Brenden Geary, 21, left an 11-lb Yorkshire terrier unconscious after brutalizing her at a W-Section Palm Coast home in Palm Coast last March.
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Sheriff Still Investigating Even After Woman Missing 8 Months Turns Up
Palm Coast’s Samantha Posella revealed herself to a West palm Beach police officer Tuesday after going missing eight months, but the case is not closed.
Flagler School District Scores a B For 7th Year In a Row, Ranks 32nd Out of 67
Only Indian Trails Middle School scored an A while Old Kings and Rymfire elementaries dropped a grade. Other schools maintained last year’s grades.
More Than 100 New Laws Take Effect Sunday, as Does $88 Billion Budget
New laws expanding education vouchers, prohibiting marriage for anyone younger than 18, and placing Florida on permanent daylight saving time–if Congress approves–all go into effect.
Palm Coast Man Faces Rape Charge, Allegedly ‘Testing’ If Girlfriend Had Been Unfaithful
D’Marcus Boyd, a 24-year-old Palm Coast resident, is at the Flagler County jail on $127,500 bond on accusations that he broke into a P-Section house and raped his girlfriend.
Balking at Proposed Tax Increase, County Commissioners Offer Alternatives Outside of Public Meeting
Flagler County commissioners want to cut a proposed budget increase but didn’t do so at a workshop, and plan to offer their suggestions outside of budget workshops.
Supreme Court Orders Flagler’s Judge Scott DuPont Removed in Unanimous Decision
Scott DuPont, who’d served on Flagler’s and Putnam’s civil benches since 2010, was investigated for improprieties on and off the bench.
Bunnell Votes 3-2 To Hire Martin Murphy as Manager, a Planner From New York
The divided vote to hire Martin Murphy reflected the mayor’s wish for a second round of interviews and another commissioner hoping for a different candidate.
For a 6-Year-Old Snared in the Immigration Maze, Lifeline in a Memorized Phone Number
As the U.S. attempts to reunite migrant families, children will bear the burden of helping to identify who and where their parents are. One 6-year-old girl has an advantage.
Andy Dance Re-Elected To Flagler School Board Without Opposition; Others Must Slog It Out
Andy Dance was re-elected to a fourth term. A school board and a Palm Coast council race will be decided in August, others won’t be decided until November.
Felony Child Neglect Charges For Two Palm Coast Men Accused of Drug-Dealing
Two Palm Coast men arrested in three days saw their drug-dealing charges complicated by felony child-neglect charges involving children ages 1 and 2.
School Board Rejects $2.5 Million Bid For Palm Coast Parkway Property It Bought For $3.5 Million
The $2.5 million offer was $500,000 higher than the best appraisal of the property. The board split 2-2 on the offer from Michael Collard Properties, who’d offered $1.8 million last year.
U.S. Supreme Court Ruling On Web Retailers Could Boost Florida’s Sales Tax Revenue
A 5-4 ruling upheld a law that allowed the state to apply its sales tax to major online retailers, even if they had no physical presence in the state.
First McDonald, Now Abby Romaine Will Challenge Hansen For County Commission
Abby Romaine, who ran for the seat in 2012 as an independent, is challenging County Commissioner Greg Hansen in the August Republican primary.
Flagler County Passes Precedent-Setting Ordinance Protecting Public Use of Private Beaches, But Its Future Is Uncertain
Flagler’s customary-use ordinance forbids the walling off of private sections of beaches, though a new state law allows just such segregation from public use. Flagler expects its ordinance to be challenged.
Critics Assail Scott Policy Shift That Would Reduce Eligibility Window For Medicaid
The majority of the 39,000 people impacted by the change would be seniors and people with disabilities. But Gov. Scott wants the shift to save nearly $100 million.
Dennis McDonald Files to Run Against Greg Hansen as Sheriff’s Building Fuses Explosive Campaign Issue
Dennis McDonald will challenge County Commissioner Greg Hansen as an independent, with the mess surrounding the Sheriff’s Operations Center leading his decision to run.
Ambulance Fees Going Up 48% as Flagler Fire Rescue Makes Pitch For Big Budget Increase
Flagler County’s fire department is asking for a substantial budget increase to raise pay and buy $1.5 million worth of equipment, and the county approved huge increases in emergency transportation fees.
Palm Harbor Charter School Will Shut Down Oct. 31 From Chronically Poor Performance
The Palm Coast charter school becomes the third in six years to shut its doors. Irregularities and poor student performance led the district to pressure Palm Harbor to close.
Bunnell Manager Interviews: Some Drop Out, Some Stand Out Some Evoke Testy Memories
The Bunnell commission interviewed ex-Bunnell Manager Lyndon Bonner and Martin Murphy Monday, and began taking up positions on narrowing the list of four remaining candidates.
Floridian Wins 2nd Case at Supreme Court Over Arrest During Public Comment
Justices, in an 8-1 decision, sided with Fane Lozman, who filed a lawsuit against the city contending that the arrest involved retaliation for his outspoken criticism of officials in the Palm Beach County community.
Sheriff’s Potentially Sick Building Testing Done in 1 Day, Results Not Expected Until July
An environmental engineer Flagler County government hired to test the Sheriff’s Operations Center gathered some 30 air, soil and other samples in a one-day testing spree at the building.
Behind Campaign to ‘Save Cooper’ the Dangerous Dog, Broken Pledges on Both Sides and Palm Coast’s Arbitrary Calls
Cooper’s owner broke a pledge to kill the dog, and the victim broke a pledge not to sue, while Palm Coast pursued euthanizing the dog but not charges against the owner, even though the law says it should do both.
Flagler Beach Golf Course Struggles On, But City Declares Re-Evaluation Committee Premature
Flagler Beach commissioners rejected Kim Carney’s call for appointing a reevaluation committee for the nine-hole golf course at the south end of town.
Cruel and Usual Trump
The Trump-Sessions zero-tolerance policy of separating children from their parents at the border has no precedent except in America’s slavery times.
Judge Says Legislature Illegally Spending Florida’s Land-Preservation Money on Operating Costs
Striking a blow to the Legislature, a judge ruled lawmakers failed to comply with a voter-approved constitutional amendment to buy and preserve environmentally sensitive lands.
Court Orders Re-Hearing in Death Penalty
Case Over Juror Calling Gays ‘Depraved’
Justices ordered a new sentencing hearing for inmate Eric Kurt Patrick because the jury split 7-5 in recommending the death penalty to a judge, and because a juror was prejudiced against Patrick.
Sheriff’s Office Completes Evacuation as Length of Nomadic Exile Remains Uncertain
The Flagler Sheriff’s Office completed its relocation to the courthouse and its old administrative building pending analysis of the potentially sick operations center.
For Flagler Students, Slight Declines In English and Math Mask Stronger Gains in the Details
When broken out, the declines tend to be more isolated than systemic, and despite the declines, the district remains above the state average in both English and math.
Flagler Unemployment Settles Below 4% in Echo of Pre-Recession Vigor, Labor Force at New High
The Flagler labor force hit a new high of 47,204, up 600 compared to a year ago. Of those, 45,423 residents are holding jobs either in the county or out of the county.
Flagler Firefighters Pull Off Two Saves in 12 Hours–A $1.2 Million Home and Strip Mall Shop
This morning’s fire broke out around 8:30 p.m. at the Bikes ‘N Coffee shop at Flagler Plaza. Thursday evening a three-level house in the Hammock caught fire from a lightning strike.
Palm Coast Council Prepares Residents For Big Tax and Fee Changes Ahead
A combination of a potential huge revenue loss combined with rising infrastructure needs mean the current Palm Coast tax and fee structure is unsustainable.
Black Bear Roaming Around Seminole Woods Catches Attention of Residents and FWC
The bear has been linked to areas around Ulaturn Trail, Ullian Trail and Selma Trail. FWC is canvassing the neighborhood and urging residents to eliminate outdoor food sources.
291 Gun Permits Wrongly Issued, But Adam Putnam Says “Public Safety Was Not At Risk”
An employee stopped running background checks on hundreds of applicants. The problem led to heavy criticism of Putnam amid his campaign for governor.
In Bunnell Manager Interviews, a Commissioner Makes His Choice With 3 Candidates Yet To Go
Commissioner John Rogers declared himself for a candidate before the candidate’s interview was over, and before the commission is to interview three more next week.
Campaign Cash Fuels TV Ads for Adam Putnam and Philip Levine in Governor’s Race
As the leading fundraisers in their party primaries for governor, Adam Putnam and Philip Levine have an advantage over their rivals when it comes to reaching voters.
Palm Coast Council Claims It Cannot Exile Rather Than Kill Dangerous Dog Cooper. Many Others Disagree.
The dog Cooper has twice been declared dangerous and is set to be killed, but its owner and advocates say Palm Coast is refusing to settle for exiling the dog to a rescue ranch instead.
Trouble For 9 Ballot Proposals, But Homestead Expansion and School Board Term Limits Would Pass
Bans on offshore oil drilling and vaping in workplaces and restaurants, new ethics standard for public officials and voting rights to ex-felons would all fail.
Flagler Schools’ Problem Solvers Claim Two 1st Places Among 6 Trophies at International Competition
Katia Martynuk of FPC and Michael Mwaura of Indian Trails took first place as Flagler’s students from the two schools also claimed one second-place and three third-place finishes.
Facing Life in Prison, George Wood Is Found Incompetent to Stand Trial; 2 Previous Guilty Verdicts In Question
Palm Coast’s George Wood, 32, was headed for trial on an armed burglary charge that could lock him up for life, and was sentenced to 10 years in February in separate trials.
Examining Budget, Commissioners May Increase Free Clinic and Family Life Center Funding
Commissioners Monday discussed county contributions to such organizations as the Flagler Free Clinic and the Family Life Center, level for years.
School Massacre Commission Hears Troubling Account Of Ineffective Database and Information-Sharing
Panelists on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission discussed shortcomings in a database designed to capture information about troubled students.
Pious Homophobes Win One
The Supreme Court in its wedding-cake ruling declared gays once again second-class citizens, at least when their sexuality has to compete with someone else’s more stone-throwing version of Christianity.
To Keep Sally Sherman, a $136,000 Employee, Flagler County Is Paying Private Agency $190,000
The bottom-line cost to taxpayers to retain Sally Sherman as a worker in Flagler government–totaling $258,554–is much higher than county officials originally conveyed.
Palm Coast Fugitive Wanted on Child Molestation Charge Found Within 1 Hour of Video Posting
Warren Putt Jr., 39, of Palm Coast, is accused of molesting a girl when she was kindergarten age–the daughter of his then-girlfriend.
Rise in Florida’s Uninsured Children Contrasts With Continued Declines in Other Big States
Florida lost ground while states such as Texas and California continued to make progress. Those states lowered their uninsured rates by 1 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively.
Bunnell Short-Lists Six Men For City Manager, But May Have Violated Sunshine Law
The Bunnell City Commission short-listed six city manager candidates out of 18 outside of a public meeting, a method courts have found to violate the Sunshine law.
Booked on $180,000 Bond, Dollar General Armed Robbery Suspect Threatened Suicide
Gary Wayne Hodges, a 35-year-old resident of 21A Prosperity Lane in Palm Coast, who allegedly confessed to the armed robbery, threatened suicide before his arrest.
Is Your Car a Weapon? Supreme Court Leaning to Yes in Manslaughter Case
Under Florida law, the use of a weapon bumped up the manslaughter charge from a second-degree felony to a first-degree felony, carrying a longer prison sentence.
Sheriff’s Operations Center Will Evacuate To Courthouse and Old Administration Building
The move out of the troubled building began as testing is scheduled in mid-June, but an environmental engineer cautions against expectations of black-and-white answers.