The Sheriff’s Domestic Violence Task Force, far from disbanding, is continuing its varied initiatives, though the incidence of domestic violence in the county appears to be spiking.
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Despite Questions of Trust, Flagler Commission Clears Way For 200 Homes Around Lakeside on A1A
Flagler commissioners voted to approve the 200-home development on either side of Lakeside By the Sea on A1A in a contentious 3-hour hearing in which commissioners said their hands were tied to do anything else.
In Last-Minute Reversal, Judge Agrees To More Lenient Plea in Maria Howell Case
After rejecting the deal last month, Circuit Judge Dennis Craig agreed to 18 months in prison for Maria Howell, who’d faced trial and possibly 15 years in prison over a molestation charge.
5-Hour Standoff With Woman Threatening Suicide Ends Peacefully on Point of Woods
Kathryn Hunter, 39, girlfriend of a man who killed himself on Jan. 9, surrendered to deputies in mid-afternoon after SWAT team members entered her house. She will be Baker Acted.
Commission Weighs Repeal of Ban on
Public Funding For Religious Groups
Former Florida Supreme Court Justice Raoul Cantero urged a Constitution Revision Commission panel to repeal a constitutional ban on state support for religious groups.
Cops’ Stop and Frisk Is Cut Back. Crime Doesn’t Spike. It Tumbles.
Police have radically cut back their controversial use of stop-and-frisk policies in New York. To the surprise of some, crime didn’t spike, but tumbled yet again.
Jimmie Brazell, 56, Struck and Killed As He Steps Out From Car On I-95 in Palm Coast
Jimmie Brazell, 56, was killed by a passing car as he walked across I-95 in Palm Coast after an argument with his new bride, who had asked him to pull over.
City Rep’s ‘Songs for a New World’ Takes Columbus and Betsy Ross to Abstract Edge
The newest production at Palm Coast’s City Rep Theatre brings together Columbus, Betsy Ross, a suicidal woman and Mrs. Claus in a non-traditional, abstract song cycle.
Bobby Gore Sentenced to 15 Years In Shooting Death of His Son in Flagler Beach as Judge Rebukes “Family Culture” of Firearms
Bobby Earl Gore, 74, shot his son Lucas, 31, last April at their Flagler Beach home, allegedly after Lucas had terrorized and humiliated him. A judge did not feel too much lenience was required in the sentence.
Strident Opposition to Roundabout at US1 and Old Dixie Even As Another Crash Results In Critical Injury
There was no doubt as to the near-unanimity and depth of opposition to a roundabout at the intersection of US1 and Old Dixie by the end of a one-hour public hearing.
Flagler County’s Employment Grows by 1,500 Over a Year of Steady Growth
Flagler County’s unemployment rate in December fell to 4 percent, down from a revised 4.3 percent, and was down a healthy 1.4 points for the year.
Move Over, Magritte: Alchemist-Photographer Jerry Uelsmann Documents States of Consciousness
Surrealist photographer Jerry Uelsmann, whose work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art among many places, speaks at the Hilton Garden Inn Sunday afternoon.
In Big Shift, Palm Coast Approves New Wireless Rules and Opens Many Areas to 150-Ft. Towers
Palm Coast hopes to end its reputation as a place full of dead zones and a poor place for carriers to do business, but aesthetics may take a backseat to improved coverage.
Ballot Measure Would Give Voters, Not Legislature, Final Say On Gambling’s Legality
The proposed constitutional amendment pits the state’s gambling industry against anti-gambling advocates in what is expected to be a high-dollar campaign before the fall election.
Reckless Driving, a Crash in an R-Section Front Yard and a Chase Ends in 2 Arrests
Jacquise D. Gaines Smith, 18, and Alvero Jackson, 23, were arrested in Palm Coast’s R-Section after a foot and air chase, after they fled the car they’d crashed in front yard.
Russian Rotarian Drops By Flagler Beach Rotary in Midst of Worldwide Cycling Tour
Ildus Yanyshev, a 56-year-old Russian Rotarian from the city of Kazan in the true heart of Russia, is on a global “Rotary Peace and Good Will Bike Tour.”
Twice Palm Coast’s Senior, Flagler County Art League Turns 40 as Canvas Expands
The Flagler County Art League, now with 450 members, is celebrating its 40th anniversary with several events and a look back at accomplishments against odds.
FPL Will Not Charge Customers For Irma Repairs After All, Citing Tax Savings
FPL says savings from the federal tax overhaul will allow it to avoid billing customers for the $1.3 billion cost of restoring electricity after Hurricane Irma.
Released From Jail on Jan. 9, Palm Coast Woman Found Dead In Her House 6 Days Later
Drugs may have played a role in the death of Jessica Coubrough, 55, just days after she’d spent two months in jail, where she could not access drugs.
Amid Dearth of Mental Health Services, Flagler Lifeline Seeks to End Stigmas and Broaden Discussion
In an effort to de-stigmatize mental health and discussions about suicide, Flagler Lifeline, a joint effort by the school district and Flagler Cares, is looking to make the issue a priority for local officials.
Michael Cummings Charged With Murder in Wife’s Death on Point Pleasant Thursday; Sheriff Describes “Brutal” Attack
Michael Cummings was charged with second-degree murder in the death of his wife Faith Cummings Thursday in what the sheriff describes as a case of domestic violence that went out of control.
Michael Cummings Charged With Murder in Wife’s Death on Point Pleasant Thursday; Sheriff Describes “Brutal” Attack
With autopsy results in, the death of 44-year-old Faith Cummings at her Palm Coast home last week is now considered very suspicious, and people of interests are being sought.
To Stay on Medicaid, You May Have To Start Working: Trump’s Decision Sparks Fury
Trump’s decision to allow states to test a work requirement for adult Medicaid enrollees sparked criticism from doctors, advocates for the poor, and minority and disability rights groups.
Reporting on Public Figures’ Extra-Curricular Sex
Married or not, public figures’ affairs are nobody’s business as long as the acts are legal, consensual, off the clock and virally contained. But there are exceptions.
Flagler Beach Will End Its Lease With Ocean Palms Golf, Finding Settlement Inadmissible
Flagler Beach commissioners no longer want to work with Terry McManus, lease-holder of the city-owned golf course, and plan on either taking over the course or finding a new management firm.
Florida House Readies to Pass “Sanctuary City” Ban as Election Year Winds Up
House Speaker Richard Corcoran, who is mulling a run for governor, is pushing the sanctuary-city ban that would impose stiff penalties on local governments that don;t enforce immigration laws.
Palm Coast Council Dallies Through a Few Cosmetic Charter Changes in Anticlimactic Sum-Up
Only three or four cosmetic changes might make it on the November ballot, if that, after the Palm Coast City Council waded through a three-hour meeting to determine the future of its charter.
Sheriff’s Detectives Investigating Suspicious Death on Point Pleasant Drive in Palm Coast
A woman in her 40s was reported dead this morning in her bathroom. Her husband was speaking with authorities, and the sheriff was at the scene, along with detectives.
Flagler’s Opioid Crisis Seen From Those Fighting It: A Severe Lack of Treatment Beds, Drug Court at Capacity, Jail as a Waiting Room
The most comprehensive picture of the opioid crisis in Flagler County came to light today in a gathering of Flagler County judges, top cops, medical, social and government services. Here are the details.
Bunnell’s Planning Board Defies City on Medical Pot Dispensaries, To No Avail
The Bunnell Planning Board voted unanimously against the city’s ban on pot dispensaries, only for the city commission to ignore the vote and vote unanimously for it Monday evening.
6 Months After Agreeing to Replace City Manager, Palm Coast Council Will Take Next 5 to Find Search Firm
The Palm Coast City Council Tuesday left little doubt who was in charge of the hiring process for a new city manager to replace Jim Landon: Landon himself.
Man Takes His Own Life in a Car on SR100 as Sheriff’s Negotiators Were On Their Way
A man took his own life by gunshot in a car on State Road 100’s westbound lanes, in front of the Mobil station and convenience store, at dawn Tuesday.
Flagler Beach Will Lift Parking Restrictions On Downtown Businesses in Short-Term Fix
Th Flagler Beach City Commission in an unusual show of liberality resolved to loosen strict restrictions on parking regulations to allow two businesses either to expand or to grow downtown.
From Opioids to Taxes to Vacation Rentals: 11 Issues To Watch In Legislative Session Starting Tuesday
The House and Senate will negotiate a state budget and consider hundreds of bills including on health care, taxes, the environment, short-term rentals and hurricanes, among others. Here’s a preview.
21 Years From Concept to Take-Off: Flagler Airport Opens $17 Million Runway
The new runway at the Flagler Airport will accommodate more fuel-heavy jets, thus adding to the airport’s fuel sales. Next up is the building of a new terminal.
Ban On: Overriding Commissioner’s Plea, Flagler Enacts Prohibition on Medical Pot Shops
It was the second and final reading of an ordinance banning medical marijuana dispensaries in unincorporated Flagler, and it passed Monday morning, 3-2, ending a nearly year-long debate.
Jonathan Lord Takes Over Flagler’s Emergency Management as Its 6th Chief in 12 Years
Jonathan Lord, 43, had for more than two years been deputy director of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management, overseeing the statewide response to Hurricanes Hermine, Matthew and Irma firsthand.
Trump Administration’s Shift on Marijuana Could Imperil Banking Arrangements
By rolling back an Obama-era arrangement that shielded legal marijuana users and businesses from prosecution, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions may compel many banks and credit unions to stop working with marijuana businesses.
Dozens of Dune Walkovers Closed Again as Flagler Beach Reels From Latest Storm Damage
After managing to repair most walk-overs after Irma, Flagler Beach was forced to again close all but 17 of the 54 walkovers after this week’s storm, though the pier remains open.
Putting His Palm Coast House Up For Sale, DeSantis Makes Run For Governor Official
DeSantis’s neighbors at Lakeside By the Sea on A1A said they figured he was about to announce for governor when they saw a moving truck two weeks ago. His decision creates an opening for Democrats.
FPL Puts Plan To Bill Customers $1.3 Billion For Irma Repairs On Hold, Citing New Tax Law
The company has not moved forward with the plan, primarily because it is studying implications of a federal tax overhaul approved last month by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump.
19 Year Old Arrested By Sheriff Last Week For Reckless Driving Rearrested on Hit-and-Run and Cocaine Charges
Jacob Reardon is accused of speeding through the B Section when he crashed his car into a parked Nissan and fled the scene, along with his girlfriend. Cops quickly located him.
Vacation Rentals Would Be Protected Class in Residential Neighborhoods In Bill Flagler Calls “Extreme”
One proposed bill would eliminate local regulation of vacation rentals and make it difficult for home-owner associations and towns like Flagler Beach to prevent short-term rentals anywhere.
One Suicide, 10 Baker Acts: New Year Weekend’s Mental Health Toll Taxes Flagler Deputies
Baker Acts are a reflection of the county’s needs for mental health services, needs that are largely unmet despite recurring calls by county, police and mental health officials to improve matters.
As Snow Flirts With Florida, Flagler Rains Will Yield To 3 Nights of Hard Freezes, and Precautions
Snow fell as far south as St. Augustine today but not quite in Flagler, where officials are cautioning about hard freezes and opening a cold-weather shelter for the next three nights.
Collateral Damage of Florida’s Opioid Crisis: Children
Contending with tales of children discovered in the backseats of cars with their parents passed out from drug overdoses in the front, or toddlers left alone in fetid apartments for days while drug-addled mothers or fathers scour the streets for a fix.
74% Success Rate of FPC’s IB Class of 2017 Tops World Average as School Honors Graduates in Ceremony
Flagler Palm Coast High School’s International Baccalaureate Class of 2017 had the highest success rate in the program’s history, barring a much smaller inaugural class.
New Laws Kick In on Prescription Refills, Rideshare Regulations, Child Time-Sharing, Minimum Wage Up to $8.25/hr
A half-dozen new laws kick in today, easing regulations over ridesharing systems like Uber and a more consumer-friendly way to enable prescription refills, while Florida’s minimum wage gets its annual inflation adjustment.
Thank You for Record 7.6 Million Visits to FlaglerLive in 2017: A Review of a Disordered Year
FlaglerLive Editor Pierre Tristam reviews a year of record murders, record fatalities, disappointments in Palm Coast, but a sheriff’s great year, and new readership records for the site.
Florida’s Year of Turbulence
Scandal, storms and sniping were the hallmarks of 2017 in Florida, where political squalls and natural disasters created havoc in the Capitol and sent tremors through the Sunshine State.