Early Monday morning a 36-year-old Palm Coast resident of Coral Reef Court reported to Flagler County Sheriff’s detectives that he was the victim of a home-invasion robbery, in the course of which he fired a gun belonging to one of the assailants, but missed.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, November 2, 2021
The Flagler County Commission holds the second required workshop and special meeting in the school board’s attempt to double its impact fees ahead of projected growth, a step the commission had resisted when the matter was first debated at a previous workshop.
Covid’s Threat to the Already Shaky Status of Arts Education in Schools
In two studies from 2007 to 2008, schools indicated that they had cut an average of 145 minutes per week across the nontested subjects, lunch and recess. Where visual art and music were cut back, it was for an average of 57 minutes per week.
Seminoles Quietly Kick Off Sports Betting in Florida
The Seminole Tribe on Monday quietly launched online sports betting in Florida, amid continuing legal challenges to a gambling deal approved by state lawmakers in May. The tribe’s highly anticipated rollout of sports betting in the state came with no fanfare.
Flagler County Fire Rescue Hosts ‘Push In’ Ceremony for New $224,485 Ambulance
The new rescue, housed at Station 62 cost $224,485 and was purchased from Ten-8 Fire and Safety. It is a 2021 Ford F450 gas powered Braun Chief XL Ambulance with state of-the-art features.
With County as Farrier, Whispering Meadows Ranch Takes a Step Closer to Permanent Home at Fairgrounds
With Flagler County government clearing the way lease, free, a large portion of a 44-acre parcel, Whispering Meadows Ranch, Flagler County’s equine therapy non-profit on John Anderson Highway, is a step closer to its next permanent home on the grounds of the county fairgrounds.
Felony Cruelty Charge for Man Who ‘Whacked’ Trapped Raccoon and Left Injured Cat Without Care for 3 Months
Todd Rainey, 55, told a sheriff’s deputy he “whacked” a raccoon that had been trapped in a cat trap because it couldn’t get out, and had left his own cat’s injured leg go without medical attention for three months. He faces a felony count of animal cruelty.
Plagued With Problems, Flagler Beach Bar and Restaurant Formerly Known as Jimmy’s Hang Ten Closes Permanently
The restaurant and bar at 1112 South Oceanshore Boulevard, immediately north of the Topaz motel, dealt with the difficulties of the pandemic before James Harris, who had co-owned the bar with his wife, was arrested on July 3 on charges of molesting his stepdaughter. Then a different set of problems emerged: code enforcement issues with the city over noise, music permits and insufficient bathroom accommodations.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, November 1, 2021
The Flagler County Commission hears all about the Creekside Festival, American exceptionalism c. 2021, the morality and immorality of killing in war.
K-Pop Is Trending. So Is Anti-Asian Bigotry.
There is no doubt that the representation of Asian people in Hollywood has improved. The pandemic has led to a disturbing rise in anti-Asian racism and hate crimes.
DeSantis Warns Businesses Against Being “Woke”
Appearing before a group of business leaders last week, Gov. Ron DeSantis warned about following a “woke” ideology, which he called “very dangerous” for the country.
Palm Coast Fire Department’s 20th Year of the Hall of Terror
This year marks the 20th year of the highly anticipated annual ‘Hall of Terror’ event and the Palm Coast Fire Department (PCFD) is ready to bring on the frights!
Mandates Decline as Appeals Court Signals Alachua and Duval ‘Defiance’ on Masks Violates Law
A seven-page order said two school districts have been “remarkably open in their defiance” of the state over masking. Meanwhile, as Covid cases go down, several school districts that had been strict about mask mandates are now loosening their policies.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, October 31, 2021
Final day for City Repertory Theatre’s production of “Urinetown,” final day for UF’s survey on disposable plastic bags, and David Means’s curiously absorbing “The Depletion Prompts,” plus a few thoughts from David Shipler and our rights.
School Choice: Why You Should Vaccinate Your Kids 5 to 11
The FDA authorization comes after months of pediatric clinical trial investigation involving about 4,500 children ages 5 to 11. Pfizer released new data on Oct. 22, 2021, stating that its vaccine is almost 91% effective at preventing COVID-19 in that age group, with similar tolerability and antibody responses to that seen in older age groups.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, October 30, 2021
Happy Birthday, Robert Caro, another performance of CRT’s Urinetown, Conrad Aiken’s “Three Star Final,” and the only way to understand Donald Trump’s letter to the Wall Street Journal.
Save the Tatas. Sure. But Do a Better Job Focusing on Women at Stage 4, Too.
Breast cancer awareness campaigns can do a better job supporting women who’ve received a stage 4 diagnosis, instead of focusing only on early detection and ‘beating cancer.’
Father of 20-Month-Old Boy Found Guilty of Brutalizing and Burning Him, and Faces 80 Years in Prison
A jury this evening found Deviaun Toler, 29, formerly of Palm Coast, guilty on all charges of aggravated child abuse, felony abuse and neglect at the end of a five-day trial. The victim was his 20-month-old son, who was near death when hospitalized, but survived.
A Divided Flagler Beach Commission Rejects Church’s Proposal to Open a Small Christian School Near Center of Town
In an unusual land-use decision that bowed to public concerns over firearms and economic activity, the Flagler Beach City Commission on Thursday rejected a church’s request to run a non-traditional parochial one-room school on South 6th Street, between South Central and South Daytona avenues.
School Officials and Sheriff’s Deputies Again Forced to Respond to Generic Attempt to Disrupt the Day at FPC
A local school–this time, Flagler Palm Coast High School–was again the target of a vague threat of violence, disseminated on social media and mirroring similar, low- to no-credibility threats circulating in other parts of the country.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, October 29, 2021
The Deviaun Antriel Toler trial on child abuse charges is in its fifth day, City Repertory Theatre’s production of “Urinetown” enters its final weekend, Paul Krugman on the GOP’s cowards.
Climate Change: What Big Oil Knew and When It Knew It
The oil industry’s own words show companies knew about the climate change risk fossil fuels posed long before most of the rest of the world. Here’s what corporate documents from the past six decades show.
DeSantis Administration Sues Biden and Federal Agencies Over Vaccine Mandate
Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody announced the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. district court in Tampa against several defendants, including President Joe Biden, NASA, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, the federal Office of Management and Budget and the federal General Services Administration.
After 3 1/2 Years of Lies, Keith Johansen Is Found Guilty of Murdering His Wife and Is Sentenced to Life Without Parole
A jury found Keith Johansen, 39, guilty in the first degree murder of his 25-year-old wife Brandi Celenza in April 2018 at their Felter Lane home in Palm Coast. Johansen had been angered by his wife’s online “infidelities.” She was the mother of a boy, 6 years old at the time, who was in the house when Johansen shot her twice.
Homeless Man Didn’t Want to Walk Back to Volusia. So He Carjacked a Truck.
Eric Christian Marcotte is a 25-year-old homeless person who normally makes Volusia County, is accused of carjacking the work truck of a power line crew on State Road 100 in Bunnell because he didn’t want to walk back to Volusia.
Flagler Beach Commission Votes to Build 800-ft., $12.5 Million Concrete Pier Replacement
The Flagler Beach Pier will be demolished and rebuilt as an 800-foot concrete pier, with $10 million in federal funds already allocated, and $2.5 million in money the city must still find. The city hopes the new, more hurricane-resistant pier will be completed by the time Flagler Beach marks its centennial in 2024.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, October 28, 2021
The Flagler Beach City Commission meets, Louis Menand on the Invention of George Orwell, the Keith Johansen and Deviaun Toler trials enter their fourth day, and Palm Coast’s beautification committee meets.
Fall Colors Aren’t What They Used To Be. Blame Climate Change.
Warming has caused a delay in peak colors for much of the East, ranging from a few days in Pennsylvania to as much as two weeks in New England. It’s not yet known whether this delay is making fall colors less intense or shorter-lasting.
After Lying to Cops, EMTs and His Own Parents About Killing Brandi Celenza, He Takes the Stand to Say He’s Now Truthful
Keith Johansen, who faces a first-degree murder charge in the shooting death of his wife, Brandi Celenza, said he lied about killing her–fabricating stories that she’d killed herself accidentally or by suicide–to protect her name: he didn’t want his parents to know they’d done meth. Now he’s claiming he killed her in self-defense because she was out of her mind and was about to shoot him.
Flagler Dental’s Antidote to Halloween’s Sugar High: $1-a-Pound Buy-Back of Unopened Candy
Flagler Dental Associates is hosting its 10th annual Candy Buy Back program November 1 through November 5. The buy back is open to all area trick-or-treaters, who can stop by Flagler Dental North or Flagler Dental South to receive $1 per pound of unopened candy ($5 limit per child).
Attention Flagler Beach: Your Parking Areas Are Shrinking, and That’s a Problem on July 4
The reconstruction of State Road A1A in Flagler Beach meant the elimination of a slew of parking spots, worsening the difficulty of managing July 4 crowds, traffic and parking. A city commission-appointed committee is wrestling with the challenge.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, October 27, 2021
Katherine Ann Porter’s “The Cracked Looking-Glass,” the trials of Keith Johansen Deviaun Toler enter their mid phase.
Glasgow Climate Summit: What to Watch For
Glasgow sits proudly on the banks of the river Clyde, once the heart of Scotland’s industrial glory and now a launchpad for its green energy transition. It’s a fitting host for the United Nations’ climate conference, COP26, where world leaders will be discussing how their countries will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving climate change.
Whippings Had Nothing to Do With 20-Month-Old’s Skull Fracture and Critical Condition, Defense Argues at Trial
In the first full day of Deviaun Toler’s trial on first degree felony charges of aggravated child abuse, his defense attorney said Toler disciplined his 20-month-old son the way he’d been disciplined when he was a child, and argued that the child had suffered from a stroke, not a skull fracture inflicted by Toler.
Keith Johansen Springs New Defense in Gunning Down of Wife Brandi Celenza: ‘Self-Defense’
Keith Johansen, 39, is accused of murdering his wife Brandi Celenza at their F-Section home in Palm Coast in 2018. In opening arguments at his trial this morning, his attorney, discarding previous defenses of suicide or an accidental shooting, said it was self-defense, because Celenza had pointed a gun at Johansen.
A Child at Rymfire Elementary Makes False Report of a Shooting, 7 Weeks After Identical Incident There
Rymfire was again locked down early this afternoon when authorities got a call from a child reporting the same claim as seven weeks ago: a shooting in a classroom–the same classroom that had been the supposed location of the shooting in early September.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, October 26, 2021
Opening arguments in both the Keith Johansen and Deviaun Toler trials at 9 a.m., Flagler Beach’s July 4 committee meets, and Stetson University’s “New Sounds” series in concert, with a few words from Bertrand Russell.
What’s Behind ADHD
ADHD affects more than 6 million U.S. children. People who have ADHD develop symptoms by age 12, and it usually continues into adolescence and young adulthood. The condition can affect people throughout their whole life.
‘This Is Not a Jury of My Peers,’ Man on Trial Over Child Abuse Charges Objects Moments Before Jurors Are Seated
Deviaun Toler, 29, is on trial on four charges of child abuse, two of them first-degree felony aggravated child abuse charges, and faces up to 80 years in prison if convicted. He objected to the make-up of a jury of four men and four women, all white but one.
Traffic Stop Leads to Recovery and Controlled Explosion of Grenade
A man said he had cleaned out a veteran’s home and found the grenade and decided to keep it. He was unaware if it was active or not. The grenade was removed from the vehicle and safely detonated by St. John’s County Explosive Ordinance Disposal experts at a nearby county-owned facility.
Jury Seated in Keith Johansen Trial, With Key Ruling on Admissibility of Incendiary Video Evidence Still Pending
One of the more high-profile trials of the last few years in Flagler–Court TV will be covering it–the case hinges on indirect evidence. The admissibility of some of that evidence has yet to be decided. The prosecution has surveillance video clips from inside the house graphically revealing sexual situations underscoring infidelities cleaving the couple’s relationship on one hand and Johansen’s violent temper, threats and racism on the other.
On Flagler School Board, Even Procedures Are Weaponized as Aftershocks of Bitter Meetings Still Rankle
What would under most circumstances been a five-minute discussion, if that, turned into a rehash of prosecutorial accusations, recriminations and seemingly vain explanations that underscored how far board members now diverge from each other, whether on matters of fact or perception.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, October 25, 2021
All eyes on the courthouse as the week begins with jury selection in a pair of high-profile trials–Keith Johansen on a charge of first degree murder in the death of Brandi Celenza, his wife, in 2018, and Deviaun Antriel Toler on a first-degree felony charge of aggravated child abuse.
Remember When Parents Were Fine With Sweeping Vaccine Mandates?
By James Colgrove The ongoing battles over Covid-19 vaccination in the U.S. are likely to get more heated when the Food and Drug Administration authorizes emergency use of a vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, expected later this fall. California has announced it will require the vaccine for elementary school attendance once it receives full FDA […]
Are Wind Turbines About to Whirl Off Florida’s Shore?
The Biden administration is turning its back on offshore drilling rigs such as Deepwater Horizon. Instead, it’s planning for wind farms along the entire coastline. When it comes to wind, though, Florida is known more for its balmy breezes than any steady gusts that would make wind turbines an energetic proposition.
2 High-Profile Trials, in Killing of Brandi Celenza and Alleged Disfigurement of a Child, Are Set for Monday
They are two of the most lurid, high-profile, long-lasting cases on the felony docket of Flagler County’s court: Keith Johansen, 39, faces a first-degree murder charge in the shooting death of his wife Brandi Celenza. Deviaun Antriel Toler, 29, faces two counts of first-degree aggravated child abuse. Life in prison is at stake for the relatively young defendants in both cases. And today, both cases were set for trial the week of October 25.
There Is a Vengeful America and a Just America. Guess Which Florida Promotes.
Florida’s sentencing guidelines statute details the primary purpose of sentencing is to punish, not to rehabilitate. Honor demands vengeance. Respect commands justice. Two significantly different approaches.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, October 24, 2021
The African American Cultural Society is celebrating its 30th Anniversary at 4 p.m. with a plated dinner in the society’s recently renovated Founders Gallery. City Repertory Theatre’s production of “Urinetown” has a matinee.
Time to Stop Worrying About Children’s Screen Time? Not So Fast.
We still need to be wary of health consequences, despite the absence of strong links between screen time and children’s health. The researchers–the study involved almost 12,000 nine-to-ten-year-olds from 24 diverse sites across the United States–suggested screen time was not a direct cause of depression or anxiety and was linked to improved peer relations, but their findings came with caveats.
Barry Brady and Daniel VanDeusen Promoted to Flagler Fire Rescue Battalion Chief
Barry Brady and Daniel VanDeusen were promoted of the 10 applicants who tested. Barry Brady was hired by Flagler County in May of 2007. Daniel VanDeusen began his career in Flagler County over 16 years ago in 2005.