The Flagler County Commission this morning ratified the final agreement clearing the way for a historic dune-rebuilding project on 2.6 miles of shoreline in Flagler Beach, starting in April 2024–almost a quarter century after the federal government started considering the stretch for long-term safeguarding from erosion and rising seas.
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local News
County Commissioner Donald O’Brien Declares Run for Renner’s Seat, Tom Leek for Hutson’s
Flagler County Commissioner Donald O’Brien, who in the last four years became Joe Mullins’s staunchest ally, will run for Paul Renner’s House seat, and Tom Leek, the House member from Ormond Beach, will run for Travis Hutson’s.
In Major Shift, Flagler Beach Residents Appear to Favor Sea Walls, But Misconceptions Abound
A majority of Flagler Beach residents now appear to favor so-called secant sea walls, according to 58 responses gathered by FDOT and obtained by FlaglerLive. But that support rests on a fundamental misconception–that sea walls would not only protect State Road A1A behind them, but the beaches in front of them as well.
Palm Coast Mayor Suggests Candidates Be Criminal-Background Checked. Council Isn’t Interested.
A proposal by Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin to criminally-background check all future candidates for council drew more cautions and concerns from other council members and zero support, prompting him to withdraw it “until or unless it’s discussed in the future,” he said.
12,325 Tons of New Sand Rebuilds Dunes from Malacompra Road North
In the first week of the $3.67 million Hurricane Dorian dunes restoration project from south MalaCompra Park to south Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, Flagler County’s contractor has added 12,325 tons of sand to 1,500 linear feet at the south end of the project.
‘The Truth About Alice’ Survives Book-Banning Attempt in 12-0 Vote by FPC and Matanzas Committees
A book review committee jointly made up of Flagler Palm Coast High and Matanzas High School representatives on Tuesday voted unanimously to keep “The Truth About Alice” in circulation at both schools’ libraries. The book was challenged on claims that it contained “pornography.” It is the fourth book to survive a challenge, out of 22 challenges, with 10 already removed and others awaiting review.
Ending Speculation, Flagler Health+ and UF Health Announce Plans to Merge
Ending months of speculation, Flagler Health+ and UF Health, the University of Florida’s academic health center, announced plans to merge, potentially changing the health care landscape in Flagler and surrounding counties.
Adopting ‘Moment of Silence,’ Palm Coast Considering Opening Meetings With Religious Prayer
The Palm Coast City Council, last hold-out among local governments in the slouch back to devotional rites at the beginning of public meetings, on Tuesday agreed to begin meetings with a “moment of silence,” and to consider adding a non-denominational prayer as well.
18-Year-Old Palm Coast Man Faces Child Abuse Charge in Dating Violence Incident
An 18-year-old Palm Coast resident faces a felony child abuse charge stemming from a domestic violence incident involving his 16-year-old girlfriend. The case underscores the consequences of teen dating–just as, coincidentally, Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month begins.
Man and Woman Spray-Painting Stolen Truck Scarlet Red Draw Attention, and Arrest
The couple had themselves tipped off a witness to their theft when the witness saw them spray-painting a truck with bright, scarlet-red paint–the kind of color associated with vainglorious attention-seekers.
‘We Have a Deal’: Dune Hold-Out in Flagler Beach Concedes, Clearing Path to Renourishment
A property owner’s three-year stand-off with Flagler County that has delayed a long-promised beach renourishment in Flagler Beach is over. Cynthia d’Angiolini through her lawyer today agreed to sign a pair of easements, clearing the way for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ dune-rebuilding project–and ensuring that the south side of the city will finally get a major new protective buffer against rising seas.
Flagler Beach’s New Concrete Pier Will Be 10 Feet Higher to Account for Sea Rise and Violent Storms
Flagler Beach’s new, bigger, higher pier could be completed by the end of 2025 and will be designed to withstand the realities of more violent storms and rising seas, its designer told a large crowd at the Wickline Center Tuesday evening.
40 Years in Prison for Jevante Hamilton for Overdose Death of Tim Davidson and Other Offenses
Jevante Hamilton’s charge carried a maximum 15-year prison sentence, but his repeated offenses and prison stints led the prosecution to ask for 30 years, plus 10 he was already sentenced to in Volusia, for separate offenses.
Visitor Center Location Shifting from A1A to SR100; Flagler Tourism Posts Strong Year
After two and a half years of hunting for a visitor center location on State Road A1A in Flagler Beach, Flagler County’s tourism bureau is shifting its focus for an eventual visitor center to State Road 100, on county land near the new pedestrian bridge.
Beverly Beach Holds a Mail-Only Election to Decide 5 Charter Amendments
The Town of Beverly Beach starting this week is holding an unusual mail-only election to decide five charter amendments. The results will be announced on March 7.
Renner Proposal Would Allow Floridians to Carry Guns Without a Permit or Safety Class
Calling the proposal an effort to “remove the government permission slip,” House Speaker Paul Renner on Monday announced legislation that would allow people to carry concealed weapons without licenses or currently-required gun-safety classes.
David Alfin ‘Staying Put’ As Palm Coast Mayor Rather than Run for Renner’s House Seat
Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin said today he is “staying put.” After over a month’s thought, he has decided to forego a run for Rep. Paul Renner’s House seat.
Florida Crock: Say ‘Resiliency.’ Don’t Say ‘Climate Change.’
Resiliency in Florida is at best an illusion, and at worst a suicide pact between state and local governments. It’s wasted money and a scam on a catastrophic scale, because the state is in denial about global warming, refusing to do its part as one of the world’s leading polluters.
Taking a Hard Look at Police Killings
In spite of the huge public attention to police violence since 2020, police are actually killing more people than before, with communities of color facing a much higher risk.
‘Disgusted’ Sheriff Rick Staly Denounces Tyre Nichols Killing as Video Exposes Brutality
Sheriff Rick Staly described himself as “disgusted” by the actions of Memphis police officers as the nation reacted with shock to a video showing the wanton brutality of the beating of Tyre Nichols after a traffic stop on Jan. 7. Nichols, 29, died three days later from the injuries he suffered in the beating.
11-Year-Old Faces Felony for Threatening to Put 30 Bullets in a Buddy Taylor Middle Student
An 11-year-old sixth grader was arrested and charged with a second-degree felony for threatening to shoot a student at Buddy Taylor Middle School as a result of an argument over a girl.
Flagler Open Arms Recovery Services Hosting Opioid Response Recognition Training Saturday
Flagler Open Arms Recovery Services is hosting a free Opioid Response Recognition Training on Saturday, January 28, at 9:00 AM at St. James Baptist Church, 609 State St. in Bunnell. Pam Birtolo, Executive Director of Flagler OARS will facilitate the training.
12 Images of Child Sex Abuse Equal 18 Months in Prison for 79-Year-Old Palm Coast Man
Edgar Alloway Jr., 79, a 16-year resident of Banton Lane in Palm Coast, was sentenced to 18 months in state prison today for downloading 12 images of child sexual abuse. Alloway’s attorney, Josh Davis, called it a “death sentence” because of Alloway’s failing health.
Allyson Bennett, 41, Is Sentenced to 8 Years for Her Role in Overdose Death of Michael Burnett Jr.
Three days after her then-boyfriend and co-conspirator was sentenced to 15 years, Allyson Dawn Bennett was sentenced to eight years in prison today for selling Michael Burnett Jr. the drugs that killed him in 2018. The lower sentence reflects Bennett’s cooperation with authorities and, to a degree, her recovery works at the county jail.
Valentine’s Day Mass Wedding Returns to Flagler County Courthouse on Feb. 14
After a two-year hiatus compliments, as usual, of Covid, the steps of the Flagler County courthouse will again be ablaze with wedding dresses and boutonnière and the jittery grins of couples about to seal lifelong vows with a kiss as Clerk of Court Tom Bexley brings back the tradition he started in 2018: the Valentine’s Day mass wedding.
Bull Creek Fish Camp Will Be Torn Down Against Lease-Holder’s Wishes, With No Plans for Rebuild
To the dismay of the current lease holder, County Administrator Heidi Petito said the 2,500 square foot restaurant building at Bull Creek Fish Camp will be torn down next month, after suffering what the county describes as irreparable damage from hurricane-related floods.
Gabriella Alo, in Jail Over Beating and Hit-and-Run, Is Tased in Confrontation with Deputies
Gabriella Alo, the 18-year-old woman facing four felony counts stemming from allegedly brutalizing a boy and running over a woman earlier this month, had to be wrestled to the floor and tased into compliance at the Flagler County jail on Sunday after refusing to comply with orders from corrections deputies.
Sea Walls, Granite, Dunes: FDOT Options to Strengthen A1A Are Nothing Flagler Hasn’t Seen Before
Some 150 people, including numerous Flagler Beach and county officials, turned out to see the state Department of Transportation’s four options to more permanently strengthen State Road A1A, with sea walls taking precedence over dune rebuilding. But a combination of the four options is likely ahead.
Matanzas High School Again Target of a Bomb Threat, Again Deemed a Hoax
Matanzas High School was on “Code Blue”–meaning a bomb threat–again for the second time in two months. The threat was made by phone, and was likely to be a hoax.
Kwentel Moultrie Is Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison on Rape Conviction, Still faces Murder Charge
Kwentel Moultrie, whom a jury last August found guilty of rape, was sentenced to 10 years in prison today. He had previously turned down a deal that would have drastically reduced the charge and spared him prison.
Pete Young Is Appointed to Bunnell City Commission, 2 Months Ahead of Swearing-In
Former FHP Cpl. Pete Young, who served on the Bunnell City Commission almost 20 years ago, was appointed to the commission Monday evening two and a half months before he is sworn-in to the seat he won in an uncontested election. He will fill out the vacancy created by the resignation of Bob Barnes in the meantime.
15 Years in Prison for Joseph Carroll in Fentanyl Overdose Death of Michael Burnett Jr.
Joseph Carroll, a 44-year-old former resident of Shady Lane in Palm Coast, was sentenced to 15 years in prison this morning for causing the death by fentanyl overdose of 31-year-old Michael Burnett Jr. in June 2018. Carroll and Allyson Bennett, 40, had sold the drug to Burnett shortly before his overdose.
Leading Palm Coast Family of Philanthropists Mourning Loss of Eric Garvin, 38, to a Murder in Chile
Eric and Anna Garvin, long-time residents and philanthropists in Palm Coast, learned of the murder of their son, Eric Eugene Garvin, earlier this month in Santiago, Chile, during a robbery. The news has reverberated through the community.
Palm Coast Approves New Self-Storage Facility Across from Sawmill Creek on US1
The Palm Coast Planning Board approved Horizon Self-Storage, a 98,400 square foot facility on 7 acres off U.S. 1, immediately across from the rapidly sprawling Sawmill Creek development.
After 18 Months of Silence on Allegation of Sex Assault, Ex-Palm Coast Doctor Will Answer Charges
The civil case against physician Gerard Abate, accused in a suit of deceiving and raping a woman at his Palm Coast condo in 2017, has been redirected to a more ordinary trial track after taking a bizarre turn for the 18 months Abate did not contest the charges against him.
‘D.O.A.’ and Its Local Cast Come Alive as Top Winners at Resurrected Flagler Film Festival
The Flagler Film Festival returned to Palm Coast after a five-year hiatus, with 44 independent, mostly short and mostly small-budget films, with the top honor going to “D.O.A.,” directed by Kurt St. Thomas, with Flagler County’s own Annie Gaybis and John Byner.
Flagler County Nets $17 Million in State Aid for Dune Reconstruction, with Far More Needed
The money is a “drop in the bucket,” compared to the county’s needs, according to a county official: it is a fraction of what would be needed, considering the county’s devastated shoreline. But it will still enable the county to repair several miles of dunes with temporary renourishment, giving those repaired dunes perhaps two to four years against continuing erosion.
Paul Renner Proposes Making All Private and Home School Students Eligible for Public Dollars
Calling it a move toward “universal choice,” House Speaker Paul Renner announced an education savings account proposal that would make every student in Florida eligible for school vouchers — a move that Democrats blasted as a Republican attack on public education.
Flagler Beach Rejects Realtor’s Odd Bid to Run City Information Website Only He Would Own
Increasingly troubled by a perceived if amorphous failure of communication between the city and residents, the Flagler Beach City Commission considered then rejected the possibility of contracting with a local Realtor to run a city-related website, then opted to develop a new Facebook page and launch a new app on Monday.
Dad’s Alert Over His Son’s Gun Thefts Leads to Arrest of Boys, 15 and 16, Before Confrontation
A 15-year-old and a 16-year-old resident of Palm Coast were arrested on grand theft and other charges after allegedly stealing two firearms in a plan to intimidate or fight other juveniles at Holland Park in Palm Coast. The posturing preceding the boys’ arrests was similar to incidents that led to the shooting deaths of five teens in Palm Coast and Bunnell since 2019.
Mysterious Boom Reported Thursday Night Across Flagler Attributed to a Possible Meteorite
Palm Coast and Flagler County residents were abuzz with reports of a mysterious boom heard across parts of the county at 11:15 p.m. Thursday night. There were also unconfirmed reports of a fireball spotted in St. Johns County around the same time.
‘You’re Killing My Husband,’ Flagler Beach City Manager Whitson’s Wife Tells Commission
Becky Whitson, Flagler Beach City Manager William Whitson’s wife, publicly accused the city commission of tormenting and killing her husband. She spoke late this evening during a workshop on the city administration’s communications with the public, and on meeting the commission’s priorities.
Brother and Sister Face Several Felony Charges in Beating and Hit-and-Run at Wickline Park
Gabriella Hope Alo, 18, and her brother Nicholas Dean Alo, 21, face several felony charges stemming from an alleged beating of a teen-age boy, running over a 29-year-old woman and leaving the scene at Wickline Park in Flagler Beach last week.
‘Unbossed’ Spirit of Shirley Chisholm, Former Palm Coast Resident, Takes the Stage at AACS
“Unbought & Unbowed” is a one-woman show starring New York actor Ingrid Griffith in the role of Shirley Chisholm, who made history as the first woman to run for president from a major party, and who lived some of her last years in Palm Coast. The play is staged at the African American Cultural Society Saturday and Sunday.
Custodial Services’ Renee Berry and Matanzas Math Teacher Lee Winfree Win District’s Top Honors
Renee Berry, the Custodial Services department secretary, was named the Flagler County School District Employee of the Year, and Lee Winfree, a math teacher at Matanzas High School, was named the District Teacher of the Year at the annual celebration at Flagler Auditorium Wednesday evening.
In a First in Flagler, Sheriff Goes Civil Route to Evict Repeat Drug Offenders in Mondex
For the first time in the county, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office invoked a civil nuisance abatement law to evict a homeowner from a homesteaded property that had been used “to facilitate criminal activity,” including drug use and sales, according to the judge’s order granting the eviction.
DeSantis Administration Wanted ‘Mental Examination’ of 12-Year-Olds Suing Over Trans Rights
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration is asking a federal judge for permission to perform “mental examinations” on a pair of 12-year-olds who are plaintiffs in a challenge to a state rule preventing Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care for transgender people.
Cramped and Neglected Flagler Health Department Tells County Commission: ‘We Need Your Help’
The Flagler County Health Department is pleading with county commissioners for more money to improve an ageing facility and expand services that touch the lives of a third of the county’s population. The department hopes to open a facility in Palm Coast. While commissioners are not indifferent, finding a source of money will be a challenge.
In Bunnell, Rogers and Gordon and, Finally, Pete Young All Elected Without Opposition
Commissioner John Rogers was re-elected for his fifth term, uncontested for the first time. Incumbent Commissioner Tonya Gordon ran in the special election to fill the seat Bob Barnes vacated last year, what will be a two-year term.
Flagler School District Will Ask Its Employees: Do You Want to Be Armed on Campus?
The Flagler County school district will survey its 1,600 employees to gauge whether there’s interest among them to be armed in the district’s nine campuses. The survey will not ask whether employees support or oppose such a program–only whether the individual taking the survey is himself or herself interested in being armed on campus, and providing security in case of an emergency.