Bunnell has been reading Palm Terrace Mobile Home park’s water meters and servicing its sewer station for 27 years. The city wants to stop doing so to save money, billing the park in one lump sum. The park owner says the city is breaching a 27-year-old annexation agreement.
Flagler
William Gregory Sentenced to Death for 2007 Double-Murder in Flagler Beach
William Gregory murdered ex-girlfriend Skyler Meekins, 17, and Daniel Dyer, 22, by shooting them in the head with a 12-gauge shotgun as they slept together in August 2007. “You have forfeited your right to live at all,” the judge told him.
From Robert Penn Warren to Stanley Drescher: Flagler Beach Names Its First Poet Laureate
Stanley Drescher, a son of New York’s Lower East Side, has lived in Flagler Beach less than two years. He’s already left his mark on the city’s water tower, wielding his poetry like a crusader’s mightiest weapon.
Bunnell Commissioners Crain-Brady and Rogers Are Sworn In, Flynt Exits After 8 Years
Unlike last year, when the mayor and two commissioners were re-elected after facing no opposition, Jenny Crain-Brady and John Rogers were the survivors of a five-way race last month.
Flagler Beach Against DOT’s Seawall: County Joins City’s Opposition, With Conditions
Flagler County doesn’t want a seawall in Flagler Beach either, but the county doesn’t want to lose $6 million in highway funding–earmarked for SR A1A’s protection–that it hopes to shift either toward a study or toward an alternative to the seawall.
Tour de Goodwill: 460 Cyclists Set Off in Flagler Beach Rotary’s 8th Annual Ride
The Flagler Beach Rotary’s Cycle Flagler drew the largest number of cyclists and raised upward of $14,000 for the Rotary’s Christmas and scholarship funds. Riders cycled from 24 to 100 miles.
Campaign Crumbs: Flagler Commissioner Nate McLaughlin Facing “Probable” Ethics Violation
The ethics complaint relates to an incomplete financial disclosure form McLaughlin filed during his campaign for the county commission last August. The complaint was filed by then0-incumbent Bob Abbott’s campaign manager, Ed Caroe.
Flagler Schools’ Problem Solvers Clean Up Again: The Winners’ Complete List
Following the Problem Solvers state competition in Cape Canaveral late last month, FPC’s Ryan McDermott filed a complete list of winners from nearly every school in the district. Many qualify for the international competition in Wisconsin in June.
Flagler Commissioners Endorse SunRail As Gov. Scott Prepares to Derail Commuter Line
SunRail would have connected DeBary and Tampa as a commuter rail line, which the Legislature approved in December 2009. Gov. Rick Scott is likely to kill the project by summer, ending Central Florida’s brief flirtation with alternative transportation.
49th Day Shay-Gu Ceremony for Jigme Norbu, Dalai Lama’s Nephew Killed in the Hammock
Jigme Norbu was killed on Valentine’s Day at the start of his walk for Florida. A ceremony at the crash site Sunday marked the 49th, and last, day of mourning, which releases the soul–and those left behind.
Flagler’s Quality of Health Ranks It 17th in the State; Smoking and Obesity a Problems
Department of Health Administrator Patrick Johnson cautions that Flagler’s health rankings should not be overdramatized–for good or ill–but that they still point to trends that should clarify where the county’s health priorities should be.
Flagler Palm Coast YMCA Closing After 9 Years At Florida Hospital; Stand-Alone Y a Goal
The Palm Coast-Flagler Family YMCA was losing $50,000 a year for the past three years despite a membership of 900. The location was constraining. Local organizers hope to launch plans for a stand-alone Y in the future.
2,000 Flagler Customers Without Power Late Wednesday Evening; FPL Calls for Patience
Up to 11,000 customers had been without power at one point in Flagler County following a storm that whipped winds of up to 70 miles per hour. Volusia, Brevard and Seminole were also severely hit.
Downed Trees and Powerlines in Wake of Violent Storm That Shook Flagler Wednesday
The tornado watch on until 8 p.m. was upgraded to a warning until 4:45 p.m. in northern Flagler County. That means a tornado is either imminent or has been spotted in the affected region.
Timely Boost: Feed Flagler Nets 2 Pantries $7,680, Enough to Buy 40 Tons of Food
The money is what’s left, after expenses, of Feed Flagler’s fund-raising that provided 2,000 free meals at 10 locations the day before Thanksgiving. It’s timely help as pantries begin to run dry.
July 4th Twice Over Again As Flagler Beach And Palm Coast Will Each Launch Fireworks
The Tourist Development Council would grant each city $15,000. Flagler Beach will have the July 4 display this time, while Palm Coast will launch on July 3rd, at Town Center. Last year, they did it in reverse.
Single-Engine Yak 52 Crashes at Wings Over Flagler; One Pilot Is Dead; Tribute on Sunday
The Yak 52 went down at 4:27 p.m. while in the middle of a maneuver with another plane. The pilot was killed.
Wings Over Flagler: Warbirds, Yakrobatics and Tributes This Weekend at the County Airport
Wings Over Flagler, the second annual fly-in at the Flagler County Airport, features several dozen vintage warbirds, choppers and other attractions. Visitors can chat with pilots and mingle with history. With a photo gallery.
Flagler Beach Dog Lovers: “If We Wanted More Rules We’d Go To Palm Coast”
More enforcement of existing rules and more self-policing, but no change in Flagler Beach’s dogs-on-the-beach ordinance, city commissioners decided after hearing from 38 people over 90 minutes Thursday evening.
Pay for Play: How Flagler’s Tourist Council Bribes Journalists, Who Happily Hack Along
Beginning today, Flagler’s tourist council will host four “journalists” for four days, touring the county’s attractions and restaurants, all expenses paid, with $3,500 in public money, in exchange for presumably “positive” press.
Their Battle Already Won, Flagler Beach Dog Owners Still Mobilizing to Ward Off Ban
Flagler Beach resident Vicky Mulvaney kicked off a firestorm of opposition to her proposal to ban dogs altogether from the city’s beaches. The city commission, unlikely to go along, hears from Mulvaney and her opponents Thursday.
Bunnell Rededicates, and Renames, a Park to Honor Long-Time Mayor Joann B. King
FEMA and other grant dollars paid for the refreshed park, washed out in the rains of 2009. Joann B. King now joins her husband Herschel in having a park named after her.
Mystery Scarring Unsolved, Malacompra Trail Policing Is Turned Over to Biking Group
The Malacompra mountain bike trail, for years a somewhat anarchic free-for-all recently torn up by bikers, will now, in an unusual arrangement, be policed by a mountain biking group and supervised by county authorities in cooperation with Hammock conservationists.
Economic Development Set Punts Again to More Meetings, Postponing Hard Questions
The same five “strategic goals” were hashed over again in the third day of an economic development summit, and a fourth was scheduled in May, for yet another $7,000 for “facilitator” Don Upton, bringing his tax-funded total to $30,000.
Census 2010: Flagler’s Population Climbs to 95,696, Florida’s to 18.8 Million
Flagler County’s population increased 92 percent since 2000. Florida’s population is 18.8 million, up 17.7 percent from a population of 16 million a decade ago.
Alcohol, Molotov Cocktail, Machete, Taser: Mondex Man in Jail for Assaulting Deputies
Rafael Rodriguez, 25, is in jail after brandishing a machete as he walked with an unleashed dog toward sheriff’s deputies. He’d allegedly thrown a Molotov cocktail on a Mondex road earlier.
Reversing Bad Run, Flagler Auditorium Scores $5,000 Grant from Tourist Council
After losing out on at least $15,000 for various reasons, the Flagler Auditorium managed to eke out $5,000 from the Tourist Development Council, a small but significant financial boost to a budget of over half a million dollars.
Youth Center II: Carver Gym Rises Again As School District Takes Over Management
South Bunnell’s Carver Gym, no longer on the endangered list, will be run like the Youth Center on FPC’s campus: with money from the county–and other sources–and staffing from the school district, along with new controls and programming.
John Rogers Certified as Bunnell City Commissioner after Provisional Ballot Count
John Rogers will be sworn in with Jenny Crain Brady on March 14. For Bill Baxley, who lost by just three votes, the election is a learning experience. He says he will run again at the next election.
Flagler and US Diverge as Unemployment Here Climbs Again to 16%
Flagler County’s January unemployment rate in January rose again to 16% percent, remaining in the same high range it’s been stuck in for a year and a half and bucking the national trend. Florida’s rate is 11.9%.
Election Winners: Carney and Shupe in Flagler Beach, Crain-Brady and Rogers in Bunnell
Kim Carney and Marshall Shupe replace Ron Vath and Joy McGrew in Flagler Beach, beating out Phil Busch. Incumbent Jenny Crain-Brady is re-elected, and John Rogers replaces fellow-wrecker and nine-year incumbent Jimmy Flynt.
Flagler Reinstates Burn Ban Indefinitely as Rain Proves Too Scarce to Dampen Kindling
The restoration of the ban, lifted just a few weeks ago, is prompted by last week’s wildfires, a return of drought conditions, and no rain in the forecast for almost two weeks.
St. Johns Raises Impact Fees on Residential Construction, Decreases Them on Commercial
St. John’s decision to raise impact fees on residential construction contrasts sharply with discussions in Flagler, where developers and some elected officials want a moratorium on fees. Flagler’s fees are considerably lower than St. John’s.
Familiar Slogans and More Familiar Questions as 2-Day Economic Development Summit Ends
It was left up to Palm Coast City Manager Jim Landon to remind the assembled that slogans don’t make economic development policy, and unity of message is still far from a given in a county with diverse interests and constituencies.
Marriage Encounters: Can This Man Bring Flagler Together for $1,100 an Hour?
The consultant Flagler County hired to shepherd local governments through their political and financial obstacles related to economic development has a long record of bracing cheerleading. Dividends are less clear.
Economic Development Summit: Diagnostic Kumbayas Drown Out Harder Questions
Day one of the summit produced generous and optimistic self-evaluations from some 60 elected and had-picked representatives of local governments, but no breakthrough on fundamental differences on economic development financing or leadership.
Florida Department of Health Would Cut 1,600 Jobs and Move Out of Primary Care
The plan doubles the original estimate of job losses at the department. Of those jobs, almost 1,050 would be outsourced or privatized, for budget reductions of $185 million.
Flagler Reads Together, Year 10: March Is the Month of Huckleberry Finn
It’s the 10th anniversary of Flagler Reads Together, and this year’s choice is Twain’s Huckleberry Finn. Join the Friends of the Library for a series of events–Twain reenactments, movies, book chats and even a river tour. And read the book.
School Board Reminds County and Cities of Its Own 1/2 Penny Sales Tax Renewal Ahead
The county is angling for a new half-penny sales tax for economic development. That tax could hurt the school district’s renewal of its own half-penny tax, in effect since 2002.
Flagler Beach City Commission Election: 3 Candidates Mostly of 1 Mind for 2 Open Seats
Phil Busch, Kim Carney and Marshall Shupe, candidates for the Flagler Beach City Commission election on March 8, more or less agree on most issues, making the race mostly a matter of personalities.
Memory for Cause: Flagler Youth Orchestra In Concert For Founder and The Sheltering Tree
Members of the Flagler Youth Orchestra and Caren and Paul Umbarger’s Island Duet will perform Sunday, Feb. 27, at 3 p.m. at Bunnell’s Methodist Church in memory of Jobnathan May and to benefit the Sheltering Tree, Flagler County’s cold-weather shelter.
Lifeguard Tower Rises Again in Flagler Beach, Pier Restaurant Lease Falters
The commission reversed itself and voted to build the tower. The decision displeased the prospective owner of the Pier Restaurant. Several other deal-breakers hardened in those negotiations, leaving the restaurant deal in doubt.
More Turmoil at the Top in Flagler Beach: CRA Director Caryn Miller Resigns
Caryn Miller had been Flagler Beach’s community redevelopment agency director since 2006, and the city’s acting manager briefly last year. She was passed over for the permanent job.
Marineland’s Future: Dividends in Waiting After Acquisition by Georgia Aquarium
David Kimmel, President of the Georgia Aquarium, the new owner of Marineland’s dolphin attraction, and others assess the future of the marriage between town and attraction.
Ryan Rogers, Son of Bunnell Commission Candidate, Jailed on Drug and Other Charges
Rogers was allegedly trespassing on Flagler County Housing Authority grounds, from where he ran when a cop confronted him. He is in jail on $1,500 bond.
From Raves to Shock: Flagler Playhouse’s Artistic Director and President Both Resign
John Sbordone and Diane Ellertsen had been associated with the transformation of the erratic Little Theater of Palm Coast into the successful Flagler Playhouse, including unparalleled sell-out shows this season. They resigned over differences with the Playhouse board of directors.
Tense Community Meeting on Homeless in Bunnell Yields to Problem-Solving
Businesses had complained that the shelter was a magnet for problems while advocates disputed turning their mission into a scapegoat for problems beyond the shelter. The meeting diffused tensions as both sides agreed to keep talking.
As County Health Departments Brace For Cuts in Vital Services, Flagler’s Makes Its Case
The Flagler County Health Department sees an average of 136 people a day, providing clinical, dental and maternal services, among other things, that no other agency provides. That safety net is in jeopardy.
Despite Successes, Flagler Auditorium Loses Out on at Least $15,000 in Tourism Funding
The first $10,000 were lost when the tourism council’s logo did not appear in a TV ad. Another $10,000 are in jeopardy because of a missed deadline, though the auditorium is having a successful year, with three sold-out shows so far.
Commissioner Flynt’s Election-Qualifying Check Bounces, But Not His Candidacy
Flynt made good on the check as soon as the city clerk informed him of the bounce, 20 days after qualifying ended, but did so with cash. State law requires the payment to be made with a cashier’s check, “the end of qualifying notwithstanding.”