It’s taken 25 years, but Palm Coast appears ready to take the arts seriously. The City Council today agreed to a plan that will require developers to pay a small portion of their development costs into an arts fund that would be used to pay for public art installations. If such a fund was in place last year, it would have generated close to $1 million, city officials said.
Backgrounders
Project 2025’s Secret Training Videos for a 2nd Trump Term
“Eradicate climate change references”; only talk to conservative media; don’t leave a paper trail for watchdogs to discover. In a series of never-before-published videos, Project 2025 details how a second Trump administration would operate.
Behind Flagler Tax Services Owner Newsholme’s $300,000 in Fraud: Mounting Debts and Ponzi-Like Scheme
Robert Newsholme, the former owner of Flagler Tax Services, a three-year Flagler County Sheriff’s investigation found, had essentially been running what amounted to his own Ponzi scheme, taking money from clients who thought they were paying their IRS taxes, using that money to pay debts from lending companies, then borrowing more money from different lending companies to pay previous lending companies while putting off his clients who wanted their money back, plying them with promises and bad checks.
Loran Cole, Set to Be Killed by State, Cites Florida’s Complicity in ‘Horrific’ Dozier School Abuse in Appeal
Loran Cole, a Death Row inmate who spent time at the notorious Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys and is the first prisoner scheduled to be executed this year in Florida is asking a judge to vacate his death sentence, arguing the state is “complicit in the horrific and tragic” abuse at the reform school that “contributed to his life choices.”
Mother of Tristin Murphy, Who Killed Himself with Chainsaw in Prison, Pleads with Judge on Brendan Depa’s Behalf
Cynthia Murphy, the mother of Tristin Murphy, a schizophrenic who used a chain saw to kill himself in prison, where he was serving a sentence for littering, pleads with the judge about to sentence Brendan Depa–the autistic student who beat his paraprofessional at Matanzas High School last year–not to believe Florida state prison officials’ claim that mental health treatment is adequate there for people like Depa.
Brendan Depa’s Sentencing Set to Conclude 3 Months After It Started: ‘I’m Going to Accept Whatever Happens’
Brendan Depa, now verging on his 19th birthday, returns to court Tuesday after a three-month hiatus to conclude his sentencing hearing on a charge of attacking Joan Naydich, the paraprofessional assigned to him as a student with special needs at Matanzas High School, in February 2023. The sentences Circuit Judge Terence Perkins will impose is unpredictable, other than that it will not be anywhere near the 30-year maximum.
New Beach Erodes in Flagler Beach as Tropical Storm Debby Batters Northern Path with Potentially Catastrophic Rains
Impacts in Flagler County were expected to be more limited to winds in the 20 to 30 mph range for the rest of the day and some heavy rainfall, but the sea’s impact on Flagler County’s shore was already apparent as churns eroded significant portions of the newly renourished beach at the south end of Flagler Beach, while further eroding the redder, not-yet renourished sands north of the pier.
Ty Miller, Palm Coast City Council District 1 Candidate: The Live Interview
Ty Miller is one of four candidates in the Aug. 20 primary election for Palm Coast City Council, District 1. All registered voters in the city may cast a ballot in that non-partisan election regardless of party affiliation or location in Palm Coast.
Shara Brodsky, Palm Coast City Council District 1 Candidate: The Live Interview
Shara Brodsky is one of four candidates in the Aug. 20 primary election for Palm Coast City Council, District 1. All registered voters in the city may cast a ballot in that non-partisan election regardless of party affiliation or location in Palm Coast.
Flagler Beach Does Not Intend to Use New Juvenile Curfew as Punishment, But as Safety Measure, Police Chief Says
Exercising a state law provision, Flagler Beach last month enacted a juvenile curfew, applicable from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. to most children under 16 in numerous circumstances, but Police Chief Matt Doughney said the curfew’s penalty has not been necessary, nor does the city intent to exercise it beyond educating those caught after hours, and keeping them safe.
Andrew Werner, Palm Coast City Council District 3 Candidate: The Live Interview
Andrew Werner is one of three candidates in the Aug. 20 primary election for Palm Coast City Council, District 3. All registered voters in the city may cast a ballot in that non-partisan election regardless of party affiliation or location in Palm Coast.
Flagler Schools Losing $10.8 Million to Pay for 1,250 Students to Attend Private, Religious or Home School
Three take-aways largely explain how the state is gradually emaciating traditional public education’s budget by lowering the tax rate, as it has almost every year since 1995, by diverting millions of dollars to subsidize families’ private, religious and homeschool education bills, and by causing an inevitable exodus of students from public school to privately subsidized education, but at public expense.
Dana Mark Stancel, Palm Coast City Council District 3 Candidate: The Live Interview
Dana Mark Stancel is one of three candidates in the Aug. 20 primary election for Palm Coast City Council, District 3. All registered voters in the city may cast a ballot in that non-partisan election regardless of party affiliation or location in Palm Coast.
Jeffrey Seib, Palm Coast City Council District 1 Candidate: The Live Interview
Jeffrey Seib is one of four candidates in the Aug. 20 primary election for Palm Coast City Council, District 1. It’s an open seat. The candidates who qualified are Kathy Austrino, Shara Brodsky, Ty Miller and Seib. All registered voters in the city may cast a ballot in that non-partisan election regardless of party affiliation or location in Palm Coast.
Derek Barrs, Flagler County School Board Candidate District 3: The Live Interview
Derek Barrs is one of four candidates in two races for Flagler County School Board in the Aug. 20 primary, facing Janie Ruddy in District 3. School board elections are non-partisan races: all registered voters in Flagler County are eligible to cast a ballot in the two races–whether registered Democratic, Republican, Independent or from a minor party.
Project 2025 is a Bad Bet for Florida’s Future
Project 2025 is a blueprint for Trump’s next term. It is full of recommendations for clamping down on abortion, banning pornography, abolishing the Homeland Security and Education departments, killing the Head Start program for kids, and putting the entire executive branch, including the Department of Justice, under direct control of the president — no civil service protection.
Ray Stevens, Palm Coast City Council District 3 Candidate: The Live Interview
Ray Stevens is one of three candidates in the Aug. 20 primary election for Palm Coast City Council, District 3. It’s an open seat, as Council member Nick Klufas is term-limited. He is running for a County Commission seat. The candidates who qualified are Dana Mark Stancel, Stevens and Andrew Warner. All registered voters in Palm Coast regardless of party or non-party affiliation may cast a ballot in this City Council race.
Flagler Beach Gets $745,000 TDC Grant for Boardwalk Rebuild That May Never Happen, Besting County and Palm Coast
After three bracing presentations by three local governments but tortuous debate by Flagler County’s Tourist Development Council members, the council on Wednesday approved a $745,000 grant for Flagler Beach to rebuild its boardwalk near the pier even though the city has none of the remaining $3 million to build it. Palm Coast and Flagler County were at the losing end of the three-way pitch for the sizeable grant, which the tourism board offers only every two years.
Kathy Austrino, Palm Coast City Council District 1 Candidate: The Live Interview
Kathy Austrino is one of four candidates in the Aug. 20 primary election for Palm Coast City Council, District 1. All registered voters in the city may cast a ballot in that non-partisan election regardless of party affiliation or location in Palm Coast.
Council Votes 7-2 to Deplete Tourism Fund’s $11 Million Reserves and Build Flagler Visitor Center on SR 100
It was as audacious a plan as any that Flagler County Tourism Director Amy Lukasik presented to the Tourist Development Council this morning: take out $10.3 million out of two tourism funds’ reserves, reducing those reserves to $1.2 million, and appropriate the money for construction of the Flagler County Visitor and Eco Discovery Center on State Road 100, near the metallurgic foot bridge. The council went for it, voting 7-2 to recommend moving forward with Lukasik’s plan.
Flagler School District Yet Again Stuck at a B for 3rd Straight Year, But All Schools are at A or B
A third of Florida’s school districts scored an A in the 2023-24 school year. The Flagler County school district was not among them. For the third year in a row, and for the 10th of the last 11th grading years, the district remains stuck at a B, one of 26 districts in that pack. Seventeen districts scored a C. None scored lower. Two districts were not graded. The Florida Department of Education released the grades today.
Janie Ruddy, Flagler County School Board Candidate District 3: The Live Interview Template
Janie Ruddy is one of four candidates in two races for Flagler County School Board in the Aug. 20 primary, facing Derek Barrs in District 3. The District 3 and District 5 seats are both open as incumbents Colleen Conklin and Cheryl Massaro have opted not to run again. School board elections are non-partisan races: all registered voters in Flagler County are eligible to cast a ballot in the two races–whether registered Democratic, Republican, Independent or from a minor party.
Vincent Sullivan, Flagler County School Board Candidate District 5: The Live Interview Template
Vincent Sullivan is one of four candidates in two races for Flagler County School Board in the Aug. 20 primary, facing Lauren Ramirez in District 5. School board elections are non-partisan races: all registered voters in Flagler County are eligible to cast a ballot in the two races–whether registered Democratic, Republican, Independent or from a minor party.
Lauren Ramirez, Flagler County School Board Candidate District 5: The Live Interview
Lauren Ramirez is one of four candidates in two races for Flagler County School Board in the Aug. 20 primary, facing Vincent Sullivan in District 5. School board elections are non-partisan races: all registered voters in Flagler County are eligible to cast a ballot in the two races–whether registered Democratic, Republican, Independent or from a minor party.
To Neutralize Write-In Fraud, Switch to Republican: An Open Letter to My Flagler County Neighbors
Jake Scully, a lifelong Democrat until this summer, says the only way to get around the fraud of two-write-in candidates closing two County Commission races to almost 50,000 voters is to switch to Republican before the July 22 deadline.
Police Investigating ‘Suspicious’ and Violent Death of Sally J. Byrd, 66, in Flagler Beach
Flagler Beach Police are investigating the “suspicious” death Thursday morning of “Sally J. Byrd, 66, a resident of Pebble Beach Village at the south end of Flagler Beach. A man is in custody in Georgia in connection with the case, after stealing the woman’s car and fleeing the area.
Pam Richardson, Flagler County Commission District 5 Candidate: The Live Interview
Pam Richardson is one of two Republican candidates for Flagler County Commission, District 5, in the Aug. 20 primary. It’s an open seat as Commissioner Donald O’Brien has elected not to run for a third term. Richardson faces Ed Danko, currently serving as a Palm Coast City Council member. Only registered Republicans may cast a ballot in the election.
Ed Danko, Flagler County Commission Candidate District 5: The Live Interview
Ed Danko is one of two Republican candidates for Flagler County Commission, District 5, in the Aug. 20 primary. It’s an open seat as Commissioner Donald O’Brien has elected not to run for a third term. Danko, a one-term Palm Coast City Council member, faces Pam Richardson.
Bill Clark, Flagler County Commission Candidate District 3: The Live Interview
Bill Clark is a Republican candidate for Flagler County Commission, District 3, in an open-seat election, as Dave Sullivan has opted not to run again. Clark faces Republicans Kim Carney and Nick Klufas in the Aug. 20 primary.
Kim Carney, Flagler County Commission Candidate District 3: The Live Interview
Kim Carney is a Republican candidate for Flagler County Commission, District 3, in an open-seat election, as Dave Sullivan has opted not to run again. Carney faces Republicans Bill Clark and Nick Klufas in the Aug. 20 primary.
‘I Don’t Want to Wrestle With Pigs’: Palm Coast Rejects Danko Push to Lock City Into $2.3 Million Budget Cut
Overcoming what Council member Nick Klufas called fellow Councilman Ed Danko’s “pontification,” the Palm Coast City Council today rebuffed an attempt by Danko to remove $2.3 million from the city’s proposed budget and adopted instead a slightly reduced tax rate for next year while preserving funding for the addition of nine new sheriff’s deputies and three new firefighter-paramedics.
Nick Klufas, Flagler County Commission District 3 Candidate: The Live Interview
Nick Klufas is a Republican candidate for Flagler County Commission, District 3. The two-term Palm Coast City Council member, who is term-limited, faces Kim Carney and Bill Clark, both Republicans, in the Aug. 20 primary. Because a write-in candidate has filed expressly to close the election to non-Republicans, only registered Republicans may cast a ballot in this race.
Fernando Melendez, Flagler County Commission Candidate District 1: The Live Interview
Fernando Melendez is a Republican candidate for Flagler County Commission, District 1. He is challenging incumbent Andy Dance in the Aug. 20 primary. Since no non-Republicans filed to run, it will be an open primary: all registered Flagler County voters from all parties or no-party affiliation may cast a ballot in this race, which will be decided on Aug. 20.
Flagler School District Will Negotiate Lease of Old Courthouse With the County, Eying Room for Historical Society
The Flagler County school district’s plan to lease the old courthouse in Bunnell to shift half a dozen programs there would cost $632,000 in up-front renovations and $202,000 a year in rent and utilities. The Flagler County Historical Society had plans of its own for the old courthouse. The district will negotiate with both the county and the historical society in hopes of reaching mutually agreeable accommodations.
Andy Dance, Flagler County Commission Candidate, District 1: The Live Interview
Andy Dance is the incumbent candidate for Flagler County Commission, District 1. Fernando Melendez is challenging him in the Aug. 20 primary. Both candidates are Republicans. Since no non-Republicans filed to run, it will be an open primary: all registered Flagler County voters from all parties or no-party affiliation may cast a ballot in this race, which will be decided on Aug. 20. There is no run-off.
Alan Lowe, Palm Coast Mayor Candidate: The Live Interview
Alan Lowe is a candidate for Palm Coast Mayor in the Aug. 20 primary. All registered voters in the city may cast a ballot in that non-partisan election regardless of party affiliation or location in Palm Coast.
Behind the Smear of Palm Coast Mayoral Candidate Peter Johnson
Peter Johnson, a candidate for Palm Coast mayor, has been the target of the most vicious slander in Flagler County in this year’s election. The claim has been spread through an alleged screenshot of an alleged slur he used, but all the evidence gathered so far points to a fabrication intended to defame Johnson and peddled by discreditable operatives, among them one of Johnson’s opponents in the mayoral race.
Mike Norris, Palm Coast Mayor Candidate: The Live Interview
Mike Norris is a candidate for Palm Coast Mayor in the Aug. 20 primary. All registered voters in the city may cast a ballot in that non-partisan election regardless of party affiliation or location in Palm Coast.
Peter Johnson, Palm Coast Mayor Candidate: The Live Interview
Peter Johnson is a candidate for Palm Coast Mayor in the Aug. 20 primary. All registered voters in the city may cast a ballot in that non-partisan election regardless of party affiliation or location in Palm Coast.
Cornelia Downing Downing Manfre, Palm Coast Mayor Candidate: The Live Interview
Cornelia Downing Manfre is a candidate for Palm Coast Mayor in the Aug. 20 primary. All registered voters in the city may cast a ballot in that non-partisan election regardless of party affiliation or location in Palm Coast.
David Alfin, Palm Coast Mayor Candidate: The Live Interview
David Alfin is a candidate for Palm Coast Mayor in the Aug. 20 primary. All registered voters in the city may cast a ballot in that non-partisan election regardless of party affiliation or location in Palm Coast.
DeSantis Veto of Vacation-Rental Bill Opens the Way for Palm Coast Regulations with Flagler’s as Model
Facing pressure, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed the measure a bill that deregulated local control of vacation rentals, saying the proposal would create “bureaucratic red tape” for local officials. Now, Palm Coast has another chance to write its own vacation-rental ordinance, or at least craft some city-specific regulations. City Council member Theresa Pontieri said this morning she intends to open the way for just such a proposal, with caution, as residents increasingly complain of rentals.
Secretive Data Company Getting Stiff Resistance from Flagler Beach Over Perpetual Easement at Veterans Park
DC Blox, the Atlanta-based data company working with Palm Coast to open a data center there, is about to face stiff resistance from some Flagler Beach City Commissioners as it seeks a permanent easement through Veterans Park, one of the city’s iconic treasures. Officials are not happy with the choice they’re being given at Veterans Park, the paltry, one-time compensation the city is being offered–$100,000 per cable landing–or the way DC Blox has attempted to keep negotiations out of the public eye, especially about money.
Palm Coast Reels Back Talk of Firing Its Lobbyists as Southern Group’s Emissaries Deliver Veto-Proof Defense
A presentation to the Palm Coast City Council today by its Southern Group lobbyists was a response to an inquisition, albeit an inquisition that, by the time the pair of lobbyists had sat down in person in front of the council, had already been sharply dialed down to a sort of Marriage Encounter session. The council critics’ aim was no longer to criticize or threaten dissolution but to learn, recalibrate and grow, especially as the lobbyists twice reminded them of Palm Coast’s record appropriation hauls of the last two years.
The Write-In Fraud
Two people who have zero intention to run campaigns have filed to run as write-ins, closing two Flagler County Commission races to 51 percent of the electorate in cynical maneuvers to benefit Ed Danko and Kim Carney in their respective races, against Pam Richardson in one and Nick Klufas and Bill Clark in the other. The write-in fraud takes advantage of a loophole in the law that enables anyone, without paying a dime or showing any intention to campaign, to be a write-in, thus closing otherwise open primaries.
Palm Coast Arts Foundation’s Parting Legacy: a $69,000 Gift to City Repertory Theatre
Ending its 20-year-run, the Palm Coast Arts Foundation today handed over a $69,000 gift to City Repertory Theatre, the largest gift the theater troupe has ever received and one of the largest cultural gifts ever recorded from a non-governmental organization to another in Flagler. PCAF was required to disburse its remaining funds to a kindred non-profit before closing its books.
Flagler Beach Demolishes Any County Plan To Make Barrier Island Pay Higher Tax for Beach Protection
If the county plans any taxing method to pay for beach protection that taxes the barrier island more than it does the rest of the county, Flagler Beach will not sign off. Four of the five city commissioners are opposed to any such plan, and the fifth is skeptical of the county’s approach. Flagler Beach is especially resentful of the county for even discussing various proposals, however preliminary, without having included Flagler Beach in the discussions from the start.
For 17th Straight Year, Flagler Schools’ Enrollment Fails To Grow Despite Continuing Population Surge
In spite of growth that added 16,000 new residents to the county in three years, in spite of Palm Coast, the county and Flagler Beach issuing certificates of occupancy for some 3,200 housing units in 2023 alone, and in spite of similar growth trends in 2024, Flagler County schools are simply not attracting enough students to reflect that growth.
Biden Is Right: Over 100 Million Americans Would Lose Protection for Preexisting Conditions if ACA Is Repealed
A previous fact-check ruled Biden’s claim that 100 million Americans have preexisting conditions as in the ballpark, and nothing suggests that’s changed. Depending on the definition, the number could be smaller, but it also could be even greater and is likely to have increased since 2014.
Historic Sweep: Flagler’s 5 Constitutionals Elected Without Opposition as Shelly Edmonson Wins Tax Collector’s Seat
Clerk of Court Tom Bexley, Tax Collector-Elect Edmonson, Property Appraiser Jay Gardner, Supervisor of Elections Kaiti Lenhart and Sheriff Rick Staly were elected without opposition today, the first time an entire slate of constitutionals managed the feat in memory. Edmonson will take over for Suzanne Johnston, who decided to retire after 20 years as the tax collector.