As Mike Cocchiola, a member of the local ACLU chapter, suggested legal action may follow, County Attorney Al Hadeed “absolutely” defended the Flagler County Commission chairman opening sessions with a prayer. Hadeed overstated the actual legality of the practice, which courts are still contending.
Featured
In a First for Flagler’s Black Heritage, Espanola Schoolhouse Is a Step Closer to National Register Listing
The Espanola Schoolhouse will be the first piece of Flagler County black history to be recognized nationally for its historical significance to education and black ethnic heritage.
Jury Doesn’t Buy “Outlandish” Conspiracy Theory and Convicts 54 Year Old Mondex Man of Sex With Minor
Tonda Royal was 52 when a 16-year-old Mondex girl accused him of raping her. He claimed the only way his DNA was in her is because another woman took his used condom and handed it to her to implicate him.
Rebuking DeSantis, Federal Appeals Court Rules Florida Can’t Bar Felons From Voting Over Unpaid Fees
The Florida law enacting Amendment 4 “unconstitutionally punishes a class of felons based only on their wealth,” the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a unanimous decision. But it applies only to 17 felons named in the suit for now.
Jerrard Moore, Felon Several Times Over, Arrested Over Threatening Ex and Another Woman With Shotgun
Jerrad Moore’s 26-year-old ex-girlfriend had asked him to leave their house. He showed up at her workplace and allegedly pulled a shotgun on her and the woman she was working for in Palm Coast.
With 25,000 Deaths Nationwide, Flu Is a Bigger Worry in Florida Than Coronavirus
While the coronavirus that started in China has spawned massive media attention — and reams of misinformation — Florida health officials say the state has more pressing health risks right now, particularly the flu.
Hearts and Rainbows v. Satan and Lies as LGBTQ Advocates and Opponents Hold Neighboring Demonstrations
The two demonstrations by advocates and opponents of LGBTQ rights outside the Government Services Building in Bunnell preceded the Flagler County School Board meeting Tuesday night, which again was dominated by transgender rights issues.
Charged With Statutory Rape, Man’s Defense Invokes Racial Allusions and Lies, But DNA Says Otherwise
Tonda Royal, 53, is on trial this week on an accusation of unlawful sex with a 16-year-old girl in the Mondex. Despite uncontested DNA evidence, the defense claims the girl is lying and was part of a plot to damage Royal’s reputation.
Cold-Weather Homeless Shelter May Move to Church on the Rock, But Weekly Outreach Remains at 1st United
The Flagler County Commission approved the first step in a county-city agreement to underwrite cold-weather homeless shelter operations at Bunnell’s Church on the Rock, though the Sheltering Tree’s outreach operations will remain at First United Methodist, also in Bunnell.
Flagler Airport Advisory Board Chairman Resigns After One Last Sally, Criticizing Land Buy
Daryl Hickman had been critical of airport Director Roy Sieger, citing noise and planned construction issues, before he resigned Monday, telling the county commission that a $250,000 land buy was poorly executed and may have been unnecessary.
New Proposed Laws Would Make It Harder for Citizens to Submit Constitutional Amendments
The proposals come as the Republican-controlled House and Senate also are moving forward with other bills that would place additional restrictions on the petition-signature process.
Facts Vs. Fears: Five Things To Help Weigh Your Coronavirus Risk
Scientists have more questions than answers about important issues surrounding the coronavirus, now officially named COVID-19. Here’s some help in understanding the unknowns and evaluating the risks.
16-Year-Old FPC Autistic Girl in Sheriff’s Explorer Program Arrested for Threatening Shooting
The Flagler Palm Coast High School 16 year old allegedly made several Instagram statements threatening murder and serial killing, and may have been upset over academic issues.
1st-Degree Felony Charges for 2 Palm Coast Men Accused of Beating up 70-Year-Old Man Over Road Incident
Alex Fregulia, 18, and Leonardo Silva, 20, of Palm Coast, each faces first and third-degree felony charges following an alleged assault on a 70-year-old man that may have been triggered by a road-rage incident Friday.
Issuing Superintendent Preferences, ESE Committee Is Sharply Critical of Process and Local Candidates
The Exceptional Student Education Parent Advisory Council, a group of volunteers recognized but not sanctioned by the Flagler County School Board, issued its own recommendations for superintendent–a list of six candidates, none of them local, while pointedly excluding or sharply criticizing four of the local candidates who’d made a different short list.
That Old “Socialism” Slur
For decades, Republicans have painted anyone left of Barry Goldwater as a “socialist.” Why? Because for a generation raised on the Cold War, “socialist” just seemed like a damaging label.
Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s “Exorbitant Compensation Payouts” Under Fire
The governor asked state Inspector General Melinda Miguel to investigate the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s “exorbitant compensation payouts” and “abuse of state dollars” to determine if any criminal wrongdoing has occurred at the organization.
The Quiet Rooms: How School Employees in Illinois Used Isolation Timeouts Illegally
The investigations found public schools throughout the state overused seclusion, routinely breaking the law that allowed children to be placed in isolated timeout only when there was a safety issue.
Jim Tager Lands Superintendent Job in Vermont, But Not Before End of Local ‘Marathon’
A 1,700-student school district in northeast Vermont voted unanimously this week to appoint Jim Tager its next superintendent as the Flagler School Board’s search for his replacement approaches its conclusion.
Courtroom Intimacy, Music and Pomp at Valentine’s Day Mass Wedding as 15 Couples Marry and Renew Vows
Seven couples renewed their vows at the annual Flagler courthouse’s mass wedding officiated by Clerk Tom Bexley, and eight were married, this time in a courtroom rather than on the courthouse steps as weather threatened.
Retreating from HPV Vaccine in Flagler Schools, Health Department Expands Its Own After-School Hours for Access
The second Tuesday of every month starting May 12 the Flagler Health Department will make all vaccines for all ages available free to accommodate parents who can’t take advantage of the department’s morning immunization schedules.
Flagler Politicians, Take Note: Brevard Taxpayers Just Paid $490,000 to Settle Illegal Christian Prayers at Meetings
Just as Flagler County commissioners started proffering prayers at public meetings, as the school board almost did, the Brevard County Commission paid out $490,000 in a settlement for doing so illegally for years.
Rezoning of Long-Gestating Mega Development on Old Kings Road Stirs Residents’ Anxieties Anew
The Bulow Creek development starting just south of State Road 100 on both sides of Old Kings Road would consist of 2,250 houses and apartment units and 1.7 million square feet of commercial and office space, built over four phases stretching over 20 years or more.
Supreme Court Denies Styrofoam Appeal: Law Banning Local Governments From Regulating Pollutant Stands
Coral Gables approved an ordinance to ban Styrofoam in February 2016, and the Florida Retail Federation and Super Progreso, Inc., later filed a lawsuit challenging the ordinance’s legality.
In Flagler Beach, Swale-Digging Triggers Flood of Grievances and Few Answers Satisfying to Residents
The swales will continue to be dug. The project is contracted and paid for. The contractors digging swales may be more sensitive to some of the residents’ concerns, but that’s a subjective possibility.
It’s Not Just Noise: Airport Advisory Board Tensely Questions Lack of Planning as County Administrator Probes Board’s Role
Tension continues between members of the Flagler Airport Advisory Board and Airport Director Roy Sieger over planning and noise issues. Administrator Jerry Cameron said he’ll look into the board’s bylaws to better define its role and relationship with the County Commission, which appoints it.
Sen. Hutson Joins 3-2 Party-Line Vote to Further Advance Short-Term Rental Bill Ending Local Control
A long-running dispute over vacation rentals is heating up, as a Senate panel Tuesday approved a proposal that would give the state — not local officials — control over regulation of short-term rentals.
In Flagler Primary for Superintendent, Orndorff, Mittelstadt, Johnson and Conklin Are Committee’s Top Choices
Vernon Orndorff, Cathy Mittelstadt, Earl Johnson and Colleen Conklin each got 50 percent or more votes from the 20-member citizens’ committee making non-binding but still weighty recommendations for superintendent to the school board.
Sharp ‘Disconnect’ Between Providers and Needs In Flagler’s Mental Health and Addiction Landscape
At the latest forum on mental health and addiction in Flagler and Palm Coast, health providers’s optimism about their work and presence contradicted the dearth of services and access to them that prevails in residents’ experiences.
Three Fires in Volusia and Ocala Forest Are Sending Smoke Over Flagler
Three controlled or “prescribed” fires burning to the southwest and the west are sending plumes of smoke and acrid smells over Palm Coast and Flagler County.
Special Education Council Draws Up Superintendent Recommendations as Board’s Consultants Fret
Flagler schools’ Exceptional Student Education Parent Advisory Council is submitting a list of superintendent candidates it deems worthy of further research to the school board-appointed citizens advisory committee. EPAC’s involvement was not quite welcomed by the board’s consultants.
Senators Are Warned Florida’s College Sports Could Be Harmed, But Move for Athletes’ Earnings
A bill has been characterized as a “bill of rights” for Florida college athletes in outlining how they can earn compensation for their “name, image, likeness or persona.”
One Side Says Defamation. The Other Says Intimidation. The Gardens Development Spins-Off a Lawsuit.
Ken Bryan, a candidate for Flagler Beach City Commission and a board member of the group opposed to The Gardens development, was sued by the developer’s parent company. Bryan’s attorney charges the suit has no merit and says there may be a counter-suit.
How Kidneys, Hearts and Other Lifesaving Organs For Transplant Go Missing In Transit
In a nation where nearly 113,000 people are waiting for transplants, scores of organs — mostly kidneys — are discarded after they don’t reach their destination in time.
Deputies Respond to Apparent Suicide Attempt at Country Hearth Inn on Old Dixie Highway
An apparent suicide attempt drew a large response by Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies early this morning in front of the shuttered Country Hearth Inn, on Old Dixie Highway.
Single-Family Homes No Longer Sacred as States Turn to Zoning Laws to Lower Housing Costs
Twenty-eight states and Washington, D.C., last year passed a variety of legislation that addresses the housing affordability problem, from tax credits for developers to rental assistance and eviction protections for residents.
Flagler Beach Residents’ Anger Over Swale Dig Triggers a City Meeting, But Project Was No Secret
Flagler Beach officials will hold a meeting Feb. 12 as a result of mounting anger by residents at the south end of town surprised by the digging of swales along South Daytona, but the commission had repeatedly discussed the $500,000 stormwater project and its necessity last year.
A Homeless Man Arranges for His Own Escape Out of Grand Oaks Rehab; He and His Accomplice Are Arrested
Hugh Wallace, a 57-year-old man with a history of homelessness, had arranged with a friend to take him out of Grand Oaks Rehab in Palm Coast, though he was a ward of the state. He was arrested on an outstanding warrant, and his friend was arrested on a charge of interfering with the custody of an invalid.
Palm Coast Unveils UNF’s Futuristic MedNex Foothold in Town Center as Officials Lobby Lawmakers
Renderings of UNF’s MedNex project in Palm Coast’s Town Center, along with a new infographic about the innovative plan, are part of a lobbying offensive planned for next week by Palm Coast officials to advocate for the initiative.
This Time Death Row Inmate Cornelius Baker Shows Up, Only To Learn His Chance for Re-Sentencing May Vanish
Death row inmate Cornelius Baker’s fate is undetermined as the judge, the defense and the prosecution are all awaiting direction from other courts as to whether to re-try Baker in a sentencing phase or stick to his original death sentence.
State Health Department Pushing Against Less Regulated Interpretation of Medical Marijuana Grower Rules
State health officials urged the Supreme Court to overturn a ruling by the 1st District Court of Appeal that said a key part of the law conflicted with the 2016 constitutional amendment, approved by 71 percent of Florida voters.
The School Board’s Proposed Decorum Rules Are a Pretext to Silence Critical Information
The Flagler County School Board is considering speech restrictions at its meetings that include comment cards before a person can speak and prohibiting references to staff, students or anyone in the district.
Two Alleged Co-Conspirators Arrested in Attempted Murder of Carl Saint Felix in 2018
Jimaya Baker, 18, and Diovion Smith, 20, two Palm Coast residents and alleged co-conspirators in an attempted-murder shooting that left a man disabled 15 months ago, were arrested Wednesday and charged with two counts each of attempted robbery with a firearm.
Religious Leaders Defend Parochial Schools’ Shunning of LGBTQ Students on Taxpayers’ Dime
Religious leaders and some black lawmakers on Tuesday escalated a fiery debate over anti-LGBTQ policies at private schools that receive state-funded scholarships, fueling discussions of religious freedom, discrimination and politics.
Colleen Conklin’s Name and Harsh Charge Overlay Superintendent Search Advisory Panel’s First Meeting
School Board member Colleen Conklin’s decision to run for superintendent on at least seven occasions dominated discussions and concerns at the first meeting of the board-appointed Citizens Advisory Committee charged with drawing up a selection of top candidates from a list of 35.
Sheriff’s Detectives Investigating Murky Shooting Near Island Walk Off Palm Coast Parkway
No one was injured but the alleged assailant is still at large in the shooting at Palm Coast Parkway and Harbor Center Way, where an individual got out of one vehicle and shot into another.
School Board’s Trevor Tucker Asks For Expedited Attorney General Opinion on Conklin’s Superintendent Application
School Board member Trevor Tucker wants Attorney General Ashley Moody to shed clarity on the legal and ethical implications of Colleen Conklin’s “unprecedented” decision to apply for the superintendent’s post from her seat as a school board member.
Supreme Court Justices Skeptical of Recreational Pot and Assault Weapon Ban Proposals
Florida Supreme Court justices appeared critical Tuesday of proposed constitutional amendments aimed at preventing possession of assault-style weapons and allowing people to use recreational marijuana.
Not Waiting on State Law, Palm Coast Will Ban Vaping Sales to Under-21 and Regulate Marketing
Palm Coast’s e-cigarettes and vaping regulation ordinance mirrors a proposal in the Legislature to ban vaping products to anyone younger than 21 and limit its visible marketing, but the city is not interested in waiting for legislative vagaries to sort themselves out.
County’s Own Advisory Board Members Slam Flagler Airport Director Roy Sieger at Meeting on Noise Problems
Airport Director Roy Sieger was strongly criticized by the head of the county’s own Airport Advisory Board at a workshop where commissioners learned that county government’s authority is severely limited when it comes to controlling noise at the Flagler Executive Airport.