The Flagler County Commission voted 3-1 to approve a $20,000 settlement with former human resources manager Samantha Whitfield, who alleged wrongful termination after she reported a colleague’s misconduct. County officials labeled the lawsuit frivolous and bogus. The insurer negotiated the settlement strictly as a cost-saving business decision but Commissioner Andy Dance opposed the payout and is looking for a policy controlling the handling of future employment lawsuits.
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Vetoes Are Next as Lawmakers Shift from $114.5 Billion Budget to Special Session on Eliminating Property Taxes
The Florida Legislature approved a $114.5 billion state budget only to immediately face a special session to debate Gov. Ron DeSantis’s controversial homestead property tax exemption proposal. He’s expected to use his veto power as leverage.
Letter from the Magic Mountain
We formed an unlikely bond over a shared disdain for local political spectacles and a mutual passion for books no one reads anymore, Thomas Mann’s Magic Mountain especially. And now an illness from the underworld is doing its ravages.
Property Values Fall For 1st Time In 14 Years in Palm Coast and Flagler, Excluding New Construction, Posing Tax Dilemma
Average taxable property values in Flagler County fell in 2026 for the first time in fourteen years outside of new construction. The drop signals a cooling housing market and directly impacts local government budgets. Local governments would now have to raise tax rates marginally to maintain current revenue levels. New construction remains a lifeline that prevents severe budget shortfalls and keeps total county tax collections stable overall.
Flagler Beach Commissioner Cunningham Tells Colleague To Mind His Own Business After 4-1 Majority Backs City Manager
The Flagler Beach City Commission emphatically rejected a proposal by Commissioner John Cunningham to end the automatic annual contract renewal for City Manager Dale Martin and reaffirmed the board’s confidence in the manager. Tensions surfaced later when Commissioner Scott Spradley suggested Cunningham meet directly with Martin to resolve their differences. Cunningham flatly dismissed the recommendation and told Spradley to mind his own business, signaling that Cunningham may not be understanding the scope and responsibilities of the job.
In Flagler Beach, a Bogus Petition Calling for Accountability Echoes ‘Isolated’ Cabal Against City Manager Dale Martin
Flagler Beach City Commissioner John Cunningham is pushing for the suspension of City Manager Dale Martin’s automatic contract renewal, citing an alleged lack of confidence in Martin. But the claim is undocumented. A recent online petition demanding Martin’s removal appears entirely fabricated by a fictitious user, and has drawn just 39 invisible signatures. Most commissioners dismiss the petition and continue to support Martin against what has amounted to an isolated but continuing cabal.
Chick-fil-A, Ellianos, Now Taco Bell: Palm Coast Appears to Have a Fast-Food Solo Fetish on Its Hands
A 28-year-old man was jailed this morning on a $5,000 bond following his arrest for public indecent exposure at the door of the Taco Bell on State Road 100 in Palm Coast after a witness spotted him in a recognizably solo act just past midnight. The incident marks the third public masturbation or exposure arrest in Palm Coast in less than a month.
DeSantis Plan to Eliminate Homesteaded Property Tax Would Hit Public Safety, Schools, Health and Local Governance
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday announced his plan for a homestead property tax exemption that could crimp local governments’ ability to fund schools, health care, and public safety. Simultaneously, he called for lawmakers to return to Tallahassee and address his plan in a three-day special session starting Monday.
‘I Lied Under Oath to Protect Government Secrets’: The Thin Line Between Mental Illness And Criminal Prosecution
Appearing before Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols Tuesday, David J. Pettit of Bunnell wanted to withdraw the plea that sent him to prison for three years, claiming he was incompetent when he pleaded–that he was lying to protect NSA secrets about telepathic communications. The judge denied the motion. The case illustrates the little extent to which mental illness gets in the way of criminal prosecutions no matter how absurdly an individual behaves, no matter how outlandishly he speaks, no matter how paranoid and violent his past behavior.
Two Hospitalized Following Violent Road Rage Argument and Shooting at Palm Coast McDonald’s Drive-Thru
A road rage dispute originating on Belle Terre Parkway escalated into a shooting late Tuesday night at a Palm Coast McDonald’s drive-thru. Three individuals exited their vehicles during a secondary argument as a 50-year-old man shot a 61-year-old multiple times with a small-caliber weapon. Flagler County Sheriff’s detectives impounded two vehicles to gather evidence. The investigation remains active without immediate arrests.
Missing Documents and Unsigned Grievances Prompt Flagler Beach to Seek Dismissal of Whistleblower Lawsuit
Flagler Beach filed a motion to dismiss a whistleblower lawsuit by former Facilities Director Bryan Moisao. The city defines his claims as routine personnel friction rather than protected disclosures. Procedural errors plague the complaint as Moisao failed to attach required documents or sign the allegations. The complaint echoes grievances made by a current and former commissioner against the city manager.
U.S. Supreme Court Blocks Florida Attorney General Uthmeier from Suing Over Undocumented Truck Driver
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s attempt to sue California and Washington for licensing an undocumented truck driver accused of killing three Floridians in a traffic accident. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, nominated by George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, respectively, dissented, arguing the court should reconsider its longstanding reluctance to hear disputes between states.
Last in Teacher Pay, Florida Continues to Dismantle Public Education, Alienate Teachers and Fund Scandal-Ridden Vouchers
Florida ranks last nationwide in teacher pay, forcing educators to take multiple jobs or leave the state entirely. Instead of addressing the crisis, lawmakers suppress public unions, enforces restrictive curriculum laws, and redirects vital taxpayer funds to unaccountable private voucher programs. Systematic political attacks are damaging classroom morale, lowering local school enrollment, and threatening the survival of the public education system. That, of course, is the end game.
Flagler Cares Achieves National COA Accreditation With Flawless Ratings Across All Areas
Flagler Cares achieved national accreditation through COA Accreditation after a nine-month evaluation process. The human services nonprofit received zero negative findings and earned top marks across all evaluated programs. This prestigious validation enhances the agency’s standing among grant funders in a competitive environment and coincides with the organization celebrating 10 years of serving individuals throughout Flagler and 25 in Volusia county.
Two Years in Prison for Woman, 31, Who Molested 12-Year-Old Stepsister with Vibrator
Kateland Gent, the 31-year-old woman arrested last June for molesting her stepsister when she was around 12, was sentenced this morning to two years in prison followed by 10 years on sex-offender probation and a lifetime designation as a sex offender. She had initially faced a charge that could have sent her to prison for life.
Flagler County Unemployment Rate Climbs to 5.5% As Florida’s Exceeds Nation’s for First Time Since 2020
Flagler County unemployment rose to 5.5 percent in April, matching a statewide upward trend as Florida’s unemployment rate hit 4.8 percent, surpassing the national average for the first time since 2020. Rising inflation, high interest rates, and the Iran war appears to have ended an era of historic low unemployment. Florida consumer confidence fell for a second consecutive month.
Florida Legislative Leaders Strike Final Deal On $115 Billion State Budget, Ignoring Mismanagement of School Vouchers
House and Senate leaders reached a final deal on the state budget late Sunday night, the last step in an extended process that required a special session to complete for the second year in a row. The spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1 will be nearly $115 billion, less than the Senate’s preferred budget but not the $113.6 billion plan preferred by the House.
How Botched FHP Investigation Led To False Arrest In Deadly I-4 Crash Before State Attorney Stopped Miscarriage of Justice
Court and investigative documents show that the Florida Highway Patrol wrongly arrested 23-year-old Lindsey Brooke Isaacs for the triple-fatality crash on I-4 that claimed the life of former Deputy County Administrator Jorge Salinas based on a deeply flawed and sloppy investigation. Investigators ignored a vital 911 call describing a maroon Durango with matching plate numbers belonging to Alisa Lee Montalvo. The State Attorney’s Office discovered the discrepancies, prompting a specialized reconstruction team to clear Isaacs and charge Montalvo with the fatal hit-and-run.
At New Station 26 in Seminole Woods, an Emotional Grand Opening of Palm Coast’s First New ‘Firehouse‘ in 20 Years
Palm Coast celebrated the grand opening of the $12 million Fire Station 26 in Seminole Woods, marking the city’s first new firehouse in 20 years. The facility features advanced design elements to support firefighter well-being and faster response times. The ceremony was unwittingly themed around the meaning of family and hearth in firehouses. Flagler County cannot currently spare an ambulance for the station. Palm Coast crews will provide advanced life support until county transport units arrive.
Deltona Woman Arrested for Triple-Fatality Crash Within Hours of Cleared Charges Against Palm Coast Resident
Authorities arrested Alisa Lee Montalvo of Deltona for a triple-fatality crash on I-4 within hours of the dismissal of nearly identical charges against Lindsey Brooke Isaacs of Palm Coast. Isaacs spent months maintaining her innocence while her vehicle remained impounded. Montalvo faces nine counts including three counts of vehicular homicide. The crash took the lives of former Flagler County Deputy Administrator Jorge Salinas and his wife, Nancy Salinas, and Joaquin Deno of Deltona last October.
Charges Dropped in Crash that Claimed Lives of Jorge and Nancy Salinas; Attorney Says Defendant Was Not Involved
The State Attorney’s Office today filed notice that it would not file charges against Lindsey Brooke Isaacs, the 23-year-old Palm Coast resident arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol and charged with eight felony counts, including three counts of vehicular homicide in connection with the hit-and-run crash on I-4 last October that killed Deputy Flagler County Administrator Jorge Salinas, 59, his wife Nancy, 60, and Joaquin Deno, 54. Isaacs’s attorney, Marc Dwyer, said she was not involved.
Proposed Bulow Creek Park Transformation Estimated to Cost Flagler County Up to $40 Million
Flagler County commissioners reviewed plans to transform 1,160 acres around Bulow Creek into a regional park and learned that it could cost between $28 million and $40 million. The project features a 2.6-mile paved trail connecting to State Road 100 alongside unpaved paths, picnic areas, and kayak launches. Design costs were covered by the state. Funding for the actual park construction remains completely unsecured at this stage.
Palm Coast Woman Arrested Following Dumping and Rescue of 71 Dogs From R-Section Hoarding Conditions
Carolyn Moore Loveman, a 48-year-old resident of Rymshaw Drive in Palm Coast, was arrested Thursday on 34 misdemeanor counts and one felony count of animal cruelty, capping a two-and-a-half-week scramble by rescuers to recover 71 dogs that had previously been in Loveman’s care. Three dogs died. SMART’s Caroline Johnson led the rescue of care efforts for the dogs, which continues at heavy cost.
Gas Station and Convenience Store Will Replace Iconic But Long Closed White Eagle Lounge on U.S. 1
Closed for many years, the White Eagle Lounge on U.S. 1, which had a storied history as one of Flagler County’s oldest bars and was a biker favorite, will soon give way to gas station and convenience store. The county’s Planning Board recommended the required land use changes last week and the County Commission approved the elimination of a nearly century-old plat. The deteriorated White Eagle building itself will be demolished.
Marineland’s Last Remaining Taxpayer Readies to Sell Land Holdings, Putting Town’s Future in Doubt
Jim Jacoby, the only private land-holder paying property taxes in Marineland, has reached a tentative agreement to sell all but one of his parcels to Flagler County, the University of Florida and the Department of Environmental Protection. The parties have been working on a deal since mid-2025. If and when the land acquisitions go through, Marineland would lose all property tax revenue and may no longer function as a town. It may have to be absorbed under the county’s governance.
Defense Attorney Scott DuPont at Pre-Trial Asks Judge Nichols: ‘Would You Like To Have a Nap?’
Former judge Scott DuPont, now a private defense attorney, openly and twice suggested that Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols needed a nap during pre-trial proceedings this afternoon at the county courthouse in Bunnell. Nichols deflected the comment with professional agility.
Palm Coast Council Counters Fears Over Town Center Data Center: It Is Not a Water and Power-Guzzling AI Facility
Palm Coast council members are reassuring residents that the 35,000-square-foot DC Blox data center in Town Center is an internet cable landing station rather than a resource-heavy artificial intelligence center. The project advanced through administrative approvals without public oversight. It will nevertheless become the city’s largest electricity consumer.
3-2 Council Vote Falls Short of Adding Affordable Housing Component to Sawmill Branch’s Newest 244 Houses
The Palm Coast City Council finalized a 3-2 approval shifting the Sawmill Branch development from townhouses to 244 small single-family homes. Vice Mayor Theresa Pontieri failed to secure a workforce housing set-asides as a council majority argued the smaller lots offer flexible, market-rate options for buyers. Damage to the historic Hewitt Sawmill site also drew additional discussion.
Art Dycke, Co-Author of Palm Coast Charter and Dedicated City Historian, Dies at 92
Palm Coast is mourning the death of Arthur E. Dycke, a foundational figure who died Monday at age 92. Dycke co-authored the city’s original charter, co-founded the Palm Coast Historical Society, and served as an official city historian. His extensive research, columns, and books preserved the legacy of early residents. Local leaders praised his profound contributions to safeguarding the community’s heritage.
Strict No Development Policy Continues For Flagler Estates As County Rejects Special Taxing District
The Flagler County Commission unanimously rejected proposals to permit development, fund infrastructure improvements or establish a special taxing district in Flagler Estates, the inaccessible subdivision platted on sheer speculation decades ago in the northwest part of the county. Officials denied a private funding offer for basic road maintenance and ordered劇stricter law enforcement to curb rampant trespassing, weekend partying and ATV mudding.
John Cunningham Wants Flagler Beach City Manager Dale Martin on Probation Until Next Evaluation
Flagler Beach City Commissioner John Cunningham attempted to block the automatic contract renewal of City Manager Dale Martin and place him on probation pending his next evaluation in August. The motion died for lack of a second, but Cunningham plans to file an agenda item to discuss the contract terms at the next commission meeting on May 28, opening a point of vulnerability for Martin despite solid performance evaluations.
GOP Gerrymandering Is Burying the South’s Black Voters
Republican state legislatures across the South, Florida included, are passing new congressional redistricting maps that systematically divide concentrated Black populations into multiple white-majority districts to neutralize minority voting power and limits political representation. It is a regression to Jim Crow-era electoral suppression.
Saturday in Byblos:
Maupassant’s Colonial Delusion
Guy de Maupassant’s 1884 short story “Châli” explores, against Maupassant’s intentions, the deep moral rot of European colonialism through a French admiral’s disturbing exploitation of a young Indian slave as the narrative highlights how imperial powers disguised systemic violence as benevolent paternalism. The literary self-deception directly mirrors the historical degradation of colonialism defined by Aimé Césaire.
Ingoglia Blusters Against ‘Wasteful’ Local Spending But Parses Taxpayer Giveaway for Rays Stadium
Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia’s aggressive targeting of alleged local government waste contrasts with his approval of unappraised state land transfers for a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium. Video evidence contradicts his claims of voting against a controversial Destin property acquisition, showing he ultimately acceded to a package vote approved by Governor Ron DeSantis.
Flagler Beach Will Seek Bids for Paid Parking System as It Parallels Past Decades of Idle Talk
After talking about it for three decades, and 11 years after a committee that had met for two years had recommended it, Flagler Beach is about to issue a request for qualified companies to propose a paid parking system for the city. The request will be issued on June 1. Flagler Beach residents would be exempt. Palm Coast residents, who account for the majority of visitors to the island, would not be. City Commissioners stress that this is still the investigative phase and that there are no done deals.
Advocates of Huge Taxpayer Subsidies for Private Education Call Voucher Lawsuit ‘Frivolous’
The state education commissioner and “school choice” advocates have clapped back at the Florida Education Association’s lawsuit alleging the state’s school voucher program is unconstitutional. Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas during a Florida Board of Education meeting in Miami Thursday said the union “continues to waste members’ dues and taxpayer dollars on litigation that does nothing to advance student achievement or strengthen our schools.”
Judge Deals All But Fatal Blow to Chelsea Herbert Suit Challenging Bunnell’s 1,259-Acre Industrial Rezoning
Circuit Judge Sandra Upchurch today denied a motion for an extension to amend a petition filed by Bunnell resident Chelsea Herbert seeking to quash the industrial rezoning of 1,259 acres in Bunnell. The judge ruled the initial filing was a bare-bones document intended to circumvent 30-day jurisdictional deadlines. The decision complicates the legal challenge as settlement negotiations continue.
Sheriff Staly Leads Memorial Ceremony to Fallen Officers in Service and Shadow of Thin Blue Line
Numerous Flagler County officials and members of the public gathered Thursday evening for the annual law enforcement memorial honoring fallen deputies and K-9 Kyro at the Sheriff’s Operations Center in Bunnell, where Sheriff Rick Staly spoke of the heavy burden carried by families of the deceased. A thin blue line flag donated by Bunnell City Commissioner John Rogers flew over the ceremony.
Pontieri: Unleashing the Private Sector Is the Conservative Solution to the Palm Coast Housing Squeeze
Flagler County and Palm Coast face a housing squeeze making it difficult for lower-income, elderly and other groups to overcome rental or mortgage burdens. But government interventions are not the way, argues Palm Coast City Council member Theresa Pontieri, as they distort market incentives and unfairly shift infrastructure costs onto existing taxpayers. True affordability requires cutting regulatory red tape and fostering economic growth to raise local wages.
Palm Coast Mayor Norris Turns Loop Road Groundbreaking Into Lashing of Western Expansion and Developer
Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris surprised attendees at a groundbreaking ceremony this morning by lashing into the $125 million loop road project connecting Matanzas Woods Parkway with Palm Coast Parkway, and into Raydient, the developer, attacking it for not shouldering its share of infrastructure funding. Norris discarded his prepared remarks to criticize the environmental impact on wetlands and the financial burden on local taxpayers. Council members Charles Gambaro and Ty Miller rebuked the mayor for his timing.
Diagnosing Alarming Deficit in Road Repair Bill, City Director Tells Palm Coast Council: You Did This
In a remarkably gutsy moment at the end of his presentation on the city’s deteriorating road system, Carl Cote, the city’s director of stormwater and engineering, reminded the council of how it has been reducing the tax rate for successive years since 2021. “In lieu of the rollbacks that council had done since then, if that was dedicated to resurfacing, that would be an additional $8.5 million we’d have in that program today,” Cote said. The program, in other words, would have been fully funded instead of facing a gaping deficit.
Council Rejects Affordable Housing Recommendations, Saying It Doesn’t Want to Alter Palm Coast’s ‘Character’
The Palm Coast City Council reviewed a sobering housing assessment identifying significant affordability gaps for working residents but rejected several strategies and narrowed the focus toward senior housing, exposing a deep divide between itself and its Affordable Housing Committee, if not its own administration. Advocates criticized the limited approach for ignoring the needs of teachers and first responders. Future expansion plans suggest a continued reliance on single-family homes, deepening a lack of diversity.
Palm Coast Council Will Join State Program Focused on Protecting Historical and Cultural Assets Citywide
Palm Coast City Council members agreed to draft an ordinance seeking inclusion in Florida’s Certified Local Government Program, which creates a partnership between federal, state, and local governments to evaluate and protect historic properties. The designation allows the city to access grant funding for preservation efforts citywide. Though 88 Florida cities and counties are part of the program, not a single Flagler County entity is. The efoort was spurred by concerns over Palm Coast’s westward expansion.
Palm Coast Council Almost Finalizes Three Charter Amendments for November Ballot
The Palm Coast City Council today all but finalized language for three charter amendments that would appear on the November ballot. One proposal clarifies procedures for removing council members, another establishes an 18-month rule for holding special elections to fill vacancies, and a third increases the city debt limit to $30 million without requiring a referendum. The changes aim to resolve previous appointment controversies and modernize municipal financial governance.
Flagler Beach City Manager Says Firing of Fire Chief Was Not Disciplinary Or Result of Any Violations
Former Flagler Beach Fire Chief Stephen Cox did not break any laws, did not violate any city or Fire Department policies, and in City Manager Dale Martin’s evaluation was found to exceed expectations in a September evaluation. But a “loss in confidence” among staff led to his firing, Martin said in a press conference from the main hangar of the Fire Department this afternoon. Jennifer Fiveash and Morgan Rainey have returned in interim leadership positions, but appear uninterested in staying for the long term.
Jury Finds Gary Durso Not Guilty as Defense Attorney James Smith Dismantles Case Over a Single CSAM Image
A Flagler County jury acquitted 63-year-old Gary Durso of Palm Coast’s E Section of possessing a single image of child sexual abuse material after 45 minutes of deliberation. Defense attorney James Smith successfully argued that the prosecution failed to prove Durso knew the subject of a 2016 photograph he’d kept for nine years and disseminated on Flickr was a minor. The jury, unaware of Durso’s status as a sex offender who’d previously solicited a minor, found reasonable doubt regarding his intent and knowledge of image.
Florida Immigration Enforcement Costs Shifted from Storm Fund Climb to $460 Million For the Year
The fund was created in 2022 to handle hurricane preparation and response and other natural disasters, allowing Gov. Ron DeSantis to quickly dispense money during states of emergency. Since 2022, the lawmakers have deposited $4.77 billion into the fund. As of a few weeks ago, the fund balance was $199 million.
Flagler Beach Fire Chief Stephen Cox Fired Following Staff Resignations and No-Confidence Letter
Flagler Beach City Manager Dale Martin fired Fire Chief Stephen Cox this morning following the resignation of five firefighters and a no-confidence letter signed by seven staff members, including two who’d resigned. The document cited a hostile work environment and a lack of transparent communication. Martin concluded Cox could no longer lead effectively.
DUI Probationer Sent Back to Jail for Refusing to Profess Faith in God in Christian Treatment Program
A Flagler County judge returned 29-year-old Joshua King to jail for a probation violation after the 29-year-old Wiccan refused to profess Christian faith in God at Faith Farm Ministries as part of his court-ordered rehab therapy. He claimed the facility mandated religious conversion for program completion. The judge ruled that King failed to comply with the terms of the specific program he himself selected. He is to be resasigned to a different facility not of his choice.
Florida Democrats Are Getting Giddy. They Should Beware.
Florida Democrats are experiencing rare optimism following competitive polling and recent special election victories as Republican incumbents Byron Donalds and James Uthmeier face scrutiny over controversial statements and legal issues. But the GOP maintains a supermajority and control over the judiciary, and Democrats have a history of failing in critical statewide elections.