Chief Judge Raul Zambrano’s order, delivered to DuPont by letter today, is as close to the firing of a judge short of a Supreme Court impeachment, and follows an investigation’s withering recommendation for removal.
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local News
Behind the Shooting On Seamanship Trail: Drugs, Underage Sex and Mom’s Warnings
Contents of Tristan George’s phone reveal incriminating texts and videos about underage sex and drugs, and warnings to the Palm Coast man from his mother about his behavior.
Epic Child Abuse Case Fails Stand Your Ground Defense in Debacle of Witnesses
An unusual stand-your-ground case unfolded in Flagler court this morning over an allegation that a 39-year-old man punched a 16-year-old girl at Epic Theater in palm Coast last October.
New Trouble For Gunshot Victim and Suspect: Rape Charge Involving a Minor
Tristan George, 19, was shot outside his Palm Coast house at 28 Seamanship Trail in November in a case still under investigation. He now faces a statutory rape charge.
With ‘Macbeth’ and Measureless Content, Palm Coast Arts Foundation and City Rep Theatre Launch Shakespeare In the Park
It’s “Macbeth” time Thursday through Sunday as the Palm Coast Arts Foundation and City Repertory Theatre hope Shakespeare in the Park, in Town Center, becomes a local tradition.
In a First, Palm Coast Drug Dealer Is Indicted on 1st Degree Murder in Overdose Death of Savannah Deangelis
Joseph Colon, 34, of Palm Coast, is accused of selling the heroin and fentanyl that killed Savannah Deangelis, 23, moments later at her Grand Haven home last October.
Anxious Morning of Gun Threats in Palm Coast Affecting 3 Schools, and a Demonstration by 200 Students at FPC
A gun threat at FPC’s i3 Academy proved unfounded, Buddy Taylor and Wadsworth went on lockdown as deputies resolved another gun threat in Palm Coast’s P-Section, and 200 students at FPC demonstrated against gun violence.
“I’d Like To Stare At Him In the Eyes Now”
Serial Masked Armed Robber Sentenced To 30 Years as Victim Rebukes Him
A Terranova Restaurant owner in court today told castigated Charles Rushing-Griffen for the way he’d stared at her while robbing her at gunpoint in December.
Mold Found In 2 Rooms at Sheriff’s Operations Center After 4 Employees Complain of Rashes
The four employees were relocated and the concern prompted an environmental investigation of the old but renovated building and the closure of two rooms pending extensive clean-ups.
Matanzas High Students Developing Justice Academy For Aspiring Cops and Lawyers
Matanzas High’s law and justice academy, developed by students with help from the sheriff’s office and others, mirrors the popular fire academy at Flagler Palm Coast High School.
2 Palm Coast Women in Separate Incidents Face Charges of Felony Child Abuse By Strangling
Julie Bruce, 52, is accused of strangling an 8-year-old child, and Tina Seale, 40, is accused of strangling a 13 year old. Both women live in Palm Coast.
Witness Describes Disturbing Near-Miss Immediately Before Friday’s Crash That Killed 2 on SR100
Patrick Spurgeon, a trucker, said the woman who slammed into a pick-up, triggering the fatal wreck Friday, had moments earlier passed him while a motorcyclist was passing from the other direction.
Flagler Sheriff and County Officials Worry That Prison Reforms Could Shift Inmates,
and Costs, to County
A spate of criminal-justice reform bills in the Florida Senate has Flagler’s sheriff and a county commissioner worried about what that could mean for the local jail population and budgets.
2 Dead, 4 Injured, 3 Seriously in 3-Vehicle Crash on SR 100, West of CR 305
A three-vehicle crash on State Road 100 west of Bunnell Friday evening resulted in the death of Ralph Pellicer, 43, of Bunnell and of Jobe Podach, 35, of Holly Hill.
T-Mobile and Hair Cuttery On Palm Coast Parkway Targeted By Smash-And-Grab Burglars
Both stores on Palm Coast Parkway were burglarized early Thursday morning after burglars smashed glass doors with bricks and ransacked interiors.
Qualifications Commission Recommends Judge DuPont Removed, Calling Him “Reckless,” Untruthful and “Heavy Handed”
Judge Scott DuPont serves on Flagler’s and Putnam’s civil benches, and was facing a series of accusations that he’d acted wrongfully and recklessly as a judge and a candidate.
Flagler Airport Chief Roy Sieger Calls Fuel Tax Cut Proposed By Renner Committee “Ridiculous,” and Loses
Airport Director Sieger spoke before Paul Renner’s Ways and Means Committee, but Renner, the Palm Coast Republican, voted with the committee to approve the tax cut.
Palm Coast Man Arrested on Charges of Bathing Toddler in Boiling Water and Beating Him
Deviaun A. Toler, 26, of 32 Westfield Lane in Palm Coast, was arrested this morning after an investigation alleges he bathed a child in boiling water and beat him with a switch and a belt.
Fugitive Who Taunted Sheriff on Facebook Is Arrested; Deputy Injured in Violent Struggle
Leslie Pitter faces a first-degree felony after dislocating a deputy’s shoulder in an encounter that included his being tased, and fugitive Francisco Valdez was caught and jailed after taunting the sheriff’s Fugitive Frriday Bingo.
In a Flagler First, 16 Couples Marry, 5 Renew Vows in Mass Ceremony on Courthouse Steps
A couple together 60 years were among those renewing vows in a ceremony led by Clerk of Court Tom Bexley and coinciding with Valentine’s Day.
Facing Deportation, an Undocumented Immigrant Held at Flagler Jail Changes His Plea at Last Minute
The case of Palm Coast resident Filipino Francisco Justo underscores how the potential for deportation increases rather than decreases burdens on the judicial and penal systems.
The Sheltering Tree, Flagler’s Homeless Shelter, Holds Fundraiser March 4
The “Have a Heart for the Homeless” dinner and dance will raise money for the shelter assisting new, near, or chronically homeless, and the all-volunteer effort needs your help.
Man at Flagler Jail Tries to Hang Himself, Fellow-Inmates and Deputies Rush To Save Him
An inmate at the Flagler jail tied a bed sheet around a railing, then around his neck, and attempted suicide before inmates and deputies rushed to his rescue Tuesday.
Another Life Term For Paul Dykes as Lurid Child-Rape Case Ends, Absent Reversal on Appeal
For Palm Coast’s Paul Dykes, 21, the most immediate challenge is to contend with a brutal prison culture that makes prey of child sexual predators.
Flagler Sheriff’s Deputy Injured in Crash That Takes Out Tree On Belle Terre Parkway
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.
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.
