Palm Coast City Council member Ed Danko grilled applicants for an appointed position on the council on their political and ideological leanings, asked they’d vote on a charter amendment, berated, ridiculed and all but insulted the city attorney for cautioning him about partisanship, blustered and bellowed about “freedom of speech” while disparaging mayor David Alfin. The meeting then settled into a more civilized interview process through which some of the applicants distinguished themselves.
Backgrounders
Flagler Beach Prepares to Annex Veranda Bay, Adding 2,700 Housing Units and Doubling City’s Size by 2044
The Flagler Beach City Commission holds a special meeting Tuesday to consider the annexation of Veranda Bay, the 800-acre development on the two sides of John Anderson Highway that, when it is built out in 2044, would total 2,735 housing units and 5,100 residents–equal to the current city population–over half a million square feet of commercial space, and a new, walkable downtown. The city’s planning board unanimously recommended approval. Opposition has been limited.
Greg Blose’s Sudden Exit from Chamber Was Preceded by Bitter Letter to Board About ‘Toxic and Unethical Behavior’
In a lengthy and detailed letter days before his sudden exit as leader of the Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber of Commerce, Greg Blose described what he perceived as serious problems in the organization, including “toxic and unethical behavior” among the chamber leadership and an attempt to undermine him with his staff. Blose’s tenure ended this week after four years.
Kamala Harris? Don’t Bet on the Hype.
Kamala Harris followed a script Tuesday. It was a solid, made-for-TV script. It wasn’t a knock-out. Trump lost from own goals, which his flagellant faithful always forgive him. If you’re a Harris fan you probably shouldn’t raise your hopes even with that Swift endorsement. It’s not just the electoral college. It’s an electorate inebriated on phony nostalgia, desperate for a nonexistent fantasy that Trump can nevertheless sell like bibles and steaks.
Bronx House Pizza in Hammock Sees Valet Parking Lot as Solution to Overflow, Scenic A1A Sees Hazards
Almost since it opened several years ago, Bronx House Pizza in the Hammock has been the victim of its success: its popularity has grown in proportion to neighborhood parking headaches as rights-of-way became de-facto parking zones. On Tuesday, Bronx House Pizza goes before Flagler County’s Planning Board, seeking approval of an overflow parking lot it would build south of the restaurant, but not contiguous to it, on four lots totaling 20,000 square feet south of 17th Road. It’s facing opposition.
Fringe in Check, Palm Coast Approves More Expansive Budget with Slightly Lower Tax Rate, No Rollback
Palm Coast City Manager Lauren Johnston’s proposed budget and tax rate for the year starting Oct. 1 survived almost intact Thursday evening as the council, keeping its swaggering fringe in check, approved in a series of 3-1 votes a $61.2 million general fund budget with a $5.3 million increase and a slightly lower tax rate, but nowhere near the so-called rolled-back rate.
Fewer Problems at Bulow RV Park, But Evictions and Code Violations Loom as Deadline Approaches
The conflict between residents of the Bulow RV Park off Old Kings Road is not as intense as it was last year. Numerous issues have been resolved. But some problems persist, with more than a dozen residents still out of compliance with county and park rules, and with water pressure and water cleanliness issues now coming to the fore. The county continues to attempt to mediate a solution, with limited success. In the assistant county attorney’s characterization, the matter can be “intractable.”
A 10-Year-Old Pointed a Finger Gun. He Was Kicked Out His School for a Year.
Over the last couple of years, Tennessee and several other states [including Florida] have been making it easier for schools to suspend or expel students. But study after study has shown that harsh disciplinary practices such as mandatory expulsions are ineffective at reducing violence in schools. What’s more, research shows that such practices often lead to Black students and students with disabilities being disproportionately suspended and expelled, making them more likely to end up in the criminal justice system.
A Man’s Arrest Over a Mental Crisis Highlights Needs, Available Resources–and Perils to Law Enforcement
A 33-year-old Palm Coast man’s mental health breakdown and subsequent arrest on Thursday highlights the depth of needs for services for people in crisis, the perils law enforcement and health care providers–the first line of response–face when attempting to manage the crisis, as do families, and the help available to Flagler County individuals and families facing those situations.
Reilly Opelka, Grateful To Be Playing Again, Recounts Odyssey of Harrowing, Nearly Career-Ending Injuries
Though Reilly Opelka, the former Indian Trails Middle student who trained at the Palm Coast Tennis Center, lost his opening match at the US Open this week, he described in an interview with FlaglerLive how close he came to the end of his tennis career as a string of harrowing injuries sidelined him before unique surgeries helped him make his way back to the tour. He continues to be involved in Palm Coast’s tennis endeavors.