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.
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Facebook’s Uneven Enforcement of Hate Speech Rules Allows Vile Posts to Stay Up
Asked about its handling of 49 posts that might be deemed offensive, Facebook, acknowledged that its content reviewers had made the wrong call on 22 of them.
Palm Coast Man Charged With Attempting to Electrocute His Wife 2 Days After Christmas
In one of the strangest cases in recent memory, Michael S. Wilson, 32, is accused of rigging the front door of his wife’s house in Palm Coast’s W-Section with live electrical current.
O Canada: Can a Single-Payer Health-Insurance System Work in the United States?
American support for government-run, single-payer health care, once a fringe opinion, is picking up momentum, with doctors and patients increasingly supportive,
2 Stolen Cars, Chase on SR100, and Arrest of 2 Teens, One With History of Car and Gun Thefts
Sammy Rozier, 16, had been released from detention days earlier when he was rearrested Tuesday on charges of stealing a car and leading cops on a chase through Palm Coast and Bunnell.
Despite Compressed Sign-Up Period, ACA Enrollment Nearly Matches Last Year’s
A day after Trump said the Affordable Care Act “has been repealed,” 8.8 million Americans had signed up for coverage on the federal insurance exchange in 2018.
Latvala and Company: At Least 18 Lawmakers Gone or Punished Over Harassment in Capitols
The movement that has empowered women across the country to levy sexual assault and harassment allegations against powerful men continues to snowball.
Roger Teachworth, 60, of Palm Coast, Is Killed In a Freak Vehicle Accident in His Garage
Roger Teachworth, a 60-year-old resident of 7 Biscay Lane Palm Coast, was pinned by his pick-up truck in his garage the afternoon of Christmas Eve.
How to Pay For Hurricane Irma’s Damages: Lawmakers (and Taxpayers) Face Billions in Costs
Irma’s tally: Agriculture: $2.5 billion hit on crops and facilities; insurance: $6.55 billion in property damage claims; utilities: $1 billion to cover the costs of getting power restored.
As Seas Rise Over South Florida: When’s the Last Time I’ll Go Home for Christmas?
By the author’s count, she’ll get 13 more holidays before the sea threatens to swallow her family’s home in South Florida, where the risk of a storm surge within four feet of high tide lines has doubled.
Trump Pushing DeSantis For Governor, But Opponent Calls It “Kiss Of Death” After Moore Flop
U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, a Palm Coast Republican who continues to mull a bid for governor, drew Twitter praise Friday from President Donald Trump, who flew to Palm Beach for the Christmas holiday.
Paul Deatherage, 31, Is Killed in Single-Vehicle Crash on U.S. 1, North of Whiteview
Paul Deatherage lost control of a Toyota pick-up, drifting into the median, over-correcting, and ending up in the shoulder before violently striking a tree. He was extricated but pronounced dead at the scene.
“You’re Getting Arrested by The Sheriff For That Kind of Driving,” Staly Tells 19 Year Old
Jacob Reardon, who just months ago was cited for going 84 in a 40, was arrested by Sheriff Rick Staly Wednesday evening, going 112 on I-95. He was also charged with pot possession.
Flagler’s 4.2% Unemployment and Steady Housing Numbers Point to a Healthy Year
Flagler County and Florida are ending the year on an economic high note, with unemployment in the county at 4.2 percent, down from 5.6 percent a year ago.
With Project Share, Flagler Beach Rotary Brings Christmas to 1,300 of the Region’s Neediest Children
Project Share was born 18 years ago after Roseanne Stocker drove through rural areas of deep poverty and teamed up with her father to provide toys for 30 children. The project has grown every year since.
Jacksonville and Florida National Guard Lose Out On Basing of F-35 Fighter Jet
Air Force today announced it will not locate its F-35 Lightning II fighter jet in Jacksonville with the Florida National Guard’s 125th Fighter Wing, opting for Alabama and Wisconsin.
Palm Coast Man Accused Of Assaulting Deputy, Threaten His Life and Make Him “Disappear”
A domestic situation on Palm Coast’s Postman lane had gone out of control when sheriff’s deputies arrived, with William Closson, 46, allegedly escalating a confrontation with a deputy.
Ex-Congresswoman Corrine Brown Pleads to Avoid Prison During Appeal. Judge Says No.
A federal judge Wednesday rejected a request by former Congresswoman Corrine Brown, who once represented Flagler, to stay out of prison while she appeals a conviction for her role in a charity scam.
Painters Hill and Hammock Dunes Property Owners Will Pay Extra Tax for Erosion Control
The four taxing districts, made necessary by hurricanes, will levy surtaxes on property owners only in those areas to defray the cost of protective sand berms and a sea wall the county will build.
Facing Harassment Charges and Damaging Reports, Florida Sen. Jack Latvala Resigns, Derisively Blaming “Political Correctness”
Latvala devoted much of his resignation letter to contest the charges against him and went as far as claiming that the drive to oust him was a matter of opportunism even as a special master is recommending a criminal investigation.
For Richard Westervelt, Long Series of Arrests and Evasions Ends in 5-Year Prison Term
Circuit Judge Dennis Craig rejected a more lenient prison term for Richard Westervelt of Palm Coast, who’s been arrested 13 times and faced 44 felonies and misdemeanors since 2010.
FPC Marks Football Team’s Perfect Season, a Superior Band for 15 Years, and a 14-Year-Old Champion
The Flagler County School Board meeting Tuesday turned into an evening of celebrations of historic achievements for so many that the meeting had to be moved to the Flagler Auditorium.
District Picks 100 Parents to Pilot App That Monitors and Controls Their Child’s Computer
Through a free app called Mosyle, parents will have the ability to control and lock down their child’s school issued device, with all parents given access by next fall.
Applicants Line Up Concert-Style For Florida’s Dozens of New Methadone-Treatment Licenses
Florida officials this summer decided to double the number of methadone clinics in the state as part of a $27 million federal grant aimed at curbing opioid addiction and overdoses.
Bunnell Man, 46, Accused of Raping Girl Since She was 8 and Molesting Another at Sleep-Over
The alleged assaults came to light after a sleep-over involving a 15 year old girl who’d gone to Bowling’s house to see her 15-year-old friend in June 2016.
Overriding Medical Marijuana Users’ Pleas, and Voters, Flagler Commissioners Pass Dispensary Ban
The 3-1 vote to ban medical marijuana dispensaries outright Monday evening ends a year-long process that saw commissioners zigzag between approval and prohibition.
A Fifth of Old Kings Elementary Students Absent as School Grapples With Outbreak
54 students were sent home Friday and at least 35 were sent home today after developing flu-like symptoms, but the outbreak appears limited to Old Kings Elementary.
Assisted Living Facilities Are Challenging Rule Requiring Generator Power in Emergencies
The Florida Senior Living Association representing 350 assisted living facilities argues the proposed rule creates requirements that are not authorized in state law.
3 Reasons The Trump Tax Plan Is a Disgrace
Robert Reich’s three-step guide on the rubbish of the Trump-Republican tax plan for when you confront your Republican Uncle Bob during the holidays.
All-Cash Business? Not So: Why It’s Getting Easier for Marijuana Shops to Open Bank Accounts
Almost 400 banks and credit unions now serve the medical marijuana industry, according to the U.S. Treasury — a number that has more than tripled since 2014.
Barney Davis, 56, Critically Injured in Motorcycle Crash on Seminole Woods By RaceTrac, Dies
There was no contact between Barney Davis’s motorcycle and a van as Davis attempted evasive action after the van cut in front of him, FHP said.
Behind Pending Sale of Sea Ray, A Few Hints As to Why, None As To What Next
Brunswick Corp. had noted a little disappointment with storm-related slowdowns at Sea Ray but explains its sale as a more strategic decision to focus more on different parts of its business.
Blaming Climate Change, Ex-Emergency Management Chief Warns Floridians of More Intense Storms Ahead
Craig Fugate, a former FEMA and Florida Division of Emergency Management chief, highlighted the need for people in Florida to plan year-round for the six-month hurricane season.
Masked Gunman Robs Shell Station at Club House Drive, Suspect Arrested Within Hours
Charles E. Rushing-Griffen, 27, was booked at the Flagler County jail at 5:23 this morning as the suspect in an armed robbery by a masked gunman at 7:30 p.m. Thursday evening.
County And Bunnell Score Big Grants For Plantation Bay and Stormwater, Flagler Beach and Palm Coast Do Not
Flagler County won a $500,000 grant for improvements to its Plantation Bay utility, Bunnell won $460,000 for stormwater and sewer improvements from the St. Johns River Water Management District.
Bigamy Charge Revived Against Palm Coast Sex Offender With Long, Violent Criminal History
Paul Stout, a Bunnell resident with a violent criminal history in three states, was rearrested on a bigamy charge he had first faced in 2013, when the State Attorney’s office dropped it.
Early Morning Fire on Wellstream Lane Makes Home Uninhabitable For Family of Five
The fire broke out in the chimney at the 3,500-square-foot, two-level house at 68 Wellstream Lane in Palm Coast just before 1:30 this morning. It then spread to the roof.
In Florida, You Can Lose Your Driver’s License For Jaywalking–Especially If You’re Black
Sen. Jeff Brandes has repeatedly introduced measures that would prohibit driver’s license suspensions for non-driving offenses. But Clerks of court stand to lose $40 million annually if the law is modified.
Christmas With a Deputy Marks 10th Year By Increasing Shopping-Spree Sleighs to 125 Children
This Friday 125 children will get to go on a Christmas shopping spree with a cop and a gift card at Target, getting there in a long convoy of cop cars, lights and sirens blaring.
Charges or Sanctions Against Judge Scott DuPont Up to Commission as Hearing Ends
The final hearing in the year-long case alleging misconduct against Circuit Court Judge Scott DuPont ended Tuesday, with a decision expected sometime in the next two months.
FPL Customers Will be Billed $176 Million For Pollution Cleanup Following Leak at Utility
All electricity customers in Flagler County are serviced by FPL and will see the cost, albeit modest, reflected in their bills even though the leak took place in South Florida.
Alabama Saves The Day. But Not Much Else.
If what it takes for Democrats to win is a Republican pedophiliac predator and compulsive lawbreaker, their victory in Alabama Tuesday helps the GOP more than it does Democrats.
25 Years Later, a Palm Coast Murder Is Relived in Flagler Courtroom as Killer Seeks Release
Michael Renaud, now 44, was 17 when he murdered Margaret Rogers at a house on Point Pleasant Drive in Palm Coast in 1992. Today he was back in court, arguing for his early release.
Senate Leader Eyes Constitutional Amendment Requiring Two-Thirds Majority For Any Tax Increase
The Florida Constitution Revision Commission, which meets every 20 years, has the power to place constitutional amendments on the November 2018 ballot.
Flagler Clerk of Court Will Hold Mass Wedding Ceremony on Valentine’s Day in New Tradition
On Feb. 14, Clerk of Court Tom Bexley will lead a mass marriage ceremony for all willing couples of all denominations and orientations.
Why Palm Coast Will Soon See Nearly 100-Foot Condo Towers Rise Off Colbert Lane
The development was once called Harbor View Marina. It will now be called Marina Del Palma and will add up to 615 residential units, 461 of them in condo towers of eight stories.
2 Suicides, in Flagler Beach and at Palm Coast Econo Lodge, Bring Year’s Total to 19
Sharon Keeler, 66, lost her husband Karl to a vehicle crash earlier this month and died by suicide over the weekend. Seth Michael Rice, 47, of Jupiter, died of a gunshot wound at a Palm Coast hotel.
From All-Women Field, Florida Democrats Pick Palm Beach’s Terrie Rizzo As New Leader
Seeking unity, Democrats are trying to reclaim the governor’s office and defend U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s seat next year as well as contend for state Cabinet seats.
A Dubious Arrest, a Compromised Prosecutor, a Tainted Plea: How One Murder Case Exposes A Broken System
One innocent man’s odyssey through the justice system shows why defendants often agree to virtually inescapable plea deals for crimes they didn’t commit.
“We Don’t Serve Gays”
Invoking Christian belief to deny service to a gay couple is not a First Amendment right, nor is it a matter of artistic expression. It’s good old discrimination under a new mask.