The Palm Coast City Council holds its second and final budget hearing, setting next year’s tax rates, meet the two new student school board members, undercover in the alt-right.
All Else
2nd Attempt To Fire Landon Fails as Palm Coast Council Submits to Manager’s Retirement Timeline
The second attempt in two weeks to fire Palm Coast Manager Jim Landon in 60 days failed today, with the council rebuffing Steven Nobile’s push to replace the manager in six months rather than two years.
Clarence Murphy, 41, Charged With 1st Degree Murder in Shooting Death of Cousin On Parkview This Morning
Murphy, a probationer, was “enraged” that the EBT card Ahmad Rashad Laster traded him for drugs was not the amount agreed upon, so he allegedly shot Laster–and confessed doing to to detectives.
Tuesday Briefing: Water Spout in South Flagler, New Lights at FPC Stadium, 615 Homes Off Colbert
The school board plans to replace lights at FPC stadium, better AC at Indian Trails and Bunnell Elementary, Palm Coast Council talks Jim Landon contract. Remember to donate food at Flagler schools for county’s needy.
Irma’s Death Toll in Florida at 34 and Rising
Irma is credited with five deaths by drowning and four deaths involving carbon monoxide, including the carbon-monoxide deaths of a mother and two teenage children in Orange County.
Jury Selected With Unusual Swiftness In Trial of Erin Vickers on Charge of Raping Her Own Child
Erin Vickers, 23, of Palm Coast, is on trial on the first of 49 counts involving accusations of rape, videotaping and transmitting sexual acts involving children.
Nursing Home Where Eight Died Wasn’t On FPL’s Priority List For Power Restoration
FPL placed nursing homes in a second tier of infrastructure — behind “critical” but ahead of residential homes. Local officials gave the Hollywood Hills home that designation using FPL guidance.
How Health Insurers Fuel Opioid Crisis By Denying Claims For Less Addictive But More Expensive Drugs
Insurers limiting access to drugs with a lower risk of addiction or dependence. Why? Opioid drugs are generally cheap while safer alternatives are often more expensive.
Monday Briefing: Welcome Back To Normal, Bunnell’s Fire Future, Alcohol Hours, Erin Vickers Trial
It’s a return to normal after a week of hell, the Bunnell City Commission votes on whether to hand over fire services to the county and extend alcohol sale hours, Erin Vickers goes on trial.
You Cannot Be Serious: Hurricane Maria Sniffs Around Irma’s Wake
Hurricane Maria is expected to become a major hurricane, with a global forecast seeing it veer away from Florida, but the more accurate European forecast seeing it come closer to the coast.
Uninsured Rate Falls To Record Low Of 8.8%, But Florida’s Rate Still 5th Highest in U.S.
Florida’s rate of uninsured would have been lower had Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature not prevented the federally-funded expansion of Medicaid.
FPL Lies
FPL’s response to Hurricane Irma in Flagler has been disgraceful and secretive, both at the expense of local emergency responses and at the expense of residents.
In Boggy West Flagler, Power Kicks Back On, Home Goes Up In Flames, Cat, Called Smokey, Is Killed
Deep in the woods off CR 305 the home John Martin and his 90-year-old mother Grace shared blazed the moment power went back on this afternoon, leaving them with nothing.
Humanitarian Needs Overtake Emergency Response in Flagler as Power Issues Compound Pain
Continued power outages affecting a quarter of Flagler County’s population are shifting needs to food and other basic necessities as county and other governments assess damages.
At Surfside Estates and Marineland Acres, Two Flagler Communities Feel Singled Out For Storms’ Wrath
Surfside Estates, the mobile home community in beverly Beach, and Marineland Acres north of the Hammock were both whacked by Hurricane Matthew and again by Hurricane Irma.
Flagler Beach Museum Providing 100 Free Meals Thursday Evening
Beyond the meals, the museum will be a one-stop resource center for residents needing volunteer help or assistance with FEMA.
With a Third of Flagler Still Without Power, FPL Offers Little More Than Scripted Answers
Florida Power and Light is not telling customers when their power will be reconnected nor giving an idea of where the work is taking place next.
Post-Irma Daily Digest: Flagler Beach Crossovers and Pier Update, FEMA Registrations, Senior Games
Local governments’ drizzle of information releases related to post-Hurricane Irma recovery are distilled for their essentials and published in a running tally.
In Flood-Pummeled Flagler Beach, Mountains of Heartbreak, But Surges of Grit And Samaritans
No place was hardest-hit by floods than Flagler Beach, yet no place seems as vibrant with community support as neighbors have mobilized to help neighbors cope.
Flagler Schools Closed Through Monday; Flooding Complicating Homecoming Across Florida
As evacuees continued to struggle either to make it home or to contend with power cuts, Flagler Schools decided to remain closed until Monday for more clean-up.
As Emergency Yields to Recovery in Flagler, More Inconveniences Than Damages Or Troubles
More than 60 percent of Flagler residents were still without power Tuesday evening but recovery efforts were powering up and destruction from the storm was limited.
Spotty Cell and Internet Service in Flagler: “How Many Bars Do You Have?” Is A Post-Irma Refrain
The infuriating cell and internet signal failures residents in the Flagler-Palm Coast region are experiencing will parallel power failures and restoration.
Florida Shellshock: Blanket Outages, Floodwaters, and This: Irma Could Cost “Billions Upon Billions”
Millions of people continued to lack electricity as cleanup work expected to reach into the billions of dollars began in the wake of deadly Hurricane Irma.
Hurricane Irma Closures and Re-Openings in Palm Coast and Across Flagler
Hurricane Irma-related notices of closures, business reopenings and other related notices from government, hospitals, schools and colleges and businesses.
Damages: 50,250 Lose Power, Flagler Beach, Beverly Beach Heavily Flooded, Less So in Palm Coast, No Systematic Devastation; Curfew Extended On Island, Schools Closed Wednesday
While Flagler and Palm Coast made it through Hurricane Irma without devastation, there was heavy flooding in homes in South Flagler Beach and the west end of the county.
In Flooded Flagler Beach, Caring For Neighbors In Cops’ Colossal Trucks Or in Tiny Kayaks
The Sheriff’s Office sent out its colossal military-surplus trucks on search and rescue missions, while at least two Flagler Beach residents conducted their own in canoes and kayaks.
Conditions Deteriorating Across Flagler: Waters Rise, 22,400 Out of Power, Irma Spins Further East
Hurricane Irma’s tropical-storm forces have already drenched Flagler well ahead of peak activity and now are slowing enough to cause worries that the damage will be more severe than anticipated.
FPL Says 10 Percent of Flagler Residents Expected to Lose Power, Millions More Across Florida
FPL is deploying nearly 17,000 line workers across the state and conducting repairs between Hurricane Irma feeder bands to minimize outages.
FPL Projects 4.1 Million Could Lose Power in Coming Days; Time Runs Out To Flee Irma
FPL has pre-positioned more than 13,500 recovery workers from its staff and other states at 20 staging areas, including a new bunker-like facility in Palm Coast.
Sheltering From Irma in Flagler: 4 Shelters, 3,000 Spots, Food, WiFi, Power And ♥ Left Behind From Students
Here’s what to expect at Flagler County’s four emergency shelters opening at 7 a.m. Saturday, who’s paying for all that food, and what you can stream on WiFi.
What To Expect in Flagler In Next 48 Hours on Shelters, Evacuations, Storm Effects and Hunkering Down
As Hurricane Irma approaches, a complete run-down of what you should expect from emergency responders and what you should do in the next 48 hours.
As Flagler Prepares For Irma: “We’re Anticipating A1A To Be Severed In Multiple Locations”
Law enforcement, first responders and local governments were in full preparation mode with evacuation orders policing planning going into gear. The details.
Palm Coast’s Big-Box Stores All Out of Water, Shipments Expected But No Promises
Aldi, Publix, Target and Winn-Dixie all show bare water shelves and few promises about when the next shipments are due, as supply lines are dependent on state conditions.
After Resisting Most of the Day, Flagler District Agrees to Close Schools Friday and Monday
The school district had wanted to keep schools open Friday, but by 4:45 p.m. today caved to health and county emergency officials’ pressure, who wanted to get a special needs shelter ready at Rymfire Elementary.
A Little Hurricane Greediness: Hammock Dunes Bridge Still Charging Tolls Until Tonight
Gov. Scott suspended tolls on all state bridges and roads Tuesday, but the privately-run and very profitable Hammock Dunes Bridge is still charging motorists $2 until Wednesday evening.
Wednesday Briefing: Hammock Development, Sheltering Tree Fund-Raiser, String Orchestra Open House
The County Commission votes on development rules that drew opposition in the Hammock, the Flagler Youth Orchestra holds its open house at Indian Trails Middle School, a fund-raiser for the Sheltering Tree.
Man Who Reported Armed Burglary Is Arrested And Blamed For Running “Drug House”
James Soldo, 37, was assured by detectives that they were only seeking answers about the morning’s armed burglary, but arrested him anyway when they found a bag of marijuana in the house.
Trump’s Decision To End Dreamers’ Amnesty Creates Dilemma For Florida GOP
Florida is home to at least 30,000 people who could be affected and is the base for exponentially more Hispanic voters who could be critical to next year’s elections.
Armed Burglary at B-Section Home Forces Indian Trails and Belle Terre Schools on Lockdown
The attempted armed robbery at 15-B Bunker Knolls Lane, a duplex, forced Belle Terre Elementary and Indian Trails Middle School on lockdown.
Tuesday Briefing: School Board Taxes, Airport Land Agreement, Owen Parker Sentencing, FPL’s Solar Devices
The Flagler School Board adopts a tax rate it had nothing to do with, Owen Parker is sentenced over molesting a 12-year-old girl, Palm Coast Council takes on land use and solar.
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Second Bill of Rights: For Workers
At the end of his last State of the Union message to Congress in 1944, Franklin Delano Roosevelt outlined an ambition plan for a “Second Bill of Rights” to ensure “”economic security and independence.”
Walgreens Employees Tied Up During Armed Robbery; Incident Connected to Car Arson in Woodlands
The Walgreens pharmacy at 1109 Palm Coast Parkway was the target of an armed robbery early Sunday morning. Hours later an intentional car fire in the Woodlands was connected to the robbery.
Behind Solar Shades Soon in Palm Coast, A “Voluntary” FPL Program of Limited Benefit But Ample Marketing
FPL’s SolarNow program bills willing customers $9 a month then uses the money to build solar-power installations like those coming to Holland Park, City Hall and the Community Center.
Unemployment Ticks Up to 4.4% as Job Creation Slows to 156,000 and Wages Lag
Where it matters most, in wages, workers are not seeing improvements even as the economy recorded its 83rd straight month of job growth. Corporate profits remain healthy.
Labor Day Weekend Briefing: Last Days Of Summer, Espanola Road Work, Judy Taylor’s Labor History, Antifa
A blessedly quiet, uneventful Labor Day weekend in Flagler, Judy Taylor’s great mural, a few words for woeking people, Dreamers on the edge, media’s antifa trap.
In Flagler Beach, Palm Coast and County, More Contempt For Medical Pot
Elected officials in Palm Coast, Flagler County and Flagler Beach are still peddling false or misleading assumptions as they draw up more restrictive medical pot dispensary zoning.
Chez Jacqueline Hosts Fundraiser For Flagler’s Cold-Weather Homeless Shelter Sept. 6-7
The Sheltering Tree, which depends entirely on donations, has provided the homeless with food and extreme weather shelter since 2008: the shelter opens whenever the temperature falls to 40 degrees or below.
Flagler Sheriff’s Sgt. Jennifer Taylor Graduates at Florida Leadership Academy
Sergeant Jennifer Taylor of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office recently graduated from the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute’s 39th Florida Leadership Academy.
Flagler Humane Society Welcomes Three New Board Members
The Flagler Humane Society has added three new members to its board of directors: Isabel Conde, Brandon Jacobs and Patty Murphy.
Supreme Court Backs Scott, 5-2, In Death Penalty Battle With State Attorney Ayala
Scott removed Ayala from handling capital cases earlier this year, shortly after she announced her office would not pursue the death penalty for defendants.