The lower scores can have serious implications on school grades, students’ promotions and graduations, merit pay and evaluations for teachers. The state Board of Education called an emergency meeting for Tuesday to rethink its approach.
Going Nose to Nose, Palm Coast and The County Remain Split on Half-Cent Sales Tax
Palm Coast wants to keep the split of the half-cent sales tax revenue what it is today. Flagler County wants to change the formula, which would decrease Palm Coast’s share by $500,000. The disagreement is jeopardizing a unified approach on a sales tax referendum both sides say is critical to their revenue needs.
Small White Eagle Wildfire Monday Afternoon Flashes Bad Memories of Last Year’s Blaze
A wildfire broke out behind the White Eagle Saloon Monday at around 2:30 p.m., scrambling fire units from around the county and reviving fears of a repeat of last year’s wildfires, which consumed large swaths of the Seminole Woods area east of the White Eagle. But the fire was out 40 minutes after it declared itself.
She Stood Her Ground. She Got 20 Years. The Case of Jacksonville’s Marissa Alexander.
As Florida reviews its “stand your ground” law in the wake of the Trayvon Martin killing, Marissa Alexander on Friday received a 20-year sentence for firing a shot in what she claims was self-defense and her backers say was a case of her standing her ground.
Obama’s Come to Jesus Moment on Gay Marriage: More Buchanan Than Lincoln
One might be tempted to see in Barack Obama’s belated embrace of gay marriage a retraction of the infuriatingly compromising president we’ve come endure and a return to the audacious president we thought we were electing four years ago. But that would be projecting a fantasy on a cave wall.
Flagler 911: Pit Bull Attacks, Combatant-Roomies, Violent Sibling
A pit bull attack near Fischer Lane, a crash-and-run on Rymfire, roommates fight their way to jail, a brother assaults his sister at European Village, a car gets keyed on Karas Trail, and more.
Breastfeeding Frenzy
Time magazine’s cover featuring 26-year-old Jamie Lynne Grumet breastfeeding her nearly 4-year-old son is the latest revival of the old fervors and prejudices surrounding breastfeeding including, unfortunately, the sexualization of an asexual act.
Focused on Referendum, Flagler Beach Mayor Provencher Drops Veto Threat Over Bonfires
Linda Provencher, the Flagler Beach mayor, retreated from her threat of a veton on the bonfire ban because she wants the focus to be on a referendum, which she believes will show popular opposition to the ban.
Eric Zimmerman, Marine and Gulf War Veteran, 1969-2012
Eric Lee Zimmerman, 42, of Flagler Beach, was a U.S. Marine, a Gulf War veteran, a champion BMX racer and leaves behind a legacy of honor: an obituary.
From Pathways Academy and Matanzas High To Beverly Beach: A Sea Oats Odyssey
Students from Pathways Academy and Matanzas High School planted 750 sea oats along Beverly Beach’s dunes through a University of Florida project and the initiative of Beverly Beach Commissioner–and FlaglerLive columnist–Frank Gromling, who relates the story.
Florida Disputes National Report Card’s F, Based on Abused Children’s Legal Rights
The state-by-state study rated on how well states protect the legal rights of abused and neglected children in dependency court. It was conducted by two national child advocacy organizations.
Mayor Weighs Veto as Flagler Beach, on 3-2 Vote, Bans Night Bonfires During Turtle Season
The rare veto, which Flagler Beach Mayor Linda Provencher might exercise should the bonfire ban ordinance survive a second reading in two weeks, would nullify the ban, heightening the focus on a proposed popular referendum on the issue.
Florida Elections Official Places State’s Potentially Ineligible Voter Tally at 180,000
Officials reported earlier this week that they had forwarded the first batch of those names, about 2,600 to local supervisors of elections for further review and for each voter to be notified that they were on a list of people suspected of being illegally registered.
Eric Zimmerman, 42, a Veteran, Is Killed Crossing SR100 in Palm Coast Thursday Evening
Eric Zimmerman, 42, a Gulf War veteran, was crossing State Road 100 on the approach to I-95 when he crossed into the path of a Toyota SR5 4 Runner in the outside, eastbound lane of the highway Thursday evening. The fatal collision closed SR100 eastbound for two hours.
The Flip-Side of Voter Suppression: Not Everyone Needs to Vote
It is a staple in the newspaper business – especially left-wing newspapers – to exhort people to vote at every election. Conservatives, however, are more interested in quality than quantity, argues Lloyd Brown.
In “Love for Alyssa,” an 8-Year-Old Girl’s Heart For Life Is Unbridled in Kaczmarek’s Photos
“Love for Alyssa,” Jennifer Kaczmarek’s photography exhibit and fund-raiser at Hollingsworth gallery, opening Saturday, is an intimate, realist and daring portrait of 8-year-old Alyssa Hagstrom, who lives with a severe muscular disorder called arthrogryposis.
There’s Only So Much Palm Coast Government Can Do About Eyesores and Vacant Lands
From the Palm Coast Players Club to the Sheraton/Palm Coast Resort or Sesame Island, the city has very limited legal or financial means, absent much higher taxes, to take over such properties and convert them to something residents would prefer, argues city council member Frank Meeker.
Contending With a $300 Million Cut, Florida Universities Find Insufficient Funds in Reserves
State universities, including UCF and the University of Florida, are considering reductions beyond spending down reserves, the solution favored by the Legislature in debate over the plan this past winter.
Florida’s Metro Areas Still Lead the Nation in Foreclosures and Delinquencies
Prompted by tumbling property values and a large number of sub-prime loans, Florida has also been slow to get back on its feet because of a foreclosure process that on average takes more than two years to complete, according to report by a Washington -based coalition that is tracking the nation’s housing recovery.
County Welcomes, With Cautions, Bunnell and Sheriff’s Interest to Use Old Courthouse
Bunnell’s city administration has secured a $1.5 million loan that would allow it to refurbish the old county courthouse and move out of the county’s administration building, where it’s been housed rent-free. Refurbishing the annex portion for the sheriff’s uses would cost $5.25 million.
T-Bone Wreck at Winn Dixie on SR100 Sends 3 Teens to Hospitals
The 3 p.m. wreck at the entrance of Winn Dixie on SR100 sent a teen-ager with critical or serious injuries to Halifax Hospital, and two other teens to Florida Hospital Flagler.
Library, Carver Gym and Youth Garden Score Grants, Focus on Flagler Coalition Denied
Flagler County’s Public Safety Coordinating Council, in an annual exercise, awarded $55,000 to five agencies and groups on Wednesday, out of dollars accruing from fines levied on felons and misdemeanor offenders. The awards must be ratified by the county commission.
Second Elderly Plantation Bay Woman Dies After May 3 Wreck With a Truck on US1
Harriet Look, 76, died May 4. Diane Teske, 68, died on Sunday (May 7); they were leaving Plantation Bay when they violated the right-of-way of a pick-up truck hauling scrap metal. Paulo Rodrigues, the driver of the truck, is in serious condition. May
Palm Coast Looking to Add a Pair of Taxes On Electric Bills to Replace Stormwater Fee
For residents, the so-called “utility franchise fee” and “public service tax” on electric bills would almost replace the $8-a-month stormwater fee that appears on water bills. The city would likely raise property taxes, too, to generate $7.5 million a year to repair its crumbling infrastructure.
For Sen. Thrasher, FPC Visit Turns Into 3-Hour Education on “Unintended Consequences”
Sen. John Thrasher, at Flagler Palm Coast High School Tuesday morning, heard how legislation on testing and teacher evaluations is at odds with reality, vowed to study alternatives, and welcomed Flagler officials’ request to make public schools part of the reform game.
Matanzas Woods Battleground: Flagler and Palm Coast Clash Over I-95 Interchange Dollars
Palm Coast and Flagler County are battling over $4.2 million the city says it’s owed, and that the county has already mostly spent toward a new I-95 interchange at Matanzas Woods. It’s the latest in a series of city-county conflicts.
“Non-Profit” Internet Cafe’s New Stand: Hands Off Our Financial Records
Affiliates of the non-profit Allied Veterans of the World contend in a lawsuit they are not covered by state charity laws that would require them to register with the department and provide financial information.
Early Voting and Cost Pressures Cut Flagler Voting Locations By Almost Half From 2008
Supervisor of Elections Kimberle Weeks submitted a plan to the Flagler County Commission Monday that reduces voting locations to 22, from 38 in 2008, as more people are voting early. A few concerns about elderly voters and turnout were raised.
Joe Biden Outs Himself
Joe Biden unequivocally endorsed gay marriage in a Meet the Press interview Sunday, sending the Obama administration scrambling for its latest tangle in hypocrisy.
Dear Mrs. Nahirny: Tales From the “Don’t Quit” File on Teacher Appreciation Week
Every year during Teacher Appreciation Week (May 7-11), Matanzas’s Jo Ann Nahirny has her English students write thank you cards to teachers, and receives a few herself, which she’s always kept in what she calls her “don’t quit” file. She opens it up.
Fighting Obesity Like Cigarettes
America’s obesity epidemic has public health leaders looking at the war on tobacco for inspiration through more informative food labels, limits on marketing to children, and taxes on unhealthy products.
Non, Sarkozy: In France, François Hollande Brings Socialism Back to Power After 24 Years
Socialist François Hollande is the new French president, defeating Nicolas Sarkozy with 52 percent of the vote, and making the mercurial Sarkozy France’s first one-term president since Valéry Giscard d’Estaing in 1981
The Threats Are Out There: Asian Tiger Shrimp Invade Gulf’s Ecosystem
The Asian tiger shrimp, predatory and cannibalistic, is one of many invasive species being discovered in the Gulf of Mexico and possibly along Florida’s East Coast, that threaten local habitats and fisheries. Frank Gromling reports from New Orleans.
Camper-Hauling SUV Flips on I-95 in Palm Coast, Hurting Two; 5 Dogs Also Rescued
An SUV hauling a 25-foot camper lost control about a mile past the intersection with Palm Coast Parkway after 11 a.m. and flipped both SUV and the camper into a ditch, hurting two people in the SUV. No other vehicle was involved.
Bonfire Embers Still Crackling in Flagler Beach As 2 Commissioners Plan Clashing Initiatives
Saying she doesn’t want to abdicate her role, Commissioner Kim Carney wants to force an up-or-down vote on bonfires on the beach regardless of a proposed referendum, while Commission Chairman Jane Mealy seeks approval for a bonfire permitting structure that Carney strongly opposes.
Think Fast: “Explaining Stroke,” a Free Seminar at Florida Hospital Flagler May 16
On Wednesday, May 16, Florida Hospital Flagler is offering a free seminar, “Explaining Stroke,” featuring Board-Certified Neurologist Dr. Jose Garcia. The free seminar begins at 1 p.m. at the hospital, at 60 Memorial Medical Parkway, in Classrooms A, B and C.
GOP National Convention in Tampa: There Will Be Guns
All sorts of weapons that can cause harm are banned in Downtown Tampa for the GOP National Convention in August, except for guns, by order of Gov. Rick Scott and in compliance with a new Florida law forbidding cities from enacting stricter gun regulations than the state.
Disappointing Numbers Again as U.S. Economy Adds Only 115,000 Jobs; Unemployment at 8.1%
The national economy added only 115,000 jobs in April, adding to March’s disappointing numbers and renewing fears that the economy may be stalling, as it did last spring. The unemployment rate fell to 8.1 percent, a slight improvement.
John Pollinger’s GOP Ballot Status In Question Over Dual Registration
John Pollinger, a Democrat in New Jersey until his move to Palm Coast, blames a small cabal of local Republicans for attempting to derail his candidacy for Flagler County Sheriff, but Florida law appears to support the claim that his previous registration disqualified his bid as a Republican.
For Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre, A Nuclear Drama to End a Radiant First Season
“The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds” is a terrible title but wonderful play, a wrenching, angry drama with comedic elements that caps the City Repertory Theatre’s first season at Hollingsworth Gallery, with six performances this weekend and the next.
Added Security at FPC as District Contends With Rumors of a Friday Face-Off on Campus
The school district and the Sheriff’s Office are beefing up security at Flagler Palm Coast High School in response to a rumored confrontation on campus Friday, spilling over from a confrontation at Ralph Carter Park last Sunday. The superintendent stressed that there was no hard evidence of such a confrontation.
School Board’s Colleen Conklin Calls for “Task Force” on Gangs, But Aim Is Vague
As district officials said that something similar to a task force is already in place, Colleen Conklin said whatever is in place isn’t working, but she was less specific about what ought to replace it, and with what measurable aims.
Basketball Rolls Onto Neighbor’s Property. Neighbor Takes Out a Glock .45 and Shoots.
In the latest in a series of gun incidents in Palm Coast, a 56-year-old man shot into the ground at his Providence Lane yard to scare a 16-year-old boy whose basketball had rolled onto the man’s property. The man said he was seeking to scare drug dealers.
Progress Energy’s Nukes Plant Costs and Delays Escalate, But Customers Must Still Pay Ahead
A controversial Progress Energy Florida project to build two nuclear reactors in Levy County will not start producing electricity until 2024 — and likely will cost between $19 billion and $24 billion, the company now says, but customers will still have to pay for them now.
Wes Adams, Student School Board Member, Is Recognized for “Swiss Army Knife” Dexterity
Wesley Adams, who represented students on the Flagler County School Board this year, was named All-American by U.S. Lacrosse, the national governing board of the sport, after becoming one of FPC’s leading scorers in the last four years.
Fake Gun. Real Fear. Small Consequence: A Mother’s Outrage at Flagler Schools’ Response
On March 2, Gloria Kollosch’s son and a friend left Matanzas High School on their bikes, and had a confrontation with other Matanzas boys, who brandished a gun–a fake gun, which they thought was real. The school district responded with a slap on the wrist, calling the incident a “prank,” and blatantly contradicting its own Code of Conduct, Kollosch argues.
Pre-Trial Hearing for William Merrill, Who Shot His Wife, Delayed 90 Days
The first pre-trial conference for William Carson Merrill, who shot his 30-year-old wife with an AK-47 in February, accidentally, was delayed three months when Merrill’s attorney asked for a continuance before Flagler County Circuit Judge Raul Zambrano Tuesday.
News-Journal Slows Circulation Decline While Other Newspapers Tout Web Editions’ Growth
The decline, while slower than in previous years, continued at the Daytona Beach News-Journal, with average weekday circulation falling to 2.3 percent in the period ending March 31, and 1.5 percent on Sundays.
Citing Its “Uses and Abuses,” Rival Task Forces Duel Over Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law
As Gov. Rick Scott’s Stand Your Ground task force is criticized for being loaded with NRA and SYG advocates, a rival panel led by Sen. Chris Smith issues its recommendations on amending–not repealing–the law.
Violent Crime Rise and Record Number of Aggravated Assaults Dim Flagler’s Overall Drop
Although the overall crime rate declined 4.2 percent for the second successive year in 2011, violent crime increased in every single one of the four categories–rape, robbery, murder and aggravated assault, led by crime increase in Bunnell. The numbers will give fodder to Don Fleming and his opponents in this year’s race for sheriff.