A grand jury that convened Tuesday indicted Kimberle Weeks, the former Flagler County Supervisor of Elections on 12 felony counts of illegal interception and disclosure of oral communication, following a six-month investigation into allegations by county officials that she secretly and illegally recorded their conversations.
Flagler
Wednesday Briefing: Flagler Commissioners Talk Budget, Gov. Scott Pleads in D.C., Surveillance in Baltimore
The Flagler County Commission launches budget season with the first of several workshops. Gov. Scott is in D.C. to plead for money in hopes of resolving a state budget crisis.
Hurricane, Terrorism, Evacuations: In Flagler Emergencies, These Are The People Who Hold Your Fate In Their Hands
The Flagler County Executive Policy Group is the most powerful local government panel you’ve never heard of, and its members make all key decisions in natural or man-made emergencies. They practiced this morning.
A Puppy Dog Is Shot Dead After Crossing Into Neighbor’s Yard at Flagler County’s Edge
Kevin J. McClenithan, 46, a convicted felon, shot a Labrador puppy dead after it wandered onto his property and, he says, became aggressive toward him and the homeowner, though the dog had been fenced in.
Public Denounces Flagler Beach Paid-Parking Option, Splitting Commission on What’s Next
A proposal to impose paid parking on vast new swaths of Flagler Beach is likely dead shortly after its arrival at the Flagler Beach City Commission Thursday. What happens next is unclear.
Matanzas Woods Parkway Overpass Closes June 5 as Three Road Projects Start Rumble
Some 50 people turned up to hear an overview of the Matanzas Woods Parkway interchange and Old Kings Road extension projects, which will take a year to complete starting in June.
Palm Coast Mayor Rips Waste of County’s EMS Service and Says Do It All Or Pay the City
Palm Coast Mayor Jon Netts doesn’t question the quality of emergency services but considers them wastefully duplicative, and wants to see the city’s and county’s approach change.
Your Guide to Summer Camps and Activities In Flagler Schools and Palm Coast
Flagler County Schools and Palm Coast Parks and Recreation offer summer camps and activities in June and July, including breakfast and lunch at school camps. Here’s a complete guide.
Specious and Speculative: State Elections Office Tosses Out Kim Weeks Cases Against 3 Flagler Commissioners
Though she resigned, Kimberle Weeks continues to pursue elections, ethics and Florida bar cases against county commissioners and the county attorney, though the cases are starting to get tossed out for being legally speculative and specious.
Crime Down 20% in Two Years, Jail Population Isn’t: Sheriff Strains to Explain Paradox
Sheriff Jim Manfre touted Flagler County as one of the safest places in Florida and said the fact should be marketed to prospective businesses, but was less clear about the relationship between falling crime and a still-high jail population, or the county’s need for nearly tripling its jail beds.
Rev. Beth Gardner, Leading Voice For Flagler’s Homeless, Is Leaving Bunnell’s Methodist Church After 15 Years
Rev. Gardner, who will lead a parish in Lakeland starting in July, transformed the church into the county’s most progressive advocate for the homeless, housing a cold-weather shelter and keeping awareness about homelessness on the forefront of county and city agendas.
Flagler Clerk’s 1-Day Amnesty on Overdue Fines Nets $25,000 and Restores 20 Licenses
The amnesty, dubbed Operation Green Light, affected 7,000 cases in Flagler, totaling $1.9 million in overdue fines. The experiment was tried in most of the state’s counties for the first time this year.
Flagler-Palm Coast Added 12,300 Jobs in Last 5 Years, Powering Unemployment Down to 6.5%
Unemployment figures released Friday show the solid, continued improvement of Flagler-Palm Coast’s economy, especially when compared to where the county was five years ago.
Rep. Ron DeSantis Makes It Semi-Official: He’s Considering a Run for Rubio’s Senate Seat
DeSantis’s quick rise after his election to the House in 2012, his frequent presence on conservative talk shows and relentless criticism of the Obama administration has made him a favorite of tea party conservatives and some further to the right.
Bunnell Joins County in Big-Debt Refinancing Trend, Saving Large Amounts
By cutting its financing costs by almost half, Bunnell will save $600,000 on two loans dating back to the 1990s. County government similarly saved millions by refinancing loans for the courthouse and the Government Services Building.
Last Patrol: Undersheriff Rick Staly Looks Back On 40 Years as a “Cop’s Cop,” and Forward
Undersheriff Rick Staly, who retires this week, took his last road patrol last Friday, an unusually quiet evening he spent driving and reflecting on his career and how law enforcement has changed since his first days as a cop in 1974.
Recovering From Major Cancer Surgery, County Chairman Meeker Addresses REC Expulsion
The Flagler County Republican Executive Committee’s expulsion of County Commission Chairman Frank Meeker may not be legal, and reflect the REC’s intention to put clubbish concerns ahead of county interests.
Travis Hutson Wins Senate Seat, Paul Renner Wins House in Special Election
Republicans Travis Hutson and Paul Renner have won the special election for Florida Senate District 6 and House District 24, respectively. Hutson defeated Democrat David Cox. Renner defeated Adam Morley.
County Rejects Contractor’s Sharp Protest as It Approves $9 Million Matanzas Interchange Bid
Watson Civil Construction of Jacksonville, sharply protested the bid award, claiming that Hubbard’s bid was incomplete and that the county’s process in accepting the bid went grossly against the county’s own policy. The process the county allowed, Watson claimed, set a precedent that will allow future bidders to game the system to their advantage.
As Expected, GOP’s Renner and Hutson Reel In Big Dollars, Opponents Don’t
In all, Paul Renner raised $294,340 and had spent $261,748 for the election Tuesday in a district that includes Flagler County and parts of St. Johns and Volusia counties.
No Ice-Bucket Challenge Here: Staring Death Down, Ex-Teacher Fights ALS Her Way
Mary Ann Dominessy Reese, 62, of Plantation Oaks in Flagler Beach, was diagnosed with ALS in December. She has since started an awareness campaign that spread blue and white ribbons to the 50 states, Canada and England, and been raising money through such fund-raisers as last Saturday’s dinner for 120 people in her community.
Flagler Students From 6 Schools Collect 62 Awards at State Future Problem Solvers Competition
Some 35 Flagler County students have been invited to the competition’s International Conference this summer in Ames, Iowa. A list of the winners is included.
Flagler Emergency Services Broadening Dollars Available to Homeowners and Governments For Disaster Preparation
While Flagler Emergency Services has brought in more than $1 million in grants and subsidies in the past year, division director Kevin Guthrie is concerned that not enough local government agencies are aware of the dollars available, or the need to be involved to tap into the money.
Palm Coast “Watchdogs” and Attorney Ordered to Pay County $3,100 Over Frivolous Suit
Eight weeks ago, Orfinger found in favor of Palm Coast government, ordering the same attorney–Josh Knight–and a different client–Dennis McDonald–to pay Palm Coast $15,900 as a result of a frivolous suit the city fought off.
B-17 Flying Fortress, “Guts and Backbone” of Air War, Brings Out Veterans and Emotions
The EAAs B-17 landed at Flagler County Airport Thursday to be part of Wings Over Flagler Rockin the Runways, and immediately attracted a Palm Coast veteran airmen who’;d flown aboard a B-17 and been shot down.
Wings Over Flagler Brings a Flying Fortress Of a Show At 3-Day, 50-Plane Rockin’ of Runways
The 50-some planes at the Flagler County Airport Friday through Sunday include the enormous B-17 Flying Fortress, the C-54 Berlin Airlift Flying Museum, a a CH-47 Chinook, and a Ford Tri-Motor, the first commercial plane in the U.S.
Flagler Auditorium Lights Up Its $86,000 LED Marquee, Boosting Visibility
The $71,000 Deltronics sign, plus $15,000 for its installation, was paid for through a $150,000 grant from county government’s Tourist Development Council and is part of a series of improvements at the auditorium designed to improve visibility and impact.
Echoing Advocates, Flagler Commission Unanimously Approves Sea Ray’s Parking Lot Expansion
The vote was a victory for the Brunswick Corp.’s Sea Ray manufacturing plant, the unanimity of the vote was a victory for the county’s business establishment, though opponents had voiced concerns about the company’s existing pollutants and its future plans.
Sea Ray’s View: We Are Building a Safer Parking Lot, Not Expanding Production
Craig Wall, operations manager at Sea Ray’s Palm Coast plant, counters concerns about the company’s intentions by laying out precisely what the manufacturer intends to do–and not do.
We Don’t Oppose Sea Ray. We Oppose Pollutants and Debasing Flagler Beach’s Quality of Life.
Two Flagler Beach residents lay out the case against Sea Ray’s proposed land use change to accommodate a parking lot, a change opponents say paves the way for more pollution without compelling the company to take stronger toxic-emission control measures.
What Is the Flagler County Art League?
Since its founding by Bob Scheibel in 1979, the Flagler County Art League has provided a forum for Flagler-Palm Coast artists to showcase their work and engage the community.
FPL Volunteers Power Vast Make-Over at Juvenile Justice Council’s Community Garden in Bunnell
Florida Power and Light’s “Power to Care Group” on Thursday helped rebuild the community garden in four hours–a project garden overseeers had expected would take a year.
Vacation Rental Company Sues Flagler County Two Weeks After Regulations Are Approved
Steven Milo, head of Vacation Rental Pros, sued the Flagler County Commission, an eight-count action that alleges property, privacy and equal protection rights violations.
Buoyed by Turn-Around, County Approves $2.75 Million Loan To Buy 3 Buildings at Airport
Flagler County government is vastly expanding its role as a landlord as it approves buying three buildings totaling 58,000 square feet at the county airport in hopes of generating more cash for the airport operation.
Flagler Commission Signals More Culture Support Ahead as It Approves FBI Art Cop Grant For League
Flagler County government has never had a grants program for the arts, aside from its Tourist Development Council grants. Now, Administrator Craig Coffey is suggesting the county begin such a program.
Flagler Commissioner Ericksen Returns After Two Surgeries, Weeks Away and Bagel Therapy
Flagler County Commissioner Charlie Ericksen spent his 72nd birthday under a surgeon’s knife to relieve a brain bleed, and two days later was again on a surgeon’s table for a gallbladder removal.
Attention Homeowners: Now’s The Deadline For Homestead Exemption Applications
Today is the deadline to file for a Homestead Exemption in Flagler County. If you miss the deadline, the Flagler County Property Appraiser’s office may be able to work with you within a reasonable window of time.
Emergency Grants of Up to $600 Available to Flagler Seniors For Home Energy Assistance
Eligibility is determined by income (gross household income must be below 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines), and at least one member of the household must be at least 60 years old.
Special Election Candidates Slog Through Only Local Forum, Except When Talk Turns to Guns
The largely plodding Q&A forum organized by three Flagler business groups held few surprises and featured Senate candidates David Cox and Travis Hutson and House candidates Adam Morley and Paul Renner.
County Attorney Al Hadeed Responds to “Extreme Allegations” in Ex-Supervisor Weeks’s Florida Bar Complaint
The Florida Bar complaint against Hadeed by Kimberle Weeks, never made public until the county administration released it Monday, was part of a series of similar maneuvers Weeks and an ally filed with the state ethics commission and the state elections commission.
Dustin Sims of Flagler Palm Coast High School Named Florida’s Assistant Principal Of the Year
For the first time in recent memory–and possibly in the district’s history–a Flagler County educator has won his category’s top honor in Florida.
FPC’s Dustin Sims Is One of Three Finalist For State Assistant Principal of the Year
The Assistant Principal of the Year receives a cash prize of $2,500 and a weekend resort stay at the Walt Disney World Resort and theme park admission also courtesy of Disney Youth Programs.
Southwest Palm Coast Records a Low of 25 as Cold Snaps Power for Over 800 Customers
The lowest temperature in the county was reported at Eagle Rock, sinking to 24. Despite a cloudless sun, temperatures were still around 40 in Palm Coast at mid-morning, with winds strong enough to make it feel more like in the lower 30s.
Ending Long Fight, County Approves Short-Term Rental Regulations–With Grandfather Clause
New rules limit short-term rental homes to 10 overnight occupants, and require inspections and a certification process, ending a three-year effort by the county to change state law and enable the commission to regulate the industry.
“Halleluiah Jesus”: From “Project Hot Dog” to Foreign Investors, Flagler Sees Commercial Real Estate Turn-Around
Ukrainian entrepreneurs, Chinese investors and local businesses looking to expand are resulting in robust new activity on Flagler’s long-dormant commercial real estate sector, the county’s economic development council learned this morning.
Sheriff Manfre Agrees to $183,000 Settlement Over Wage Dispute With 155 Deputies
The settlement will award an average of $487 in back pay to 104 current and former road deputies, and an average of $1,670 to current and former corrections deputies, ending one of three major legal matters burdening the sheriff’s office.
Flagler Nears Solution For Marineland Acres Flood Woes, But at Steep New Tax For Residents There
To fix chronic flooding, residents of the Hammock’s Marineland Acres could see a new tax of up to $680 a year—more than five times the $11 monthly stormwater fee Palm Coast residents pay—added to their tax bills for the next 20 years.
Counties Withhold Payments to State as Dispute Over Juvenile Costs Flares Again
After the failure of a legislative compromise last year, some counties are withholding their share of the costs from the Department of Juvenile Justice.
Buddy Taylor’s Tyler Irigoyen, 13, Gets Shining Award For Bravery on Day of Fatal Crash
Immediately after Elisa Marie Homen was fatally injured in a crash with a school bus last month,13-year-old Tyler Irigoyen went to work, ushering his 50-some schoolmates to safety and tending to the injured bus driver before first responders arrived.
Resurrection: In 3-1 Vote, County Approves Lease of Old Courthouse to Baptist School
The vote also represents an unexpected, 11th-hour turn-around for a building most people, including some commissioners (and Bunnell’s city government, which briefly took possession of it before rejecting it), had written off as unusable.
