The discount holiday, first offered as a seven-day period in 1998 when sales taxes were lifted on only certain clothing valued $50 or less, was firmly put into state statutes last year as a recurring event to run throughout August.
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DeSantis’ Latest Death Warrants Slate Two Executions on the Same Day, a First For Florida in 62 Years
James Aren Duckett, 68, and Dominick Anthony Occhicone, 80, are scheduled to be executed on June 28. Occhicone will be the oldest inmate killed by the state since modern records of executions have been kept starting in 1924. The last time Florida executed two inmates on the same day was on May 12, 1964.
Jeani Duarte, Palm Coast City Council Candidate: The Live Interview
Jeani Duarte is one of three candidates for the Palm Coast City Council, District 2, an open seat. She faces Tony Amaral Jr. and Jimmy Hengy. This is a non-partisan race. All registered voters in Palm Coast may cast a ballot in the Aug. 18 primary.
Jury Finds Jermaine Williams Guilty of Wife’s Premeditated Murder in 22 Minutes; He Now Faces Death Penalty Phase
A Flagler County jury convicted 54-year-old Jermaine Williams Sr. of first-degree premeditated murder today for the August 2, 2024, stabbing death of his 50-year-old wife, Yolonda Williams, in Bunnell. The prosecution successfully leveraged explicit home surveillance footage to prove premeditation. The trial now moves into the penalty phase on Monday, where prosecutors intend to pursue a death sentence for the defendant.
Bunnell Breaks Ground on $4.5 Million Brackish Water Treatment Plant to Supplement Potable Supplies
Bunnell broke ground on a state-funded $4.5-million brackish water reverse osmosis system at its utility plant Thursday. The system will provide 200,000 gallons of drinking water daily by September and will use two upper Floridian aquifer wells of brackish water to reduce strain on freshwater sources. The infrastructure project serves the existing city utility independently from the future 6,100-home Haw Creek Reserve development.
Powerful Evidence of Premeditation in Jermaine Williams Death Penalty Case as Family Testifies
The fourth day of the Jermaine Williams Sr. death penalty trial featured graphic surveillance videos and emotional family testimony as the defendant’s son and father recounted the fatal August 2024 stabbing in Bunnell. Further testimony revealed Williams intentionally disabled his wife’s car before the attack.
Jimmy Hengy, Palm Coast City Council Candidate: The Live Interview
Jimmy Hengy is one of two candidates for the Palm Coast City Council, District 2. This is a non-partisan race. All registered voters in Palm Coast may cast a ballot in the Aug. 18 primary.
Palm Coast Planning Board Unanimously Rejects 22,000-Home Western Expansion Over Unanswered Questions
The Palm Coast Planning Board unanimously voted down land use and rezoning changes for a 22,000-home western expansion by Raydient Wednesday evening as board members cited inadequate information on infrastructure, school capacity, tax base diversification and other issues. They expressed concern over the loss of regulatory control to future developers. The non-binding denial moves the requests to the City Council for a decision.
Facing Death Penalty for Wife’s Killing, Jermaine Williams’ Fate Rests With a Nearly All-Women Jury
Jermaine Williams Sr. will face a jury of 12 women and three men, including the alternates, in his death penalty trial for the stabbing death of his wife Yolonda Williams in Bunnell in 2024. The jury is almost all white, Williams is Black (one of the jurors is olive-skinned Mediterranean or possibly south Asian), but color is less relevant than gender in this trial: the jury’s lopsided make-up is a victory for the prosecution.
Tony Amaral Jr., Palm Coast City Council Candidate: The Live Interview
Tony Amaral Jr. is one of three candidates for the Palm Coast City Council, District 2. He faces Jeani Duarte and Jimmy Hengy. This is a non-partisan race. All registered voters in Palm Coast may cast a ballot in the Aug. 18 primary.
Palm Coast Council Struggling to Match Budget Needs, Including Cops, With Deepening Revenue Crunch
The Palm Coast City Council set a higher tentative maximum tax rate for next year that nevertheless does not close a $3.3 million gap between needs and projected revenue, including nine additional sheriff’s deputies. A slowing economy and a proposed constitutional amendment could severely reduce municipal revenues by 2028. Officials are struggling to balance funding for essential public safety agreements with cost-of-living increases and recurring operating costs amid declining local property valuations.
Florida Kills Dennis Sochor, 74, for 1981 Murder of Patty Gifford, 29th Execution in Two Years
Dennis Michael Sochor was executed Tuesday evening for the death of 18-year-old Patricia “Patty” Gifford in Broward County 44 years ago, becoming the oldest person put to death by the state since executions were revived in 1977, and the 29th person the state has killed in two years. DeSantis has signed the warrant for the 30th.
Angling for Life in Prison in Williams Trial, Defense All But Concedes Murder in Jury Selection Strategy
In the second full day of jury selection in the capital murder trial of Jermaine Williams for the driveway stabbing of his wife in 2024, Defense attorney Junior Barrett focused heavily on anchoring potential jurors to their individual moral authority to reject execution. Peremptory strikes depleted the initial pool down to 11 members, prompting Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols to summon 60 additional prospects to complete the final panel Wednesday.
DeSantis’s Terrorist Designation of the Council on American-Islamic Relations Is On Hold
Nearly two weeks after Gov. DeSantis announced a recommendation from the state’s chief’s chief of domestic security to designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim Brotherhood, and Antifa domestic terrorist organizations, that recommendation has yet to go into effect, and there is no clear timetable when it will be, according to a filing in federal court on Monday.
Theresa Pontieri, Flagler County Commission Candidate: The Live Interview
Theresa Pontieri is a Republican candidate for Flagler County Commission, District 2 in the Aug. 18 primary, running against Greg Feldman. Only registered Republicans may cast a ballot in this race.
Found! Mosquito Control’s John Dunlop Discovers Stolen Turtle Patrol ATV Hidden In Woods Near Marineland
John Dunlop, an East Flagler Mosquito Control District technician, found the stolen Volusia-Flagler Turtle Patrol ATV hidden in the woods near Marineland on Monday. Thieves had stolen the vehicle from a nearby shed last month.
‘Hardships’ and Anxious Reactions to Death Penalty Prolong Jury Selection in Williams Murder Trial
What is expected to be three days of jury selection started today in the death penalty trial of Jermaine Williams for the stabbing murder of his wife in Bunnell in 2024. All but 28 of the 75 potential jurors in the first pool were excused due to personal hardships, prior media exposure or issues with capital punishment. Judge Dawn Nichols is summoning 100 additional potential jurors Tuesday.
3 Groups Formed to Oppose Homestead Amendment So Far. None Formed to Support It.
Less than four months before Floridians vote on a proposal to phase out property taxes for homeowners, there’s no organized campaign seeking to move the measure past the 60% vote required for passage. Not even the Florida Chamber of Commerce, which has long opposed placing issues on Florida’s Constitution that could be solved through the legislative process.
Greg Feldman, Flagler County Commission Candidate: The Live Interview
Greg Feldman is one of two Republican candidates for Flagler County Commission, District 2, an open seat this year: Greg Hansen has opted not to run again. In the primary, Feldman is running against Theresa Pontieri, who is completing her first term as a Palm Coast City Council member.
A Rare Bipartisan Housing Bill Will Help But Won’t Solve Affordability Crisis
The Road to Housing Act recently became official law. The legislation focuses heavily on regulatory changes to address the national housing crisis. Reforms restrict institutional investors from purchasing standalone properties and reduce construction costs for builders. Housing policy experts warn these modest adjustments fail to resolve the fundamental affordability crisis because millions of Americans still lack sufficient income to secure housing in the current market.
Landmark Housing Bill Becomes Law Without Trump’s Signature
President Donald Trump said Friday morning he would not sign federal legislation aimed at lowering the cost of housing, but the bipartisan package became law at 12:01 a.m. Saturday anyway.
29th Inmate to Be Executed in 19 Months in Florida Wants DeSantis to Attend His Killing
Dennis Michael Sochor, convicted of strangling an 18-year-old woman he met at a New Year’s celebration in a Broward County bar 44 years ago, is scheduled to die by lethal injection Tuesday at Florida State Prison. His last wish? To have Gov. Ron DeSantis personally observe his execution up close and personal.
Flagler Beach Borrows Ormond Deputy Fire Chief Nate Quartier To Lead Fire Department as Fiveash Exits
Ormond Beach Deputy Fire Chief Nate Quartier assumed leadership of the rebuilding Flagler Beach Fire Department on July 2 as an interim through the end of September if necessary, replacing acting chief Jennifer Fiveash following the May firing of Stephen Cox. The department lost half its staff through recent resignations and that firing. Cox is challenging his termination before the city Personnel Review Board.
Judge Bars Heat Of Passion Defense In Husband’s Killing of Yolonda Williams On Eve of Death Penalty Trial
A Flagler County judge restricted the defense from arguing a crime of passion without first establishing legal provocation in the trial of Jermaine Williams Sr., who faces the death penalty for the August 2024 stabbing death of his wife, Yolonda Williams. The ruling blocks expert psychological testimony in the trial that begins Monday. Consequently, the defense may have to call Williams to testify to attempt to prove he was provoked.
Florida Intentionally Keeping SNAP Error Rate High to Slash Eligibility and Reduce Beneficiaries, Democrats Say
If Florida doesn’t lower its SNAP error rates, the state could have to pay as much as $1 billion to continue to participate in the federal food security program. Florida Democratic Party Chair Chair Nikki Fried says the high error rate might not be due to mundane mistakes but rather a tactic to limit participation in the federal benefit, formally called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
No Stand Your Ground: Palm Coast Teen Arrested in Connection with Double-Shooting at Beach Village Apartments
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested 18-year-old Micah McGill on Tuesday for a November shooting at a Palm Coast apartment complex, when he allegedly intervened with a stolen firearm during a domestic dispute between his sister and her boyfriend. Both men were wounded in the altercation. Smith completed a deferred prosecution agreement for misdemeanor battery, but McGill faces three second-degree felony charges.
Site Plan for Florida State Guard Training Facility in Bunnell Approved, But Questions Loom Over Its Future
The Florida State Guard training facility in Bunnell remains unbuilt almost two years after its groundbreaking ceremony. The Bunnell Planning Board on Tuesday approved the site plan, which still hinges on the State Guard paying long-overdue review fees. Sheriff Staly is deeply frustrated with the state Department of Management Services over continuous administrative delays and severe budget overruns, putting in question whether the facility will actually get built or even used by a Guard facing its own budget cutbacks.
Florida Pastors Call on Elected Officials Reinstate Temporary Protected Status For Haitian Immigrants After Ruling
Florida pastors are urging elected officials to reinstate Temporary Protected Status for Haitians following a Supreme Court ruling allowing the federal government to end the program. Led by the Reverend Doctor RB Holmes_Jr., the faith leaders called on state and federal lawmakers to protect the 93,000 Haitian TPS holders currently working across Florida and establish a clear pathway toward permanent American citizenship.
Flagler’s 1st Death Penalty Trial in 2 Decades Begins Monday For Man Accused Of Stabbing His Wife To Death
Jermaine Williams Sr. faces a capital murder charge on Monday in Flagler County’s first death penalty case since 2007. Prosecutors seek the death penalty for the 2024 stabbing death of his wife, Yolonda, who’d been a local advocate for individuals in difficulties, including domestic violence victims. Surveillance video of the attack is part of the evidence. The defense lost two dozen pretrial motions before Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols.
Tempers Flare As Palm Coast Council Advances Parts of $600 Million Utility System Expansion and Improvements
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.
Palm Coast Council Pushes for Pedestrian-Safety Crosswalks and Signs Near Lehigh Trail at Royal Palms
The Palm Coast City Council is pushing for crosswalks, signs, and traffic safety enhancements at several busy Town Center intersections following safety complaints from a P-Section resident who described difficulties safely crossing Royal Palms Parkway to access the Lehigh Trail.
Florida’s ‘Stop WOKE Act’ at Universities Ruled Unconstitutional in Blunt Decision by Trump Appointee
A federal appeals court decisively ruled Florida’s Stop WOKE Act unconstitutional in public university classrooms. The Eleventh Circuit panel affirmed that the First Amendment protects academic freedom, preventing viewpoint discrimination by the state government. The ruling blocks Florida from restricting diverse classroom discussions regarding Critical Race Theory and marks a major constitutional legal defeat for the DeSantis administration’s efforts to control higher education classroom speech.
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.
Palm Coast Teenager Faces Felony Animal Cruelty Charge After Starving Puppy Dies From Organ Failure
18-year-old Chance Jones of Palm Coast faces a felony animal cruelty charge after a 5-month-old puppy died from starvation on July 4. Authorities found the severely malnourished dog locked inside a detached apartment garage without food, water, or ventilation. Jones said he only fed the animal every few weeks due to care difficulties.
Flagler Beach Programmer Rory Belmont, 44, Arrested on Rape and Other Charges Following Ordeal with Girlfriend
Flagler Beach resident Rory Victor Belmont, 44, was jailed without bond following accusations of a brutal domestic assault on his long-term girlfriend, including repeated rapes. The state filed a motion for pretrial detention on allegations of severe physical abuse, repeated strangulation, and forced sexual acts. Authorities located Belmont in Volusia County after he fled on an electric scooter. He five felony charges, including first-degree forcible rape.
Teacher’s Career Hinges On First Amendment Battle After Her Firing Over Charlie Kirk Comments
Kelly Brock-Sanchez, a former Clay County public school teacher fired for making controversial Facebook comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk, is fighting to save her career after her private posts went viral. She filed a federal lawsuit claiming the punishment violates her First Amendment rights. An administrative hearing will determine whether she permanently loses her Florida teaching certificate.
Former Athens Theatre Director Craig Uppercue Steps Into Leadership Role At Flagler Auditorium Today
Craig Uppercue brings decades of theatrical and educational experience to his new role as director of the Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center. Taking over for Amelia Fulmer, the veteran arts administrator plans to prioritize student programs and explore bringing live music and touring shows to the venue. He hopes to replicate the growth he previously helped to orchestrate at the vibrant Athens Theatre in DeLand.
July 4 Fire Destroys Building At Santore And Sons Fireworks Manufacturing Complex In West Flagler
A July 4 fire destroyed a cinder block storage building at the Santore and Sons fireworks manufacturing compound in West Flagler. The structure contained paper goods and partially assembled pyrotechnics. No employees were present and there were no injuries. First responders quickly extinguished the blaze. The state fire marshal is currently investigating a potential lightning strike as the cause.
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.
What, Then, Is An American?
The question–what is an American–has been asked for 250 years and has always been more important than the answer. The clue is in the asking. There is no single answer to what cannot be defined, what should not be defined. The moment we answer the question with any kind of finality, the moment we say an American is this, that or the other, we are asking an un-American question
CAIR Florida, the Muslim Advocacy Organization, Sues State Over ‘Unprecedented’ Terrorist Designation ‘Regime’
Immediately after Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the state would soon designate the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) a domestic terrorist organization, the Muslim civil rights advocacy group filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging that designation as unconstitutional and are calling for an injunction to halt its enforcement.
Truck Driver and Pedestrian Killed in Separate Crashes Within 35 Minutes on SR100 and in Palm Coast
Three unrelated morning crashes in Palm Coast and Flagler County killed two people and hospitalized two others ahead of a record holiday travel weekend. A minivan struck an elderly pedestrian on Pine Lakes Parkway just before 8 a.m. A logging truck collision on State Road 100 killed the semi driver and injured a pickup driver a little after 8 a.m.. The Sheriff’s Office is deploying extra holiday traffic enforcement.
Name-Clearing Hearing for Fired Flagler Beach Fire Chief Cox Exposes Deep Divisions And Lack Of Documentation
A Flagler Beach Personnel Review Board recessed a name-clearing hearing for fired fire chief Stephen Cox without reaching a decision. City Manager Dale Martin terminated Cox on May 11 after seven department members signed a no-confidence letter. Hearing testimonies revealed a glaring lack of documented evidence supporting the abrupt termination. Acting Chief Jennifer Fiveash testified extensively about her loss of trust in Cox’s flawed leadership.
Flagler Schools Return to A Rating for 1st Time in 7 Years as FPC and Buddy Taylor Also Score 1st A in Eons
Flagler County schools earned a district-wide A rating for the first time in seven years as every single school within the district achieved an A or a B grade. Notable successes include Buddy Taylor Middle School and Flagler Palm Coast High School receiving A ratings for the first time in years. Superintendent LaShakia Moore, School Board Chair Christy Chong and principals credit the collective efforts of teachers, staff, students, parents, and the community.
Your Cellphone Location Data Is Now Protected by the Fourth Amendment
The Supreme Court ruled that whenever police obtain an individual’s cell location data, even from a third-party tech company, it constitutes a search under the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The Fourth Amendment protects people from unreasonable government searches and seizures, and it does so in part by requiring search warrants based on probable cause that describe the particular person or thing to be searched.
‘Screw You, Vandals’: After ATV Theft, Swift Huge Gifts Put Turtle Patrol Back on Wheels in Marineland
The Volusia-Flagler Turtle Patrol secured a replacement ATV following a theft that forced volunteers to monitor Marineland beaches on foot. Former county attorney Al Hadeed and his wife Maureen donated $5,000 to cover the vehicle, as did a silent community pledge of $10,000 and almost $3,000 raised through a Gofundme page. The nonprofit moved the new equipment to a secure, undisclosed location.
Birthright Citizenship Survives, Trans Athletes and Campaign Finance Limits Lose in Trio of Landmark Decisions
The U.S. Supreme Court issued three landmark rulings today: A 6-3 decision protects birthright citizenship, striking down a Trump administration executive order. The court ruled 6-3 that schools may ban transgender athletes from female sports under Title IX. And the justices invalidated limits on coordinated political party expenditures, a move deregulating campaign finance and benefiting major donors over grassroots contributors.
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.
Modern Politicians Attempt To Sanitize The Complex And Morally Messy Realities Of Florida History
Florida celebrates America’s 250th anniversary by erecting statues of founders, yet the state was actually a loyal British colony in 1776. The territory resisted the American revolution, repelled continental forces, and later became a Spanish headache before its eventual transfer to the United States. Modern political myths obscure this complicated, messy history that citizens should contemplate during patriotic holidays.