The budget Gov. Rick Scott signed into law last week reduces juvenile justice’s budget 11 percent, and eliminates 700 jobs in addition to 500 vacant positions that will be abolished. The Legislature singled out youth prisons for closure.
Cops/Courts
Firefighters and 3 Helicopters Contain Fire Near White Eagle Saloon; US 1 Open
Firefighters are battling a large fire at just east of US1, trying to keep it from jumping the highway, as another fire near Espanola had grown to 320 acres.
Firefighters Battling Large, Twin Blazes Merging Into One Just West of Espanola
Flagler County firefighters and other dire departments were deployed against a 200-acre fire west of Espanola and north of the Mondex Monday evening, where two brush fires had joined into one large one.
Union Power in Prague: Flagler’s Firefighters World Champions for 2nd Time in 3 Years
Flagler paramedics’ Local 4337 team–Dennis Kline, Caryn Prather, Mike Pius, Jessie Hunter–competed against 27 teams from 17 countries, all of them from Europe.
Caution Urged as Lightning Triggers Fire in Palm Coast’s Central Park and 7 Other Places
The fire in Central Park was small and quickly out out, but other fires are burning across Flagler County. Fire chiefs are reminding residents of the burn ban in effect. That means no Memorial Day weekend bonfires.
From a Slamming Door to a Machete, a Baseball Bat and 2 Arrests at Palm Coast’s Madison Green Apartments
When Racina Massey complained to James Davis about his slamming his front door, Davis allegedly brandished a machete and threatened her life. Then Massey’s husband got involved. So did a blue metal baseball bat.
Palm Coast Water Tower Free of Contaminants After Break-In, Tests Reveal; Questions Remain
The 500,00-gallon water tank along I-95 was broken into on May 17 by unknown vandals. It was isolated from the rest of the system. It’ll remain isolated pending a week’s worth of maintenance.
William Parsons Succeeds David Walsh as Chief Judge for 7th Judicial District
The two-year term, the second for Parsons, entails administrative supervision of all courts in the 7th Judicial District, which includes Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties.
Long Records for Suspects Arrested in String of B-Section Burglaries in Palm Coast
The four suspects–two of them 19, two of them 20–all have prior records in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Bond was set between $200,000 and $400,000, depending on the suspect.
Darius Giddens, Bunnell Son With Troubled Past, Dies After a Fight in Daytona
Darius Giddens, 21, was involved in a fight at Daytona Beach’s Coliseum Wednesday night, where he suffered a head injury. He died at 2 p.m. on Monday.