Commissioner Bill Baxley’s proposal to raise salaries cut in 2014 back up to $9,600 a year got no support from a commission with two members–John Rogers and Bonita Robinson–running for re-election in March.
All Else
Nominating Commission Sends 3 Names to Scott for Next Supreme Court Appointment
Fifth District Court of Appeal Chief Judge C. Alan Lawson, appellate Judge Wendy Berger and Orlando lawyer Dan Gerber made the final cut of the Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission.
Tuesday Briefing: Palm Coast Council’s Public Works Field Trip, FPL Rates, “America: The Owner’s Manual”
The Palm Coast City Council goes on a field trip to its public works facility ahead of a workshop on the subject, the Public Service Commission discusses a settlement that would result in higher electric rates for FPL customers, Bob Graham at UF.
Monday Briefing: Bunnell Commissioners Want Their Full Salaries Back, We Are the 99%, Rorty’s Suggestion to Lefties
Two years ago the Bunnell Commission cut its own salaries by 10 percent, now it wants that 10 percent back. A relatively quiet day in local government, Richard Rorty on what the Left got right and how it could do better.
3rd Set of Human Remains Found in 4 Months as Dune Erosion North of Varn Park Uncovers Bones
For the third time since August, authorities in Flagler County have been led to what they believe to be human remains, this time apparently uncovered by beach erosion caused by Hurricane Matthew.
Staly Names Bisland Undersheriff as Transition Team, Including Big Donors, Gets to Work
Jack Bisland, an investigator at the State Attorney’s office, had been Jim Manfre’s chief of investigations briefly in 2013, but the two men quickly parted ways.
Flagler Beach Holiday at the Beach Parade Set for Saturday: Late Participants Welcome
The Rotary Club of Flagler Beach is once again hosting the Holiday at the Beach parade this Saturday, Dec. 3, along resilient State Road A1A in the city and is welcoming last minute parade applicants this week. See the application below.
In An Ugly Election Result, Hate Surges Online as Trump Emboldens Extremists
Throughout Donald J. Trump’s ultimately successful run for the presidency, many worried that he had, willfully or recklessly, emboldened racists across the country. Evidence suggests Trump’s effect on rising extremism has been unmistakable.
Flagler’s Humiliated Democrats Try To Regroup, Only to Expose the Dysfunctions At Their Core
Some 60 people had turned up at the All Flagler Democratic Club eager for guidance and strategy only to hear vague and at times bewildering proposals that have little to do with finding local Democrats to run, or get them elected.
Surprised? Trump’s Advisor on Wall Street Regulations is a Longtime Swamp-Dweller
Donald Trump’s transition advisor for financial regulations works for a firm that is emblematic of the Washington revolving door: deregulation could serve Paul Atkins’ wallet as well as his political agenda.
How The Electoral College Mistrusts Voters
That flaw is the Electoral College. For the fourth time in our history, and the second in 16 years, it has given the presidency to the candidate who polled fewer votes — 2 million fewer in this case — than his principal rival.
Flagler Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Jamie Burnsed’s Family House Burns in Morning Blaze
Jamie Burnsed, one of three battalion chiefs at Flagler County Fire Rescue, and one of its longest-serving firefighters, had lived at the property with his family for just about 10 years.
School Board Chairman Colleen Conklin On the Trump Election: “Words Matter”
In light of the swastika incident at Palm Coast’s Imagine School and many other hurtful or vile statements during the election campaign, the school board chairman calls on local leaders to denounce messages that erode trust and respect.
Despite Orlando Massacre and Zika Virus, Florida Tourism Draws Record 27 Million Visitors in 3 Summer Months
The 5.1 percent increase from the same time last year came as Canadians, Florida’s top source of foreign tourism, have cut back on travel due to their nation’s weakened dollar.
For George Hanns, 24 Years As Commissioner End With a Long Goodbye and a Biting Roast
The county administration gave George Hanns a farewell reception Monday afternoon, with some 100 people in attendance and touching moments mixing with humor and a colleague’s roast.
Palm Coast Man Charged With Felony Child Abuse For Allegedly Knocking 6-Year-Old Girl to Ground
Richard Kenney, 33, was arrested after briefly resisting deputies, and charged with a felony count of child abuse and domestic battery after deputies learned he had allegedly slugged a 6-year-old girl hard enough to knock her to the floor, then slapping his wife or ex-wife.
It’ll Be Alt-Right
Donald Trump’s appointments and short-lists are pointing the way to an administration not much different than his campaign, suggesting there’s more wishful thinking than reality behind the hope that he’d surround himself with people saner than he is.
A Start-Up Contest Conceived By Palm Coast’s Office Divvy Crowns Snappy Marketing Winner
Snappy Kraken, a company that launched only last April partly from palm Coast, won from among 30 entrants for its innovative and automated do-it-yourself approach to marketing campaigns.
Two Kindergarten Students of Mixed Races Come Home From Imagine School With Swastikas on Their Skin
School officials say clear video from the school bus captured the incident, in which a middle school student is said to have drawn swastikas on at least two kindergarteners’ skin. A motive has not been disclosed.
Weekend Briefing: Richard Schreiner at Salvo, The Rainmaker at City Rep, This and That at Calypso
The late and very great Richard Schreiner’s works are revived at Salvo art gallery, Nash’s “Rainmaker” is staged all weekend at CRT, “This and That,” a new show at Calypso art gallery, and more.
Feed Flagler Beach at Thanksgiving
Feed Flagler Beach is a sit down community based Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving day, November 24, 2016, from 1-3 p.m. at The Wickline Center.
Revered School District Administrator Is Baker Acted Outside Government Services Building
Hearts are breaking at school district offices at the Government Services Building in the wake of an unsettling incident Wednesday afternoon involving Shawn Schmidli, one of the district’s most admired and prized administrators.
Thursday Briefing: Flagler Connect Golf, 5 Students in Limbo, Josh Crews, Bob Dylan’s Nobel Snub
The Flagler Chamber’s lagler Connect Golf Tournament, drug court, five students still in limbo after getting expelled from school two months ago, Bob Dylan will not go to his own Nobel Prize ceremony.
“Shoddy Police Work” Helps Bunnell Man Facing Life in Prison Turn Trial In His Favor
Grant Gieger, 30, accused of armed burglary and other violent charges, was found guilty on minor charges instead as the case against him appeared to fall apart because of “shoddy police work,” according to his attorney.
Musical Chairs Continue as Flagler Will Have 5th Different Criminal Court Judge in 7 Years
Circuit Judge Matthew Foxman, in Flagler less than a year, is being reassigned to Volusia County, and will be replaced by Judge Dennis Craig, a Flagler resident who’d previously presided over civil and family court law.
Wednesday Briefing: Flagler Youth Orchestra In Concert, Tattooing Pine Cone Drive, Deputies’ Fitness
The Flagler Youth Orchestra’s 375 musicians are in concert at the Auditorium tonight, a tattoo parlor wants to open on Pine Cone Drive, a foot chase reveals deputies’ lack of fitness,
Races Lost Across the State Again, Florida Democrats Look for Answers, and a Leader
After losing the state’s presidential and U.S. Senate races and failing to make major gains in the Legislature, Florida Democrats are groping for a way forward as the 2018 elections loom with battles for governor and all three state Cabinet seats.
Sea Change With Immediate Notes of Assertiveness as New Mayor and Palm Coast Council Are Seated
Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland wasted no time taking the reins after her swearing in, as did now-senior council member Steven Nobile, who wants a more assertive and involved council.
Farewell Reception Set for Commissioner George Hanns as Quarter-Century Service Ends
County Commissioner George Hanns, a Democrat who once always counted on sure-fire popularity, was first elected in 1992 during the (Bill) Clinton sweep, and was voted out last week during the anti (Hillary) Clinton sweep.
Tuesday Briefing: Palm Coast Swears In New Era, Food Truck Tuesday, Animal Control, Muslims in America
It’s a swearing-in like no other at the Palm Coast City Council this morning as a small revolution upends the council, including its mayor, Food Truck Tuesday will benefit volunteer firefighters, what it’s like to be Muslim in America these days.
At Flagler Library, Matthew and Arrogant Campaign Vehicles Aggravate An Old Problem
The Flagler County Library Board of Trustees has been chronically wrestling with parking and free speech issues at election time, but it’s shifting the burden to the county commission in hopes that a countywide ordinance might settle the issue in future elections.
Monday Briefing: Huge SuperMoon, Flagler Wants Florida Forever Back, Marcia Fine’s Blind Eye, O Canada
Tonight’s supermoon will be 16 percent bigger than usual, and the largest until 2034, the Land Acquisition Committee wants the Legislature to live up to voters’ mandate for more protection, hate assaults on the rise in the wake of Trump’s win.
Revenge of the Forgotten Class
Hillary Clinton and the Democrats were playing with fire when they effectively wrote off white workers in the small towns and cities of the Rust Belt.
A School Superintendent’s Message Home In Light of Trump’s Victory: Diversity Is Strength
“First and foremost, we must reassure our staff and students that our school buildings are safe places where we truly value and respect every single individual and do not tolerate bullying or hate speech,” wrote Jack R. Smith in a letter to parents of children in Montgomery County public schools.
Tree of Remembrance Ceremony Scheduled for Dec. 4 at Craig Flagler Palms
People are encouraged to bring a favorite ornament in remembrance of their loved one to help decorate the tree. decorating will begin at 5 p.m.
At Flagler Airport, Veterans Day Framed by Traveling Vietnam Memorial and Freedom Fest
The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall, a 3/5-scale replica of Maya Lin’s original Vietnam Memorial in Washington, stretched almost 300 feet along the tarmac at the airport as Veterans Day ceremonies kicked off Freedom Fest, a weekend-long event.
Weekend Briefing: Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall, Freedom Fest at Airport, The Rainmaker, Fighting Demons and Mirrors, Bike Run
A very busy weekend of activities from Freedom Fest at the airport to Veterans Day commemorations to both FPC and Matanzas drama clubs staging plays to a hypnosis show and a lot more.
The Future of Civil Rights is Up To the Supreme Court
Based on the list of judges Donald Trump has said he would consider for nomination, our civil rights could be in real jeopardy with a Trump presidency, argues Mary Frances Berry.
Flagler’s 20-Point Margin For Trump a 28-Year High as Blue-Collar Counties Power Trump
Not since George Bush defeated Michael Dukakis had a Republican presidential candidate performed so well in Flagler County, a stark difference reflected across many other, larger blue-collar counties.
The Day After
Despite a liberal’s shellshock from a Trump presidency and the dreadful clarity of times ahead, this is no time to decamp or retreat–nor to deny in any way that he is our president.
Joel Fallon, Owner of Granny Nannies, and Co-Pilot Seriously Hurt in Plane Crash Over Plantation Bay
Joel Fallon, owner of Granny Nannies of Flagler and St. Johns counties, was at the controls of a Beech single-engine plane built in 1969 with co-pilot Josh Rosa, owner of Flagler Air Exchange, a business at the Flagler County Airport.
Medical Marijuana Cruises to Reality in Florida With Healthy 71% Majority
Stunning even some of the proposal’s most avid supporters, Florida voters Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment legalizing medical marijuana for patients with a broad swath of conditions.
Staly Is Flagler’s New Sheriff, Bexley New Court Clerk, Republicans Sweep County Commission, Klufas Wins Palm Coast Seat, Barbosa Wins School Board, Hutson, Renner Win
Election results are showing the making of a historic Republican sweep in Flagler County as early but significant tallies show Rick Staly winning sheriff, Tom Bexley winning clerk of court, and all three Democrats in county commission races well behind.
Matanzas Student Arrested After Becoming Aggressive Toward School Deputy at Lunch
An 18-year-old Matanzas High School student was arrested today at school after a lunch-hour confrontation that started with a student and escalated to involve school staffers and school resource deputies.
Why I’m Voting Clinton, Unreservedly
It’s not out of fear of a Trump presidency, although there is that, but in a support of a too-long list of actual policy proposals that shatter the manufactured absurdity of Trump as a viable alternative.
Tuesday Briefing: It’s Election Day, Palm Coast Ends It With Holland Park Contractor, Job Fair, Pope’s Vote
Get out and vote, polls open at 7 a.m., Palm Coast holds a special meeting to end it with the Gainesville contractor on the Holland Park job, the Canvassing Board meets three times, results posted starting at 7 p.m.
Miles Smith, 32, Troubled W-Section Resident at Center of Dead Puppy Feud Last March, Found Dead
The cause of death has not been determined. No firearm was involved. Last March Smith was at the center of a controversy involving the suspicious death of a puppy that had once belonged to his neighbors.
Repairs on Speed: A1A Reopens to Governor’s Applause as Businesses Cheer With Relief
The remarkably swift emergency repairs to the road on a state government emergency contract to Halifax Paving turned what could have been a death knell to many businesses into a setback, now overcome.
Monday Briefing: A1A Reopening, Diabetes Flag-Raising, Post-Hurricane Planning, Debris Pick-Up, Caro on Moses
A1A reopens at the southern end of Flagler Beach, the county commission holds a Hurrricane Matthew post-mortem and looks ahead to recovery projects, 2nd-pass debris pick-up begins in Palm Coast, Robert Caro on Robert Moses.
Amendment 2: Medical Marijuana Through the Eyes and Suffering of Those Who Need It Most
For two years Palm Coast’s Jennifer Kaczmarek, the artist-photographer, has followed 10 families struggling with debilitating illnesses that only marijuana alleviate. They plead for Amendment 2, the proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize medicinal marijuana.