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.
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Bunnell’s Carl Gandy, 56, Is Killed, Wife Rena Hurt in Hit-and-Run Crash on S.R. 40; Driver Who Fled Identified
Carl Gandy, a long-time and well-known resident of Bunnell who’d been the director of a Stewart-Marchman Act residential treatment center in DeLand, was killed mid-morning Saturday in a head-on crash on State Road 40 in Volusia County. His wife Rena, 46, was injured.
Something Far Deadlier Than The Wuhan Virus Lurks Near You
The coronavirus outbreak, which originated last month in the Chinese city of Wuhan, should be taken seriously. But influenza poses a far greater threat to Americans than the coronavirus from China making headlines around the world.
Hack This: Palm Coast Is Onto Something With Tech Beach Competition
Palm Coast’s Tech Beach Hackathon last weekend points the way to a more useful form form of economic and innovative development, especially when contrasted with the enormous waste of dollars and resources over the past years at the county’s economic development department.
Supreme Court Reverses Unanimous-Jury Requirement in Death Penalty, Raising Questions About a Flagler Case
The Florida Supreme Court said unanimous jury recommendations are not necessary before death sentences can be imposed, backing away from a 2016 decision. The ruling puts in question the case of Bunnell’s Cornelius Baker, scheduled for a re-sentencing in February.
Officials Project Better Days for Plantation Bay Utility But Re-Write History to Downplay County’s Role in Plagued Deal
County officials told Plantation Bay residents they’d have a more stable utility under new management, but County Attorney Al Hadeed re-wrote some of the history of the county’s plagued, $5.5 million acquisition of the utility from Mori Hosseini’s ICI homes in 2013.
Clerk of Court Prepares for 3rd Edition of Valentine’s Day Mass Wedding on Courthouse Steps
The third edition of the ceremony is again scheduled this year for high noon on Feb. 14, of course, as Clerk Tom Bexley’s innovation is becoming its own tradition, with music, goodies and a touch of wisdom.
Beyond Transgender Student’s Transfer Out of Matanzas, Calls on School Board to Take LGBTQ Safety Seriously
A throng of students, faculty members and parents asked the Flagler County School Board Tuesday to support more explicit procedures protecting LGBTQ students as Charlene Cothran, a Palm Coast pastor, again attacked the a transgender student and ridiculed LGBTQ rights.
Florida Senate Panel Backs Reparations for Descendants of Ocoee Massacre Victims at White Mob’s Hands
Some 60 to 70 black residents of Ocoee were murdered during the massacre in the Central Florida town. The reparation funding levels were modeled, in part, on a 1994 decision by the Legislature to compensate African-American families up to $150,000 for damages in the Rosewood Massacre of 1923.
Palm Coast’s Inaugural Tech Beach Hackathon Glimmers With Stress-Tested Innovations
Palm Coast’s first “Tech Beach Hackathon” at City Hall was a weekend cramming session of tech developers connecting their just-designed apps to local healthcare problems looking for a solution.
Palm Coast Woman Bites and Injures Deputy in Violent Scuffle as She Fights Arrest
Cherie M. Saunders, a 38-year-old resident of Brookside Lane in Palm Coast, faces two felony charges for violently resisting law enforcement and biting a sheriff’s deputy so hard and so long that he subsequently fainted.
After 50 Calls for Service, Cops Shut Down “Drug House’ and Arrest 3 ‘Frequent Fliers’ at Mondex Property
Tessa Lilly, Gage Watts and Jessica McBryde, all three convicted felons, were re-arrested at at 5000 Palm Avenue in Bunnell’s Mondex, a property the sheriff’s office says was used for drug trafficking.
Diagnosed With Dementia, She Documented Her End-of-Life Wishes. Caregivers Said No.
Nursing homes where people with dementia live their final days may refuse to honor the patients’ wishes to withhold food if is required by law to offer regular daily meals, with feeding assistance–or force-feeding–if necessary.
FlaglerLive’s Rick de Yampert Lands in New York Times as a Palm Coast Book Lover
FlaglerLive Culture Writer Rick de Yampert’s written response was one of just 14 out of more than 1,300 that The New York Times published Sunday in answer to the question: “Was Your Life Changed by a Book?”
Palm Coast’s War on Dollar Stores and Their Customers Contradicts City’s Inclusive Plan
The Palm Coast City Council imposed a 120-day moratorium on new dollar-type discount stores, citing vague fears of “long-term effects” on the community, a decision that runs counter to free-market ideals.
Thomas Rando, Felon Behind Death of Hannah Beard, 10, In Car Crash, Dies Of Overdose
Rando, a convicted felon with a dozen arrests in Flagler County since 2008, was on probation for felony drug offenses, and was awaiting trial on a third-degree felony charge of driving on a suspended license and causing the death of Hannah Beard and injuries to others.
Flawed Marijuana-Impaired DUI Testing Means Wrongful Prosecutions and Lax Enforcement
DUI-testing for marijuana impairment is inaccurate, easily disputed and defeated. The result is uneven prosecution. Innocent drivers are being wrongly convicted. Impaired drivers are remaining undetected, posing a potential safety risk to everyone on the road.
Florida Senate on Brink of New Rules for Drug Offenses, Lowering Sentences and Restoring Judges’ Discretion
Under the new guidelines, judges would be allowed to consider shorter sentences and lower fines for drug-trafficking defendants who meet certain criteria. But the bill’s fate in the House is uncertain.
Palm Coast’s Ryan Centofanti, 35, Accused of Drunkenly Driving Down A1A and Repeatedly Firing AR-15-Type Rifle
Ryan Centofanti, whose breath test produced readings of .196 and .178, allegedly fired an AR-15 rifle repeatedly (21 spent shell casings were recovered) as he drove from Beverly Beach into Flagler Beach early this morning.
WNZF Sues County Commission Candidate Tommy LeGault Over Unpaid Bills; He Owes FPC’s Cheerleaders Money They Raised Months Ago
Tommy LeGault, running for a Flagler County Commission seat as a small-business advocate, owes WNZF nearly $5,000 for infomercials he aired, owes FPC’s cheerleaders $1,000, and twice faced eviction in the last three years.
Road Fatalities Plummeted in Flagler in 2019, With Half the 12 Deaths From Motorcycle Crashes
The numbers of road fatalities in Palm Coast and Flagler County plummeted to 12 in 2019 compared to previous years, by some measures reaching or approaching a 20-year low despite the population doubling in that time span.
For Seven Days, Flagler Sees Florida’s Broken Death Penalty Machinery in Action
Though David Snelgrove was finally sentenced to life in prison rather than death this week, his trial shows how the 20-year ordeal in court could have been avoided with the same result two decades ago, had capital punishment not been on the table.
DeSantis Opposed to Measure Closing Gun-Show Loophole to Require Background Checks
The proposal (SB 7028) would close the gun-show “loophole,” create a record-keeping system for private gun sales and set aside $5 million to establish a “statewide strategy for violence prevention,” among other things.
Death Row’s Cornelius Baker a No-Show at His Own Pre-Trial Ahead of Potential Reprieve
Lawyers and the judge in the re-sentencing case of convicted murderer Cornelius Baker focused on a lengthy questionnaire about the death penalty the defense planned to submit to potential jurors. The judge ordered the questionnaire significantly shortened.
Palm Coast Prepares for $20 Million Sewer Plant Expansion in Anticipation of Growth
The Palm Coast City Council is supporting the city’s next-largest utility expansion–a $20 million project that will add 2 million gallons a day of capacity to its second sewer plant on U.S. 1. The expansion will be financed through a loan and is not expected to affect customers’ rates.
DeSantis Priorities: Boost Teacher Pay, More Everglades Restoration and Less Business Regulation
DeSantis used his annual State of the State address to tout taking a “bold step” by setting a minimum salary of $47,500 for teachers, a $602 million proposal that will be a key issue during the 60-day session.
Life in Prison Without Parole, Not Death, For David Snelgrove as 20-Year Ordeal Over Fowler Murders Ends
The seven-day re-trial over the penalty for the 2000 murders in Palm Coast’s B-Section was necessary because two previous verdicts were ruled unconstitutional. Today’s verdict means that years, maybe decades, of further proceedings will not be necessary.
Re-Emerging for 4th Year, Vacation-Rental Bill Restricting Local Authority Advances With Sen. Hutson’s Support
A Senate committee Monday approved a proposal that would take away power from cities and counties to regulate vacation rental properties. The 8-2 vote included Sen. Travis Hutson’s support. Hutson represents Flagler County.
After Dueling Witnesses and Sniping Lawyers, Jury Must Now Decide Whether to Call for David Snelgrove’s Killing
David Snelgrove’s double-murder of Glyn and Vivian Fowler in Palm Coast 20 years ago comes down, in this third sentencing trial in two decades, to a jury willing to believe he was a calculated killer as opposed to a crack-addicted mentally impaired man who snapped.
County Ends Low-Performing Economic Development Department, Citing ‘Fluffy’ Numbers and Poor Accountability
Headed by Helga van Eckert since 2012, Flagler County’s $500,000-a-year economic development department had been more successful with PR and taking credit for others’ work than producing much of its own.
Victor Williams, 43, Sentenced to 10 Years for Sex With 16-Year-Old Boy, and Hears Furious Earful From His Victim
Victor Williams was defiant to the end at his sentencing, while the victim’s 50-minute testimony described Williams as a “monster” who caused the victim’s life to spiral into depression, drugs, suicidal thoughts and self-loathing.
How Wealthy Towns Keep People With Section 8 Housing Vouchers Out
Section 8 vouchers should give low-income people the opportunity to live outside poor communities. But discriminatory landlords, exclusionary zoning and the federal government’s hands-off approach leave recipients with few places to call home.
Search Warrant in Palm Coast’s B-Section Suggests Target In Sight in Circle K Murder Investigation
For the sheriff’s office to advertise tactics their search for the Circle K killer from last November points to confidence in the trail, the sort of confidence that clearly seems not to be jeopardizing detectives’ ability to find their suspect, or suspects.
A Day After a Teacher Is Arrested for Battering a Student, a 15-Year-Old Is Arrested for Battering FPC Dean
A 15-year-old Flagler Palm Coast High School student was arrested and charged with battery against FPC Dean Erin Davis, the student’s second such charge involving a faculty member since August.
Florida Supreme Court Unanimously Rejects Constitutional Proposal to Deregulate Utility Industry
The ruling was a victory for state leaders, business groups and utilities that fought the amendment, which was proposed for the November ballot by a political committee known as Citizens for Energy Choices.
Grim Day for Snelgrove’s Defense as Prosecution Makes Largely Unanswered Case for Death
A jury tasked with deciding whether to recommend death for David Snelgrove saw a psychologist for the defense unable to convincingly show that Snelgrove is a simple-minded individual who could not weigh the severity of the double-murder of an elderly couple he committed in Palm Coast 20 years ago.
Maturing, Soaring Opelka Roars Into 2020 With Top American Ranking in His Sights
In an exclusive interview with FlaglerLive, Opelka reveals himself as young man who thinks before he speaks, is comfortable in his own skin, and understands that as his fame grows, his responsibility of handling that fame increases.
Florida Lawmakers Pressured to Increase Penalties Over School Safety as Grand Jury Finds Flaws
The grand jury wants the Legislature to give the Florida Department of Education more power to investigate non-compliant districts and to allow the state agency to sanction local school officials, reprimands that could include fines or removal from office.
American Impotence: Trump’s Assassination of Suleimani Masks Broad Retreat
All is not well: Donald Trump’s assassination of Iran’s Suleimani masks how far American power has been forced into retreat across the Middle East, and will only accelerate strategic losses that endanger American lives and interests.
Video and Pictures Revive Vivid Reactions to Double-Murder in Snelgrove’s Death-Penalty Trial
To reservations from the defense, the jury watched video and saw pictures of the crime scene following the murders of Glyn and Vivian Fowler in Palm Coast 20 years ago, part of a penalty phase–the third in 18 years–requiring the jury to decide whether to recommend death for Snelgrove or life in prison.
3 Arrested in Palm Coast After ‘Smash-and-Grab’ Thefts at Racquet Club and E Section
Three Orlando residents were arrested and charged with numerous counts of fraud, possessing stolen credit cards, burglary and other charges following an alleged brief spree of thefts in Palm Coast Tuesday.
City Rep Theatre is Playing Neil Simon’s ‘Song’ in Bow to Broadway Romance
Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre stages Neil Simon’s “They’re Playing Our Song,” the popular, semi-autobiographical story of Marvin Hamlisch and songwriting partner Carol Bayer Sager–or of Simon and Marsha Mason.
Favoring Student Profits, House Speaker Says College Athletics Have ‘Basically Become Pro Sports’
House Speaker Jose Oliva offered support Tuesday to lawmakers who want Florida’s college athletes to be able to cash in on their names and images, as three influential House committees prepare to jointly discuss the issue next week.
For Jury in Double-Murderer Case, Snelgrove’s Mental Disability Is a Gray Matter of Life and Death
David Snelgrove’s double-murder of an elderly couple in palm Coast 20 years ago is not in dispute, but whether he should be put to death for it is. A jury will have to contend with the brutality of the murders as opposed to the mitigating factor of his mental disability.
School Board’s New Suicide-Prevention Policy Would Require Training for All Faculty
With youth suicide rising sharply in the past decade, the Flagler County School Board will discuss adopting a proposed suicide-prevention policy, the district’s first, which calls for two hours of continuing education training for all faculty, including administrators.
New Rules Regulating CBD Products and Hemp in Florida Now In Effect
New rules regulating CBD products address issues such as pesticides, how packages are labeled and the inspection of products sold or produced in the state, and are derived from a federal law opening the door to CBD and hemp regulations.
Daniel Engert, a New York Town Manager and Jail Administrator, is Flagler Sheriff’s New Jail Chief
Daniel M. Engert, who will run the Flagler County jail and the sheriff’s courts division, was a 29-veteran of the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office and an elected councilman and town manager in a small Upstate New York community for the last 13 years.
20 Years After Double Murder in Palm Coast, David Snelgrove Faces Death Penalty Trial for 3rd Time
David Snelgrove murdered Glyn and Vivian Fowler in Palm Coast in 2000, but is in yet another penalty phase of his trial this week because two previous recommendations for death were not unanimous.
Voting Rights Restoration Gives Felons a Voice in More States, But Florida Muddies Trend
In the past year, six states implemented measures restoring voting rights to people with felony convictions, including Florida, though Florida alone raised new obstacles: the payment of fines and restitution before rights may be restored.
Charges Will Be Dropped, But Flagler Deputy Petkovsek Returns to Duty Facing Stiff Disciplinary Measures
Flagler County Sheriff’s detective Richard Petkovsek was off duty when he was arrested outside a St. Augustine bar for disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest. He was reinstated after losing 42 days of pay and will be on probation for a year, among other disciplinary measures.