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.
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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.
Rubio Derides as ‘Publicity Stunt’ Banks’ Funding Halt to Vouchers Underwriting Anti-Gay Schools
An investigation found at least 156 Florida private schools that took state-funded scholarships had anti-gay views or policies, and 83 of the schools refused to admit LGBTQ students or could expel them if their sexual orientations or gender identities were disclosed.
Girl Who Threatened to Kill FPC Teacher in Racist Screed Gets Probation, and Must Write Essay on Hate Speech
The 17-year-old former Flagler Palm Coast High School girl last December was found guilty of terrorist threats to kill her English teacher through racist-laced electronic messages with another student in December 2018.
Joe Mullins Again Blistered for Divisive Attacks, and Commission Again Refuses to Intervene
Flagler County Commissioner was again harshly criticized by residents at a County Commission meeting for claiming not to represent those who don’t support President Trump and bullying liberals on his social media account, but the commission refused to intervene.
County Opts to Sell Sheriff’s Plagued Operations Center, or Demolish It Absent a Buyer
Sell it as is, presumably in the next 90 days: that’s the consensus of the Flagler County Commission for the Sheriff’s Operations Center off of State Road 100 in Bunnell, the 27,000 square foot building evacuated a year and a half ago and swamped before and since in an environmental and political tangle that keeps blighting county government.
Palm Coast Tennis Center Hosts Futures Pro Tournament, This Time With Reilly Opelka as Sponsor
The Palm Coast Open, a $25,000 official Futures (minor-league) tournament, begins today, with a 32-man field for singles, and a 16-team field for doubles.
School Board: Don’t Boot Out 4 Advisory Panel Citizens in Superintendent Search Because of Conklin’s Application
Stephen Furnari is one of the Conklin appointees to the Citizens Advisory Committee, and a representative of the ESE community. But he and three other Conklin appointees are being excluded from the committee now that Conklin is applying for superintendent.
The Florida Lottery Exploits a Racist Stereotype
The Florida Lottery just issued a 30-second television spot that exploits a bigoted stereotype–the African-American with oversized lips–themed around making the black patient’s teeth “100 times whiter.”
Colleen Conklin Applies for Flagler Superintendent in Bold But Risky Move After 20 Years as School Board Member
Colleen Conklin, at 20 years the longest-serving member of the Flagler County School Board, this afternoon applied to be the next superintendent, a move that triggers a series of ramifications and places her four colleagues in the odd position of deciding whether to be her boss.
Two Men Save Driver’s Life From Flames After Truck Crashes Through Wall at Marina Del Cove
A man at the wheel of a truck trailing a trailer and a Bobcat lost control on Palm Harbor Parkway by Marina Cove, struck another truck and crashed through a Marina Cove wall. The vehicle caught fire. The driver was saved.
Critical Lack of Exhibit Space Hobbling Palm Coast Art Scene Even as Organizations Thrive
For the first time in 20 years, the Flagler County Artist of the Year will not have a show, for lack of space. The critical lack of exhibit space is on the radar of the Flagler County Art League, the fledgling Palm Coast Arts Foundation and the Grand Gallery at Grand Living Realty.
Sen. Hutson Ties One More Visit Florida Lifeline to Promoting ‘Awareness of How Great We’re Doing in Higher Ed’
While the House is ready to turn out the lights on the state’s tourism-marketing agency, the Senate, behind Sen. Travis Hutson, now wants to give Visit Florida a slight funding boost.
2020 Flagler Elections Guide Mailed to 54,000 Households Ahead of Busy Season
A very long list of offices and seats are up for election in Flagler County, Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and Bunnell this year, with three major election days ahead plus municipal elections in March.
Prosecution Asks for Temporary Halt in Cornelius Baker Death Penalty Re-Sentencing
The prosecution is arguing that a Supreme Court decision last week may make the re-sentencing of convicted murderer Cornelius Baker, scheduled to start in four weeks in Bunnell, if unnecessary.
City Tells Anxious Matanzas Woods Golf Course Community ‘The Fix’ Is Not In, Nor Is a Proposal
Residents surrounding the Matanzas Woods golf course have been critical of the city’s silence on a proposed development of 300 homes there, but city officials say their hands are tied as long as they don;t have a concrete proposal to discuss–and none has been submitted yet.
When a Local Government Trespasses a Citizen from Public Property: Palm Coast Is Adopting New Rules
The Palm Coast City Council will approve a new ordinance codifying trespassing procedures and the due-process appeals process as it applies to members of the public who may be barred from public property, including city parks.
Florida House Panel Backs Bills Allowing Local Politicians to Arm Themselves at Public Meetings
The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee also approved a measure that would allow people to carry concealed weapons at religious institutions that share properties with schools.
Flagler Beach Will Allow Limited Dog Tethering Under Strict Guidelines as It Revises Animal Ordinance
Contrasting with Flagler County and Palm Coast governments, Flagler Beach all but approved revisions of its animal ordinance long sought by the Humane Society, with some strict restrictions–but not a ban–on dog tethering.
FPC Principal Cautions of Anonymous Threat With ‘Some Specificity’ as Campus Security Heightens
An anonymous threat was reported by way of a tip to Flagler Palm Coast High School officials, who are taking precautions this morning, heightening security sweeps.
Federal Appeals Court Hears Arguments on Repayments as Condition to Restoring Florida Felons’ Voting Rights
The fight is rooted in the wording of the 2018 constitutional amendment, which restored voting rights to felons “who have completed all terms of their sentence, including parole or probation,” excluding people “convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense.”
Just 21 Apply for Flagler Superintendent With 4 Days to Go, Among Them Vernon Orndorff
Cathy Mittelstadt, the deputy superintendent in St. Johns County Schools, and Vernon Orndorff, previously Jacob Oliva’s right-hand man in the Flagler district, are among the applicants. The window closes Jan. 31.
Princess Williams Pleads Out in Attempted Murder of Carl Saint-Felix; She Faces 25 Years to Life
Princess Williams, 22, a former Flagler Palm Coast High School basketball player, was charged in October 2018 of attempted felony murder in the shooting of 19-year-old Carl Saint-Felix in Palm Coast, in a feigned drug deal.
3 Killed in Two I-95 Crashes Within 2 Miles of Palm Coast Parkway, Capping Deadly 4 Days on Roads
Three people were killed–Yvette Mosquera, 49, John Mosquera, 55, and Melody Roberts, 42–in two separate crashes within two miles and two hours of each other on I-95, on either side of Palm Coast Parkway. A Palm Coast teen was killed Thursday evening in the Woodlands, and a Bunnell resident was killed in Volusia Saturday.
No, Joe Mullins, Flagler Is Not a ‘Trump County.’ It Is an American County.
Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins followed his call on liberals to love Flagler County or leave with suggestions of putting them on trains and buses, which brings to mind a different period of history, Christopher Goodfellow points out in an open letter to the commissioner.