The Palm Coast City Council is poised to approve a $280 million bond issuance and $45 million refinancing to fund a $599 million utility capital improvement plan. The resulting $582 million debt, to be repaid over 30 years, is already integrated into recent rate increases. While the investment aims to modernize aging infrastructure and satisfy state orders, officials face criticism regarding the city’s failure to secure grants, leaving residents to bear the primary financial burden.
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‘Dredging Up Some of His Greatest Hits,’ DeSantis Delivers Final State-of-State Address
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spent most of his 30-minute final “State of the State” address to the Florida Legislature looking back on his seven years in office, giving minimal attention to the agenda he’s focused on during his last year in office.
Flagler County Threatens Lawsuit Against Flagler Beach Over Annexations of Summertown and Veranda Bay Developments
Flagler County is preparing for potential litigation against the City of Flagler Beach regarding the annexation of the Summertown and Veranda Bay developments. While the county does not oppose the Summertown annexation itself, it challenges the land-use designation as incompatible with the city’s comprehensive plan. For Veranda Bay, the county questions whether all property owners signed the required petitions required for voluntary annexation. Both parties may enter a state-mandated conflict resolution process to avoid protracted administrative hearings.
‘That Pains Me’: Flagler Commission Will End $359,000 Senior Daycare Program Amid Tax Revenue Concerns
In a major retreat from safety-net responsibilities, the Flagler County Commission is shutting down the $359,000 adult day care program it’s managed for two decades. Commissioners agreed at a workshop on Monday to close the program by the end of the fiscal year in September. Commissioners cited unsustainable subsidies helping too few clients. Some 25 to 50 clients who may have no alternative will be affected. Fearing future property tax revenue cuts from state legislation, the county will now develop an exit plan for the program’s remaining vulnerable clients.
County Administrator Heidi Petito Survives Firing Attempt by Kim Carney, But Her Days Are Numbered
County Administrator Heidi Petito barely survived a motion by Commissioner Kim Carney to fire her Monday night before an empty chamber, at the very end of a meeting that had stretched past the three-hour mark, and in an off-agenda maneuver fellow-Commissioner Andy Dance said was improper.
Flagler County’s New Nexus Center Aims to Compete with Palm Coast and Hilton in Local Event Market
Flagler County is positioning its new Nexus Center–the South Side library–as an event venue to compete with local community centers and hotels. Library Director Holly Albanese presented a fee schedule featuring a $200 hourly rate for the 2,500-square-foot community room, alongside options for gallery and portico rentals.
Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins is 4th Republican Running for Governor as DeSantis Hangs Fire on Endorsement
Florida Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins officially entered the 2026 gubernatorial race on Monday, emphasizing his alignment with the “America First” agenda and President Donald Trump. His announcement follows a notable cooling in relations with Governor Ron DeSantis, who recently declined to offer an explicit endorsement. Collins joins a crowded Republican primary field that includes Congressman Byron Donalds and Palm Coast’s Paul Renner. Despite the perceived friction, Collins continues to publicly support the Governor’s current policy platform.
6 Years in Prison for Woman, 27, Who Molested Relative, 13; Man Arrested Flashing Girl, 14, for ‘Extra Scenery’
Palm Coast resident Angel Marie Sexton has pleaded guilty to molesting a 13-year-old boy during a 2024 holiday visit. She is to be sentenced to six years in prison and nine years of sex-offender probation. In a separate R-Section incident, 22-year-old Stephen Nicholas Caputo was arrested for exposing himself to a 14-year-old girl while pleasuring himself before getting home.
The Sunshine State’s 2026 Forecast: Guns, Grifters, and the End of the Woke University
As 2026 begins, Florida’s landscape is defined by aggressive conservatism and cultural upheaval, from DeSantis’s rumored charm school preparations for 2028 to legislative efforts to protect Confederate monuments and expand book bans. Development, football, and ideology collide in the Free State.
Oath Keepers Redux: From Prison Back to Power
Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, whose sentence was commuted by President Trump in 2025, announced the far-right militia’s relaunch. Leveraging a “sacred” pledge to the Constitution to recruit veterans, Rhodes plans a decentralized, “cancel-proof” structure with resilient IT. Experts warn that the lack of consequences for Jan. 6 crimes is emboldening the group’s return to prominence.
Saturday in Byblos:
Henry James’s ‘Special Type’ and the Ethics of Exploitation
Henry James’s 1900 story “The Special Type” is basically Dear Abby for its time, highlighting class-rancid exploitation through the kind of modern elitism anyone would recognize today: Commodifying human beings is not a corporate invention.
DeSantis Signs First 2026 Death Warrant Following Record-Breaking Year of Executions
Following a record-breaking nineteen executions in 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a death warrant for Ronald Heath, scheduled for February 10. Heath was convicted for the 1989 robbery and murder of Michael Sheridan in Alachua County. Heath’s younger brother is serving a life sentence for his involvement.
More Than Half the New Articles on the Web Are Written by AI
In what may seem like a tipping point, the digital marketing firm Graphite recently published a study showing that more than 50% of articles on the web are being generated by artificial intelligence. If you’re more likely to read something written by AI than by a human on the internet, is it only a matter of time before human writing becomes obsolete? Or is this simply another technological development that humans will adapt to?
FDLE Investigating After Former Daycare Owner Dies at Flagler County Jail of Apparent Alcohol Poisoning
Vadim Valenteychik, 54, died of alcohol poisoning at the Flagler County jail on Friday morning following a DUI arrest. Despite recording a blood-alcohol level over four times the legal limit, he was medically cleared by a local hospital before being booked. Deputies found him unresponsive in a monitored cell several hours later. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident.
Incumbents John Rogers and Pete Young Re-elected Unopposed in Bunnell Despite Growth Controversies
Bunnell City Commissioners John Rogers and Pete Young were automatically re-elected today after no challengers qualified to run against them, leading to the cancellation of the March 3 election. Despite a year marked by heated debates over massive residential developments and industrial rezoning, the incumbents retained their seats without opposition. While Rogers opposed the major growth initiatives and Young supported them, voters expressed apparent satisfaction or indifference toward the current commission’s direction.
Flagler Beach Approves Historic 545-Acre Summertown Annexation in 4-1 Vote But Numerous Concerns Persist
The Flagler Beach City Commission approved the 545-acre Summertown annexation, increasing the city’s land mass by 20 percent. Despite a 4-1 vote, the project remains controversial due to its reliance on a fiscal study the city did not produce and unresolved plans for preserving 153 acres of floodplain around the headwaters of Bulow Creek. While supporters tout economic growth and local control, critics warn of rising utility costs, increased traffic, and potential tax shifts that could burden existing residents.
JD Vance Blames Victim in ICE Shooting and Asks for Prayers for Her Killer
“I would appreciate everybody saying a prayer for that agent,” J.D. Vance said, defending the agent’s actions and attacking media over the reporting of the agent’s killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, whom he blamed for her death: “I’m not happy that this woman was there at a protest violating the law by interfering with the law enforcement action,” he said.
Flagler County’s Jobless Rate Spikes to 6.1 Percent, Highest Since October 2020, and Labor Force Stalls
Flagler County’s unemployment rate surged to 6.1 percent in November, marking a five-year high as the local labor force remains stagnant. While tourism revenue shows modest growth driven by luxury vacation rentals, the housing market is signaling a significant slowdown, with the time to secure a contract reaching levels not seen since the 2012 housing recovery. Despite a slight year-end uptick in consumer sentiment, overall economic confidence across Florida declined throughout 2025.
10 Years Prison, 20 Years Probation for 70-Year-Old in Plea to Lesser Charge of Abusing Neighbor Girl for Years
Kermit Carl Booth, a 70-year-old former Volusia County school employee, pleaded guilty to attempted sexual battery of a child under 12. He received a 10-year prison sentence followed by 20 years of strict sex-offender probation. Booth was caught after the victim’s boyfriend, posing as the victim in text messages, extracted incriminating confessions. Upon release, Booth will be designated a sexual predator, wear a GPS monitor, and must reimburse the county for his extradition costs.
A Motorcyclist Is Killed, Another in Critical Condition After They’re Rear-Ended on A1A in Flagler Beach
A fatal chain-reaction collision on State Road A1A in Flagler Beach left one motorcyclist dead and another critically injured Wednesday afternoon. After a Chevrolet rear-ended two motorcycles into a propane truck, traffic diversions led to two secondary incidents, including a semi-truck hitting a fire hydrant and a car striking a fire engine. Flagler Beach Fire Chief Stephen Cox reminded drivers to adhere to Florida’s Move Over law in emergency zones.
Capturing the Essence: Laniece Fagundes Returns as Billie Holiday at City Rep’s ‘Lady Day’
City Repertory Theatre in Palm Coast celebrates its 15th season by reviving “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill,” running January 9–18. Starring veteran performer Laniece Fagundes as Billie Holiday and Ben Beck as her pianist, the production explores the legendary singer’s final months in 1959. Rather than a simple imitation, Fagundes seeks to embody Holiday’s emotional essence, weaving her tragic personal history and “cursive” vocal style into a revelatory, semi-fictionalized musical performance.
DeSantis Calls Special Session for April to Redistrict in Hopes of Preserving GOP Majority in US House
Governor Ron DeSantis has officially called a special legislative session for April 2026 to redraw Florida’s congressional districts mid-decade. The move follows pressure from national GOP figures but faces internal resistance from House Speaker Danny Perez, who favors immediate action. DeSantis argues the state must wait for a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on racial gerrymandering. This disagreement highlights growing tension between the Governor and a Florida Legislature increasingly seeking independence from executive influence.
Bomb Squad Sweeps Student Car at Matanzas High as Palm Coast Explosives Investigation Leads to Campus
A suspicious explosives investigation led Flagler County sheriff’s deputies to a student’s car at Matanzas High School today, prompting a partial campus “hold” and the arrival of a bomb squad. While an explosives-detection dog alerted to the vehicle, Sheriff Rick Staly emphasized there was no direct threat to the school or students. The investigation stems from two prior incidents in Palm Coast that are still under investigation. No arrests were made, and school officials expect to resume normal operations tomorrow.
Parking Capacity Will Double at Indian Trails Sports Complex, But Council Also Wants More Fields Lit Up Soon
The Palm Coast City Council unanimously approved a $1.55 million project to add 136 parking spaces to the Indian Trails Sports Complex, nearly doubling its capacity. Utilizing city crews is expected to save $350,000. While the project addresses long-standing congestion affecting nearby schools and churches, council members are also pushing to accelerate a $1 million lighting expansion for additional fields to maximize tourism revenue and accommodate a growing schedule of year-round sports tournaments.
70-Year-Old Homeless Man Accused of Minor’s Rape in Tent Near Palm Harbor Circle K Will Serve 6 Years in Prison
Jose Valerio-Rodriguez, 70, was sentenced to six years in prison followed by nine years of probation after pleading no contest to sexually abusing a 16-year-old girl in his tent behind the Circle K on Palm Harbor Parkway. By accepting a plea deal, Valerio-Rodriguez avoided a potential life sentence and a trial scheduled for next week. Upon completing his five remaining years of incarceration, the undocumented migrant faces likely deportation. The prosecution’s case included recorded confessions and evidence of the defendant grooming the victim.
From Redistricting to Property Tax Elimination to School Voucher Failures: Lawmakers Convene for High-Stakes 2026 Session
Florida’s 2026 legislative session kicks off next week with lawmakers tackling a $117.36 billion budget, artificial intelligence regulations, and potential property tax cuts. Key debates include repealing gun purchase age limits, redrawing congressional districts for the 2026 elections, and addressing “growing pains” in school voucher programs. Additionally, Senate leaders are pushing a “rural renaissance” plan to revitalize the state’s agricultural heartlands.
Palm Coast Republican to Congressional Delegation: Do Your Job
Former Palm Coast City Council member and attorney Robert Cuff, a Republican most of his adult life, writes Rep. Randy Fine and Sens. Rick Scott and Ashley Moddy of his grave concern over President Trump’s unilateral military intervention in Venezuela, criticizing the lack of bipartisan Congressional notification and the dismissal of constitutional checks. Urging an end to legislative abdication, the letter demands that Congress reassert its authority over war and spending to restrain an increasingly unaccountable executive branch.
Web Surfing for Hookups with Sex Offenders While on Probation Sends Former Scientist George Proulx Back to Prison
Former Palm Coast resident George Proulx has been sentenced to an additional four years in prison following a violation of his sex offender probation. Released in 2024 after serving four years for abusing four adolescents, Proulx was caught accessing the internet and tracking female sex offenders. Despite a potential 45-year maximum sentence for the violation, a negotiated plea deal will see him released at age 76 with no further probation, provided he continues registering as an offender.
Judge Rules ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Immigration Detention Facility Is Exempt from Florida’s Prison Access Laws
A Leon County circuit judge has dismissed a lawsuit by five Democratic lawmakers seeking unannounced access to the state’s “Alligator Alcatraz” immigrant detention center. Judge Jonathan Sjostrom ruled that state laws granting legislators access to prisons and jails do not apply because the Everglades facility is not a correctional institution under the Department of Corrections. The ruling supports the DeSantis administration’s argument that individual lawmakers lack the oversight authority held by legislative committees.
Builders and Palm Coast Trade Legal Blows in Battle Over Impact Fees Ahead of February Court Hearings
The legal battle between the Flagler Home Builders Association and Palm Coast over impact fee hikes produced dueling motions before the holidays. The City moved to dismiss the case on Dec. 5. The Builders filed for summary judgment on Dec. 15, arguing the fees are unconstitutional and unjustified. A judge will hear arguments on the city’s motion on Feb. 2 and the homebuilders’ motions on Feb. 17.
As Data Centers Draw Opposition Across Florida, DeSantis and Environmentalists Forge an Unlikely Alliance
As AI data centers proliferate across Florida, communities are pushing back against their massive water and energy consumption. From Palm Beach County’s “Project Tango” to rural Osceola County, residents fear these facilities will drain aquifers and ruin neighborhoods. While Governor DeSantis has unexpectedly signaled support for local control over these centers, the state legislature’s deference to corporate secrecy remains a hurdle. A proposed solution involves requiring substantial bonds from developers to cover environmental damages.
Saturday in Byblos
Getting to Know Karl Ove Knausgaard
Karl Ove Knausgaard’s “My Struggle” is a polarizing masterpiece of autofiction, blending mundane details with profound existential dread. Despite his flat style and occasionally tedious philosophical tangents, Knausgaard’s uncompromising honesty regarding family, addiction, and self-loathing creates a bewitching, page-turning intimacy as he ennobles the ordinary. His place as a Scandinavian literary giant seems assured even as he tests the reader’s patience with his massive scale.
Maduro’s Kidnapping: What We Know So Far
The US campaign against Venezuela is the product of two distinct policy impulses within the Trump administration. The first is the long held desire of many Republican hawks, including the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, to force regime change in Caracas. The second impulse is more complex. Trump campaigned for election in 2024 on the idea that his administration would not become involved in foreign conflicts. But his administration claims that Venezuela’s government and military are involved in drug trafficking.
Convicted Sex Offender with Lurid Criminal Past Charged with Kidnapping and Beating 11-Year-Old Boy
Darnell Wayne Hairston, a 60-year-old convicted sex offender with a long history of violent crimes, was arrested in Flagler County following a New Year’s Eve traffic stop. After a violent struggle with deputies, authorities discovered an 11-year-old kidnapping victim in his truck. The child had been missing for three days and was allegedly tortured at a remote campsite. Hairston now faces several first-degree felonies, including kidnapping, aggravated child abuse, and battery by strangulation.
California Is Banning Masks for Federal Agents. Here’s Why It Could Lose in Court.
A series of immigration raids across California in 2025 had one thing in common: Most of the federal agents detaining people wore masks over their faces. This month, the state of California and its largest county will ban law enforcement officers from covering their faces, with a few exceptions, putting local and state police at odds with masked immigration agents.
Flagler Sheriff’s Detention Deputy’s Battery Charge Likely to Be Dropped as Alleged Victim Refuses to Pursue It
Following the New Year’s Night arrest of Flagler County Detention Deputy Sara Radford for misdemeanor domestic battery, the alleged victim, Jose Marine, has requested that the court dismiss the charge. Marine wrote a Volusia County Court judge that he does not recall the incident and that no physical harm occurred. Radford remains suspended without pay.
Reading Into Them: Flagler County Leaders’ Favorite Books of 2025
The third edition of FlaglerLive’s annual best reads project celebrates the personal joy of reading over academic or literary hierarchies. Featuring contributions from a local judge, attorneys, elected and other Flagler County leaders, the collection highlights diverse favorites ranging from Thomas Mann’s “Magic Mountain” and Erik Larson’s history to a legal decisions and self-actualization books. Here’s to venturing beyond comfort zones to discover transformative titles.
52 Bears Killed in State-Sanctioned Hunt, 120 Fewer Than Permitted
The bear population in Florida is estimated at around 4,050. The 2025 hunt was the first since in a decade. The state shut down the last hunt in 2015 at the end of its second day after nearly 300 bears had been killed. The 2025 rules gave hunters the green light to kill bears at game feeding stations, using food to bait the animals. The rules allow hunters to use dogs to assist them in the hunt beginning in 2027.
Flagler County Rededicates Wadsworth Skate Park After $240,000 Repairs; Long-Term Plans for Concrete ‘Bowl’ Remain
Flagler County officials gathered today to rededicate the Wadsworth Park skate park near Flagler Beach following a $240,000 renovation. The project replaced 60 percent of the aging steel ramps and repaired existing facilities. While local skaters and advocates like Jay Wolfington and Carla Cline continue to push for a $1.5 million concrete facility, officials opted for the current repairs using available capital savings. Commissioners say a permanent concrete bowl remains the county’s long-term goal for the site.
Supreme Court Rejects Attorney General’s Proposal to Let Some Lawyers Practice Without Bar Admission
The Florida Supreme Court on Monday unanimously rejected a proposal by Attorney General James Uthmeier that would have allowed certain state government lawyers to practice in Florida for up to three years without taking the Florida Bar exam.
From ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ to Book Bans: Florida’s 10 Biggest Looming Legal Issues of 2026
Florida enters 2026 facing high-stakes legal battles over “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center conditions, school book removals, and firearm age limits. Courts are also weighing the constitutionality of state-level immigration crimes, social media restrictions for minors, and bans on gender-affirming care. Additionally, the Florida Supreme Court is reviewing utility rate hikes and marijuana legalization efforts, while federal judges decide if the state overstepped its authority regarding wetlands permitting and platform censorship.
What have immigrants ever done for America?
Our fearless governor has vowed to rid us of annoying people with strange accents and peculiar habits, especially in Florida’s institutions of higher education. Ron DeSantis demands the state Board of Governors “pull the plug” on those H-1B visas that allow practically any Tomás, Didier, or Haoran with a fancy degree and a slew of top-drawer publications to get a gig in our colleges.
Jim Canfield, Galvanizing Architect of Palm Coast Incorporation and First Mayor, Dies at 96
Jim Canfield, the founding mayor of Palm Coast and a pivotal figure in the city’s 1999 incorporation, has died at age 96. A former Manhattan educator, Canfield led the Home Rule Committee through a contentious transition to cityhood, overcoming opposition regarding taxes and representation. Known for his non-partisan leadership and diplomatic nature, he served as mayor until 2007. Colleagues remember him as an honorable, welcoming leader who prioritized community identity over political division.
Thank You, Palm Coast and Flagler County
It’s been a difficult year for the country and for the freedom to report about it yet FlaglerLive’s fundraiser this Christmas season once again exceeded its goal in this red county, which humbles me and fills me with hope about the community we are–despite and still, to borrow the words of Robert Graves.
Donald’s Donalds, ICE, SB180, Ending Taxes, Flashing Guns, Sleazing Hope: Florida’s Political Top Ten List of 2025
Choosing the top political stories in an “off year” when no statewide elections took place is challenging — although jockeying for the 2026 elections is well under way. Property taxes and gun rights, meanwhile, have emerged as issues likely to dominate the 2026 legislative session, which kicks off in a little more than two weeks.
Pleading with Santa to Help with Our Crumbling Florida State Parks
A recent report by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection shows Florida state parks facing a $759 million backlog of needed repairs to “aging infrastructure, safety improvements, accessibility upgrades and modernization of essential facilities such as restrooms, trails, utilities and visitor centers” across Florida’s 176 state parks,” the DEP report says. Reading the report was like seeing an online review of a once-great hotel that’s gone to seed, Craig Pittman writes.
21 Red States Ask Appeals Court to Uphold Florida’s Sweeping School Library Book Bans
Republican attorneys general from 21 states are trying to help sway a federal appeals court to uphold a 2023 Florida law that led to books being removed from school libraries.
Joshua Hawkins, 34, of Palm Coast, Accused of Raping Child Under His Care, After Buying Her Sex Toys
Joshua Seth Hawkins of Palm Coast was arrested Tuesday for sexual battery and molestation of a child in his custody. The victim reported a mid-December assault in a bathroom, supported by a forensic interview and recovered evidence, including items purchased from Amazon. He blames the alleged victim for initiating contact.
Palm Coast Moves to Dismiss Town Center Development Lawsuit, Citing ‘Fundamental Misunderstanding’ of Utility Rules
Palm Coast government has filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit from Palm Coast Holdings regarding Town Center utility guarantees. The developer claims the city breached its contract by failing to guarantee water and sewer capacity, resulting in lost land sales. The city argues that development orders are conditional regulatory approvals, not absolute contracts. The city says no breach occurred because no permits were actually denied, characterizing the developer’s claims as speculative.
Sen. Tom Leek Files Artificial Intelligence ‘Bill of Rights,’ Calling for Transparency and Controls
Leek’s bill, which is filed for the legislative session that will start Jan. 13, addresses a variety of issues, such as establishing a “right” for parents to control children’s interactions with artificial intelligence; saying people have a right to know when they’re communicating with a human or an AI system; and setting rules about the unauthorized use of people’s names, images or likenesses. The measure also says people have a right to know whether political advertisements were created in whole or in part with the use of artificial intelligence.