Raymond Miller, the 77-year-old Palm Coast resident who crashed his plane in Pellicer Creek last week, had retired from the CIA but had never ended a life of globe-trotting adventure in which his age was a mere number. His family said his last flight was a fitting way to end a life.
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local News
Joseph Delarosby, Recently Retired Flagler Sheriff’s Deputy, Takes His Life at Palm Coast’s Heroes Park
Joseph Delarosby, who’d served nearly 20 years as a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy and bailiff, committed suicide this morning at Heroes Park in Palm Coast. He had retired from the force only recently.
Florida Hospital Flagler To See Medicare Payments Reduced 0.37% Per Patient, one of 148 Penalized in State
The penalty is intended to jolt hospitals to pay attention to what happens to their patients after they leave and reduce the rate of readmission of Medicare patients.
Robbery at Palm Coast Target Pharmacy Leads to Chase and Arrest at Integra Woods
Michael Shudy, 34, of Palm Coast, was arrested on two robbery charges and a count of fleeing and eluding police after ordering a store clerk at Target’s pharmacy to hand over methadone.
Richard Mathews, Accused of Mercy Killing in Mother’s Death, Sentenced to Two Years
Mary Shaw Mathews, 88, was found to have died by strangulation and over-medication on Feb. 21 at her Palm Coast home. Her son Richard told detectives that she had asked him to end her life as she had been suffering and declining fast. Today’s outcome reflected a judicial system grappling with the gray area between mercy killing, which is not allowed by law, and a form of induced death.
Pink Army’s Cancer-Whipping Flags Rise Over Flagler as Awareness Campaign Broadens
At a flag-raising ceremony this morning, elected officials and Florida Hospital Flagler CEO Ken Mattison spoke of cancer’s toll and improvements in life expectancy thanks to awareness and early detection.
Flagler Beach Police Seeking Help Identifying Publix Liquor Thief
The suspect stole some $400 worth of liquor from the Publix at 414 Beach Village Drive in Flagler Beach and drove off in a white hatchback vehicle of unknown make.
Recovery of Crashed Plane Again Suspended as Tides Interfere; Raymond Miller, Presumed Dead, Still Not Positively Identified
Raymond A. Miller, 77, of Palm Coast, took off from Flagler County Airport in a Northeasterly direction Friday morning and never returned. Authorities are seeking the public’s help in any sighting as the search continues.
County Road 305 Culvert Replacements Will Not Be Completed Until 2015
One culvert has been delayed by heavy rains and won’t be finished until October, two more won’t be done until January 2015, the county administration said.
Sheriff’s Apperson Honored for School Cop Services; Three Are Promoted
Don Apperson, just reassigned, had served as the supervisor of the sheriff’s school cops for 13 years. Jen Taylor, Bernie Woodward and Laura Pazarena were all promoted.
FDLE Serves Search Warrant as Supervisor of Elections Weeks Is Now Formally Under Investigation
Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents this morning served a search warrant at Flagler County Supervisor of Elections Kimberle Weeks’s office. Agents were there several hours today.
Flagler Sheriff’s Deputy Tasers 80-Year-Old Man With Dementia: He Was Wielding a Knife
A Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy on Thursday used his Taser stun gun against an 80-year-old man suffering from dementia as the man refused to put down a butcher knife as he sat in his back porch. The man had earlier allegedly threatened members of his family.
In Sgt. Frank Celico’s Memory: 3rd Annual Ride to Remember Scheduled for Oct. 25
The Ride to Remember gathers bikers for a long ride through the county to commemorate Celico’s memory and raise funds for the foundation, which provides bike helmets and bikes to Flagler children.
A Cat in Flagler Beach Cashes in One of Nine Lives In Freakish Hitch With Garage Door
Flagler Beach Police Sgt. David Arcieri noticed most of the cat screaming as it hung between a garage door and a house frame Wednesday afternoon. Arcieri initiated the rescue. The cat is back to its normal self, lording it over the block.
Everybody Needs a Little Raciness: City Rep Theatre Launches 4th Season With Joyful, Raunchy “Avenue Q”
Nominated for six Tony awards and winner of three, “Avenue Q,” for the first time in Palm Coast, is a hilarious send-up of Seasame Street by way of hard-edged themes–racism, porn, suckiness–featuring puppets and songs. It’s all laughs.
A Car Wreck at Publix Escalates Into Battery On a Cop and Hostility at Hospital’s ER
Richard Westervelt, a 23-year-old ex-felon–he was released from state prison two years ago–ran from the scene after a car wreck near Publix Tuesday night, then continued battling a cop at the scene and at the hospital before he was restrained in irons and arrested.
Flooding Damage to 36 Homeowners Totals $380,000 as Calm Returns to Region
After two days of torrential rain in places and a maximum-recorded reading of 16 inches in central Palm Coast, two days of calm have restored normalcy to the city’s sewer system, lifting restrictions on water usage and ending cases of isolated flooding.
39-Year-Old Palm Coast Man Accused of Raping “Physically Impaired” Woman, 21
The case rests on DNA evidence tying Gavin to semen from a rape kit the alleged Palm Coast victim completed two days after the incident, the details of which she does not recall.
Flagler Beach Attorney Scott Spradley Marks 25th Year With Pier-Timbred Gift to City Commission
Flagler Beach attorney Scott Spradley will present a 6 foot by 3 foot photograph on canvass of the pier, which he took, to the City Commission on Oct. 9 as a gift marking his 25 years as a member of the Florida Bar.
Citing Racism, Ex-Manager Armando Martinez Files Discrimination Charge Against Bunnell
Armando Martinez charges that when Bunnell Commissioner Elbert Tucker spoke of not wanting another manager from Miami, he was discriminating against Martinez’s Cuban heritage. Tucker says he was merely opposing hiring another big-city manager.
More Land For Pops as City Embraces Partnership With Palm Coast Arts Foundation
The city has agreed to lease the foundation–which is set to raise its first physical structure–even more land than it had before in Town Center and increasing the arts group’s space by about a third, and doubling the length of the $1-year-lease to 10 years.
Palm Coast Man Accused of Kicking and Killing Playful Puppy For Interrupting Masturbation
Wesley Jackson, 28, who has a history of abuse and criminal charges, was at his girlfriend’s empty house trying to pleasure himself at the computer when Little Man, the puppy, kept jumping on his leg, trying to be playful. It was the dog’s last leap.
FDLE Looking Into Alleged Secret Taping and Sunshine Violation by Elections Supervisor
It’s the first step to an investigation of Kimberle Weeks, if laws are found to have been broken. It takes place on the heels of withering criticism of Weeks’s methods and questions by the county commission chairman about the integrity of the elections she is supervising.
Family Life Center Appoints Jodi Lodolce and Laura Perkins to Board; Seeking 2 More Members
The two new members join an 11-member board. The Family Life Center is seeking two additional board members. Those interested should contact Trish Giaccone at 386/437-7747.
15 Inches of Rain In Heart of Palm Coast; B-Section Pounded; Wastewater Systems Strained
15 inches of rainfall had been reported at Palm Coast Parkway and Belle Terre Parkway by 9:35 this morning, with the third flood warning issued in 18 hours, valid through 1:15 p.m.
Palm Coast Flooding Closes a Few Streets in B and W Sections; Damage Minimal So Far; Flood Warning Extended
Damage has been minimal and no injuries related to flooding have been reported, though lightning struck a house and triggered a house fire–the location has not been specified–and a person was struck by lightning.
“You Are the Shining Stars,” Flagler’s Drug Court Graduates Are Told at Inspirational Ceremony
Five graduates joined today the 101 who have graduated from Flagler County Drug Court at a ceremony before Judge J. David Walsh, where emotions, celebrations and relief gripped much of the full house.
Palm Coast Sets Special Meeting Tuesday to Consider Tax Breaks for Palm Harbor Shopping Center’s Redevelopment
The unusual special meeting is set to two proposed measures: a tax-break package valued at $52,000 for the Palm Harbor shopping center redevelopment, and a $900,000 purchase of 21 vehicles for the city’s fleet.
Flagler Beach Retreats From Clumsy Attempt To Regulate Farmers’ Market, But It Isn’t Over
Flagler Beach Farmers’ Market owner Zoee Forehand was stunned by an imprecise city proposal to impose new regulations on the market. Thursday, the city commission agreed to step back and let the owners, their attorney and the city attorney draft a proposal together.
Supervisor of Elections’ Husband Duane Weeks in Threatening Altercation With Flagler Commissioner Meeker
The brief confrontation, which entailed Duane Weeks at one point inviting Frank Meeker outside, took place before an NAACP meeting where Sheriff Manfre was to address the fallout from the racial events in Ferguson, Mo.
73-Year-Old Man Robbed at Best Western Off Old Kings Road; Detectives Seek Help
Debary residents Herman and Judith Reimers, 73 and 71, were staying at the Best Western off of Old Kings Road on Sept. 22, when an alleged assailant claiming to be a TV repairman went with Herman to his room and robbed him of his wallet.
Palm Coast’s Jessica Dow Nash, 31, Critical After Crashing Into FHP Troopers’ Cruisers
Jessica Dow Nash, a 31-year-old resident of Palm Coast’s F Section, crashed into a BMW and an FHP patrol car as FHP was investigating another crash early this morning just north of the Flagler-St. Johns County line.
Pit Bull Tased Then Euthanized After Attacking 3 People in P-Section; 3rd Incident in 3 Days
In an incident that culminated in a third attack caught on video, the pit bull was briefly neutralized with a Taser dart before an animal control officer removed the dog from the scene and three people were hospitalized.
Relax: There May Be Some Rain, But No Sandbag-Begging Flooding Likely in Flagler
Despite television images of flooded roads and some flooded homes in parts of coastal Volusia County, Flagler’s emergency management director says residents should not be alarmed by what they see there or expect it replicated here.
After Flagrant Dog Attack, Sheriff’s Cmdr. Steve Cole Appeals for More Responsibility From Pet Owners
Cmdr. Steve Cole, attacked and injured by a dog Monday as he jogged along Matanzas Woods Parkway, says the consequences could have been far worse had the dog attacked a child, an elderly person or a woman, all of whom are always on trails.
Facebook “Relationship” Status Between Man, 21, and 15-Year-Old Palm Coast Girl, Leads to Statutory Rape Charge
Tavarez Calloway met the girl at the Flagler County Fair then was allowed to move in when he had no other place to go, as long as the cpouple did not date, according to what a parent told police.
Tax Collector Suzanne Johnston Gets State Safety Award For Using Drunk Buster Impairment Goggles
The statewide award is presented each year by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles for an outstanding program in Florida promoting highway safety.
Palm Coast Woman Fires Handgun at Charging Pit Bull as She Walks Her Dog in B-Section
A 25-year-old woman walking her dog on her own property on Palm Coast’s Belvedere Lane when she fired her 38-mm handgun at a neighborhood pit bull that was charging her. The dog was not injured, but it quickly retreated.
In a First for Flagler Schools, Student-Staffed VyStar Bank Branch Opens at Matanzas, Heralding Era of Business Partnerships
The opening of a nearly full-service VyStar Credit Union branch at Matanzas is part of a class, and part of the school’s–and the district’s–flagship programs, intended to bridge school and careers with hands-on opportunities.
Tenacity Charlie: County Commissioner Ericksen, 71, Completes 24,902-Mile Bike Trek, Equivalent to Circling the Equator
Charlie Ericksen’s odometer turned the last mile early this morning after six years or 2,263 days, biking an average of 77 miles a week around Flagler and Palm Coast, despite three tips to the hospital along the way and many more repairs for his bike.
Florida Sheds 4,000 Jobs and Unemployment Rate Ticks Up to 6.3%, Also Rising in Flagler
In Flagler County, the unemployment rate went up to 9.5 percent, the number of people with jobs fell by 207, and the labor force, an indicator of local economic vitality, fell by 186 after rising in previous months.
17-Year-Old Runaway Palm Coast Girl Found Unresponsive at Bunnell’s Budget Motel
A 17-year-old Palm Coast girl reported missing Saturday was found unconscious in a motel room Monday morning, where she’d checked in with a 27-year-old the night before, in a case Bunnell police terms “suspicious.” The girl was still in a coma Wednesday at a hospital in Jacksonville.
Settle Wants Carney Out as Commission Chair in Flagler Beach, Underscoring Dysfunction
In an unprecedented move in the city’s history, Flagler Beach City Commissioner Steve Settled will seek to have Kim Carney removed from the commission chairmanship next week, and replaced with Marshall Shupe.
Two Flagler Estate Residents Face 39 Counts Of Animal Cruelty Each After Foul Discovery
A circuit judge ordered the St. Johns sheriff’s office to take possession of 17 cows, nine pigs, 11 goats and two horses found in neglectful conditions. The animals are to be auctioned.
Shaun Whitt of Palm Coast Is Sentenced to Life in Prison For Serial Rapes of 11-Year-Old Girl
Shaun Whitt, formerly of Palm Coast’s F-Section, would assault the girl in her bedroom for more than two years after she turned 11, after her mother would go to work. He denied the allegations.
1st Quarter Revenue at Palm Coast Data Falls 13%, But CEO Paints Brighter Picture Ahead
Revenues from the company’s Media Services businesses, which include Palm Coast Data’s Subscription Fulfillment Services, fell from $20.3 million for the first quarter of 2014 to $17.5 million in the 1st quarter of fiscal year 2015. CEO Rory Burke said the company is “not teetering on the brink of disaster.”
Commission Chairman Questions Election’s Integrity in Broad Criticism of Supervisor Kim Weeks’ Methods
George Hanns unleashed an unusually blunt and broad critique of Weeks at the end of a county commission meeting and went as far as questioning whether it was time to involve the state Division of Elections “about some of the things that are transpiring.”
Palm Coast Boy, 9, Faces Battery and Molestation Charges After “Playing Around” With 11-Year-Old Girl
The 9-year-old boy is accused of grabbing the girl’s breasts from behind, asking her to “give me a hug or I’ll rape you,” and hitting her with a flip-flop when she got away from him.
Gamble Rogers Rec Area Will Keep Its Name as Flagler Beach Concedes: “Not Worth the Fight”
The Flagler Beach City Commission and the County Commission both retreated from a push to remove Gamble Rogers’s name from the Flagler Beach recreation area following a series of setbacks and a public backlash against the idea.
Kimble Medley Appointed to Palm Coast Code Enforcement Board, 3 Others Reappointed
Neil Copeland, Robert Branin and Gerry Chagnon, who had previously been an alternate, were re-appointed to the powerful board. Kenneth Klinkenberg, a former member, was appointed an alternate in City Council votes this morning.