The incident took place last week when Cooper the dog escaped its kennel and bit a Flagler Humane Society staffer before the dog’s owner took control–and asked the staffer not to say anything.
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local News
Palm Coast Manager’s Power-Play Mucks Up Donation of Truck to FPC’s Fire Academy, Ignoring County’s Role
What should have been a feel-good donation of a fire engine to FPC’s popular Fire Academy turned into a turf war after Palm Coast Manager Jim Landon ignored the county fire department’s role in the academy.
Man, 79, Turns Himself In at Flagler Jail on Scam Warrant. It’s 6 Hours Before Deputies Figure It Out and Release Him.
Alphonso Perry was made to wait for 2 hours in a lobby and 4 hours in a holding cell before detention deputies got to his file and figured out he did not belong at the county jail.
Dr. Fruehan Will Surrender License, Quitting Medicine in Face of Allegation of Sexual Improprieties With Patient
Palm Coast physician Florence Fruehan will surrender his license ahead of the conclusion of a state investigation into allegations that he groped a female patient. He is also under local sheriff’s investigation.
New Review ‘Rejects’ Report Finding Sheriff’s Building Safe But Also Lays Out Steps To Re-Occupancy
Sheriff Rick Staly asked retired scientist Robert Sweeney to review previous reports on mold testing at the Operations Center, judge the work’s quality and make recommendations.
Jesse Fisher, 19, Adds to Long Criminal Record With Arrest Over Threats to Kill
Jesse Fisher faces a second-degree felony allegedly texting a death threat to a teen girl and additional felonies for violating his probation and house arrest.
Matanzas High Launches Law and Justice Flagship, Giving Students Bridge to Cop and Legal Careers
For Matanzas, whose students often toil in the shadow of FPC, the Law and Justice flagship may right the balance with a program of equal standing with FPC’s fire academy.
Sheriff Says If It’s Up To Him, ‘I Will Be Advocating That We Never Reoccupy The Operations Center’
Sheriff Rick Staly made the startling statement in response to Commission Chairman Greg Hansen saying the decision to reoccupy will be left entirely up to Staly. But Hansen was speaking out of turn.
Once Reviled, Bunnell Bypass’ New Direction Gets Eager Support as Economic Engine
The Flagler County Commission approved an application for an $8 million grant that would build a bypass around south Bunnell, seen as an economic development engine.
Felony Child Abuse and Battery on Cop Charges for Father Upset His Daughter Was Taking Video of Argument
Brian Dobis, a 61-year-old resident of East Lake Drive in Palm Coast, faces three felony charges, including child abuse and assaulting a law enforcement officer.
Sheriff Lashes Into County Administrator Over “Disregard” of Security Protocols in
Operations Center
Sheriff Rick Staly is blaming County Administrator Craig Coffey for potentially jeopardizing the sheriff’s crime-fighting by improperly sending cleaning crews through secured areas of the evacuated Operations Center.
At Buddy Taylor Middle, Dress-Code Violation Escalates to Arrest Over Threats of Suicide and School Shooting
The arrest of a 15-year-old student at Buddy Taylor Middle School Thursday is the year’s first instance of a student allegedly threatening an attack on fellow students, faculty–and herself.
Suspect Pulls Gun on Deputy Duenas, Who For 2nd Time in 9 Months Shows Grit and Restraint
Flagler Sheriff’s deputy Jonathon Duenas Wednesday evening was confronted with a man with a gun and immediately disarmed him, the second time in nine months Duenas faced a deadly situation he defused without harm.
Abby Romaine-Greg Hansen Debate Collapses Amid Muddy Accusations and Unanswered Questions
Incumbent Greg Hansen had agreed to County Commission candidate Abby Romaine’s debate proposal only to pull out, making accusations she says are baseless as a race turns an ugly form of silly.
In Second Attempt, Bunnell Commission Will Interview 4 Candidates for City Manager
In Bunnell’s latest round of interviews, candidates include one from Iowa, one from Massachusetts, and two from Florida. Interviews are slated for Monday and Tuesday.
Flagler’s Elections Supervisor Urges Confidence in Voting System: Your Ballot Won’t Be Hacked
Flagler County Elections Supervisor Kaiti Lenhart outlines the latest measures to make the county’s election system hack-proof and challenges voters to turn out and cast a ballot.
In Two Days in Flagler, Two Overdoses, Three Incidents With Opioids, One Involving a 1-Year-Old
A 48-hour period in Flagler and Palm Coast saw the varied aspects of opioids’ effects–in overdoses, in arrests, in court–pointing to signs of an epidemic’s spread.
Florida Hospital Flagler Will Change Name to AdventHealth Palm Coast in Companywide Rebranding
The change to AdventHealth Palm Coast, by Jan. 2, is part of a company-wide rebranding across all 47 Adventist Health System hospitals and dozens of other facilities in nine states.
Deputies Halt Burglary on Palm Coast’s Riverina Drive and Find 3 Teens
Two girls (15 and 16), one of whom lives in the area and one who’d been reported missing, and an 18-year-old from Daytona Beach were reportedly involved in the burglary.
Palm Coast Man Accused of Raping Step-Daughters For Years, and Molesting Their Friend
Gabriel Pardo, a 36-year-old resident of Palm Coast’s F Section, is accused of raping his own step-daughters over several years and molesting one of their friends.
County and Turtle Patrol Relocate Nests as Dune Restoration Project Advances
Nesting season runs through October 31, and Flagler County is working with Turtle Patrol to find and relocate any nests that would be impacted by the dunes project as required by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Only 6 New Names After Bunnell Re-Opened Call For City Manager Applicants
The Bunnell City Commission this evening will again select a new batch of candidates to interview for city manager after its previous attempt last month fell short.
Three Teens Arrested In Connection With Burglary Spree in Palm Coast’s R-Section
The teens–19, 18 and 16–had attempted to burglarize six vehicles and been successful entering one of them, seizing a wallet, when a deputy spotted two of them on Rymfire Drive.
Kay Jewelers in Palm Coast’s Target Shopping Center Is Robbed, Search Ongoing
Kay Jewelers in Palm Coast’s Town Center was the target of a robbery this evening. The assailants are at large. No injuries were reported. The robbery was reported at around 7:45 p.m. According to Anna Hackett, a Flagler County Sheriff’s spokesperson, two black males who appeared to be in their early 20s entered the store […]
Residents Largely Opposed, But Construction For 2 Roundabouts on US 1 Slated For 2019
State officials unveiled plans Thursday for a $2.2 million roundabout at Matanzas Woods Parkway and U.S. 1, with construction starting next summer. Another roundabout at U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway begins construction sooner.
Chris Lawhon, 30, Is Found Dead Along Biking Trail in the Hammock
Christopher Lee Lawhon, 30, last of 48 North Coral Reef Court in Palm Coast, was found dead by a biker on the Hammock trail the evening of Aug. 6. No foul play is suspected.
CDC Experts Will Examine Sheriff’s Operations Center and Meet With Employees
After three weeks of seeming inaction on the troubled Sheriff’s Operations Center, the county has agreed to a two-day site visit from CDC experts in occupational safety and health issues.
Bomb Threat Briefly Interrupts Evening Shift at Palm Coast Data
A bomb scare briefly interrupted the evening shift Monday Palm Coast Data as employees from the building that contains the company’s call center were evacuated.
A Day Before School Starts, FPC Principal Dusty Sims Announces He’s Leaving District For
State Education Job
Dusty Sims, the popular and charismatic principal at Flagler Palm Coast High School since 2015, is leaving the school for a state Department of Education job, overseeing failing schools.
Flagler Approves $227,500 in Tourism Spending, Including $150,000 for Marina
The grants were part of the annual county tourism bureau’s funding round and are designed to enhance tourism and the visitor count in the county.
Palm Coast Physician Florence Fruehan Accused Of Groping Female Patient; State Orders Him Restricted
Long-time physician Florence R. Fruehan of Palm Coast Urgent Care, who is also an elected official, is under an Emergency Restriction Order from the State Department of Health.
New Back To School Normal For Flagler School Employees: How To Deal With a Mass Killer
The Flagler Auditorium today filled with 1,000 faculty members for “active shooter” or “incident survival” training through a vivid, disquieting presentation by Sheriff’s officials.
Flagler Group Launches Tiger Bay Club in Hopes of Fostering Non-Partisan Diversity
Flagler County now has a Tiger Bay Club of its own, joining nearly two dozen other cities or counties in Florida with an organization devoted to non-partisan, political discussions and civic debate.
Grim Flagler Milestone in 2017: Most Suicides In County’s History, Highest Rate in Florida
There were 31 suicides in Flagler-Palm Coast in 2017, five more than the previous high, a third of them affecting people 45 to 54. The county’s rate is significantly higher than the average in states most severely affected by suicide.
State Attorney Files Battery Charge On Flagler Beach Commissioner Eric Cooley, Ending Speculation
The State Attorney filed the battery charge on Commissioner Eric Cooley on allegations he struck the woman he lived with and worked with at Flagler Beach’s 7-Eleven.
Sheriff Staly and 2 Deputies Pull Guns on Suspects at End of I-95 Chase That Reached 100 MPH
Tavarius Stokes, 23, had allegedly pulled a gun on the mother of his child in Bunnell and was wanted on a warrant when Sheriff Rick Staly joined the chase and was part of apprehending Stokes and another man today.
Florida’s Back-To-School Sales Tax Holiday Is This Weekend: Here’s A Guide (No Electronics)
Florida’s sales tax holiday on school supplies, clothing, shoes and other select accessories is this weekend–starting at a minute after midnight Friday, Aug. 3, through midnight Sunday, Aug. 5.
In Rebuke to Palm Coast Council and Public, Landon Fends Off Request For More Timely Information
Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland wants Manager Jim Landon to make council meeting materials to council and public sooner than on meeting days. Landon’s stunning answer: don’t bet on it.
County Employee Faces Termination After Accessing Judges’ Secure Area To Complain About His Case
Gerald Pikaard, a 61-year-old trades worker, used his county-issued ID badge to access the chambers of County Judge Melissa Moore-Stens and her assistant to complain about his DUI case’s disposition.
Swip Swap Leads to Arrest of Palm Coast Woman in Hit-and-Run That Injured a Man
Joyce Ramirez, 57, previously convicted of a felon, had fled the scene of the crash because she had no insurance or a registered car. A Swip Swap user helped identify her.
Palm Coast Would Raise Water and Sewer Rates 20.6% Over the Next 4 Years
The average monthly residential bill for water and sewer is $65.76. It would rise to $79.33 by 2022, when the average annual bill will be $163 higher than it is now.
A Body Is Found in Intracoastal Search For Matthew Otis, 20, Who’d Disappeared Off a Boat on Sunday
Matthew Otis, 20, of Palm Coast, was lost in the Intracoastal around 6:30 Sunday evening as he and friends were boating and tubing on the water.
Woman Accused of Breaking Into Palm Coast Home and Kidnapping Her Two Children
Sara Elisabeth Jones, 29, of Palm Coast, is accused of kidnapping her two children, whose custody she’d lost, and taking them to Tennessee, where she was arrested.
For FPC Student-Athlete Allen Roberson, 16, A Summer Battling a Rare Brain Tumor And Aiming For Next Run
Allen Roberson, an honors student and a runner at FPC, went through complicated surgeries on July 3 and 12 and has been mending through radiation and chemotherapy since.
‘Funworld Place’ Business Owner Accused of Selling Crack Out of Palm Coast Parkway Store
Jerard K. Davis of Palm Coast, who’s twice served prison stints for selling cocaine, was arrested at his business near Sunshine Academy and allegedly found with crack and other drugs that he was selling.
After Noting Many “Deficiencies” In Flagler’s Public Transportation System, State Ordered 2 Buses Off the Roads
Last November state inspectors noted 45 “deficiencies” in Flagler County’s public transportation system, and last week ordered two buses off the roads because safety problems had not been addressed.
Flagler Beach Sets Tentative Property Tax Rate 21% Higher. Don’t Panic: It Won’t Stick.
Flagler Beach commissioners were forced to agree to a proposed tax rate that will be mailed to property owners even though they had not held their first budget workshop yet.
Palm Coast Woman Leads Uber Driver at Gunpoint On Strange Run in E-Section
Betty Jo Halter, 44, of Palm Coast’s E Section, allegedly forced an Uber driver to take her around town at gunpoint in search of a man, before the driver managed to get away.
Cops Behaving Proudly: Sheriff and Flagler Beach Police Chief Sum Up Solid State of Law Enforcement
Sheriff Rick Staly and Flagler Beach Chief Matt Doughney appeared at a chamber breakfast to speak of the state of law enforcement in the county, from diminishing crime rates to improving PR.
Jury Finds Matthew Nesbitt Guilty on 7 Counts in Near-Lethal Confrontation With Cops and Dog, Faces 15 Years in Prison
The trial provided a rare and detailed look into the raw emotions, fears, confusions, split-second judgments and calculations of deputies in a potentially lethal confrontation.