Palm Coast

Headline Surfer photo by Henry Frederick / Daytona Beach News-Journal Editor Pat Rice, as shown here in a July 24 debate in New Smyrna Beach, will moderate his newspaper's final primary season debate tonight in Flagler County.

DAYTONA BEACH -- The Daytona Beach News-Journal will hold the final of its four public candidate debates tonight in Palm Coast at Daytona State College's Flagler/Palm Coast campus, Alan Smolen Amphitheater, 3000 Palm Coast Parkway Southeast.

The newspaper's debate session begins at 5:30 p.m. with a public-candidate meet and greet, followed by a debate for Flagler County sheriff between incumbent Don Fleming and fellow Republicans John Pollinger and Ray Stevens and Democrats Karl Tozzi and Jim Manfre, former sheriff.

The series of media debates are a lead-in to early voting that begins Aug. 4-8, followed by the Aug. 14 primary. The News-Journal has promoted its "partnerships" with Daytona State College in three of the debates and Stetson University in DeLand for the fourth, featuring the candidates for Volusia county chair.

Freddie Lee Giddemns Jr. of Palm Coast will  spend the next 25 years in prison for a brutal prescription drug robbery of an Ormond Beach pharmacy last September. The minimum-mandatory sentence handed down would keep him behind bars until the age of 57.

DAYTONA BEACH -- A 32-year-old Palm Coast man convicted at trial in May of sticking a gun in the face of a phamacy tech in Ormond Beach for painkillers and other prescription drugs was sentenced Tuesday to 30 years in prison that requires him to serve a mandatory minimum of 25 years behind bars.

Courtesy photo for Headline Surfer / Charlie Helm joins finncial consulting team of Alliance Financial Partners.

PALM COAST -- Alliance Financial Partners, Inc. is proud to announce that Charles, “Charlie” Helm has joined the financial consulting team of Alliance Financial Partners, Inc. Alliance Financial Partners, Inc., located in Palm Coast, is a full-service financial firm, locally owned and operated by David L. Fowler and Edward Herrera.

With the addition of Helm, Alliance Financial Partners, Inc. will now offer two locations: 216 S. 3rd Street, Flagler Beach and 1 Florida Park Dr. North, Suite 105-B, Palm Coast.

Helm was raised in Baltimore. He spent most of his adult life in Cleveland Ohio until relocating to Dade City, in 1985. He moved to Flagler Beach in 1989. Helm began his long, seasoned financial career as a life insurance agent with New York Life in 1958. He went on to join Monarch Life Insurance Company in 1962, where he received his Series 7, General Securities Registration.

DAYTONA BEACH -- A 63-year-old Palm Coast motorcyclist died at Halifax Medical Center shortly after another biker turned into his lane Wednesday night on International Speedway Boulevard and made contact with his Kawasaki, Daytona Beach police said. This was the fifth Bike Week fatality.

Bruce Wynne was riding west on ISB near Williamson Boulevard when his rear tire was clipped by Thomas Castaldo, 57, of Kernersville, N.C, when he turned into the victim's lne, police said, resulting in Wynne's bike going down.