Marcus Sanfilippo had been an assistant principal at Indian Trails Middle School. He is a former county Teacher of the Year and in 2015 was the assistant principal of the year.
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local News
Palm Coast Hints at Again Increasing Monthly Stormwater Fee As It Projects Fund Deficits
By some of its calculations, Palm Coast is projecting deficits of $1 million a year despite increasing the storwater fee 46 percent four years ago, though it has room to manage the deficit by reducing capital expenses.
Ethics Commission Dismisses Claim Against Flagler’s Craig Coffey, Adding to Pile of Frivolity
The complaint, by Mark Richter, had alleged that the county administrator had personally gained from the acquisition of the old hospital in Bunnell that became the sheriff’s operations center, among other claims the ethics commission found groundless.
More Violent Crime But Lower Crime Rate in 2015 Gives Fodder to All Sheriff’s Candidates
For the first time in five years, total crime increased in Flagler County in 2015, by 1.7 percent, although the crime rate decreased modestly, by 0.7 percent, as population increased, giving incumbent sheriff Jim Manfre and his opponents room to use numbers to their advantage. .
Dog Bite at Ex-Flagler Beach Manager Campbell’s Property Sends Mail Carrier to Hospital
Mail carrier Jennifer Benson, 49, was treated for eight stitches after a dog at ex-Flagler Beach City Manager Bruce Campbell’s house attacked her when Campbell opened the door to pick up a package.
Counting the Days, Anna Pehota, Who Killed Husband in Hammock, Welcomes Trial in July
The trial of Anna Pehota, 76, who faces a second-degree murder charge for shooting her husband dead in October, goes on trial on July 18, a date Judge Matthew Foxman said is immovable.
Bunnell Elementary Leads the Way as Flagler’s Problem Solvers Shine Again at Internationals
Flagler County’s nearly 60 community problem solvers accomplished at this year’s international competition what their predecessors have almost every year for more than half a decade: they cleaned up in wins, trophies and plaudits.
Cody Lynch, 21, Jailed on Charge of Battering Pregnant Wife for Second Time in Two Years
Despite four arrests for various offenses since 2014, including violent offenses, felonies, and a charge of battering his pregnant wife, all charges against Cody Lynch but one had been dropped until this latest one.
Palm Coast-Flagler Under Tropical Storm Warning as Colin’s Local Version Brings a Messy 24 Hours
A disorganized and scattershot Tropical Storm Colin is set to cross Florida late tonight into Tuesday, dropping between 2 to 5 inches of rain on Palm Coast and Flagler County.
Alligator Stops Traffic to Cross at Cypress Edge Drive
The gator, more than 5 feet long, was sitting by the crosswalk then suddenly scampered across the road, using the white-striped crosswalk as if it had been trained to do so.
Scaling Some Opposition, Captain’s BBQ at Bing’s Will Expand Seating Areas, But Not Capacity
Captain’s Bait, Tackle and BBQ at Bing’s Landing, the county park, scaled some opposition by Hammock residents to win county approval for an 800 square foot expansion that will not, however, add to the restaurant’s 200-seat capacity.
Early-Morning Fire Demolishes House in Flagler Beach, 2nd Blaze in 2 Days in the City
An early morning fire Sunday demolished a 63-year-old house on South Daytona Avenue. The homeowner was absent. On Saturday, an electrical fire damaged the back end of a three-story structure at the north end of town.
Walter Forehand, Hilton’s Bartender and Flagler Beach’s Ex-Leisure Director, Seriously Hurt in Bike Wreck
Walter Forehand Jr., the unfailing bartender at the Hilton Garden Inn and former beach services director in Flagler Beach, was trauma-evacuated by air late Saturday night after a wreck on his motorcycle on U.S. 1.
At Sheriff’s Forum, 6 GOP Candidates Thump More Chests Than Manfre, and Few Ideas Clash
The two-hour forum before 300 people revealed some sheriff’s candidates better prepared than others, only a few differences of opinion, and less focus on Jim Manfre than on the future.
Lawsuit Against Palm Coast’s Golden Corral Alleges Sexual Harassment of 17-Year-Old Girl
The lawsuit and the company’s response raise questions about the extent of a company’s responsibility in protecting its employees from undue hostility and differentiates, in the company’s view, between issues involving peer-employees as opposed to employees and their supervisors or superiors.
In Flagler Elections, Primary May Decide Half the Local Races, Including Supervisor
Underscoring the importance of turnout, All voters, regardless of party affiliation, may vote for Supervisor of Elections, School Board and Palm Coast council in the Aug. 30 primary, with the results in two of the three races deciding the outright winners. That’s assuming no one pulls the write-in ploy.
Acknowledging “Dark Times,” Flagler’s Democrats Say They’re Back and Battling For Long Haul
The Flagler County Democratic Party is hoping top shed years of disarray and political bankruptcy as it fields a few more candidates and organizers in a push for local and state successes. But the difficulties are still as prominent as organizers’ optimism.
Three Years On, Palm Coast Resident Sues Sheriff’s Office Over Wreck With Patrol Car
The t-bone crash involving sheriff’s deputy James Gore, who was going through a red light while answering a call, and E-Section resident John Mitchell at Pine Lakes Parkway and Palm Coast Parkway on Oct. 31, 2013.
Attorney Again Asks for Bova, Accused of Mobil Mart Murder, To Be Declared Incompetent
It’s been almost year since Joseph Bova II’s last appearance in court, but his attorney says he has deteriorated since and should again be judged incompetent to stand trial. His next hearing is scheduled for early July.
In Feud’s Latest Distortion, Palm Coast Blames County for “Killing” $600,000 City Road Grant
Palm Coast and the county are at it again, but in this case the city appears to have misrepresented the county’s intention not to violate the law in the latest flare-up of an ongoing feud between City Manager Jim Landon and County Administrator Craig Coffey.
Can You Be Punished For Refusing DUI Test? 2 Highest Courts About to Decide.
Sept. 1 arguments before the Florida court on the question may be made moot by a decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, expected in June, on the same issue. U.S. Justices were skeptical of breath tests.
Intersection at Old Kings Road and Town Center Blvd. Will Finally Get a Traffic Light
The $154,000 project will include some new landscaping and will also result in the closure of the makeshift parking area for people who use the Lehigh Trail. The zone must be closed to make the new arrangement safer.
Flagler County Approves Manatee Protection Plan With Speed Zones on Intracoastal
The county has been under mandate to develop a plan since 2006, when state and federal authorities halted issuing permits for boating slips on the Intracoastal Waterway, where seven manatees have been killed by boats since 2006.
Art Walk Renaissance as Calypso and ZinkZank Galleries Open Within Brush Stroke of Salvo
Weldon and Richlin Ryan’s new Calypso Fine Art Gallery at Marvin garden, along with Sheila Skipp Zinkerman’s ZinkZank gallery and Salvo Art Project, are burgeoning an art walk similar to what existed at City Marketplace before an exodus two years ago.
Developer Charlie Faulkner Arrested on DUI and Criminal Mischief Charges Over Political Sign
Charlie Faulkner, president of Flagler Beach’s Faulkner and Associates, was arrested after a cop spotted him throwing a Chris Yates for Sheriff sign into the woods on State Road 100, though Faulkner was acting on a property he manages.
FTI Director’s Suspicions Lead to Arrest of 2 Boys, 14, One of Them Carrying Stun Gun
FTI Director Kevin McCarthy got suspicious when he saw the two boys walking on FPC’s and FTI’s campus. They fled when he and a deputy confronted them but were soon after arrested in the Target shopping center.
Domestic Confrontation in R-Section leads to Search and Weapons Charges Against Felon
Deputiues had been alerted to Michael Jason Jozefek’s property on Palm Coast’s Rippling Brook Drive because of a fight. A search uncovered a gun and drugs, resulting in eight charges against the felon.
County, Palm Coast and Flagler Beach Drum Up Trio of Memorial Day Commemorations
Each of the three government is putting on its own ceremony Monday, starting at 8 a.m. in Palm Coast, 10 a.m. at county government, and 1 p.m. in Flagler Beach.
Neighbor Dispute Over Bird Nesting in Palm Coast’s C-Section Escalates Into Lawsuit
Bryan Streetman’s neighbors on Collingwood Lane accuse him of disturbing the neighborhood’s peace and privacy by busing a drone, laser lights and screeching noises to scare off Purple Martin birds as they nest.
Failed Tag Light Leads to Convicted Felon Carrying Assault Rifle and Ammunition
Gegxan R. Coriano, a 41-year-old convicted felon arrested late Monday night, had to be wrestled to the ground before a search of his car revealed a Century Arms .223 caliber assault rifle and two magazines with ammunition.
In Latest Reversal, Sheriff Manfre Does Not Appeal Ethics Judgment as Deadline Passes
That means Manfre will concede to a $6,200 fine and a public reprimand and censure that the ethics commission approved on April 15, thus finally ending a saga that began two years ago and has severely damaged his chances for re-election.
Old Kings Road To Be Resurfaced May 24-27
Palm Coast is planning road resurfacing on Old Kings Road South from Utility Drive to Town Center Blvd. starting Tuesday, May 24, and through the rest of the week.
Flagler’s Third Graders Improve English Skills and Climb to 10th Best in Florida
The proportion of students who scored a 3 or better (out of 5)–that is, students who are proficient in English at their grade level–also improved, from 60 percent to 63 percent.
Ex-Traffic Homicide Prosecutor Ray Lee Smith Joins Flagler Bench as Family Law Judge
Smith, 43, a Ponte Vedra Beach resident, will preside over family law cases. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge J. David Walsh earlier this year.
Former Shooting Victim Philip Haire Back in Jail on Assault Charge
Phillip Haire, 19, of Palm Coast’s L Section, was shot last July near his home. He was arrested in March over a shooting incident on Belle Terre Parkway, and again arrested last week on a domestic assault charge.
Five Students Split $15,000 in Scholarships from University Women of Flagler
The five students are Athena Gonzalez, Najare Mone Johnson, Amanda Hok, Emily Bell and Briana Rodriguez. They each received $3,000.
Carver Foundation Fundraisers Bring In $10,500 For South Bunnell Gym
The Carver Center is a recreational facility that also offers tutoring, after school study, internet access and also serves the community with GED classes, employment counseling and other services.
Looking for Her Dog, Tamera Pizzo, 56, Is Killed by SUV on A1A in Flagler Beach
Tamera L. Pizzo was killed by a passing car as she tried to cross South Ocean Shore Boulevard (State Road A1A) in Flagler Beach, just south of South 26th Street Friday evening.
6 Local Unions Show Electoral Power as 16 Candidates For School Board, Palm Coast and County Match Mettle
The United Public Employees of Flagler County, representing 6 local public unions, hosted the largest simultaneous political forum in the county’s recent history, yielding a few insights into three races.
Flagler’s 5.1% Unemployment Nearly Matches U.S. Rate Even as Jobs and Labor Force Dip
Flagler’s unemployment rate has fallen a full percentage point in a year, and is down from 8.3 percent two years ago. The rate went down even though 179 fewer people held jobs in April, because the labor force shrank by a larger number.
Against 1 Objection, Flagler Commissioners Want to Increase Their Travel Budget 184%
Commissioner Barbara Revels called the proposed increase “obscene,” but Frank Meekera and Nate McLaughlin kept pressing for it–increasing the budget from $15,885 to $45,000 for the five commissioners.
At Sheriff’s Ceremony for Fallen Officers, a Call For Self-Reflection About Tradition of Service
So far this year, 35 law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty, 17 of them by gunfire, 14 of them in vehicle-related deaths, two of them by heart attacks. Two of those deaths took place in Florida.
Kiwanis Scholarship Recipients: A Student Inspired by the Free Clinic, Another By Legal Aid for the Voiceless
Matanzas Senior Mayoree Tan volunteers at the Free Clinic, where she intends to return as a nurse, and Senior Josephine Brown wants to be a lawyer to give a voice to the voiceless.
In Victory for Flagler Beach, Dreaded and Un-Scenic A1A Signs Will Not Spear the City
The state transportation department finally barred the signs from Flagler Beach and Beverly Beach after an intense campaign by city officials that reflected almost unanimous public outrage against the signs.
Deaf Hammock Man Accused of Exposing Himself to 8-Year-Old Girl
Mark Hall, 60, is accused of exposing himself to the girl, a neighbor, and motioning her to come over to him. He appeared confused when deputies investigated the case.
TDC Favors Beverly Beach’s $32,000 Walkover Renovations, But Not Before Unusual Grilling
The questioning was another example of of the TDC’s more inquisitorial attitude toward local projects as opposed to a less rigorous or accountable approach when the applicant is an out-of-town organization, including for-profits.
Flagler’s Pot De-Criminalization Proposal Wilts, But Narrower Version Still Possible
A work group meeting Tuesday to craft an ordinance raised more questions and objections than showed agreement, though the proposal is still moving forward in a much narrower version, and has many hurdles yet to cross.
Flagler Commissioners Press Case to Recover Fees from 5 More Frivolous Ethics Complainants
It’s the Flagler commission’s latest attempt to strike back against almost 30 ethics, elections, Florida bar and other complaints filed against commissioners and the administration since 2014, but a previous attempt to recover fees has been unsuccessful so far.
A Director’s Impassioned Plea for “Have-Nots” Wins Out: New Library Would Rise in Bunnell, Not Palm Coast
Flagler Public Library Director Holly Albanese insisted–in diametric disagreement from her boss–that a proposed new library branch should remain in Bunnell, and the county commission on Monday agreed.
Separate But Equal: Palm Coast Sidesteps Transgender Bathroom Bind With Private Facilities
Palm Coast hopes to avoid the transgender-bathroom controversy by including private bathrooms in its $525,000 project for new facilities in Town Center and Indian Trails Sports Complex.