Javon Hall, a 27-year-old resident of Whispering Pine Drive in Palm Coast, is in jail on $100,000 bond following his arrest on three charges that he had sex with a 14-year-old Palm Coast girl. The victim termed some 30 encounters consensual, which is no defense for Hall under the law.
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Using Straw Man, Palm Coast Ridicules County’s Opposition to Red-Light Cameras
Rather than address questions raised by County Commission Chairman Barbara Revels, the Palm Coast Council invented a claim that the county wanted to enable law-breaking, unsafe drivers, and dismissed Revels’s request to reconsider installing spy cameras on State Road 100.
Matanzas Pirates’ Mission: A Senior Rallies Students and Faculty For a Teacher’s Survival
Juan Pablo Torres, a senior at Matanzas High School, decided to repay his English teacher, now undergoing cancer treatment in Gainesville, by showing her how students and teachers at Matanzas take care of their own.
Palm Coast Mayor Netts Says Amendment 4 Takes Taxes From “Screwy” to “Screwier”
Other Flagler government leaders joined Jon Netts in criticism of of proposed Constitutional Amendment 4, which would limit the tax liability of commercial, rental and vacant properties while lowering the tax liability of first-time home-buyers, but at the expense of local government revenue, which has been battered since 2007.
Early Voting War Over as Judge, Citing “Souls to the Polls” Sundays, Refuses Injunction
The war over early voting in Florida ahead of November’s presidential election appeared to wind down Monday, with a federal court refusing to block a portion of the state’s controversial 2011 elections law. In a ruling Monday, U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan denied a request from Democratic Congresswoman Corrine Brown and other black voters to […]
Flagler’s SAT Scores Tumble to Lowest Level in at Least 8 Years as Florida’s Improve
The declines some of them steep, took place in all categories–reading, math, writing–at both Flagler Palm Coast High School and Matanzas High School, with one exception in reading at Matanzas.
Capsized Speedboat, High on Marijuana Bricks, Washes up on Flagler Shore
The 25-foot speedboat bearing a stash of marijuana, which washed up on shore Sunday and Monday, was beached near the Flagler By the Sea campsite in Beverly Beach. Such speedboats have become a means of choice for smugglers of drugs or human traffickers in recent years.
Florida Republican Party Wades Into Supreme Court Fight as Justices Curtail Fund-Raising
The Republican Party of Florida issued a statement saying the GOP opposes three justices who form the backbone of the court’s left-of-center majority–R. Fred Lewis, Barbara Pariente and Peggy Quince. The justices slashed their fund-raising activities according to the latest filings.
Partisanship Works. One-Party States Don’t.
They are two of the most repeated claims you’ll hear every four years: That this is the most important election in our lifetime. And that partisanship is demolishing the country. Rubbish on both counts.
Shark Finning, Carnage of Luxury
Shark fin soup is considered an aphrodisiac and sign of wealth. Asia’s exploding middle class is resulting in a carnage of some 70 million sharks a year, killed just for their fins.
In Flagler’s Elections, Some Coffers Are Depleted, Some Rich in Out-Of-County Donors
The biggest contrast s in the Frank Meeker-Abby Romaine race for the Flagler County Commission, with almost 80 percent of Meeker’s money coming from out of the county, and 100 percent of Romaine’s coming from within it.
State Attorney Files Attempted Murder Charges on Phillip Neal Following Bunnell Brawl
Philip Neal, a 28-year-old resident of Bunnell who’s been booked into the Flagler County jail 18 times in four years, and served 16 months in state prison, is accused of firing several rounds from a .38-caliber gun at Deron Carter the night of Aug. 25 in Bunnell.
Florida Unemployment Unchanged at 8.8%, Flagler’s Dips Slightly, to 12.4% in August
Florida’s unemployment rate was unchanged in August, at 8.8 percent, as the state added just 23,200 jobs–for a total of just 77,800 in the past 12 months–while Flagler County’s rate dipped to 12.4 percent. Flagler’s rate has been in the 12 percent range since February.
Florida’s Gang of 10: How You Got Robbed of Representation by Lawmakers’ Rubber Stamp
Just 10 of Florida’s 160 legislators voted recently on a $58-million budget amendment that carries large policy implications for citizens across the state. Few citizens were representedby this or any other decisions passed by the Legislative Budget Commission.
Flagler Beach Ending Cable-Casting of Meetings in Favor of Live Webcasts
Flagler Beach had been contracting with Palm Coast’s municipal TV production crew, for $10,000 a year, to broadcast its meetings on cable, several days after the fact. The city will save at least $6,000 a year by webcasting the meetings live.
How Nursing Homes Get You: Signing Away Your Right to Sue
Signing arbitration agreements at nursing homes prevent families from suing the home should something go wrong. Agreeing to arbitrate is generally not in families’ best interests. It’s expensive, proceedings are secret, and nursing homes have the advantage.
FPL Begins Installing Smart Meters in Flagler as PSC Takes on Devices’ Emitted Controversies
FPL will begin installing 50,000 smart meters in Flagler County this month and continue installing them through the fall, while the Florida Public Service Commission on Thursday devotes a daylong workshop to questions about smart meters and health effects, privacy, data security and alternatives.
In Flagler and Across Florida, More Perky Housing Sales Point to Encouraging Trends
Sales of single family homes in Flagler were up 9.5 percent in August over a year ago, 10.8 percent across Florida, while pending sales have skyrocketed in further signs of health for the battered housing sector, even as prices still stagnate.
Mother Chases and Fights a Boy On a School Bus, Drawing Charges; Sheriff Releases Video
Felecia Phillips, 35, of Espanola, is accused of attacking a boy at a bus stop Wednesday morning, then chasing him onto the bus that was to take him to FPC. She was arrested on child abuse and trespassing charges.
Flagler Beach’s Haley Watson and Eric Worley Win 2012 Easterns Surfing Championships
Flagler Beach’s Haley Watson and Eric Worley took first place in both their divisions at the 2012 Easterns Surfing Championships in Nags Head, on North carolina’s Outer Banks, on Tuesday.
In Volusia Senate Fight Between Bruno and Hukill, a Bellwether of Republican Dominance
Would voters be better off again electing a Republican to the GOP-dominated Senate? Or is it time for Democrats to claw back a seat in the newly-drawn, swing district? The Senate District 8 race between Democrat Frank Bruno and Republican Dorothy Hukill will answer the questions.
Palm Coast Toughs: Fake Pot Banned, Garage Sales Watched, Woodlands Development a Go
In a series of decisions Tuesday, two of them defying strong public sentiment, the Palm Coast City Council voted to prohibit the sale of legal products known as synthetic marijuana, require permits for garage sales, and open the way for a vast assisted-living development at the edge of the Woodlands.
At Matanzas High School, an Irrepressible Teacher’s Untimely Farewell, For Now
Jo Ann Nahirny, an English teacher at Matanzas, put in her last day of the year today before a three-month leave filled with radiation treatments and surgery as she battles a cancer’s recurrence. This is the story of her last day in class.
Mitt Romney’s 47 Percent Problem
In 2008 John McCain’s big challenge was to control Sarah Palin’s mouth. In 2012, Mitt Romney’s biggest challenge is to control Mitt Romney’s mouth. His characterization of 47 percent of Americans as victims and dependents, besides being demonstrably false, unravels the cynicism at the core of Romney’s campaign.
County Sends Protest Letter to Palm Coast Over Red-Light Spy Cameras on SR100
The Flagler County Commission is asking the Palm Coast City Council to reconsider installing some of its 52 spy-and-snap traffic cameras on SR100 because the county claims it will inhibit shopping and tourism, and leave a bad taste in visitors’ mouths just as the county is advertising itself as a welcoming beachside destination.
Warning of “Scary Things” in Coming Election, County Attorney Hadeed Urges Voter Education
In a surprisingly candid talk framed around the 225th anniversary of the Constitution, Flagler County Attorney Al Hadeed warned of the potentially corrupting influence of money in Florida’s judicial elections, and of the Legislature’s loading of the November ballot with 11 purposefully long and confusing constitutional amendments, a spiteful snub of the Supreme Court.
Palm Coast Data’s Latest Revenue Down 18.6% Over the Year But Ticks Up in 2012
Palm Coast Data revenue fell to $13.6 million in the quarter ending July 31, compared to $16.5 million a year ago, and $32 million in 2008. Parent-company Amrep Corp. posted its 12th loss of the last 16 quarters.
Ripped from Her Trenches, a Teacher Mobilizes for Months of Cancer Combat, and Anguish
From feeling like a human easel to a convicted felon, Matanzas teacher Jo Ann Nahirny takes us step by step through the anguish of preparing for cancer treatment and its implications–physical, financial, emotional and spiritual.
In a Reversal, Florida Won’t End Benefits To Recipients With Underliverable Addresses
The Florida Department of Children and Families on Friday scrapped a controversial change that would have halted food stamps, Medicaid and welfare benefits for people whose mail is returned to the agency as undeliverable.
Avoiding F-16 Intercept, Teens-in-Flight Team Delivers Aurora Gift and Heads Home
Jack Howell’s Teens-in-Flight mission to deliver $10,000 to defray the medical expenses of the victims of the Aurora, Colo., movie theater shooting culminated on Saturday. The trio aboard the Cessna began the flight home early Sunday.
Russian Roulette With MSG
In today’s American restaurants, MSG has become so prevalent that it is in practically every kind of food. It’s no longer isolated to Chinese cuisine. And it can be very dangerous to eat, making eating out a gamble.
When Riots In Defense of Islam Are More Vile Than Any Parody of the Prophet
“Innocence of Muslims” is a vile movie about Islam, but its movie maker had every right to make it, and it is far less vile than the murderous riots Muslim fundamentalists have launched as a result–or Mitt Romney’s political opportunism over the crisis.
Feed Flagler Launches 4th Year as Big Cuts in Food Stamps Loom and Pantries Empty Out
Again led by County Commissioner Milissa Holland, Feed Flagler aims to exceed last year’s fund-raising of $28,000 and 60,000-pound food-drive by Thanksgiving, but federal legislation cutting food stamp benefits would prove a setback for Flagler’s efforts against hunger.
A Strange Case of Car-Swapping and Theft On Palm Coast’s Prince Patrick Lane
A 22-year-old Navy recruit’s Nissan Altima had seemingly sat in her father’s driveway on Palm Coast’s Prince Patrick Lane since March, waiting for her return, only for her father to discover that it was not her car when he sought to clean it.
Lazarus Act: City Repertory Theatre’s “Jacques Brel” Revives Grand Voice With Force and Style
“Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well,” the Palm Coast City Repertory Theatre’s most successful production of its inaugural season, is rich in powerful and intuitive performances that recreate, in English, the songs and themes of the late French Bob Dylan.
Gov. Scott Claims to Make Education His Top Priority. Democrats Are Doubtful.
With Gov. Rick Scott visiting several public schools this week and highlighting what he says is his understanding that Floridians want good schools and his intention to do something about it, Democrats teed off on the GOP education funding record.
Trey Corbett, Running for Flagler Supervisor Of Elections, Trips Over Several Election Rules
From a minor fine to more serious questions about his home and where he’s voted for the last four elections, Trey Corbett’s pattern of issues stand out because of the office he’s seeking, since he would be responsible for monitoring and controlling those very issues as supervisor of elections.
Property Tax Amendments on November 6 Ballot Would Cut Local Revenue Further
Florida voters in November will face a flurry of proposed amendments to reduce property tax levies for groups ranging from first-time homebuyers to disabled veterans, while preventing increases on those whose homes lose value.
Finally for Flagler, a Visitation Safe Haven for Children and Victims of Domestic Violence
The Safe Haven Center for severed families needing a supervised, safe place for children’s visitations or exchanges, would spare families trip to Volusia or St. Johns–or meeting around the flagpole at the courthouse. The $400,000 federal grant was secured and executed by a group of local government and non-governmental leaders led by Judge Raul Zambrano, Commissioner Barbara Revels, and Abby Romaine, a candidate for the commission.
A Rash Shooting Outside Flagler Beach’s Lazy Pelican Lands 38-Year-Old Woman in Jail
Maureen Witkowski, a 38-year-old resident of Flagler Beach, was arrested on three gun-related charges after firing a gun outside the Lazy Pelican, a bar on A1A, the evening of Sept. 11.
Jamesine Fischer’s Hit-and-Run Trial Pushed to January, Benefitting Flagler Sheriff Fleming
Jamesine Fischer, facing a first-degree felony charge in the killing 76-year-old Francoise Pecqueur in a hit-and-run almost a year ago, will go to trial in January. The continuance works in favor of Flagler County Sheriff Don Fleming’s re-election campaign.
Adopting Legally Blurry Policing Role, Palm Coast Takes On Synthetic Pot Sellers
The Palm Coast City Council would impose a $300-a-day fine on convenience stores that persist in selling legal products known as synthetic marijuana, and would use its code enforcement as its policing arm, with assistance from the sheriff’s office.
Go Ahead, Steal His Email:
Florida Court Rules It’s Not Cyberstalking
The First Circuit Court of Appeal found that a wife stealing her husband’s email and locking him out of his own account did not amount either to cyberstalking or to a form of domestic violence. The case involves Michael and Cheryl Young of Alachua County.
From Beirut to 9/11:
When Barbarism Follows Barbarism
Revulsion over the losses in New York and Washington aside, the attack triggered a succession of fears: That the barbarism I so gladly left behind 23 years ago is here.
At Finn’s in Flagler Beach, a Violent Fight With Lasting Consequences, and Arrests
Kristin Howard’s arrest today was the latest development in a tangled and violent brawl that involved a half dozen people at Finn’s, the bar in Flagler Beach, on Aug. 30. Harley J. King, who’d been released from state prison just five weeks earlier, was arrested on Sept. 3. More arrests may yet follow.
Mulligan: County Re-Enacts Beach Dredging Meeting It Had Closed to the Public in July
A citizen had complained in July to the Flagler County Commission about a closed-door meeting on beach dredging proposals between the county administration and the U.S. Corps of Engineers that had nevertheless included three elected members of the Flagler Beach City Commission. Monday’s meeting was a redo for the public’s benefit.
Legality of State Workers’ 3% Retirement Tax Now Before Florida Supreme Court
With hundreds of millions of dollars a year hinging on their decision, Florida Supreme Court justices Friday began deliberating about whether to uphold a 2011 law that requires government workers to chip in 3 percent of their pay to the state retirement system.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Charts Next Steps For Expanded Panther Population and Range
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), working in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, plans to document where panthers are roaming beyond south Florida and develop the best practices to help people and panthers coexist.
Follow the Lead of Flagler Beach’s Restaurants: Trash the Styrofoam
Restaurants in Flagler Beach, among them the Turtle Shack and the Flagler Fish Company, decided to drop the use of Styrofoam and adopt all-recyclable containers, taking a lead other local businesses should follow, Frank Gromling writes, given Styrofoam’s polluting and carcinogenic properties.
Flagler County Art League’s Color Splash Returns with Brash of Brush
The Flagler County Art League’s “Color Splash” exhibit, featuring some 100 works in numerous mediums, opens Sept. 8 and runs through September and parallels growing success for the league’s classes.