State law removes the red-light cameras’ cash-cow incentive and forces cities to abide by uniform state standards.
Palm Coast
Palm Coast Muscles Closer to $10 Million City Hall Through Financial Ploys
City administrator Jim Landon corralled the council to his vision of a new city hall, with a 2012 move-in date.
Black Masonic Cemetery “Re-Dedicated”; Future Maintenance Still in Question
The historic cemetery was restored as part of the Old Kings Road widening project, with hopes of ensuring its future as a historic landmark.
Commission Approves Chamber’s Tax Referendum for November Ballot
The Flagler County Commission voted unanimously to include the referendum on the November ballot after raising some questions and making slight amendments to the proposal.
Palm Coast: Best Place to Retire Or
Real Estate Hell? Take Your Pick
One publication declares Palm Coast real estate gold for retirees, another declares Palm Coast a lost cause for home prices.
Taxable Property Values Plummet a Record 20%; Dire Numbers for Local Governments
The drop is the steepest of the last three years. Some $5 billion in taxable values have been wiped out since 2007.
Loner Palm Coast Drips Desal to Fraction of Original Plan; Water Costs Would Rise Sharply
The city is reducing its desal ambitions to a sixth the original size, but 1,000 gallons would cost five to six times more than current water.
Palm Coast Council Strains to Live Within Its Means at Goal-Setting
The flush years over, the council is looking to set measurable goals that don’t cost too much money but still provide services residents are looking for.
Night-Stick, Taser and Punches in Foot-Chase Through P Section
Following a traffic stop, a sheriff’s deputy chased after Anthony Capitola on foot through the P section before subduing him with Taser shots.
Revenue Crunch Not Yet Sobering
Palm Coast City Council’s Ambitions
Palm Coast’s flush years are over, yet City Manager Jim Landon and the council are still high on a new city hall and a water desalination plant.
Secret Video Surveillance Around Palm Coast’s Ralph Carter Park
The Sheriff’s Office confirms that secret video surveillance took place around Ralph Carter Park. Fixed surveillance video cameras are on their way.
Lay-Offs at Palm Coast Data; Parent Co. Posts Loss and Signs $20 Million Line of Credit
Palm Coast Data’s parent company, Amrep Corp., posted a $2.76 million loss for the first nine fiscal months of 2010.
Dogs Scarred from Possible Dog-Fighting Rescued from Seminole Woods House
The puppies were found dehydrated and bearing bite marks and other scarring that led investigators to charge a Seminole Woods resident with nine counts of animal cruelty.
Weigh Station Loads Up Realtors’ Forum with Mayors
Questions were gentle, answers more so, revealing little new in a public forum with Flagler’s mayors on Wednesday morning.
Tea Party Throng Fills FPC’s Dawg House Cafe
The third meeting of the local tea party movement to be held at FPC drew 228 people, but discussions were standard and relatively tame.
Goomba’s Ex-Hit Man Joe Milano’s Trials Delayed Until June
The trials of Joseph Milano, former Goomba’s Pizzeria owner and former mafia hit man, were delayed until at least mid-June by both the prosecution’s and the defense’s maneuvers in separate cases.
Live Coverage of Goomba’s Pizza Mobster Joe Milano’s Court Date
Joseph Milano/Joey Calco, former owner of Palm Coast’s Goomba’s Piza, is in court today, on trial for aggravated assault and other charges, but the state is seeking a delay. Live coverage.
Contrary to Fears, Bunnell Bypass Would Not Significantly Affect Traffic, Studies Show
Bunnell’s downtown won’t be lacking in traffic in the future. The real battle is over a mega-developer’s road-improvement funds.
Our Local (Lady) Sully: It Landed on SR 100 in Palm Coast
Leslie and John Nixon of Ormond Beach were on their way to dinner in Georgia when their Cessna 172 blew a cylinder over Flagler County, forcing them to make a hard landing on the westbound lane of State Road 100.
Desalination’s Future Brackish as Costs Soar for Palm Coast
Hopes for a desalination plant are down to whether Palm Coast can bear the burden of mounting costs mostly by itself as other governments drop out of the colossally expensive consortium.
Hell Freezes Over: Flagler Chamber Wants To Hike Your Taxes
The Flagler Chamber of Commerce is pushing for a property tax increase to pay for business infrastructure and economic development.
Palm Coast Hops on Bunnell Train Station Bandwagon
Palm Coast was absent from the May 1 Amtrak attention-grabber in Bunnell, but the city council is making amends with a resolution of support.
Palm Coast Resolution of Support for Amtrak/Florida East Coast Railroad Project (2010)
Text of the Palm Coast City Council resolution supporting an Amtrak train station in Bunnell or Flagler County.
DOT Bypass “A Stake Right Through Bunnell’s Heart”
The bypass would accommodate a traffic surge from a Palm Coast development but might also accelerate Bunnell’s decline.
Construction Update: What’s Going Up, Where, When
From the movie theater in Town Center to Wal Mart to Red Lobster, Olive Garden and ABC liquors, a summary of visible and planned construction around Palm Coast.
Wildfire Spares Homes on Esperanto Dr.; Expect More Smoke
A wildfire on Esperanto Drive in Palm Coast broke out at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, forcing the evacuation of eight homes. None were charred.
Whip This: Roller Derby Jams Up Palm Coast
Palm Coast’s Derby Beaches are raising elbows, skirts and eyebrows as they storm their way into the nation’s naughtiest league sport.
Palm Coast Man Accused of Abusing Girls for Almost a Decade
Two sisters, now young adults, claim Phillip Maida abused them from the time they were 12 until as recently as this year.
Crime Reports, May 3-9
Motorcycle speeding on Palm Coast Parkway on a suspended license, a mysterious windshield shattering on Radium Lane, and more.
In Blow to Palm Coast, St. Johns Latest to Retreat from Desalination
With St. Johns’ role and money minimized, Palm Coast taxpayers must assume a far larger share of the $1.2 billion project.
City Walk, Home of Palm Coast Government, in Foreclosure
City government officials have kept mum for a year since foreclosure proceedings began on much of the 167,000-square-foot development.
How a Boating Guru Turned Manatee Advocate
Ed Caroe applied for a manatee-protection rules committee as a boating advocate. At the last minute, he switched to manatee advocate. Here’s how.
“Day of Inclusivity” Answers National Day of Prayer May 6
Americans United for Separation of Church and State’s Day of inclusivity is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Heroes Park in Palm Coast, with speakers including Merrill Shapiro and the ACLU’s George Griffin.
10 Named to Flagler’s Manatee Rules Panel
A county-appointed rules committee has 60 days to recommend whether manatee speed zones are needed in Flagler’s waterways.
How Old Kings Road Was Re-Routed for Wal Mart
An aerial view of the old Old Kings Road and its new route nearer I-95, in preparation for Wal Mart construction.
Old Kings Road Reopens, Speeding Past History
Old Kings Road in Palm Coast reopens wider and newer, but also more distant from the history and intimacy that gave it its name.
Arts Foundation’s Music in the Air All Weekend
It’s went on all weekend at Central Park: live performances, small-town and big-name musicians, pop, jazz, soul, and plenty of food.
New Summer Rates at Palm Harbor Golf Club
New rates: Golfers at Palm Coast’s Palm Harbor Golf Club can shoot eighteen holes of golf for $27.50 for Palm Coast residents, and $31.50 for non-residents.
Bunnell Bails from Billion-$ Desalination Band
Bunnell joins Flagler County, and possibly Flagler Beach soon, in dropping out of the $1 billion project.
Two-Car Wreck at Belle Terre & Rymfire Sends 2 to Hospital
Not quite worth the news splash, the wreck was more light show and twisted metal than injuries worth blessing-counts.
Crime Reports, April 19-25
When deputies showed up at a party stacked with teens and asked who was underage and drinking, 11 hands went up. Also: driving while snorting, Target thieving, and more. FlaglerLive’s newest feature.
Palm Coast Glows Red:
2010 Revenue $4 Million Below Budget
The city’s money pots face severe revenue shortfalls that are, for now, being offset by dips into reserves and severe spending cuts.
Rental Fees/Costs for Use of Flagler County School Board Facilities
Chart of current rental fees and fee structure for public uses of Flagler County School Board buildings, including schools, cafeterias, playgrounds and other facilities.
Brian McMillan’s Stick Figures
The Palm Coast Observer’s managing editor has a new blog full of tiny jewels of witty wisdom from our most precious philosophers.
“Undesirables” Rile Residents Near Ralph Carter Park
The city built the $2.2 million park for young people. now a neighborhood watch group near Rymfire’s Ralph Carter Park is upset that park users are spilling beyond the park at night and on weekends. The sheriff is promising more “law enforcement action.”
Palm Coast Joins County in (Unspoken) KKK Denunciation
The city will re-post the same statement Flagler County posted on its website last week. The statement doesn’t mention the KKK.
What Are They Building On Seminole Woods & SR100?
Actually, nothing–for now. The site is being cleared and drained for eventual development.
Sheriff Fleming to 3-Year-Old’s Kidnappers: Bring Him Back
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued an alert this morning for 3-year-old Nathaniel Fonz of Palm Coast, last seen in Jacksonville overnight.
KKK Confirms: We’re Recruiting in Flagler
In an interview with FlaglerLive, KKK Imperial Wizard Cole Thornton says the drive will continue across the state. Dan Warren recommends vigilance.
Benefit Dinner for FPC’s Future Problem Solvers
Flagler Palm Coast High School Future Problem Solvers benefit dinner-fund-raiser scheduled for April 28 at 6 p.m.