The Palm Coast City Council in a disorderly special workshop meeting this evening agreed to fully fund the Flagler County Sheriff’s request for 10 additional deputies for city policing, four more than it had originally budgeted. But that’s as far as it got in agreeing to a new budget. The rest remains a churn of conflicts, setting up a potential showdown between council members at a public hearing on Thursday.
After 2,234 Students’ Quarantines, Flagler Medical Director Urges Masking in Schools. Board Still Refuses.
Dr. Stephen Bickel, the medical director at the Flagler Health Department, discussed stronger covid-safety measures with the Flagler County School Board today, but in the end a majority of the board, citing the governor’s executive banning mask mandates, showed no inclination to adopt such measures as mandatory masking.
Can There Ever Be Common Ground in Communities Torn by Polarization? A New WNZF Show Attempts an Answer.
Flagler NAACP Branch President Shelley Ragsdale is hosting a new weekly show on Flagler Broadcasting’s WNZF called “Common Ground,” an exploration of bridge-like themes that may narrow the deep divisions cutting through communities.
Flagler Tiger Bay Club’s Free 9/11 Program Features Ex-Chief of Border Patrol Michael Fisher
The Flagler Tiger Bay Club welcomes Chief Michael Fisher for a 9/11 Commemorative 20th Anniversary public program at 4 p.,. at the Flagler Auditorium.
Bob Newsholme, In Apparent Attempted Suicide 2 Weeks Ago, Investigated for Fraud in Tax Business
Flagler Sheriff’s and IRS agents served a search warrant on Robert “Bob” Newsholme’s Flagler Tax Services business in Bunnell two weeks after Newsholme shot himself at his home in an apparent but failed suicide attempt. He faces at least a dozen investigations for fraud.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, September 7, 2021
The Flagler County School Board holds a 3 p.m. workshop that could draw another round of anti- and pro-masking militancy. The Palm Coast City Council for a final time hashes out ways to approach the sheriff’s request for 10 more deputies. Mme de Staël on the pleasures of opposition.
Children’s Pandemic Concerns Are Usually Ignored in School Planning
We are choosing to view the pandemic-derived challenges surrounding childhood through an adult lens. In other words, we are re-inscribing western colonialist ideology on children, in the way we choose to understand their struggles and their need for education and socialization.
Outgunned, Outplayed and Frustrated, Reilly Opelka Is Knocked Out of U.S. Open: ‘I’m Not There Yet’
Reilly Opelka lost his fourth-round match to South Africa’s Lloyd Harris, who was almost impossible to deal with. His service games in the final two sets flew by faster than a reality TV star’s career, while Opelka’s serve and net play deserted him.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Labor Day, September 6, 2021
Reilly Opelka attempts to get into the US Open’s quarterfinals in his fourth-round match today, a farewell to Michel Corboz, Joseph Heller’s “Something Happened.”
Tattoos’ Long and August History of Meanings
Tattoos have a history as old as ancient Egypt and Greece, enriched through the ages by way of Native Americans, and given deep meaning more recently as expressions against oppression, racism and colonialism even as they’ve endured as signs of beauty and identity.
People Don’t Want to Work? Wrong. They Just Don’t Want to Work for Your Kind of Substandard Workplace.
After an earth-shattering 16 months that have seen hundreds of thousands of our family members, friends, and neighbors die at the hands of an implacable and indiscriminate foe, there’s just a genuine question of whether grinding it out for 40 hours a week at a job with substandard pay, low benefits, and little work-home balance is really worth it.
Palm Coast Government Receives the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award
The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) announced that the City of Palm Coast has received GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its Fiscal Year 2021 budget.
How Election Deniers Are Organizing at Local Levels to Seize Control of the GOP and Reshape America’s Elections
The stolen election myth is inspiring thousands of Trump supporters to take over the Republican Party at the local level, from city councils to school boards to county commissions, as fact-denying extremists and militants exert mounting partisan influence on how elections are run.
Embrace ‘Prepare to Protect’ National Preparedness Month
Flagler County urges residents to do as it has and recognize September as National Preparedness Month, which is done to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. This year’s theme is “Prepare to Protect.”
41 Errors and $10,000 Fine in the Bag, Reilly Opelka Still Cruises Into 1st-Ever 4th Round of U.S. Open
Palm Coast’s Reilly Opelka overcame 41 unforced errors in an uneven match to still win his third-round U.S. Open match in straight sets against Nikoloz Basilashvili under the lights Saturday night, while making light of a $10,000 fine for carrying a pink tote bag with a non-regulation logo.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, September 5, 2021
Hurricane Larry heads for Bermuda, the second annual Pet Parade at the Florida Agriculture Museum, and Arthur Koestler’s life and death: “I plead guilty to having placed the idea of man above the idea of mankind.”
Millions of Unemployed Are About to Hurt a Lot More as Benefits Run Out
An estimated 8.8 million people will stop receiving unemployment insurance beginning on Sept. 6, 2021. Millions more will no longer get the extra US$300 a week the federal government has been providing to supplement state benefits.
Defiant Florida School Districts Standing By Strict Mask Mandates as Legal Battle Continues
Some school districts will continue to impose their strict mask mandates, even though a key court ruling has been appealed and the legal battle continues over who has control over mask-wearing at public schools — local boards or the DeSantis administration.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, September 4, 2021
Reilly Opelka at the U.S. Open is in his third-round match roughly around 5 or 5: 30 p.m. He faces 29-year-old Nikoloz Basilashvili, of Georgia (the country, not the state), ranked 39 in the world. Jonathan Franzen on freedom.
Buried Power Lines Aren’t Fail-Safe
Underground lines are susceptible to damage from water incursion driven by storm surges or flooding. So, choosing the location of power lines means choosing which threat is more manageable. And the public ultimately pays for maintaining the power grid, either via their electric bills or through taxes.
Report Warns of Extreme Heat Ahead as Climate Warms: ‘Florida Is in the Bullseye’
The heat will get much worse, warns the Union of Concerned Scientists in a new climate-focused report titled “Too Hot To Work.” The report says 2 million outdoor workers in Florida, about one-fourth of the workforce, could lose more than $8 billion in annual earnings over the next four decades due to inability to work in increasingly dangerous heat.
Half of Flagler’s Covid Case Load Driven by School Infections as Physicians Urge More Focus on Science and Safety
Flagler County’s weekly case load fell from a pandemic high of 936 last week to 789 this week, as of today, still the second-highest total of the 20-month crisis. Nearly half the total number of infections is among students and employees of Flagler County schools.
An Arsonist’s Redemption: How Daniel Da Costa Avoided 35 Years in Prison on the Strength of His Own Recovery
Daniel Soares Da Costa, now 27, was facing 35 years in prison for setting fires outside a Publix off Belle Terre Parkway in Palm Coast 16 months ago. The story behind Da Costa’s act–his addiction, the loss of his father, and his recovery since his arrest all played into the prosecution’s and the judge’s leniency in a case illustrative of the judicial system’s rehabilitative side.
Prank 911 Call Claiming School Shooting at Rymfire Elementary Nets 2 Felony Charges for 11-Year-Old Girl
An 11-year-old girl was booked at the Flagler County jail on two felony and a misdemeanor charge after allegedly placing a 911 call on Thursday claiming there was an ongoing shooting at Rymfire Elementary, the school she attends.
‘Our Darkest Hour’: Flagler County Sheriff Eulogizes Deputy Paul ‘Looch’ Luciano, ‘Invisible Hero’ Felled by Pandemic
“This is a tough day for all of us. And, we begin this service doing the same thing we have been doing for the last 7 days, wondering why Paul lost his life serving and protecting our community. We may never know that answer,” Sheriff Rick Staly said today in his eulogy of Corrections Deputy Paul Luciano, the jail’s first line-of-duty death in the department’s history.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, September 3, 2021
Daniel S. Da Costa, who has pleaded to arson in setting fires outside Publix and a gas station last year, is sentenced this morning. Opelka is off. Hurricane Larry will be a major hurricane by Saturday, but well out at sea for now.
Behind Hurricane Ida’s Record-Shattering Rainfall in New York and the Northeast: Yes, It’s Global Warming
Evidence is mounting that, as the climate warms, the amount of precipitation from heavy rainstorms is increasing, especially in the central and eastern U.S. As the climate changes, risks of major flooding events will only increase further.
Judge Issues Written Ruling Barring DeSantis from Banning Mask Mandates or Enforcing Order, But Appeal Is Imminent
Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper on Thursday released a written ruling that said Gov. Ron DeSantis overstepped his constitutional authority in a July 30 executive order that sought to prevent school districts from requiring students to wear masks. Cooper issued an injunction barring the enforcement of DeSantis’ order.
Leaders Gather to Film Groundbreaking at AdventHealth Palm Coast’s New Hospital, Now a Larger, $145 Million Project
AdventHealth executives, Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin and County Administrator Heidi Petito gathered this morning at the construction site of the new hospital, now a $145 million project on Palm Coast Parkway, to film what will be a virtual groundbreaking ceremony airing on Sept. 14. Here’s a sneak preview.
Flagler Sheriff’s Ex-Counsel Says She Was ‘Forced to Resign’ Over Tactless Opinions; Rick Staly Responds
On Aug. 25, the News-Journal’s Frank Fernandez reported on the resignation of Theresa Pontieri, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s recently hired general counsel, after the News-Journal had inquired about inflammatory videos she had posted on a conservative social media platform.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, September 2, 2021
Reilly Opelka goes for a second-round win at the U.S. Open, Arthur Schlesinger Jr. on artificial ethnic chauvinism, the county winds down before Labor Day weekend.
When Human Life Begins Is a Question of Politics, Not Biology
Understanding what it is to be human requires a lot more than biology. And scientists can’t establish when a fertilized cell or embryo or fetus becomes a human being. Flawed surveys and political declarations can’t change the fact.
Flagler Schools Have 3rd Highest Covid Infection Rate Among 38 Florida Districts Reporting Figures; Masked Districts Fare Better
The Flagler County school district has the third-highest rate of Covid infections among students and staff out of 38 Florida school districts that are reporting their Covid numbers since the resumption of the school year less than four weeks ago, a FlaglerLive analysis finds. There is still no “appetite” for changing course and adopting a mask mandate, according to the school board member who tried enacting one two weeks ago, though data points to a direct correlation between masks and lower infection rates in Florida districts.
Limited Public Opposition to New Fire Truck Weighs In as Flagler Beach Commission Reasserts Need and Support
A town hall-like workshop to give the public a chance to weigh in on Flagler Beach’s proposed purchase of a new fire truck did not change dynamics: a commission largely supportive of the purchase, and a small minority strongly opposed.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, September 1, 2021
The ♫ Flagler Youth Orchestra ♫ hosts its Open House ahead of its 17th season for all new students who want to join at 5:30 p.m. at the Flagler Auditorium.
How Warm Gulf Patch Quickly Turned Hurricane Ida Into a Monster Storm
As Hurricane Ida headed into the Gulf of Mexico, a team of scientists was closely watching a giant, slowly swirling pool of warm water directly ahead in its path. That warm pool, an eddy, was a warning sign.
Covid Hospitalizations in Flagler Crest, But Schools See 173 Infections in 3 Days and County Adds 10 Deaths
Admissions at AdventHealth Palm Coast hospitals in central Florida, which had reached record levels in the fourth Covid wave, crested seven days ago, and have been falling each day since–slightly, but visibly. Covid deaths in Flagler and school district infections are another matter.
Just Call Him David: Palm Coast Mayor Alfin Settles In With Exuberant Focus on Growth, Town Center and the Next Manager
In a wide-ranging interview in his new office at City Hall, Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin talked about getting a budget done, getting a permanent city manager hired, and fostering the reemergence of Town Center as an economic, educational, cultural and health care hub.
Armed with Towering Expectations, Opelka Cruises to First-Round U.S. Open Win
Tuesday on Court 17 of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Opelka did what veteran high seeds are supposed to do: Take out a tricky opponent in straight sets, saving your body and energy for future rounds. Struggling in the opening set, Opelka used his skills and experience to turn back Soonwoo Kwon of South Korea, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-4.
LPR ‘Hit’ Leads to Felony Traffic Stop in WNZF’s Parking Lot, But Fugitive Is Not on Board
A minor bit of news unfolded in WNZF Newsradio’s parking lot Tuesday afternoon as Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies, guns drawn, pulled over the occupants of a vehicle registered to a person with a felony warrant. The incident was resolved with one arrest, but not of the person sought.
Lawmaker and Non-Profit Sue Department of Health Over Its Refusal to Release Previously Available Covid Data
The Florida Center for Government Accountability and House Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, an Orlando Democrat, late Monday sued the Florida Department of Health and Surgeon General Scott Rivkees over the department’s refusal to provide Covid-related statistical records it used to make public daily.
Flagler County FireFlight and Paramedics Practice Marine Rescue Techniques in Intracoastal
Flagler County Fire Rescue Marine Rescue Team and FireFlight last week (August 25) practiced marine rescue techniques on the Intracoastal Waterway to hone their skills should they be called out to save a swimmer or boater. Would-be rescuers also used the county’s jet ski as part of the training exercise.
An Emergency Room Nurse Pleads from the Darkness of Covid’s Front Lines: ‘Start Supporting, Stop Fighting’
“Stop fighting over what is real or not. Stop fighting over whether you should get the vaccine or not. Stop fighting over whether to wear a mask or not,” Megan Dunaway, an ER nurse manager, writes, pleading against covid denialism and for more support for hospital staff. “We, as a community, are in crisis.”
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, August 31, 2021
Flagler County School Board member Colleen Conklin and Dr. Paul Mucciolo co-host “Uncomfortable Conversations: Covid-19 Protocols, Best Practices,” a Facebook Live online forum at 7 p.m. The Flagler Beach City Commission workshops the proposed purchase of a new fire truck.
Is It a Crime to Forge a Vaccine Card?
When people are caught knowingly buying, selling or using false cards, the proof of guilt will often be clear. The real question is about the appropriate punishment. The law gives prosecutors and judges huge discretion on how to charge and sentence offenders.
Federal Judge Tangles with DeSantis Administration Lawyer Over ‘Rabbit Hole’ Protest Law
The Dream Defenders, the Florida State Conference of the NAACP and other organizations allege in a lawsuit that the measure, approved by Republican legislators and signed by DeSantis this spring, is unconstitutionally vague, has a “chilling” effect on First Amendment rights and gives local police too much power.
Palm Coast 2021 Senior Games–Golf, Tennis, Pickleball–Set for Sept. 10-19
The Palm Coast Senior Games September 10-19 offers 3 sports: golf; singles, doubles, and mixed doubles tennis; and single, doubles, and mixed doubles pickleball. The registration fee is $15 per sport. Adults from the age of 50 up to over 100 are invited to participate.
Family Dollar Arsonist Pleads to Probation, New Sentencing Trial for Death-Row Inmate Cornelius Baker in Spring
Tonya Bennett had faced up to 30 years in prison fora first-degree felony arson charge. She will serve 10 years’ probation if the judge agrees to the plea terms. Cornelius Baker, sentenced to die for the murder of Elizabeth Uptagrafft in 2007, will get a new sentencing-phase trial sometime in spring.
Flagler County Fire Rescue’s Jake Gonzalez, Jon Moscowitz, and Dylan Pontorno Promoted to Lieutenant
Three of Flagler County’s firefighters have been promoted to the rank of lieutenant after distinguishing themselves within their former roles, extensive education and training, and comprehensive testing. Jake Gonzalez, Jon Moscowitz, and Dylan Pontorno were promoted out of the 13 applicants who tested.
$2.3 Billion in Federal School Aid Still Sits Unused Because Florida Hasn’t Sent In Spending Plan
Florida is one of only five states that has not submitted a state plan for Covid relief to the U.S. Department of Education, holding up billions in federal funds to help the Florida education system recover from the impacts of Covid-19 in schools.