Paul Dykes, the 18-year-old Palm Coast man accused of raping a child younger than 5, pleaded not guilty today and hired Jacksonville attorney David Taylor, who’s been disciplined by the Florida Bar and faced an assault charge in 2012.
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Gov. Scott Stacks Hospital Panel Without a Single Hospital Expert in Overt Snub
Scott’s commission is to make recommendations for a special legislative session on health funding scheduled to begin June 1, but it includes beef, housing, real estate, banking and hospitality experts, but no health care executives.
Afternoon Brush Fire That Smoked Up Palm Coast’s P-Section and I-95 Is Mopped Up
A brush fire in an isolated strip of woods between I-95 and Palm Coast’s P-Section kicked off a lot of smoke and burned a 2-acre area but never threatened homes and by sundown had been all but mopped up.
Calling Puppy Killing “Offensive,” Judge Sentences Slayer to 9 Months in Jail, 5 Years’ Probation
Wesley Jackson of Palm Coast’s B-Section was masturbating when the 4-month-old Chihuahua interrupted him last September, causing Jackson to brutalize and kill the dog known as Little Man.
Sheriff Fires Ex-Narcotics Deputy For Quitting Post Days After Bruising Internal Investigation
An internal affairs investigation concluded that Alfonzo Dillard had misplaced one of his guns, traveled out of county with a department-issued vehicle, lied about the trip and possibly the gun, all violations of Sheriff’s Office policy.
Fifteen Years For Sex on the Beach? Seriously?
Federal prisons are full of white collar criminals who won’t serve a day over five years, criminals who destroyed companies and bilked citizens out of their life savings. Yet Elissa Alvarez and Jose Caballero face 15 years for “lewd and lascivious” sex on the beach, a ridiculous excess, argues Nancy Smith.
How Health Care Blew Up the 2015 Session
Dramatic miscalculations and eagerness for showdown over health care derailed Florida lawmakers’ plans in the 2015 legislative session–impulses they must guard against if the special session is to go more smoothly.
Two Months Late, Salamander Makes $250,000 Payment That Induced Hammock Beach Hotel Agreement
The payment is part of the $500,000 Salamander agreed to pay for better public beach access in exchange for county approval of a 198-room beachfront hotel at Hammock Beach Resort.
Early Morning Flagler Beach Fire Levels One House, Guts Another, 5 Hospitalized, 2 Critical
Last Updated: 12:23 p.m. A fire that started around 2 this morning in a wooden house built on stilts at 208 Ocean Palm Drive leveled the house and spread to the house next door at 210, gutting it. The five occupants of the wooden house managed to get out but were all hospitalized, two of […]
Don’t Tell Rick Scott: Pope Francis Wants Action on Global Warming, Steaming Conservatives
Pope Francis’s call for action against global warming has many conservatives in the US up in arms, but his message is a matter of morality, argues Jeffrey Sachs.
Fallen Officers Are Remembered as Months Of Police Tensions Elsewhere Elicit Silence
A ceremony honoring fallen officers and marking National Police Memorial Week was held on the steps of the Flagler County courthouse Thursday morning.
Beating and Crash Lead to Meth Lab in Palm Coast’s P-Section, and Arrests of 3 Men
Kenneth Stancil, Joseph Canfield and Brian Hitas were arrested for allegedly operating a methamphetamine lab at 20 Philmont Lane in Palm Coast’s P-Section after a disturbance and a car crash were reported in the area.
Superintendent Oliva Scraps 28 End-Of-Course Exams in Lower Grades in 1st Step of Broad Testing Revamp
The Flagler district is immediately scrapping 28 end-of-course exams in kindergarten through 3rd grade for science, social studies and special areas, with more eliminations likely for higher grades next year as the district implements a new, more flexible state law.
Grand Jury Indicts Ex-Elections Supervisor Kimberle Weeks on 12 Felony Counts Over Secret Recordings
A grand jury that convened Tuesday indicted Kimberle Weeks, the former Flagler County Supervisor of Elections on 12 felony counts of illegal interception and disclosure of oral communication, following a six-month investigation into allegations by county officials that she secretly and illegally recorded their conversations.
Hurricane, Terrorism, Evacuations: In Flagler Emergencies, These Are The People Who Hold Your Fate In Their Hands
The Flagler County Executive Policy Group is the most powerful local government panel you’ve never heard of, and its members make all key decisions in natural or man-made emergencies. They practiced this morning.
Citing PTSD, Palm Coast Man Makes Up Story of Being Shot By Black Assailants on I-95
For the second time in eight days, a Palm Coast resident is charged with filing a false report involving made-up black assailants. In this case, the 22-year-old man described himself as a military veteran suffering from PTSD.
Employers Not Required to Have Defibrillators or CPR-Ready Personnel to Prevent Death, Florida Court Rules
In a case stemming from the fatal heart attack of a CSX railroad employee in Clay County, the 1st District Court of Appeal found CSX not to have been negligent by either lacking defibrillators, not providing CPR training to employees or not responding in time to the incident.
Palm Coast’s Tennis Phenom Reilly Opelka, 17, Goes Pro After Catching Agent’s Eye
Reilly Opelka, 17, caught the eye of an agent at Palm Coast’s Men’s Futures Tournament in January, and got an offer. He turned pro a week ago, skipping college for the tour.
A Puppy Dog Is Shot Dead After Crossing Into Neighbor’s Yard at Flagler County’s Edge
Kevin J. McClenithan, 46, a convicted felon, shot a Labrador puppy dead after it wandered onto his property and, he says, became aggressive toward him and the homeowner, though the dog had been fenced in.
Not What Visiting Soccer Players Want to See: Man Threatens Teens With a Gun at Motel
Four teens visiting Palm Coast as part of the weekend’s State Cup soccer tournament were threatened with a gun when a Red Roof Inn guest, Samuel Foy, 35, screamed at the teens to be quiet.
Obamacare Mandate Be Damned: Health Plans Still Stint On Birth Control Coverage
Health insurance plans around the country are failing to provide many legally-mandated services including birth control and cancer screenings, five years after the Affordable Care Act made it a requirement.
My Muñequita: Flagler Youth Orchestra Caps 10th Year With Smooth FPC Band Gig in Auditorium Concert
The Flagler Youth Orchestra’s 30th major concert in 10 years features a collaboration with the FPC band in a full symphonic rendition of Santana’s “Smooth,” among some 18 pieces to be performed Monday evening at the Flagler Auditorium.
Florida Prisons Must Provide Halal or Kosher Meals to Muslim and Jewish Inmates, Court Rules
The federal lawsuit challenged corrections officials’ claim that they were not required to provide kosher meals, as well as the rules the agency used to determine who was eligible to receive the meals.
Xanax In Song: In “Committed,” Depression Turns Musical on City Rep’s Stage, Starring FPC
“Committed,” the new play at Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre,has never been staged outside of New York, features music and lyrics by 2003 FPC graduate Andrew David Sotomayor and a cast repleted with FPC connections.
Supreme Court Declares House Ploy Unconstitutional as Rep. Gaetz’s Racist Tweet Draws Apologies
The Florida Supreme Court ruling concluded it was too late to reconvene the session, essentially ending it, and the lawsuit that prompted the ruling. Rep. Matt Gaetz described in racist terms the lawsuit filed by Democratic senators that led to the court’s action, though the suit itself was dismissed.
Woman Critically Injured, 3 Others Hurt In T-Bone Collision on Sesame Boulevard
Yelizaveta Horton, a 60-year-old resident of Palm Coast’s W-Section, was air-lifted in critical condition after her car was t-boned by a van on Sesame Boulevard Friday morning. A woman and two young children in the van were taken to Florida Hospital Flagler with minor injuries.
Decomposed Man’s Body Discovered in Empty Lot on Boulder Rock; Suicide Suspected
The body was found at the north extremity of the Boulder Rock Drive loop in Palm Coast after a resident in a nearby house called 911 to report a foul odor and buzzards circling about the neighboring lot.
Public Denounces Flagler Beach Paid-Parking Option, Splitting Commission on What’s Next
A proposal to impose paid parking on vast new swaths of Flagler Beach is likely dead shortly after its arrival at the Flagler Beach City Commission Thursday. What happens next is unclear.
In a Surprise, U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Florida Ban on Judicial Candidates’ Fundraising
The 5-4 decision, written by Chief Justice Roberts, upholds a ban in a case started by Lanell Williams-Yulee, who in 2009 sent out a mass mailing asking for campaign contributions during her bid for a Hillsborough County judgeship.
Neighborhood Feuds Again Simmer Around Ralph Carter Park, But Solutions Questioned
While Ralph Carter Park in Palm Coast’s R-Section thrives, neighbors around Richardson Drive are feuding with younger people, who feel harassed for just hanging out. The city council is looking into a block party–and possibly more fence-building around the park.
662 Spaces Would Convert to Paid Parking in Flagler Beach in Panel’s Vast, Costly Proposal
Flagler Beach’s Ad Hoc Parking Committee, at work two years, will submit its recommendations Thursday to a special meeting of the city commission, with a focus on two options that call for paid parking either in city lots or throughout premium areas of the city, including A1A.
“It’s Called Punishment”: Judge Denies Clemency for Man Who Killed Benjamin Rossie in 2008 Crash
Peter Hamill, who killed Benjamin “Bo” Rossie in a car crash in the Hammock, told a judge that completing his probation was “more than I’m comfortable with,” a startling request Judge Walsh did not buy this morning.
Matanzas Woods Parkway Overpass Closes June 5 as Three Road Projects Start Rumble
Some 50 people turned up to hear an overview of the Matanzas Woods Parkway interchange and Old Kings Road extension projects, which will take a year to complete starting in June.
Three Weeks After Winning House Seat From Flagler, Paul Renner Begins Re-Election Bid
The GOP’s Paul Renner, whose house seat represents Flagler County, won election to his first public office exactly three weeks ago, outspending his combined opponents 33-to-1. On Tuesday, he filed for re-election.
Responsible Gun Owner? Then Break-Up With the NRA and Its Irresponsible Distortions.
By spreading ignorance to block common-sense gun control measures, the NRA scares generally well-meaning folks into throwing money at gun makers for “protection” that never comes.
Florida House Approves Some Fracking Regulations, But Critics Find Them Shallow
Merely asking oil and gas companies what chemicals they’re injecting during fracking creates the appearance of government scrutiny, critics say, at the expense of the state’s groundwater at a time when lawmakers are looking to implement new water policies.
19-Year-Old Palm Coast Man Accused of Raping Underage Girl Passed Out at a Party
William Demetrious Kitts, a resident of Pine Ash Lane in Palm Coast, is accused of raping a girl who’d become heavily intoxicated at a U-Section party on April 17, and had passed out in a bedroom.
Off-Duty Deputy Witnesses Armed Robbery at Palm Coast CVS, But Suspect Gets Away
An off-duty Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy was standing in line for the cashier behind a man at the Palm Coast CVS on Palm Coast Parkway Sunday afternoon when the man, claiming he had a gun, asked the clerk to put all the money in a bag.
As Pro-Choice Republicans See It: Abortion Decisions Don’t Belong on a Legislative Agenda
Doctors and patients, not politicians, should determine the course of medical treatment, even when the treatment is abortion, writes Nancy Smith, a card-carrying member of the Republican Majority for Choice.
House and Senate Far Apart on Budget as Health Care For Poor Becomes Bargaining Chip
The Florida House had made a significant concession to the Senate on hospital funding — but said it would only follow through if the upper chamber dropped insistence on using Medicaid expansion dollars to help lower-income Floridians purchase private insurance.
Double-Hit and Run Wreck Involves 5 Vehicles, 6 Injuries on I-95 in Palm Coast Overnight
The individual who triggered the 5-vehicle wreck ran off on foot, and the last driver to strike a car kept driving north as I-95 was shut down for over two hours early Saturday morning at the weigh scales in Palm Coast.
Three Encounters with Hillary
In three encounters with Hillary Clinton between 2004 and 2012, Bernard-Henri Lévy sees emotion and composure, the reflexes of an impeccable stateswoman and someone, he predicts, he will be addressing as Madam President next time they meet.
Florida Senate Votes 26-13 For Abortion Waiting period, Sending Bill to Gov. Scott
Lawmakers earlier this week approved adding exceptions for victims of rape, incest, domestic violence or human trafficking to the bill. However, those victims could only get waivers of the 24-hour waiting period if they can produce police reports, restraining orders, medical records or other documentation.
As Palm Coast Groans Over Its Anemic Golf Course, Flagler Beach Wants One Of Its Own
the Flagler Beach City Commission will look to buy the last 3 acres within the old Ocean Palm Golf Club at the south end of town and look to return the whole parcel to a golf operation through a lease with a private company, assuming one can shoulder the task.
Specious and Speculative: State Elections Office Tosses Out Kim Weeks Cases Against 3 Flagler Commissioners
Though she resigned, Kimberle Weeks continues to pursue elections, ethics and Florida bar cases against county commissioners and the county attorney, though the cases are starting to get tossed out for being legally speculative and specious.
A Palm Coast Woman Is Accused of Fabricating Theft By 2 Black Men at Walmart
Magdaline Scott, a 38-year-old resident of Berkshire Lane in Palm Coast, claimed ina videotaped statement she gave police that she’d been ripped off of her backpack at Walmart Wednesday evening, and accused two black men she’d made up. The bag had never been stolen.
The Inappropriate Commissioner Kim Carney
Flagler Beach Commission Chairman Marshall Shupe apologized to residents tonight on behalf of the commission for vile remarks Commissioner Kim Carney had made in the context of a rape case involving a friend of hers. FlaglerLive editor Pierre Tristam explains the background, which involves this site.
At Palm Coast’s Heroes Park, a Unique Monument May Rise in Memory of Victims of PTSD
The “Healing of the wounded spirit” monument may be a first in the nation, honoring suicide and traumatic brain injury victims who served in the military but whose deaths are not included in the official tally of war casualties.
Crime Down 20% in Two Years, Jail Population Isn’t: Sheriff Strains to Explain Paradox
Sheriff Jim Manfre touted Flagler County as one of the safest places in Florida and said the fact should be marketed to prospective businesses, but was less clear about the relationship between falling crime and a still-high jail population, or the county’s need for nearly tripling its jail beds.
In Tallahassee, Lawmakers’ Power-Tripped Rudeness Toward the Public Is a Daily Cringe
Committee chairmen having to assert their authority ad nauseum, forbidding members of the public from overstaying their welcome at the podium: it’s offensive to people who drive sometimes hundreds of miles to be heard for two or three minutes, writes Nancy Smith.
