A massive fire engulfed a single-family house at 121 Woodhaven Drive, off of Pine Lakes Parkway, in Palm Coast at around 11:50 this morning. There were no occupants in the house at the time, but two dogs were rescued after the fire started.
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Florida Snubs Millions in Federal Health Grants That Could Help Workers and the Poor
in a pattern of politically motivated rejections by Florida itself, the state got the lowest amount of health-care reform act grant funding per capita – behind all 50 states and the District of Columbia – in 2011. While state agencies received the bulk of federal health grants in other states, it was the reverse in Florida.
Eddie Johnson More Brawny Than Brilliant, But Helps US Win Gold Cup Anyway, 1-0
It was not a beautiful performance by either Eddie Johnson, who put in all 95 minutes, or the U.S. Team, and the last minutes were marred by a brawl Johnson triggered as he brought a little Bunnell to Soldier Field, but the U.S. won its fifth Gold Cup anyway.
Creal Won’t Be Chief After All as Flagler Beach Fire Department’s Troubles Mount
Within 24 hours of being named Acting Fire Chief of the very troubled Flagler Beach Fire Department, Robbie Creal said he declined the post because of health, while City Manager Bruce Campbell said he’ll himself assume all administrative duties at the department, and have three firefighters–David Kennedy Stephen Cox and Dustin Snyder–be shift commanders.
HPV Vaccine For Teen Girls Stalling as Parents Inject Misinformation and Doctors Stay Mum
Parents cite fears that the vaccine could have dangerous side effects. The fears are baseless, but have led to a significant drop in HPV vaccination for girls 14 to 17 that worries health officials. At the currently lower rates of immunization, an additional 4,400 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer and 1,400 cervical cancer-attributable deaths will occur in the future.
Acting Flagler Beach Fire Chief’s Past Drug Issues Aside, Questions Arise Over Certification
City Manager Bruce Campbell and Commission Chairman Steve Settle say they were not aware of Acting Fire Chief Robbie Creal’s past marijuana use or the investigation that led to his resignation and retirement in 2002, and Campbell said he had not verified whether Creal has the certification to be an active fireman at fire scenes, in line with state law requirements that kicked in July 1.
Most Flagler Schools’ Grades Drop, Following State Trend, As Tougher Standards Kick In
In Flagler County, not a single school saw its grade improve and five fell back a grade, though two maintained their A rating: Indian Trails Middle School and Belle Terre Elementary. Grades would have been worse had the state Board of Education not agreed to artificially prop them up, limiting grade drops to a maximum of one letter grade.
Appraisals for Old Hospital Place Value at $1.5 Million as County Moves Toward Acquisition
The county wants to buy the old hospital in Bunnell for $1.23 million and use it as an HQ for the sheriff. Two independent appraisers have placed the market value of the old 81-bed hospital at $1.5 million, and an engineering firm that surveyed the hulking 60,000 square-foot property found no overt issues with the building aside from asbestos. A private consortium bought the building for $750,000 in 2003.
Back-to-School Tax Holiday Now Includes Computers, Tablets and Electronic Gadgetry
Florida’s back-to-school tax holiday Aug. 2 through Aug. 4 for the first time includes high-tech computer and other electronics as long as each individual item is priced under $750. Retailers are preparing for the demand, in some cases lowering prices to match the benchmark.
State Attorney Files Obstruction Charge Against Robert Pace, Flagler Beach’s Acting Fire Chief
The State Attorney’s Office has filed an obstruction of justice charge against Bobby Pace, the acting fire chief in Flagler Beach, following an investigation into charges that Pace falsified the records of a probationer and destroyed evidence earlier this year.
Tropical Storm Dorian Graying His Way West But Florida Not Yet in His Picture
Thursday morning Tropical Storm Dorian was closer to its nursery grounds in Africa than to either North or South America, but it was making a beeline west for the northern part of the Antilles, which it is forecast to reach by early next week. It’s too early to speculate about a threat to Florida.
Flagler District Approves $3.2 Million Plan for Free Macbook or iPad in Every Student’s Hands
Within three weeks starting on Sept. 16, every student at Flagler Palm Coast High School and Matanzas High School will have the latest-generation Macbook Air, free, on what amounts to a permanent loan from the school district. The district also plans to have an iPad for every fifth and sixth grader this year and next, and have every student in the district possess a device by the 2017-18 school year.
Common Core Here to Stay Despite Heckles by Conservatives, But Testing Questions Remain
The decision by legislative leaders to call for Florida to withdraw from a group of states preparing new tests for student learning has set off a round of battles over the future of Florida’s involvement in the “common core” standards project. And it causes complications for Florida education officials, many of whom support common core.
Justin Boyles and Charles Massey Indicted on 1st Degree Murder; May Face Death Penalty
A St. Johns County grand jury indicted Justin Boyles, 24, and Charles Massey, 38, both of Palm Coast, murder and kidnapping charges in the killing of Edward Scott Mullener on June 13 or 14. Since Mullener’s charred boidy was found in St. Johns, that’s where the court proceedings are unfolding.
Board Members Balk at 7:25 a.m. Middle School Start Time, But Approve New Bell Schedule
Buddy Taylor and Indian Trails middle school students will have to wake up even earlier than last year when school resumes on Aug. 19, with first-bell at 7:25 a.m. and dismissal at 1:25 p.m. Most other schools’ schedules are unchanged, with high schools starting at 8 a.m. and elementaries around 9 a.m.
Pay an Issue as Flagler County Fire Chief Don Petito and Others Aim for Jobs Elsewhere
Flagler County Fire Chief Don Petito is one of a growing list of senior county staffers, especially in the fire department, who have left or are seeking to leave the department for neighboring departments where pay is significantly higher, a brain-drain issue County Administrator Craig Coffey has been warning county commissioners about this summer.
Facing Mandatory Spending, County May Raise Taxes by Nearly $100 for Median Home
In previous years, tax rate increases didn’t mean much because they were either entirely or more than offset by decreases in property values. The end result was lower tax bills for most, even as tax rates went up. That’s over. And tax rates are set to go up in every city, too.
A Year After Armed Robbery, Flagler Sheriff Nabs Dane McReynolds In Brief Stand-Off
Adam Giddens confessed to the robbery of numerous weapons at a home in Bunnell a year ago, and implicated Dane McReynolds, who had fled to Arkansas until his capture Saturday at a house on County Road 304 in Bunnell. Giddens was sentenced to three years in prison in May.
Flagler Homes’ Median Sale Price Up 28% Over Last Year as Investors Keep Buying
Sales closed on 200 single-family homes in June in Palm Coast and Flagler County, half those for cash as investors continue to buy homes. The median price of $144,500 is the best showing since February 2009. The median number of days those homes spent on the market was 71, an increase of eight days from last year.
Florida’s Self-Insured Not Likely to See Premiums Drop Much as a Result of Obamacare
New York’s announcement last week that insurance premiums would drop 50 percent next year for individuals buying their own coverage in new online marketplaces made good talking points for proponents of the health law, but consumers in most states are unlikely to see similar savings.
Demonstrating and Reporting Outrage Over Zimmerman’s Acquittal Isn’t Overkill. Shooting Trayvon Was.
Marches and other responses to the George Zimmerman trail are focusing needed attention on a culture at times too comfortable with the the paradox of imagining itself past the sort of racially motivated mindsets that made the killing of Trayvon Martin possible, argues Steve Robinson.
‘The Struggle Continues’: Civil Rights Generation Shows Palm Coast How It’s Done in 100-Voice March
Some 100 people, most old enough to have lived through the civil rights era, walked for almost 4 miles on Palm Coast Parkway Saturday morning, singing and showing their solidarity with Trayvon Martin’s family and their opposition to Florida’s stand your ground law. Several had taken part in marches dating back to the 1963 March on Washington.
Obama on Stand Your Ground and Zimmerman Aftermath: “Trayvon Martin Could Have Been Me 35 Years Ago”
As protests have continued and grown, President Obama Friday afternoon spoke on the stand your ground law, the Zimmerman trial aftermath, Trayvon Martin and race more expansively and in more personal terms than he had since his speech on race from Philadelphia as a presidential candidate in 2008. The full text and video are included.
“The Serpent” Reinvents Adam, Eve, JFK’s Assassination and Theater at Palm Coast’s City Rep
Joseph Chaikin’s ‘The Serpent,” a signature of the 1960s’ Open Theater, is a daring recreation of seductions and apple bites from Genesis to the John Kennedy assassination, and it comes to Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre under the direction for John Sbordone for three performances this weekend.
Flagler’s Unemployment Back in Double Digits While Florida’s Stalls at 7.1%, Mirroring U.S.
Flagler County’s unemployment rate shot back up to 10.2 percent as 830 fewer people had jobs, one of the sharpest drops of the year, though seasonal fluctuations account for much of that drop. Florida added just 2,300 private sector jobs.
Car-Battery Explosion and Fire Injure 7 in Westminster Dr. House in Palm Coast; Drugs Suspected
Shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday, an explosion and resulting fire was reported at 33 Westminster Drive in Palm Coast, severely burning one person, sending four to a local hospital, with three others sustaining minor injuries. Authorities at the scene were suspecting drug activity in the house.
Black Man 101: Déjà Jim Crow All Over Again For African-American Parents and Their Sons
We already teach our sons to be “agreeable” and “non-challenging” with police. Must we now teach our sons to conform to some modern form of “Jim Crow etiquette” and defer to all potential bigots who come their way? Terrance Heath writes that the answer is as heartbreaking to give as it is to receive.
Home Invasion Suspect Who Bonded Out Days Ago Triggers Manhunt After Another Armed Robbery
Less than three weeks after Edmon Welch was charged with a home invasion in Bunnell, he was charged again with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon following a two-hour manhunt in the Mondex involving Flagler County Fire Flight, K-9 units, Bunnell police and Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies.
Boycott Florida Movement Grows in Protest Of Stand Your Ground and Zimmerman Verdict
The boycott-Florida movement has quickly grown on social media and with such headliners as Stevie Wonder while Gov. Rick Scott and the state’s business groups downplay the effectiveness of the effort, which could nevertheless hurt the state’s tourism and convention business.
Middle School Boy Invokes Stand Your Ground in School Bus Fight With Girl, and Court Agrees
Showing the breadth of Florida’s “stand your ground” law, an appeals court Wednesday said the controversial legal defense can be used by a boy involved in a fight with a girl on a school bus. No weapons were involved. The boy making the stand your ground claim was arrested on a battery charge.
Commissioner to Lobbyist: Milissa Holland Joins Powerful Southern Strategy Group
In a pair of candid interviews, former Flagler County Commissioner Milissa Holland traced her personal and professional trajectories that took her from representing taxpayers in government to representing the special-interest clients of the Southern Strategy Group, one of Florida’s–and the nation’s–most powerful lobbying firms.
Vigilante Car Chase: 2 Men Jailed For Pursuit Through Shopping Center Parking Lots
Michael Marsh and Andrew Hubbard of Palm Coast face aggravated assault charges after pursuing another man in their car through Walgreens, Publix and Winn Dixie parking lots in Palm Coast Tuesday.
Some 600,000 Floridians Getting Rebates from Insurers Not Complying With Health Care Law
Because insurers are overspending on profits and administration instead of medical care, the amount that must be refunded in this state by Aug. 1 tops $54 million. That’s only half of what insurers had to pay in rebates to Floridians last year. Nationally, insurers are refunding $504 million.
A Tearful, Grateful Encounter Between 911 Operator and Grandmother Coached Through CPR of 2-Year-Old
Flagler County 911 operator Genice Caccavale rarely knows the aftermath of emergency calls. Today, she got to meet Alicia Fennell and 2-year-old Kelisa Bailey, whom Fennell brought back from a near-drowning Saturday as she followed Caccavale’s CPR instructions over the phone.
Bunnell’s Finance Director Resigns, Taking a Swipe at New Commission Majority
Bunnell Finance Director Cynthia Bertha–Cissy to friends and colleagues–blamed the new majority of the Bunnell City Commission for undoing City Manager Armando Martinez’s “hard work” as she explained her resignation. She is the third high-ranking administrator to either resign or be fired since that new majority took hold.
Broomstick Attack on Basketball Court Leads to Child Abuse Charges and Jail for 30-Year-Old
Several teenagers were playing basketball at the Espanola Community Center Monday evening when 30-year-old Anndra Macklin allegedly attacked one of the youths, and later got into a fight with another, a broomstick in one hand and a beer in the other.
Fail-Safe: Education Commissioner Recommends Artificial Prop-Up of School Grades
Education Commissioner Tony Bennett will ask the State Board of Education next week to prevent schools from dropping by more than one letter grade on the state report card in an effort to counter what superintendents say could be an alarming drop in grades.
Flagler 911 Operator Genice Caccavale in Remarkable Drowning Rescue of 2-Year-Old by Phone
2-year-old Kelisa Bailey was visiting her grandmother Alicia Fennell late Saturday afternoon when she briefly ended up in a pool and stopped breathing. Fennell brought her back to life as she followed the instructions of 911 operator Genice Caccavale.
Anxieties Over Profiling and Vigilantism as Bunnell Marchers Protest Zimmerman Verdict
Fewer than two dozen people gathered on South Bacher Street in Bunnell Sunday afternoon for a protest march following the not-guilty verdict in the George Zimmerman trial. The group turned its gathering march into an impromptu town hall on the trial, its meaning and its implications for blacks, whites and gun laws.
Zimmerman’s Gunshine State: White Man’s Verdict, Black Men’s Burden
Zimmerman is a free man, but his legacy should not be that he was “right” to do what he did. He should be viewed as the sad, angry embodiment of the fear and paranoia that would have us believe that owning a gun and using a gun are equal and inseparable rights.
Edifice Complex: Palm Coast Council Should Forget About Gang of Six’s Geezer Gimmick
The Gang of Six–the former Palm Coast City Council members wanting to build a new city hall–are showing their age with the outdated nature of their idea, argues Merrill Shapiro. The council should forget their proposal and focus on the challenges of a rapidly changing city and society.
Jaquez Roland Is Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Sharps Liquor Zip-Tie Robbery
Flagler County Judge Melissa Moore-Stens sentenced Jacquez Roland of Palm Coast to 40 years in prison without parole Friday, the harshest possible sentence he faced after being found guilty of armed robbery, grand theft and false imprisonment at the end of a four-day trial on May 23.
Sheriff: Violence Not Expected in Flagler Reaction to Trayvon Martin Verdict, But Cops Preparing Anyway
As the jury may begin deliberating Friday in George Zimmerman’s murder trial of Trayvon Martin, state and local law enforcement agencies, including Flagler’s police forces, have been coordinating a response to potentially violent reactions to the verdict.
Florida Supreme Court Green-Lights Trial Challenging Fairness of GOP Redistricting
The 5-2 ruling, which fell along common ideological lines on the court, allows a coalition of voting-rights groups to continue trying to prove that the Senate maps drawn in 2012 violate the anti-gerrymandering “Fair Districts” standards added to the Florida Constitution two years earlier.
Love Triangle Gone Awry Said To Be Trigger of Gruesome Killing of Ed Scott Mullener
Details of the police investigation into the torture and killing of Edward Scott Mullener in Palm Coast’s Hammock on June 13 point to a love triangle between Mullener, Antoinette Heart and Justin Boyles. Boyles and Charles Danny Massey face first-degree murder charges.
2 Palm Coast Men Charged With 1st Degree Murder in Torture and Killing of Edward Mullener
Justin Adam Boyles, 24, and Charles Danny Massey, 38, both of 6 Holly Road in Palm Coast, allegedly beat and tortured Edward Scott Mullener of Palm Coast in mid-June before setting him on fire in his car in Flagler Estates. His smoldering car was discovered the morning of June 14. They face first-degree murder and kidnapping charges.
A 63-Year-Old Woman Cycling Up U.S. 1 Is Killed in Collision With SUV Near Belle Terre
Deborah I. Dunn, who was riding inside the white-lined shoulder on U.S. 1 Wednesday evening, is the second cyclist killed on Flagler Roads in three months, in circumstances similar to those that took the life of cyclist Frederick Martinez on State Road 100 in April.
Palm Coast Proposes to Increase Its General Fund Budget by $700,000 and Add 9 Positions
For the first time in seven years, property values have increased in Palm Coast, if only fractionally. Even so, residents will likely see a small property tax rate increase that for most would mean a slightly higher tax bill as the city continues to balance tight budgets with residents’ demands for services, and loosen the tight belt somewhat.
Upset By a Man Taking Pictures of His Girlfriend at the Pier, He Shows a Gun–and Is Arrested
26-year-old Thomas Wood was arrested and jailed Tuesday evening after he threateningly displayed a gun to another man taking pictures of the Wood’s girlfriend at the Flagler Beach Pier, according to a Flagler Beach police report. Wood did not have a permit for the gun.
Florida Lottery Sets Record With $5 Billion In Sales as Gambling’s Attraction Grows
A little more than 62 percent of the money is paid out to winners, while $1.41 billion will go to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund, though that hasn’t kept local school boards’ budgets from being cut. The voter-approved Lottery grew from $1.8 billion in sales in 1989, its first full year.