The passage of a domestic-partnership registry ordinance in one of Florida’s most conservative environs has gay rights advocates cheering. But some social conservatives say the registries mean little in a state where a ban on gay marriage is enshrined in the constitution.
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local News
Unemployment Falls Sharply to 9.2% in Flagler, But County’s Workforce is Thinner By 1,000 Over the Year
There were 92 fewer jobs in the county over the month, and 82 fewer unemployed people. But the labor force lost 174 people over the month, continuing a worrisome trend that has persisted for more than a year.
Matanzas High Community Awakens to Suicide of One of Its Own, 9th Grader Dalton Coxwell
Dalton Coxwell, a 9th grader at Matanzas High School, hung himself at his home in Palm Coast the afternoon of Dec. 18. The school is responding to students’ grief with a stepped-up presence of administrators and counselors while a school board member asks that social media be monitored.
SBA Officials, Not FEMA, Touring Palm Coast Damage to Assess Residents’ Eligibility For Loans
Federal officials are in Palm Coast today to assess the damage of last Saturday’s tornado, but they are not with FEMA, as the city previously said. Rather, they are officials with the Small Business Administration, assessing whether residents may qualify for loan assistance.
Sinbad the Comedian Brings His Different World to the Auditorium Tonight
Sinbad–the comedian who made his fame on “A Different World” and other stages but has had his shares of setbacks–appears at the Flagler Auditorium Thursday evening for one show only, at 7:30 p.m.
With 78% of High Schools Rated A or B, Tougher Standards Will Kick In Next Year
Matanzas maintained its A, making it the third A since the school opened in 2006. FPC improved from a B, earning an A for only the second time in 13 years. But a state rule calls for automatically tougher standards when more than 75 percent of schools in the state earn an A or a B.
Federal Officials Descending on Palm Coast Thursday to Conduct House-By-House Evaluation for Aid
Federal, state, county and city officials will be in Palm Coast’s B, C and F Sections starting Thursday morning to conduct an assessment of Saturday evening’s tornado and decide what financial aide, if any, may be released.
Domestic Altercation Leads to Arrest on Child Porn Possession Charge for Palm Coast Man
What started as a domestic dispute between Palm Coast resident Scott P. Ward and his girlfriend ended in an arrest the afternoon of Dec. 17 on a domestic battery charge and charges of possession of child pornography stemming from the discovery of allegedly sexually explicit images of a 15-year-old girl.
Superintendent Valentine Will Not Return to Work; “Expedited” Search Will Continue
The Flagler County School Board will look to buy out Janet Velentine’s contract, which runs through June. An attempt to appoint Jacob Oliva superintendent fell short as the board decided to stuck with an expedited search and a Feb. 4 appointment.
Elections Supervisor Again Giving Palm Coast Grief Over 2014 Voting, Jeopardizing Taxpayer Savings
Tangled conflicts over realistically minor matter has been the context of Weeks’s relations with the city over the past four months. She’s not been wrong as much as disproportionately alarmist over problems that have relatively simple solutions. Minor missteps aside, the city has readily offered solutions. Weeks has not been as quick to accept them.
Sheriff Seeking Help to Nab Thief of Laser Device at Palm Coast’s Fantasy of Lights Display
Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies are seeking help in tracking down whoever stole a pair of laser lights from the Palm Coast Rotary’s holiday fantasy light display in Central Park in Palm Coast’s Town Center. This year is the 8th year that the event has been sponsored by the Rotary.
Palm Coast Mayor Declares State of Local Emergency as Tornado Details Emerge
The state of local emergency does not release state or federal aid dollars, but it gives the city more freedom and authority to address the storm’s aftermath such as expediting permitting, scheduling more debris and trash removal than normal and applying for state support.
Cops’ Extra Presence in Palm Coast’s Tornado-Damaged B-Section Helps Lead to Hit-and-Run Arrest
Wendy Labell, 55, was arrested at her Baydside Drive home early Sunday morning when a sheriff’s deputy helping with the storm’s aftermath there noticed her driving her car erratically into her driveway–and matched the car’s description to a hit-and-run incident that had felled a bicyclist a short time earlier at Belle Terre and Palm Coast Parkway.
Palm Coast’s B-Section Residents Awake to Tornado’s Wreckage; Severe Damage Is Limited; City Ready to Help
Residents of Palm Coast’s B-Section awoke Sunday to a morning soggy with the wreckage of Saturday night’s tornado. One resident, who was hosting a birthday party for her 12-year-old son, compared the tornado to “a front on steroids.”
Possible Tornado Touches Down in Palm Coast, Damaging Homes in B and C Sections and Downing Power Lines; No Injuries Reported
Heavy winds, possibly a tornado, struck portions of Palm Coast’s B and C Sections at around 7:20 to 7:25 p.m. Saturday evening, damaging several homes, downing power lines and closing streets.
White Christmas in Bunnell: Snow Falls And Hearts Soar as City Caps Centennial
Bunnell marked the end of its centennial year Friday evening with the biggest Christmas celebration of its hundred years, including free barbecue, greetings with Santa, three musical groups and a surprise blanketing of snow.
Family of Four From Palm Coast’s Woodlands Among 32 Arrested or Sought for Pill-Pushing
The Bridewell family of 7 Blackberry Place in Palm Coast were part of a vast drug sweep Friday morning by the Flagler County Sheridff’s Office. The sweep targeted 32 individuals involved in one form of drug infraction or another. The sweep netted 19 arrests, all but one in Palm Coast.
They Don’t Only Shoot Them: Sheriff’s Deputy Bret Wood Saves Raccoon Stuck in Tree
When a 12-year-old student on his way to school this morning noticed a raccoon stuck in a tree on Palm Coast’s Florida Park Drive, deputies were called in, and as Animal Control would not respond, deputy Bret Wood used a car jack to pry the imprisoning branches apart and free the raccoon.
Flagler Schools Improve Graduation Rate For 5th Year in a Row, to 76.6%; Black Rate Lags
Flagler’s rate improves from last year’s 74.8 percent, and is up significantly from the 2008-09 rate, when it was 65.1 percent. But the graduation rate of 67.9 percent among black students continues to lag, adding to pressure on the district that it’s not doing enough to address a vast gap between white and black achievement.
Inquiry Into 4th Grader’s Suspension at Palm Harbor Charter School Raises Concerns of Arbitrary Discipline and Due Process
The Flagler County school district is investigating the case of a fourth grade girl who was suspended from Palm Harbor Academy, the Palm Coast charter school, for two days in late November without documented due process, and in apparent violation of school policy and safety standards.
Chris Molumby, 27, Dies From Injuries Sustained in Single-Car Wreck on I-95
Christopher W. Molumby, a 27-year-old resident of Palm Coast’s W Section, is in critical condition at Shands Hospital in Jacksonville following a single-car wreck Monday afternoon on I-95 just north of the Flagler-St. Johns County line.
Daytona State College Sets One-Stop Enrollment Day for Jan. 4; Online Tax Class Offered
With the spring semester looming large, it’s time for returning students and those new to a college career to lock in their schedule. Daytona State College offers an easy-access no-cost session on Jan. 4 to make registration a simple one-stop process.
Palm Coast’s Ambitions for More Parks Soar, But Development Tax to Fund Them Declines
Palm Coast’s park impact fees levied on new construction are about to decline by a few hundred dollars, though the city’s ambitious plans for new parks and recreational facilities over the next few decades are unchanged.
As Superintendent Search Committee Meets, A Ringer for Board’s Favorite Leads the Way
If there was any doubt left that the Flagler County School Board intends to leave little to chance as it steers its way to the appointment of Jacob Oliva as its next superintendent, that doubt was dispelled Tuesday afternoon when the board’s 15-member search committee met for the first time.
Twin-Engine Plane Crash-Lands at Flagler County Airport as Nose Gear Collapses
A small twin-engine plane crash-landed on runway 24 at the Flagler County Airport at 12:50 p.m. Tuesday after the plane’s landing gear failed. There are no reports of injuries at the moment. The runway is closed, but the airport is not.
Palm Coast Unveils Design for a Spruced Up Community Center, With Premium on Visibility
The Palm Coast Community Center on Clubhouse Drive and Palm Coast Parkway would potentially more than triple its current 5,800 square feet (to close to 20,000 square feet), and accommodate up to 200 people, starting with a $430,000 design in 2014 and first-phase construction in 2015.
Flagler Youth Orchestra’s 300 Musicians Take Concert Stage Wednesday at Flagler Auditorium
The Flagler Youth Orchestra performs its first concert of the 2013-14 season on Wednesday, December 11, at 7 p.m. at the Flagler Auditorium in Palm Coast. Conductor Sue Cryan and fellow teachers of the FYO will lead five orchestras with more than 300 string musicians.
5-Car Wreck Injures a Baby on Belle Terre at Royal Palms Parkway
A mid-afternoon pile-up involving five vehicles injured a baby and snarled traffic in the southbound lanes of Belle Terre Parkway. Two vehicles had moderate damage. Three had minor damage.
56-Year-Old Man Accused of Cigarette-Burning a 9-Year-Old Girl in Inappropriate Beach Encounter
Thomas Checchio, a 56-year-old resident of 612 John Anderson Highway in Flagler Beach, faces a charge of felony child abuse after he reportedly “flirted” with a 9-year-old girl at the beach before he claims to have tripped her, causing her to burn herself on his cigarette.
State Attorney Files Attempted Murder Charge Against Morris in Trevor Blumenfeld Shooting
The State Attorney’s Office filed charges against two of the four suspects involved in the Nov. 4 shooting of 19-year-old Trevor Blumenfeld in Palm Coast’s LL Section, changing a charge of aggravated battery against suspect Matthew D. Morris to attempted third-degree murder, a third-degree felony. Three charges were filed against Matthew Smith, each carrying life felony sentences.
Matanzas High Student Accosted By Man Impersonating Police in Palm Coast’s C-Section
A 16-year-old Matanzas High School student reported that as she was walking to her bus stop around 6:45 a.m. when a white or Hispanic man in a car began following her and telling her, as the girl ran, that she was resisting arrest.
School Board Honors John Winston, Tireless Advocate of Flagler’s African-American Mentor Program
At 76, John Winston has continued to be the leading force behind the Flagler school district’s African-American Mentor Program, which pairs young boys and men in need of solid direction with adults who take on the role of father figures. Winston is himself the patriarch of a family of seven children and three dozen grandchildren.
Superintendent Jacob Oliva: School Board Frames a Near-Certainty In Pro-Forma Search
It is almost a certainty that come Feb. 4, Jacob Oliva will be named Flagler County’s new school superintendent, but the school board has appointed a 15-member search committee to broaden public input, vet Oliva and avoid accusations of reaching a pre-determined conclusion. Nevertheless, Oliva’s favored status has rankled some members of the black community.
Two Years In, Tourism Director Georgia Turner Is Leaving Flagler For Native Alabama
Georgia Turner, the county’s radiant tourism director who oversaw Flagler’s and Palm Coast’s realignment as niche sports destinations, a steady rise in tourism-tax revenue and a first-ever working coalition of local arts groups, is leaving after just two years on the job. Personal, not political, reasons led her to the decision.
Flagler Technical Institute:
Registration Open for Winter Term
Flagler Technical Institute is now accepting registrations for its career and technical programs for the Winter Term. Most classes will be held in the Flagler Technical Institute building at 1 Corporate Drive in Palm Coast.
An Attempt to Discredit a Commissioner Over Her Temporary Digs in Palm Coast Backfires
Bunnell City Commissioner Jenny Crain-Brady sold her house in Bunnell and temporarily moved to a friend’s house in Palm Coast, though she was rebuilding another house in Bunnell. The move triggered a complaint about her right to serve on the commission–or to run for re-election in March–and a fellow-commissioner brought the question to the full board.
FPL Customers Will See Power Bills Increase 5% Starting in January, Adding to Other Local Utility Hikes
For Palm Coast residents, the rate increase compounds steeper utility rate increases as the city raised its water and sewer rates 8 percent in April, another 4 percent in October, and will raise them again 4 percent next October. The typical combined annual price increase: $175.
School Enrollment Stabilizes But Remains Below Last Year’s, With Decreases Projected
As of the end of November, the district had 12,794 students. The good news is that the district saw enrollment rise for the past two months, but the number is still 100 students below last November’s, with projected declines of 1 to 2 percent between January and May, which may have ripple effects on the economy.
Court Appearance Adds to Puzzles Behind Mobil Mart Murder Suspect as Victim’s Mother Looks On
A Tuesday court appearance by Joseph Bova II, accused of murdering Roman Rosado in an execution-style killing at the Mobil Mart on SR 100 in February, added to questions surrounding his case, including about his competence and a mysterious incident involving him that took place at the jail on Thanksgiving Day.
Debris Fire on Land Off CR 304 Is No Threat, But Will Smoke Up Palm Coast and Bunnell For Days
The 9-acre fire is consuming tree stumps, mulch and related debris at a dump for such material, and will continue burning at a lesser intensity for days, possibly weeks, creating smoke issues. Firefighters left the scene Tuesday morning, leaving it to the landowners to resolve.
As County Library’s Purpose Changes, Commissioners Examine Expansion Plans
Flagler County Library Director Holly Albanese led county commissioners on a tour of the main branch Tuesday morning in hopes of persuading them to soon approve expansion plans in line with the library’s changing mission.
Palm Coast Couple Charged With Aggravated Child Abuse After Neglecting Broken Arm
Authorities learned that the couple allegedly had cruel means of disciplining the 3-year-old boy, including dousing the child in cold water for napping when he wasn’t supposed to, sitting the child by the front door, as punishment, for 10 to 60 minutes, “and twisting [the child] into a pretzel with legs behind [his] head, causing pain to the groin area,” according to the arrest report.
County Rejects Donations of Flagler Estates Lots, Seeing No Public Purpose in Acquisition
A divided commission rejected the proposal, 3-2, with Nate McLaughlin leading an adamant opposition that showed no interest in bailing out private property owners who made poor investments, or setting the county on a course that has no clear objective.
Tricia James, 22, Is Killed in a Head-On Collision on Pine Lakes Parkway, One Hour Into Thanksgiving Day
Tricia A. James, 22, of Ormond Beach, was killed at 1 a.m. Thursday in a head-on collision in Palm Coast as she drove on Pine Lakes Parkway. Her car collided with an SUV driven by James J. Rumph of Palm Coast. Rumph, 18, is recovering from serious injuries at Florida Hospital Flagler.
Convicted Sex Offender Is Accused of Coercing His Fiancée’s 14-Year-Old Sister Into Sex
Ismael Angel Rios, a convicted sex offender who’d molested young girls he taught in a theater program a few years ago, was arrested again on a charge that he coerced a 14-year-old girl into oral sex while he was painting the girl’s Palm Coast home.
Dawn to Starlight: Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and the Hammock Warm Up Christmas Parades
Palm Coast’s annual Starlight parade is scheduled for Dec. 14. Flagler Beach’s Holiday at the Beach Parade is scheduled for Dec. 7 at 1 p.m., and businesses in the Hammock will be lighting up A1A with special events, lights and Christmas cheer for the first two week-ends of December.
A Divided Bunnell Accepts Old Courthouse Despite Mounting Questions About Mold and Other Issues
The 3-2 vote of the Bunnell City Commission was fraught with questions about the conditions of the 49,700 square foot building, which is in serious disrepair, shows evidence of leaks and possibly mold, and may cost upward of $5 million to be functional again, though Bunnell says nit would only refurbish a portion of it at a lower cost.
Bunnell’s Burden: A Photo Gallery of the Old Flagler County Courthouse and Annex
A photo gallery provides the first comprehensive inside look at the conditions of the old Flagler County Courthouse and annex, which Bunnell acquired at no cost on Nov. 26. But the city is now responsible for all repair and maintenance costs of both attached structures. The costs will be heavy.
Fire Demolishes House in Painter’s Hill and Jumps A1A to Island Estates Before It’s Stopped
A fire that started at about 3:15 this afternoon in a vacant, two-level house at 3518 North A1A, in Painter’s Hill, was fueled by 40 mph winds off the ocean and had quickly engulfed the structure in flames by the time firefighters arrived at the scene.
Vagina Monologues Dressed Up: Nora Ephron’s “Love, Loss, and What I Wore” at Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre
Ever since god allegedly turned Adam’s rib into a companion of the opposite sex, men have struggled to understand women. You can’t blame them: men are not only the weaker sex. They’re also the dumber. In comes Nora Ephron’s “Love, Loss and What I wore” to help them out this weekend at Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre.