Rymfire Elementary School teacher Travis Holloway, 39, had just been issued a written reprimand and placed on probation for a year by a state disciplinary board when he was arrested for drunk driving in Palm Coast Friday.
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Palm Coast Mayor Hails ‘Striking’ 10-Ft. Sculpture as Inaugural Symbol of Town Center’s Creative Future
Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland dedicated the first of five sculptures that will form a sculpture garden in Central Park, all privately paid for and donated to the city as a cultural component of Palm Coast’s emerging Innovation District.
‘That’s Like a Poll Tax’: Senate Bill Would Require All Restitution Paid Before Restoring Voting Right
Dozens of people who traveled to the state Capitol to plead with lawmakers to do nothing or to dramatically scale back House and Senate bills designed to carry out the amendment. Many amendment supporters do not believe the measure requires legislative action.
Judge Delays Sheriff’s Employees’ Compensation Hearings Over Sick Building, But Further Compromise Is Eluding Them
For the second time in four months, a judge agreed to postpone what was scheduled to be a set of final hearings in workers’ compensation claims of 35 Flagler County Sheriff’s employees who say their health was damaged while working at the Sheriff’s Operations Center in Bunnell.
Investigation Of Plantation Bay Plane Crash, With Joel Fallon and Josh Rosa Aboard, Ends Inconclusively
The investigation is ending inconclusively, but it sheds light on measures Josh Rosa took immediately before the crash that strongly suggest his skills and last-second maneuvers likely prevented the crash from being fatal to him and Joel Fallon.
Nelson Mandela’s Legacy of Activism: Ndaba Mandela, His Grandson, Speaks at Stetson
Ndaba Mandela will discuss social justice and experiences he shared with his grandfather, who raised him while his parents were in college, on Tuesday at 6 p.m., at Stetson University as part of Stetson’s Many Voices, One Stetson initiative.
The Familiar Face of White Supremacy
The fad of not naming mass killers is deceptive and self-defeating, an act of cowardice that hides more than it wants to acknowledge. Brenton Tarrant, the killer of Christchurch, is an all–too familiar face.
Stetson Issues Explicit Defense of Free and Controversial Expression on Campus, Whatever the ‘Discomforts’
In the culmination of a year-and-a-half process, Stetson University this week issued a statement firmly in defense of academic freedom and free, diverse and controversial expression on campus.
For Use in Joints, Pipes or Bongs: Smokable Medical Pot Finally Hits Florida Market
In other states where medical marijuana has been legalized, smokable products comprise between 40 and 60 percent of sales. Florida voters in 2016 approved a constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana.
In Rare Rejection of Its Own Staff’s Push, County Commission Rejects 54-Home Hammock Development
A Jacksonville developer wanted to rezone a 12-acre parcel at Jungle Hut Road and A1A and, to commissioners, cram in 54 homes. Commissioners, rejecting their own staff’s recommendation, said no.
Why the State Attorney Opted To Drop Sexual Assault Charge on Ex-Commissioner’s 20-Year-Old Son
Stephen Connor Brady, 20, was charged with statutory rape after an 18-year-old woman he knew accused him of assaulting her in November. The State Attorney’s Office dropped the charge when it found that inappropriate behavior may have been misinterpreted.
Flagler County Schools Collect 236 Awards at Florida Future Problem Solving Competition in Orlando
This has been another great year for Future Problem Solvers and Community Problem Solvers students in Flagler County schools. The following summary of results from the 2019 Florida FPS Affiliate Competition in Orlando this week shows just how seriously Flagler Schools takes FPS competition.
Family of 5 and Off-Duty Cop Hospitalized in 3-Vehicle Crash at Roundabout
Construction on U.S. 1
A family of five riding in one car and an off-duty law enforcement officer riding in the other were injured, some of them seriously, and sent to three different hospitals, one of them by air, after a three-vehicle crash in the construction zone for the coming roundabout at U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway.
In a First Locally, FBI Arrests Sean Farrelly, 47, of Palm Coast, On Charges of Sex Trafficking Of a Minor
Sean Farrelly, a 47-year-old resident of 9 Llovera Place in Palm Coast, was arrested early this evening by the FBI, with assistance from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, and charged federally with sex trafficking of a minor.
A Gated, Restricted Community For Palm Coast’s P-Section: 96 Apartments in 3 Buildings and 45 Single-Family Homes
The new development, called American Village, spreads along Pritchard Drive, its apartments and single-family homes intermingling in a gated community restricted to people 55 and over. The Palm Coast Planning Board approved a master site plan Wednesday.
Voters, In a Constitutional Amendment, May Be Asked Whether To Abolish Constitutional Revision Commission
Proposals moved forward Thursday in the House and Senate, as lawmakers continue to vent frustration with the commission that last year put seven constitutional amendments before voters. All of the amendments passed.
How Flagler Government Bought the $1.1 Million Sears Building Nobody Wants, With Scarce Money Needed Elsewhere
The Flagler County Commission ended up buying the Sears building even though it does not need it and does not have money to spare to buy it. The deal was the work of then-Administrator Craig Coffey.
The Case of an Allegedly Illegal Use of Seclusion On a Non-Verbal, Autistic 4th Grader at Belle Terre Elementary
The parent of a 4th grader used a recording device affixed to the child to capture what the child’s advocate claims are disturbing measures carried out and comments spoken by school staff. The case is headed for litigation.
Critics See Jim Crow Poll Taxes In House Plan To Make Felons Pay Up Before Voting
Felons would have to clear up any financial obligations, including court costs, fees and fines, before having their voting rights restored, under a House proposal castigated by critics Tuesday as a modern take on Jim Crow-era poll taxes designed to keep black voters from participating in elections.
Stepping Over a Blurring Red Line, Palm Coast Councilman Klufas Wants To Hire a New Broadband Director
Though it’s not ina council member’s authority, the Palm Coast Council’s Nick Klufas is eager to hire Donald Kewley, a finalist for city manager, to be in charge of the city’s Broadband, or FiberNet, system, which he sees as a potentially money-making utility.
Council Agrees to Contract With New Manager, But Not to Annual Raises Tied to Employees
The council, on Mayor Milissa Holland’s insistence, deleted a clause that would have granted incoming Manager Matthew Morton automatic, annual non-merit raises calibrated to the percentage awarded city employees.
Daniel R Macleod III Is 2nd Motorcyclist Killed in 3 Days Following Crash on I-95 Near Construction
Daniel R. MacLeod III, a 40-year-old former resident of Palm Coast, was critically injured in a motorcycle crash late Monday afternoon on I-95, just north of Palm Coast Parkway. McLeod later died at Halifax hospital.
Landon-Shy, Palm Coast Readies to Approve City Manager Contract at Base Pay of $145,000
Matt Morton, Palm Coast’s new manager, would start at a salary $30,000 smaller than predecessor Jim Landon’s, but would be in line to tag his annual raises to those of other employees, a potential conflict of interest.
Deadline Comes and Goes And Still No Breakthrough on Alternative to Sheriff’s Operations Center
A month ago the Flagler County Commission agreed to a 15-day deadline to come up with a compromise on interim space for the Sheriff’s Operations Center, when the sheriff and the clerk of court were not agreeing on using courthouse space to that end. The deadline has long lapsed, with no new proposal on the table.
Homeless Man Arrested In Strong-Armed Robbery at Palm Coast Gas Station Over Cigarettes
Justin Taylor, a three-time convicted felon who’s been homeless in Palm Coast for several years, was arrested Sunday morning after an altercation with a store clerk at a convenience store on Palm Coast Parkway, where he stole one pack of cigarettes and a can of tobacco.
Rifle and Handgun Stolen as Flagler Sheriff’s Deputy’s Vehicle Is Broken Into In Front Of His House in B-Section
A Flagler County Sheriff’s patrol vehicle assigned to deputy Daniel LaVerne was broken into overnight Saturday as it was parked in front of LaVerne’s house in the area of Beachway Drive in Palm Coast. The thief or thieves stole a handgun and a rifle.
Florida’s GOP Lawmakers Accelerate Plan To Use Far More Public Dollars for Private Schools
The House Education Committee on Thursday approved a bill (PCB EDC 19-01) that would create a new voucher program, known as the Family Empowerment Scholarship program, which would be open to many middle-class families.
Flagler Beach Kills Paid Parking Proposal for the City: ‘We Don’t Have a Parking Problem’
The paid-parking proposal in Flagler Beach, the latest of many, would have generated money but not for the city: it would have paid for a company to run a complicated system.
County Calls DEP Over Area ‘Heavily Contaminated With Human Waste’ Around Library in Cleanup of Homeless Camp
The week-long cleanup of the homeless camp near the public library in Palm Coast revealed concerning hygienic issues but few security incidents. Meanwhile, the library is installing a new security system.
Palm Coast Poised To Make the Arts Central To Its Innovation District as New Sculpture Garden Redefines Central Park
The Gargiulo Arts Foundation is making possible a new sculpture garden in Palm Coast’s Central Park and helping to redefine the city’s innovation district, with the arts playing a central role. More funding may be next.
Inspection Finds Seating-Capacity Violations at Captain’s BBQ at Bing’s, Raising New Questions
A state inspection of Captain’s BBQ at Bing’s Landing found the restaurant to have 188 seats though it’s licensed for just 60. The county says it’s fixing the issue, which raised new questions for the restaurant, which has been at the center of a controversial proposal to expand at the county park.
The Live Profile:
Palm Coast’s New City Manager Matt Morton
Matt Morton’s recent history as a city administrator in a small, rich city in Washington suggests his enthusiasm and jargon-and-joy-filled language about managing is not an affectation but a genuine part of an inclusive, ingenuous workaholic.
Push For Swift Homeless ‘Solutions’ Clashes With Individual, On-the-Ground Realities
Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins and Palm Coast City Council member Jack Howell want solutions to what they call a homeless crisis, but others are reminding them that efforts are in place. The resources and focus to pull them off in concert may not be.
Judge Rules School Boards Must Provide Security Officers to Charter Schools Just As They Do Their Own
In a decision that could have statewide implications, an administrative law judge Tuesday ruled that the Palm Beach County School Board is required to assign safety officers to charter schools under a law passed last year. Judge John Van Laningham sided with Renaissance Charter School Inc., which operates six schools in Palm Beach County and […]
Palm Coast Teen and Best Friend Face Molestation Charges Involving Teen’s Family Member Over Years
Both men were cooperative with detectives and confessed, according to their arrest report, saying they wanted to seek help, which suggests the case may be settled before it reaches trial.
Palm Coast Council Picks Matthew Morton as Its City Manager in Sharp Turn ‘From This Nice Little Box’
The Palm Coast City Council chose Matthew Morton in a 3-2 vote, bypassing Interim Manager Beau Falgout, in what council members described as the city’s desire for a “game-changer.”
Its Eye on Homeless, Public Library Draws ‘Green Zone’ to Stop Roaming On Property Outside Regular Hours
The Palm Coast library’s “Green Zone” is intended to keep the more than three dozen homeless people who have encamped on county land southwest of the library from using the building’s covered areas or its parking lot as gathering, sleeping or rest places.
Flagler’s Labor Force and Residents With Jobs Reach New Records Even as Local Unemployment Rises
The number of people with jobs in Flagler County rose by 657, an unusual and impressive 1.5 percent, sending Flagler’s employed labor force to a new record, and rising by 2,000 compared to January 2018.
Ex-Cop Michael Stavris’s Probation Officer Wanted Him Back In Prison Even Before His Latest Charges
An investigation revealed that not 72 hours after his release from prison on similar charges, ex-cop Michael Stavris was engaging in the very same behavior, using a minor girls’ fake Facebook account to speak to men.
Palm Coast’s Illusion of Affordable Housing
Simply put, the housing stock in Flagler County and Palm Coast is inadequate to suit the needs of the bottom half of the earnings ladder, and that bottom half has nothing to do with “Section 8,” argues Toby Tobin.
County Orders Armed Security at Palm Coast Library in Signal to Homeless, Patrons and Staff: ‘Safety Is Paramount’
In the latest development of the homeless crisis at the Flagler County Public Library in Palm Coast, the library director and a county commissioner pressured the interim county administrator to provide armed security at the library while the county searches for a longer-term solution.
Recount Not Necessary: Jan Reeger Officially Wins Bunnell Seat by 2 Votes Over Daisy Henry
The Bunnell Canvassing Board met today to determine whether a provisional ballot might trigger a recount in the race between Jan Reeger Daisy Henry. It did not, as the ballot’s vote went to a third candidate.
Palm Coast Fires Palm Harbor Golf Club General Manager Tim Spangler Over Charges of Theft
Tim Spangler was hired at the city-run Palm Harbor Golf Club in the summer of 2017 as part of a make-over of the club, when the city took over management from a private company.
50 Years In Prison for Thomas Binkley, 62, Who Molested 2 Girls Younger Than 9
Thomas Binkley, the 62-year-old former Bunnell resident, found guilty of molesting two sisters, ages 6 and 8, will serve two consecutive mandatory 25-year terms, but is unlikely to live many years in prison as his health is failing.
Interviews For Palm Coast Manager Sharpen Choices for Council as Styles, Strengths And Flaws Emerge
Three candidates–Robin Hayes, Donald Kewley, and Matthew Morton–made their case to unseat Beau Falgout as they interviewed for Palm Coast City manager, mostly behind closed doors, today. A full report on how they did.
Everything From Impact Fees to Franchise Fees Could Be Called ‘Taxes’ Under Proposal Worrying Cities and Counties
On the local government level, the proposal would identify as a tax any new or increased special assessment or non-ad valorem assessment, impact fee or mobility fee, and franchise fee.
Facing Mounting Criticism, Flagler Scraps Exiling Palm Coast Homeless and Will Keep Them Near the Library
Averting what was turning into another embarrassing shamble, Flagler County government today scrapped plans to evict the homeless from the public library grounds in Palm Coast and exile some to an isolated camp at the far end of the county.
This Is Russell Landing: Flagler County’s Idea of a Homeless Camp
An examination of Russell Landing, the extremely isolated site Flagler County would move homeless people to, is not as healthy, safe or desirable a location as the county is making it out to be.
Mealy and Belhumeur Keep Seats in Flagler Beach, Reeger and Baxley Win in Bunnell, Newcomer Doug O’Connor Wins Beverly Beach
Jane Mealy and Rick Belhumeur won decisively in Flagler Beach, Jan Reeger won by two votes in Bunnell, incumbent Bill Baxley won by a far larger margin, and in Beverly Beach, newcomer Doug O’Connor unseated one of three incumbents.
FPC’s Problem Solvers Will Present Their School-Safety Initiative to Marjory Stoneman Douglas Commission
Members of the Flagler Palm Coast High School Community Problem Solving Group “FPC Bulldog Patrol” have been invited to present their project to the next meeting of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission, April 9-10, at the BB&T Center in Sunrise.