Ten members of Flagler County Fire Rescue and five Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies jumped out of Fire Flight up to five times each today in a rescue training operation at Bings Landing and over the Intracoastal that will vastly enhance water-rescue capabilities in offshore emergencies.
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Hillary Clinton Would Easily Beat Rubio and Bush in Florida as Even Hispanics Rally Behind Her
In the latest Quinnipiac poll, Jeb Bush would beat Joe Biden in Florida, by a close margin. Marco Rubio would beat Biden by an even closer margin. But Hillary Clinton would beat both Rubio or Bush quite easily: 50 to 43 percent against Bush, 53 to 41 percent against Rubio, whose Hispanic heritage would not help him overcome the deficit.
Fearing Another School Grade Collapse Across Florida, Education Board Looks for a Plan
With preliminary calculations showing a possible collapse in the grades for schools across the state, the State Board of Education is asking the Education Commissioner to appoint a task force to examine the test scores used to calculate the grades and avoid another botched rollout.
A Belatedly Apologetic Paul Miller, 66, Is Sentenced to Life in Prison Without Parole
Paul Miller was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the March 2012 murder of his neighbor Dana Mulhall, ending a 15-month saga that had stunned Flagler Beach and Flagler County for the brazenness of the murder and Miller’s demeanor since.
James McDevitt, 21, Accused of Raping a Woman in Flagler Beach, 2 Blocs from a Cop
James McDevitt, 21, of Palm Coast, is at the Flagler County jail on $101,000 bond following the Friday morning allegation. A Flagler Beach police officer was addressing a situation involving McDevitt’s friend, and saw McDevitt and the alleged victim walk on shortly before the alleged incident. Because the cop was working the night shift alone, MccDevitt and the woman were not stopped, and walked on.
Scott Makes Up Some Ground Against Crist and Improves Favorability to Still-Low 40%
Some 40 percent of respondents now view Scott favorably, up from 33 percent last March, with 42 percent seeing him negatively. But his best showing since becoming governor is still well below what he needs to overcome deficits against either Charlie Crist or Bill nelson in gubernatorial matchups, while only 35 percent of Floridians overall say Scott deserve a second term.
Flagler Approves $150,000 in Incentives for LED Company That Would Bring 300 Jobs
The secret company to which Flagler County agreed to offer the $150,000 incentive for 300 jobs over three years appears to be Aveo Engineering, a registered business in Palm Coast under the ownership of Navy veteran Christian Nielsen.
Flagler’s Firefighting and Helicopter Costs Expose County Tensions Over Wants and Needs
Looking at the near certainty of a tax increase, Flagler County Commissioners Monday continued to wrestle with a budget submitted by their administration that is adding to their costs rather than making it easier to fill a budget gap, or keep taxes from increasing. But the administration argues there’s no room for going cheap short of eliminating services.
For Second Time in 6 Weeks, Flagler Estates Area Is Site of Dead Person’s Dumping
The body of a victim was found incinerated in the trunk of a car discovered, still smoldering, early Friday in a remote area near Flagler Estates, on the St. Johns County side of the county line. Foul play is suspected.
Federal Government Approves Florida’s Medicaid Overhaul, Shifting Millions to HMOs
The announcement was a victory for Gov. Rick Scott and Republican lawmakers who approved the proposal to move to statewide Medicaid managed care in 2011, amid controversy about whether the changes would best serve the needs of low-income Floridians.
Shanghaied Water Rates: What Palm Coast Has in Common With China’s Largest City
A seemingly outlandish comparison between the two cities turns out to be much less so–and much more instructive–when comparing the similarities of the two cities’ utility challenges, and the limited ways they can go about addressing them without, in the end, making the rate-payer pay.
Democrats, Presuming Victory at Annual Gala, “Almost Don’t Care” Who Takes on Scott
Florida Democrats gathering for their annual fundraising dinner at the Westin Diplomat Resort on Saturday were certain of one thing: They will defeat Republican Gov. Rick Scott in a little more than a year.
How Bank of America Regularly Lied to Homeowners and Rewarded Foreclosures
Bank of America employees regularly lied to homeowners seeking loan modifications, denied their applications for made-up reasons, and were rewarded for sending homeowners to foreclosure, according to sworn statements by former bank employees.
Scott Signs Fast-Track Execution Bill, Making 13 Death Row Inmates Immediately Eligible
In signing the so-called “Timely Justice Act,” Scott went against the tide of calls, letters and emails urging him to veto it. As of Thursday, his office had received 447 phone calls, with 438 opposed to the bill; 14 letters, with 13 opposed; and 14,571 emails, with 14,565 opposed.
Memo to the NSA: You Have One of 725 Domestic Steve Robinsons Spooked
Our own Steve Robinson discovers not only that there are 724 other Steve Robinsons in the country, but that with the NSA tapping into every Tom, Dick and Harry’s computer histories, the pasts of shadier Robinsons, if not his own pot-luck history, could short-circuit his own.
“That’s Crap,” McGrew Tells Fuego Del Mar Owner After Accusation of Business Unfriendliness in Flagler Beach
When Fuego Del Mar Restaurant owner Nicolas Kimball accused the city of wanting businesses to be successful only up to a point, Flagler Beach Commissioner Joy McGrew shot back, sharply and unapologetically, setting down a marker against repeated accusations of business unfriendliness.
Flagler Film Festival Broadens Palm Coast’s Cultural Frame–and Seeks Local Filmmakers
The first annual Flagler Film Festival will be held Jan. 10-12 at Palm Coast’s Hilton Garden Inn, and will include shorts and feature films, totaling about 24 hours worth of reels, from filmmakers around the world and the States, but organizers are pressing for Flagler County entrants.
Biker Evacuated by Air in Critical Condition After Wrecking on U.S. 1
A 42-year-old biker from Palatka was evacuated by air with severe injuries Thursday afternoon after he lost control of his motorcycle, sending it tumbling through the median on U.S. 1.
ACLU to School Board: Sending 8th Grade Boy Home for Wearing Make-Up Is Not Lawful
Chris Martin, a 14-year-old 8th grader in Pinellas County, was sent home last week for wearing eyeliner, eyeshadow and lipstick even though girls at his school wear make-up, and the student code of conduct does not prohibit boys from doing so. Nor could it, the ACLU wrote the superintendent, saying the principal’s action was illegal. The case triggered a petition and is garnering international attention.
Gov. Scott Leads 80-Member Delegation to Paris Air Show in Latest Large-Scale Junket
The weeklong mission, the ninth international trade delegation fronted by Scott, is expected to focus on Florida’s aviation and aerospace industries, with some lawmakers questioning such trade missions, saying they lacked “empirical data” to directly link the economic benefits of the trips with any moves to Florida by a private foreign firm.
Van Poyck, Third Florida Inmate Executed This Year, Leaves Stark Word Trail Behind
William van Poyck had spent nearly 26 years on death row after his conviction in 1987 in the murder of a prison guard. He spent many of those years writing books and maintaining a public blog, which chronicled in the last weeks his last days on death row. Excerpts are included.
Sniping Over for Now, County and Palm Coast Appear to Move on Matanzas Woods Exchange
Palm Coast has the money to acquire properties affected by the Palm Harbor extension, but the city doesn’t yet have the money to build the extension toward the planned Matanzas Woods Parkway interchange at I-95. That hinges on the county making good on a series of promises.
Lawmakers Object As Florida Fish and Wildlife Prepares to Ban All Deer and Elk Imports
But lawmakers are joining some of Florida’s deer farmers in expressing concern that a growing industry will be harmed if a measure goes in effect imposing a blanket prohibition on the importation of live deer and elk to reduce the chance that potentially fatal Chronic Wasting Disease.
Flagler County Schools’ Problem Solvers Collect 5 Trophies at International Tourney
Flagler Palm Coast High School’s and Bunnell Elementary’s students combined for one first place award, two second place, and two third place awards at the annual international problem solvers’ competition, just concluded at Indiana University. Flagler County’s awards represented fully one third of all the awards collected by Florida schools.
Palm Coast Pledges to Stick to $158 Red-Light Camera Fines and Tackle Vanished Payments
The Palm Coast City Council will forego adopting steeper fines, of up to $408, for red-light camera tickets, but it has yet to find a solution to a problem particular to the city: the large number of people who pay their tickets but whose payments appear never to register with ATS, the company managing–and profiting from–the system, causing drivers headaches and additional costs.
NSA Black Holes: 5 Things We Still Don’t Know About Spy Agency’s Snooping
The FBI and the National Security Agency have been collecting Americans’ phone records en masse and the agencies have access to data from nine tech companies. But secrecy around the programs has meant even basic questions are still unanswered. Here’s what we still don’t know:
Bunnell Manager Armando Martinez Loses His Job, But Not Severance, in 3-2 Midnight Vote
Bunnell City Manager Armando Martinez ran out of lives late Monday night as the City Commission voted 3-2 not to renew his contract–essentially firing him–despite impassioned appeals by the mayor to retain him.
Bunnell Manager Martinez’s Fate Again Hangs By a Thread as Vote May End Tenure Tonight
Bunnell Commissioner Elbert Tucker will trigger another discussion against renewing Armando Martinez’s contract, with Commissioner Bill Baxley having already pledged during his campaign not to renew it as written, and Commissioner John Rogers long opposed to the manager, which suggests that tonight’s vote may end Martinez’s five-year tenure.
Evolving from OMG to GED: Flagler’s Adult Education Innovates With a Class for the Deaf
Flagler Technical Institute’s Adult Education program (FTI) is offering a graduation-equivalency diploma GED preparation class to the deaf community, the first of its kind in the area. The curriculum will focus on math, English, science, and social studies.
NRA Bragging Rights: Arrogant, Mercenary, Irresponsible
The NRA used to be a gun-safety group. Now it tells us we need to be armed in order to fight our own government, writes Steve Robinson, obscuring the responsibilities of gun ownership while legitimizing fringe fanatics. Paul Miller’s murder of Dana Mulhall in Flagler Beach is our own Exhibit A of this dangerous trend.
Pressure Building on Scott to Sign–Or Veto–Bill Forbidding Local Sick-Leave Standards
Florida’s business lobby supports a bill that would forbid local governments from letting voters decide whether to require more generous sick-leave policies from employers than state or federal law requires.
Flagler School Tax Fails; “We Will Do Everything Possible to Meet Challenges,” Superintendent Says
The first batch of result, based on early-voting and absentee ballots, show the school tax referendum failing by a wide margin, with 60 percent of voters opposed and 40 percent in favor. The numbers: 4,663 against, 3,105 for, so far.
Gun Zealots Attack Scott For Replacing Sheriff Arrested in Concealed Weapon Misconduct
The governor is face criticism from Second Amendment advocates for his suspension of Liberty County Sheriff Nicholas Lee Finch, who allegedly destroyed documents tied to the arrest of a man charged with carrying a concealed firearm.
Horse Killed, 2 People Injured, One Gravely, in Massive Wreck on SR100 and CR305
An older woman driving a pick-up truck was severely injured, the horse she was trailing was killed, and a man driving an armored truck that collided with the pick-up was hurt in a massive, rain-soaked collision at the intersection of State Road 100 and County Road 305 at 3:30 Thursday afternoon.
Tropical Storm Andrea: Flagler Under Storm Warning as Gov. Scott Takes Shots at Obama
Tropical Storm Andrea is here to stay for a few hours. Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who seldom misses an opportunity to attack the Obama administration, on Thursday named–and blamed–President Obama as the reason why a potential response to storm emergencies needing National Guard personnel would be delayed.
Argument and Death Threat Preceded Store Clerk’s Murder By a Week, Lawsuit Alleges
A lawsuit filed Wednesday on behalf of Zuheili Roman Rosado, the store clerk murdered at the Palm Coast Mobil convenience store in February, alleges that the gas station owner had witnessed an argument at the store between Rosado and a man who threatened to kill her, a week before the murder. The suit seeks compensatory damages from the gas station owner over claims of negligence and fraud.
Brett Cunningham, a Star On and Off Stage, Is Imagine Schools’ National Teacher of the Year
Brett Cunningham, a fifth-grade teacher at Palm Coast’s Imagine School at Town Center, was chosen from more than 2,000 teachers in 72 schools across 12 states, a yet unparalleled distinction for any teacher in any type of school system—traditional, charter or private—in Flagler County.
A Pastor Reflects on Two Church Community Friends: Leonard Lynn and His Murderer
Rev. Beth Gardner, the pastor at Bunnell’s First United Methodist Church, heard the news of Leonard Lynn’s murder 10 minutes before services Sunday. He had been a member of her church community–as was his murderer, Erick Niemi.
District Throws In Towel on School Uniforms, Largely Relaxing Policy For Simplicity’s Sake
For high school students in Flagler schools, specific color restrictions will be gone, as long as students wear solid colors and sweatshirts and other “outerwear,” including all sorts of logos, will be allowed, making the policy look more like the pre-uniform dress code than not. Restrictions would still be in place for younger students.
FHP Director Julie Jones Is Shocked, Shocked to Hear of Troopers Issuing Fake Tickets
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Julie Jones said she expects the agency will look into allegations of bogus tickets, described last week by a handful of former and current troopers during an administrative hearing on the firing of former FHP Trooper Charles Swindle.
Flagler Emergency Director Warns: Forget Hurricane Predictions. Just Be Prepared.
As forecasters predict a busy hurricane season–18 named storms, nine hurricanes, four major ones–Flagler’s Emergency Operations Director Troy Harper warned against basing preparedness on predictions and actively developing a disaster plan instead, whether at home or in one’s business.
Flagler Middle & High School Principals Plead With Voters: Give Us Back Those 45 Minutes
Flagler County’s four secondary-school principals say restoring 45 minutes to the school day, or the equivalent of a month’s worth education, is indispensable if the district’s students are to excel consistently.
Flagler County Will Buy 11 Billboards on A1A and I-95 and Eliminate Most of Them By 2016
The Flagler County Commission agreed to buy 10 billboards on A1A and one on I-95 for $140,000, and eliminate all but three by 2016, retaining the one on I-95 and two on A1A to promote the county’s tourism and economic development efforts.
Leonard Lynn Murdered In Savage Beating Three Days Before Authorities Found Him
According to his confession, Erick Niemi knocked Leonard Lynn’s head against the floor and choked him for 1 to 2 minutes Wednesday, killing him then–and, until his arrest Saturday night, remaining in the house for three days after Niemi had locked the lifeless body in a bedroom.
Flagler Scrapes Up a Few Acres of Preservation Despite Demise of Florida Protection Program
Even though it’s not been a good few years for land preservation in Florida, two areas tagged by environmentalists as Jewels of Flagler County were expanded with recent purchases as those who work to set aside land for the future struggle with diminishing budgets amid great opportunity.
Man Is Killed at 26 Ryken Lane in Palm Coast, Suspect Charged With 2nd Degree Murder
Leonard Lynn, 76, was killed at 26 Ryken Lane in Palm Coast. Erick Niemi, a roommate, has been charged with second-degree murder. The murder was discovered Saturday evening. Niemi was picked up not far in the van he’d allegedly stolen from Lynn.
Between Fleeting Time and Family Feel at Matanzas High’s 2013 Commencement
Some 340 students graduated from Matanzas High School Friday evening in a ceremony that emphasized the school’s successes and the connections of the student body with its extended families.
Gas Station Murder Victim’s Employer Is Jailed on Workers Compensation Fraud Charge
Zuheily Roman Rosado’s assassin remains at large. But on Friday, her employer, Mohammed Ansari, was arrested on a third-degree felony charge of workers compensation fraud. His lapsed policy may have cost Roman’s family up to $157,000 in lost death benefits.
Planning for Flagler’s Future, County Talks Library Repairs, New Fire Station and Jail
Expanding an overcrowded county jail, building a modern new sheriff’s operations center, upgrading an inadequate drainage system as urbanization changes the rural character of Flagler and improving fire and emergency medical response west of U.S. 1 were featured in the first of four strategic-planning sessions by the county commission Thursday.
FPC Graduates Are Urged: Don’t Just Show Up. Know the Why of Your Life’s Purpose.
For Flagler Palm Coast High School, a day that began with a bomb scare ended with the graduation of some 450 seniors at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach Thursday evening, with Katie Young delivering the Commencement Address and Lynettt Shott watching her first graduating class as FPC’s new principal.