Four Palm Coast City Council members have lost confidence in Manager Jim Landon and want him gone, with severance issues an obstacle. He wants to stay two more years and appoint his successor.
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WESH 2 Pilot Finds Plane that Crashed With With 2 People On Board Over Pellicer Creek
The plane, a Piper PA44 Seminole, was returning from Brunswick, Ga., on its way to Ormond Beach Municipal Airport, fell off radar at 11 p.m. Thursday near Marineland.
Hypocrites on Crack
Thursday evening, Flagler Beach Commissioners Jane Mealy, Marshall Shupe and Joy McGrew flipped off voters and voted for a prohibition on medical pot dispensaries.
Countering 70% of Its Own Voters, Flagler Beach Prepares to Ban Medical Pot Dispensaries Outright
The City Commission this evening takes up an ordinance that would ban medical marijuana dispensaries anywhere in the city. The city fears not doing so would turn it into a pot hub.
Palm Coast Aldi Draws Hundreds Before Doors Open in Grocery Wars’ First Local Salvo
The Palm Coast opening of Aldi, the discount grocery store, generated unusual excitement and crowds this morning, signaling a coming disruption in the grocery-chain business.
Fireworks Stolen in Burglary From Bunnell Shop Blamed For Severe Injuries to 2 Boys
Fireworks that had been altered or corrupted and that injured two boys, ages 7 and 8, were traced to a burglary from a shop off U.S. 1 operated by Brett Lyons for one month a year.
Phillip Haire, Accused of Shooting at Cop and Parents, Threatened a Hit on Judge Moore-Stens
Palm Coast’s Phillip Haire threatened Judge Moore-Stens’s life claiming she had put out a hit on him, and that she was scared because he’d flicked her off at his first appearance.
Sheriff’s Call For 5 Extra Deputies in Palm Coast Would Raise City’s Policing Cost 27% Since 2014
Sheriff Rick Staly is asking the city for five additional deputies to form a traffic unit exclusively for Palm Coast. The city manager’s presentation of a contract with the sheriff was less complete.
A Rape Allegation at Heart of Divorce Between Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland And Sheriff’s Ex-Chief Deputy
Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland in court filings alleges ex-Flagler Sheriff Chief Deputy David O’Brien repeatedly raped her while she was unconscious in 2013, shortly before their separation.
Faint Glimmer On Bleak Landscape: Amounts of Opioids Prescribed Falling Since 2010
Still, the amount in 2015 is three times higher than at the turn of the century, and there are wide disparities in prescription trends across the country.
Why The Obsession Against Smokable Medical Pot? John Morgan Wants To Know.
Morgan bankrolled the medical-marijuana ballot initiative and repeatedly threatened to sue over smoking, which he says was permitted in the amendment supported by more than 71 percent of Florida voters last fall.
Owner of Group Home on Palm Coast’s Braddock Lane Faces 5 Felony Counts for Elderly Neglect
Two residents at the group home had to be hospitalized and three evacuated from a house where the air conditioning hadn’t worked for two days, and the indoor temperature hovered around 91.
Plane Forced to Land in Field Off County Road 304, Two People Escape Injuries
A single-engine plane was forced to land in a vacant field off of County Road 304 at 10:45 this morning, with two people on board. Neither was injured.
It’s About “Work”: Palm Coast Artists Hold Their Heads Up In New Art League Exhibit
An exhibit opening at the Flagler County Art League Saturday and sponsored by the Gargiulo Art Foundation challenged six artists to show their work mettle and make do with heads in two hours.
A School Board Will Sue the State Over Charter-Tilted Education Bill Most Districts Opposed
The new law overhauls swaths of state education, dealing with everything from mandatory recess for elementary school students and standardized testing to charter school funding and teacher bonuses.
School District Advised to Cut Down on Car Riders and Push Bus Riding Instead, For Safety
Detailed studies for each of the Flagler district’s elementary and middle schools reveal problematic safety issues with too many car riders, too few sidewalks, and disobeyed traffic laws.
Florida’s “Execution Machine” Back On As Gov. Scott Schedules First State Killing In 18 Months
Gov. Rick Scott rescheduled the execution date of convicted killer Mark James Asay for Aug. 27. The killing was put on hold after the U.S. and Florida supreme courts declared the state’s execution methods unconstitutional.
Armed Robbery at Space Coast Credit Union on Palm Coast’s Leanni Way; Robber Gets Away
The man who robbed the bank got away, either on foot or in a vehicle, triggering an intense search localized around the Bank and Palm Coast’s B-Section.
Your Papers Please: Trump Commission Demands Massive Amounts of Voter Data
A Trump commission has asked all 50 states for copies of their voter records which often include names, addresses and ages. The commission has said it intends to make the information widely available.
At Flagler Beach Pier, A Modest Re-Dedication For a Truncated Treasure
Officials from three governments gathered Saturday morning for a warm-hearted ribbon-cutting at the beleaguered Flagler Beach Pier, with eyes on a future structure.
Third Road Death in 2 Days on Flagler Roads as Motorcyclist Is Killed On State Road 11
Leslie Esteves Ramos, 32, of Titusville, is in critical condition. The name of the motorcyclist who died has not yet been released. The crash took place at a curve that’s been the scene of a serious crash previously.
Palm Coast Man Killed, 2 Injured in T-Bone Crash at Belle Terre and Near Town Center Publix
The collision at the Belle Terre intersection and Central Avenue near Publix was caused by one of the two drivers going through a red light, a preliminary indicates. It was one of two deaths on Flagler roads in 15 hours.
Palm Coast Data Settles Breach of Contract Lawsuit, Will Pay State $1.76 Million
Palm Coast Data had won $3 million in state incentives in 2008, when it also got $500,000 from Palm Coast and Flagler County, on promises of 700 new jobs that never materialized.
Palm Coast’s Paul Renner is to be House Speaker in 2022 in Historic Boost for Flagler
Renner will serve in the powerful post for two years, starting in 2022. Local governments anticipate having more pull with state government appropriations.
Education, Tax Cuts, Secrecy, Medical Pot, Therapy Dogs: 125 New Laws Go In Effect
Seventy-eight bills became law upon Scott’s signature, including rules for medical marijuana, 27 additional laws will go into effect on Oct. 1, including tougher penalties for fentanyl possession and distribution.
At Residents’ Meeting Over F-Section Footpath, A Lot of Venting, and Hope for More Sustained Organizing
A group of residents are seeking another way to oppose a planned path in the F Section, but have few options to chance a city council that has twice approved the path.
Lawyer For Phillip Haire, Accused of Shooting at Cop and Parents, Suggests Mental Incompetence
Phillip Haire Jr., 19, faces 10 charges, including attempted murder charges, in a May 2 shooting on Palm Coast’s London Drive. His lawyer revealed Haire is not being cooperative with his own defense.
Justices Appear Skeptical of Prosecutor’s Claim of Absolute Discretion in Death Penalty Cases
Even the Supreme Court’s more liberal justices grilled the lawyer for Aramis Ayala, the state attorney stripped of two dozen cases by Scott after she said she’d not seek capital punishment for defendants.
Stark Revelations of a Broad Crisis at Domestic Violence Summit, and a Steep Challenge for Task Force
A summit convened by Sheriff Staly produced an unrelenting kaleidoscope of perspectives on one of the most persistent criminal and behavioral problems in Flagler County. It’s now up to a task force to find solutions.
Flagler Is a B-Rated School District For 5th Year In a Row, But State Ranking Keeps Rising
Indian Trails Middle and Old Kings Elementary returned to A form, FPC climbed to a B, but Wadsworth Elementary fell to a C. Other schools maintained their grades–either B or C.
9% Garbage Fee Increase as Palm Coast Begins 5-Year Extension of Waste Pro Contract
After remaining flat for 10 years, garbage-pickup rates for Palm Coast residents this month kicked up 9 percent, to $20.36 a month, or $21 a year as the city renewed its contract with Waste Pro for five years.
Florida Tourism Officials Worry About Donald Trump’s Impact on Travel
Visit Florida President and CEO Ken Lawson said he and others have heard anecdotal reports, both positive and negative, about international travel due to Donald Trump.
In Palm Coast, A Small Protest Against GOP Health Bill Echoes Myriad Anxieties of Flesh and Blood
It wasn’t a large protest but every person gathered in support of Obamacare had a story to tell that looked past ideology to the human beings behind the numbers, and all those stories were local.
Chilling Details in Saturday’s Attempted Murder as Suspect Speaks of “Lizard People,” Visions and Ecstasy
Levi Ovenshire, the 19-year-old attempted murder suspect in the shooting of Marco Salazar, 19, in Palm Coast’s F Section Saturday, described the shooting but appeared to be hallucinating as he spoke with deputies afterward.
Non-Partisan Analysis of 22 Million More Uninsured Deals Blow to Senate Health Bill
By 2026, an estimated 49 million people would be uninsured, compared with about 28 million who would lack coverage under current law.
Notching 3rd Appointment By Gov. Scott, Loyalist Jimmy Patronis Will Be Florida’s CFO
Gov. Scott appointed his ally Jimmy Patronis in 2014 to the Florida Public Service Commission. and in march Scott appointed him to the state Constitution Revision Commission.
23-Year-Old Is Victim of 2nd Shooting in 24 Hours in Flagler During Espanola Party
Jean Geral Isenader, 23, of Sergeant Court in Palm Coast, was shot in the abdomen after 1 a.m. on June 25 during a large party at the Espanola Community Center. No suspects was found.
Raul Zambrano, Redoubtable Alumni of Flagler Bench, Will Be 7th Circuit’s Chief Judge
Feared and respected, and a former felony court judge in Flagler, Circuit Judge Raul Zambrano was elected Chief Judge of the 7th Judicial Circuit, which includes Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties.
The GOP Senate Bill’s Hollow Promise To Protect Coverage For Preexisting Conditions
Built into the bill are loopholes for states to bypass protections and erode coverage for preexisting conditions, so insurers could cover chronically ill people but not the diseases they suffer from.
Man Is Killed as Car Fishtails and Crashes Through Guardrail on I-95, South of SR 100
A man was killed early Saturday morning when his car veered off I-95, crashed through the guardrail, and rolled into a ditch between the southbound and northbound lanes.
19-Year-Old Shot In Palm Coast’s F Section, Suspect Caught After Chase in R-Section
The suspect, Levi Evan Ovenshire, 19, fled in a car after the shooting at 12 Fulton Place, and was apprehended after 21-minute a chase through the R Section.
First Cast, In Full Glory
Flagler Beach photographer and attorney Scott Spradley was by the Pier at dawn this morning to capture images of fishermen’s first cast. He did, superbly, and tells the story of the picture.
Coming to Flagler Beach: No-Parking Barriers and Silt Mounds to Stop A1A Washouts
The city and the state transportation department will block off portions of A1A to parking and build silt mounds to soak up water, though some commissioners are skeptical of silt’s effectiveness.
Brandon Hubbert Acquitted of Armed Robbery at Palm Coast Staples as Evidence Falters
A jury took barely 20 minutes to acquit Brandon J. Hubbert of Bunnell, who’d faced between 10 years and life in prison had he been found guilty of a 2015 armed robbery at Staples off Old Kings Road.
637-Ft. Flagler Beach Pier Re-Opens Saturday, 8 Months After Hurricane Matthew Lobotomy
The Flagler Beach Pier will reopen Saturday as emergency repairs end, to the joys of a city that’s lived without its iconic amenity since Hurricane Matthew sheared 163 feet from its end and made it unstable.
6-Hour Manhunt Ends On Palm Coast Parkway As Felon, Just Out of Prison, Is Caught
The man had just served 96 months in prison, and was heard saying he doesn’t want to go back. The crash with the deputy was not serious, but he later crashed his truck more severely.
In Rare Joint Appearance, Flagler’s 3 Judges Speak Candidly About the Job’s Challenges On and Off Bench
Circuit Court judges Dennis Craig and R. Lee Smith and County Court Melissa Moore-Stens spoke of personal and professional challenges and addressed the Flagler bench’s workload.
Citizens’ Review Panel May Not Force Testimony From Cops, Florida Supreme Court Rules
The case stemmed from a complaint filed in 2009 alleging misconduct by a cop during a traffic stop. The Miami police department’s internal affairs division found insufficient evidence of misconduct.
Flagler’s Oddly Sunny Hurricane Matthew After-Action Report Draws Criticism From Its Own Emergency Staff
The much-anticipated report was written by the administration, not the emergency management staff, and conveys more of an error-prone, fluffy public relations approach than rigorous and factual analysis.
Where It’s Legal, Pot Leads To Fewer Traffic Stops, But Racial Disparities Remain
The drop means fewer interactions between police and drivers, potentially limiting dangerous clashes. But black and Hispanic drivers are still searched at higher rates than white motorists.