Kevin Byrne, an eight-year veteran and a corporal with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, was struck in the leg by a suspect’s car, which the suspect had left unsecured during a DUI investigation near Los Amigos on Nov. 30.
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local News
Varn Park Will Close Until April 15 For $476,000 Renovations Thanks to Scenic A1A Grant
The federal National Scenic Byways grant was the largest of just three such awards in Florida, and will have a $140,000 match from Flagler County.
Between Nature Scapes, Salvo Project and the Flagler Youth Orchestra, a Daylong Convergence of Art, Music and Green
Salvo Art gallery and Nature Scapes will be host to a day-and-evening-long celebration of art, music and trees all of Saturday, with performances by the Flagler Youth Orchestra to go along with an art opening of small works at the gallery.
“I Didn’t Want To But It Had To Be Done”: Details Emerge in Husband’s Alleged Shooting of His Wife
Jonathan Canales allegedly told his wife Tiffany Norman, just before shooting her in their Mondex home on Nov. 15, that he could kill her “and nobody would even know about it.”
Sgt. Larry Jones, One of Flagler Sheriff’s First Black Deputies, Retires After 30 Years
Jones’s career has straddled the best and worst of the county’s history. When he was hired in October 1984, Jones was only the fifth African-American deputy hired in Flagler County, which only a few years earlier had been the last county to desegregate its schools in Florida.
3 Motorists Escape Serious Injury in SUV-vs-Trailer Wreck on I-95 Bridge Above SR100
Palm Coast’s Matthew Reed escaped with minor injuries after carelessly rear-ending a pick-up truck’s trailer, a wreck that shut down a lane on I-95 at State Road 100 late Wednesday evening.
For Oceanside Grill in Flagler Beach, a Parking Lot Becomes Epic Battleground Over City Rules
The city told Oceanside Grill that it had inadequate parking, and when the restaurant bought a lot to comply, the city told it it could not use it for parking. The contradictions came to a head at a planning board meeting Tuesday, but a compromise is in the works.
Serious Flagler Candidates All Out of Special House Election; Dennis McDonald Qualifies for Senate
Howard Holley pulled out of the House election race Monday, leaving no serious Flagler candidate in the running, though newcomer Danielle Anderson has qualified. In the Senate race, Dennis McDonald will be challenging Hutson, Renuart and Sweeny in a four-way Republican primary.
Bunnell Man With Early Dementia Is Scammed Out of $19,000 in Common Lottery Fraud
The lottery fraud entails a caller claiming the victim has won $1 million but must send in $20,000 in separate payments below $10,000 each to claim the prize. The fraud has been flagged by the Florida Department of Financial Services.
Economic Development Director Helga van Eckert Is CareerSource’s Excellence Award Recipient
Flagler County’s Department of Economic Development Executive Director Helga van Eckert was awarded the “Partners in Workforce Excellence Award” by CareerSource Flagler Volusia at the Annual Board of Directors meeting on Nov. 21.
Jonathan Canales Charged With Attempted Murder in Shooting of His Wife 2 Weeks Ago
Jonathan Canales was arrested for attempted first-degree murder after allegedly shooting his wife from behind as she ate dinner in the couple’s kitchen in the Mondex, moments after putting her three children to bed.
New Sheriff’s HQ Square Footage Grows By a Third Even as Construction Cost Falls to $4.2 Million
Instead of a $6.2 million demolition and construction project, the lowest bid for the sheriff’s HQ came in at $4.2 million, with the sheriff gaining 9,000 more square feet in the bargain, for a total of 35,000 square feet.
Palm Coast Will Optimize Its 50 Traffic Signals, But No: They Still Won’t Be Synchronized
Palm Coast will spend $55,000 to study its traffic signals on its way to improving efficiency and wait times for drivers at red lights, but drivers’ most pressing wish–synchronization–won’t be part of the results.
Faith Coleman, Founder of Flagler County Free Clinic and Champion of Grit, Is Dead at 60
Even as she battled a cancer that kept recurring over the past 11 years, Faith Coleman created in the Flagler County Free Clinic one of the county’s most crucial and enduring institutions, which a board of directors now vows to preserve in her memory.
Patron at Flagler’s Domestic Violence Shelter Arrested Over Assault on a Pregnant Woman
A woman who’d been taking refuge at the Family Life Center in Bunnell was jailed after an alleged assault on an advocate and a pregnant woman there. Separately, two women were jailed following a fight in which one of them fabricated claims that she’d been stabbed.
Regrettable Holiday Ritual: Spike in Calls to Alzheimer’s Hotline as Families Grasp Changes
Visiting with relatives over the holidays may raise questions about the physical and cognitive health of family members. Although some change in cognitive ability can occur with age, serious memory problems are not a part of normal aging. Recognizing the difference between normal aging and more serious problems can help you identify when it may be time for you to make the call or see a doctor.
Bowing to Utilities, Florida Regulators Cut Energy-Efficiency Goals and Sunset Solar Incentives
A solar rebate program will expire at the end of 2015 and the Public Service Commission accepted a controversial staff recommendation that will lessen overall energy-efficiency goals for power companies.
In Palm Coast, Ferguson Unrest Echoes With Muted Anger and Calls For Responsibility
Speakers at a quickly organized “call to action” by the Flagler NAACP Tuesday evening said the killing in Ferguson was no exception, but that change begins from within communities and with more accountability on all sides.
Southwest Palm Coast Tops Rainfall Totals With 5”, But No Flooding Issues This Time
Palm Coast and Flagler County weathered the latest front of very heavy rain well from Tuesday to Wednesday as up to 5 inches of rain fell in parts of the city and the county, but with no reported flooding or water damage.
Sheriff Jim Manfre Faces $1,500 Fine in Ethics Violation as Report Details Travel, Gift and Spending Lapses
The Florida Commission on Ethics found probable cause that Sheriff Jim Manfre violated ethics laws on three counts, but in an agreement, Manfre conceded to one violation and got two other charges dismissed.
Palm Coast Suspends Part of Red-Light Camera Enforcement, But $158 Fines Still Being Issued
While still issuing $158 fines for red-light violations, Palm Coast is for now no longer pursuing drivers who refuse to pay, so those drivers will not get the steeper $264 traffic citation. But those citations may be issued pending the outcome of a court case.
Flagler Fish Company Marks Year 9 With Sea Bounty By Way of A.J. Neste
To celebrate its ninth year, Flagler Fish Company unveiled a new website lavished with the work of A.J. Neste, the award-winning photographer.
For Shane Kitchens, Left in 30-Day Coma After Collision on A1A, a Painful Roll Back
Shane Kitchens, the 37-year-old Flagler Beach business owner, was crossing A1A in August when a motorcycle struck him as if he wasn’t there. This is the story of his recovery since.
1-Year-Old Child of Bankrupt Company Buys News-Journal and Halifax Media for $280 Million
New York-based New Media Investment Group bought the Daytona Beach News Journal and Halifax Media’s three dozen newspapers for $280 million in cash today. New Media is a publicly traded company that owns 402 small to mid-size community publications.
Election Supervisor Kimberle Weeks Caps Final Canvassing Session With Hit List Frown Song
Kimberle Weeks once again indicted a slew of local officials on evidence largely fictional while portraying herself as voters’ last great hope as she responded to the county’s latest request for an state intervention.
Howard Holley Will Run for Flagler’s House Seat Against Paul Renner, Sullivan, O’Brien Teetering Out
The special election to fill Travis Hutson’s Florida House seat in District 24, made up mostly of Flagler County, is turning into a combination of musical chairs band feeding frenzy.
Flagler Education Foundation Awards 17 Mini Grants totaling $16,000 to District Teachers
The 17 teachers were selected from 30 applicants based on criteria that included innovation, impact, replication, the number of students involved and project documentation.
Even As Lawsuit Gets in the Way, Sheriff and Union Agree that “Substantial” Raises Are Due
Sheriff’s deputies and other employees have been without a serious raise in five years and the sheriff and union are at a negotiating impasse, but both sides are attempting to reach agreement on a small prize: a 1 percent raise the county commission pledged employees this year.
A Man Is Killed in Wreck at US1 and SR100 Following Traffic Stop by Police
A man who was apparently evading police was killed after striking three vehicles at the intersection of State Road 100 and U.S. 1 in Bunnell this afternoon.
New, Younger Faces Sworn In at Palm Coast Council, Same Old at County Commission
The swearing-in ceremonies were a study in contrast, if not a reflection of the election’s paradoxes as Palm Coast showed its desire for change and the county commission stayed the same.
Some Skepticism Aside, County Broadens Old Courthouse Panel’s Mission: Find Tenants
The county commission Monday evening voted 4-1 to give the courthouse committee until the end of March to find tenants who can pay their way and end the county’s $6,000-a-month subsidy of the building.
Ex-Felon Re-Arrested for Domestic Assault After Chasing After a Woman in Front of a Cop
Brian Spencer, a 36-year-old ex-felon released less than two years ago from state prison after serving sentence for domestic battery by strangulation, was arrested again as he chased a woman on a Palm Coast street in the middle of the night–in front of a cop.
Derek Hankerson Will Not Run in Special Election for Travis Hutson’s Seat After All
Derek Hankerson, who challenged John Thrasher in the Republican primary form Florida Senate last August, sent in the following letter today explaining why he has decided not to run again in the coming special election for either Senate or House.
Tornado Watch Cancelled for Flagler-Palm Coast, Schools Cancel Outdoor Activities, Games and Practices
A broad band of severe weather is bearing down on Flagler County and Palm Coast, where a severe thunderstorm warning has been issued until 3 p.m., and a tornado watch will remain in effect until 6 p.m.
A Mother of 3 Is Shot in the Mondex in Murky Circumstances; Husband Jailed on Child Neglect Charges
The victim, Tiffany Norman, has three young children, none older than 8 or 9. Circumstances of the shooting are murky: her husband or companion, Jonathan Canales, 27, has allegedly told police that Norman shot herself, but that remains unconfirmed.
Last Food Truck Tuesday of 2014 On Nov. 18, With Focus on Bike Safety
This edition of Food Truck Tuesday in Palm Coast’s Town Center includes Barnwood BBQ, Big Island Bowls, Caketeer, ChiPhi, El Cactus Azul, It’s All Greek To Me, Kona Dog, Mayan Grill and Monsta Lobsta.
Louis Prinzo, Responsible for Death of Lane Burnsed and Meredith Smith in ’12, Is Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison
Lane Burnsed, 18, and Meredith Smith, 17, were killed on July 26, 2012 in a 3-car wreck on I-95 triggered by Louis Prinzo.
Renovate and Lease Old Courthouse But Don’t Sell or Demolish, Committee Recommends
An advisory committee’s much-awaited findings recommend that county government continue to carry the maintenance costs of the old courthouse until it is able to renovate and rent it to non-profits or office-type concerns.
Preparedness Before Hype: Flagler Emergency Responders Form Team With Ebola in Mind
An “incident management team” was created to respond to any infectious disease emergency in Flagler, with Emergency Management, Florida Hospital Flagler and the the Health Department leading the response, should one ever be necessary.
Demolition Set for Old Palm Harbor Center, As Is Competitive Rebirth of Island Walk
A huge segment of the old Palm Harbor Shopping Center is about to go under the wrecking ball as part of the $41 million redevelopment of the site, which will take over a year, though Publix will remain open there throughout, and move into a much larger store by the end of 2015.
Two Pit Bulls Attack and Injure 10-Year-Old Autistic Boy in Palm Coast’s Z-Section
A 10-year-old autistic boy was hospitalized Tuesday afternoon with dog bites to both legs after he was chased and bitten by two pit bulls from his neighbors’ house on Zonal Court in Palm Coast.
Road Rage Bleeds Into Racial Confrontation On Belle Terre Parkway, and 3 Arrests
Samantha Smith, 25, Zachary Parsley, 22, and Tyler Parsley, 23, face assault charges after confronting four young black men, allegedly fighting and threatening to kill them and repeatedly calling them niggers.
Palm Coast Data Wins Back Saturday Evening Post Account But Loses All American Crafts
Winning back the Saturday Evening Post account’s three magazines helps offset yet another loss for Palm Coast Data as All American Crafts, which published 11 niche magazines, stopped all publishing in August and declared bankruptcy, with $7.5 million in debts.
Dave Sullivan Won’t Give Way to Trevor Tucker in Race for House as Hankerson Joins It; Democrats Are No-Shows
Flagler School Board member Trevor Tucker said he was seriously thinking of running for an open Florida House seat in the Jan. 27 primary, but only if REC Chairman Dave Sullivan chose not to run, as Tucker doesn’t want to split the vote., Sullivan says he’s in it to stay.
Flagler Briefly Pauses On 100th Anniversary Year of the War that Led to Veterans Day
The commemoration of Veterans Day this morning in Bunnell featured a Florida Army National Guard commander who traced the conflict-ridden history of the day since its inception at the end of World War I.
Flagler School Board Makes Small Inroad for Some Employees’ Same-Sex Rights, But Other Agencies Dodge the Issue
The Flagler County School Board’s bereavement leave for same-sex couples formally acknowledges such unions, but only for support personnel, while teachers and employees of other government agencies still have no such rights.
Parents in Mourning Will Install Angel of Hope Statue at Craig Flagler Palms
An Angel of Hope inspired by the famed book by Richard Paul Evans and dedicated to families and friends grieving the loss of a child will go up on land donated by Craig Flagler Palms Funeral Home, Memorial Gardens and Crematory. The funeral home also donated a base for the statue.
P-Section Confrontation: She Drives Her Car Into Him. He Shoots the Car. Both Arrested.
Kurt Benjamin, 27, of 31 Poinsettia Lane, and Twila Woods, 30, of nearby Point Pleasant Lane, were both jailed on aggravated battery with a deadly weapon charges Sunday morning.
Feed Flagler, in Its 6th Year, Launches Food Drive and Free Thanksgiving Meals Plan
Feed Flagler, the community-wide effort to provide meals for the needy (or anyone who requests one) at Thanksgiving, is off to its 6th year, with renewed emphasis on food collection for families.
Sheriff Manfre Faces Federal Lawsuit Over Unpaid Wages, Jeopardizing Raise for Troops
Four ex-deputies have sued Sheriff Jim Manfre in federal court over briefings they were forced to attend without being paid, causing the Sheriff to shelve a 1 percent raise previously due the agency’s employees.