Latest news with #PalmCoast
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Palm Coast council sends letter asking DeSantis to suspend or remove Mayor Norris
The Palm Coast City Council has officially sent Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis a letter asking him to suspend or remove Mayor Mike Norris from office. The City Council July 15 had already voted 4-1 to approve a motion to send the letter. During that meeting, the board also censured Norris for the second time in three months. The document, obtained by The News-Journal, points to what the four signing council members describe as the mayor's misconduct over recent months, including 'malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty and incompetence.' Mayor Norris town hall: Palm Coast mayor to host his own town hall, separate from city. FlaglerLive questions access 'As elected representatives and custodians of taxpayer dollars, we are alarmed and concerned by several actions of Mayor Norris,' the letter reads. 'This conduct has forced the Council to take the unprecedented steps of requesting you to suspend him from office for a term you find appropriate under the circumstances.' The letter cites several episodes involving Norris over the past few months, including: An external investigation that found the mayor violated the city charter, interfered with city employees and behaved unprofessionally. The mayor stating from the dais during a public meeting that 'he would no longer be attending meetings for his committee assignments,' and failing 'to attend ceremonial occasions as required by the City Charter.' The mayor's recent lawsuit against the city to remove City Council member Charles Gambaro from his District 4 City Council seat. The four council members argue that Norris' actions have 'irreparably harmed — and continues to harm — the City of Palm Coast and Flagler County,' claiming they 'have cost our residents' tens of thousands of dollars since being elected in November of 2026.' 'We do not take lightly the sanctity of elections, and we hold dear the right of our citizens to elect their representatives,' the letter adds. 'However, Mayor Norris has shown a complete disregard for our City Charter, the importance of governing as one part of a five-member elected body, and the duty to protect and safeguard taxpayer dollars. 'For these reasons, we urge you to take action to immediately suspend Mr. Norris from office and to appoint a temporary replacement to fulfill the duties of Mayor,' the letter concludes. Norris did not immediately respond for comment. This is a breaking story. Check back for updates. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Palm Coast City Council letter asks DeSantis to remove mayor Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Palm Coast mayor to host his own town hall amid censure and push for removal
Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris will host a "mayoral town hall" from 6-8 p.m. at the VFW Post 8696, 47 Old Kings Road, Palm Coast, July 28. According to a post on Norris' public Facebook page, the town hall is a "privately organized event being held on private property with no affiliation with the City of Palm Coast." The press is 'required" to contact Norris through his Facebook page for "press passes." However, Norris told The News-Journal it is for head-counting purposes since the event is self-funded and will include catering. Palm Coast's Communications Director Brittany Kershaw said each City Council member was offered an individual town hall and Norris was the only one to decline the offer. Norris told The News-Journal in an interview that he didn't want to waste city resources when he can fund the event himself. He said more than 100 people have already RSVP'd to the event. Norris didn't tell the city about the town hall; the city learned about it through Facebook, according to Kershaw. 'I don't have to tell the city,' Norris told The News-Journal. 'I'm the mayor.' The move comes after the council censured Norris and voted to ask Gov. Ron DeSantis to remove Norris as mayor. This is a breaking news story. Check back later for more updates. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Palm Coast mayor rejects city's town hall invite, plans his own Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
Parents leave baby asleep in car with engine still running to go drinking at bar
This is the moment a baby was rescued after being left unattended in a car while the infant's parents were drinking inside a Florida bar. Deputies from the Flagler County Sheriff 's Office received a tip on Friday evening (18 July) about a child left alone in a vehicle shortly after 10pm. The car was located in Palm Coast. Police bodycam footage shows officers opening the door of the car and finding an infant asleep in a car seat. According to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office, the vehicle had been left unlocked, with the keys in the ignition and the engine running. Norman and Clarisse Finnegan were later arrested by the Sheriff's Office for felony child neglect without great bodily harm. The Florida Department of Children and Families is also investigating the incident.
The Independent
7 days ago
- The Independent
Baby rescued from car with engine running after parents left the infant to go drinking in Florida bar
This is the moment a baby was rescued after being left unattended in a car while its parents were drinking inside a Florida bar. Deputies from the Flagler County Sheriff 's Office received a tip on Friday evening (18 July) about a child left alone in a vehicle shortly after 10pm. The car was located in Palm Coast. Police bodycam footage shows officers opening the door of the car and finding an infant asleep in a car seat. According to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office, the vehicle had been left unlocked, with the keys in the ignition and the engine running. Norman and Clarisse Finnegan were later arrested by the Sheriff's Office for felony child neglect without great bodily harm. The Florida Department of Children and Families is also investigating the incident.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
We Sell Restaurants Enters Six New Markets, Offering Trusted Brokerage and Tech-Forward Approach
Leading Business Broker Franchise Attracts Owners with Immersive Tools, AI Integrations, and Customer-Centric Upgrades PALM COAST, Fla., July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The use and implementation of new technology has quickly become a key differentiator for businesses. We Sell Restaurants, the nation's leading and only business broker franchise focused on restaurants, is leveraging cutting-edge solutions to stay ahead of industry trends and deliver more efficient results for buyers, sellers, and the franchise network as a whole. Technology remains a top priority for the brand, playing a pivotal role in driving its continued growth and success throughout 2025. Key technological advancements year-to-date include: Integration of immersive 3D tours that allow buyers to virtually explore restaurant listings from anywhere in the world. Implementation of third-party login capabilities, including Facebook, Instagram, and Google, to streamline user access and improve the customer journey. Creation of personalized listing videos featuring the story behind why owners are selling, adding emotional context and authenticity to each opportunity. Utilization of AI for script generation, video editing, and avatar-driven storytelling to create engaging, professional, and consistent listing videos. "Our commitment to leveraging technology to benefit both the franchisee and customer experience has been incredibly successful, and we'll continue to focus on smart, scalable solutions," said Robin Gagnon, co-founder and CEO of We Sell Restaurants. "In fact, several of our franchisees started as customers, which is a true testament to how our tech-enabled systems build trust, deliver results, and inspire long-term investment in the brand." By streamlining operations and enhancing the experience for franchisees and customers, We Sell Restaurants' tech-forward approach has made the franchise opportunity more attractive to prospective and existing owners alkie. This year, the brand has awarded six new franchise agreements – including two expansions by existing franchisees – underscoring how these investments are driving systemwide results. Key development milestones from the first half of the year include: Current franchisee, Jeff Marcus, expanded from Boulder, Colorado into a second territory in Denver. Current franchisee, Brittany Gates, expanded from Daytona, Florida into South Jacksonville. New franchisees are now operating in four new markets. Allison Gregory came on board as the franchise partner in Aurora, Colorado; Jason Kullman is the new franchisee in Frisco, Texas; Ron Pereira bought the Columbia, South Carolina territory; Ty Bushart and Jason Foley are now serving the Northwest Arkansas territory. The success of We Sell Restaurants has not gone unnoticed, with the brand and its leadership earning significant accolades. In 2025, the International Business Brokers Association honored co-founders Eric and Robin Gagnon with the IBBA Outstanding Producer Award and IBBA Deal Maker Award, respectively, celebrating their exceptional contributions to the industry. In 2025, the We Sell Restaurants brand has been recognized by Franchise Business Review with the Top Franchisee Satisfaction Award, Top Franchises for Women, Top Low-Cost Franchises, and the Most Innovative Franchises Award. Also in 2025, the brand was recognized on Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 list. According to We Sell Restaurants 2023 FDD Item 19, franchisees earned $273,251 in gross commission income, and more than 40% of all franchisees brokered more than one-million-dollars in sales. * For more information on franchise opportunities, visit About We Sell Restaurants We Sell Restaurants is the nation's largest business broker franchise focused exclusively on the sale of restaurants, with 20 years of experience in helping buy, sell and lease hospitality locations. We Sell Restaurants and its franchisees have sold thousands of restaurants across the country and maintain a listing inventory of nearly $420 million online at their powerhouse restaurant for sale marketplace, including independent and restaurant franchises for sale. We Sell Restaurants is offering franchise opportunities for their brand in select market areas. For more information, visit *This information appears in Item 19 of our current FDD – please refer to our FDD for complete information on financial performance. Results may differ. There is no assurance that any franchisee will perform as well. Media Contact: Emily Eastin, Fishman Public Relations, (847) 945-1300, eeastin@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE We Sell Restaurants Sign in to access your portfolio
