The campaign to force the council to reverse course was brutally effective against a council that appeared willing to ignore its own history and a year and a half of its administration’s work on the matter.
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local News
With Few Flagler Exceptions, Reading, Math and Science FCAT Scores Drop for Most Schools
As reading and math scores improved statewide in most grades, despite tougher standards, Flagler County students lost ground over last year’s results, and struggled to keep up with state averages.
Jim Guines Is Honored By the African American Mentor Program He Founded in 2007
Jim Guines, who served nearly 13 years on the Flagler County School Board until 2007, was received the Founder’s Award at the mentor program’s annual banquet Monday evening.
County Budget, Upended By Deficit of $3 to $4 Million, Sets Off Crisis Mode–and Pitfalls
The much larger-than-expected deficit, which forced the abrupt cancellation of a budget workshop, raises questions of accountability just months before four of the county commissioners face elections either to hold on to their seats or seek a higher office.
Circuit Judge May Rule by Week’s End on Pollinger’s Eligibility as GOP Sheriff’s Candidate
Flagler County Sheriff Candidate John Pollinger was a registered Democrat in New Jersey, but registered as a Republican when he moved to Flagler County several years ago. An ally of Ray Stevens, another sheriff’s candidate, is challenging Pollinger’s qualification to be on the primary ballot as a Republican.
Hearing Echo of Broken Promise, Palm Coast Council Girds For Opposition to New Utility Fee
Vince Liguori, a member of the local tea party’s executive committee and an influential behind-the-scenes broker on local issues, is mountain an offensive against the city council’s utility-fee proposal that will culminate Tuesday evening.
“We Won and Chilled”: In Czech Republic, Flagler Paramedics Are World Champs Again
Flagler County Fire Rescue’s team was led by Dennis Kline, William Kerek, John Moskowitz and Pius. The quartet won for the 3rd time in four years and faced competition from 22 teams from 13 countries spread over three continents.
Passports in Hand, Palm Coast Discovers Its Festive Internationalism
Palm Coast may well have discovered how to host a festival with down home charm even as it went global to do it: the International Food and Wine Festival taking place Saturday and again Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. mixes the intimate and the urbane for an affordable $3 admission.
Shooting at Would-Be Burglar on Brittany Lane Now Termed an Assault, not Self-Defense
Stephen Metcalf, a Palm Coast resident, apparently tried to get into Marc Barbee’s home. Barbee, who misled police about the incident, then fired three shots at Metcalf as Metcalf sped away.
Mark Dwyer, Again Running for Judge in Flagler, Finds Himself on the Defensive. Again.
Attorney Mark Dwyer two years ago was admonished by the Florida Bar for a minor trust account issue. He’s now being reprimanded for a more serious issue, but Dwyer wants it explained at length. He takes the stand in his defense.
Horseshoe Pitching at Flagler’s Old Dixie Park: An Out of the Way Sport Hooks In
The 18 Horseshoe-pitching courts at Flagler County’s Old Dixie Park are part of the Flagler Palm Coast Horseshoe Club’s hopes of drawing some of Florida’s 70 horseshoe tournaments and tourism dollars to the Flagler-Palm Coast area.
Seeking “Closure,” Ex-Bunnell Commissioner Flynt Will Pay $2,500 Fine on Ethics Violations
The ethics case against Jimmy Flynt was filed by Bunnell City Commissioner Elbert Tucker when Flynt was still a commissioner, in late 2010. Flynt admitted to three violations of law and now looks forward to possibly running for the commission again.
Paul Miller, Who Shot and Killed His Neighbor, Makes Bail, Dismaying Victim’s Family
Paul Miller, 65, of Flagler Beach, posted $300,000 bond on Tuesday after spending 10 weeks in jail on a second degree murder charge following the killing of Dana Mulhall as the two argued over Miller’s barking dogs on March 14.
Despite Warnings of Corruption, Palm Coast Council Approves Meeker’s Job “Posse” Scheme
In a victory for Frank Meeker, the city will pay job “recruiters” $1,000 for being instrumental in expanding or relocating out-of-county business to Palm Coast, but many of the defining criteria remain vague and fraught with what the city terms unintended consequences.
Julia Roberts, a Cancer Patient at Florida Hospital Flagler, Marries Sweetheart of 17 Years
Palm Coast resident Julia Roberts was admitted at Florida Hospital Flagler on May 4. On May 22, in her hospital room, she was married to Terry Adolph after hospital staff took care of vritually all the arrangements.
Flalger County Lifts Burn Ban, For Now
The burn ban was in effect since April 16, but tropical storm Beryl and more rain in the forecast led Flagler Fire Chief Don Petito to let the ban lapse on Memorial Day.
Palm Coast Resident Is Baker Acted Then Jailed On Charges of Strangling and Maiming Kittens
Angel Roman, a 28-year-old Palm Coast resident, has been in and out of jail for the past two years and suffers from several mental illnesses, people who know him told deputies. He’d been Baker Acted before his latest jailing.
Stand-Off on Cedar Street in the Mondex Ends After Man Shoots Himself and Surrenders
Henry Brock broke through a bedroom window where his brother was asleep with Henry’s ex-girlfriend. An assault ensued, then Henry apparently shot himself to keep from going to jail. It didn’t work.
Cup Cakes Get Their Day in Court as Palm Coast Agrees to a Hearing on Home Bakeries
A split Palm Coast City Council has been wrestling with a proposal to allow small home-based commercial bakery operations, as long as the bakeries don’t sell products from the home. Food safety has been a hang-up.
Flagler 911: A Bi-Polar Bulldog Attacks Her Owners, and Quirky Car Thieves
A 3-year-old bulldog attacks and bloodies her elderly owners, who are forced to lock themselves in their bedroom; a gun and its hollow-point ammunition is stolen from a car on Osprey Lane and mysteriously returned a few hours later. A car burglar leaves Altoids for a calling card. And more from the streets of Palm Coast and Flagler.
Tropical Storm Beryl: Weather Event Over, Memorial Day Brightens Up
Be cautious, but Beryl is no bear, and it may prove to have more benefits than drawbacks despite dampening Memorial Day plans and grills, at least for Flagler County, which may see heavy rain but may also be spared the rougher edges of the storm.
Like Son, Like Father: Pianist Xavier Ryan Is Flagler County’s Youth Entertainer of the Year
The 2012 Spotlight on Flagler Youth Entertainers of the Year in the junior division were Amanda Lee Pikowski, Eric Dangerfield and Kali Nina Cobb. Adam Prior and Felicity Furtado took 2nd and 3rd in the senior division of a talent show that raised about $800 for the Carver Center.
Flagler Third Graders Rank 19th in Reading, 23rd in Math, in Latest FCAT Batch
Out of 988 students who took the test in Flagler County, 130, or 13 percent, scored only a 1 on a scale of 5, and will be held back, absent improvements in summer reading school, which the district offers free.
Meeker Resigning Palm Coast Council to Run for Holland’s County Seat as Jockeying Begins
A regular partisan election in line with the coming primary and general will be held for Milissa Holland’s now-open seat on the Flagler County Commission, with two candidates already vying for it. The Palm Coast City Council may appoint a replacement for Meeker come November, depending on a legal reading of the city charter.
Trey McMillin, 8th Grader at Buddy Taylor, Wins 1st Place in Statewide Essay Contest on Americanism
Trey McMillin, a 13-year-old 8th grader at Buddy Taylor Middle School, is the first student from Flagler County to win the statewide Elks essay competition.
Upset That Trey Corbett Had Cut Him Off at the Gym, 65-Year-Old Defaces His Campaign Sign
Steven Paskewich was apparently upset that Trey Corbett, a candidate for Flagler County Supervisor of Elections, allegedly cut him off at the weight machine at Thriv, the Palm Coast fitness center–a machine Corbett says he doesn’t use. So Paskewich defaced three Corbett signs with mild obscenities–and was arrested.
Philip Reynolds and Nathan Hockenberry Are Flagler Sheriff’s Top Cops of the Year
Sgt. Philip Reynolds was named Deputy of the Year in the road patrol division and Nathan Hockenberry was named the Corrections Deputy of the Year for 2012 at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
As FPL’s Smart Meters Convert 50,000 Flagler Homes, County Takes Dim View of Opponents
Florida Power & Light will roll out 50,000 smart meters in Flagler homes and small businesses over six months beginning this summer. The Flagler County Commission supports an opt-out measure for customers, some of whom thing the smart meters are invasive and dangerous, but FPL already provides a temporary opt-out.
Palm Coast and the County Look for State Cavalry to Resolve a Dispute Over $2.4 Million
Palm Coast and the county are battling over $2.4 million each side wants to use for its own road projects. Their solution: getting the state to come up with that amount, essentially a new grant for the county. That may prove to be a tall order.
Sheriff Candidate Ray Stevens’s Ex-Aide Files Suit Against Rival Pollinger Over GOP Status
Anne-Marie Shaffer was GOP Sheriff’s candidate Ray Stevens’s campaign manager until two weeks ago, when she opted to legally challenge John Pollinger’s status as a Republican on the Aug. 14 primary election for Flagler County Sheriff.
Milissa Holland Formally Launches Campaign for House as Hutson Welcomes the Challenge
Democrat Milissa Holland plans on making her experience at the Flagler County Commission and as liaison in legislative services a centerpiece of her campaign against Republican Travis Hutson, who is accumulating an enormous treasure chest.
An Odd, Alluring Coupling of Photography And Colored Pencil Gems at the Art League
The Flagler County Art League’s third annual photography show, through June 6, features 20 photographers and the first stand-alone exhibit by the local chapter of the Colored Pencil Society of America.
Flagler’s FCAT Writing Scores Collapse, a Reflection of Florida’s Tougher Standards
As expected, Flagler County’s writing scores for 4th, 8th and 10th graders, released today, fell precipitously as the state imposed a new writing standard and a new passing grade, but itself failed to convey those standards clearly to teachers and principals ahead of time.
It Was Not a Police Chase: That Cop Convoy You Saw on Palm Coast Parkway
A convoy of marked and unmarked Flagler County Sheriff’s cruisers crossing Palm Coast Parkway at noon today gave the impression of being on a chase. It was a commemorative convoy for the late Frank Celico, the deputy who died last year.
Car Rams a School Bus With 34 Children on Board, at Whiteview Parkway; No One Hurt
A Flagler County school bus on a run to three schools was rammed from behind by a Mitsubishi Friday morning, startling the 34 students on board but causing minor damage to the bus and no injuries.
Milissa Holland Will Run For Florida House, Energizing Flagler’s Chances For a State Voice
Ending months of speculation and rumors, Milissa Holland, a county commissioner for the past six years, will run for the newly drawn 24th District House seat, giving Flagler County its strongest chance of direct representation in Tallahassee in half a century.
“An Evening With…” Saturday At City Repertory Theatre: The Manic, the Jazzy and the Stately
Manic comic Jonathan Haglund, the Island Duet (Caren and Paul Umbarger) and the Flagler Youth Strings Quartet are combining for “An Evening With…” Saturday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the City Repertory Theatre at Hollingsworth Gallery in palm Coast. It’s the CRT’s last event of the season.
Crime Falls, Cop-Killings Rise: Flagler Officers Honor the Fallen and Gauge a Disturbing Trend
For the second year in a row, Florida led the nation in cops killed on the job. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office held its annual ceremony for the fallen, and local top cops discussed the disturbing trend.
A Man With Several Gunshot Wounds Is Found in Palm Coast Fire Station Parking Lot
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a shooting that took place late this morning near the Palm Coast Fire Department’s Station 22, at Palm Coast Parkway and Clubhouse Drive. The shooting may be an attempted suicide.
School Chancellor, in Flagler, Touts Higher FCAT Standards as State Board Drops Them
Florida Public Schools Chancellor Pam Stewart’s 75-minute appearance before the Flagler County School Board, teachers and others Tuesday afternoon lent more PR than insights into the state’s latest FCAT fiasco, satisfying few locally.
Another Blow for the County: Palm Coast Rejects Flagler’s Sales Tax “Compromise”
Citing the county’s “Taj Mahal” of an administration building and the city’s future growth needs (and revenue), the Palm Coast council on Tuesday stuck to its refusal to change the way sales tax revenue is split, a blow for county government.
To Little Opposition, Palm Coast Approves New Levy for Stormwater Fixes, Delays Another
To little opposition, the council voted unanimously to add a 6 percent tax on electric utility bills, adding, on average, $6.27 a month to monthly residential utility bills. The council defeated a proposal to add a second tax that would have raised an equal amount.
Ken Mazzie Joins Teens-In-Flight Board of Directors
Jack Howell and Teens-In-Flight in Palm Coast announced this week that Ken Mazzie, a Certified Public Accountant, has joined the Palm Coast organization’s board of directors.
Going Nose to Nose, Palm Coast and The County Remain Split on Half-Cent Sales Tax
Palm Coast wants to keep the split of the half-cent sales tax revenue what it is today. Flagler County wants to change the formula, which would decrease Palm Coast’s share by $500,000. The disagreement is jeopardizing a unified approach on a sales tax referendum both sides say is critical to their revenue needs.
Small White Eagle Wildfire Monday Afternoon Flashes Bad Memories of Last Year’s Blaze
A wildfire broke out behind the White Eagle Saloon Monday at around 2:30 p.m., scrambling fire units from around the county and reviving fears of a repeat of last year’s wildfires, which consumed large swaths of the Seminole Woods area east of the White Eagle. But the fire was out 40 minutes after it declared itself.
Flagler 911: Pit Bull Attacks, Combatant-Roomies, Violent Sibling
A pit bull attack near Fischer Lane, a crash-and-run on Rymfire, roommates fight their way to jail, a brother assaults his sister at European Village, a car gets keyed on Karas Trail, and more.
Focused on Referendum, Flagler Beach Mayor Provencher Drops Veto Threat Over Bonfires
Linda Provencher, the Flagler Beach mayor, retreated from her threat of a veton on the bonfire ban because she wants the focus to be on a referendum, which she believes will show popular opposition to the ban.
Eric Zimmerman, Marine and Gulf War Veteran, 1969-2012
Eric Lee Zimmerman, 42, of Flagler Beach, was a U.S. Marine, a Gulf War veteran, a champion BMX racer and leaves behind a legacy of honor: an obituary.
Mayor Weighs Veto as Flagler Beach, on 3-2 Vote, Bans Night Bonfires During Turtle Season
The rare veto, which Flagler Beach Mayor Linda Provencher might exercise should the bonfire ban ordinance survive a second reading in two weeks, would nullify the ban, heightening the focus on a proposed popular referendum on the issue.
Eric Zimmerman, 42, a Veteran, Is Killed Crossing SR100 in Palm Coast Thursday Evening
Eric Zimmerman, 42, a Gulf War veteran, was crossing State Road 100 on the approach to I-95 when he crossed into the path of a Toyota SR5 4 Runner in the outside, eastbound lane of the highway Thursday evening. The fatal collision closed SR100 eastbound for two hours.