In a new twist on rapid response, Florida Republicans today launched a tongue-in-cheek “Florida Dems” website the day before the Florida Democratic Party kicks off its annual convention in Orlando, ridiculing Democrats as the Party of No. Democrats have few answers in kind.
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As the Flagler Beach Fire Department’s Court Cases Churn On, 11 Apply for Top Post
Eleven men have applied to be Flagler Beach’s next fire chief, a position the city reclassified as “Fire Captain.” It is widely believed that City Manager Bruce Campbell will award the post to Bobby Pace, the suspended firefighter fighting a first-degree misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice–a charge that may be settled with a deferred prosecution agreement this week or next.
State Rakes In Cash From Seminole Casinos and Rethinks Gambling Landscape
Under the current deal with the Seminoles, which ends in 2015, the tribe makes the payments to the state in exchange for having the exclusive right to offer banked table games, such as blackjack, along with a monopoly on all slot locations outside of Broward and Miami-Dade counties. The Seminoles agreed to pay a minimum of $150 million in each of the first two years, $233 million in the third and fourth years and $234 million in 2015.
Woman and Teen Boy Injured in SUV Flip On US1 South of Matanzas Woods Pkwy.
A woman and a teen-age boy sustained minor injuries when their Honda SUV careened out of control on US1 this afternoon, flipping several times and ending up on its roof. The woman and the boy, whose left arm was bandaged at the scene, were taken to Florida Hospital Flagler.
Rep. Travis Hutson Will File a Bill on Animal Abuse Reporting Proposed by Flagler Students
Florida Rep. Travis Hutson worked for weeks with FPC and Matanzas High students on a mock legislative process that culminated today in a student vote choosing actual bill Hutson will file at the Legislature in the coming session. The exercise gave students direct insights into the legislative process.
FDLE Unsure How 2 Escaped Murderers Forged Papers, Duping Prison and Court System
FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey said Tuesday several suspects have been “targeted” for helping two murderers escape from prison with forged court papers mailed to a clerk of court, but the embarrassing incident is still largely unexplained.
Beyond Rebecca Sedwick’s Suicide: Colleen Conklin Campaigns for More Cyberbullying Awareness
More laws, mandates and prohibitions won’t work, Flagler County School Board member Colleen Conklin says, but more current awareness of the variety of online apps and social sites, where cyberbullying thrives, and more responsibility from both teens and their parents, are more likely to stem a pattern of bullying-induced teen suicides.
Shutdown-Delayed Unemployment Report: Rate Down to 7.2% But Only 148,000 New Jobs
The September unemployment report due on Oct. 4 was released only at 8:30 this morning, delayed by the 16-day government shutdown. But it could have been predicted, as it follows the pattern of most reports of the past three years: anemic job growth, very slow decline in the unemployment rate, and checkered signs of improvement (or retreat, depending on your point of view) ahead.
From Romance to Hassle: For Younger Generations, the Car Runs Out of Rhymes
Love of the automobile seems to be the province of old guys, writes Steve Robinson, as expenses, carbon footprints and other means of staying in touch have made an anachronism of getting behind the wheel of a car simply to feel the wind in one’s hair.
Palm Coast Slams Tree Lawsuit, Citing “False, Misleading and Unsupported Allegations”
Palm Coast’w response to Dennis McDonald’s attempt to stop the alleged “impending” tree removal around the Palm Harbor Shopping Center is that no such removal is imminent, but that even if it were–and there are indications that it will soon be–McDonald should be suing the center’s developer, not the city.