Barely a third of the eligible voting-age population — 36.4 percent — voted in the midterms this month. The major reason people don’t vote is that they don’t think it will make a difference, argues Martin Dyckman.
All Else
Jonathan Canales Charged With Attempted Murder in Shooting of His Wife 2 Weeks Ago
Jonathan Canales was arrested for attempted first-degree murder after allegedly shooting his wife from behind as she ate dinner in the couple’s kitchen in the Mondex, moments after putting her three children to bed.
Palm Coast Will Optimize Its 50 Traffic Signals, But No: They Still Won’t Be Synchronized
Palm Coast will spend $55,000 to study its traffic signals on its way to improving efficiency and wait times for drivers at red lights, but drivers’ most pressing wish–synchronization–won’t be part of the results.
Faith Coleman, Founder of Flagler County Free Clinic and Champion of Grit, Is Dead at 60
Even as she battled a cancer that kept recurring over the past 11 years, Faith Coleman created in the Flagler County Free Clinic one of the county’s most crucial and enduring institutions, which a board of directors now vows to preserve in her memory.
Patron at Flagler’s Domestic Violence Shelter Arrested Over Assault on a Pregnant Woman
A woman who’d been taking refuge at the Family Life Center in Bunnell was jailed after an alleged assault on an advocate and a pregnant woman there. Separately, two women were jailed following a fight in which one of them fabricated claims that she’d been stabbed.
Regrettable Holiday Ritual: Spike in Calls to Alzheimer’s Hotline as Families Grasp Changes
Visiting with relatives over the holidays may raise questions about the physical and cognitive health of family members. Although some change in cognitive ability can occur with age, serious memory problems are not a part of normal aging. Recognizing the difference between normal aging and more serious problems can help you identify when it may be time for you to make the call or see a doctor.
Bowing to Utilities, Florida Regulators Cut Energy-Efficiency Goals and Sunset Solar Incentives
A solar rebate program will expire at the end of 2015 and the Public Service Commission accepted a controversial staff recommendation that will lessen overall energy-efficiency goals for power companies.
In Palm Coast, Ferguson Unrest Echoes With Muted Anger and Calls For Responsibility
Speakers at a quickly organized “call to action” by the Flagler NAACP Tuesday evening said the killing in Ferguson was no exception, but that change begins from within communities and with more accountability on all sides.
Southwest Palm Coast Tops Rainfall Totals With 5”, But No Flooding Issues This Time
Palm Coast and Flagler County weathered the latest front of very heavy rain well from Tuesday to Wednesday as up to 5 inches of rain fell in parts of the city and the county, but with no reported flooding or water damage.
Scott Signs 21st Death Warrant 3 Days After UN Vote Calling for Capital Punishment Moratorium
The warrant is for the execution of Johnny Shane Kormondy, 42, accused of murdering Gary McAdams and participating in the gang rape of his wife Cecilia during a robbery in Pensacola in 1991, when Kormondy was 21.
Sheriff Jim Manfre Faces $1,500 Fine in Ethics Violation as Report Details Travel, Gift and Spending Lapses
The Florida Commission on Ethics found probable cause that Sheriff Jim Manfre violated ethics laws on three counts, but in an agreement, Manfre conceded to one violation and got two other charges dismissed.
Flagler Fish Company Marks Year 9 With Sea Bounty By Way of A.J. Neste
To celebrate its ninth year, Flagler Fish Company unveiled a new website lavished with the work of A.J. Neste, the award-winning photographer.
Let the Hunting Begin:
Florida Lifts Ban on Silencers
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Friday agreed, with little comment, to issue an order that immediately removes a prohibition on the use of noise-suppressors, or silencers, with rifles and pistols.
Feed Flagler’s 364-Day Blinders: Why Isn’t a Portion of Old Courthouse Considered as Homeless Shelter?
It must be Thanksgiving because as with the first Thanksgiving, the pilgrims seem more interested in clobbering the poor than feeding them.
For Shane Kitchens, Left in 30-Day Coma After Collision on A1A, a Painful Roll Back
Shane Kitchens, the 37-year-old Flagler Beach business owner, was crossing A1A in August when a motorcycle struck him as if he wasn’t there. This is the story of his recovery since.
1-Year-Old Child of Bankrupt Company Buys News-Journal and Halifax Media for $280 Million
New York-based New Media Investment Group bought the Daytona Beach News Journal and Halifax Media’s three dozen newspapers for $280 million in cash today. New Media is a publicly traded company that owns 402 small to mid-size community publications.
Flagler Education Foundation Awards 17 Mini Grants totaling $16,000 to District Teachers
The 17 teachers were selected from 30 applicants based on criteria that included innovation, impact, replication, the number of students involved and project documentation.
Today’s The Day to Support the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting
The Miami-based Florida Center for Investigative Reporting is one of the state’s leading non-profit news source, whose work frequently appears in FlaglerLive.
Even As Lawsuit Gets in the Way, Sheriff and Union Agree that “Substantial” Raises Are Due
Sheriff’s deputies and other employees have been without a serious raise in five years and the sheriff and union are at a negotiating impasse, but both sides are attempting to reach agreement on a small prize: a 1 percent raise the county commission pledged employees this year.
Growing Concern at Supervisor of Elections Offices Across Florida: Aging Equipment
Secretary of State Ken Detzner said he will meet next month with local supervisors of election in Orlando to determine which counties are most in need of new equipment before the 2016 elections. Flagler is likely to be among those.
A Man Is Killed in Wreck at US1 and SR100 Following Traffic Stop by Police
A man who was apparently evading police was killed after striking three vehicles at the intersection of State Road 100 and U.S. 1 in Bunnell this afternoon.
Divided and Diminished, Florida Democrats Choose West Palm’s Pafford to Lead in House
After Democrats lost six seats in elections earlier this month, some members pushed instead for Rep. Dwayne Taylor, D-Daytona Beach. Taylor pulled out of the race earlier Monday, saying he couldn’t work with the leadership of the state party.
Tornado Watch Cancelled for Flagler-Palm Coast, Schools Cancel Outdoor Activities, Games and Practices
A broad band of severe weather is bearing down on Flagler County and Palm Coast, where a severe thunderstorm warning has been issued until 3 p.m., and a tornado watch will remain in effect until 6 p.m.
Obamacare 2.0: Open Enrollment Starts With Few Glitches as Floridians Sign Up Over the Weekend
Sharply contrasting with last year’s roll-out, enrollment for the Affordable Care Act, which started Saturday, has gone smoothly, as the federal government expects nearly 10 million insured by the time the window closes in February.
Last Food Truck Tuesday of 2014 On Nov. 18, With Focus on Bike Safety
This edition of Food Truck Tuesday in Palm Coast’s Town Center includes Barnwood BBQ, Big Island Bowls, Caketeer, ChiPhi, El Cactus Azul, It’s All Greek To Me, Kona Dog, Mayan Grill and Monsta Lobsta.
Louis Prinzo, Responsible for Death of Lane Burnsed and Meredith Smith in ’12, Is Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison
Lane Burnsed, 18, and Meredith Smith, 17, were killed on July 26, 2012 in a 3-car wreck on I-95 triggered by Louis Prinzo.
Preparedness Before Hype: Flagler Emergency Responders Form Team With Ebola in Mind
An “incident management team” was created to respond to any infectious disease emergency in Flagler, with Emergency Management, Florida Hospital Flagler and the the Health Department leading the response, should one ever be necessary.
When Government Manipulates Press and Public, and the Press Plays Along
From Flagler County to Washington, government’s attempts to control stories come down to the same manipulative ploys for the same specious reasons, but the press too often plays along.
Demolition Set for Old Palm Harbor Center, As Is Competitive Rebirth of Island Walk
A huge segment of the old Palm Harbor Shopping Center is about to go under the wrecking ball as part of the $41 million redevelopment of the site, which will take over a year, though Publix will remain open there throughout, and move into a much larger store by the end of 2015.
Dave Sullivan Won’t Give Way to Trevor Tucker in Race for House as Hankerson Joins It; Democrats Are No-Shows
Flagler School Board member Trevor Tucker said he was seriously thinking of running for an open Florida House seat in the Jan. 27 primary, but only if REC Chairman Dave Sullivan chose not to run, as Tucker doesn’t want to split the vote., Sullivan says he’s in it to stay.
Flagler Briefly Pauses On 100th Anniversary Year of the War that Led to Veterans Day
The commemoration of Veterans Day this morning in Bunnell featured a Florida Army National Guard commander who traced the conflict-ridden history of the day since its inception at the end of World War I.
The Only Mandate From This Election: Protect Florida’s Environment
Earmarking 33 percent of the documentary stamp tax for buying critical habitat, wetlands and other environmentally sensitive properties, got 1.4 million more voters than Rick Scott.
For 1 Million Floridians, Health Insurance Again in the Balance as Supreme Court Rethinks Subsidies
Enrollment and subsidies, along with provisions such as the prohibition on excluding people with pre-existing conditions, are now at risk, because once again, the Supreme Court will decide whether the Affordable Care Act lives or dies.
Parents in Mourning Will Install Angel of Hope Statue at Craig Flagler Palms
An Angel of Hope inspired by the famed book by Richard Paul Evans and dedicated to families and friends grieving the loss of a child will go up on land donated by Craig Flagler Palms Funeral Home, Memorial Gardens and Crematory. The funeral home also donated a base for the statue.
Feed Flagler, in Its 6th Year, Launches Food Drive and Free Thanksgiving Meals Plan
Feed Flagler, the community-wide effort to provide meals for the needy (or anyone who requests one) at Thanksgiving, is off to its 6th year, with renewed emphasis on food collection for families.
Elections 2014 R.I.P.
Why Democrats Keep Failing in Florida
For all its fear-based tactics, the Florida GOP focuses on understanding their base voters, and making them feel respected and protected. Democrats in comparison have no clue.
Sheriff Manfre Faces Federal Lawsuit Over Unpaid Wages, Jeopardizing Raise for Troops
Four ex-deputies have sued Sheriff Jim Manfre in federal court over briefings they were forced to attend without being paid, causing the Sheriff to shelve a 1 percent raise previously due the agency’s employees.
A Play Palm Coast Can Identify With: “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” at CRT
Nurse Ratched and Mac Murphy duel in an asylum in a war of wills between an authoritarian hag and a master of insubordination, for a good cause: it’s City Repertory Theatre’s interpretation of the Ken Kesey classic.
From Washington to Palm Coast City Council, Elections Herald Less Change Than Advertised
Tuesday’s election looked more revolutionary than it was, as political dynamics changed very little, even at the Palm Coast City Council, where two seats turned over, and even more so at the school board and the county commission, where change may be imperceptible.
Street Fight Escalates in South Bunnell, Drawing 15 Sheriff’s Units and City Police
A fight that began between students at a bus stop then drew in parents and escalated to include some 20 people and more than 100 “spectators” drew a large police response in South Bunnell late Tuesday afternoon into evening, and led to three injuries, though none were serious, police said.
Commission Incumbents Meeker and McLaughlin Win, McDonald Beats Fischer for School Board, Shipley and Nobile Win Palm Coast; Scott Wins, Pot Busts
With 21,000 votes in–early vote tallies and absentee ballots–County Commission incumbents Frank Meeker and Nate McLaughlin have taken commanding leads against challengers Howard Holley and Denise Calderwood, with Meeker polling 58 percent and McLaughlin close to 60 percent.
“I’m On Your Side,” Charlie Crist Says on Final Push With Bill Clinton in Tow
Crist offered his final pitch as an advocate for middle-class Floridians to blacks, Hispanics, seniors and union workers before heading to Orlando for a final pre-election event headlined by former President Bill Clinton.
Old Kings’ “Leader In Me” Program: Corporate Indoctrination Posing as Character Education
Old Kings Elementary implemented FranklinCovey’s “Leader in Me” program with little oversight or proof of its effectiveness, through a $68,000 grant. Carmen Sanford, an Old Kings parent, sees too many similarities with Iron Curtain-era indoctrination.
Crist Clings To Statistically Insignificant Lead Over Scott in Last Poll Before Election Day
With early voting done and among those who have already voted, however, Charlie Crist has taken a more commanding lead of 44 percent to Scott’s 40 percent.
500,000!
FlaglerLive Crosses Half-Million
Reader Mark in October
FlaglerLive ended October with close to 550,000 readers for the month, a new record and further indication that as print struggles to maintain its mass-market appeal, the media landscape is changing too rapidly to accommodate old models.
Does Life Begin at Conception? Nation Eyes Referendum That May Set Precedent
The battle over North Dakota’s Measure 1 highlights the biggest trend in national abortion politics this November: wide-ranging pro-life ballot initiatives that would alter state constitutions in ways whose long-term repercussions are difficult to predict.
Daytona State College’s Harold Trey Orndorff, Poli-Sci Ace, Named Among Best Profs
Trey Orndorff, 31, earned runner-up status as Professor of the Year during the Association of Florida Colleges’ (AFC) 65th Annual Convention held this week in Destin, Fla. The organization represents Florida’s 28 state and community colleges.
12 Years in a Row: FPC Marching Band Bulldogs and Starlets Straight Superior Again
John Seth’s marching band at Flagler Palm Coast High School earned the highest rating possible in all categories by earning Straight Superior ratings for the 12th year in a row. Video included.
Vaulting from Hollingsworth to Salvo Art: JJ Graham Opens Gallery of Revelations in Bunnell
With the opening of the Salvo Art Project gallery Saturday evening on the grounds of Nature Scapes in Bunnell–the reincarnation of Hollingsworth Gallery in Palm Coast–JJ Graham is creating an artists’ colony devoted to expressionist art in a space at once immense and intimate.
FHP Warns of Extra Halloween Patrols and Cautions Trick and Treaters on Safety
This weekend, the Florida Highway Patrol will join thousands of law enforcement and highway safety agencies across the nation in enforcing Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.