An administrative law judge suggests the sheriff lied under oath as part of his defense in a case that has clouded his term since 2014 and that continues to damage his image in a re-election campaign featuring a slew of opponents.
All Else
Against Mayor’s Opposition, Palm Coast Council Discovers Public Input at Workshops
For the first time in 17 years the Palm Coast City Council will join other local governments in allowing public participation at council workshops, where most of the decisions are made, not just at “regular” meetings.
Tuesday Briefing: Voter Registration Deadline, Guns in Airports, Palm Coast’s Workshop Awakening
Your last day to register for the March 15 presidential primary is today. Independents don’t get to vote. FPC talks Fire Academy, the Legislature wants to allow guns at airports, Palm Coast opens up workshops to public participation.
At Florida Hospital Flagler, an Additional 32 Beds as Facility Grows Beyond Rural Stage
The $15-million, 32-bed addition tips Florida Hospital Flagler past the 99-bed threshold, reducing its Medicare dollars by up to $12 million, but hospital officials see the expansion as meeting local needs.
Beef Ads, Dolphin Pools, Farm Aid and Rodeos: Florida Lawmakers’ Pork Projects
The legislature’s budget plans are filled with pork items for local groups, parks, theaters and museums that may be minor in the overall proposals but important to lawmakers who want to take home money for projects and programs.
Twitter Images and Gun Threats Cause Concern at Matanzas High School
Postings on a 10th grader’s Twitter page showed pistols and a semi-automatic rifle captioned by threats such as “ISIS Affiliated” and “High School Musical; Massacre edition.”
As Judge Calls Pot Laws “Harsh,” Sheriff and Public Defender Will Propose De-Criminalization Ordinance
Flagler Sheriff Jim Manfre and Public Defender Jim Purdy will craft a proposal to de-criminalize pot and move to a civil citation program. The proposal will first be vetted by the Public Safety Coordinating Council before heading for the county commission.
Monday Briefing: Clinton v. Sanders at AACS, Meet Larry Newsom, Hospital Groundbreaking, Brahms
A new taxing district in the Hammock, Clinton and Sanders stand-ins argue their positions at the African-American Cultural Society, Florida Hospital Flagler breaks ground on an expansion for more beds.
James Jackson, 31, of Jacksonville, Is Killed on U.S. 1 North of Bonneval Road
James B. Jackson, a 31-year-old resident of Jacksonville, was killed early Sunday morning and Anthony A. Jones, 39, of Jacksonville, was in critical condition following a single-vehicle crash on U.S. 1 north of Bonneval Road in Duval County.
Scalia’s Last Laugh: The Battle Begins
With roughly 11 months remaining in his term, Obama undoubtedly will nominate a replacement for Antonin Scalia. Anyone he names will surely be more liberal than Scalia, and anyone he names will tip the balance of the court.
Yes, We Still Need Black History Month
Black history is American history, and we shouldn’t relegate its teaching to one month a year. But that isn’t the point of Black History Month, argues Marc Morial.
States Begin Increasingly to Let People Reject Smart Meters Amid Health and Privacy Fears
At least 15 states allow customers to opt out of smart meter installation, although many permit utility companies to impose a fee on customers who don’t want the meters. Florida is not among those states.
Thanks to Elderly, Florida Medical Marijuana Market Could Be a $1.5 Billion Industry By 2020
Florida is one of four states best positioned to legalize medical marijuana, with the state’s older population playing a large role in the industry’s viability.
“The Last Romance” Bids a Golden Valentine for Adult Sensibilities at City Rep Theatre
Joe DiPietro’s romantic comedy at Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre stars real-life couple Sue and John Pope, who must act as if they don’t love each other.
Palm Coast Boy, 3, Is Safe as Fugitive and Girlfriend Are Arrested After 2 Weeks on the Run
Escaped prisoner Gary Bullock, his girlfriend Natasha Quigley and her 3-year-old son Xander Quigley were located today in Flemingsburg, Ky, a small town about half way between Lexington, Ky., and Huntington, W.Va.
Palm Coast Arts Foundation Breaks Ground at New Home With Poetry, Nietzsche and a Party
Some 250 people turned out for the Palm Coast Arts Foundation’s groundbreaking Thursday at its new home in Town Center, with poetry and a live performance by a Flagler Youth Orchestra ensemble.
Two Young Palm Coast Residents Killed in Construction Zone off Forest Grove Dr.
Kevin Walsh, 29, and Jessica Darby, 22, both of Palm Coast, were killed late Thursday night in the construction zone off Forest Grove Drive.
Weekend Briefing: Valentine Treat at City Rep Theatre, Paul McCartney Years, Hot N’ Spicy Festival
“The Last Romance” opens at Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre at City Marketplace, the Paul McCartney Years at the Auditorium, a Hot N Spicy festival at the Agriculture Museum.
Hillary Clinton’s $675,000 Paean to Marie Antoinette, and Goldman Sachs
Hillary Clinton’s instinct for secrecy keeps getting her in trouble, while the sense of entitlement that she projects through her tone-deaf explanations betrays a lack of connection with the very people she claims to represent most.
Florida Bar Dismisses Complaint Against County Attorney in Latest of Many Defeats for Growlers
The Florida Bar’s dismissal keyed into the fact that one of the two complainants, Kimberle Weeks, had felony charges pending against her. The other tossed complaint was by John Ruffalo of the Ronald Reagan Republican Assemblies.
Proposal Would End Local Districts’ Oversight of Charter Schools in Favor Of State Power
The proposed constitutional amendment would set up a statewide entity with the power to approve charter schools anywhere in Florida, bypassing local school districts. The Legislature is expected to approve sending the proposal to the ballot.
At Flagler’s Progressive Public Safety Council, a Farewell to Judge Walsh, and a Welcome to Foxman
The largely unheralded but powerfully representative Public Safety Coordinating Council was the scene of a passing of gavels of sorts Wednesday for Flagler County’s judiciary.
Smoke May Be Visible South of SR 100 From Controlled Burn at Bulow State Park
This prescribed fire will remove the hazardous level of fuel on the property. Potential fires have a greater risk of being destructive the longer vegetation accumulates.
Barrie Michaels Joins Flagler Auditorium as Marketing Manager Ahead of 25th Anniversary
Barrie Michaels will manage media relations, communications, and other outreach efforts for the auditorium, serving as the primary contact for media inquiries and as a representative for the organization in the community.
Legislature Tells Florida’s Horse Farmers to Find a New Business
Florida horsemen are screwed, argues Nancy Smith: Only a miracle can save the $1.2 billion Florida horse racing industry they represent. Their bane: the Florida Legislature.
Family Livid After FDOT Uproots Roadside Memorial to Tyler Tracy 7 Months After Wreck
Tyler Tracy’s memorial was one of five an FDOT official decided had to be removed on US1, though others were left in place, angering Tracy’s widow and family and getting Palm Coast Mayor Jon Netts involved in defense of the family.
Taser Brings Down Armed Burglar After Shots Are Fired and Cops Set Chase
The late-night pursuit in a Bunnell neighborhood, guns drawn, resulted in the arrest of Grant D. Gieger, a convicted felon with a long history of arrests and violence.
More Public Record Exemptions For Gun Owners, This Time For Hunters and Fishermen
People getting hunting, fishing and boating licenses and certificates from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission would be shielded from public record disclosures.
Wednesday Briefing: Dangerous Fire Conditions, Elections Supervisors’ Pay, Obama’s Military Fetish
Very low humidity and very high winds combine for dangerous fire conditions today, NOAA warns. The Florida Legislature considers higher pay for supervisors of election.
Dueling On, State Recommends $19,000 Fine and Public Reprimand Against Manfre, Who Maintains Innocence
The dueling recommendations in the long-standing ethics case against Sheriff Manfre are awaiting an administrative law judge’s decision, further dragging on an issue that has clouded the sheriff’s term into his re-election year.
In a Decisive Shift, Palm Coast Will Oppose Fracking On and Offshore, Citing Environment
Abandoning its silence and tacit nod to fracking, the Palm Coast City Council will forcefully oppose hydraulic fracturing in a resolution, citing water and environmental protection.
Palm Coast Man Jailed on $160,000 Bond Over Molestation Charges Involving 2 Children
Joel Aiello of Frontier Drive in Palm Coast was arrested on five felony counts of sexual improprieties involving children–a 14-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl.
Bathroom Use By Transgenders Scuttles Bill Designed to End LGBT Discrimination
The anti-discrimination bill is backed by big business such as Disnet and AT&T but opposed by social conservatives such as Florida Family Policy Council.
Tuesday Briefing: Flagler Centennial Designs, Palm Coast’s $25 Million Sewer Plant, Trump’s Twitter Insults
The Flagler centennial committee has a logo, Palm Coast readies to spend $25 million on a new sewer plant, Roland Hanna at the Village Vanguard.
Florida’s Black Cowboys: An Exhibit Tours All Flagler Schools, Bucking Stereotypes
The Florida Black Cowboys exhibit, produced by the Agriculture Museum, opens a window on a little-known part of Florida and American history. The exhibit will appear at every Flagler County school.
Stand-Ins for Clinton and Sanders in a Presidents’ Day Forum at AACS Monday
Palm Coast’s Africa American Cultural Society will host a political forum at 6 p.m. Feb. 15 featuring the two respective local leaders of the campaigns for Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.
Health Insurers Moving to Undermine Obamacare By Limiting Enrollment
major insurers are seeking to sharply limit how policies are sold to individuals in ways that consumer advocates say seem to discriminate against the sickest and could hold down future enrollment.
Monday Briefing: LGBT Discrimination, Death Sentences, Pot for Terminally Ill, Clinton’s Double-Standard Decibels
The Florida Legislature takes up a death-sentence “fix,” Hillary Clinton blasts the double-standard over women shouting, the Legislature considers pot for the terminally ill.
One Fugitive Arrested After All-Night Hunt in B-Section, Other Man Still On the Run Following Wreck on I-95
Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies aided by Flagler County Fire Flight had been hunting two men believed to be escaped convicts following a single-car crash on I-95 just north of Palm Coast Parkway this evening at 6:12 p.m.
As Flagler’s Emergency Communications Briefly Falter, Palm Coast and Sheriff Assail County Over Long-Term Plans
The county’s critical emergency radio system briefly failed when a tower lost its back-up power Thursday even as county, city and sheriff’s officials were meeting in the first high-level meeting since 2013 to deal with their differences over modernizing the emergency communications system.
E Pluribus Un-American:
The Judeo-Christian Smear of Islam
President Obama’s trip to a mosque to reassure American Muslims of their importance should have been unnecessary. It reveals how deep-seated prejudice remains, especially that of conservative Christians who claim to preach acceptance.
Where’s Opelka? Injury and Ranking Climb Keep Star From Palm Coast’s Tennis Tourney
Palm Coast’s celebrated Reilly Opelka, the boys Wimbledon Champ, says he probably would not have competed in the ongoing Men’s Futures Tennis Tournament even if he did not have a stress fracture as he targets bigger tournaments to earn more ranking points.
Weekend Briefing: First Friday, Stewart Jones at Ocean Art, Polar Bear Plunge, Birding Palm Coast
It’ll be difficult keeping track of events this weekend with birding, art, First Friday, the Polar Bear plunge and many more activities in Palm Coast and Flagler Beach.
Terrorism Isn’t the Biggest Threat Facing America. It’s Barely a Threat at All.
Ignorance, misplaced fear, irresponsible media and blustering presidential candidates have made more of terrorism than it deserves while sidelining the one weapon at America’s disposal in the fight: smarts.
Sheriff’s Sgt. Van Buren Announces Retirement 7 Weeks After He’s Named Deputy of the Year
Sgt. Michael van Buren had just ended one of his most decorated years since joining the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office 28 years ago. He is leaving to take a job in Palm Coast’s public works department and have more time with family.
Bringing “Poverty Inc.” to Palm Coast’s Epic Theater, a Compassionate Entrepreneur’s Goal
Jenny Skripko, a Palm Coast resident and “Compassionate Entrepreneur” with Trades of Hopes, is bringing the celebrated “Poverty Inc.” documentary to Epic Theaters on Feb. 23, but a minimum of 87 tickets must be sold by Feb. 16.
Orlando Artist Stewart Jones Opens at New Ocean Art Gallery in Flagler Beach Friday
Jones’s one-person show, “Documental Environments – From Shore to Shore,” will run from February 5 to 29, with the artist’s opening reception on Friday at 6 p.m.
Thursday Briefing: Renee Taylor’s Life On a Diet, FPC’s One-Act Plays at the Bistro, John Irving Talks
Renee Taylor is at the Flagler Auditorium, FPC Thespians are in two one-act comedies: “AP Theatre” by Ed Monk and “The Least Offensive Play in the Whole Darn World” by Jonathan Rand.
Palm Coast Deputy Fire Chief Jerry Forte In Dramatic Rescue of Drowning Man
Palm Coast Deputy Fire Chief Jerry Forte was in the W-Section when the drowning of a 71-year-old resident on Whispering Pine Drive was called in. He rushed to the scene and pulled the man out of the pool.
Palm Coast Council Gives Itself a Few Dollars’ Raise, Thwarting Nobile on Referendum
Another nearly year-long discussion ends with an annual $228 raise for the mayor, $228 for council members, and no future automatic increases, but no referendum either, on the question, as Council member Steven Nobile had favored.