The Flagler Auditorium today filled with 1,000 faculty members for “active shooter” or “incident survival” training through a vivid, disquieting presentation by Sheriff’s officials.
Featured
Court Ruling With Broad Implications Throws Out Limits on Medical Pot Operators
The cap on the number of medical marijuana operators “directly contradicts the amendment,” Leon County Circuit Judge Charles Dodson ruled in an eight-page order.
Grim Flagler Milestone in 2017: Most Suicides In County’s History, Highest Rate in Florida
There were 31 suicides in Flagler-Palm Coast in 2017, five more than the previous high, a third of them affecting people 45 to 54. The county’s rate is significantly higher than the average in states most severely affected by suicide.
FlaglerLive Wins 1st Place For Court Reporting In Society of Professional Journalists’ Sunshine State Awards
FlaglerLive was awarded the courtroom honor for a series of articles written to give readers a front-row seat in the courtroom, reflecting proceedings with analytical and vivid detail and accessible narratives of the legal context.
Sheriff Staly and 2 Deputies Pull Guns on Suspects at End of I-95 Chase That Reached 100 MPH
Tavarius Stokes, 23, had allegedly pulled a gun on the mother of his child in Bunnell and was wanted on a warrant when Sheriff Rick Staly joined the chase and was part of apprehending Stokes and another man today.
Democratic or Republican, Florida’s Candidates For Governor Say What Voters Want To Hear on Environment
Candidates’ solutions are mostly general and vary on how to keep up with the state’s growing population and businesses while keeping springs and rivers clean from the Panhandle to the Everglades.
Florida’s Back-To-School Sales Tax Holiday Is This Weekend: Here’s A Guide (No Electronics)
Florida’s sales tax holiday on school supplies, clothing, shoes and other select accessories is this weekend–starting at a minute after midnight Friday, Aug. 3, through midnight Sunday, Aug. 5.
Judge Throws Dog Racing Ban Off November Ballot, Calling It “Outright Trickeration”
“Contrary to the words presented for consideration by the voters, the amendment would not end dog racing, nor would it eliminate wagering on dog racing,” the judge wrote.
In Rebuke to Palm Coast Council and Public, Landon Fends Off Request For More Timely Information
Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland wants Manager Jim Landon to make council meeting materials to council and public sooner than on meeting days. Landon’s stunning answer: don’t bet on it.
County Employee Faces Termination After Accessing Judges’ Secure Area To Complain About His Case
Gerald Pikaard, a 61-year-old trades worker, used his county-issued ID badge to access the chambers of County Judge Melissa Moore-Stens and her assistant to complain about his DUI case’s disposition.
Amazon’s Deceptive Bargain With Local Government Purchasing–at Local Business’ Expense
Amazon’s bid to dominate local government purchasing has gone under the radar. IKt’s appealing on the surface, but could make it harder for agencies to buy from local vendors.
Canadian Firm Poised to Light Up Florida Marijuana Market in $93 Million Deal
A Canadian love-fest for Florida pot companies continues to blossom with a $93 million deal that includes a Ruskin-based grower yet to begin selling marijuana products.
Palm Coast Would Raise Water and Sewer Rates 20.6% Over the Next 4 Years
The average monthly residential bill for water and sewer is $65.76. It would rise to $79.33 by 2022, when the average annual bill will be $163 higher than it is now.
Dog Racing Ban, On November Ballot, Gets a Boost From Doris Day
The Doris Day Animal League made a $1.5 million contribution to the Committee to Protect Dogs, backing Amendment 13, which appears on Florida ballots this fall.
A Body Is Found in Intracoastal Search For Matthew Otis, 20, Who’d Disappeared Off a Boat on Sunday
Matthew Otis, 20, of Palm Coast, was lost in the Intracoastal around 6:30 Sunday evening as he and friends were boating and tubing on the water.
Immigrant Youth Shelters: “If You’re a Predator, It’s a Gold Mine”
An investigation of police reports and call logs from more than two-thirds of the shelters housing immigrant children provides a snapshot of what has largely been kept from the public as well as members of Congress.
For FPC Student-Athlete Allen Roberson, 16, A Summer Battling a Rare Brain Tumor And Aiming For Next Run
Allen Roberson, an honors student and a runner at FPC, went through complicated surgeries on July 3 and 12 and has been mending through radiation and chemotherapy since.
‘Funworld Place’ Business Owner Accused of Selling Crack Out of Palm Coast Parkway Store
Jerard K. Davis of Palm Coast, who’s twice served prison stints for selling cocaine, was arrested at his business near Sunshine Academy and allegedly found with crack and other drugs that he was selling.
After Noting Many “Deficiencies” In Flagler’s Public Transportation System, State Ordered 2 Buses Off the Roads
Last November state inspectors noted 45 “deficiencies” in Flagler County’s public transportation system, and last week ordered two buses off the roads because safety problems had not been addressed.
In Restoration of Florida Felons’ Voting Rights, Lawyers Make Novel 1st Amendment Argument
Lawyers for the plaintiffs maintain that Florida’s discretionary process violates the First Amendment, despite a dearth of cases anywhere in the country supporting that argument.
Palm Coast Woman Leads Uber Driver at Gunpoint On Strange Run in E-Section
Betty Jo Halter, 44, of Palm Coast’s E Section, allegedly forced an Uber driver to take her around town at gunpoint in search of a man, before the driver managed to get away.
Cops Behaving Proudly: Sheriff and Flagler Beach Police Chief Sum Up Solid State of Law Enforcement
Sheriff Rick Staly and Flagler Beach Chief Matt Doughney appeared at a chamber breakfast to speak of the state of law enforcement in the county, from diminishing crime rates to improving PR.
Jury Finds Matthew Nesbitt Guilty on 7 Counts in Near-Lethal Confrontation With Cops and Dog, Faces 15 Years in Prison
The trial provided a rare and detailed look into the raw emotions, fears, confusions, split-second judgments and calculations of deputies in a potentially lethal confrontation.
Flagler School Enrollment Remains Flat, Florida Will See Slowdown in 2019-20
Enrollment in Flagler County has been flat for a decade, hovering at or just below 13,000 students since 2007. That’s not about to change.
Judge Declares Unconstitutional Attempt By Scott To Forbid Early Voting On College Campuses
U.S. District Judge Mark Walker found that the Florida Department of State’s prohibition against campus early-voting sites “is facially discriminatory on account of age.”
As County Completes 5.75 Miles In Dune Reinforcement, ‘Mobi-Mats’ Give Protective Access to Beaches
Installation of Mobi-Mats and “Dodge the Dunes” signs at nine beach access points in unincorporated Flagler County are scheduled for completion by the end of the week.
County Eyes Slightly Higher Property Tax Rate; It Would Be Offset Some By Lower School Rate
The average homeowner would see a $50 increase in county taxes next year, but also a small decrease in school taxes, which would keep overall tax bills increasing at a little more than the rate of inflation.
In Straw Poll at Chamber’s Candidate Hobnob, a Mix of Incumbent and Insurgent Successes
Incumbents have clear leads in County Commission races, newcomers John Tipton and Jack Howell posted strong showings in Palm Coast races, and school board races have mixed messages.
Why Should FPL Customers Pay For Its Polluting, Lawbreaking Mistake? Court Will Decide.
FPL wants to bill customers across the state, including Flagler, $206 million in recovery costs for its own polluting mistake at its Turkey Point plant in South Florida.
At Italian-American Club, Waitress Says Man Touches Her Inappropriately, Scuffle and Injuries Follow
Joseph Leonetti, 64, faces a battery charge after being accused of inappropriately touching a 19-year-old waitress, and fighting with a member of the club’s board of directors.
Fearing Lawsuit, a Commissioner Questions Streaming Government Meetings
A deputy clerk in Bunnell and a city commissioners wanted to end streaming government meetings from fear of getting sued until the city attorney saw an overreaction.
Restricting Food Stamps Use at Farmers’ Markets Is One More Way To Hurt the Poor
The government just canceled its contract with the company that makes the card readers necessary to read food stamps cards at farmers markets.
Trump Targets Breastfeeding Abroad, Contradicting U.S. Laws in 50 States
In a favor to the baby-formula lobby, the Trump administration sought to defeat a World Health Organization resolution to “protect, promote and support breastfeeding,” shocking researchers.
Child Neglect Charges for 3 As Toddlers Are Found Among Roaches in B-Section House
The investigation was triggered when a 4-month-old child was brought to Florida Hospital Flagler with bone fractures and covered in bug bites.
Fire Severely Damages House on Palm Coast’s Walter Place, Making It Uninhabitable
A fire that started in a vehicle parked in the driveway consumed the garage and the attic of the house at 1 Walter Place in Palm Coast Saturday morning.
Truth Derangement Syndrome
Donald Trump once said he could shoot someone and not lose any votes. He’s right in the sense that he changed the rules of right and wrong, truth and lies, morality and immorality.
Mom Who Sought Charges Against Her Son Now Pleads Mercy As He Faces Trial For Attacking Cops and Police Dog
Matthew Nesbitt, 45, goes on trial Monday on six felony charges. Last November he led cops on a chase through Palm Coast’s Z Section before surrendering.
Flagler Unemployment Rises to 4.3% But Labor Force Keeps Expanding
Some 200 people were added to Flagler’s unemployment rolls but in a sign of continuing health the workforce is expanding and is 1,000 workers larger than a year ago.
No “Overconfidence” In 2018 Election as Florida Takes $19 Million in Security Upgrades
Florida’s top elections official told lawmakers that “time is of the essence” in using the federal money, with the Aug. 28 primary elections just over a month away.
Gloves Come Off on Both Sides as Flagler Beach Seeks To End Lease With Golf Course Management
The Flagler Beach Commission tonight will decide whether to end its lease with the company running its golf course, which itself is threatening litigation in the latest twist of a frayed relationship.
Flagler County Judge Moore-Stens Finally Gets Help, As Does Civil Bench
Senior judges will pick up civil and county court dockets, a big help for Flagler County Judge Melissa Moore-Stens, whose dockets is among the heaviest in the state.
In Rebuke to Landon Method, Palm Coast Mayor and Council Kill $100,000 Design for Unfunded Recreation Center
The council had never agreed to spending large sums imagining a rec center that may not be built for years, but City Manager Jim Landon made it look as if it was an immediate priority.
FSU Will Move Statue of Slaveholder and Seek to Scrub Segregationist’s Name From Law School Building
The statue of Francis Eppes, a grandson of Thomas Jefferson and a former mayor of Tallahassee, has been up only since 2002. FSU President John Thrasher will seek to have the name of segregationist B.K. Roberts removed from the law school building.
Growing Rift as Bunnell Commission Lowers Standards in Renewed Search for City Manager
The Bunnell commission will again advertise for a city manager after failing to agree on a candidate last month, and will now make a master’s degree optional for applicants.
Sheriff Staly on Operations Center: “I Will Not Tolerate Blaming Victims of This Building, My Employees”
Sheriff Rick Staly delivered a 2,000-word statement on the troubled Operations Center during Monday’s workshop on the matter. The full text is reproduced here.
Combative Statements and Threats of Litigation Belie Claim of Unity Meeting on Sheriff’s Operations Center
A Flagler County Commission workshop on results of air testing at the Sheriff’s Operations Center was tense and combating as sheriff’s employees questioned the county’s sincerity.
Behind Scott’s Executive Order Protecting Public Beach Access: New Law’s Confusing Signals
A new law that could potentially restrict public access to beaches prompted an executive order from Gov. Scott that echoes an ordinance Flagler passed last month.
Doubt and Mistrust From Sheriff’s Employees Against County’s ‘All Clear’ on Operations Center
Sheriff’s employees are neither ready nor willing to return to the potentially sick operations center: a report on the building’s air still doesn’t explain why 27 employees developed problems.
Martin Tucker, Rancher and Bulwark of Pioneering West Flagler Family, Dies at 70
Leslie Martin Tucker Jr., father of School Board Chairman Trevor Tucker, cousin of Bunnell Commissioner Elbert Tucker, rancher and owner of Sun Country Pest Control, died Wednesday.
Issuing Report, County Says Sheriff’s Building “Deemed Safe To Occupy,” But Sheriff Raises Questions
A much-anticipated report on the air quality of the evacuate Sheriff’s Operations Center concludes that the building has no mold problem but questions remain, not least from the sheriff.