Regulating pet insurance and providing a database about animal cruelty are among a handful of changes in state laws that take effect at the start of 2026.
News Briefs
Flagler Airport’s Roy Sieger Named Vice Chair of State Aviation Board
The Continuing Florida Aviation System Planning Process (CFASPP) Statewide Steering Committee elected Flagler Executive Airport Director Roy Sieger as its vice chair during its recent meeting in Orlando. He will serve a two-year term.
Bill Would Add Ideological Viewpoint Protection in Florida Schools
The “Florida Student and School Personnel First Amendment and Religious Liberties Act,” introduced by Sen. Clay Yarborough and Rep. David Borrero, would add First Amendment “political and ideological” viewpoint protections against discrimination or “academic penalty” to current religious viewpoint and expression language in Florida Statute.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Names 3 Biologists Its Resource Managers of the Year
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) recognized three exceptional land managers as the 2024 Jim Stevenson Resource Managers of the Year.
Rick Belhumeur and Elayne Byrd Are Friends of A1A’s Volunteers of the Year
The Friends of A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway named Flagler Beach City Commissioner Rick Belhumeur and community volunteer Elayne Byrd as its 2025 Volunteers of the Year. The announcement, released on Christmas Eve from the organization’s St. Augustine headquarters, honors two individuals whose distinct brands of service have left a visible mark on the scenic coastal corridor.
Residents Contribute More than 150 Donations for Flagler Senior Services’ Be a Santa for a Senior Program
Flagler County Senior Services Department, in partnership with Home Instead, expresses gratitude to residents for their generosity in providing for more than 150 donations through the Be a Santa for a Senior program.
Sticker Shucks: Bill Calls for Eliminate Registration Decals
Motorists would no longer have to peel and place yellow vehicle registration stickers on their license plates, under a measure filed Friday for the 2026 regular session that begins Jan. 13. The proposal (HB 841 and SB 982) would still require individuals to follow registration and renewal rules.
8 Judges and 2 Lawyers Apply to Replace Canady on Florida Supreme Court
Six appellate judges appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, two circuit judges and two lawyers have applied to fill a vacancy on the Florida Supreme Court, according to a nominating commission that will review the candidates and make recommendations to the governor.
Palm Coast Marks 20 Years of Fantasy Lights in Town Center Saturday
The City of Palm Coast invites residents and visitors to Central Park in Town Center on Saturday, December 20, for a special 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Fantasy Lights Festival, presented by the Rotary Club of Flagler County.
County Commissioners Choose their Committee Assignments
Flagler County Commissioners have selected committee assignments for the 2025-26 fiscal year. Committee assignments provide commissioners with community input, expertise, and diverse viewpoints that help the commission make informed decisions.
Florida Bill Would Allow All College Faculty and Teaching Assistants to Open Carry on Campus
Florida professors, university faculty, and teaching assistants could soon be able to openly carry firearms on campus, thanks to a sweeping new measure filed by a Republican lawmaker.
State Agency Sinks 227-Foot Ship to Build Marine Habitat Off St. Lucie Inlet
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission successfully sank the Borocho, a 227-foot derelict freight vessel, on Nov. 18 to create a new artificial reef. The ship now rests nearly 200 feet below the surface, in Martin County nine miles offshore of the St. Lucie Inlet. The sinking was accomplished through FWC’s Derelict Vessel program, in partnership with Martin County Environmental Resources.
Sheriff’s Office Lands $175,000 Grant to Equip Deputies with Drug-Identifying Devices
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded a $175,000 grant from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services to provide patrol deputies with narcotics-identifying devices.
Deputies Seize ‘Lipstick Knife’ and 29 THC Vapes in 3 Student Arrests at Flagler Palm Coast High School
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested three Flagler Palm Coast High School students this week following separate investigations, two for drug-related charges and a third for threatening another student with a knife.
Sheriff’s Employees and Residents Donate over $40,000 to Support 2025 Shop with a Cop
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office employees, community organizations, businesses, and individuals have combined to generously donate over $40,000 to the Flagler Sheriff’s Childrens Charities to support the agency’s annual Shop with a Cop event.
Florida Senate Panel Approves Annual ‘Charlie Kirk Day’
Against Democrats’ objections that Charlie Kirk’s often bigoted views do not reflect Florida’s, a Senate committee Tuesday approved creating an annual “day of remembrance” in Florida for slain conservative activist and controversialist Charlie Kirk.
AdventHealth Stocks Every Flagler School with ‘Fuel Fridges’ for Student Athletes
Early practices, full class schedules, and evening games can push student athletes to their limits, and proper nutrition is essential to keeping them strong and focused. AdventHealth has introduced new Fuel Fridges across Flagler Schools, fully funded and stocked by the hospital as part of its ongoing commitment to student health.
Florida Will Help Homeland Security Obtain Your Driver’s License Records
Florida and three other Republican states have agreed to help the Trump administration gain access to state driver’s license data through a nationwide law enforcement computer network as part of the administration’s hunt for alleged noncitizen voters. The Trump administration said as recently as October that federal officials wanted to obtain driver’s license records through the network.
Florida Property Insurance Costs Are Stabilizing, Commissioner Says
Florida Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky said he believes the state’s insurance industry has stabilized, adding consumers “are finding relief” and have more options “than we’ve had in decades.”
Palm Coast Recognizes Johnston’s Tenure and Names Stormwater’s Melissa Hill Top Employee
Under warm, sunny skies, the City of Palm Coast hosted its annual Employee Honors Ceremony on Friday, December 5, 2025, at The Stage in Town Center. Organized by the City’s Wellness, Health, and Morale (WHAM) Team, the celebration brought employees together for an afternoon of recognition, gratitude, and appreciation for the exceptional work happening across the organization each day.
Court Invalidates City Ordinance Banning Anti-Abortion Activists from Clinic’s Driveway
Anti-abortion activists have the right to hand leaflets to women in the driveway of a Clearwater abortion clinic, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday. In a 2-to-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit tossed a trial judge’s decision preventing the Florida Preborn Rescue organization from entering within five feet of the Bread and Roses Women’s Health Center’s driveway. The clinic’s “buffer zone” was a 38-foot stretch of public sidewalk, 28 feet of which cross the clinic’s driveway.
Matanzas High’s Remy Battles Is 2025 Leaders for Life Fellow, One of Only 6 Statewide
Remy Battles, a senior at Matanzas High School, has been named a 2025 Leaders for Life Fellow, one of only six students statewide selected for the prestigious honor by the Asofsky Family Foundation.
Florida Supreme Court Calls for 25 More Judges, One in 7th Judicial Circuit
Gov. Ron DeSantis may get a chance to appoint up to 25 additional judges in his final year in office if the Florida Legislature goes along with a new request from the state Supreme Court. DeSantis has repeatedly boasted about his efforts to reshape Florida’s judicial branch, including the state Supreme Court. Five of the seven justices on the court were appointed by the Republican governor. The court has made several crucial rulings including one that undid its previous decisions on the right to abortion.
Thousands Drawn to Palm Coast’s Tree-Lighting in Central Park
Palm Coast welcomed more than 6,000 residents to Central Park this past weekend for the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, with an additional 10,000 viewers joining the celebration through the livestream. The remarkable turnout reflects the community’s enthusiasm for one of Palm Coast’s most cherished traditions and marks an exciting start to the holiday season.
Cute Stranger’s Text Catches Daytona Man in Crypto Scheme
A Daytona Beach Shores man was ensnared by a cryptocurrency investment scam that cost him $317,000 after he received a text from an attractive stranger asking him to let her dog out while she was out of town, according to new federal court records.
Bear Hunt Is a Go as Florida Judge Rejects Nonprofit’s Claim It’s ‘Needless Destruction’
A Leon County circuit judge on Monday rejected a group’s request for a temporary injunction to halt the state’s first black bear hunt in a decade. With the three-week hunt set to begin Dec. 6, Circuit Judge Angela Dempsey said Bear Warriors United, a Central Florida-based nonprofit, was unable to show “substantial likelihood of success on the merits” in its lawsuit challenging the hunt.
Latinos to Trump: ‘Hasta La Vista’
A majority of U.S. Latinos have grown pessimistic since the 2024 presidential election and increasingly disapprove of the immigration and economic policies of the second Trump administration, according to a new report from the Pew Research Center. About 70% of Latinos in the U.S. disapprove of President Donald Trump’s record, with 65% disapproving of his handling of immigration and 61% saying his policies have worsened the economy, according to the report.
US Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, South Florida Democrat, Indicted for Stealing $5 Million from FEMA
U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick was indicted this week by a grand jury in Miami for allegedly stealing $5 million in federal disaster funds and laundering them toward her 2021 congressional campaign.
Senate Proposes Clean-Up of Florida’s School Voucher Shortfalls
The proposal to clean-up Florida’s school voucher system establishes a categorical fund for the scholarship programs as opposed to the existing practice of lumping those funds together with all school funding; requires a minimum of $250 million in a fund that offsets unexpected budgetary costs related to school choice scholarships; and “clears up the timing confusion in the present system and establishes clear application and scholarship acceptance deadlines that occur prior to the funding of scholarships.”
Palm Coast Starlight Parade on Dec. 6, Boat Parade on Dec. 13
Two of the community’s most cherished holiday traditions are returning: the Starlight Parade on Saturday, December 6, and the Holiday Boat Parade on Saturday, December 13. Both events are free for spectators and participants, and registration is now open for those wishing to join the fun with a float or decorated boat. “Palm Coast shines […]
Donors Wanted to ‘Keep the Holiday Lights On’ for Struggling Families
The second annual “Keep the Holiday Lights On” campaign invites the community to come together to support local families in need this holiday season by contributing dollars to help struggling families pay utility bills.
Paul Renner Would Rollback Property Taxes and Impose Hurdles On Governments Seeking More Revenue
To Renner, who’s campaigning for governor, the Legislature should cap future taxes to ensure local government cannot grow faster than Floridians’ incomes and require a 2/3 supermajority vote of local government for any new or increased tax or fee subject to a subsequent referendum, for voters to approve or reject.
Judge Sets Jan. 21 Pretrial in Leigha Mumby Vehicular Homicide Death of Daniel Waterman
In Leigha Mumby’s first pretrial appearance since she was charged with vehicular homicide in the death of her former boyfriend, a judge today set Jan. 21 as the next pretrial, granting the defense’s request for a 60-day extension to go over new discovery in the case. Daniel Waterman, 22, died in October.
Ban on Loudspeaker Prayers at School Games Survives as U.S. Supreme Court Declines Appeal
The U.S. Supreme Court will not take up a long-litigated case about the Florida High School Athletic Association’s refusal to let two private religious schools pray over the PA system before a 2015 game. On Monday, the top court denied Cambridge Christian School’s appeal, more than a year after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit sided with the association.
David F. Johnson, 1957-2025
David F. Johnson, 68, of Palm Coast, Fla., passed away on July 3, 2025, from complications related to COPD.
Leann Pennington Elected Chair of Flagler County Commission, Kim Carney Is Vice Chair
The Flagler County Commission this evening unanimously elected Leann Pennington its new chair, replacing Andy Dance, who served two years in the position, and Kim Carney as vice-chair.
For 4th Year, Florida Republicans Try to Ban Pride and Political Flags from Public Buildings
Florida Republicans are trying for the fourth year in a row to ban political flags atop government buildings, including Pride, MAGA, or Black Lives Matter banners.
Florid Republican Re-Files Bill To Punish Local Governments Removing Confederate Monuments
A Florida Republican has re-filed a measure to penalize local governments attempting to remove or destroy Confederate monuments and other historic memorials. HB 496 by Sen. Stan McClain, an Ocala Republican, demands the state protect “each historic Florida monument or memorial from removal, damage, or destruction.” It’s the fourth time this bill has been introduced in successive legislative sessions as part of a broader conservative response to the nationwide movement to down or rename Confederate statues.
A 5-Minute Survey to Help Flagler County Update Its Transit Plan
Flagler County Public Transportation is updating its Transit Development Plan and is asking residents to take a short survey to share insights. The survey should take about five minutes to complete. The TDP is designed to identify transit needs and guide transit improvements over the next 10 years.
Leigha Mumby Rearrested on Vehicular Homicide Charge in Death of Daniel Waterman, and Released on $150,000 Bond
Leigha Mumby, the 24-year-old Flagler Beach woman accused of causing the death of her boyfriend and father of her child, Daniel Waterman, in a car crash last February, turned herself in at the Flagler County jail the afternoon of Oct. 29, after a warrant was issued for her rearrest.
Sheriff’s Mark Strobridge is Flagler County Veteran of the Year
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s Chief of Staff Mark Strobridge was selected as the 2025 Colonel Gary E. DeKay Veteran of the Year, an honor recognizing exceptional service to both nation and community.
Kansas County Will pay $3 Million Settlement for Raiding Newspaper’s Offices
The county involved in a small-town Kansas newspaper raid in 2023 will pay a cumulative $3 million to three journalists and a city councilor. In two of the four agreements, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office also crafted a statement admitting regret. The agreements coincide with consent judgments expected to be submitted in their federal cases against the county.
Same-Sex Marriage Survives as Supreme Court Declines to Reconsider
The Supreme Court on Monday morning turned down a request from Kim Davis, a former county clerk in Kentucky, to reconsider its 2015 decision recognizing a constitutional right to same-sex marriage.
Palm Coast Fire Department Lands $26,000 Firefighter Cancer Decontamination Grant
The Palm Coast Fire Department was awarded a $26,000 Firefighter Cancer Decontamination Grant from the Florida Department of Financial Services.
Bill Would Require Professors to Sign Oath
State college and university administrators and instructors would have to take an oath to the nation and Florida, under a proposal filed Friday by Sen. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville. The measure (SB 430) also calls for public school administrators and instructional personnel, including prekindergarten instructors, to perform a similar oath.
Uthmeier Sues Planned Parenthood Over Abortion Claim
Attorney General James Uthmeier on Thursday filed a lawsuit accusing Planned Parenthood of falsely advertising that abortion medication is “safer than Tylenol.”
Palm Coast Fire Department’s Battalion Chief Gary Potter Is “Lest We Forget Award” Recipient
The Knights of Columbus Corpus Christi Assembly 2810 and Santa Maria Del Mar Catholic Church recognized Palm Coast Battalion Chief Gary Potter with the Tony Gasparino “Lest We Forget Award.” Chief Potter accepted the award alongside his wife, Jacqui, and their children during the annual Veterans Day Celebration hosted by the Knights of Columbus.
Nicholas Alo, Who Served Prison in Notorious Flagler Beach Case, Is Re-Sentenced to Probation After Violation
Nicholas Alo, the 24-year-old Palm Coast resident sentenced to two years in prison in late 2023 for his role in a violent assault on a teen in Flagler Beach, was rearrested on a probation violation and today sentenced to a restoration of his three-year probation term.
Chiumento Law’s Diane Vidal and Vincent Sullivan Land Honors
Chiumento Law announced that Diane A. Vidal has been recognized as one of Florida Trend’s Legal Elite Notable – Women Leaders in Law in the 2025 statewide publication. Chiumento Law also announced that Partner Vincent Sullivan has been named the recipient of the Kathy Para Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award.
9/11 Memorial Tribute Climb and Partners Raise $8,000 for National Fallen Firefighters Foundation
The 9/11 Memorial Tribute Climb, Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa, and the Flagler County Fire Rescue Annual Golf Outing presented an $8,000 check to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF). The funds were raised through the 2024 9/11 Memorial Tribute Climb and Golf Outing, along with early contributions from 2025 events.
