The Flagler County Commission booted off Russ Reinke who’d long chaired the planning board and replaced him with developer Art Barr after Reinke had opposed several recent controversial developments.
All Else
Trump Leads By Far Among Florida Republicans as Rubio Leaps Ahead of Bush
Donald Trump leads with 31.5 percent in a GOP primary, in Florida Atlantic University poll, followed by Rubio in second place with 19.2 percent, followed by Bush at 11.3 percent, Carson at 10.3 percent and Carly Fiorina at 8.3 percent.
Wednesday Briefing: Goodbye, Linda Crego, Flagler Likes Bunnell’s Sewer, Unanimous Verdicts in Death Penalty
Flagler County and Bunnell government hash out Flagler’s take-over of the old Plantation Bay utility, The Flagler Beach City Commission figures out its next manager, Brian Williams returns as if nothing ever happened.
Sheriff Hires 13 Deputies, Underscoring Turnover of More Than 100 in Three Years
Well over a third of the Flagler Sheriff’s 285 positions have turned over in Jim Manfre’s three-year tenure, while 85 percent of full-timers have less than 15 years’ service–and a third have less than three years.
Florida’s Foster Children Are Still Being Medicated Without Proper Oversight
Just a fifth of the 2,434 children in state foster care had proper consent-form and other requirements to be subjected to psychotropic drugs, according to UF research.
Thief Breaks Into Andrey’s Auto, Finds Keys and Drives Off in Car Stolen From Lot
The thief, acting alone, is seen in video footage rummaging through the business and trying a couple of cars before driving off in a stolen Mitsubishi.
Tuesday Briefing: Coastal Cloud Among 50 Florida Firms to Watch, Carly Fiorina’s Pot Problem, Shott at NAACP
Coastal Cloud was selected from 500 Florida companies by GrowFL, Lynette Shott brings school district outreach to the NAACP, Carly Fiorina thinks pot is more dangerous than alcohol (it’s nowhere near as dangerous).
Trash Bandits: Sheriff Looking for Rogues Who Dumped 18 Tons of Tires Off Old Kings Road
The 18 to 19 tons of use tires (37,000 pounds) were dumped off North Old Kings Road, between Matanzas Woods Parkway and Princess Place Preserve. Flagler government removed them.
Doctors and Pharmacists Complain: Patients Aren’t Getting Their Pain Meds Fast Enough
Pharmacists complain that distributors are limiting their supply of powerful narcotics, forcing the pharmacists to ration their limited stock to their regular patients.
Buddy Taylor Student Struck by School Bus This Morning on Parkview Drive
The student was treated for minor injuries at Florida Hospital Flagler, and by just after noon, had been released. The driver was cited for failing to yield, and is on administrative leave.
Monday Briefing: Donuts With Doughney, Pink Gala Set, Ben Carson’s Bigotry, Trump’s Ratings
Meet up with Flagler Beach Police Captain Matt Doughney at the 7-11 on A1A, the Flagler County Commission takes up communication towers again, Ben Carson opposes a Muslim president, Donald Trump explains his monster ratings.
Palm Coast Parkway Pizza Hut Employees Robbed at Gunpoint and Penned in Cooler
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an armed robbery late Saturday night at the Pizza Hut on Palm Coast Parkway and Belle Terre Parkway. No one was hurt.
Muslim, Dark-Skinned, Geeky:
Ahmed Mohamed Had No Chance
If there’s remaining doubt that it is subhuman to be a Muslim or an Arab in the United States, the imbecilic arrest of 14-year-old Ahmed Mohamed over a clock puts the doubts to rest.
8.8 Million More People Got Health Insurance Last Year, Largely Due to Obamacare
The increase, due to the Affordable Care Act, is unprecedented since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid 50 years ago. Expanding Medicaid–as Florida did not–would have added to the ranks of the insured even more.
State Targets Two More Abortion Clinics as Scott Tightens Vise on Women’s Health
The latest clinics to be fined for allegedly performing 2nd trimester abortions, including Bread and Roses in Gainesville, aren’t affiliated with Planned Parenthood but are cited on similar grounds.
Video In Suicide-By-Cop Attempt Shows Deputies’ Control of Hairtrigger Confrontation
The eight-minute video of the confrontation, posted here, shows P-Section resident Stacy Culotta holding a gun and how Sgt. Van Buren and two other deputies eventually defused the situation.
Home in Palm Coast, Wimbledon Champ Reilly Opelka Is Celebrated, With Craned Necks
Reilly Opelka, who won Wimbledon’s junior crown earlier this summer and starts a 20-tournament professional tour next year, accepted a congratulatory sign at the Palm Coast Tennis Center this morning.
Florida’s Unemployment Rate Falls to 5.3% and to 6.3% in Flagler as Employment Grows
In Flagler the ranks of the unemployed declined from 2,809 to 2,688, a reduction of 121, and a reduction of 745 over the year. The labor force, however, remains below where it was last year.
Golf as Wrestling Match: Only in Flagler Beach as 2 of 3 Proposals for Old Course Bogey
A split Flagler Beach City Commission is leaning toward Flagler Golf Management to take over the old 9-hole course at the south end of town as obstacles remain and few alternatives exist. The next round is scheduled for Oct. 22.
Weekend Briefing: Elbert Tucker Speaks, Judge Moore-Stens Marks Constitution’s Birthday, GoToby Goes Bull on N-J
Elbert Tucker is the keynote speaker at Drug Court graduation, Judge Moore-Stens is the keynote speaker at a celebration of the Constitution at the Public Library, GoToby doesn’t think the News-Journal has its foreclosure facts straight.
World Warms to Climate Change Treaty, But Europe, Not U.S. Is Setting the Standard
December’s UN conference on climate change in Paris may lead to a treaty as a consensus has emerged that it’s also about economic challenges like poverty, sustainable development, and the wellbeing of future generations.
FHP’s Cpl. Pete Young, Flagler’s Longest-Serving Cop By Far, Earns Singular Medal
With 500 traffic homicide investigations and into his 5th decade in law enforcement, Pete Young is the longest-serving uniformed cop in Flagler-Palm Coast. He has no plans to stop.
Three Companies Tee Up Proposals to Run Flagler Beach’s Fallow 9-Hole Golf Course
The 34 acres of the old Ocean Palm Golf Club will be in play this evening at 5:30 p.m. as a committee hears proposals to rejuvenate the grounds profitably through a lease.
Thursday Briefing: Obama Likes Ahmed’s Coo Coo-Cop Clock, Maya at the GSB, Dexter Gordon’s Tunisia
The Flagler Commission holds its final budget and tax hearing, the annual Maya at the Playa conference kicks off at the GSB, Obama invites Ahmed Mohamed to the White House, with the clock that scared a teacher and cops.
Palm Coast Manager Apologizes for Ordering Work Without School Board Approval First
City Manager Jim Landon ordered utility work to proceed without securing an easement from the Flagler County School Board, though he’s been critical of the county over a similar issue.
Flagler Airport Pilot Flies Historic Cuba-Bound Flight From the United States
Local pilot Galin Hernandez’s historic flight to Cuba over Labor Day was among the first of its kind from the American mainland, though it took off from Hollywood.
Wednesday Briefing: Rios Sentenced to 15 Years, Clinton Down, Trump Steady, Tourism Grants Ahoy
Rios, accused of raping a 14-year-old girl, was found guilty in 15 minutes by a jury, more Republicans think Trump could be president, fewer Democrats like Clinton, and the Flagler TDC goes wild with grants.
Palm Coast Council Rebuffs Steven Nobile’s Latest Call for Charter Review Process
Palm Coast Council member Steven Nobile today again pressed for a citizen-led charter review only to again be blunted by a silent majority and a disagreeing Mayor Netts.
Palm Coast Felon Reports to Probation Office With a Loaded Gun. In a Stolen Car.
Christopher Smith, 38, of Palm Coast, carried a .25 caliber pistol and arrived at the probation office in a Ford reported stolen from Dollar Rent a Car.
Tuesday Briefing: County Talks Cell Towers, School Board Takes Up 5-Year, $16-Million Construction Plan
The Flagler County Commission is still hunting for an alternative site for a 320-foot cell tower near John Anderson Highway. The school board and Palm Coast City Council meet.
Publix Wins as Jury Verdict Concludes Sex Harassment Claim at Palm Coast Store Was Fabrication
A jury decided swiftly that not only had sex harassment taken place, but Robert Barry’s claims of wrongful termination didn’t need to be considered at all in light of the fabrication.
Anonymous Internet Browsing at the Public Library? Not if Homeland Security Finds Out.
A library that allowed Tor users around the world to bounce their Internet traffic through the library, masking users’ locations reversed course after getting word from the Department of Homeland Security.
Monday Briefing: Flagler Youth Orchestra Open House, Ismael Rios Trial, 3 Flagler Schools Move Michelle Obama
The Youth Orchestra holds its pre-season orientation at Indian Trails Middle School at 5:30 p.m., 3 Flagler Schools Move Michelle Obama, Linda Provencher has a town hall, and plenty more to restart the week.
The Hell With Your Tired,
Your Poor, Your Huddled Masses
Barack Obama’s order to open the U.S. to 10,000 refugees is dismal compared to Germany’s. Racism, not means, block greater numbers from an American welcome.
Everybody Likes Pre-K. Defining It Is Another Matter.
While there’s a growing consensus on the value of preschool, states disagree on where the programs should be based, who should run them, or how the government should support them.
In Publix Trial, Jury Must Now Weigh Plaintiff’s History of Dishonesty Against Claim of Wrongful Termination
The witness phase in the trial against Publix ended Friday in Flagler Circuit Court, leaving it to a jury Monday to decide the claim of ex-employee Robert Barry that he was fired because he reported a case of sexual harassment that may never have happened.
Pedestrian Evacuated in Critical Condition After Being Struck By Pick-Up on A1A in Flagler Beach
Ronald Tristani, a 71-year-old pedestrian and Palm Coast resident, was struck by a pick-up truck on State road A1A in Flagler Beach, at South 5th Street, at 10:42 this morning, and was flown out in critical condition within minutes.
Weekend Briefing: Big Band Night, Arts in Education Week, DSC’s Free SAT Workshops, Manly Crying
The Palm Coast Arts Foundation hosts its Big Band Night at Halifax Plantation, Senior Games begin, Biden hedges away from a presidential run, and a look at crying men in history.
Case Against Publix Wilts as Judge Tosses Whistleblower Charge and “Biscuitbutt” Refutes Sex Harassment
The Flagler civil trial continues though the case of a fired employee weakened further when the women he alleged had been sexually harassed–whose nickname is “Biscuitbutt”–testified nothing of the sort had ever happened, but other machinations had.
Facing Lawsuit from Florida Carry, FSU Scraps Gun Ban in Cars on Football Game Day
The changes to the school’s “Game Day Plan 2015” guide for fans won’t holster the legal challenge by Florida Carry Inc. as legislators again consider allowing concealed weapons on campus.
Thursday Briefing: Restaurant Week Begins, Flagler Beach Takes Up Private Pier Parties, Democrats’ Hillary Panic
Time for some Flagler gastronomy as the chamber’s Restaurant Week teases palates, the Flagler Beach City Commission again takes up the renting out of the pier to private parties, Democrats look at Al Gore and others as Hillary replacements, just in case.
In Trial Day 2, Case Against Publix Falters Over Credibility and Tempers of 2 Main Witnesses
Robert Barry ‘s claim of wrongful termination against Publix frayed Wednesday as his temper and questionable veracity proved to be his biggest liabilities, with Publix’s witnesses yet to take the stand Thursday.
County Rejects One Jumbo Cell Tower, Approves Another and Hedges On Third
The Flagler commission was responding to concerns about the height and visibility of three proposed communications towers rising between 320 and 350 feet–more than twice the allowable size under county rules.
Opelka’s Pro Career Begins as Junior Circuit Days End With Loss in 3rd Round of U.S. Open
For Opelka, the Wimbledon boys champion, it was a disappointing end to his junior tennis career, but he now starts on the pro tour full time.
Wednesday Briefing: Dog v. Boy, Barry v. Publix, Nimby v. Cell Towers, Tax Hearings and Child Protection
The Flagler County Commission will decide whether to allow three colossal cell towers to rise past its usual rules, and rule on whether a dog should be declared dangerous for biting an 8-year-old boy. Palm Coast and Flagler Beach hold tax hearings.
Publix on Trial as Ex-Palm Coast Employee Claims He Was Fired For Whistleblowing Sex Harassment
Robert Barry, 30, claims he was fired from the Palm Coast Town Center store after alerting superiors about a supervisor’s sex harassment of a coworker. Publix claims Barry made up the story and fired him for dishonesty.
Confederate General Is Out, Henry Flagler May Be In as Florida Lawmaker Seeks Capitol Statue Switch
The bronze statue of Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith has stood in the U.S. Capitol since 1922. It would be replaced by the likes of Henry Flagler or Walt Disney under a bill filed Tuesday by Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, a Republican.
Flagler’s Push For Trio of Cell Towers Rising Higher Than Statue of Liberty Beams Alarms
Flagler County Emergency Services wants the three towers, including an especially controversial one on John Anderson Highway in Flagler Beach, to improve its communications network, but residents and environmentalists are raising questions.
Tuesday Briefing: Palm Coast Talks Manatees, Parkway 90% Done, Coastal Cloud’s 100th, Leadership Flagler’s New Class
Work returns with a vengeance after Labor Day as budget and tax hearings begin today, starting with the school board, palm Coast discusses manatee protection, Coastal Cloud celebrates its 100th client.
“God’s Authority” Has No Place In Civil Government
Kim Davis is not the problem. She’s a symptom of a dangerous movement that seeks to carve out religious objections all over the law books, making civil government a vassal of religious edicts.