Hitting 200,000 cases this weekend would have seemed unlikely — if not unthinkable — a month ago: On June 5, Florida totaled 61,488 cases, after adding another 1,305 positive results that day. Flagler had 195 cases by June 5, and now has double that.
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local News
Flagler Sets New Infection Record With 90 in a Week, Florida Sets New Single-Day Record With 11,458
Flagler’s total broke the previous record of 61 set at the end of April, with almost half the county’s cumulative total infections occurring since Phase 2 reopening. Palm Coast Mayor Holland still intends to pursue a mask mandate after administrative officials on Friday said they would not.
Flagler Sheriff’s Deputy Varnes Faces Felony Stalking Charge Over Racist and Violent Threats in Bizarre Case
Dedorius Varnes, 28, a Flagler deputy on the job two and a half years, was arrested after an investigation revealed he’d allegedly made more than 50 intimidating and racist phone calls to a 67-year-old man, threatening to rob him and beat him up.
From Shooters to Saviors: How Flagler Deputies Shot an Armed Man, Then Saved Him From Suicide
A 15-minute video from deputies’ body cams provides a remarkably vivid, startling look at the officer-involved shooting in Daytona North that left 30-year-old Steven Barneski in serious condition after being hit by several bullets, and how he was stopped from taking his own life.
Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and County Leaders Will Seek Mask Mandate as Covid Infections Keep Surging
As coronavirus infections continue to surge, Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland, Flagler Beach Commission Chair Jane Mealy and County Commission Chair Dave Sullivan will be asking their respective governments to approve a mandatory mask mandate in coming days.
Sheriff’s Investigation Finds No Criminal Wrongdoing in Death of Inmate Anthony Fennick
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office concluded no criminal wrongdoing surrounded the death of former inmate Anthony Fennick in February 2019 shortly after he was rushed to AdventHealth Palm Coast, seizing and unresponsive, and after complaining of high fever and developing an allergic rash for several days before that.
3 Flagler Deputies Shoot White Man in Mondex in First Officer-Involved Shooting in 8 Years
Three Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies fired and wounded a man who was a passenger in a car during a traffic stop in the Mondex, or Daytona North, just before midnight Wednesday in the first officer-involved shooting in the county since December 2012.
Palm Coast Investigates Itself. The Result Is Not Impressive.
Palm Coast City Manager Matt Morton brought in an investigator to investigate the city’s own internal investigations process and its handling of public records, some of them involving Milissa Holland and Coastal Cloud. The result excused several misjudgments.
Palm Coast Parent Faces Numerous Charges of Raping His Pre-Teen Children
Brian Scott Wirth, a 39-year-old resident of Palm Coast’s R-Section, faces three capital charges and two first degree felony charges of rape and is being held on $875,000 bond at the Flagler County jail.
Driver Strikes 4 Cars Then Dahlia Restaurant in Flagler Beach, But No Serious Injuries
A woman sustained minor injuries after striking four vehicles and crashing into the front of Dahlia Restaurant, the popular Mexican restaurant near Publix in Flagler Beach early this evening.
Flagler Beach Has No Plans to Close Beach Over July 4 Weekend, and Will Make Free Shuttle Buses Available
As several counties in South Florida close their beaches over Independence Day weekend, Flagler Beach will keep its beaches open and make free shuttle buses available for visitors, to alleviate traffic and parking on the island.
Princeton Village Resident Among 31 New Flagler Covid Cases in Last 3 Days; Florida Adds 6,000 Monday and 58 Deaths
Flagler County recorded 55 new cases last week and a total of 115 new cases since Phase 2 reopening began on June 5 as the surge of coronavirus cases across Florida reached Flagler.
In Major Coup for Palm Coast, UNF in Town Center Is a Go as MedNex Initiative Survives Veto
The University of North Florida’s plan to build a satellite presence in Palm Coast’s Town Center as a feeder of health care practitioners to regional hospitals and clinics is a go as the $24 million dollar MedNex initiative survived Gov. Ron DeSantis’s veto pen today.
Sanitized of Israeli Responsibility, Memorial to USS Liberty Victims Quietly Goes Up at Palm Coast’s Heroes Park
Three years after the Palm Coast City Council had rejected an earlier version, a new memorial plaque honoring the victims and survivors of Israel’s attack on the USS Liberty in 1967 was installed at Palm Coast’s Heroes Park, a few feet away from the Purple Heart Memorial.
Blaming Covid Spike on Young People and Bars, DeSantis Sends Mixed Messages on ‘Way Forward’
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Sunday the state is “trying to figure out a way forward” for bars, nightclubs and craft breweries that are essentially having to shut down again because of “widespread non-compliance” with coronavirus guidelines.
Covid-19 Total Nears 10,000 in Florida; Half Of State’s 132,500 Cases Reported in Last 17 Days
The Florida Department of Health today reported 9,636 new Covid-19 cases as of Friday, again shattering a record, the last set only the day before, when just under 8,900 cases were reported. Flagler recorded 60 new cases in seven days.
Consequences of Florida’s Careless Reopening: 8,933 Cases in 1 Day; Surge Reaches Flagler With 50 Cases in 6 Days
The numbers are a grim reflection of the consequences of Florida’s rapid and largely haphazard and careless reopening of society and the economy since the end of April, and of dangerous complacency among residents.
Republican Leaders File Suit Challenging Leon County’s Mandatory Mask Rule
Calling it a “radical infringement” of constitutional rights, the head of the Republican Party in Leon County teamed with a conservative state representative Thursday to challenge a local ordinance requiring people to wear face coverings to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Behind Belle Terre Elementary Principal’s Resignation: Claims of Theft, Nepotism and Bullying
Details of the Flagler school district’s investigation into ex-Belle Terre Elementary Principal Terence Culver point to a series of incidents involving bullying, favoritism and irregular management of the PTA’s funds.
Swimmer Feared Drowned: “Oh My God, I Feel Terrible, I Think They’re Talking About Me.”
The swimmer who’s apparent disappearance triggered an 18-hour search Wednesday into this morning emerged today after reading accounts of the search and and explained how his disappearance may have been misconstrued.
Palm Coast Mayor Holland’s Virtual State of the City Address, With a Few Awards
Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland’s State of the City Address is normally delivered at a special event–the last two have been delivered at the Palm Coast Community Center–but the ongoing coronavirus emergency turned this one virtual.
Starting Teacher Pay Will Be at Least $47,500 as DeSantis Signs $500 Million Education Boost
The budget will then set aside $400 million for school districts and charter schools to increase minimum salaries of full-time teachers and certified pre-kindergarten teachers and $100 million to raise the pay of veteran teachers, librarians and counselors.
Flagler’s Covid Numbers Spike by 26 in 4 Days Even as Testing Slows; Florida Sees Record 5,500 in 1 Day
After rising by 20 cases last week, the highest total since the end of May, Flagler County has recorded another 26 Covid-19 infections in the first four days of this week, while Florida cases continue to break records, turning the state into a leading national hot spot.
Palm Coast’s Ex-Human Resources Director Sues the City in Dispute Over Severance
Debbie Streichsbier, Palm Coast’s ex-human resources director, says she resigned. The city says she was fired. She’s suing over a claim of unpaid severance.
Palm Coast’s William R. Dalton, Combat Veteran Suffering of PTSD, Dies in Apparent Suicide
William Robert Dalton, a 29-year-old combat veteran and resident of Barrington Drive in Palm Coast, died of a self-inflicted gunshot Saturday, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Flagler Fire Chief Don Petito on Leave Pending Investigation of ‘Discrimination and Retaliation’ Complaint
Flagler County Fire Chief Don Petito has had a rocky relationship with County Administrator Jerry Cameron since Hurricane Dorian last year and is now embroiled in serious employment matters.
66-Year-Old Scientist Arrested on Charges of Drugging and Raping Runaway Juvenile Girls
George Arthur Proulx, 66, is accused of taking four girls ages 15 to 18, missing from Volusia County, to his Palm Coast house for sex after plying them with drugs. He was about to travel to Thailand when he was arrested.
A Candidate’s False Claims Against Mayor Holland Mix With Troubling Email Revelations
Michael Schottey, challenging Milissa Holland for Palm Coast Mayor, made false claims that the FDLE was conducting a criminal investigation but revealed two emails where she mixed city with private business.
Flagler Beach Manager Larry Newsom Again on Leave; Commission Postpones ‘Behavior’ Workshop
For the second time in two months Flagler Beach City Manager Larry Newsom is on medical leave, prompting the city commission to cancel a workshop where his and the public’s behavior at meetings were to be discussed.
Florida Again Shatters Record With 4,049 New Covid Cases in One Day as Alarming Spike Continues
Florida’s cumulative total is near 94,000. Flagler’s total is 224, a one-day jump eight cases–one of the largest one-day increases since the beginning of the pandemic, and a warning sign that the county’s relative success in containing the disease may be eroding.
Staffer at Grand Oaks and Resident at Tuscan Gardens Test Positive; Florida Cases Again Soar to New Record
The Covid cases at local long-term care facilities break a streak of negative testing as Flagler officials wearily eye surging numbers around the county and plan some strategies to keep Flagler’s low.
Flagler Unemployment at 14.8% in Slight Improvement from April, But Florida Rate Rises to 14.5%
Flagler County’s unemployment rate was at 14.8 percent, a slight decline from the 15.2 percent rate in April but a smaller decline than expected as the economy began swiftly reopening at the beginning of the month.
Ex-Employee at Palm Coast Medical Practice Accused of Fraudulently Ordering Prescriptions
Renee Caruso-Izarry, 37, a former employee at Coastal Health Care Partners, a chiropractic clinic in Palm Coast and Volusia County, faces seven felony charges stemming from allegedly ordering prescriptions and practicing medicine without a license.
Man Found Hanging From a Tree Near Cracker Barrel, an Apparent Suicide
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a death investigation following the discovery early this morning of a white man who died by hanging off a tree behind Cracker Barrel restaurant in Palm Coast.
Long-Awaited, Weirdly Revered Wawa Finally Opens to Cheers in Palm Coast
At 8 this morning, Palm Coast’s Wawa, with its hoagies, its coffees, its interiors lit brighter than the set of a sitcom, and of course its plexiglass and social distancing markers, opened to the public after a four-year wait.
Wawa: Behind the Name, a Rich Etymology from Around the World
The Wawa name has come to be almost synonymous with the company, as if it were its origin. In fact, the word–the sound, the name–has innumerably rich applications around the world.
School Board Chair McDonald Shuts Down Speaker Critical of Her at Public Meeting, Drawing Rebukes
School Board Chair Janet McDonald stopped a student speaker from delivering his comments at Tuesday’s meeting, allowing him later to deliver it only sanitized from mention of her by name. Two board members condemned McDonald’s move and want the public-speaking rules revised.
18% of Florida’s Total Covid Cases Have Been Recorded Just in Last 7 Days in ‘Astronomical’ Spike
Flagler County public health, emergency and government officials are concerned about sharply rising Covid-19 numbers across the state, even though locally numbers have been kept in check for now. But Gov. Ron DeSantis says there is no rolling-back on reopenings.
Just Out of Prison, Bunnell Man Is Arrested on Armed Burglary and 8 Other Charges After Cop Chase
Capers J. McClendon, 26, allegedly led law enforcement on a chase on U.S. 1 and State Road 100 in Bunnell after a woman accused him of seizing her minivan.
The Unedited Statement School Board Chair McDonald Censored at a Public Meeting
The original text of Jack Petocz’s statement is presented here unedited. School Board Chair Janet McDonald shut Petocz down the moment he mentioned her name in the context of a statement critical of her offensive tweeting activity.
Scaled Back Gardens Development, at 453 Homes, Expected to Clear Regulatory Hurdle
The Gardens, at one point a 3,966-home and apartment development planned for the two sides of John Anderson Highway in Flagler County, is now almost a tenth the original proposal.
Palm Coast Council Raises Parks and Fire Fees on Builders, Largely Returning to Pre-2012 Levels
The Palm Coast City Council voted to raise fire and park impact fees, the one-time levies builders pay on residential and commercial construction. The fees will defray the cost of a new fire station in Seminole Woods and a new community center, among other plans.
Sheriff Investigating Apparent Drowning of 18-Year-Old Man Who Washed Up at Varn Park
Flagler County Sheriff’s detectives are investigating the death by apparent drowning of an 18-year-old man who washed up in the surf at Varn Park, just north of Beverly Beach, Monday afternoon.
Fecal Matter Detected in Plantation Bay Water, Requiring Boil-Water Alert Until Further Notice
The detection of E. Coli was in one of the Plantation Bay wells supplying the system, based on a test conducted late last week. The well was shut down.
Stunning Victory for Transgender and Gay Rights as Supreme Court Makes Protections Explicit
The decision will have far-reaching consequences regarding LGBTQ rights beyond employment, as it now explicitly lays out a prohibition against discrimination that cannot apply in employment situations without also applying in housing, education, the military and elsewhere.
Jim Tager’s and Janet McDonald’s Tweets Bisected the Flagler School Board. McDonald Won.
If School Superintendent Jim Tager left this week, it’s not because he had to–he amassed an excellent record–but because the School Board let just one of its members–Janet McDonald–drive him out. It’s an unsettling precedent.
Half the Car Crashes Under a Semi Truck on I-95, But Three Occupants Escape Major Injuries
A woman and two men escaped serious injuries after their car’s roof was sheared off and half the front end of the car ended up under a semi on I-95 Friday evening.
As Florida Breaks New Record of Covid-19 Infections, Jacksonville Pledges ‘Safe’ GOP Convention
Jacksonville’s mayor called landing the GOP convention a “big win” as Florida broke a new record for daily coronavirus infections, with 1,902 reported by the Florida Department of Health today, after Thursday had broken a previous record, with 1,698.
Special Session Set to Discuss Larry Newsom’s “Behavior” After He Is Asked to Leave Flagler Beach Commission Meeting
The mayor asked Flagler Beach City Manager Larry Newsom to leave a city commission meeting and start his vacation early Thursday night after Newsom had two public confrontations with constituents. Newsom said he was defending himself against insults.
Bexley, Johnston, Gardner and Lenhart Re-Elected Without Opposition in Near-Sweep for Flagler Constitutionals
Three dozen candidates will contest local Flagler County and Palm Coast elections, while Clerk of Court Tom Bexley, Tax Collector Suzanne Johnston, Property Appraiser Jay Gardner, and Elections Supervisor Kaiti Lenhart were re-elected without opposition.