Flagler Sheriff’s deputy David Lichty was in emergency mode, responding to an incident in Palm Coast’s R-Section, when he lost control of his Crown Vic early Sunday morning.
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local News
Palm Coast Residents Say They Like Their City But Less So Their Municipal Government
In the latest survey of residents’ satisfaction, Palm Coast government and the direction of the city takes a significant hit, while services such as police and fire see great satisfaction.
Employee Who Reported Theft From Vacation-Rental Agency Is Herself Arrested For Theft
Alena Borich reported last week to police that the Vacation Rental Pros office in Palm Coast where she works had been ransacked. Friday she was charged with grand theft after allegedly shoplifting from Kohl’s.
Should Plastic Bags Be Banned? State and Local Officials Have Different Answers
Local governments, including Coral Gables in Florida, are banning single-use plastic bags, but state legislators are either questioning or banning the bans.
Palm Coast Vacation Rental Agency Ransacked, Hammock Unit Used To Print Counterfeit Cash
The Vacation Rental Pros office on Palm Coast’s Utility Drive was ransacked and keys to units stolen apparently by a tenant who used his unit possibly to print counterfeit currency.
At the Flagler County Art League:
Diana Gilson, Artist of the Year
Abstratct-expressionist painter Diana Gilson–sailor, pianist, amateur linguist–is the Gariuolo Foundation’s 2017 Flagler CountyArtist of the Year, with an exhibit opening Saturday at the Flagler County Art League.
Flagler Loses Hutson and Lopsided Vote as Vacation Rental Deregulation Advances
Sen. Travis Hutson voted with the 9-1 majority of his Senate committee today to advance a bill that would strip local governments of regulatory authority of vacation-rental homes.
Dunes Restoration Project Update At Week 3, With Video
Some 2,800 linear feet of dunes have been restored as of February 7, with the county’s goal being a mile a month. Chris Goodfellow’s videos have been documenting progress.
For 13th and 14th Felonies, George Wood Is Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison
George G. Wood, 32, of Palm Coast was sentenced on an escape and firearm [possession charge, and still faces life in prison on an armed burglary charge he’s to be tried on later this month.
In 1st Forum of Season, School Board Candidates Discourse Rather Than Debate
Four of the five candidates running for Flagler County School Board have served 24 years between them and want to serve more. The fifth has never been in office.
Dog Parks at Palm Coast’s Holland Park Closed Over Fears of Hookworm
A dog that recently used the parks was diagnosed with hookworm, which can affect pets and humans, prompting closure of the two dog parks and intervention by the health department.
Urging Opposition, Flagler Beach’s Jane Mealy Says Vacation-Rental Proposals Could Change City’s Look
In an open plea to residents circulated by letter, Flagler Beach Commission Chair Jane Mealy warns of vacation-rental proposals that could change the make-up of the city, eliminating distinctions between residential and commercial zones.
Congregate Meals Program For Seniors at Wickline in Flagler Beach Hits Milestones
The need for congregate meals for seniors has grown in Flagler over the years, but federal and local funding has not, declining somewhat in the past 10 years.
County Agrees To Settling Dangerous Dog Case With Broader Implications on Authority
Flagler County Attorney Al Hadeed argues Circuit Judge Scott DuPont misconstrued and misapplied the law in a dangerous-dog decision the county is appealing to the Fifth District Court of Appeal.
Couple Park 6-Year-Old Autistic Child in Truck As They Watch Super Bowl at Bunnell Bar
Kristal and Robert Valenti were charged with felony child neglect after being accused of leaving their child in a truck outside Bunnell’s Beer House for hours so they could watch the Super Bowl.
County Eliminates 15 Jobs, Outsourcing Janitorial Contract Commissioners Had Saved in 2015
Three years ago then-Flagler Commissioner Barbara Revels saved the jobs, arguing they were more important than outsourcing’s modest savings. This time, the commission voted 5-0 to outsource.
Woman, 42, Stops Her Car Off U.S. 1 and Ends Her Life With Gunshot as Helicopter Hovers
Maggie Olivera, 42, was found in her Toyota 4 Runner by the side of the road at Old Dixie Highway off U.S. 1 in Flagler after St. Johns County’s emergency helicopter had followed her from St. Johns.
Chief Judge Has Discouraging News For Flagler’s Hope of Landing 2nd County Judge
Despite certifying Flagler for an additional county court judge in 2016 and recognizing a still-increasing workload last year the Supreme Court has ruled against certifying an additional judge this year.
At Coastal Cloud in the Hammock, a Culture More Cutting Edge Than Cutthroat Breeds Startling Success at 5-Year Mark
Palm Coast’s Coastal Cloud marked its 5-year anniversary with startling successes, including 40 percent annual growth, 140 employees and near-parity between men and women in the ranks.
Belle Terre Elementary’s African American Read-In on Feb. 22 Seeking Volunteers
The goal is to make literacy a significant and exciting part of African American History Month. The school is seeking many volunteers to read to all classes from kindergarten through 6th grade.
Jealousy and Phones Trigger Violent Domestic Confrontations, 1 Gunshot and 3 Arrests
Two men and a woman were jailed on felony charges stemming from separate, violent confrontations with their girlfriends or spouse after claims of infidelity.
Grant Will Fund Vocational Help For More Than a Dozen Students at FPC and Matanzas
A legislatively chartered organization granted FPC and Matanzas $22,000 for the vocational program through the Flagler Education Foundation.
Four Local Governments Vying For Residents To Enroll In Their “Academies”
Local governments’ citizenship academies have been relatively popular, especially among potential political candidates or people who want to see the plumbing of government firsthand.
Palm Coast Planning To Reduce All Whiteview Parkway to 2 Lanes For Footpath and Safety
86 injuries from 60 crashes in three years and the lack of a bike and footpath led Palm Coast to plan for reducing a stretch of Whiteview from four to two lanes.
Nancy Soderberg, Frontrunner: Democrat So Far Has No Competition in Congressional District
Democratic congressional candidate Nancy Soderberg raised $544,000 before Jan. 1, by far more than any Democrat has managed to raise for a race in a district that includes all of Flagler County.
War Of The Birds on Palm Coast’s Collingwood Lane Ends In Victory For Purple Martins
Neighbors on Collingwood Lane have been suing and battling each other for four years over two dozen bird houses. A judge has ruled in favor of the birds.
County Approves Special Tax and Contract To Build Seawall for Painters Hill Homes
Each of the affected property owners is looking at an additional tax bill of roughly $100,000 spread over the next 15 years to pay for the seawall.
1st Round in New Session’s Vacation Rental Saga Goes Against Flagler Government
A Senate committee approved a bill that would nearly eliminate local government regulation of vacation rentals and enable a single licensee to have hundreds of rentals across the state.
Paul Dykes Sentenced To Life In Prison Without Parole 2 Times Over For Child Rape
A jury had found Dykes guilty on 24 counts, including raping a 1-year-old, in December, making the life sentences mandatory, and leaving little room for the judge or lawyers to maneuver.
Jon Netts Will Run Again For Palm Coast Council. So Will Heidi Shipley–For Same Seat
Former Palm Coast Mayor Jon Netts will challenge Council member Heidi Shipley for her seat, now that she has changed her mind and opted to run again.
Bunnell Claims It Charged Man With 2nd Degree Murder in Death of Emanuel. Sheriff and State Attorney Know Nothing About It.
The Bunnell city administration issued an announcement about the charge, but the State Attorney’s Office says the investigation is continuing, and the Sheriff’s Office says Thomas’s status has not changed.
For Kim Weeks, Nothing Left To Try Against 5 Remaining Felony Counts But a Trial
A circuit judge has denied ex-Flagler Elections Supervisor Kim Weeks’s motion to throw out the search warrant that led to evidence of allegedly illegally recorded conversations.
Gala Raises $70,600 For Newly-Created Flagler Sheriff’s Employee Trust Fund
Donations will support the well-being of sheriff’s employees and provide immediate financial assistance in emergencies not necessarily covered by insurance.
Raising Faith Over Futility, Flagler Launches Unprecedented $25 Million Dunes-Restoration Feat
For 50 hours a week for the next 48 weeks, trucks will dump nearly 1 million tons of sand along 12 to 15 miles of Flagler County beaches, rebuilding the dunes hurricanes washed away.
Flagler Beach Places Golf Club On Probation, Pending Compliance With Lease Terms
Two Flagler Beach city commissioners were ready to end the lease with the manager of Ocean Palms Golf Club Thursday, but were held back in a last-chance effort to allow for compliance.
County Planning Board May Have Violated Rules In Approving Hammock Restaurant and Brewery Without A1A Committee Review
County Planning Board members appeared to have been misled by county staffers when told that the advisory Scenic A1A Pride committee’s opinion was not required as part of development plans. It is.
Unusual Degree of Mayhem, But Also Success, Reflected in Sheriff’s Quarterly Awards
An award ceremony seemed to reflect the particular vigor and style of policing Rick Staly ushered in just over a year ago, when he became sheriff.
Two Suicides, 2 Attempted, 5 Baker Acts Between Saturday and Monday in Palm Coast
For the second time in three weeks, Flagler Sheriff’s deputies were confronted with a spike in mental health crises over 48 hours that underscored the county’s dearth of resources other than law enforcement.
240 Apartments Rising on Palm Coast’s E-Section Rim as Bunnell Approves Higher Height Limit
The apartment complex will be called Shadetree at Bunnell, with rent averaging $1,300 a month, on 30 acres abutting Palm Coast’s E-Section. The Bunnell Planning Board quietly approved an exception so the buildings could be exceed the city’s height limit.
Counterfeiters Among Us: Several Palm Coast Businesses Targets of Bogus $100 Bills
Salsa’s, Domino’s, McDonald’s and a Mobil station were all targeted by a user of counterfeit bills, as was a man selling items on Craig’s List. The investigation is continuing.
From Ankle Monitors to a $165,000 Grant for an Extra Detective, Domestic Violence Initiative Keeps Momentum
The Sheriff’s Domestic Violence Task Force, far from disbanding, is continuing its varied initiatives, though the incidence of domestic violence in the county appears to be spiking.
Despite Questions of Trust, Flagler Commission Clears Way For 200 Homes Around Lakeside on A1A
Flagler commissioners voted to approve the 200-home development on either side of Lakeside By the Sea on A1A in a contentious 3-hour hearing in which commissioners said their hands were tied to do anything else.
In Last-Minute Reversal, Judge Agrees To More Lenient Plea in Maria Howell Case
After rejecting the deal last month, Circuit Judge Dennis Craig agreed to 18 months in prison for Maria Howell, who’d faced trial and possibly 15 years in prison over a molestation charge.
5-Hour Standoff With Woman Threatening Suicide Ends Peacefully on Point of Woods
Kathryn Hunter, 39, girlfriend of a man who killed himself on Jan. 9, surrendered to deputies in mid-afternoon after SWAT team members entered her house. She will be Baker Acted.
Eric Cooley Wins Flagler Beach Commission Seat Unopposed, Mayor Provencher Reelected Unchallenged
No one ran against Eric Cooley, ensuring that he’d take a Flagler Beach Commission seat in place of Joy McGrew automatically. Linda Provencher was again elected without opposition for the fourth contest out of five.
Jimmie Brazell, 56, Struck and Killed As He Steps Out From Car On I-95 in Palm Coast
Jimmie Brazell, 56, was killed by a passing car as he walked across I-95 in Palm Coast after an argument with his new bride, who had asked him to pull over.
Bobby Gore Sentenced to 15 Years In Shooting Death of His Son in Flagler Beach as Judge Rebukes “Family Culture” of Firearms
Bobby Earl Gore, 74, shot his son Lucas, 31, last April at their Flagler Beach home, allegedly after Lucas had terrorized and humiliated him. A judge did not feel too much lenience was required in the sentence.
Strident Opposition to Roundabout at US1 and Old Dixie Even As Another Crash Results In Critical Injury
There was no doubt as to the near-unanimity and depth of opposition to a roundabout at the intersection of US1 and Old Dixie by the end of a one-hour public hearing.
Flagler County’s Employment Grows by 1,500 Over a Year of Steady Growth
Flagler County’s unemployment rate in December fell to 4 percent, down from a revised 4.3 percent, and was down a healthy 1.4 points for the year.
Roundabout at U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Will Save Lives, But Resistance Is Expected
Those used to roundabouts love them, those not hate them: traffic experts say the roundabout at US1 and Old Dixie can work well with good design and education.