Pay for substitute teachers averaged $17 an hour in May 2020, according to federal figures. Assuming a substitute worked as much as possible – seven hours a day for 180 school days – that’s $21,420 a year, which is about one-third of the national average pay for full-time teachers. It is also below the poverty line for households with three people.
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Are Lawmakers Seeking to Censor Discussions of Race and Gender in Classrooms and the Workplace?
With such things as critical race theory and sensitivity training targeted, much of the debate and public testimony centered around the bill’s effect on schools and whether it would curtail frank discussions about United States history and race.
Interim Bunnell Police Chief Snead Speaks as Someone Who’s Staying, If With Cringe-Worthy Humor
Last week Interim Bunnell Police Chief Brannon Snead was adamant that Monday would be his last day. Monday came and went. He’s still there, and spoke at a promotion ceremony for three new sergeants as if he was very much in the picture–if with uncomfortable reminders of why his career at the Florida Highway Patrol was cut short.
Property Appraiser Will Hold Saturday Hours for Homestead Filings and Other Needs Feb. 12
The Flagler County Property Appraiser’s Office will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 12, at the Government Services Building, 1769 East Moody Boulevard, Bunnell, to accommodate homestead exemption filings as the March 1 deadline approaches.
Retiring Nice-Guy Approach, Flagler County Will Sue 2 Flagler Beach Property Owners Over Dunes Project
Facing an ultimatum from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the county will sue two Flagler Beach property owners to secure beachside easements necessary to allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to proceed with a long-delayed dune-rebuilding project along 2.6 miles of beach in the city. The county had been threatening just such action for 15 months, but was hoping to avoid it.
Explosion Rocks Neighborhood Around 28 Poppy Lane in Palm Coast; Investigation Ongoing
A loud explosion shook the neighborhood around 28 Poppy Lane in Palm Coast early this morning, drawing a response from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, a road closure and the summoning of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s bomb squad.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, January 27, 2022
The Flagler Beach City Commission meets and hears a report from its attorney on its nine-hole golf course at the south end of town, Neil Postman’s favorite quotes on science and religion.
Should Supreme Court Justices Have Term Limits?
Extensive research on the Supreme Court shows life tenure, while well-intended, has had unforeseen consequences. It skews how the confirmation process and judicial decision-making work, and causes justices who want to retire to behave like political operatives.
Belle Terre Parkway Resurfacing Begins Monday from Royal Palm Parkway to SR100
On Monday (Jan. 31), a contractor will begin milling and repaving the segment of Belle Terre Parkway between Royal Palms Parkway and State Road 100 as part of the city’s annual repaving program. The segment is among the most heavily traveled in the city. The project will take four to six weeks.
With One Exception, Flagler Beach Commissioners Leery of Alternating July 4 Fireworks With Palm Coast
Between logistics and tradition, five of the six members of the Flagler Beach City Commission, including the mayor, are either hesitant or opposed to giving up on July 4 fireworks even if Palm Coast wants to hold them on that day only in alternate years. But officials are also saying the whole discussion may be premature, given the impending disappearance of the Flagler Beach pier for two years, when July 4 fireworks will likely have to be in Palm Coast anyway.
County in Talks with Coastal Cloud to Buy $1.5 Million Parcel on A1A for Future Visitor Center
Flagler County’s tourism bureau is in discussions to buy a corner lot on State Road A1A and South 9th Street in Flagler Beach for a future visitor center. The 0.37-acre lot, owned by Coastal Cloud (the Hammock-based tech company), is listed at $1.5 million.
Dismissing ‘Slippery Slope of Censorship,’ GOP Senators Back Stricter Scrutiny of School and Library Books
The proposal (SB 1300) would change the review process for books and other learning materials, adding requirements and making it more open to the public but also enabling regular purges of book lists to align them with standards or if the books are considered out of date.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, January 26, 2022
The Tourist Development Council awards 10 grants for various sports events and conferences, the county’s parks advisory board considers waiving fees for teams seeking to use county parks, a warning from George Orwell about Tories.
Convict Slavery: The 13th Amendment’s Fatal Flaw
The 13th Amendment, considered one of the crowning achievements of American democracy, set “free” an estimated 4 million enslaved people and seemed to demonstrate American claims to equality and freedom. But the amendment did not apply to those convicted of a crime.
Judge Re-Commits Richard Dunn, Who Killed His Father in 2006, to State Hospital After Bizarre Incidents
Circuit Judge Terence Perkins termed the re-commitment of Richard Dunn, 61, to a state hospital a “close call.” A change in Dunn’s medication had caused him to act in bizarre ways that worried counselors and health care providers, because some of the behavior and hallucinations mirrored those he exhibited around the time he killed his father in Palm Coast in 2006.
‘Incredibly Manipulative’ Bryan Loveland Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison After Repeat Contempt
Since his arrest in 2017 on second-degree felony charges after he was accused of fondling the 12-year-old daughter of his then-girlfriend, Bryan Patrick Loveland has been engaged in a cat-and-mouse game that he’d been largely winning against detectives, prosecutors and the court: he’d managed to stay out of prison. That ended today.
Florida Lawmakers Look to Spend $400 Million on Broadband in Underserved Rural Areas
Flagler County, using federal stimulus dollars already appropriated, is enacting a plan that would extend broadband service to underserved parts of western Flagler County. But the plan still needs additional funding to meet completion. The state plan would potentially make that possible.
Ex-Deputy Dedorius Varnes Pleads to Lesser Charges of Aggravated Stalking, Faces Up to 5 Years in Prison
Ex-Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy Dedorius Varnes accumulated six criminal charges in two cases, including two second-degree felonies, and faced potentially up to 40 years in prison. Instead, he will be sentenced to two third-degree felonies and little prison time, if any, based on a plea he entered today.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, January 25, 2022
GOP Rep. Michael Waltz hosts the annual Academy Nomination Ceremony, this year held at the Flagler Auditorium. The county’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee meets, Etta James sings at last.
How mRNA and DNA Vaccines Could Soon Treat Cancers and Other Diseases
The two most successful coronavirus vaccines developed in the U.S. – the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines – are both mRNA vaccines. The idea of using genetic material to produce an immune response has opened up a world of research and potential medical uses far out of reach of traditional vaccines.
When Hearing Fleetwood Mac Is a Homicidal Red Flag: Dr. Wants Man Who Killed His Father Back in State Hospital
Richard Dunn, 60, who killed his father in Palm Coast in 2006 and was found not guilty by reason of insanity, had slowly regained degrees of freedom until last September when he started behaving again as he had before the killing. A judge has been holding hearings to decide his fate as he’s sat at the Flagler County jail since September.
Embry-Riddle Awarded $3,875,000 for Cybersecurity Scholarships for Students
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University this week joined a national effort to build aviation and aerospace cybersecurity after being selected by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to receive $3,875,000 that will be awarded in scholarships to students in cybersecurity programs over the next five years.
Breaking 8 Years’ Standstill, Flagler County Will Move Ahead with $16 Million South Side Library
The Flagler County Commission gave the go-ahead today for a $16 million south side library on Commerce Parkway in Bunnell, opposite the future Sheriff’s Operations Center, ending eight years of prevarications. But while several funding options are available, it is still not at all clear how the commission will pay for the 32,000 square foot facility, now slated to open in late 2024.
Except in Schools, Omicron Wave Crests in Flagler and Florida as Officials See End to Emergency
An end to the pandemic has been predicted before, especially after vaccines began rolling out, only for delta to obliterated those premature hopes. But several factors are converging in an indication that this time the crisis stage may well be on the wane, to be replaced by more routine infectious-disease management strategies.
Patient, Beware: Florida Among States Still Pushing Ineffective Covid Antibody Treatments
Unethically and deceptively–since it gives patients a false sense of security–several states, Florida among them, are still pushing the costly monoclonal treatments — often charging hundreds of dollars a session — that public health officials now say are almost certainly useless.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, January 24, 2022
The Flagler County Commission workshops more hopes and plans for a south side library, Richard Dunn is in a hearing before Circuit Judge Perkins, the Bunnell City Commission meets and, hopefully, discusses the turmoil at its police department.
Ending Child Tax Credit Expansion Is a Bad Idea
The discontinuation of the Biden administration’s monthly payments of the child tax credit could leave millions of American families without enough food on the table, according to a new study.
Jacob Oliva, Still a Flagler Resident, Is One of Three Finalists for Miami-Dade Superintendent
Jacob Oliva, senior chancellor of education and a former superintendent of Flagler County schools, is one of three finalists for superintendent in Miami-Dade, the nation’s fourth-largest district. The nine-member Miami-Dade school board will interview him for the job, along with two other candidates, on Monday.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, January 23, 2022
“Mass Appeal” is in its final performance, “Wait Until Dark” at City Repertory Theatre, Cornel West’s fabulous commercial for his philosophy class, and rights as people’s bogus consolation for their actual misery.
Behind the NFL’s Abysmal Record on Diversity
Given the impact of systemic racism across all elements of society, it is hardly surprising that NFL coaches, analysts and scholars – including those in media studies, sport studies, sociology, sport management, and behavioral science – point to systemic racism as a reason for the lack of Black coaches in the league.
Cold-Weather Shelter at Church on the Rock Will Open Saturday and Sunday Night
The Sheltering Tree will open a cold-weather shelter Saturday and Sunday nights at the Church on the Rock not only for the homeless, but for anyone who is without heat. Free transportation is also available along two routes.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, January 22, 2022
“Wait Until Dark” at CRT and “Mass Appeal” at Flagler Playhouse, Francis Bacon, George Balanchine and John Donne give us flights of fancy, Yiyun Li’s tortured child.
Why Russia Might Invade Ukraine, and Why the US Is Involved
Western countries have imposed mostly symbolic sanctions against Russia over interference in the 2020 U.S. presidential elections and a huge cyberattack against about 18,000 people who work for companies and the U.S. government, among other transgressions.
Republicans’ Historical Amnesia on Voting Rights
A Trumpified Republican Party that’s left the legacy of Abraham Lincoln far behind, is still flipping Democrats the Byrd as it stands steadfastly in the way of the voting rights legislation that’s now slowly and torturously making its way through Congress.
Federal Judge Slams UF Over Muzzling Professors: ‘Stop Acting Like Your Contemporaries in Hong Kong’
In a scathing ruling Friday, Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker blocked the University of Florida from enforcing a controversial conflict-of-interest policy that gave school administrators discretion over allowing professors to serve as expert witnesses in litigation.
Days After He’s Named Bunnell’s Police Chief, Walker Opts Out of Job, and Interim Snead Says He’s ‘Done’
There’s no public explanation behind Michael Walker’s decision not to take the police chief’s job. Brannon Snead is linking his decision not to stay to the effects on his reputation from revelations of what led to his resignation from the Florida Highway Patrol in 2016.
FPC’s Jim Gambone, a Math Teacher, and Nutrition Manager Judy Gallo are Flagler Schools’ Employees of the Year
Jim Gambone, a math teacher at Flagler-Palm Coast High School is this year’s Teacher of the Year in the district, and Judy Gallo, an area manager for Food and Nutrition Services, is the Flagler Schools Employee of the Year.
Senior Partner Marc E. Dwyer Wins 2021 Flagler County Pro Bono Attorney Of the Year Award
Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida has recognized Marc E. Dwyer as the recipient of the 2021 Flagler County Pro Bono Attorney of the Year. This award was given to attorney Dwyer recognizing his contributions to providing pro bono services to the community and championing the cause of creating access to the courts for the disenfranchised.
Bunnell Mayor Robinson Re-Elected; Ex-Commissioner, Police Chief and FHP Trooper Pete Young Runs Again
Bunnell Mayor Catherine Robinson, in office for all but two of the last 26 years, won another three-year term as mayor, and Pete Young, a former Bunnell commissioner and police chief, will run for a city commission seat, with two incumbents. Two Beverly Beach commissioners were reelected without opposition, but two Flagler Beach incumbents face one challenger in the March 8 municipal elections.
Flagler Unemployment Hits Post-Covid Low of 3.8% as County Exceeds Pre-Pandemic Job Totals
Flagler County’s unemployment rate in December fell to a 12-month low of 3.8 percent, matching the rate in December 2020. Flagler has now made up the jobs lost during the pandemic, and exceeded the pre-pandemic level, even though for all of 2021, unemployment in the county averaged 4.9 percent.
Opelka Falls to Canadian Star Shapovalov in Australian Open 3rd Round
The No. 23 seed Opelka and the Canadian Shapovalov, seeded 14th, both looking to make the Round of 16 there for the first time in their careers, split the first two sets before the younger Shapovalov pulled away. He broke Opelka’s serve once each in the last two sets to snatch a 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 triumph.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, January 21, 2022
Unemployment figures, “Wait Until Dark” at City Repertory Theatre, “Mass Appeal” at the Flagler Playhouse, Hutson and Renner on Free For All Fridays, an excerpt from Rebecca Makkai’s latest story.
Supreme Court Rejects Trump’s Blocking of Jan. 6 Documents: 3 Takeaways
In a legal blow for Donald Trump, the Supreme Court has indicated a willingness to protect a constitutional system that can ensure transparency and accountability by legitimizing legislative branch oversight over the executive.
House GOP Wants Lower School Board Salaries and Higher Scrutiny of Library Books
The proposal (HB 1467) approved by the House Education & Employment Committee in a 13-7 vote Thursday would require schools to post information about the selection of books and instructional materials on their websites.
20 Arrested in Sheriff’s Operations Targeting Local Drug Traffickers
Suspects in the operation range in ages from 23 to 69 years of age. One of those facing charges, Michael McIntyre, is already facing time in prison on a first-degree murder conviction for selling a fatal dose of illegal drugs. He is charged with Trafficking Methamphetamine as a result of this operation.
Palm Coast Clears Way for 2nd Self-Storage Facility in 24 Hours on Old Kings Road, Near Toscana
The Palm Coast Planning Board Wednesday approved a 155,000 square-foot self-storage facility on Old Kings Road, a short distance north of a facility the Palm Coast City Council approved on Tuesday. The two would be the 10th and 11th self-storage facilities in the city.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, January 20, 2022
Drug Court, “Mass Appeal” returns for a final weekend at the Flagler Playhouse, Federico Fellini talks to Dick Cavett, and a few thoughts on travel.
Will Corbevax, a Patent-Free Covid Vaccine, Be a Game-Changer?
There is still a glaring and alarming gap in global access to covid-19 vaccines. This should be of grave concern to everyone. But there is hope that a new vaccine called CORBEVAX will help close this vaccination gap. Unlike the three vaccines approved in the U.S. CORBEVAX delivers the spike protein to the body directly.
GOP Lawmakers Back Prohibition on Innumerable Ballot Initiatives
Florida voters in recent years have approved high-profile initiatives about issues such as raising the minimum wage and broadly legalizing medical marijuana. Such initiatives would be barred in the future if the House proposal is ultimately approved.
After Emotional Testimony in 1st Hearing, GOP Lawmakers Back 15-Week Abortion Ban, 12-6
The vote on the abortion-ban bill proposed by Florida Republicans came following emotional, angry and passionate words in the audience and at the subcommittee meeting table, where lawmakers had to make decisions based on dramatically opposite views.