The Palm Coast City Council unanimously approved $8.3 million in utility infrastructure spending on Tuesday. The routine approvals, part of the much larger $600 million plan to expand and improve the water and wastewater system, provoked confrontations with local candidates and residents over public comment boundaries even as council members spoke of the approvals’ transparency. The oldest municipal treatment plant requires expansion to meet a state environmental consent order.
Backgrounders
DCF Reports 3 Verified Flagler Cases of Child Commercial Sexual Exploitation in 2025, and 434 in the State
A new state legislative report reveals Florida verified a record 434 child sexual exploitation victims in 2025, three of them in Flagler County and 14 in Volusia. Oppaga attributes the increase to improved agency identification methods rather than increased incidence. Serious infrastructure gaps remain. Florida lacks sufficient safe foster homes and data-sharing systems, leaving vulnerable juvenile victims without critical placements, survivor mentors, or specialized therapeutic treatments.
Red and Blue States Align in Unlikely Bipartisan Push for States’ Rights Against Federal Overreach in Trump Era
Liberals, longtime proponents of a stronger central government, are now championing an ideology that evokes odious memories of slavery and segregation. Many state leaders hope that a renewed focus on federalism could help lower the national political temperature. By shifting more political decisions to the states, they envision a nation less subject to blue-red swings that change the entire course of federal law enforcement, environmental policy and business regulation.
Rising Costs And Looming Tax Reform Force Flagler Commission Again To Rethink Funding for Carver Gym
The Flagler County Commission, reviving a scenario similar to 2010, is again considering divesting from the Carver Center in Bunnell due to rising operating costs and projected revenue losses from a upcoming tax amendment. Local officials are looking to the School Board to take over. Community advocates and program leaders warn that cutting county support will devastate critical local programs, senior services, and youth athletic leagues that currently rely on the thriving facility.
DeSantis Vetoes More Than $800 Million from $114.5 Billion Budget, a 26% Increase Since 2020
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed his eighth and final budget (HB 5001E) of his tenure Monday, vetoing more than $800 million from a $114.5 billion spending plan. The move came two days before the fiscal year was set to begin, after lawmakers’ battle over the amount of spending led to a stalemate that required a special session in May to settle.
Five Democrats Running for Governor Are Challenging David Jolly for Nomination
With Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings dropping out of the race due to health problems, former Republican U.S. Rep. David Jolly would appear the clear frontrunner in the Democratic primary for governor taking place on Aug. 18. Democratic voters looking for an alternative will have five other choices. Here are their profiles.
Town Center Data Center Planned for 100,000 Square Feet, Triple Footprint Size Palm Coast Approved
A DC Blox executive revealed the ongoing construction of a data center in Palm Coast’s Town Center will eventually consist of two buildings totaling 100,000 square feet, not one building of 35,000 square feet, as approved by Palm Coast planners. The disclosure blindsided city officials. The expanded scope should have triggered public hearings before regulatory boards. Future construction phases will face strict city council scrutiny under impending local development code changes.
Record-Breaking Walmart Supercenter on SR 100 Clears Palm Coast Planning Board; Nearly 20,000 Car Trips Projected
The Palm Coast Planning Board Wednesday evening unanimously recommended approval for a new Walmart Supercenter and shopping center on State Road 100, what would be the largest single-new commercial development in the city’s history. The project at build-out is expected to add nearly 20,000 daily car trips to State Road 100, which currently handles between 25,000 and 36,000 car trips per day. The site will feature a temporary wastewater facility to avoid stressing the infrastructure of the city, and to avoid getting delayed for lack of city capacity.
Flagler District Halts Plans For New Schools as Enrollment Shrinks While Private and Homeschool Numbers Surge
Flagler County has abandoned plans to build a middle school and a high school by decade’s end due to shrinking district enrollment. Total school-age children grew by 2,359 since 2018, but these students enrolled in private schools or homeschooling programs instead. Fueled by universal vouchers and lower birth rates, this shift leaves traditional schools under capacity. The district projects a 14 percent enrollment decline by 2035. But it is still collecting development impact fees to finance new schools, which may bring objections by builders.
Palm Coast Fast-Tracks Restrictions and Supermajority Requirements For Approving Future Data Centers
The Palm Coast City Council is fast-tracking strict amendments to its Land Development Code regarding data center approvals. Future facilities are prohibited by right, requiring industrial zoning, strict environmental criteria, and a council supermajority vote. The policy shift addresses growing concerns about data centers–concerns that developed before the secretive 2024 administrative approval of the DC Blox facility in Town Center.
County Commissioners Berate Some Constitutionals More Than Others Over Their Budgets as Austerity Era Begins
Flagler County constitutional officers such as the clerk of court, the sheriff and the property appraiser face a grueling budget cycle amid stalled revenues and a looming November ballot amendment to eliminate homesteaded property taxes. In an afternoon workshop today, county commissioners aggressively challenged proposed budget increases from the clerk of court and property appraiser. In response to future shortfalls, Commission Chair Leann Pennington directed the acting administrator to model sweeping 10 percent across-the-board budget cuts.
This School District Has Received Death Threats for Standing Up for Immigrants. It’s Not Backing Down.
The Winooski School District in Vermont passed a pioneering sanctuary policy to protect its highly diverse immigrant student population from federal immigration enforcement. Led by Superintendent Wilmer Chavarria, the small district maintains its stance despite facing intense backlash, federal funding threats, and community trauma from local detentions. This controversial local policy successfully inspired a new state law mandating immigration enforcement protocols for all Vermont schools.
Florida’s Budget Fails Citizens But Delivers Overdue Justice For Groveland Four
Florida lawmakers approved a $115 billion budget packed with corporate handouts, political propaganda, costly special sessions and fiscal waste on private legal fights and environmental liabilities, but at least the Legislature agreed to allocate $4 million to compensate families of the Groveland Boys. The gesture provides financial restitution to the descendants of four Black men subjected to a notorious 1949 racial injustice.
As County Throws More Cold Water on 22,000-Home ‘Western Expansion,’ Developer Defends Retreat from Previous Commitments
Raydient’s plan to develop 22,000 housing units on 22,000 acres wet of U.S. 1 in Palm Coast continues to draw criticism as it did last Monday at the County Commission, and previously from members of the Palm Coast City Council. On WNZF’s Free For All Friday this morning, Mike Hahaj, the director of commercial development and operations for Raydient, addressed some of the issues in contention.
Commissioner Kim Carney Accuses CFO Ingoglia of Using Flagler as ‘Campaign Crutch’ as He Peddles Unproven Claims of Waste
The Flagler County Commission directed its administration to draft an official rebuttal countering claims by CFO Blaise Ingoglia, of $59 million in local government waste. The accusations rely on a misleading formula deployed statewide as a campaign tactic as Ingoglia uses counties like Flagler as a “crutch” in his campaign, Commissioner Kim Carney said. Flagler commissioners defended budget growth, citing necessary investments, including the restoration of required emergency cash reserves.
Flagler County and City Officials Warn of Severe Cuts to Government Services if Voters Approve Measure to Cut Homestead Taxes
The Florida Legislature approved a constitutional amendment ballot measure scaling back homesteaded property taxes and capping non-homesteaded property valuations. Flagler County faces a projected first-year loss of $35 million, climbing to $60 million in year two. Local administrators and elected officials warn that this shifting tax structure will trigger severe, programmatic budget cuts for essential municipal services, including parks, libraries, and animal control, and speak with dismay at lawmakers’ silence on alternative funding sources.
Property Values Fall For 1st Time In 14 Years in Palm Coast and Flagler, Excluding New Construction, Posing Tax Dilemma
Average taxable property values in Flagler County fell in 2026 for the first time in fourteen years outside of new construction. The drop signals a cooling housing market and directly impacts local government budgets. Local governments would now have to raise tax rates marginally to maintain current revenue levels. New construction remains a lifeline that prevents severe budget shortfalls and keeps total county tax collections stable overall.
DeSantis Plan to Eliminate Homesteaded Property Tax Would Hit Public Safety, Schools, Health and Local Governance
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday announced his plan for a homestead property tax exemption that could crimp local governments’ ability to fund schools, health care, and public safety. Simultaneously, he called for lawmakers to return to Tallahassee and address his plan in a three-day special session starting Monday.
‘I Lied Under Oath to Protect Government Secrets’: The Thin Line Between Mental Illness And Criminal Prosecution
Appearing before Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols Tuesday, David J. Pettit of Bunnell wanted to withdraw the plea that sent him to prison for three years, claiming he was incompetent when he pleaded–that he was lying to protect NSA secrets about telepathic communications. The judge denied the motion. The case illustrates the little extent to which mental illness gets in the way of criminal prosecutions no matter how absurdly an individual behaves, no matter how outlandishly he speaks, no matter how paranoid and violent his past behavior.
Flagler Cares Achieves National COA Accreditation With Flawless Ratings Across All Areas
Flagler Cares achieved national accreditation through COA Accreditation after a nine-month evaluation process. The human services nonprofit received zero negative findings and earned top marks across all evaluated programs. This prestigious validation enhances the agency’s standing among grant funders in a competitive environment and coincides with the organization celebrating 10 years of serving individuals throughout Flagler and 25 in Volusia county.
How Botched FHP Investigation Led To False Arrest In Deadly I-4 Crash Before State Attorney Stopped Miscarriage of Justice
Court and investigative documents show that the Florida Highway Patrol wrongly arrested 23-year-old Lindsey Brooke Isaacs for the triple-fatality crash on I-4 that claimed the life of former Deputy County Administrator Jorge Salinas based on a deeply flawed and sloppy investigation. Investigators ignored a vital 911 call describing a maroon Durango with matching plate numbers belonging to Alisa Lee Montalvo. The State Attorney’s Office discovered the discrepancies, prompting a specialized reconstruction team to clear Isaacs and charge Montalvo with the fatal hit-and-run.
Proposed Bulow Creek Park Transformation Estimated to Cost Flagler County Up to $40 Million
Flagler County commissioners reviewed plans to transform 1,160 acres around Bulow Creek into a regional park and learned that it could cost between $28 million and $40 million. The project features a 2.6-mile paved trail connecting to State Road 100 alongside unpaved paths, picnic areas, and kayak launches. Design costs were covered by the state. Funding for the actual park construction remains completely unsecured at this stage.
Marineland’s Last Remaining Taxpayer Readies to Sell Land Holdings, Putting Town’s Future in Doubt
Jim Jacoby, the only private land-holder paying property taxes in Marineland, has reached a tentative agreement to sell all but one of his parcels to Flagler County, the University of Florida and the Department of Environmental Protection. The parties have been working on a deal since mid-2025. If and when the land acquisitions go through, Marineland would lose all property tax revenue and may no longer function as a town. It may have to be absorbed under the county’s governance.
Palm Coast Council Counters Fears Over Town Center Data Center: It Is Not a Water and Power-Guzzling AI Facility
Palm Coast council members are reassuring residents that the 35,000-square-foot DC Blox data center in Town Center is an internet cable landing station rather than a resource-heavy artificial intelligence center. The project advanced through administrative approvals without public oversight. It will nevertheless become the city’s largest electricity consumer.
3-2 Council Vote Falls Short of Adding Affordable Housing Component to Sawmill Branch’s Newest 244 Houses
The Palm Coast City Council finalized a 3-2 approval shifting the Sawmill Branch development from townhouses to 244 small single-family homes. Vice Mayor Theresa Pontieri failed to secure a workforce housing set-asides as a council majority argued the smaller lots offer flexible, market-rate options for buyers. Damage to the historic Hewitt Sawmill site also drew additional discussion.
Strict No Development Policy Continues For Flagler Estates As County Rejects Special Taxing District
The Flagler County Commission unanimously rejected proposals to permit development, fund infrastructure improvements or establish a special taxing district in Flagler Estates, the inaccessible subdivision platted on sheer speculation decades ago in the northwest part of the county. Officials denied a private funding offer for basic road maintenance and ordered劇stricter law enforcement to curb rampant trespassing, weekend partying and ATV mudding.
Diagnosing Alarming Deficit in Road Repair Bill, City Director Tells Palm Coast Council: You Did This
In a remarkably gutsy moment at the end of his presentation on the city’s deteriorating road system, Carl Cote, the city’s director of stormwater and engineering, reminded the council of how it has been reducing the tax rate for successive years since 2021. “In lieu of the rollbacks that council had done since then, if that was dedicated to resurfacing, that would be an additional $8.5 million we’d have in that program today,” Cote said. The program, in other words, would have been fully funded instead of facing a gaping deficit.
DUI Probationer Sent Back to Jail for Refusing to Profess Faith in God in Christian Treatment Program
A Flagler County judge returned 29-year-old Joshua King to jail for a probation violation after the 29-year-old Wiccan refused to profess Christian faith in God at Faith Farm Ministries as part of his court-ordered rehab therapy. He claimed the facility mandated religious conversion for program completion. The judge ruled that King failed to comply with the terms of the specific program he himself selected. He is to be resasigned to a different facility not of his choice.
Call Israel’s War Crimes and Genocide By Name
Israel’s massacres, systematic destruction of villages and towns and historical fabrications to annex Palestinian and Lebanese lands amount to war crimes and genocide according to the definition of the Geneva Conventions, and are enabled by American military support and media complicity.
Palm Coast City Manager McGlothlin Postpones Raydient Development Review as It Needs ‘More Work’
Two weeks before the proposed Raydient order to develop 22,000 homes west of U.S. 1 was to go before the city’s Planning Board, Palm Coast City Manager Mike McGlothlin said today that the whole process is being postponed to allow for better vetting. He did not provide a new timeline though one may be issued next week. The development’s new proposal includes industrial set-asides for animal feed lots and livestock operations, the deep well injection of waste products, dog, hog and poultry farms, and incinerator plants.
The Cult of Civics Education Plagues Us Again
Americans have historically demonstrated a profound ignorance regarding their own history and government structures. This lack of academic knowledge did not prevent the nation from thriving or winning wars. Current efforts to mandate civics education often serve as a thin veil for nationalist indoctrination. These movements prioritize submissive obedience over actual empowerment. True American strength relies on cultural dynamism rather than memorizing trivia.
Turmoil at Flagler Beach Fire Department as 5 Firefighters, Including Deputy Chief and Morgan Rainey, Resign
The Flagler Beach Fire Department is facing a leadership crisis as five firefighters tendered their resignations almost on the same day. High-profile departures include Deputy Chief Jennifer Fiveash and veteran Morgan Rainey. Personnel cite intimidation and lack of support under Chief Stephen Cox. City Manager Dale Martin is investigating the internal culture as Cox attributes the friction to chronic understaffing and low pay. Mutual aid from neighboring departments ensures continued public safety coverage.
Teachers and Students in Flagler Schools Are Now Using AI Extensively and Routinely. Here’s How.
Flagler County schools report nearly universal adoption of artificial intelligence among faculty and staff. Students in secondary grades frequently use digital tools for classroom assignments and independent research, and a version of AI is accessible for students in all grades. District leaders compare this technological shift to the early days of the internet. School board members remain focused on data privacy, academic integrity, and student safety.
Taxpayer Cost of Private School Vouchers in Flagler County Surges to $19 Million as District Enrollment Falls
Flagler County public schools lost $400,000 in funding and 100 students between fall and January financial and enrollment calculations as private school subsidies of vouchers surged 20 percent since last year. State voucher spending reached $19.2 million dollars this year. District enrollment remains stagnant despite significant population growth, and budget transparency issues persist because state calculations combine voucher funds with district allocations.
Don’t Let Palm Coast’s Westward Invasion Sprawl Over Old Brick Road
Walden Pond serves as a grim cautionary tale for Flagler County preservationists as the colossal western expansion of Palm Coast threatens Old Brick Road. County commissioners are right to demand wide buffers and forbid at-grade crossings. Saving what remains of the historic Dixie Highway requires resisting developer logic that prioritizes proximity over true natural preservation.
Developer Reveals Master Plan For 22,000-Home Western Expansion That’ll Remake Palm Coast
Raydient, the development arm of Rayonier, presented general plans for a 22,000-home development west of U.S. 1 that will nearly double the population of Palm Coast over 30 years. The proposal replaces previous agreements and shifts costs to taxpayers. Despite the scale of the project, its consequences on the city’s future and upcoming city annexation, the reveal at the Palm Coast Community Center lacked a presentation and offered very few specific details regarding infrastructure and funding.
Palm Coast Council Approves Tax Rebates of Up to 95% To Jumpstart Stalled Town Center Commercial Development
The Palm Coast City Council approved a construction and tax-incentive program to spark commercial construction in Town Center, offering property tax rebates of up to 90 percent or more for significant investments. Town Center has fallen far short of investment and revenue expectations as the special tax district expires in 2034. Leaders excluded residential projects from the deal, prioritizing vertical density and commercial growth over single-family homes.
Historic Old Brick Road Now a Battleground Between Flagler County Preservation and Palm Coast Expansion
Flagler County commissioners are stalling a proposed joint agreement with Palm Coast and Raydient, the developer of over 20,000 homes in the so-called “westward expansion” of Palm Coast, to ensure the preservation of historic Old Brick Road. They demand significant land buffers and flyover bridges instead of at-grade crossings. This firm stance aims to protect the World War I-era Dixie Highway remnant from development. The commission envisions the road as a vehicle-free linear park for nature-tourism.
Flagler County February Jobless Rate Drops To 5.8% and Labor Force Adds 500 Workers
Flagler County’s unemployment rate improved slightly to 5.8 percent in February, after a 6 percent showing in January. The local labor force grew by 500 workers. Local wages remain below state and national averages. Single-family home prices decreased from last year and cash buyers accounted for over 40 percent of recent home sales.
Calling Plan ‘Garbage,’ Theresa Pontieri Vows to Block Westward Development Unless Rayonier Pays More for Infrastructure
Palm Coast Council Member Theresa Pontieri rejected Rayonier’s Palm Coast westward expansion plan, labeling the document “absolute garbage” for adding 10,000 homes but eliminating previous developer commitments for roads and parks as taxpayers pick up the $126 million cost of a “Loop Road.” Pontieri demanded the landowner fund infrastructure improvements before a new development order is submitted to the council for approval.
Palm Coast Council Member Theresa Pontieri’s Statement on Westward Expansion Development Proposal
The full text of Palm Coast City Council member Theresa Pontieri’s statement opposing a proposed Master Planned Development order submitted by Rayonier, the Wildlight, Fla.-based company that owns the majority of the 20,000 acres slated for the western expansion.
Can Green Card Holders Be Deported for Committing a Crime? Supreme Court Hears Arguments Wednesday.
The Supreme Court will determine if immigration officials need clear evidence of a crime to treat returning green card holders as seeking admission. Muk Choi Lau challenged his removal after being paroled due to pending charges. The 2nd Circuit ruled in his favor. Now the justices must decide if the government can rely on later convictions or must prove crimes at the border.
Birthright Citizenship Ruling Will Decide Whether America’s 250th Is Celebration or Curtains
A Supreme Court ruling against birthright citizenship is a dangerous stepping stone toward mass denaturalization and the erosion of individual sovereignty. That’s Trump’s endgame. Anything less than a decision demolishing the challenge would disgrace the sestercentennial anniversary we are about to celebrate.
Florida Rule Would Require Proof Of U.S. Citizenship for Admission to State Colleges
The Florida Department of Education proposed a rule barring undocumented immigrants from the state’s 28 colleges and giving schools discretion to reject students based on past misconduct. The move follows various legislative attempts to limit non-resident enrollment and mirrors recent laws targeting students, dissenters and migrants.
Neighbors Mobilize Against Development of 39 Houses on Previously Protected Matanzas Golf Course Tract
Palm Coast L-section residents are largely opposed to a plans to develop 39 houses on the so-called Tract 3 of the former Matanzas golf course, a tract the Palm Coast City Council had protected from development in 2021, when it approved the broader, 268-home project. Residents argue the Land Development Code protects their views. The developer is not adding new homes, but shifting them from another tract, which would be give to the city for a public park.
Sheriff Says He’ll Request 13 New Deputies as he Touts Helicopter, Drones, ICE Partnership and Crime Drop
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly reported a 54 percent crime decrease since 2017 during his annual Addressing Crime Together presentation last week. He intends to request 13 new deputies. His report detailed a new Bell 505 helicopter acquisition and expanded drone first-responder programs and defended the agency’s collaboration with federal ICE agents while highlighting successful inmate rehabilitation programs at the jail.
Reimagining Itself, Flagler Beach Approves New Transportation Fees To Start Funding $38 Million ‘Mobility’ Plan
Flagler Beach commissioners unanimously approved new mobility fees on new construction to fund a $38 million transportation plan. The initiative shifts the city away from car-centered infrastructure toward a multi-modal environment accommodating pedestrians and cyclists. The fee schedule targets residential and commercial developments.
CFO Blaise Ingoglia’s Disinformation Campaign at Local Governments’ Expense
Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia is touring the state to accuse local governments of reckless overspending, but his claims rely on a simplistic formula ignoring critical economic factors like property value increases and essential service needs. Flagler County faced his unsubstantiated attacks last week. Actual budget data reveals that Ingoglia’s claims collapse under the weight of even feathery scrutiny.
R.J. Larizza Hosts Former Rivals as Unveiling of 4 State Attorneys’ Portraits Stirs Old Battles and Triumphs
State Attorney R.J. Larizza Friday unveiled a portrait gallery at an event honoring four storied Seventh Judicial Circuit former State Attorneys: Dan Warren, Stephen Boyles, John Tanner and Steve Alexander. Warren’s son Raymond, a former prosecutor and public defender, recalled his father’s role in the summer of 1964, seminal in the state’s civil rights history, and Tanner used the occasion to discuss his 1963 manslaughter indictment by Warren, and subsequent enmity with the state attorney.
Flagler Beach Approves Millions In New Debt For Sewer Upgrades Without Clear Resident Cost
The Flagler Beach City Commission approved $37 million of an expected $52 million loan to rebuild its sewer plant, and is applying for an additional, separate $19 million loan for other stormwater improvements. Yet the city cannot currently calculate exact rate increases for residents because outdated studies fail to reflect rising construction costs. Development impact fees will not provide immediate relief.