They are Tyrone Walker, 19, of 55 Fischer Lane, Joseph Orza, 18, of 12 Conley Court, and Sequawne Solomon, 18, of 42 Louisberg Lane. Two additional suspects were identified, but their names were redacted, suggesting they are underage.
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local News
Extensive Plagiarism Detected in Flagler School Board Candidate Maria Barbosa’s Interview
Out of 15 questions Maria P. Barbosa answered, 14 instances of plagiarism were detected, including lines lifted from her opponent Andy Dance’s website, from School Board member Colleen Conklin’s interview, and from numerous other academic, journalism and political web sites.
Flagler Beach Business Owner Shane Kitchens Critically Injured by Motorcycle on A1A
Shane Kitchens, a 37-year-old Flagler Beach resident and business owner, was in critical condition overnight after a motorcyclist struck him as Kitchens was crossing State Road A1A around 12:45 Sunday morning. Kitchens was a few blocks from his home on South Flagler Avenue.
Misleading TV Report Raises Overblown Fears About “Flesh-Eating” Bacteria on Beaches
Flagler County Health Department Director Patrick Johnson and his staff have been fielding calls from tourists worried about reports of “flesh-eating” bacteria on local beaches. And they’ve been telling them to relax: the reports are misleading and outright false.
Study Reveals Severe Tornado-Awareness Gap in Palm Coast Despite Ready Warnings
More than half Palm Coast residents warned of December’s tornado took no safety precautions afterward, a new study finds, alarming officials about an apathy they say must be countered, though Palm Coast’s response to the study has been more muted than another city’s where tornado awareness is far more heightened.
Going ISIS in Palm Coast: Vandals Smash a Venus de Milo Statue at European Village
Sometime in the night of July 9, a group of five teen-looking individuals were caught on surveillance video smashing a small replica of the famed Greek Venus de Milo. The statue will cost $3,500 to replace,
Following Flagler Beach’s Lead, Palm Coast Is Drafting Restrictions on Medical Pot Shops
Floridians’ vote on Amendment 2, the proposal to legalize medical marijuana, is still four months away, but the Palm Coast City Council wants to prepare with an ordinance that would restrict dispensaries to commercial areas, though how that would differ from regular drug stores is unclear.
Palm Coast Data Lost 70% of Clients in 6 Years; Parent Company Posts $2.9 Million Loss for ’14
Palm Coast Data now performs subscription fulfillment services for 405 magazine titles representing 90 clients, down from 1,050 magazines and 300 clients when it inked a deal with Palm Coast government in 2008 to stay in the city and pledge to increase the workforce by 700. That increase never took place.
Q&A Forum Featuring All Candidates for Local Office Monday at Palm Coast’s Hilton Garden Inn
It starts at 5 p.m. with a little booze and at 6 p.m. with a lot of questions. The public is not only welcome but urged to be there: voter apathy has been embarrassingly pronounced in Flagler County, with the last two off-year election primaries striking successive turn-out lows of 23 and 22 percent.
Bunnell Eliminates 40% Of Police Department as Part of Wider Cost-Cuts and Lay-Offs
Seeking to cut an $800,000 deficit that represents a fifth of the city’s budget, the Bunnell City Commission Monday cut its commission salaries by 10 percent, eliminated its grants department and laid off staff that have been mainstays of the Bunnell administration and police department over the years.
Repertory Theatre Will Keep Its Home in a Favorable Arrangement With City Marketplace
The theater will remain at City Marketplace for at least one more year. City Repertory’s future had been in doubt for months with the departure of Hollingsworth gallery, which had been its landlord until its departure this month.
Bear Spotted Roaming Around Palm Coast’s B Section
A black bear was spotted late this afternoon in the area of Belle Terre Parkway and Brookside Lane in northwestern Palm Coast. A short time later, it was seen in the area of Brownstone.
For 2nd Time in 5 Days, South Bunnell Is Scene of Violent Attack, This Time a Stabbing
Edward Godwin, a 68-year-old felon on probation and with a long arrest record, was arrested and charged with aggravated battery after allegedly stabbing a woman who interceded between Godwin and his wife as the couple were arguing in front of her house, and Godwin’s wife was calling out for help.
61% of Palm Coast’s Blue-Collar Workers Unionize, Citing City’s Inattention to Grievances
A decisive majority of the 140 blue-collar workers in Palm Coast’s utilities department—the city’s largest—voted last week to unionize, making them the second city department to do so. The city’s 50-some firefighters unionized in 2010 but are currently at an impasse over contract negotiations.
A Man Brandishes a Knife at Police Then Jumps To His Death at Ormond Resort on A1A
Ormond Beach police are investigating what they call a “suspicious incident/suicide” that took place early this morning at the Royal Floridian Resort on State Road A1A, claiming the life of Dean O’Hara, 50, of Cape Canaveral.
Three Arrested After Chase and Violent Armed Robbery Leaves 2 Victims Injured on SR100
The armed robbery at 11 p.m. at SR100 and Belle Terre Parkway took place just as firefighters were battling a house fire in Grand Haven. The subsequent car chase and crash required pulling personnel from the fire to the crash scene.
Palm Coast’s Tom Hanson and Doug Akins Land Awards for City’s Web Design and Tornado Video
For Tom Hanson and Palm Coast’s TV199, annual awards have become the the norm since he launched the city’s public-access TV station in 2007, enhancing the channel’s lineup with far more than videos of government meetings and functions.
Flagler Beach Commissioner Settle “Goes Off” On Resident as Confrontations Rattle Meeting
In two confrontations that upset fellow-commissioners, Flagler Beach City Commissioner Steve Settle questioned resident Rick Belhumeur on what “allowed” him to address issues relating to the city’s fire department and called his public comments “inappropriate” by falsely claiming that Belhumeur was running for office. After the meeting, the two men got in a shouting match.
Get Ready For Moonlight Fishing On the Flagler Beach Pier, Starting in September
The Flagler Beach pier’s balance sheet is struggling this year, with a $23,000 deficit the city government–which administers the pier–is trying to close before the end of the year. One idea: starting the first Saturday in September (Sept. 6), the pier will be open to fishing through the night, but for a $6 charge–the same rate fishermen must pay during the day.
Marketing 2 Go and Curley Tail Design Make the Move to Town Center Offices
Kim Fitzgerald’s Curley Tail Design and Cindy Dalecki’s Marketing 2 Go see the move to Town Center as part of a high-tech corridor to come in the area, though their biggest new neighbor will soon be Palm Coast’s City Hall.
Authorities Locate Brandon Connolly, 17, Runaway Since July 19
Brandon Connelly has run away three times before, and his father believes that his grounding until a court date was the contributing factor in the latest running away.
Flagship Schools: How Flagler District Is Changing the Way Students Learn, and Prepare for Careers
The goal is to begin the college and career readiness process much earlier and more comprehensively. The program, incorporated into the normal daily curriculum, is based STEM initiatives, with an eye toward preparing students for employment in area industries.
Man Is Shot and Wounded Near MLK Blvd. And S. Cherry in Bunnell, Suspect Still at Large
A man was shot just after 8 p.m. tonight (July 23) in the area of Martin Luther King Blvd. and South Cherry Street in South Bunnell, the city’s police chief, Tom Foster, said this evening. Authorities are investigating.
At Flagler Tea Party Candidates Night, A Dearth of Voters, Democrats and Awareness
The Tea Party’s candidate night is still the liveliest and best attended of all such events, as it was Monday, but the turn-out of interested voters was sharply down from two years ago, Democrats were virtual no-shows, and long-time observers of the political scene complained of some candidates’ disconnect from current issues.
Daytona State College Celebrating Flagler-Palm Coast Campus Expansion on Aug. 14
Daytona State College will celebrate the expansion of its Flagler-Palm Coast Campus on Thursday, Aug. 14, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking completion of a new $7.6 million high-tech classroom and student center that will nearly double the campus’ capacity.
Palm Coast, Flagler and School Tax Bills To Increase About 5% as County and District Set Tentative Rates
For a $175,000 house with a homestead tax exemption of $50,000, the typical tax bill will be $2,574, a saving of $2 from the current rate, when Palm Coast, Flagler, School Board and water management district taxes are combined, before accounting for higher property values of about 5 percent. Totals will be higher in Flagler Beach and Bunnell.
Facing DUI Charge, Palm Coast Man Attempts to Bribe Deputy With Dinner
Ricardo Feo Sr., a 58-year-old resident of Princess Geraldine Place in Palm Coast, offered dinner to deputy Joseph Barile, in exchange for his freedom, as he was being booked into the Flagler County jail.
8-Week Lane Closure On Palm Coast Parkway By Ford Dealership
The lane closure is required in order for the contractor to install a trench drain from Cypress Point Parkway eastbound to the I-95 Southbound on ramp. Traffic will merge down to two travel lanes. The right turn lane will be open to Cypress Point Parkway.
In a Boon to Flagler, National Guard Will Bring “Hundreds of Troops” to County Airport in Long-Term Lease Agreement
The Army National Guard’s 10-year lease agreement with Flagler, to be revealed to the County Commission Wednesday, fills a 19,000-square-foot building at the airport, for $15,185 a month, after the county saw four tenants in eight years fail to make good on their leases there.
Palm Coast’s Justin Brannick, Accused of Downloading Child Porn, Is Acquitted
Justin Brannick, a 31-year-old Palm Coast resident who spent the past year at the Flagler County jail on charges of downloading child pornography, was acquitted last week at the end of a two-day trial in Flagler County Circuit Court.
Feared Drowned, 39-Year-Old Mother Is in Serious Condition at Hospital
Holly G. Weizer, 39, had just arrived in Palm Coast with a friend children for a week’s vacation. In late evening her children found her under water. Her teen-age son attempted to perform CPR on her.
Flagler Film Festival Prepares For 2nd Edition, But More Foreigners Than Locals Send Flicks
Flagler Film Festival Co-Founder Kathy Barry can’t figure it out: of 65 film submissions so far for the January festival, only 20 are from Florida, and none from Flagler-Palm Coast, though she wants the involvement of the much-vaunted video department at FPC.
Flagler Unemployment Ticks Up For 2nd Straight Month, Masking Vast Improvements
Despite traditional unemployment figures, the jobs situation in Flagler County is vastly improved, and continues to improve, with a 38 percent drop in people without jobs since four years ago and a labor force stronger by 3,000.
Flagler Schools’ Latest Student Code of Conduct: Zero Tolerance Endures, More Infractions Added, But Also More Vagueness
The proposed 2015 Student Code of Conduct in Flagler County Schools adds a series of infractions, including cussing, slurs, harassment,and use of social media, but despite Superintendent Jacob Oliva’s stated opposition to zero-tolerance policies, those remain unchanged, and many of the changes exhibit alarming vagueness.
All Flagler Elementary Schools Will Have School Cops This Year, Even as SRD Total Won’t Change
The Flagler School district approved a plan that spreads its five full-time School Resource Deputies between 11 schools, reducing FPC’s cops to one full-timer, with the other dividing time between three elementary schools, and cops at two middle schools covering an elementary school each.
Palm Coast’s Brian Matthews Named Educator of the Decade for Southeast Desalting Association
The Southeast Desalting Association has named City of Palm Coast Environmental Specialist Brian Matthews, a longtime employee of Palm Coast’s Utility Division, as its Educator of the Decade for his work to educate water treatment facility operators about membrane technologies.
Andrew Dandurand, Arrested For Threatening To Kill Ex With Assault Rifle, Is Dead
Andrew Dandurand, 24, of Palm Coast’s R-Section, who attempted to hang himself at the St. Johns County jail on July 11, died Wednesday evening of his injuries. He’d been jailed June 15 after allegedly threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend, her boyfriend and himself.
Palm Coast Activists Drop 1,600 Postcards to Rep. Ron DeSantis, Seeking Better Gun-Safety
The national, week-long “Not One More” campaign was inspired by the passionate plea of Richard Martinez, father of a victim of the May 23 mass shooting in Santa Barbara, in which Elliot Rodger killed six people and injured 13 before killing himself.
O Captain! My Captain! Next Leadership Flagler Class Application Deadline Is July 25
The three-month program nurtures, engages and motivates local business professionals and residents to become community leaders, providing insight about Flagler County’s operations while inspiring participants to take active roles as stewards of and advocates for positive change within the community.
Find a Lawyer: Flagler Duo Launches Unique Web Venture Rating Attorneys’ Success Rate
CourtCaseResults.com, the brainchild of Trevor Tucker and Darren McGuire, is a freely accessible website that gives consumers full histories of lawyers’ success and failure rates in Flagler cases. Launched Monday, the site is gradually moving to include cases statewide.
Dump Truck Is Totaled in Defensive Wreck on CR305 and CR302
Eric McLaughlin, a 40-year-old driver from Bunnell, was a little sore but escaped more serious injuries when he was forced to drive his multi-ton dump truck down an embankment at the intersection of County Road 302 and County Road 305 Monday afternoon. The truck was totaled.
Sheriff Asking Public’s Help in Locating Tiffany Alyce Chapman, 16, Missing Since Sunday
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is attempting to locate Tiffany Alyce Chapman, 16, of 65 Blaine Drive in Palm Coast. She left her residence around 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 13.
Mom’s 63-Year-Old Boyfriend Accused of Molesting 13-Year-Old Palm Coast Girl
Robert A. Zetrouer, 63, was held at the Flagler County jail on $75,000 bond on Friday on charges of lewd or lascivious molestation and attempted lewd or lascivious battery on a 13-year-old girl in May and June.
Palm Coast Man, Angered Over PlayStation, Accused of Battering Pregnant Wife; Rash of B-Section Burglaries End in Arrest
Cody J. Lynch, 21, faces an aggravated battery charge for allegedly battering his pregnant wife when he couldn’t find his PlayStation 4. Some half dozen break-ins involving mostly unlocked cars in Palm Coast’s B Section ended with the arrest of Michael Shawn McRoberts Jr., 18, who lives in the same neighborhood.
Thomas Trudell, 65, of Palm Coast, Is Killed in Motorcycle vs. Pick-Up Wreck at Belle Terre and Pine Grove
Thomas Trudell, 65, of Palm Coast, was riding his motorcycle on Belle Terre Parkway when he was killed Sunday morning as a pick-up truck pulled in front of him at the intersection of Belle Terre and Pine Grove Drive.
Flagler School District Rated B For 2nd Straight Year Despite Seven A-Rated Schools
A-rated schools included Bunnell, Rymfire, Old Kings, Wadsworth and Belle Terre elementaries, along with Indian Trails Middle and Palm Harbor, the charter school that just two years ago was failing. The district will earn several hundred thousand dollars in bonuses.
Flagler Sheriff Deputy Williams Rescues Sandhill Crane Struck by a Car
Agricultural and Ranch Deputy Steve Williams responded to Grand Reserve Drive in Bunnell on Friday morning after the Sheriff’s Office received a call of an injured bird with a possible broken leg after being hit by a car.
Mounting Cost Overruns Latest Challenges To Bedevil Bulldog Drive Expansion
The Palm Coast City Council will approve doubling “contingencies” to $427,000 for the now-$5 million Bulldog Drive project, after approving change orders on the engineering contract that more than doubled the cost to $845,000.
Palm Coast Taxes Will Remain Flat This Year As City Projects “Stale and Boring” Budget
The typical Palm Coast property owner will pay roughly $534 for the year, about the same as this year and possibly a few dollars less, as the Palm Coast City Council prepares to adopt a caretaker budget.
Edging Out Flagler’s Jill Espinosa, Christie Bassett of Polk Is the 2015 Florida Teacher of the Year
Christie Bassett was named the 2015 Teacher of the Year just after 8 p.m. at the end of a ceremony from Hard Rock Live at Universal in Orlando. Jill Espinoa, Flagler County’s Teacher of the Year, was among the five finalists.