Jonathan Canales, the 34-year-old former Mondex man serving a life term for shooting his then-girlfriend, accused the prison system of exposing him to beatings and the courts for being “satanistic” and skewed against defendants, but could not show any evidence that he’d had poor legal representation.
7 Days, 11 Additional Covid Deaths in Flagler, Totaling 68 as County Passes 5,000 Cases; 2nd Dose Vaccines Begin
It was the deadliest seven-day stretch of the pandemic for Flagler County. Over the weekend the tally rose to 60, and today the Health Department reported eight additional deaths, all senior citizens, bringing Flagler County’s total to 68. Second-dose shot vaccines were set to begin this week, along with a new batch of first-dose vaccines.
Anti-Vaccine Activists Are Peddling False Claims That Covid Shots Are Deadly, Undermining Vaccination
Anti-vaccine groups are exploiting the suffering and death of people who happen to fall ill after receiving a covid shot, threatening to undermine the largest vaccination campaign in U.S. history. In some cases, anti-vaccine activists are fabricating stories of deaths that never occurred.
5 Contestants, 2 Seats: Flagler Beach Woman’s Club Hosting Candidates’ Night Ahead of City Election
Flagler Beach and Beverly Beach are holding the year’s first local elections on March 2. The Beverly Beach races are uncontested, though the city will have two new commissioners. The Flagler Beach races for mayor and one commission seat very much are contested.
Sea Ray Plant Will Reopen as Boston Whaler, Bringing Back 300 to 400 Jobs and Annexing Into Palm Coast
Capping a whirling six months of major economic-development victories for Palm Coast, and two and a half years after the Sea Ray plant shut down off Colbert Lane, eliminating some 440 high-paying jobs, the plant will reopen very soon under the banner of Boston Whaler, a boat builder owned by Sea Ray’s parent, Brunswick Corp.
Ask the Doctor: No, Vaccines Contain No Aborted Fetus Tissue, Socializing Without Masks, Politics of Vaccines
Dr. Stephen Bickel answers two dozen new questions, including about the politics and logistics of the vaccine rollout, whether vaccinated people may socialize without masks, and numerous specific questions about the vaccine and beyond it.
Senate Pandemic Preparedness Chairman to Advocates of Covid-Safety Lockdowns: Drop Dead
Businesses will remain open for the economic well-being of the state even as covid-19 cases continue to surge in Florida, the head of a Senate select committee on the pandemic said this week.
“We’ve Let the Worst Happen”: Reflecting on 400,000 Dead
A reporter who’s covered the pandemic from the start examines the toll covid-19 has taken on the country and what to expect from a new president.
Black Crappie Regulations Review Meetings for Central Florida Waterbodies
The objective of the conversations will be to gather stakeholder input on current black crappie regulations and will focus on statewide opinions, as well as resource specific regulations.
Professional Women’s Group of Flagler Hosts Virtual Networking Event January 28
A spokesperson from the Flagler County Education Foundation will be the guest speaker and the topic will be the importance of their Take Stock in Children program.
Flagler Unemployment Flat for 4th Month in a Row as Economy Struggles To Regain Pre-Covid Confidence
Flagler County’s and Florida’s December unemployment figure reflect continued struggles in an economy dominated by a hospitality industry, including bars and restaurants, that lost yet more jobs as the pandemic ramped up in the state.
Almost 20 Years Later, Construction Begins on The Gardens Along John Anderson, But Lawsuit Looms
Crews began clearing acreage for The Gardens, a development along John Anderson Highway first proposed under a different name almost 20 years ago, but the controversies and obstacles that have dogged the project since continue, including a lawsuit filed just weeks ago.
Daytona State College Campuses Evacuated Following Emailed Threat of ‘Shooting and Explosives’
An emailed threat sent to Daytona State College this morning prompted the immediate evacuation of the school’s buildings in Volusia County and the dispatching of police units to the Palm Coast campus.
Florida Senate Proposal Would Vastly Expand “School Choice” and Use of Tax Dollars for Private Schools
The legislation, filed by Republican Sen. Manny Diaz of Hialeah, would expand eligibility for school-voucher programs, consolidate existing school-choice programs and allow parents to use taxpayer-backed education savings accounts for private schools and other costs.
Timothy Daniel Hardie, 56, of Palm Coast, Is Killed in Motorcycle Crash on U.S. 1
Timothy Daniel Hardie, a 56-year-old resident of North State Street in Bunnell, was killed Wednesday afternoon in a traffic crash on U.S. 1 in Ormond Beach, police said.
Few Trump Supporters Turn Out at State Capitol in Tallahassee
After preparation for potentially large-scale protests, only about 10 supporters of President Donald Trump waved signs to motorists outside Florida’s Capitol on Wednesday as President Joe Biden was sworn into office in Washington, D.C. With law-enforcement officers visible atop the Florida Capitol and the nearby Leon County Courthouse, the handful of Trump backers maintained their […]
American Impressionism at the Lightner Museum
This spring, the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine celebrates the evocative, timeless beauty of late 19th and early 20th century American art with two exhibitions of American Impressionist paintings.
Sentenced to Life in Prison for Shooting Girlfriend, Jonathan Canales Returns to Court to Plead Leniency
Jonathan Canales was sentenced to life in prison for the attempted murder of Tiffany Norman in the Mondex in 2014 as her three children slept. He will represent himself when he appears before Circuit Judge Terence Perkins next week, arguing defendants’ last hope: that his attorney had been ineffective.
Flagler Grand Jury Issues 4 Indictments for Murder, 2 More in Drug Deaths, 2 in Killing of Deon O’Neal Jenkins
The indictments of Allyson Dawn Bennett, 39, and Javian Neesmith, 21, are Flagler County’s second and third for murder stemming from the death of individuals from drug overdoses–a relatively new, rapidly expanding but also increasingly controversial trend in criminal prosecutions that began with the emergence of the fentanyl epidemic.
Surgeon General: No Idea When Florida Will Get More Vaccines, Or How Many Doses
Surgeon General Scott Rivkees said in the statewide phone call that he does not know when additional “first doses” of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be sent to the state or how many doses would be in a potential future delivery.
Joe Biden’s Inauguration, and Amanda Gorman’s Beacon
President Joe Biden’s moving and restorative inauguration was upstaged by Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, whose words reflected the unvanquished voice of the American we idealize, the possible and the impossibly scaled in this country of the “battered and beautiful.”
AdventHealth Palm Coast Will Build a $100 Million, 100-Bed Hospital on Palm Coast Parkway
In a surprise, AdventHealth officials today announced the system will build a $100 million, 100-bed hospital on the south side of Palm Coast Parkway, adjacent to Market Street, the assisted living facility, with construction starting in September.
Flagler’s Covid Deaths Jump by 4, to 57; 800 New Vaccines Delivered; Second Dose Shipment Due Friday
As has become almost ritualistically routine since before Christmas, grimmer reports of covid’s toll are colliding with more hopeful if fitful news. That was the case again today in Flagler with a new vaccine shipment and the first decline in confirmed covid cases in five weeks, though case loads remain very high.
Under Threat of Lawsuit and Sharp Public Opposition, Palm Coast Council Rejects Palm Harbor Cell Tower
Ending one of the most furious backlashes against a city initiative in recent years, the Palm Coast City Council voted 5-0 to deny the city’s own contractor a proposed lease to build a 150-foot cell tower in the heart of the city-owned Palm Harbor golf course.
Final 4-1 Vote Clears Lakeview Estates Development in Place of Matanzas Golf Course, With Yet More Restrictions
The city’s template for the Matanzas golf course prizes compromise and pragmatism over an all-or-nothing approach–pleasing neither side entirely, but also carving out enough room for reasonable development within ample green bands, and without seriously endangering existing residents’ views.
5 Reasons to Wear a Mask Even After You’re Vaccinated
Even people who are receiving their second dose of the vaccine are choosing to keep wearing masks, as much to protect themselves as to protect others, since the vaccines may not prevent you from spreading the coronavirus and herd or community immunity is still a very long way off.
Jared W. Douglas, 19, Arrested in Stabbing at Holland Park After Week of Posturing Texts
Jared Wayne Douglas, a 19-year-old resident of 23 Blare Castle Drive, was arrested Sunday night and charged in the stabbing of a 15-year-old boy at Holland Park. The 15 year old was air-lifted to a hospital in Orlando. He is expected to survive.
Lynching Political Correctness
Thanks to Donald Trump, a national return to some sort of centrist “normal” is now impossible. Lots of people believe a civil war is already underway and they’re excited as hell about it. Political Correctness meets Jim Crow, argues Robert Koehler.
FBI Arrests Army Veteran Allegedly Plotting Attack on Pro-Trump Demonstrators in Tallahassee
Federal authorities have arrested a self-described anarchist on charges related to his alleged attempt to recruit the “like-minded” to violently disrupt the expected gathering by supporters of President Trump at the Florida Capitol through Inauguration Day.
Biden Terms Vaccine Rollout ‘A Dismal Failure’ as He Unveils Pandemic Response Plan
During his Thursday speech outlining what he’s dubbed the “American Rescue Plan,” Biden made several claims about the current response to the pandemic and how it’s affecting Americans. Statements are fact-checked and given context.
As Covid Patient Load Keeps Breaking Records at AdventHealth Palm Coast, ER Director Gives Inside Look
As the Covid-19 patient load reaches 35–the hospital is licensed for 113 beds–Dr. Paul Mucciolo, AdventHealth Palm Coast’s ER medical director until last year, and the Chief of Staff since, details the hospital’s response and challenges to a record surge.
Law Enforcement on Alert in Tallahassee In Response to FBI Warning of “Armed Protests” Ahead of Biden Inaugural
State and local law enforcement agencies in Tallahassee are bracing for potential protests at the Florida Capitol this weekend and early next week, although officials say there are no specific threats right now.
AdventHealth Offers Rapid Covid-19 Testing at Orlando International Airport
Travelers have a new option for receiving a quick and convenient test for COVID-19 as AdventHealth has opened a COVID-19 testing site inside a terminal at Orlando International Airport.
New Video Details Tense Moments as Capitol Mob Sought Out Lawmakers
New video, found in an archive of data uploaded to Parler, includes a fresh look at the mob’s confrontation with Eugene Goodman, the officer credited for luring rioters away from senators during the early moments of the Capitol riot.
Intracoastal Bank Announces 2020 Results
Total assets at December 31, 2020, were $483.6 million , up $139.3 million, or 40%, from $344.3 million at December 31, 2019. Total deposits at December 31, 2020 were $415 million, up 105.1 million, or 34% from $309.9 million , at December 31, 2019.
Bill Would Require Regular Florida Cabinet Meetings
Sen. Annette Taddeo, D-Miami, wants the governor to call Cabinet meetings at least once every two months. Taddeo filed a measure (SB 642) on Thursday that backs arguments by state Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, who repeatedly expressed frustration last year about a lack of Cabinet meetings amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Ask the Doctor: Securing Your 2nd Vaccine Dose, Why So Little Supply, Death or Adverse Reactions
Dr. Stephen Bickel answers questions about the short supply of Covid vaccines, the potency of the first shot and what happens if the second shot is delayed, where to get the second shot, and specific questions on the vaccine’s content, adverse reactions and other issues.
Flagler Kiwanis Donate New Sleuth of Bears to Sheriff’s Deputies on Patrol
The Club’s signature project “Bears-on-Patrol” was initiated in October 2019 to equip every Flagler County Law Enforcement vehicle with a supply of stuffed bears for officers to use when responding to calls ranging from traffic accidents, fires, and crime scenes, to domestic issues where a child is in a distressful situation and needs comfort and security.
2 Covid Deaths Raise Flagler’s Total to 52; State Emergency Management Chief Rips Federal Vaccine Rollout
Bob Snyder, who heads the state-controlled Flagler County Health Department, said he expects some more doses next week, but he doesn’t know how many, while the head of state emergency management blamed the federal government’s rollout, detailing its obstacles, in unusually blunt language for a member of the DeSantis administration.
Sedition Is Not a 1st Amendment Right, and There’s No Comparison With BLM Marches
Mob participants claim they were only exercising their First Amendment right to protest, and that Black Lives Matter protests and riots didn’t draw the same scrutiny. Both narratives are factual and moral frauds that hide behind liberal rationales to perpetrate reactionary lies and justify the unconscionable.
After Molesting Her Mother Years Ago, Palm Coast Man, 70, Accused of Molesting Her Daughter, 15
James Lee McIntire of Florida Park Drive in Palm Coast faces a second-degree felony charge of molestation of a girl who’d been in his charge and who stayed with him every summer for 10 years.
A Tale of Two Mobs
The second mob includes the eight Republican senators and 139 House Republicans who voted against certifying Joe Biden’s election, as well as the 17 Republican attorneys general who supported a bogus lawsuit to throw out the election.
Stetson University Receives Nearly $1 Million National Science Foundation Grant for STEM
The National Science Foundation officially awarded Stetson $999,823 for a project titled Cohort-Based Interdisciplinary Learning to Increase Retention and Graduation Rates of Undergraduate Students in Science, Technology and Mathematics.
Florida Bill Proposes Abortion Ban After 5 Months
Anti-abortion proponents are eager to test Roe v. Wade and other precedents in light of the the more conservative new make-up of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Daytona Beach Condo Sales Overcome Worldwide Disruptions in 2020
Despite the unmistakable economic impacts, ongoing uncertainties, and even a statewide shutdown of business for all non-essential businesses in April, condo sales and prices climbed much higher than expected across Volusia County during 2020.
Flagler Detectives Shut Down Bunnell Business Allegedly Used as Drug House, and Owned by Trafficker
Rodney Levon Hill, a 43-year-old resident of 17 Renmont Court in Palm Coast, was running a detailing business from a storefront on Hibiscus Avenue in Bunnell which the sheriff’s office says he used to sell drugs.
Leading Senate Republican Says DeSantis Hasn’t Been Forthcoming About Flawed Vaccine Rollout
Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, said during a meeting of the Senate Health Policy Committee that there is statewide frustration over the vaccine rollout and that DeSantis administration officials need to provide the public with a “clear direction” about the state’s plans.
10 Republicans Join Democratic Majority to Impeach Trump for 2nd Time Over Insurrection; Waltz Votes No
U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz, the Republican representing Flagler County and surrounding areas, voted No. He had been among 125 Republican members of Congress and others beyond Congress baselessly calling the election of Joe Biden fraudulent.
Covid Vaccine Now Available to 65 and Over at 4 Publix Stores in Palm Coast and Flagler Beach
Publix Supermarkets is making “a limited number of Covid-19 vaccines” available at four Publix stores in Flagler County starting now. But as has been the case with vaccines offered by local health departments in Flagler and elsewhere, all available vaccine appointments were snapped up as soon as they were made available.
Big Savings and Unexpected Revenue Allow Palm Coast to Hire 2 More Cops and Restore Raises Despite Covid
Palm Coast’s ultra-conservative fiscal management is allowing the city to hire two additional sheriff’s deputies, restore employee raises, and restore the city manager’s own raise, which he had declined last year on the approach of Covid’s era of uncertainty.