By the time Catherine Robinson takes the oath of office for her next term, she may face a very different commission, certainly with two new commissioners at the table, and possibly three.
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local News
Bunnell Man Threatens Life of Deputy and His Family After Latest of Many Arrests
Devarus O’Shea Bethea, 31, of Bunnell, was released from state prison in 2017 and had remained out of trouble since–until the day after Christmas, and again on Friday evening.
Help Wanted: Flagler County Seeking Interim Manager and Hoping to Stave Off Exodus
Deputy County Administrator Sally Sherman will lead the county’s administration for the next two weeks as the commission searches for an interim, before launching into a search for a permanent replacement for Craig Coffey.
Reilly Opelka In Stunning Upset Of World’s 9th-Ranked Isner at Australian Open
Reilly Opelka, the former Indian Trails Middle School student, now 7-feet tall, showed his maturity and improved ground game to stun Isner, who was ranked 9th in the world going into the game.
On Captain’s BBQ at Bing’s, Commissioner Hansen Says Compromise Is On the Table
Allaying fears that his mind is made up, County Commissioner Greg Hansen said he’s willing to go for a compromise that would locate Captain’s BBQ away from the center of Bing’s Landing.
Palm Coast Man Charged With Raping a Girl In His Custody Since She Was 5, Saying “It Just Happened”
The near-daily rapes by Michael D. King, 40, originally of England, are alleged to have taken place in Palm Coast when the girl was between 7 and 10, and apparently during an earlier period when she was 5, as well as in other counties.
Proposal Calls for $1-an-Hour Paid Parking on A1A in Flagler Beach, Restrictions Elsewhere, and Meter Maids
The Flagler Beach City Commission is yet again considering a paid-parking proposal for its downtown area, but the plan, which projects $300,000 in revenue, would cost almost as much to run.
Beyond Coffey: Alternate Locations Emerge for Sheriff’s Operations Center as Calls to Abandon Troubled Building Mount
A 20,000 square-foot building built to attract new business and industry is one of the options for the sheriff’s operations center as the sheriff, employees and at least two county commissioners don’t see a path back into the troubled Operations Center anymore.
Flagler Commission in 3-2 Vote Accepts Craig Coffey’s Resignation, Effective Friday
Th commission’s decision means Flagler County Administrator Craig Coffey’s last day is Friday, ending an 11-year tenure that soured precipitously in the past year.
11-Year-Old Rymfire Elementary Student Faces Felony Over Knife Possession and “Murder” Threat
The 11-year-old student is alleged to have brought a 12.5 inch knife to school and thrown it over the fence after threatening a 13-year-old with “murder.”
Resignations of Key Loyalists Give Administrator Coffey ‘Pause’ About His Plan to Resign
County Administrator Craig Coffey’s announcement that he was resigning was followed by that of Sally Sherman, his deputy, and Joe Mayer, HR director, and changed Coffey’s own course.
Flagler Administrator Craig Coffey Offers to Resign; Special Meeting Set for Wednesday
County Administrator Craig Coffee is seeking to resign in exchange for severance and six months’ health benefits. The commission will decide whether to accept at a 5:30 p.m. meeting Wednesday.
Flagler District’s Graduation Rate Soars to 88%, Vindicating Big Push and Tager’s “Bunker”
The district’s graduation rate’s improvements were powered by gains among black and at-risk students, and by Superintendent Jim Tager’s “bunker,” a system that focuses on students who think they can;t make it.
Changing Position, Key Commissioner Says Sheriff’s Building is Not Repairable and Calls For New HQ Elsewhere
Flagler County Commissioner Dave Sullivan says he won’t spend another nickel on the sick Sheriff’s Operations Center and calls for building a new structure somewhere else.
Deputies Rescue 2 Women, One Blind, Entrapped in Car Driven Into Pond at Waterfront Park
Nancy Burns of Palm Coast misjudged a small road for Colbert Lane and, in heavy rain, drove into a pond at Waterfront Park, with her blind daughter and a service dog. They were rescued and were uninjured.
At Bing’s Landing, an Alternate, Compromise Location Emerges For Captain’s BBQ
The County Commission today heard new options on the expansion of Captain’s BBQ at Bing’s Landing in the Hammock, a plan that drew some support from the public, though rancor and controversy still simmers.
Cuts Into Sheriff Building’s Structure Point to Alarming Issues, Including Bat Droppings and “Substantial Moisture”
Two days of testing and cuts into walls and floors at the troubled Sheriff’s Operations Center are adding to a tally of concerns, with revelations of old wood and insulation, bat droppings and widespread floor moisture.
Mother Faces Felony for Leaving 13-Day-Old Child and 2 Other Toddlers Unsecured in Car
Mercedes McCaster, 29, was driving on Palm Coast’s Belle Terre Parkway with four children, all of them improperly or not at all secured. Her arrests brings attention to a common safety problem.
Belle Terre Elementary Community Mourns Loss of Palm Coast 3rd Grader in an Accident
Connor R. Allen, 8, of Palm Coast, a student at Belle Terre Elementary, was with his grandfather, Roland J. Robidoux, 73, in Edgewater, when he was pinned in a storage unit by a car his grandfather was storing.
Two Teens, 14 and 15, Face Charges After Setting Off Fireworks Inside Palm Coast Target
Two teens, ages 14 and 15, face criminal mischief charges after they set off fireworks inside the Target store two days after Christmas, damaging some property and requiring paramedics’ intervention for a woman who had recently had a heart attack.
It’s Now AdventHealth Palm Coast: Florida Hospital Flagler Changes Name, and Signs
Florida Hospital Flagler officially became AdventHealth Palm Coast this morning, with some 15 signs changed over to reflect the company’s re-branding across nearly 50 hospitals in nine states.
Mark Carman, Affable Face of Policing in Palm Coast For 20 Years, Is Leaving To Be Crescent City Chief
Mark Carman, 57, spent 31 years at the Flagler Sheriff’s Office and 20 heading the Palm Coast precinct and as liaison. He’ll be taking the Crescent City Police Chief’s job come February.
On Pritchard Drive, a Man Takes His Life on New Year’s After His Wife Dies at Christmas
Daniel P. Kennedy of Palm Coast had called a friend moments earlier to say his wife had died around Christmas and he could not go on living. He was still breathing when deputies found him.
27-Year-Old Manager at Captain’s BBQ Arrested on Charges of Sex With a Minor
Brandin Michael Deoliveira, 27, a resident of Palm Coast, was arrested this afternoon and is alleged to have threatened to kill the girl and her family if she revealed anything.
Flagler Firefighters’ Union Members Vote For Firing Their Boss, Administrator Craig Coffey
The firefighters’ union’s vote was expected but significant in that its membership’s contract is dependent on negotiations with Coffey’s management team, and vulnerable to retaliation.
Hoverboard Explodes, Triggering Fire That Leaves Palm Coast Family All But Homeless
The fire Thursday evening consumed much of the B side of the duplex at 18 Buttonbush Lane in Palm Coast. leaving a mother and her two young children without a home days after Christmas.
Reemerging From the Guts of the Beast: Art Exhibit Will Celebrate Richard and Arleen Schreiner
Before his untimely death in 2012, Palm Coast artist Richard Schreiner saw art as fury, as revolt and defiance. A new exhibit will celebrate his and his late wife’s life’s work at Salvo Art House in Bunnell.
Paul Swarts, 60, Is Killed, 12-Year-Old Girl Injured as Van Rear-Ends Dump Truck on US 1 in Palm Coast
It is the fifth death in December on Flagler roads, four of the deaths occurring in the stretch from just yards north of Belle Terre Boulevard to the Old Dixie Highway intersection with U.S. 1.
Motorcyclist Robert Roy Robbins Is Killed Off U.S. 1 Near White Eagle, 4th Flagler Road Fatality in 2 Weeks
Robert Roy Robbins, a 62-year-old motorcyclist, lost control, swerved off U.S. 1 and crashed on Old Dixie Highway near the White Eagle Lounge this afternoon. He was pronounced dead minutes later.
Palm Coast Man, 21, Arrested in B-Section Shooting, a Pot Deal Gone Wrong
Maurice Tyron Moultrie, 21, was arrested Friday (Dec. 21) in connection with the shooting of an 18-year-old Palm Coast resident earlier that day.
Multiple Vehicle Crash and Rollover Severely Injures 2 Children on I-95 at SR100
The crash was caused by David Blank, 58, of Daytona Beach, who was at the wheel of a service truck, and who rear-ended a Volkswagen. A 9-year-old child was in critical condition, several others were seriously hurt.
Jury Deadlocks, Mistrial Declared In Case of 47-Year-Old Accused of Molesting Girl at Sleepover
Michael Bowling, 47, will remain in jail on numerous charges even as numerous inconsistencies led a jury today to deadlock over charges he molested a 15-year-old girl.
18 Year Old Wounded in Drive-By Shooting on Palm Coast’s Bressler Lane; Suspects in Custody
A drive-by shooting shook Palm Coast’s B-Section this morning at 10, leaving a man of about 18 seriously injured.
Defense’s Strategy in Molestation Trial: Attacking, Discrediting and Demolishing an Alleged Victim
The defense in Michael Bowling’s trial today focused not on the charges at hand, but on one key witness, a teen girl, in attempts to impeach her credibility and accusations.
Before Barbecue: How Flagler County Saved Bing’s From Development
Bing’s Landing before the current controversy over Captain’s BBQ’s proposed expansion could have been sold off to developers. It wasn’t, thanks to one woman’s vision. Her daughter tells the story.
Heavy Rains and Storms Soak Flagler But More Severe Threats Are Limited
Threats to Flagler were lessening as the day progressed, but there were local repercussions, with downed trees and concerns about flooding.
In Child-Molestation Trial, Even a Juror Raises a Question About a Main Witness’ Credibility
The defense seriously damaged the credibility of the step-daughter of Michael Bowling, 47, on trial for molesting the step-daughter’s friend when she was 15–and facing more grave charges regarding his step-daughter as well.
Teacher, Police and Fire Unions Join Call to Fire Craig Coffey, With Help From Milissa Holland
The county’s public sector unions in a powerful joint approach aided by Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland have joined calls to fire County Administrator Craig Coffey.
Three Finger Charlie Bar Owner in Bunnell Busted for Running Alleged Gambling House
Undercover agents of the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco began investigating alleged illegal gambling activities at Three Finger Charlie’s in late July.
From ‘Seven Minutes in Heaven’ to a Teen’s Accusation of Molestation in a Closet
Michael Bowling, 47, in his first day of trial today, is accused of molesting a 15-year-old girl during a game of “Seven Minutes In Heaven” as the two were allegedly in a closet alone.
Overlooking Its Call for ‘Unity,’ Flagler NAACP Claims Sheriff ‘Sought to Bury’ Incident Involving 2 Racist Students at FPC
What the Flagler Branch of the NAACP billed as a “unified public support press conference” for the high school teacher targeted by two students’ racist threats featured more grandstanding and accusations than revelations today.
A Special Taxing District To Repair Palm Coast’s Privately Owned Sea Walls? Not Exactly.
Is Palm Coast looking to create a taxing district to pay for privately owned seawall repairs on the city’s 26 miles of saltwater canals? Not exactly. Certainly not yet. But it’s not off the table.
Like Palm Coast, County Government Plans To Send Small Drone Fleet Airborne
County government plans to spend $20,000 to acquire several drones and use them for public safety, land and infrastructure surveys and incident management, but the county has yet to develop rules and policies.
House With 5 Occupants in Palm Coast’s Z-Section Is Shot Up, But Surveillance Video Was ‘Deleted’
The 1,600-square-foot house at 16 Zircon Court in Palm Coast was the target of a shooting early Sunday morning. Nine bullet holes were detected.
Hammock Group Appeals Captain’s BBQ Plan at Bing’s Landing, and County Questions Filing
The Hammock Community Association filed an appeal of a county planning board approval of the expansion of Captain’s BBQ at Bing’s Landing, drawing a challenge from the county on grounds that the decision is not appealable that way.
Judges Gaustad and Ferebee Join 7th Judicial Circuit Bench, Among Other Changes
The Seventh Judicial Circuit welcomes two new Circuit Judges and announces changes to judicial assignments for several sitting judges.
Katherine May Sanford, 85, Is Killed in Crash on U.S. 1 and Seminole Woods Boulevard
Katherine May Sanford, 85, a resident of Palm Coast, was killed Friday evening in a two-vehicle crash on U.S. 1 and Seminole Woods Boulevard.
Yet Another Student Is Arrested, At FPC, Over School Shooting Threats, Capping Exasperating Week
In the fourth school-safety incident in five school days, yet another student, a 16-year-old attending Flagler Palm Coast High School, was arrested today on allegations that he threatened to shoot up the school.
Two More Students, Both 13, Face Charges Over Shooting Threats Targeting Indian Trails Middle
The reported threats on an after-school bus was the third incident in the last five school days resulting in charges or arrests involving a total of five students.
Eddie Collins, 62, of Bunnell, Dies of Injuries From U.S. 1 Pick-Up Crash
Eddie Collins, the 62-year-old Bunnell man critically injured in a crash on U.S. 1 on Monday (Dec. 10), died Thursday evening at Halifax hospital in Daytona Beach.