Charles Cowart, the 29-year-old man who led police on a chase through Bunnell as he rode a horse through town the afternoon of Sept. 24, was jailed again on a public intoxication charge Nov. 20, but will likely not face trail on the four felony and misdemeanor charges he incurred in September.
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Jeb Bush Redux: Defeated and Deflated, Republicans Look for Viability in 2016
Early Republican favorites for 2016 include Marco Rubio, Chris Christie, Paul Ryan and Jon Huntsman, but the most formidable — and electable — candidate for the Republican Party right now is former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, argues Steven Kurlander.
Growth Industry: Cops Bust Third Palm Coast Pot Grow House in 9 Months, on Wheatfield
Authorities arrested Jorge Rodriguez, 61, and charged him with marijuana cultivation at 15 Wheatfield Drive in Palm Coast, where some 48 plants with a potential street value of $86,000 were discovered Monday.
Out-of-Control Car Dives Into a Pond Off I-95 in a Spectacular 2-Vehicle Wreck, Hurting Two
Amber Smith of Palm Coast lost control of her Honda on I-95 this morning, slammed into another car, and flew into a large pond 10 feet below the road level, but was able to crawl out of the half-submerged car and get rescued. An intricate salvage operation ensued.
Feed Flagler Recap: $17,000 in Donations; Johnston Reclaims Fund-Raising Trophy
Tax Collector Suzanne Johnston raised $5,001, or $1 more than Flagler County Sheriff Don Fleming, thanks to a last-minute, $1 donation from George Hanns, the county commissioner.
WNZF’s David Ayres, Voice of Flagler County, Is Named One of Nation’s Top Radio Managers
David Ayres, named one of Radio Ink’s 50 top radio managers in America, steered away from his parents’ tool and die shop to take on a career in radio and TV. He’s is ending one of his more successful years after overseeing the expansion of Flagler County Broadcasting to a fourth radio station.
Gov. Scott’s Notion of Cheaper State College Degrees Termed “Walmart of Education”
Gov. Rick Scott “challenged” state colleges to create $10,000 four-year degrees, a continuation of his low-cost strategy for higher education that Democrats slammed as an attempt to turn the schools into “the Walmart of Education.”
Long Day of Cop Pursuits Nets 2 Arrests Over Thefts, Assaults and Evasions
William Ginrich was arrested for grand theft auto after brandishing a gun at a woman who’d allowed him to stay in her house. Austin Brammer led cops on a pursuit along Palm Coast Parkway before submitting to arrest after stealing a safe from his mother’s house.
Voting Time Again as State Asks Floridians To Click on Their Favorite License Plate
The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is asking Floridians to vote on one of four choices, online, starting today and until Dec. 14. The redesigned plate with the most votes replaces existing plates beginning in 2014.
Strings on Speed: Bowfire Brings Its Holiday Blaze to the Flagler Auditorium
Thursday, Bowfire returns to the Flagler Auditorium, this time with its new Holiday Heart Strings show, giving Christmas favorites the Celtic, Blue Grass, Rock, Texas Swing, Gypsy and Klezmer treatment.
Mocking the Pledge of Allegiance
A reporter is fired after only reluctantly mentioning that a city councilman refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance in the latest example of ignorance replacing the very values the Pledge stands for, values that apply especially for those who choose to sit it out.
Your Homeland Security At Work: $430 Million on Radios No One Knows How to Use
DHS has spent $430 million over the past nine years to provide radios tuned to a common, secure channel to 123,000 employees across the country. Problem is, no one seems to know how to use them.
The Conservative Case Against Compromise
A Democrat and one a conservative say Republicans in Congress need to compromise so the government can “get things done,” and that it is better to do something than nothing. No. It is not, argues Lloyd Brown.
Reaching for a Cell Phone, a Palm Coast Woman Is Injured In Single-Car Wreck on U.S. 1
Rachelle Horne, 40, was on her way to work at Belk’s when she was injured Saturday afternoon as she lost control of her PT Cruiser on U.S. 1 shortly after 1 p.m., and after her cell phone rang.
Get Set for Higher Power Bills in January as FPL Bids for Annual Increases Through 2016
A house consuming the typical 1,000 kWh would see its base monthly rate increase by $5.23, but if a state settlement is approved with FPL, there would actually be no change in net costs to customers in the coming year, but the settlement would also ensure that there would be rate increases every year for three straight years thereafter.
Calling It Flawed and Damaging, Teachers Union Wants Evaluation System Delayed
The state’s largest teachers union is pushing for lawmakers and Gov. Rick Scott to delay a new system of teacher evaluations, saying the formula for measuring teachers’ performance is flawed and could wreak havoc on their careers.
Feed Flagler Multiplies the Loaves–and the Turkeys, Hams, Pies, Chops and Volunteers
Some 3,500 free meals were served across the county Wednesday, with 500 more to be served Thursday in Bunnell, as the fourth annual Feed Flagler marked Thanksgiving with what has become the single-largest philanthropic community-wide project in Flagler.
Ellsworth Rosenberger, 69, Dies in a Wreck on Palm Coast Parkway Near Roma Court
Ellsworth Rosenberger, 69, died Wednesday following a wreck at 440 Palm Coast Parkway Northwest, just past Wendy’s and before Roma Court in the eastbound lanes of the Parkway.
Palm Coast City Council’s Bill Lewis: Two Minutes, Six Errors, Countless Sneers
When Palm Coast City Councilman Bill Lewis took to the floor of a council meeting to correct a fact in a FlaglerLive column, which had already been corrected, he committed more than six errors of his own, including about his own personal history. Lewis’s errors bear correcting as publicly as he committed them.
In a Day of Inaugurals, 3 Governments Swear In New Members and 2 Elect New Chairmen
The Flagler County Commission, the school board and the Palm Coast City Council all either welcomed new members or shuffled their chairmanships in an annual ritual with a mixture of ceremony and consequences.
Gus Ajram, Embattled Bulldog Drive Business Owner, Collapses in Outburst Before Council
Ajram and City Manager Jim Landon have battled over Ajram’s property on Bulldog Drive for several years, in what became a personal showdown. Rather than acquire the property, the city is now diverting Bulldog Drive, at a cost significantly greater than the difference it was unwilling to pay Ajram in negotiations.
14 Days On, Allen West Concedes
Thwarted in attempts to change the outcome of a razor thin race, U.S. Rep Allen West early Tuesday conceded to his Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy. The concession increases Democratic pick-ups in the House to eight, for a total of 200 seats to the GOP’s 233.
Commissioner Alan Peterson Logs His Last Meeting, But Not Without One Last Showdown
Flagler County Commissioner Alan Peterson served his last meeting Monday evening, but not before taking on Clerk of Court Gail Wadsworth’s raised for her employees and reminding fellow-commissioners what had made him their most ardent bean-counter.
Man Arrested for Firing a Gun at Parents’ House Where His Children and Girlfriend Hid
Christopher Avellar, 30, is accused of firing a .45-caliber gun at his parents’ house on Waywood Place in Palm Coast, where his girlfriend and two children, ages 4 and 5, were hiding from him after a domestic argument Friday evening.
In a Shift, Gov. Scott Will Now Talk Health Care Reform, But With Reservations
Scott sent a conciliatory letter to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, but while seeking a meeting, Scott also expressed doubts about whether a key part of the Affordable Care Act would lower health costs.
The Palm Coast City Council’s Arrogance Problem
The secret, undemocratic way the Palm Coast City Council went about picking its latest unelected member is the latest disturbing example of a council’s contempt for the public, and of the maneuverings of a manager with a Donald Trump complex.
William Copeland, Guilty of Attempted Murder in Leidel Drive Shooting, Faces Life in Prison
William Copeland, 21, was found guilty Saturday of attempted murder in the shooting of Accursio Venezia in May 2011. Copeland is the father of Venezia’s grandson, who was in the house at the time, as was his 20-year-old mother. The three-day trial was before Circuit Judge Raul Zambrano.
Round-Up: Election Fallout Shakes Up Florida Capitol
Republicans and Democrats began to weigh the fallout from the messy conclusion of the fall campaign, when voters were forced to stand in line for hours on end in some precincts to cast their ballots. But agreement on what caused the problem, much less how to fix it, was already proving difficult to find.
The Language of Class Warfare from Shaw’s “Pygmalion” to Sbordone’s Repertory Theatre
Language as class still has its cliques, as do all prejudices. It’s also a central theme of Pygmalion, the newest production of an old classic opening tonight (and running through Sunday) at John Sbordone’s City Repertory Theatre, at Hollingsworth Gallery.
Astronaut Suni Williams Enthralls 1,000 Flagler Students in a Ham Radio Chat From ISS
Suni Williams, one of the most decorated American astronauts, was 210 miles above Florida as she fielded some 20 questions for 10 minutes from students before a packed audience of 1,000 at Indian Trails Middle School today, in a thrilling, old-fashioned hook up made possible by the Flagler Palm Coast Amateur Radio Club.
Unemployment Drops Sharply in Flagler, to 11.3%, as State and U.S. Trends Also Improve
Flagler County’s unemployment rate in September dropped sharply to 11.3 percent, from a revised 12 percent in August, as improving economies statewide and in the country continue to to trickle down. Flagler’s 11.3 percent rate is the lowest in four years: it was last at 11.3 in November 2008.
In a Far More Challenging Year, Feed Flagler Struggles to Meet Needs and Expectations
Despite much lower monetary and food donations than last year, Feed Flagler intends to serve nearly 4,000 free meals and distribute more than 500 boxes of free food at 12 locations across the county, as needs have intensified. The organization is still accepting donations.
Taking on Challenges and Skeptics, Palm Coast Arts Foundation Plants Grand Design
The Palm Coast Arts Foundation, lease finally in hand, plans to raise up to $7 million and build an events venue in Town Center, the first phase of a much bigger plan that would culminate in a $30 million, 2,300-seat performing arts center. It faces a tide of difficulties in a fractured arts community.
An 88-Year-Old Woman Is Killed in Floral Ct. Blaze, 1st Palm Coast Fire Death in 5 Years
Edith Moss, 88, was killed from smoke inhalation. Her husband Nathaniel is in critical condition following a midnight fire in the couple’s garage, where much of the damage was contained.
K-8 System, Choice, Rezoning: Flagler School District Bracing for Reforms Affecting All
Major changes are coming to Flagler County schools: Rezoning, reforming and rethinking the district’s physical and intellectual boundaries. By the time it’s done—or at least implemented—students, teachers and parents will have all felt the ground beneath their feet move a little, and in some cases a lot.
Awarding Just $20,000 in Arts Grants Again, Palm Coast Agrees to Rethink Its Stinginess
Palm Coast is willing to subsidize its money-losing tennis center to the tune of $240,000 in the last two years, but is awarding just $20,000 to support just nine arts and culture organizations. Some council members (calling the small amount “a joke”) want to change that.
Don’t Expect Much Change in Stand Your Ground Law as Scott Panel Completes Work
A group tasked by Gov. Rick Scott with reviewing the state’s “stand your ground” self defense law appears unlikely to recommend any major revamping of the statute, although it will make suggestions for additional study by lawmakers.
Incoming House Speaker Will Weatherford Wants 401(k) Plans to Replace State Pensions
Calling the current pension system “old and archaic,” incoming House Speaker Will Weatherford said Tuesday he wants to revamp the state retirement program for new employees and make it more like the private sector.
Man Punches 12-Year-Old Son in R Section, Knife-Wielding Man Chases Grandson in P’s
Scott Cadek of Richland Lane in palm Coast is accused of punching a 12-year-old boy during an argument, while John Stacy chased after grandson Thomas Bernardini with a 16-inch curved and serrated blade down Plainview Drive in Palm Coast. Both men were jailed.
David Ferguson, a Conservative Business Consultant, is Appointed to Palm Coast Council
David Ferguson, a 60-year-old business consultant, will fill out the two years remaining in Frank Meeker’s term, ensuring that the panel will remain an all-male fraternity until at least 2014, when the seat is one of two up for election. That of Bill Lewis, also an appointee, is the other.
Flagler Settles on a Design Firm In First Major Step Toward County Jail’s Expansion
The leading contender to design the project is Tallahassee-based Clemons, Rutherford & Associates, or CRA Architects, a small firm of 23 staffers (including eight architects) that’s designed 23 jails in the last 10 years, at least in parts.
Not Dead, Not Dying, and Still Shopping, But Humbled By Cancer’s Side-Effects
Almost two months into her cancer treatment, Jo Ann Nahirny–who faces surgery Tuesday–surveys the long list of side-effects, good and bad, that she’s endured, from crushing bills to the moving affection of students and friends, and am ever- loyal husband.
Rivets on Ice: “Titanic,” The Musical, Sinks And Rises at the Flagler Auditorium Tuesday
Winner of five Tony Awards, “Titanic,” the musical–one of the most expensive Broadway productions ever–brings its sets and stories for a one-night engagement at the Flagler Auditorium Tuesday evening.
Amendment Shock: A More Tolerant Nation Is By-Passing Smug, Regressive Florida
Many of Tuesday’s 176 popular referendum that passed speak of a more tolerant, more freedom-loving nation. Except in Florida, where the Legislature’s 11 proposals put the state at odds with national trenbds–and the Florida Legislature at odds with the people it claims to represent.
Criticism Mounts as Florida’s Voting Process Shames and Embarrasses Again
Most of the state experienced problem-free voting. But in Miami-Dade County, many voters remained in line long after the race was called, with some voters reportedly waiting for more than six hours to cast a ballot on Election Day. The delay was despite the fact that half the state’s voters had already voted before Tuesday.
Global Warming and Hurricane Sandy’s Wake-Up Call
The frightening consequences of climate disruption that scientists have warned us about for decades are already here. Sandy is only the latest and most devastating incident in a pattern of extreme weather that’s become impossible to ignore, argues the Sierra Club’s Michael Brune.
How Companies Mine Your Facebook Profile, Tweets and Posts, and Sell Your Habits
Some companies record — and then resell — your screen names, web site addresses, interests, hometown and professional history, and how many friends or followers you have, according to a report released this week. Some companies also collect and analyze information about users’ “tweets, posts, comments, likes, shares, and recommendations.”
Florida Elections Roundup: Celebrations and Surprises for Democrats, Glumness for GOP
Florida Democrats hadn’t celebrated much since, well, President Obama won the state in 2008. But that changed Tuesday. Obama carried Florida again on the way to a second term in the White House, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson easily won re-election, and Democratic candidates picked up legislative and congressional seats.
Almost a Quarter Century of Saturdays With the Artist at Flagler County Art League
The 24th Saturday Afternoon With the Artist is actually an evening show now, opening Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. at the Flagler County Art League’s gallery at City Market Place, with 94 new works by local artists.
At Hollingsworth Gallery:
Richard Schreiner, Artist of the Year
Richard Schreiner, the Louis CK of painting, influenced many artists in Palm Coast through Hollingsworth gallery, where he worked until his death in July. Naming him the 2012 Artist iof the Year was an easy choice for the Gargiulo Art Foundation. A new exhibit, “Richard and Friends,” celebrates his work and those he influenced, at Hollingsworth through November.