Lawmakers will decide whether to move forward with DeSantis’ priorities, such as his plan to set minimum teacher salaries at $47,500 — an idea that would cost $603 million next year.
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Visiting Flagler, State Board of Education Singles Out Wadsworth’s Anna Crawford, a Finalist for State Award
Wadsworth Elementary Principal Anna Crawford is one of three finalists for the 2019-2020 Innovative Principal Award, and was recognized, along with one of her sixth grade students, during a state Board of Education meeting in Bunnell.
Fact Check: Surgeon General’s Marijuana Warning of ‘Gateway Effect’ Revives Controversial Claim
Whether marijuana can “prime your brain for addiction” elicits responses all over the map — reflecting just how contested this issue is and how difficult it is to speak definitively about marijuana’s impact.
Some 33 Pounds of Cocaine Wash Up on the Beach Near Surfside Condos in North Flagler
The dark gym bag was dark and covered in barnacles and seaweed, and the 15 bricks within were covered in sand and seashells, suggesting that the bag had been in the ocean a long time.
Coastal Flooding Warning for Palm Coast East of I-95 and Flagler Beach
The National Weather Service Sunday morning issued a coastal flooding warning for Palm Coast and Flagler County east of I-95 and the entirety of the barrier island, including Flagler Beach.
DeSantis Pitches Bonuses for Teachers and Principals Based on School Grades
Bonuses would be up to $7,500 for teachers and up to $10,000 for principals, drawing immediate criticism from the teachers union, which has long pushed for salary increases rather than bonuses.
Craig Coffey Lands Deputy Administrator Job in Okaloosa County, Ending Nearly Year-Long Search
The Okaloosa County Commission voted unanimously to confirm the appointment of Craig Coffey as deputy county administrator for $136,000 a year.
Sheriff’s Deputy Injured, New Charger Patrol Car Totaled, in Crash With Pick-Up in the Hammock
Flagler Sheriff’ deputy Kyle Gaddie was injured in a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of State Road A1A and 16th Road in the Hammock late this morning.
Sharlyn Johnson, 60, Is Killed, in Two-Vehicle Crash at U.S. 1 and Eagle Rock Road
Sharlyn Johnson, 60, was killed Thursday evening in a two-vehicle t-bone crash at the intersection of U.S. 1 and Eagle Rock Road, just north of Plantation Bay. Christen Barney, 22, of Bunnell, suffered minor injuries.
Parent Who Allegedly Threatened to Burn Down Bunnell Elementary Over Racism Faces Felony Charge–and Potential Hate Crime
A 23-year-old parent of two children at Bunnell Elementary accused school staff of being racist and was heard allegedly threatening to burn down the school. The sheriff’s office forwarded a felony charge to the State Attorney’s Office and recommended a more serious charge under the state’s hate-crime law.
Should Commissioner Joe Mullins Be Chained and Muzzled?
In what he said was sarcasm, Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins wrote a woman that “We did decide to chain and muzzle all radical liberals in the county” at Tuesday’s town hall on dog-chaining, which he hosted. It’s an inadmissible offense on many levels.
Waste Pro Taps Home Grown Talent to Head Its Palm Coast Operation in Latest Reinvigoration
Waste Pro, the garbage hauler on contract to provide garbage and recycling service for residents in Palm Coast and unincorporated Flagler, appointed DSC graduate and long-time local resident Heather Badger-Felmet as division manager in Palm Coast.
Flagler’s Permissive Rules on Dog-Chaining Draw Loud Calls for Revision as Palm Coast Takes Note
Some 65 people turned up at a “town howl” on dog tethering at the Flagler Humane Society Tuesday evening, where County Commissioner Joe Mullins pledged he would be revisiting a controversial county ordinance. The debate may have consequences beyond county government as Palm Coast is in the midst of revising its own animal ordinance, and Flagler Beach may follow suit.
Michael Cummings Pleads to Murdering Ex-Wife at Palm Coast Home and Faces 30 Years to Life in Prison
Days from his trial on a first-degree murder charge, Michael Cummings, 48, pleaded to second degree murder in the death of Faith Cummings, 44, at their Point Pleasant home in Palm Coast in January 2018.
The Thrill Is Gone: Bunnell’s Alvin Jackson Survives Firing Attempt, Then Gets Small Raise After Tepid Evaluations
An attempt by Bunnell City Commissioner Jan Reeger to fire Manager Alvin Jackson failed Monday, but brought to light divided opinions about Jackson’s performance and serious claims about his financial and employee management.
Mary Ann Clark, Resolute Founder and Leader of Innumerable Flagler Institutions, Dies at 91
Mary Ann Clark’s eclectic leadership, tenacity, verve and love for her community founded, fostered or shaped many of Flagler County’s cornerstone civic and cultural organizations over the past four decades.
Flagler’s Fair Housing Rules Would Add Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence, Veterans and LGBTQ
The Flagler County Commission in the next few weeks is expected to hear a proposal to revise the county’s fair housing ordinance, which hasn’t been revised in 30 years. The proposal would add or clarify several protected classes.
Solitary Confinement in Florida’s Prisons and Juvenile Detention Challenged in Court
In separate but parallel lawsuits, civil-rights and legal groups are challenging Florida’s use of solitary confinement in prisons and juvenile detention centers —- but are facing pushback from state agencies.
At Opponents’ Meeting on The Gardens Development Off John Anderson, More Vigilance Than Chest-Thumping
A community meeting by a group that opposes The Gardens development off John Anderson Highway drew some 100 people Thursday evening but kept the shrillness and triumphalism to a minimum, focusing instead on how to maintain “positive, respectful pressure,” in the group’s president’s words.
Palm Coast Uber Driver, 53, Accused Of Molesting Deceased Girlfriend’s 11-Year-Old Daughter for 2 Years
Philip Frederick Martin, 53, of 95 Wedgewood Lane in Palm Coast, had been allowed to continue visiting with his deceased girlfriend’s daughter, who reported the alleged molestation took place over two years.
New Report Concludes Sheriff’s Operations Building ‘Should Be Ready for Re-Occupancy’ With Repairs
There are continuing issues at the sick, former Sheriff’s Operations Center in Bunnell, but they are repairable, or treatable, a moisture and concrete evaluation report to the county concludes even as it lists a series of problems.
Flagler Is No Citrus: Local Officials Say New York Times Is Safe From ‘Fake News’ Censorship at Library
In the wake of Citrus County commissioners rejecting a public library digital subscription to The New York Times, Flagler County’s library and government officials stressed that nothing like that would be tolerated locally.
Next Year’s School Calendar Builds In 2 Days Off for Elections and Hurricane Make-Up Days, Leaving Thanksgiving Week Off Intact
Next year’s Flagler schools calendar will keep students off campus on election days and provide four built-in hurricane make-up days before Thanksgiving Week is affected.
Florida Supreme Court Set to Uphold Restrictions on Felon Voting Rights Based on Repayments
Florida Supreme Court justices appeared convinced Wednesday that a constitutional amendment, overwhelmingly approved during the November 2018 election, requires payment of restitution, fees and other legal costs for felons to have their voting rights restored.
The Gardens Development Off John Anderson Scales Back Significantly, But Still Faces New County Obstacles
The Gardens off John Anderson Highway was originally planned as a 3,966-home and apartment development but was scaled back to 330 lots. Even then, county regulators said it would need a rezoning to go forward, a politically uncertain step the developers are loath to take.
5 Children Split in Foster Care, 8 Pets Looking for Homes and Donations Sought as Result of Parents’ Negligence
With their parents, Betty Allen, 42, and Dennis Allen, 44, facing felony neglect charges the five children have been split between two foster homes and their eight pets, including four dogs, put up for adoption in the fallout from the discovery of a Bunnell house in a deplorable state.
For 1st Time in 11 Years, County Tells Bunnell Homeless Are Shared Problem as Shelter Backers Seek Compromise
As a federal investigation forced Bunnell government to allow the re-opening of a homeless cold-weather shelter there, County Administrator Jerry Cameron told city officials what they haven’t heard in 11 years: that homelessness is a shared responsibility.
With Recreational Pot on Florida’s Horizon, a House Panel Looks to Oregon for Insights
Facing the possibility that Floridians could be asked next year to legalize recreational marijuana, a House panel on Tuesday turned to Oregon to learn more about the economic, environmental and health impacts the state has faced since authorizing adult pot use four years ago.
School Board Calls for Investigation of FPC’s Discipline Procedures in Unusual Settlement With Ex-Teacher’s Whistleblower Complaint
Vanishing disciplinary paperwork and lax follow-ups in bullying and harassment complaints were of special concern to the school board as it settled a whistleblower case with ex-FPC’s i3 teacher Robert Sprouse Tuesday, agreeing to pay him up to $30,000.
NRA and Attorney General Moody File Briefs Attacking Proposed Assault Weapons Ban in Florida
Three briefs were filed Friday in opposition to the proposed amendment, which the political committee Ban Assault Weapons NOW is trying to place on the November 2020 ballot.
240-Boat Storage Facility in the Hammock off A1A Will Go Forward as County Rejects Objection
The proposed Hammock Harbor boat storage and restaurant development near Hammock Hardware on A1A drew a legal appeal from residents who disputed the county’s interpretation allowing the re-development under existing zoning rules. But county commissioners saw nothing wrong with the project.
Palm Coast Lines Up Support from County and Cities for UNF’s MedNex Initiative in Town Center
Flagler County commissioners today unanimously endorsed a proposed UNF partnership with Palm Coast to create a medical hub in Town Center as the county’s top legislative priority for 2020.
Sheriff’s Deputy and Bunnell Police Officer Fall Violently Ill In Contact With Arrested Suspect’s Unknown Narcotic
The sheriff’s K-9 deputy Gibson Smith and the Bunnell Police Department’s Jennie Baker were briefly hospitalized after falling ill during an arrest of a known dealer of heroin and other drugs Saturday night.
From High School to $37,000-a-Year Firefighters: Flagler Hires 1st Three Recruits Out of FPC’s Fire Academy
Noah Dunaway, Dylan Cronk and Beau Kruithoff, all 18, are the very first Flagler County Fire Rescue recruits to be hired directly out of FPC’s fire academy. They were introduced to the Flagler County Commission this morning. They’ll be making $37,000 a year within weeks.
As Local News Outlets Shutter, Rural America Suffers Most
Amid the steady decline in local news, some states are considering stepping in to support the Fourth Estate. But critics worry that doing so might undermine the press’s role as a government watchdog.
Squalor, Despair and Girl’s Talk of Suicide Land 2 Parents in Jail on Felony Charges of Neglecting 5 Children
Betty Nicolicchia-Allen, 42, and Dennis Allen, 44. of Daytona North were jailed after authorities found their five young children in deplorable conditions in their house, which had been deeded to them years ago by Habitat for Humanity.
Questions of Ethics and Reimbursements After County Officials Appear on Commissioner Joe Mullins’s Radio Show
Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins offered to have county officials host and appear once a month on the weekly radio show he pays for, but the offer raised a series of protocol, policy and ethical implications.
James Taylor, 42, Is Sentenced to Life in Prison for Molesting 11-Year-Old Step-Daughter
The mandatory sentence was expected. Circuit Judge Terence Perkins had no choice because Taylor is a previously convicted felon several times over, and the victim at the time of the offense was younger than 12.
Sheriff Doubles Reward to $10,000 for Information in Circle K Murder off Palm Coast Parkway
Deon O’Neal Jenkins, 26, of Palm Coast, was gunned down and the driver of the car he was sitting in was wounded in the Oct. 12 attack off Palm Coast Parkway. No one has been arrested since.
School Safety Commission Calls for More Mental Health Funding in Second Major Report
A state commission tasked with making school-safety policy recommendations to the Florida Legislature approved a draft report on Thursday that will highlight a need for more mental health funding.
Justice Department Is Investigating Bunnell Government Over Closure of the Cold-Weather Homeless Shelter
The Sheltering Tree had operated Bunnell’s cold-weather shelter for 11 years out of 1st United Methodist Church on Pine Street until the Bunnell City Commission shut down the operation in July, refusing to approve a special zoning exception for it.
Forced Out or Not, Flagler Fire Chief Don Petito Is Looking to ‘Get the Hell Out’ in Fallout From Clash
Flagler County Fire Chief thought he was being forced out with an ultimatum until County Administrator Jerry Cameron said he’d misunderstood, but he’s looking to leave anyway in the wake of a clash with Chief Information Officer Jarrod Shupe during the Hurricane Dorian emergency.
What’s Flagler County Got Against Affordable Housing? A Forum Attempts to Demolish Enduring Stigmas.
Many Palm Coast and Flagler County residents generally revile apartments, subsidized housing and other forms of affordable housing. A county-sponsored forum attempted to tackle the stigmas and offer fresher perspectives.
Rare Look at Minefield of Self-Representation as Judge Perkins Defends Decision to Deny Murder Suspect’s 6th Amendment Right
Circuit Judge Terence Perkins for the second time in five weeks on Tuesday defended his decision to deny Joseph Bova the right to represent himself during his trial on a first-degree murder charge at the end of September. Bova was found guilty and Perkins sentenced him to life in prison. The case is on appeal.
Sheriff Lists Sex Offenders’ No-Go Homes and Increases Patrols on Halloween’s ‘Operation Witch Way’
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office provided a list of the 28 registered sex offenders with prohibitions on participation in Halloween, and cautioned about increased patrols to check for speed, aggressive driving and drunk drivers over the next two nights.
DeSantis Criticizes Proposal to Raise Minimum Wage to $15, Saying It’ll Hurt Restaurant Owners
Florida For A Fair Wage is seeking voter support to increase the state’s minimum wage to $10 an hour on Sept. 30, 2021 and increase it by $1 each year until it hits $15 an hour on Sept. 30, 2026.
Truck Ban Among Proposals to Calm Florida Park Drive Traffic, But Don’t Expect License Plate Reader Enforcement
Florida Park Drive may soon see a heavy-truck ban and other traffic calming measures as the Palm Coast City Council prepares to ratify the most substantial changes addressing residents’ concerns about the road in years. But contrary to this morning’s council discussion, License Plate Readers will not be part of the enforcement.
Turning Down Plea Offer, Michael Cummings Will Be Tried Nov. 18 on Wife’s Murder
Michael Cummings is accused of murdering his ex-wife at the house they shared on Point Pleasant Drive in Palm Coast in November 2018. Faith Cummings, 44, was found bludgeoned and asphyxiated.
Status of Migrant Children in Florida Shelters Cloaked in Secrecy in Name of ‘Privacy and Security’
Florida officials have a relatively limited role the state plays in ensuring the well-being of children who were separated from their families after crossing the country’s southern border and being detained.
Flagler County’s Economic Development Farce Is Wasting Millions of Taxpayer Dollars to Beat Its Own Drum
Since Flagler County government created the $450,000-a-year economic development department, the county has added 10,000 jobs, but only a few dozen as a result of the department’s involvement.