Miami-Dade County State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle on Thursday filed felony charges against former Sen. Frank Artiles for allegedly recruiting and paying an old pal nearly $45,000 to disrupt the November election between former Democratic Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez and Republican challenger Ileana Garcia.
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Gov. DeSantis Could Use a Civics Lesson on the Florida Constitution
Even as they push a $106 million proposal to improve civics education, our legislators and our governor persist in violating the Constitution by supporting legislation authorizing programs to send nearly $1 billion to private, religious schools in our state.
Palm Coast’s Lamar Johnson, 40, Dies After Driving Car Into Canal Off Club House Drive
The body of Lamar M. Johnson, 40, was recovered from the canal between Carol and Cardwell Court, near Club House Drive, late Thursday night after Johnson had driven his car into the water. The cause of the crash is not known.
Rolling the Bones: Jan Jackson Is Flagler County’s Artist of the Year
Jan Jackson is the Gargiulo Art Foundation’s Flagler County Artist of the Year for 2020, is a bit mystified by the methods of her muse, especially when it drives her to conjure art from skulls and bones – a predilection that didn’t manifest in her art until she was in her 60s.
The Fabricated Fear of Transgender Athletes in High School Sports
Randall Bertrand, who led last year’s campaign to add “gender identity” to the Flagler school board’s protections against discrimination, lays out a case against the Legislature’s baseless fear-mongering over transgender participation in high school sports.
Another Routine Traffic Stop Turns Violent, Leading to Arrest of Armed Fugitive Wanted for Murder
A traffic stop for speeding at Wawa in Palm Coast Wednesday night was the fourth seemingly routine traffic stop or street encounter in the last eight days that turned violent on local roads, this time leading to the arrest of a 21-year-old man wanted for murder in Georgia. He was carrying a loaded gun.
Draft Report on Flagler County Fire Department Finds Low Morale, Lack of Pride and Internal Dysfunctions
The report, underscoring internal dysfunctions and a lack of leadership, has been circulating within the administration for weeks, eliciting questions from administrative and elected officials, and may be ready for the commission in about two months.
Overriding Florida High School Athletic Association, House Backs Banning Transgender Female Athletes
Critics of measures targeting transgender student athletes argue the proposals are rooted in fear, misunderstanding and politics as a Florida House panel on Wednesday approved a controversial proposal that would ban transgender girls and women from competing in women’s high-school and college sports.
How Flagler Was Far More “Staly Country” than Trump’s in 2020, and How Grand Haven Saved Milissa Holland
An analysis of Flagler County’s precinct-by-precinct vote last November reveals a few surprises, among them how Grand Haven powered incumbent Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland to her win and how Flagler was not so much “Trump Country” as “Staly Country” as the incumbent sheriff won his second term with 70 percent of the vote, with no discernible weaknesses across precincts.
Flagler Sues Inspection Company in Hopes of Recovering Up to $400,000 Lost in Sears Building Fiasco
Flagler County government on Friday filed suit against Universal Engineering, the inspection company that the county claims misled it about the soundness of the former Sears building on Palm Coast Parkway that the county bought for $1.125 million and had to sell at a huge loss.
Florida GOP Rollback of Voting Rights Triggers Uproar Among County Election Supervisors
GOP legislative leaders are pushing changes to the state’s election process that Democrats are branding as “voter suppression,” county election officials “vehemently” oppose and experts say will “disproportionately” harm Black and Hispanic voters.
Raymond Glass, 26, Arrested in Violent, Slur-Laced Confrontation With Deputy Who Saved His Life 6 Years Ago
Facing arrest for a probation and injunction violation, Raymond Glass spent the better part of 20 minute yelling racial, homophobic and anti-police insults and claims of police brutality at Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies, including the deputy who saved him after a stabbing in Palm Coast several years ago.
Woman Facing Attempted Child-Kidnapping Charge Is Judged Incompetent to Stand Trial for Now
Zarut Jean-Pierre Theolin, the troubled 26-year-old Palm Coast woman arrested on a burglary and attempted kidnapping of a child in a case that rattled three W-Section families on March 3–hers included–was judged incompetent to stand trial today and will be sent to a state mental hospital in Chattahoochee for treatment.
County Takes Extraordinary Legal Step to Demolish Derelict Motel on Old Dixie as Owners Stop Responding
Flagler County government has filed suit to condemn and demolish the long-derelict, yellowed Country Hearth Inn motel that’s vexed law enforcement, residents and county code enforcement officials for years near Dixie Commons along South Old Dixie Highway, not far from the interchange with I-95.
Lawmakers Still Aim to Penalize Bright Futures Recipients for Not Taking ‘Approved’ Majors
Under the amendment filed by Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, Bright Futures scholarships would be “reduced” for students who don’t choose an academic discipline deemed promising for job prospects.
Two-Thirds of Flagler’s 65 and Over Have at Least One Shot of Vaccine, Minority Outreach Expands
As the CDC issues mask guidelines that provide some relief for those fully vaccinated, Flagler County nears the 25 percent mark for those who have at least one shot, but new cases of covid have spiked for the third straight week, signaling a still-raging pandemic.
Flagler County’s Unemployment Rate Rises Back to 5.1%, Florida’s Falls to 4.8%
While 595 more Flagler residents qualified for unemployment in January, an unusually sharp one-month rise in part reflecting retail’s post-holiday layoffs, almost 200 more people were employed in January than in December, and the labor force grew by 788, a strong indication of confidence in the local economy.
Palm Coast’s Isaac J. Becker, 21, Navy Seaman, Is Arrested on Two Counts of Forcible Rape of a Minor
Isaac Julio Becker, a 21-year-old resident of Palm Coast serving as a seaman on the U.S.S. Gerald Ford, was booked at the Flagler County jail Friday on four counts of rape of a minor, including two first-degree felony counts of forcible rape.
Should School Board Members Be Paid $35,000 a Year? Voters May Decide in 2022.
After debating whether county school board members should be paid, and if ending salaries would threaten diversity on the boards, a House panel took a first step toward letting voters decide the issue in 2022.
Lysenko, Stalin and Trump
On the one-year mark of the coronavirus pandemic, Trump’s malicious, politically motivated anti-science handling of a calamity that has killed more than half a million Americans so far recalls the alliance between fake Soviet scientist Trofim Lysenko and Stalin, which led to the death of millions.
Ask the Doctor: On the Covid Vaccine’s Safety, Emerging Mutations, Viral Transmission Post-Vaccination
In this latest installment of FlaglerLive’s “Ask the Doctor” column by Dr. Stephen Bickel, the medical director at the Flagler and Volusia Counties Health Departments, the doctor takes on recurring questions about the covid vaccine’s safety, its effectiveness against new variants of the virus, and many other questions.
FPL Files Proposal That Would Raise Base Power Rates 18% Over the Next 4 Years
Customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours a month would see their bills go from $99.05 in January 2021 to $109.58 in January 2022. The bills would then go to $113.49 in January 2023; $115.61 in January 2024; and $117.06 in January 2025.
In-Person Trials Will Resume in Flagler, With High-Profile Murder Cases On Deck
The cases of Keith Johansen, who faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of Brandi Celenza, and Benjamin Allen, who was 16 when he was charged as an adult in the first-degree murder of 17-year-old Elijah Rizvan in Palm Coast, will see trial dates later this year.
Now Ex-Mayor Provencher Finally Gets Her Taser as Johnston Is Sworn-In and Cooley Is Elected Chair
The Flagler Beach City Commission Thursday evening bid farewell to Linda Provencher, the longest-serving mayor in the city’s history, and welcomed Mayor Suzie Johnston, electing Eric Cooley chairman of the commission for the next year, and Rick Belhumeur vice-chairman.
With Stimulus Dollars On the Way, Florida’s 1st-Time Unemployment Claims Fall to Lowest Level in Pandemic
The U.S. Department of Labor estimated Thursday that Florida had 16,005 initial unemployment claims filed during the week that ended March 6, down from a revised count of 19,020 claims in the week ending Feb. 27.
4th Teen Arrested After Alleged Victim, a Mentally Disabled Woman, Says She Was Bullied to Recant
Following on the March 4 arrest of three teens, ages 16 and 17, accused of terrorizing an autistic 19-year-old woman, a fourth teen, 15, was arrested on accusations of bullying the alleged victim into recanting–which the victim tried to do with a prosecutor and a detective.
In a Victory for Flagler Government, Key Local Vacation Rental Regulations May Survive Yet Again
A Florida Senate panel today in a surprise shift voted to preserve local regulatory authority of short-term vacation rentals. If that version of the bill survives and overrides a different House bill, as appears likely, then local regulations will remain in place unscathed, surviving attempts to scrap that local authority for the seventh straight year.
In Spite: DeSantis Denies Pardon for World-Acclaimed Voting Rights Leader Desmond Mead
Meade said he is a victim of political infighting between DeSantis and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, a Democrat who, as a member of the state Board of Executive Clemency, put forward Meade’s application for a pardon in September and again on Wednesday.
I-95 Traffic Stop Suddenly Turns Violent as Deputy, Taser Drawn, Struggles With Suspect, Who Speeds Off
A traffic stop involving two deputies and four individuals on I-95 turned briefly violent and ended with the escape of a suspect early this morning after a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy drew his taser and another blew out the tire on the suspect’s vehicle.
Chillin’ Out: Palm Coast Residents Love Their Quality of Life and Safety, But Have Issues With Their City, Too
The 3,000 Palm Coast residents who responded to the city’s survey about living here were overwhelmingly 55 and over, appeared to have been little affected by the pandemic and declared themselves happy with the quality of life and safety of the city, but less so with economic, cultural and shopping opportunities.
Far More Than Stimulus Checks: Premiums Will Fall for Many in Biggest Obamacare Revamp in 10 Years
The proposal would ensure no one who buys insurance on the exchanges pays more than 8.5% of income. It is part of the $1.9 trillion covid relief bill. But the Affordable Care Act revamp, largest in a decade, would expire in 2022.
In Debate Over Curbing Covid Lawsuits, Lawmaker’s ‘Christian, Not an Attorney’ ‘Joke’ Rankles Senators
State Sen. Jeff Brandes said he was just joking when he said he was a “Christian, not an attorney,” but at least three senators have described Brandes’ remarks as offensive.
‘This Is Wrong,’ Attorney Says of Matanzas Student’s Arrest Over Rap Song Threat, Citing 1st Amendment
Matanzas High student Joseph Washington, 18, has yet to be charged almost seven weeks after his arrest on an accusation that he threatened a dean in a rap song posted to SoundCloud. On Monday, his attorney called his whole case “wrong” on First Amendment grounds.
Latest Reinvention of Palm Coast Tennis Center Sees $5.7 Million Expansion and More Ahead, But Speculation Abounds
Palm Coast government is proposing an ambitious, multimillion transformation of the city’s tennis center off Belle Terre Parkway into a “Regional Racquet Center” featuring 42 tennis and pickleball courts, a clubhouse, space for events and other amenities. But the plan is based on largely speculative assertions of need even as tennis declines as a sport and the school board is rethinking its own racquet club’s future.
Almost a Quarter of Flagler Is Vaccinated, But Cases Rise; CDC Says Fully Vaccinated May Unmask In Some Cases
As the CDC issues mask guidelines that provide some relief for those fully vaccinated, Flagler County nears the 25 percent mark for those who have at least one shot, but new cases of covid have spiked for the third straight week, signaling a still-raging pandemic.
Three Palm Coast Teens, 16 and 17, Accused of Terrorizing and Beating an Autistic Woman
Three teens, ages 16 and 17, face a list of felony and misdemeanor charges after allegedly briefly imprisoning and terrorizing a 19-year-old autistic and developmentally disabled woman in a car in a W-Section cul de sac in Palm Coast.
Why We Can’t Make Vaccine Doses Any Faster
President Biden has promised enough doses for all American adults by this summer. There’s not much even the Defense Production Act can do to deliver doses before then.
The Golden Rule Is Not Cancel Culture
The Dr. Seuss estate’s decision to pull six books from reprints has nothing to do with cancel culture. That pair of terms has become its own dogmatic dumbbell anyway. Our misplaced nostalgia for books we were so fond of isn’t more important than the golden rule of looking out for our neighbors, to whom the same nostalgia translates as insult or put-down.
Setting Privacy Rights Aside, Florida Senate Considers Allowing Police Drones Over Crowds of 50 or More
With some lawmakers expressing concerns about privacy rights, the Florida Senate could be poised to consider allowing law-enforcement agencies to use aerial drones to help with traffic management, collecting crime-scene evidence and eyeing large crowds.
County Attorney Raises Prospect of Jail for Dennis McDonald Over Protracted Contempt of Court
County Attorney Al Hadeed on Monday raised the prospect of jail for Dennis McDonald, the former candidate for various offices, if McDonald remains in contempt of court over a charge of $80,000 plus interest in legal fees he owes Flagler County government.
Woman Said to Have Mental Issues Attempts to Abduct a 3-Year-Old Child in Palm Coast’s W Section
Zarut Jean Pierre-Theolin, a 26-year-old resident of nearby 60 Wellwood Lane, entered the house on Wellham uninvited Wednesday, grabbed a 3-year-old child by the arm in front of his mother and tried to walk off with him, saying, “this is my baby.”
Palm Coast Council Retreats On Closing Slow Way in Seminole Woods, Seeking More Input
Two weeks after voting to close Slow Way, a tiny road connecting Slow Drift Turn with County Road 325 in Seminole Woods, the Palm Coast City Council voted 5-0 to table the issue after being subjected to a long stream of resident voices in opposition to the closure.
Divided Party Line Vote Pushes Florida House Bill Cracking Down on Violent Protests
Critics maintain that the proposals would have a chilling effect on participation in peaceful protests, violate free-speech rights and allow people who plow vehicles into crowded protests to avoid civil penalties if they injure or kill someone.
Sharply Rebuking More McDonald Falsehoods, School Board Says No Mask-Rule Changes This Year
School Board member Janet McDonald was again the outlier on Tuesday as she pressed for a relaxation of mask rules while repeating falsehoods about masks and vaccines. Superintendent Cathy Mittelstadt took her strongest stand yet, saying the district would not alter its current covid-safety protocols. A majority of the school board agreed.
Suzie Johnston Is Flagler Beach’s New Mayor; Eric Cooley Is Re-Elected Commissioner
Suzie Johnston was elected mayor with over 50 percent of the vote in a three-way race and Eric Cooley won re-election with 54 percent of the vote, defeating Paul Harrington.
It’s a County Priority, But Quest to Bring Broadband to Flagler’s West Side Runs Into County Hurdles
County Commissioner Joe Mullins is seeking county staff’s help with an informal broadband “task force” he leads to land a grant that could improve internet services on the west side, raising questions about the extent to which the county can get involved in a group it has not formally recognized or knew much about even though broadband access is now a county priority.
More Than Half of Flagler’s Seniors Have Been Vaccinated, But County’s Covid Deaths Now at 92
So far 19,311 of Flagler County’s 36,500 people who are 65 and over have been vaccinated with at least one shot, representing 53 percent of the senior population (age 65 and over), up from 45 percent seven days ago.
Florida Lawmakers Want New THC Caps on Florida’s Already-Weak Medical Pot Content
Medical marijuana advocates fiercely criticized a pair of restrictive bills filed by lawmakers, which they maintain will force patients to spend more money to achieve the same effects from their medical treatment.
What Do You Want From Your Next Garbage Hauler? Palm Coast Surveys Your Preferences.
Palm Coast will be considering whether to stick with Waste Pro for the next five years, alter its contract, including recycling or number of weekly pick-ups, or go with a new garbage hauler . The city is seeking residents’ input about what they want from their hauler.
County Administrator Leaves in June. Four Commissioners Aren’t Interested in Planning for Replacement Yet.
Flagler County Administrator Jerry Cameron announced last month he’d be retiring by June’s end, a relatively short time as far as finding a replacement is concerned. Commissioner Andy Dance is interested in starting a process for his replacement. Dance’s colleagues, in a startling rebuke of deliberate planning, aren’t interested yet.