FAQ on his plans for Medicare, and some of the best reporting on Mitt Romney’s vice presidential pick.
Elmer Leroy Goostree of Bunnell in Critical Condition Following US1 Wreck Early Today
Goostree was traveling south on U.S. 1, not far past State Road 100 in Bunnell, when he ran off the road, on a curve, “for reasons unknown,” according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Hurricane Andrew 20 Years Later: Memories of Resilience in a Storm’s Wake
Frank Gromling, who lived and worked in the path of Hurricane Andrew 20 years ago, remembers the days of the storm and its aftermath in a South Florida ravished beyond recognition. A spirit for rebirth was left intact, however.
Second Multi-Vehicle Pile-Up in 2 Weeks, Involving 3 Trailers, on Palm Coast Part of I-95
A tractor trailer overturned in the pile-up and leaked fuel, triggering a hazardous material situation, while two other trailers were damaged and a sedan was nearly demolished, and two of I-95’s northbound lanes were closed for more than seven hours.
Two White Men Who Like to Cut Things: On Romney’s Nomination of Paul Ryan
Mitt Romney’s pick of Paul Ryan, the seven-term Wisconsin congressman, born during the first Nixon administration, is a puzzling choice, more calculated than inspiring, more cautious than bold, and in some respects, just as strategically faulty as John McCain’s pick of Sarah Palin.
Chronic, Scandalous Abuse and Worse at a Florida Brain-Injury Center Demands Attention
It is impossible to look at the pages-long list of abuse allegations at the Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation and not wonder how it is allowed to remain open: Sexual abuse. Mental abuse. Burns. Broken bones. Bruises. Cuts and punctures. Bizarre punishment. And much worse.
Flagler 911: Details on the Buffalo Grove Drive Stand-Off; From Break-in to Arrests
A husband’s alleged battery of his pregnant wife, a car smash-in at Varn Park leads to a double arrest, the stand-off at Buffalo Grove Drive was feared to have entailed a “suicide by cop,” a car is set ablaze by the “Palatka Botys” at Flagler Estates, and a long list of other crimes.
Palm Coast Data Revenue Down Another 20% in Latest Quarter as Parent Company Posts Loss
Palm Coast Data’s entire revenue for 2012 was less than half its revenue for just two quarters barely four years ago, when it signed a job-incentive deal with Palm Coast government and the state of Florida. The promised jobs have not materialized.
Florida Revenue May Grow by $2.6 Billion as Recovery Solidifies, Contradicting Romney
President Obama and Gov. Rick Scott will be competing t take credit for Florida’s continuing economic improvements as the state turned in a relatively healthy $407 million surplus in the fiscal year that ended June 30.
Commission Candidates Support a Jail Sales Tax, But Not the Way the County Went About It
Four of the five candidates for the Flagler County Commission agree with renewing the county’s portion of a half-cent sales tax, on the books for 20 years, but they’re very critical of the way the commission opted out of a voter referendum on the issue.
Zimmerman Will Attempt Stand Your Ground Defense; Prosecution Flubs Release of Records
Lawyers for George Zimmerman confirmed Thursday that he will assert a “stand your ground” defense. If successful in a pre-trial hearing, the murder charge against Zimmerman, in the killing of Trayvon Martin, could be dropped.
Sheriff’s Deputy Calls on Rodeo Skills to Corral a Mini-Horse Hurdling Traffic in the Mondex
The Flagler County Sheriff’s office sent out an unusually cheeky press release this afternoon, summarizing the capture and repatriation of a lost mini-horse in the Mondex. The horse is not necessarily a friend of sheriff Fleming’s.
Florida Is 6th Worst Toxic Polluter from Coal-Fired Power Plants Despite Natural Gas Gains
Coal-fired power plants in Florida expose residents to toxic pollution at the sixth highest rate in the nation even as natural gas now accounts for almost two-thirds of the state’s power generation, according to a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Palatka Immigrant Khaled Mohd Sentenced To Life in Prison for Setting His Wife on Fire
Khalid Mohd, a Palatka shopkeeper from Jordan, set his wife Rema Jamal on fire, burning 85 percent of her body, when she threatened to return to Jordan with their two boys, after Khaled had himself threatened to bring a second wife to Palatka.
AP Oncology: What a Teacher Did On Her Summer ‘Vacation,’ and How It is Ending
Matanzas High teacher and columnist JoAnn Nahirny returns from what was not exactly a summer break, with a story of her students’ unique success in the Flagler school district–and shattering news about herself for her returning students next week.