The Ronald Reagan Republican Assemblies of Flagler County, the firebrand group whose members spent the last five years shaking up local governments—complaining, criticizing, suing and in several cases, winning elections—has disbanded.
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local News
Container-Loaded Semi Jackknifes Over Deep Gully on I-95, Snarling Traffic
Labor Day weekend traffic came to a near standstill on both sides of I-95 just north of State Road 100 in Palm Coast late this afternoon after a tractor trailer jackknifed in the rain and ended up hanging over a deep gully, half its rear wheels off the ground. Somehow the metal guardrail and perhaps trees helped the truck from going over.
1st Hurricane Hits Florida in 11 Years; Flagler Spared, Tropical Storm Warning Cancelled
Hurricane Hermine was mostly a non-event in Flagler County, with limited rain and a bit of wind. Most government offices remained open Friday. The story was uglier in Florida’s Big Bend, where the hurricane made landfall.
An Evening of Bardic Folk With Guitarist Mama Gina, Plus Rick de Yampert’s East-West Sitar Fusion
Gina LaMonte, whose stage name is Mama Gina, will sing the saga of Nine Toes when she performs Saturday Sept. 3 during a concert at Salvo Art Project in Bunnell. Palm Coast sitar player Rick de Yampert will open the show.
Cypress Knoll Golf and Country Club, Under New Ownership, Re-Opens Sept. 10
New owners Doug Brown and Janice Reid re-open Palm Coast’s Cypress Knoll Golf and Country Club on Sept. in in the E Section, with a concert the following day, just two months after the course closed.
Several Shots Fired Near Midnight at House on Palm Coast’s Bronson Lane
Bullets were found in the front of the house and in the garage door. The resident and his wife, both in their 40s, were the only occupants in the house at 65 Bronson Lane in Palm Coast. Neither was injured.
Embittered Palm Coast Fires Holland Park Contractor and Takes Over Project Months Behind Schedule
City officials, sensitive to the criticism directed at them over the delays, recast the problem as entirely the fault of the contractor, and themselves as heroes looking out for the city’s budget and local contractors, thus effectively changing the subject: it’s no longer a project behind schedule as much as a city wronged and aggrieved.
Tropical Storm Hermine: Flagler Included in State of Emergency, But No Major Threat Expected
Tropical Storm Hermine has moved north, Flagler is not in a tropical storm watch, school’s open Thursday, but some wind and rain are expected and authorities are taking a few precautions.
Flagler’s Primary Results: Shocks, Coronations and Probabilities
There were one or two shocks in the Flagler primary election results, not least of them another dismal turnout, but for the most part the numebrs produced expected winners and losers. Here’s a full analysis.
Man Hurt, 200 Lose Power After Car Crashes Into Utility Pole on Old Kings Road
A driver was seriously hurt–and had to wait for rescuers to get to him until his car was “de-energized,” as live electric lines were on top of it–and 200 customers lost power after a vehicle crash took down a utility pole at Kings Colony Court and Old Kings Road at 6:45 this evening.
Holland Is Palm Coast’s New Mayor, Lenhart Wins Supervisor, Conklin Wins School Board, Manfre Is Out, Staly Beats Lamb
Primary election results for Flagler County races including school board, sheriff, county commission, Palm Coast City Council, supervisor of elections, judges, and state congressional races.
Motorcycle Masturbator Sought in String of Incidents Involving Women in R, P and W Sections
The man, described as young, black and fit, scopes out a woman walking her dog or sitting in her garage, pulls up next to her, takes out his penis and starts masturbating.
Retired Palm Coast Nurse Accused of Suffocating Husband, a Cop, in Hospital Bed
Henry Soschalski, 64, and his wife Jan Sochalski, 61, had lived in their Palm Coast home 13 years. She faces a second-degree murder charge over his death in a hospital bed. He had been in a coma for weeks.
In Palm Coast’s F-Section, a Man Stabs Another in the Back Then Stabs Himself in the Throat
Two men, 19 and 18, were involved in an argument and had been drinking at 17 Felshire Lane when one of them stabbed the other in the back then stabbed himself in the neck. Both were hospitalized.
Movement to Opt-Out of Standardized Testing Bolstered By Judge’s Ruling
A Leon County judge Friday declined to immediately order that students in a potentially precedent-setting lawsuit be promoted from third to fourth grade, but her rejection of several state arguments could fuel a movement that seeks to allow children to “opt out” of a standardized test.
In a First, Blind High School Student Is Matanzas-FPC Football Game’s Radio Commentator
Trent Ferguson, 18, a student at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, will be the color commentator on WNZF Radio of the Matanzas-FPC match at 7 p.m. Friday, a unique experiment for the radio station that may not end there.
Palm Coast Data Parent Posts $10.4 Million Loss, Biggest Since 2009 as Revenue Drops
The losses bode poorly for Palm Coast Data, which at one point a decade ago was the city’s largest private employer. Its parent company’s revenue is now almost synonymous with its own, and it’s a fifth of what it was 10 years ago.
Nasty, Brutish and Shrill: Flagler Sheriff’s Race Tests Edge of the Believable as Attacks Multiply
Rick Staly, one of six GOP candidates for sheriff, launched attacks on Don Fleming and Jim Manfre but reserved particular wrath for John Lamb, though claims in the shape of a smoking gun turn out to be more gossipy than substantive.
Two Wednesday Fires in Seminole Woods Now Suspected Acts of Arson By Youths
A fire that was close to consuming a house on Sellner Place Wednesday, followed by another four hours later a few lots down, are now suspected to be the work of youths who set them intentionally.
51 Years Later, Honor Is Resurrected for Flagler Sheriff Homer Brooks’s Line-of-Duty Death
Homer Brooks was first elected Flagler County Sheriff in 1956. A News-Journal reporter, Tony Holt, uncovered the circumstances of his death in 1965, leading the sheriff’s office to add Brooks’s name to the list of Flagler cops who died in the line of duty and honor Brooks today.
State Ethics Commission Will Hear Flagler’s Claim to Recoup Fees From Serial Complainers
It’s an unusual case: county government is seeking to recoup money spent to defend against the ethics cases filed against county commissioners and the county attorney by Kim Weeks, Mark Richter Jr. and Dennis McDonald.
“A Very Good Save”: Firefighters Beat Back Wildfire Within Inches of a House in Seminole Woods
The fire had burned into the eaves of the house at 7 Sellner Place when firefighters arrived, positioned themselves between it and the house, and beat it back this afternoon. The fire burned the entire neighboring, empty lot.
Flagler Beach Commission Considers Biggest Tax Hike Since Recession, and New Fire Costs
The Flagler Beach City Commission is considering a budget that would significantly raise taxes while restoring such positions as the fire and police chief, positions eliminated three years ago.
From Charlie Brown to Signs of Intelligent Life, City Rep Launches Next to Normal 6th Season
Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theater is opening its sixth season with its usual mixture of daring, squirm-inducing and mainstream fare, with such uncommon works as “The Mystery of Irma Vep,” the musical “John and Jen,” Jean Anouilh’s “The Waltz of the Toreadors” and the musical “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”
Zaire Roberts, 17, Gets 7 Years in Prison in Shooting of Phillip Haire in Palm Coast Last Summer
Zaire Roberts was 16 and Phillip Haire 18 when they got in a fistfight on an L-Section street in Palm Coast and Roberts shot Haire twice in July 2015. Haire today pleaded for mercy on behalf of Roberts.
For Bunnell’s Tucker, Sharp Loss on Firehouse Consolidation Signals Return to Minority
Bunnell Commissioner Elbert Tucker’s proposal to fold the Bunnell Fire Department into the county and shift savings to the city’s police department was rebuked Monday, and Tucker’s role on the commission appears to return to where it had been years ago: as a dissenter.
Three Arrested in Palm Coast Are Tied to String of 11 B-Section Car Burglaries
Palm Coast has been the target of several burglary sprees. In this case, the alleged burglars are believed to have committed their spree in their own neighborhood.
Al Jones, Former County Commissioner
and Breakfast Club Impresario, Dies at 87
Al Jones was one of the most influential non-elected politicians and GOP officials in Flagler County for 25 years as his monthly breakfast became the essential stopping point for most of those hoping to be—or to remain—politicians.
Richard Gordon Dies By Gunshot in Palm Coast’s L Section, 4th Apparent Suicide in 11 Days, 3rd By Firearm
The numbers are startling for Flagler County, which has averaged a total of 15 suicides per year over the past 10 years. The latest suicide took place just after 8 a.m. at 56 Londonderry Drive in Palm Coast.
Long-Time Jeweler Robert Zetrouer Sentenced to 25 Years for Raping Child He Blamed
Palm Coast Jeweler Robert Zetrouer, 65, blamed the 13-year-old girl he raped and claimed he assaulted her only to prepare her for boys: that evidence was revealed today just before he was sentenced to what amounts to a life sentence in prison.
Attorneys For Kimberle Weeks Will Seek to Dismiss All Felony Charges in Latest Maneuver
In the latest pre-trial in the case of Kimberle Weeks, who faces nine felony counts over allegedly secret recordings, her lawyer said he’d be seeking a dismissal of all charges, but that motion won’t be heard until the end of November.
Palm Coast Man Accused of Abusing 8-Year-Old After Taunting He’d Feed Him to Alligators
Dereck Alan Dunn, a 28-year-old resident of Kings Colony Court in Palm Coast, is facing a felony child abuse charge after local school officials found evidence of physical abuse on an 8-year-old boy’s face, arms, legs and behind.
Judge Allows European Village Shooter Daniel Noble to Seek Help in Indiana Pending Trial
Daniel Noble, an Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran, brandished an assault weapon and fired two shots at European Village before being wrestled to the ground in 2014. He’s been in treatment since, awaiting trial on assault charges.
Flagler Veterans Court Pitch Framed in Crude Attack on Court System by DeSantis Envoy
Randall Stapleford, a part-time staffer for Rep. Ron DeSantis, questioned the veracity of a Flagler County judge and leveled repeated attacks at Chief Judge Terence Perkins for allegedly delaying information related to a potential veterans court during a Flagler County Commission workshop Monday.
Sophie Zabas, 1942-2016: Commissioner George Hanns Mourns His Inspiration
Sophie Zabas, who died Friday of cancer at age 74, was Commissioner George Hanns’s companion of 23 years. Visitations are Friday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Craig-Flagler Palms Funeral Home.
Living in Bear Country: FWC Primer to Palm Coast Residents as Sightings Increase
Natalae Almeter of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will host a presentation on the topic Thursday evening at 6 p.m. at Palm Coast’s City Hall, in the Community Wing. It’s open and free to the public.
Armed Robbery at Shell on Old Kings Is 3rd in 2 Months in Palm Coast
A Palm Coast convenience store was again the target of an armed robbery, the third in two months, this time at the Shell gas station on Old Kings Road near Celico Way and the Staples shopping center.
Zika Virus In Flagler: Preparations In Place But Response Limited to Education and Prevention
The Flagler County Health Department says it’s prepared for an outbreak of Zika virus in the county, which has so far been spared, but the focus is on the only thing officials can do: education, elimination of standing water where possible, and limited travel for pregnant women.
Coby Allan Queen, 16, Missing From Seminole Woods Home Since Aug. 9
Coby Queen’s backpack and bike were found at the Flagler Beach pier the evening of Aug. 9, when his friends told police he was seen with Josh LeMaster, who has a long arrest record in Flagler County.
Shandra Llewellyn, 40, Dies From Gunshot in Apparent Suicide on Palm Coast’s Llanes Place, 3rd in 4 Days
Shandra Llewellyn, 40, was pronounced dead this evening just before 6:30 p.m. at 19 Llanes Place in Palm Coast, the second such self-inflicted shooting in the county in four days.
Woman Faces List of Charges, Including DUI, After Fleeing Cops, Crashing on I-95 and Attempting Escape
The incident started at a Palm Coast convenience store, culminated in a crash on I-95 that closed the northbound lanes of the Interstate, and ended with an attempted escape at Florida Hospital Flagler.
Denise Calderwood, Flagler County Commission Candidate: The Live Interview
Denise Calderwood is a Republican candidate for Flagler County Commission, District 3. Her opponents in the Aug. 30 Republican primary is Donald O’Brien. The winner will face Democrat incumbent George Hanns in the Nov. 8 general election.
Flagler Beach’s Nick Nelson, 28, Is Killed In Motorcycle Wreck on State Road A1A
Nick Nelson, 28, had finished his shift at Captain’s BBQ at Bings Landin in Palm Coast’s Hammock when, hours later, he failed to negotiate a curve on State Road A1A and was thrown from his motorcycle.
Jason France, Flagler County Commission Candidate: The Live Interview
Jason France is a Republican candidate for the Flagler County Commission in District 3. He faces Dave Sullivan in the Aug. 30 Republican primary. The winner will face Democrat Barbara Revels, who faces no primary opposition, in November.
Chamber Poll: Flagler’s Trump Country; Cuff, Lenhart, Holland, O’Brien and Conklin Win Big
The Flagler County Chamber’s first candidate hob nob Thursday drew some 300 people and 250 participants in its straw poll, with results pointing at least to a few trends ahead of the Aug. 30 primary. Actual early voting begins Monday.
Daniel Potter, Flagler County Commission Candidate: The Live Interview
Daniel Potter is a Republican candidate for Flagler County Commission, District 1. His opponents in the Aug. 30 Republican primary are incumbent Charlie Ericksen and Ken Mazzie. The winner will face Democrat Jason DeLorenzo in the Nov. 8 general election.
Flagler School District Sued Over Allegation of A Child-on-Child Sex Battery at Old Kings VPK
The allegation dates from a May 2015 incident in which two VPK students are alleged to have touched or kissed the genitals of a third, and that the alleged assailants were allowed to return to Old Kings Elementary, though not in the same classroom as the alleged victim.
Caitlin E. Ryone, 19, Is Dead In Mondex After Report of Gunshots; Sheriff’s Deputies Investigating
Ryone, a 2014 graduate of Flagler Palm Coast High School, was found dead of a gunshot at 4664 Mahogany Boulevard in Daytona North, or the Mondex. The sheriff’s office is investigating to determine whether it is a suicide or a homicide.
Ken Mazzie, Flagler County Commission Candidate: The Live Interview
Ken Mazzie is a Republican candidate for the Flagler County Commission in District 1. He faces Charlie Ericksen and Dan Potter in the Aug. 3 Republican primary. The winner will face Democrat Jason DeLorenzo, the departing Palm Coast City Council member.
Bunnell Commission Honors Two Boys, 10 And 12, For Helping Save 88-Year-Old Woman
The Bunnell City Commission Monday evening awarded its Outstanding Citizen Award to two young city residents, Russell Rouson, 10, and Steven Dozier, 12, for alerting police and helping to save the life of an 88-year-old woman who had hurt herself in her home in June.