The state gave the Sheriff’s Office only seven days to complete an application required to tap into training grants for arming civilians on campuses, and the Flagler County School Board still has a series of unanswered questions. Election re-alignments also add another level of uncertainty about whether there’s a real desire to go the route of armed civilians in schools.
Cops/Courts
14 Months in Prison and 3 Years’ Probation for Palm Coast Man’s Sadistic Acts Toward Stepchild
Craig Allen Ripple, the now 57-year-old former resident of Wellford Lane in Palm Coast arrested two years ago on two felony child neglect charges after spiking his step-child’s medication with laxatives, out of spite, was sentenced to 14 months in prison followed by three years on probation.
Florida Supreme Court Issues, then Retracts, Order on Anti-Abortion Law
The Florida Supreme Court issued an order rejecting a request by abortion providers to block enforcement of the state’s 15-week abortion ban — and then withdrew it, blaming an error by the court’s clerk’s office in releasing the order.
State Attorney Files 5 Life Felonies Against Andrew Sharp, 21, in Sex Abuse Cases Involving Pre-Teens
Donald Andrew Sharp, a 21-year-old resident of Huntington, W.Va., who lived with relatives in Palm Coast’s P Section, faces five life felony charges stemming from acts of sexual abuse he would have two pre-teens commit before his eyes or rapes he himself committed against them.
Wadsworth Park Employee’s Vigilance Leads to Veteran Felon and Bleacher Stealer’s Arrest in 2 Hours
Ronald Schmitt, 56, of Flagler Beach, was stealing bleachers used by children at Wadsworth park when County park employee Ryan Belhumeur confronted him and relayed all the necessary information to law enforcement that led to Schmitt getting apprehended at a scrap yard south of Bunnell two hours later.
In 4th Legal Challenge Against DeSantis’s ‘Stop Woke Act,’ USF Professor and Student File Suit
In a 91-page complaint, lawyers for USF associate professor of history Adriana Novoa, student Samuel Rechek and the First Amendment Forum at University of South Florida raised a series of arguments that the law violates speech rights.
In Latest Switch, County Will Cut Tax Rate, Fund Sheriff’s Full Request, and Take a $1.9 Million Hit on Budget
The Flagler County Commission this evening voted 3-2 to cut the tax rate by a tenth of a point and fully fund the sheriff’s budget request, closing what had been a $700,000 difference between the county’s proposal and the sheriff’s request. The result will be a $1.9 million hit on the budget the administration had submitted to the commission ahead of today’s public hearing, the first of two to adopt next year’s budget and tax rate.
Robert Orr, 59, Las Brisas Condo Association President, Charged with 4 Counts of Video Voyeurism
Robert Orr, 59, is accused of hiding a tiny surveillance video camera in a condo unit at the Las Brisas Condos in palm Coast, capturing guests staying in the apartment as they undressed.
‘Hot Rails of Meth’ Lead to Bizarre R-Section Burglary and Slew of Charges for Palm Coast Man
After the alleged burglary and after making death threats to the R-Section home’s residents, to cops and to hospital staff, Daniel Matthew Reyes would tell Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies that he’d “snorted hot rails of meth,” and screamed for help. After a brief stop at the local hospital, he was booked at the Flagler County jail Saturday night (Sept. 3) on seven charges, including two first-degree felonies.
Florida National Guard Could Be Used to Fill In at Short-Staffed State Prisons
As the state continues to struggle with a shortage of correctional officers, a legislative panel next week will consider a plan that would activate Florida National Guard members to help at prisons, according to a document published Friday.