Coronavirus cases have jumped to 64 as of early Saturday morning, from just 21 two days ago, according to the Florida Department of Health, with nine cases in Florida unrelated to travel and 16 cases whose origins are still under investigation. Four Floridians have died from Covid-19, one of them in California.
Virus Testing Will Vastly Expand in Flagler and Florida, ‘So Things Are Going to Change Drastically in Terms of Numbers’
Coronavirus testing capacity will expand next week in Flagler County and across Florida, with capacity for some 625,000 tests available starting Monday, but a lot remains uncertain about the extent of the virus’ effects locally, how many people it will affect and whether current measures will be enough to stave off a major local outbreak.
Schools Closed Through March 30, Jury Trials at Flagler Courthouse Suspended as Coronavirus Fallout Continues
All jury trials have been suspended at the Flagler County courthouse through March 30, and all public schools in the state have been ordered to remain closed through March 30 as well.
Biden and Trump Still Want You: Early Voting and March 17 Presidential Primary Still On in Flagler
Early voting for the presidential primary still has a day to go Saturday, March 14, and Election Day is still on the for primary next Tuesday, March 17, Flagler County Supervisor of Elections Kaiti Lenhart says.
In Stunning Reversal, Florida Supreme Court Rules Juvenile Prison Sentences May Exceed 20 Years
The 4-1 decision stunned public defenders, who expressed concern not only about its implications for juvenile sentencing but also about a reshaped court emboldened to revisit issues the legal community had considered settled.
Weekend Briefing: Movies in the Park (Probably), Plant Sale (Maybe), Suffragettes (Cancelled), Fishing 101
Many events were scheduled for this weekend but patrons are advised to check with event organizers before they go as the coronavirus situation is causing cancellations.
Pick-Up Driver Deborah Perfetto, 60, Is Killed, Capping 4 Crashes Involving 9 Vehicles in 4 Hours on I-95
It all happened within a four-mile stretch of I-95 northbound in Palm Coast between 3 and 7 p.m.: four crashes involving a combined nine vehicles, none with serious injuries until the fourth crash, which claimed the life of a pick-up driver.
Even in Flagler, Virus-Related Postponements and Restrictions Begin to Accumulate
The Flagler school district is scrapping out of state travel, the Sheriff’s Office is postponing the Safety Expo, Flagler College is moving classes online, Bethune Cookman is cancelling them, among other schedule disruptions.
Long-Awaited CDC Report on Disused Sheriff’s Operations Center Lands With Thud
County and sheriff’s officials have moved on, making the recently delivered CDC report on the old Sheriff’s Operations Center essentially moot, and largely redundant anyway.
Thursday Briefing: Tattoo Parlor Regulations in Flagler Beach, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. at the Auditorium, Bi-Lingualism
The Flagler Beach Commission considers tattoo parlor zoning regulations, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr., original stars and lead singers of the The 5th Dimension, at the Auditorium.
Florida’s Public Universities Ordered to Shift to Online Instruction Only in Response to Coronavirus
As the deadly coronavirus continues to spread, “it has become clear that to protect the students and the residents of our state, proactive rather than reactive guidance to universities is necessary,” officials with the state university system said in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon.
Bunnell Police Conducting Death Investigation in Shooting of Man in Duplex on S. Bacher Street
A man died of a gunshot early this afternoon at 203 South Bacher Street in Bunnell, in the nearby presence of two other individuals. The Bunnell Police Department was conducting what it was calling a death investigation.
Money Issues Raise New Questions on Locating Sheriff’s Operations Center Near Palm Coast Library
Architectural and engineering plans are continuing for the new Sheriff’s Operations Center in Palm Coast, but its location is again in question as the county faces new financial challenges and commissioners consider options.
Seemingly Spared So Far, Flagler School, Emergency and Health Officials Prepare for Likely Spread as Coronavirus Cases Jump to 21 in Florida
Flagler school officials are discussing remote instruction and instituting deep cleanings, county and health officials are preparing businesses and government staffs for “social distancing” and other measures as they prepare for what they see as the likely spread of coronavirus locally.
Wednesday Briefing: Dorothy Singer Back in Court, 90/90 Challenge, Forum on Government and Public Policy
Accused murderer Dorothy Singer, who won her conviction’s reversal on appeal, at least for a new trial, is back in court for a pre-trial, Melanie Saltzman, reporter and producer for PBS NewsHour Weekend, presents “The Future of Food” at a Flagler College lecture.
Flagler School Board Chooses St. Johns’s Cathy Mittelstadt To Be Its Next Superintendent
The Flagler County School Board this afternoon chose Cathy Mittelstadt, the assistant school superintendent in St. Johns County, to be the district’s next superintendent, starting July 1 in place of Jim Tager, who will end a three-year tenure.
Palm Coast Man Accused of Threatening Ex’s Life Over Food Stamps Card at Her Workplace
Travis Montrell Williams, 40, is accused of going to his ex-girlfriend’s workplace at an assisted living facility in Palm Coast and threatening her life over the food stamps card she had. The sheriff assisted in the arrest.
AdventHealth Launches Coronavirus Information Line as Palm Coast Fire Chief Urges Fewer In-Person Dr. Visits
AdventHealth is launching a free phone service for Floridians who have questions about coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, including the opportunity to speak with a nurse as appropriate. The 24-hour line is in addition to a similar line operated by the Florida Department of Health.
Gov. DeSantis Declares Coronovirus State of Emergency, Broadening Powers
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday declared a state of emergency that would broaden his powers to respond to the novel coronavirus, including allowing him to deploy National Guard troops if necessary.
Tuesday Briefing: Superintendent Choice, Florida Park Drive, Palm Coast Survey Results, Bombing
The Flagler school board picks a new superintendent, there may be some live bombing in the Ocala forest, the Palm Coast council again takes up Florida Park Drive and discusses the latest survey of residents.
Volusia/Flagler Chapter Marks ACLU’s Centennial With “Future Voters Essay Contest” and $500 Prize
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) ‘s Volusia/Flagler chapter is celebrating the ACLU’s 100th birthday with an essay contest open to all students, with a $500 prize and publication of the winning essay in FlaglerLive.
$500 Million for Teacher Raises, $100 Million for Florida Forever
The $100 million planned for Florida Forever isn’t the $300 million the program annually received more than a decade ago, but it’s a boost for supporters of the program, which got $33 million during the current fiscal year.
‘I’m Tired and Sorry to Pick This Way to Go,’ Elderly Palm Coast Man Writes Wife Before Suicide
Robert Reinert, 88, of Palm Coast, wrote to his wife that he did not wish to end up in a hospital, hooked up to things just to prolong his life, before ending it on Feb. 6.
Public Responses to 4 Superintendent Candidates Draw Sharp Distinctions on Eve of Board’s Choice
there is no clear-out, absolute favorite in public responses, but there are certainly sharper opinions, good and bad and in descending order, about Earl Johnson, Vernon Orndorff and Cathy Mitteldstadt.
Surging Health Care and First-Responder Worker Quarantines Raise Concerns As Coronavirus Spreads
The number of health care and first-responder workers ordered to self-quarantine because of potential exposure to an infected patient is rising at an exponential pace.
Monday Briefing: Mad Dogs, Sheriff’s Operations Update, Coronavirus Response, Women’s Equality
Mad Dogs Palm Coast flag football ends its winter season and opens its spring registration, Flagler County Administrator Jerry Cameron provides an update on the Sheriff’s Operations Center.
Florida House Speeding Toward Proposal to Allow Stadium-Wide Prayers at High School Games
Amid a long-running legal battle, the Florida House on Friday moved forward with a proposal that could allow schools to offer prayers over public-address systems before events such as high-school championship football games.
Firefighters Battle 10-Acre Wildfire at Seminole Woods Blvd. and Sloganeer Trail in Palm Coast
Firefighters from three agencies were battling a fire that had grown to 10 acres by mid-afternoon in a heavily wooded area at Seminole Woods Boulevard and Sloganeer Trail in Palm Coast today.
Two Florida Seniors, in Lee and Santa Rosa Counties, Die From Coronavirus
One of the deaths involved a 72-year-old Santa Rosa County man who had previously been disclosed as having the virus. The other death involved a Lee County resident, whose case had not been disclosed.
Teacher and Ex-Matanzas Coach Ripley Faces Accusation of Excessive Force With Special Ed Student, 8
Wadsworth ESE teacher Robert Ripley was caught on school video twice pushing an 8-year-old student, behavior deemed impermissible by the school board attorney, in an incident that took place just one day after another ESE teacher was fired for using excessive force toward a student.
False Coronavirus Alarm at AdventHealth Palm Coast Briefly Heightens Anxieties Before Case Is Ruled Out
The case illustrated the heightened awareness–and fears–surrounding the outbreak, which has not yet spread to Florida with the exception of two cases in the Tampa area, and the knowledge gap that may be pushing some health workers too quickly to go on the alert.
Showing No Signs of Infection Yet, U.S. Economy Adds 273,000 Jobs, Unemployment at 3.5%
Not yet showing signs of disruption from the coronavirus, the national economy in February added 273,000 jobs, leaving the unemployment rate where it’s hovered, at 3.5 percent, for the past four months.
Weekend Briefing: First Friday in Flagler Beach, Polar Plunge, Boyz II Men, Island Festival
The 3rd Annual Island Festival at Matanzas High School, PCAF’s Creative Bazaar, the Boyz II Men Youth Development Conference, The 6th Annual Flagler Beach Polar Plunge and a lot more.
DeSantis Favors Senate Bill That Would Require All Public and Many Private Employers to E-Verify
All public employers including school districts, state agencies and public universities and private employers with at least 50 employees would have to use the federal system, or one that the state Department of Economic Opportunity deems is “substantially equivalent” to E-Verify.
School Board Superintendent Interviews: Earl Johnson
Earl Johnson has been the executive director of leadership and operations for Flagler County schools–a position similar to that of deputy superintendent–for the past three years.
School Board Superintendent Interviews: Cathy Mittelstadt
Cathy Mittelstadt, an assistant superintendent for operations in St. Johns County for the past three years, spent the majority of her professional years, almost all of them in leadership positions, in Florida’s top-ranked school district.
School Board Superintendent Interviews: Janet Womack
Janet Womack, a 2016 Alabama Superintendent of the Year and the second of four candidates the Flagler school board interviewed for superintendent today, spoke repeatedly of framing her leadership aims toward excellence: “What is the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae, what will set us apart from the rest?”
School Board Superintendent Interviews: Vernon Orndorff
Vernon Orndorff, a 12-year veteran of Flagler schools who rose to the No. 2 administrative position before taking a job in a small Texas district three years ago, was first up this morning among four candidates for superintendent interviewing with the Flagler County School Board.
Thursday Briefing: Equal Pay, Superintendent Interviews, Flagler PAL Open House
The school board interviews the four superintendent candidates, then the candidates meet the public in a meet-and-greet, a Flagler PAL open house, “The Women.”
Florida Agricultural Museum Is On Track with New Train, ‘Dirt Detectives’ and Other Projects
Four years ago the Florida Agriculture Museum at the north end of Palm Coast was heading for closure. Today, it’s bustling with a half dozen programs, including an equestrian boarding and riding program, and more ahead.
Wednesday Briefing: 90/90 Challenge, Clare Boothe Luce’s “Women,” Presidential Age
Clare Boothe Luce’s “The Women” is presented by the Flagler College Department of Visual and Performing Arts, a hole in Mars, and are presidents getting older?
Opponents Question Structure as State Approves FPL Plan to Add 20 Solar Farms By 2021
Opponents contended the program would have costs and financial risks for the vast majority of customers who would not participate. As an example, credits received by SolarTogether participants would come from money that all customers pay to cover power-plant fuel expenses.
Full House and Senate Will Vote on Requiring ‘Moment of Silence’ in Schools
The Senate Rules Committee on Monday signed off on a bill (SB 946) that would direct principals and teachers to give students up to two minutes each day to reflect on anything they want.
News-Journal Lays Off London (Again) and Flagler Bureau Editor; News-Tribune’s Future in Doubt
The Daytona Beach News-Journal this week is laying off two of its four remaining employees in the Flagler County bureau–long-time reporter Aaron London and Nick Klasne, an assistant managing editor in charge of the Flagler Bureau.
2 Brothers Face Child Neglect Charges After Uncle Is Accused of Hiding Pot Stash in 11-Year-Old’s Underpants
A man and his brother were charged with child neglect after the man’s brother hid a stash of pot in his 11-year-old nephew’s underwear before a traffic stop.
Tuesday Briefing: Flagler Free Clinic at 15, Thomas LeGault Case, Suicide Prevention, Palm Coast Connect
Former County Commission candidate Thomas LeGault’s debt to WNZF in a small claims case on the court docket, Mayor Milissa Holland and others may address the city’s arrangement with Coastal Cloud that gave rise to Palm Coast Connect, Chess on the Porch at the Humidor.
Stop Cloaking Bigotry in Veils of ‘Religious Freedom’
A Supreme Court case could open the door to even more legal discrimination in the name of religious freedom. The intolerant should rethink their claim to piety and morals, which contradict their ends.
Once Again, Vacation Rental Plan to End Local Regulation Falters Over Committee Hurdles
The Senate Rules Committee was scheduled to hear the bill (SB 1128) Monday, but bill sponsor Manny Diaz Jr., R-Hialeah, said the measure was postponed because he lacked the support necessary to get it out of the committee.
Judge Sets Stern Ground Rules Ahead of Keith Johansen Murder Trial in Shooting Death of Brandi Celenza
The trial judge admonished the families of both Brandi Celenza and Keith Johansen after a hearing where he’d ruled on admitting or limiting variously disturbing evidence-and prohibiting prejudicial courtroom antics in the gallery.
‘We Will See It In Our Community,’ Flagler Emergency Chief Warns of Coronavirus, Detailing Local Response
Flagler Emergency Chief Jonathan Lord and Health Department Chief Bob Snyder briefed the County Commission on the creation of a local “pandemic working group” and measures in place to address the coronavirus, whose arrival locally is almost certain.