Today at the Editor’s glance: The Flagler Beach City Commission meets at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting would normally have been scheduled for the second Thursday, nor the third, of the month, but last week two commissioners and the city manager were attending the League of Cities’ annual conference in Orlando. Tonight, the commission may consider approving the purchase of a new fire truck–or possibly delay the purchase until after a workshop. Commissioners are expected to possibly set up a committee of citizens to advise the commission on how to proceed with fireworks–July 4? New Year’s? Commission Chairman Eric Cooley wants to change meeting procedures, and Trish Giaccone, the executive director of the Family Life Center, the county’s only shelter for abused persons, is expected to address the commission in response to Mayor Suzie Johnston’s critical comments about Giaccone’s appearance on a radio infomercial paid for by Joe Mullins, the county commissioner who has posted potentially defaming claims about Cooley. See the agenda and background materials here. Note: the city posted the agenda without its first page.
Tropical activity: As Fred spends itself over the Appalachians, tropical storms Grace and Henri are swirling, one south of Cuba, another nearer the mid-Atlantic, but neither is a threat to the American mainland. Locally, be cautious of today’s heat, with heat indexes ranging between 102 and 106. A plea in the Flagler wilderness: Numerous comments submitted online to be read at the School Board meeting Tuesday evening were not read, either because they missed a deadline or, in rare cases, used foul language. Here’s one of them from the earlier category: “No matter our race, background, or ZIP code we all want students to be safe at school. In fact, we believe that our public schools should be the safest place in America. During an unprecedented public health emergency, schools need a full toolbox to deliver on the promise of a safe, healthy education for all students. Unfortunately, certain self-interested politicians are withholding necessary tools and funding that would help ensure a safe learning environment. Florida is sitting on $11 billion in federal funds intended for school districts to assist in Covid recovery, thus limiting the options school districts have to keep students safe. Around the nation school districts have used the funds to invest in air purifiers, upgrade ventilation, enhance PPE, extend and enrich learning opportunities, and countless other ways to get student back to school safely. Meanwhile in Florida, these funds are sitting in Tallahassee’s coffers instead of being provided to school districts as intended. Since school districts have not been provided the tools they need from the state level, school boards and superintendents are turning to trusted medical professionals in their communities and listening to those voices as they decide how to start the upcoming school year. We applaud the school boards of Alachua and Duval counties for following the advice of doctors in their community. We believe every county should be empowered to make decisions on how best to keep their students safe in consultation with local health experts and based on the unique needs and circumstances in their area. We hope other districts will also heed the advice of the trusted medical professionals in their communities. As we applaud the decision made in Alachua and Duval counties today, we once again call on Gov. DeSantis to release the federal funding to school districts so they can avail themselves of all necessary measures to ensure the safety of students and staff.”
Vaccination and testing schedule for Aug. 13-20: With the start of school and continued increases in the number of COVID cases reported each week, Flagler County Health Department (DOH-Flagler) continues to expand its testing and vaccination clinics. Testing appointments and vaccinations are now available seven days a week at 301 Dr. Carter Blvd. in Bunnell and testing five days a week at 120 Airport Road, 2nd floor. Please consider the following when contacting the health department for COVID-19 testing or vaccination:
- Weekdays from 3:30 to 6PM at 120 Airport Road, second floor in Palm Coast is for testing of students, parents, teachers and school staff. No appointments are necessary. This site does not provide vaccinations.
- Weekdays from 3:30 to 6PM at 301 Dr. Carter Blvd in Bunnell offers both drive-through testing and walk-in Pfizer vaccinations. This drive-through is designated for people with COVID symptoms by appointment. Appointments fill quickly and can be scheduled by calling 386-437-7350 weekdays between 8AM and 4:30PM.
No appointments are necessary for walk-in vaccinations, offered exclusively at the 301 Dr. Carter location. The Pfizer vaccine is available for anyone ages 12 and older.
- NEW! Saturdays & Sundays between 9 and 11AM at 301 Dr. Carter Blvd. in Bunnell will host testing for Flagler students, teachers and school staff who are considered close contacts of a confirmed COVID cases. These are individuals who have quarantined for at least four days and are testing as part of the “Test to Return” program.
- The health department does not offer testing for travel verification at this time.
For more information about COVID-19 vaccination and testing efforts locally please call 386-437-7350 ext. 0 weekdays between 8AM and 4:30PM.
The Live Calendar is a compendium of local and regional political, civic and cultural events. You can input your own calendar events directly onto the site as you wish them to appear (pending approval of course). To include your event in the Live Calendar, please fill out this form.
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For the full calendar, go here.
“”You could always ban press comments.”
“That would be against my principles. You know that. Bullets and machetes for bastards, But complete liberty of criticism, polemics, discussion and controversy concerning art, literature, schools of poetry, classical philosophy, the enigma of the Universe, the secret of the pyramids, the origin of American Man, the concept of Beauty, and everything else in that line… that’s culture.”
–Alejo Carpentier, “Reasons of State” (1974).
Michelle Girven, RN says
All I can do is shake my head at your chosen cartoon. I’d say the same if it was depicting the other side in such a manner. Nothing like exaggerating what went on at the board meeting. Yes, a few went, what I consider, overboard. But, there was NO violence – only parents with strongly held beliefs on both sides of the issue. When speakers came to the podium the audience was quiet and listened – no noise or interruptions. I’ve watched the meeting and if I understand things right, the room was cleared because of clapping after being warned. The clapping never got out of hand – at least not that I saw. Not sure if it needed to go as far as it did. Adults need to act as such. My views are just that -mine. Yours are yours, and we each need to be heard and respected. I saw and heard erroneous information on both sides. Again each of us hears and reads information through our own filter. Each person, and their views, should be heard politely. We are our children’s true teachers – what they see and hear, they repeat. Our kids have become pawns of COVID, dress codes and numerous other things. Sad.
Pierre Tristam says
The cartoon does not depict violence. It depicts narcissistic, fanatical stupidity, accurately reflecting its stated message and a covid-denying belief seen across the country in a relatively small but noisy, overly theatrical, often boorish minority. As for Tuesday’s meeting, it was not cleared because of clapping, though that was a contributor, but because of demeaning comments directed at a speaker from the audience.