Pedro Riera, 48, a resident of Wittlesey Lane in Palm Coast, was killed Wednesday night as he rode his Harley Davidson into a car crossing White View Parkway, at Rolling Sands Drive, driven by Shelby Cuccurullo.
Palm Coast
Fearing Rejection at the Ballot Box, County Opts to Renew Sales Tax Unilaterally
The Flagler County Commission decided not to put out a half-cent sales tax renewal to voters this year, choosing instead to renew the tax by a vote of the commission by November. The decision ensures that the tax will stay on the books, generating $4 million for the county and the cities.
Families Mourning Loss of Meredith Smith, 17, and Lane Burnsed, 19, Killed in Wreck
Meredith Smith, 17, and Lane Burnsed, 19, killed on I-95 in a three-vehicle accident Thursday, had attended Flagler Palm Coast High School. Three other people were critically injured.
A Stabbing at European Village, a Spate of Domestic Violence and Arrests in Palm Coast
An unusually pronounced series of unrelated domestic and neighborhood issues, including a drug-related stabbing at European Village, resulted in the arrest of 5 people in Palm Coast between Friday and Tuesday.
Palm Coast Takes a Deeper Drag
At Synthetic Marijuana Regulation
Palm Coast Mayor Jon Netts and council member Frank Meeker want Palm Coast and other local governments to jointly tackle the legality of synthetic marijuana even as states are gradually adopting bans on fake-pot sales across the country.
Aaron Kinney, Accused as Gas Station Robber, Had Reported Woodlands Attack in October
Aaron Kinney, 33, is considered a person of interest in the two other gas station robberies in the county. Sheriff Don Fleming had confirmed his arrest Sunday evening. He’d struck the BP station on Old Dixie Highway and at a Mobile station on State Road 100.
Three Teens Face Felony Charges for Car Burglary Spree in Palm Coast’s B Section
Marcus Chamblin, 17, D’Shawn Hosang, 16, and Darius Harvey, 16, are accused of breaking into almost a dozen unlocked vehicles on Beachway, Bradmore and Bracken Lanes the night of July 12.
GoToby’s Don Tobin Joins 8 Others Vying to Replace Frank Meeker on Palm Coast Council
Don Tobin, better known as Toby, is the most recognizable name among those declaring interest in a position four Palm Coast City Council members will fill by their appointment come November. Tobin’s focus is real estate, economic development and city-county relations.
County Concedes What Palm Coast Has Been Saying for Months: Sales Tax Plan a No-Go
The Flagler County Commission agreed to drop its current plan for a half-cent sales tax renewal and again seek out a compromise with the cities that may win their backing should the measure appear before voters on the November ballot.
Richard Schreiner, 1945-2012
Richard Schreiner, Palm Coast’s most provocative artist, died today (July 12) at his home. Schreiner, 67, had been battling a debilitating disease in the last few months. He was the subject of the largest-ever retrospective at Hollingsworth Gallery just last month.
Big Sweep of Small-Time Pill Pushers Nets 78 Arrests in Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office was ground zero for a three-county sweep today–and for a choreographed media event to maximize publicity for the sweep, and three top cops running for re-election–State Attorney R.J. Lariza, Flagler Sheriff Don Fleming and Putnam Sheriff Jeff Hardy.
Ex-School Board Member Richard Marier Accused of Stabbing Pit Bull to Death
Richard Marier, who served on the Flagler County School Board from 1994 to 1998, was charged with cruelty to animals, a felony, and with using a weapon in the commission of a felony.
Florida Hospital Flagler’s Parkway Medical Plaza Will See You Now
The $15 million facility on Cypress Edge Drive opened ceremoniously Tuesday. It has several physicians’ offices, a walk-in clinic, a rehab and a woman’s center. Some of the services were shifted from the main hospital campus.
Palm Coast’s Pre-2010 Red-Light Camera Fines in Question Following Latest Court Decision
The 5th District Court of Appeal in Daytona Beach on Friday found Orlando’s red-light traffic cameras illegal before they were standardized by a state law in 2010. Palm Coast’s set up was similar to Orlando’s. But the decision does not affect the current camera set up or the fine structure.
Waste Pro Garbage Truck’s Hydraulic Leak Closes Palm Coast Parkway Tuesday Morning
A Waste Pro garbage truck’s hydraulic line broke as it was driving east on Palm Coast Parkway early this morning, forcing a shut-down of the road for two and a half hours just as rush hour was beginning.
Flagler 911: Girlfriend Wields a Baseball Bat, Widow Is Bilked of $300,000, Horses Are Neglected
A Flagler Beach woman is jailed after being accused of trying to run over her boyfriend and assaulting him with a baseball bat, a widow is scammed out of $300,000 by people in the Philippines, an angry landlord lands in jail, so does a hit-and-run driver, and more.
Car Strikes 4-Year-Old on Florida Park Drive; “Thankfully We Don’t Have to Deal With a Tragedy”
The 4-year-old boy was darting across Florida Park Drive from one house to another, in front of Francis Collins, a 69-year-old resident of Frederick Lane, who was going slower than the speed limit. Collins’s Honda struck the boy, but resulting in no life-threatening injuries.
Divided Palm Coast Council Buries
Home-Based Baking Start-Ups For Good
For a Palm Coast City Council that has been preaching the virtues of entrepreneurship and small business, the 3-2 vote reasserted council members’ priority for residential neighborhoods and freedom from the risks of new business.
Memories of July 4 From Lake Sebasticook to Flagler Beach
July 4 festivities have turned into a 24-hour rolling event in Flagler County, beginning with fireworks at Town Center on Tuesday evening and finishing with fireworks at the Flagler Beach Pier tonight. What takes place in between is a parade of memories.
Man Accused of Biting His 8-Month-Old, Another of Hit-and-Run on 88 Year Old
Kevin R. Evans, 25, allegedly bit his 8-month-old boy’s arm during an argument with his girlfriend. Robert Tucker kept driving after rear-ending an 88-year-old’s car on palm Coast Parkway, then hid from a cop behind a banana spread at Winn-Dixie.
For Drink and Pills: Palm Coast Man Steals From Grandmother, Another Swipes City Truck
Raymond Plumley, a homeless man in Palm Coast, stole a city truck while crews were nearby, while Christopher Emplit was arrested for defrauding his 80-year-old grandmother. Plumley is a drunk, Empley is said to be hooked on prescription pills. Help for either is a challenge cops are powerless to address.
Red-Light Camera Ticket Revenue:
Palm Coast, 14%, Private Company, 86%
American Traffic Solutions, which runs Palm Coast’s red-light traffic cameras, will make up to $4,250 per camera per month, while Palm Coast makes just $700. Still, the Palm Coast City Council is ready to sign a seven-year deal.
Armed Burglar, High on Coke and Fleeing “Croatians,” Is Arrested on Peppercorn Lane
Peter Bauer, a 61-year-old Palm Coast resident, had done lines of cocaine and feared he was in danger when he appeared on a neighbor’s porch brandishing a .380 handgun. Cops say he may be mentally ill, though Bauer was jailed.
Replacing Meeker: Palm Coast Council Will Appoint Successor Rather than Hold Election
Frank Meeker’s decision to serve until November as he runs for the county commission means the Palm Coast City Council cannot hold an election to fill out the two years of his term, but will instead appoint a replacement in November.
Flagler 911: A String of 10 Car Break-ins at 7 Palm Coast Locations Over 2 Days
Cars were broken into at the Flagler Auditorium during a dance recital, at the Indian Trails Sports Complex during a lacrosse tournament, at Panera, at Frieda Zamba pool and several other places, all on the same afternoon and evening.
A Wife’s Suspicion About Her Husband Leads to a Marijuana Grow House on Birchwood Drive
Kevin Fitzgerald of Flagler Beach and Michael Menear of Palm Coast were arrested as cops seized 91 marijuana pl;ants from Birchwood Drive, where his then-wife, who tipped off deputies, had discovered the plants while suspecting her husband of infidelity.
Citing Legal Limitations, Ethics Commission Dismisses Complaint Against Jim Landon
The Florida Ethics Commission said complaints against City Manager Jim Landon and Human Resources Director Wendy Cullen, didn’t involve corruption, but it has yet to rule on a complaint against Public Works Superintendent Tony Capela, in allegations of favoritism, bullying, intimidation and a hostile work environment.
Second Drunk Driver Hits Flagler Sheriff’s Deputy Car in 2 Days; No Damage This Time
Karolyn Harris, 22, of Palm Coast, backed into Flagler County Sheriff deputy Frederick Gimbel immediately after Harris was pulled over late Thursday evening, after she had carried out various odd maneuvers with her Chevrolet.
Drunk, She Strikes Sheriff’s Deputy’s Car Thinking She Hit a Mailbox, and Drives On
Colleen Comfort, a 45-year-old resident of Collingwood Lane in Palm Coast, thought she hit a mailbox when she nearly ripped the door off a sheriff’s deputy’s cruiser while the deputy was conducting an unrelated traffic stop on Palm Harbor Parkway Wednesday night.
Heroic Rower Lewis Colam Docks in New York, Completing 1,400-Mile Epic for Alzheimer’s
Lewis Colam, who had no rowing experience, took 100 days to complete his journey, which began in Miami on Mrch 3 and had him in Palm Coast, where he was warmly greeted, on March 20, for 34 hours’ rest.
Palm Coast and Flagler County Government TV Becoming Available on AT&T’s U-Verse
Flagler County, Palm Coast and Flagler Beach government meetings, along with school board meetings, will be available live on AT&T’s new U-verse cable system, which just launched locally.
Surprise: Palm Coast Hints at Building Its Own Natural Gas Fueling Facility in the Future
One of the reasons Palm Coast renewed its contract with Waste Pro was the garbage hauler’s pledge to build a natural gas refueling facility for itself and the city by next year. Now the city administration is suggesting that a city refueling facility may be more feasible, once the city is ready to move ahead with conversion.
Prescription Drug Traffickers Arrested on I-95; Serial Burglars Arrested in Hunters Ridge
Steven Shrowder,24, and Cristina Hersh, 28, were driving to Jacksonville without seat belts when a Florida Highway Patrol trooper pulled them over and discovered a stash of narcotics pain relievers. Separately, in Hunters Ridge, two serial burglars were arrested.
In a Stunning Reversal, Palm Coast Council Bows to Acid Opposition and Kills Utility Tax
The campaign to force the council to reverse course was brutally effective against a council that appeared willing to ignore its own history and a year and a half of its administration’s work on the matter.
Hearing Echo of Broken Promise, Palm Coast Council Girds For Opposition to New Utility Fee
Vince Liguori, a member of the local tea party’s executive committee and an influential behind-the-scenes broker on local issues, is mountain an offensive against the city council’s utility-fee proposal that will culminate Tuesday evening.
Passports in Hand, Palm Coast Discovers Its Festive Internationalism
Palm Coast may well have discovered how to host a festival with down home charm even as it went global to do it: the International Food and Wine Festival taking place Saturday and again Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. mixes the intimate and the urbane for an affordable $3 admission.
Shooting at Would-Be Burglar on Brittany Lane Now Termed an Assault, not Self-Defense
Stephen Metcalf, a Palm Coast resident, apparently tried to get into Marc Barbee’s home. Barbee, who misled police about the incident, then fired three shots at Metcalf as Metcalf sped away.
Despite Warnings of Corruption, Palm Coast Council Approves Meeker’s Job “Posse” Scheme
In a victory for Frank Meeker, the city will pay job “recruiters” $1,000 for being instrumental in expanding or relocating out-of-county business to Palm Coast, but many of the defining criteria remain vague and fraught with what the city terms unintended consequences.
Palm Coast Resident Is Baker Acted Then Jailed On Charges of Strangling and Maiming Kittens
Angel Roman, a 28-year-old Palm Coast resident, has been in and out of jail for the past two years and suffers from several mental illnesses, people who know him told deputies. He’d been Baker Acted before his latest jailing.
Cup Cakes Get Their Day in Court as Palm Coast Agrees to a Hearing on Home Bakeries
A split Palm Coast City Council has been wrestling with a proposal to allow small home-based commercial bakery operations, as long as the bakeries don’t sell products from the home. Food safety has been a hang-up.
Flagler 911: A Bi-Polar Bulldog Attacks Her Owners, and Quirky Car Thieves
A 3-year-old bulldog attacks and bloodies her elderly owners, who are forced to lock themselves in their bedroom; a gun and its hollow-point ammunition is stolen from a car on Osprey Lane and mysteriously returned a few hours later. A car burglar leaves Altoids for a calling card. And more from the streets of Palm Coast and Flagler.
Meeker Resigning Palm Coast Council to Run for Holland’s County Seat as Jockeying Begins
A regular partisan election in line with the coming primary and general will be held for Milissa Holland’s now-open seat on the Flagler County Commission, with two candidates already vying for it. The Palm Coast City Council may appoint a replacement for Meeker come November, depending on a legal reading of the city charter.
Upset That Trey Corbett Had Cut Him Off at the Gym, 65-Year-Old Defaces His Campaign Sign
Steven Paskewich was apparently upset that Trey Corbett, a candidate for Flagler County Supervisor of Elections, allegedly cut him off at the weight machine at Thriv, the Palm Coast fitness center–a machine Corbett says he doesn’t use. So Paskewich defaced three Corbett signs with mild obscenities–and was arrested.
Palm Coast and the County Look for State Cavalry to Resolve a Dispute Over $2.4 Million
Palm Coast and the county are battling over $2.4 million each side wants to use for its own road projects. Their solution: getting the state to come up with that amount, essentially a new grant for the county. That may prove to be a tall order.
Crime Falls, Cop-Killings Rise: Flagler Officers Honor the Fallen and Gauge a Disturbing Trend
For the second year in a row, Florida led the nation in cops killed on the job. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office held its annual ceremony for the fallen, and local top cops discussed the disturbing trend.
A Man With Several Gunshot Wounds Is Found in Palm Coast Fire Station Parking Lot
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a shooting that took place late this morning near the Palm Coast Fire Department’s Station 22, at Palm Coast Parkway and Clubhouse Drive. The shooting may be an attempted suicide.
Another Blow for the County: Palm Coast Rejects Flagler’s Sales Tax “Compromise”
Citing the county’s “Taj Mahal” of an administration building and the city’s future growth needs (and revenue), the Palm Coast council on Tuesday stuck to its refusal to change the way sales tax revenue is split, a blow for county government.
To Little Opposition, Palm Coast Approves New Levy for Stormwater Fixes, Delays Another
To little opposition, the council voted unanimously to add a 6 percent tax on electric utility bills, adding, on average, $6.27 a month to monthly residential utility bills. The council defeated a proposal to add a second tax that would have raised an equal amount.
Going Nose to Nose, Palm Coast and The County Remain Split on Half-Cent Sales Tax
Palm Coast wants to keep the split of the half-cent sales tax revenue what it is today. Flagler County wants to change the formula, which would decrease Palm Coast’s share by $500,000. The disagreement is jeopardizing a unified approach on a sales tax referendum both sides say is critical to their revenue needs.
Flagler 911: Pit Bull Attacks, Combatant-Roomies, Violent Sibling
A pit bull attack near Fischer Lane, a crash-and-run on Rymfire, roommates fight their way to jail, a brother assaults his sister at European Village, a car gets keyed on Karas Trail, and more.