Lawyers for Central Florida State Attorney Aramis Ayala fired back Monday against Gov. Rick Scott for shifting 23 death-penalty case to another prosecutor, describing his actions as “baldly political.”
All Else
Man Arrested Near Winn Dixie on Weapons Charges Invokes “Sovereign Citizen” Claim, Then Trouble Escalates
Michael Grube, 30, refused to be booked at the Flagler jail. The “sovereign citizen” movement is a cultish subculture of extremists whose members don’t recognize most laws or authorities,
David Ottati Returns: Ex-Florida Hospital Flagler CEO Takes Over 3-County Region
David Ottati’s rise in the Adventist organization is again bringing him to Flagler County as he takes over leadership of a seven hospital-region including Florida Hospital Flagler.
It Would Be Up to Florida to Dismantle Obamacare Protections If GOP Bill Advances
Unless the legislation fails or changes substantially, many consumers across the country could see the amount they pay every year for premiums increase by thousands of dollars, making coverage effectively unaffordable.
Monday Briefing: France Survives, Bunnell Instant Bingo, Community Fitcamp, CR13 Roadwork
The Bunnell City Commission considers an ordinance that would bring instant bingo to the city, reconstruction of County Road 13 begins, The Legislature finalizes the budget.
La Différence
France’s Answer To Trumpism: Non, Merci
Emmanuel Macron’s election as President of France Sunday repudiates angry, anti-democratic tribalism represented by Marine Le Pen and Donald Trump. But it’s only a qualified win.
Medical Pot Deal Collapses Over Dispensaries, Leaving Framework in Strict Regulators’ Hands
Implementation of the voter-approved amendment now rests in the hands of state health officials, who have been harshly criticized by legislators, patients, vendors and judges.
Flagler Beach, a.k.a. Ocean City, Gets 9 New Lifeguard Towers, All On Strength of Volunteers
The nine lifeguard towers, on a design from towers in Ocean City, Md., are expected to more than double the life of the structures. Commissioner Rick Belhumeur led the all-volunteer effort.
Flagler Sheriff Says Arrests Are Forthcoming in Murder of Charles Singer, But Not Just Yet
Individuals at the Pine Tree Lane property, where Charles Singer was found shot and buried in April, were brought in for questioning, but nothing beyond that so far.
Weekend Briefing: Cinco de Mayo, Law Enforcement Shootout, CRT’s John & Jen, Arbor Day and Mayor’s Health Challenge
Watch the local law enforcement shootout for the fastest gun in Flagler County, John and Jen closes out CRT’s season, Arbor Day in Central Park, Cinco de Mayo and Reformation.
Holland Park Redemption: Palm Coast’s Storied Playground Readies to Re-Open
A year behind schedule, the reopening of Holland Park, now scheduled for June, will also mark the transformation of an eyesore into a crown jewel, as a visit to the park today suggests.
Preexisting Condition: How Health Care Wrangle May Play Out Over Obamacare Repeal
As Trump pushes for a bill, the latest snag is over whether people with preexisting health conditions should have guaranteed access to affordable coverage, as the ACA mandates.
Thursday Briefing: County Road 13 Construction, Vac-Con Trucks, Kimmel’s Verklempt, Palm Coast Democrats, Josh Crews Book Launch
Josh Crews book project launches at Belle Terre, John & Jen at City Rep Theatre, Jimmy Kimmel loses it over his newborn son and Trump’s gutting of the ACA, Dahlia’s Mexican Kitchen, and CPE Bach.
Gov. Scott Declares Emergency In Response To Prescription Drugs and Heroin Deaths
In the four-county district that includes Flagler, only two heroin-deaths deaths were recorded in 2015, eight deaths were attributed to fentanyl, and 43 to prescription drugs overall.
House Approves Medical Pot Measure That Would Allow Unlimited Number of Retailers
The measure would allow patients to use vaporizers or edibles, but would ban smoking of marijuana products, something critics complain violates the spirit of the constitutional amendment.
Wednesday Briefing: Code Enforcement, Free Legal Clinics, Tim Hogan State Farms, Why Obamacare Persists
A free legal clinic at the Flagler County Courthouse focuses on criminal and traffic law, Tim Hogan State Farm holds its grand opening in Bunnell, Trump averaged five lies or misstatements a day in his first 100 days.
London Drive Shootist Phillip Haire Turns Himself In, Faces Attempted Murder Charges
Phillip Haire, 19, is accused of twice driving by his own house on Palm Coast’s London Drive Monday afternoon and firing a gun at a sheriff’s deputy and his own parents.
It’s James Tager: School Board Picks Volusia District Veteran for Superintendent in Rare Unanimous Vote
The unanimous vote for the Volusia County principal and former deputy superintendent is a rare sign of agreement for a school board that has had difficulties finding common ground in the last months.
Palm Coast Would Turn Over Its Cell Towers To Contractor Even as New Law Revamps Landscape
Even as a new state law just has just revamped the whole wireless landscape, the Palm Coast council is about to sign a contract grounded in previous-generation realities about cell coverage.
Senate Approves Constitutional Proposal That Would Increase Homestead Exemption to $75,000
The homestead exemption proposal would go before voters as a constitutional amendment in 2018, would save homeowners money but cost local governments millions in revenue.
James Tager Clear Favorite for Superintendent as Stilted Process Nears Vote Tonight
Flagler County School Board members left little doubt in a 50-minute discussion this morning that Volusia County’s James Tager is by far their first choice. But the process has been starkly constrained.
Tuesday Briefing: Superintendent Choice Time, Monopolizing Palm Coast Cell Towers, Scam Safety
The School Board this morning potentially makes its choice for the next superintendent, the Palm Coast council decides whether to hire a company that would largely control the city’s cell-tower contracts and revenue share.
Man Shoots at Deputy in Palm Coast’s L-Section And Flees After Carjacking
A man shot at a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy in Palm Coast’s L-Section late this afternoon, then fled in his own car, crashed it, and carjacked someone else before fleeing, a sheriff’s spokesman said.
For Flagler County, A Powerful Note of Atonement For Injustices Toward Many Amid Celebration of a Century
Flagler County marked its centennial on Saturday and Monday with celebrations that included words of a proclamation acknowledging half a century of injustices toward minorities in the county.
As Details Emerge, Mother Describes Father’s Execution-Style Shooting of Son During an Argument
The victim’s mother described her husband Bobby Gore, 74, walking out to the porch, pointing his gun at her son Lucas Gore’s head, and firing two shots, killing him. Mother and son had been arguing.
Monday Briefing: Dunes Update, Hanns Returns, Burn Ban, Flagler Youth Orchestra Year-End Concert, Teacher Appreciation Week
The Flagler Youth Orchestra’s 350 musicians perform, in their five separate ensembles, in their last concert of the year at the Auditorium, the county commission talks dunes and may bring back George Hanns to a committee appointment.
Father Charged With 1st Degree Murder After Allegedly Shooting Son Dead In Flagler Beach
Bobby Gore is in police custody Sunday morning following the midnight shooting of his son in a domestic dispute at 1002 South Daytona Avenue in Flagler Beach.
Progressive Voices Rise to Resist Locally as Flagler Beach “Rally By the Sea” Rebukes Trumpism
Saturday’s rally of progressive-liberal organizations in Flagler Beach, organized by a group barely a few months old, suggests the local Republican sweep is not as total as it appears, or Trumpism the only movement in town.
‘Click It or Ticket’ Laws Are Becoming The Norm. But Do They Work?
Not everyone is convinced the tougher laws reduce fatalities. And some opponents say the laws are another example of government interference and can lead to racial profiling.
“John & Jen” and Generational Shock in Musical Closing City Repetory Theatre’s Season
“John & Jen” features the same two actors portraying family members over two generations crossing America’s tumultuous 60s and beyond, and testing family ties. At Palm Coast’s City Rep Theatre.
Palm Coast Girl, 12, Uses New Law to Secretly Record Alleged Assailant, 42, Over Sex Assault
The 12-year-old Palm Coast girl put to use a 2015 law to record Aaron Whitley, 42, apologizing and pleading with her not to reveal an alleged sexual assault he’d committed on her.
Weekend Briefing: John and Jen, Music Under the Stars, Centennial Celebration, Rally By the Sea, Drug Take-Back
“John and Jane,” the musical, closes out City Repertory’s season, a Jazz evening organized by Citry Market Place businesses to benefit the FPC jazz band, Centennial celebrations, Rally By the Sea.
Flagler Beach Unanimously Approves Marina Settlement That May End 7-Year Suit
It’s now up to Howard Sklar to sign off on the settlement agreement. His attorney said the marina, idle for almost two decades, could be operating soon, welcoming boats, building and repairing them.
Right v. Usurpation: State Defends Shifting Death Cases From State Attorney In Seminal Case of Authority
Central Florida State Attorney Aramis Ayala sued Rick Scott after he reassigned 23 death penalty cases, setting the stage for courts to clarify which authority of duly elected officials prevails.
School Bus Driver Cited For Carelessness in Crash After “Clearly” Violating Right-Of-Way
Wilrick A. Woods, 60, got a $166 citation for careless driving after driving his school bus in the path of an SUV, whose driver suffered severe injuries in a crash Monday.
Flagler Beach Pier Repair to Last a Bit Longer and Cost More as Engineers Test Loads
The Flagler Beach Pier was set to fully open May 1, but the opening date has been pushed back to the end of May, and engineering work, which won;t affect the date, will add up to $45,000 in costs.
Thursday Briefing: New Guard Towers For Flagler Beach, Growing Costs of Pier Repairs, A Possible Marina Settlement
The Flagler Beach City Commission may be on the verge of a settlement with Howard Sklar and the Marina, the pier will cost $45,000 and three more months to repair, the Palm Coast Beautification Committee remembers the U.S.S. Liberty.
Senate Budget Details Yet to Emerge as House Pushes Potential $2.2 Billion Tax Cut
Lawmakers pushed back against the idea that a deal that many believed had been sealed Tuesday had fallen apart, while House leaders placed tax cuts ahead of more money for per-student allocations.
Retirement of Two K-9s, Repo and Reno, Highlights Sheriff’s Award Ceremony
The two K-9s had worked eight years and been deployed nearly 200 times, contributing to the arrests of some 40 individuals. Among the numerous awards, deputy Jeff Puritis was recognized for his control of a potential suicide-by-cop situation at the courthouse in March.
Short of Stellar, FPC and Matanzas Earn Bronze and Silver in U.S. News’ High School Rankings
Matanzas came in at 160 in the state and 2,297 in the nation, getting silver, FPC came in at 183 in the state and did not get a national ranking, though its IB program’s achievements were not calculated as in previous years’ rankings.
Flagler County Will Declare a Burn Ban Effective Monday and For Foreseeable Future
Flagler County is joining at least 21 other Florida counties with an open-ended burn-ban declaration, mostly as a precautionary measure as upwards of 100 fires burn statewide and the local drought index continues to rise.
Wednesday Briefing: Economic Council’s Engagement, Buddy Taylor Spring Concert, Constitution Revision Hits Gainesville
Buddy Taylor Middle School holds its Spring Concert, the Flagler Economic Opportunity Council talks community engagement, Constitution Revision Commission travels to Gainesville, and Brigitte Bardot.
No New Street Lights in Palm Coast, But $547,000 For Field Lights and $1 Million For Toilets
Six new field lights at Indian Trails Complex will cost $547,000, not including operating costs, where current lights cost the city $108,000 a year in light bills. The bathrooms are paid for from a less flexible pot.
Senate President Joe Negron’s Shabby Response to Repeat Offender Frank Artiles
Even now Artiles doesn’t get it, and seemingly neither does Negron–they don’t understand how ugly racially charged language is to all people of good will, but especially when it comes from a state senator.
No Longer in Juvenile Court, Jesse Fisher, 18, Faces Aggravated Assault Charges Over Pointing Shotgun at Family
Jesse Fisher had initially been charged as a juvenile after allegedly pointing a shotgun at a family in a car he was following in Palm Coast’s L-Section, but the State Attorney had the charges transferred to adult court Monday.
Tuesday Briefing: Bathrooms for Indian Trail Sports Complex, Lighting Up Ball Fields, Bowling for FPS, Eudora Welty
The Palm Coast City Council considers $500,000 sports fields lights (but not street lights), Bunnell Elementary’s Future Problem Solvers hold a fund-raising bowl, Eudora Welty speaks and reads.
As Flagler Considers Countywide Burn Ban, Fire Units On Stand-By to Help Elsewhere
Twenty-one counties have a burn ban in effect, though for now that has not been declared in Flagler, where firefighters are on stand-by to assist battling forest fires in Southwest Florida if necessary.
Not Dead Yet: Vacation-Rental Bill Flagler Opposes Clears Last House Committee , 17-11
A bill that would end Flagler County’s authority to regulate short-term rentals cleared its last House committee and appears headed for a clash with its Senate version, which is very different. If differences aren’t resolved, the bills die.
Embattled State Attorney Ayala Gets Big-Name Backers In Fight With Scott Over Death Penalty
Ex-prosecutors, former state Supreme Court justices, civil-rights organizations and families of homicide victims from across the country have filed briefs supporting Ayala in her legal battle with Gov. Rick Scott.
4 Hurt in Head-On Crash Between SUV and School, Bus at Royal Palms and Rymfire
Four people were hurt including two children in a crash involving a school bus and an SUV at the intersection of Royal Palms Parkway and Rymfire Drive in Palm Coast this morning just before sunup.