The reopening will follow what the governor called “enhanced safety protocols,” but the governor and state agencies had not issued guidelines for hair salons and barber shops as of Friday.
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Terry McManus, Who Runs Flagler Beach’s City Golf Course, Wanted on Felony Insurance Fraud Charge
Terry McManus, the 54-year-old operator of Ocean Palms Golf Course, the Flagler Beach-owned 9-hole course, is accused of making up a bogus insurance claim and lying about a Caterpillar Skid Steer allegedly stolen at the golf course.
How Climate Change Is Contributing to Skyrocketing Rates of Infectious Disease
A catastrophic loss in biodiversity, reckless destruction of wildland and warming temperatures have allowed disease to explode. Ignoring the connection between climate change and pandemics would be “dangerous delusion,” one scientist said.
2 Suspects Face Felony Charges in BB Gun ‘Shooting Spree’ On I-95 in Palm Coast, Volusia and Jacksonville
Deon Jones, 21, and his girlfriend Tiyana Anderson, 22, are accused of shooting BB’s that shattered drivers’ vehicle windows and frightened them as they drove along I-4 and I-95 in Flagler, Duval and Volusia counties.
Economy Loses 20.5 Million Jobs in April, Unemployment Rate at 14.7%, Worst Since 1939
The April figures are an undercount, as they represent only a partial survey of actual job losses in April. Those losses are closer to 30 million or more, according to the cumulative total of first-time unemployment claims filed over the past few weeks.
Flagler Health Officials Pledge to Keep Up Covid Testing as AdventHealth Phases Out Drive-Up Sites
There is some confusion about how much testing should take place–2 percent of the population per month or overall–and whether it will be available to the extent recommended as society reopens. The guideline from the federal government of testing 2 percent is a monthly goal, not an overall goal.
Florida’s Universities Weigh What May Be an Altered Reopening This Fall, With Emphasis on Remote Classes
FSU Provost Sally E. McRorie told faculty members in an email that it is likely the school will only offer in-person courses that cannot be done remotely. Many universities are considering keeping at least some instruction online.
Richard Adams, Who Carried Palm Coast’s Water for 43 Years, Retires as He Worked: Quietly
Richard Adams, Palm Coast’s towering but famously modest utility director since 2003 and a presence in the city’s water infrastructure for 43 years, retired at the end of last week to remote accolades and an honorary flush.
DeSantis Is Right on Cautious Reopening, Wrong on Models
Gov. Ron DeSantis took a wisely cautious approach on reopening, but his caution contrasted with his ridicule of models that predicted grim outcomes for Florida in March. His criticism reflects a simplistic misunderstanding of models’ purpose, especially when they have their intended effect: to minimize loss of life.
Flagler Health Department and Palm Coast Mayor Recognize Heroes of a Pandemic: Nurses
The Flagler Health Department is joining Palm Coast and thousands of organizations across the country in celebrating National Nurses Week starting today and through From May 6 through May 12.
A Woman Disputing Social Distancing Rules at Local Clinic Clashes With Cop and Faces Felony Charges
It was an incident out of Covid-19’s unwritten playbook, escalating from a simple social-distancing request at the Florida Health Care Plans office off Palm Coast Parkway to a scuffle, a woman’s arrest and felony charges and an injury to a Flagler County Sheriff’s sergeant.
Florida Supreme Court Weighs Wording of Recreational Marijuana Ballot Proposal
An attorney for Make It Legal Florida, said the proposal “piggybacks” on a system resulting from a 2016 constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana in the state. Lawmakers and groups such as the Florida Chamber of Commerce trying to block the measure.
Lumber Truck Driver Killed, Woman Seriously Injured in I-95 Crash North of Matanzas Interchange
A lumber truck driver was killed and a woman was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash in the southbound lanes of I-95 early this morning (May 6), just north of the Matanzas Woods Parkway intersection.
Flagler’s Covid-19 Deaths Rise to 4 But New Positive Cases Slow as Broader-Criteria Testing Increases
Flagler’s deaths add to a statewide tally approaching 1,500 as one of the models most closely watched by state and federal officials revised significantly upward its estimate of deaths for Florida now that the state has begun reopening.
35-Year-Old Palm Coast Man Accused of Pushing His Daughter, 5, Off Her High Chair
Thomas Myers, of Blare Drive in Palm Coast, was arrested on a felony child abuse charge and two misdemeanor counts of assault and booked at the Flagler County jail on $4,500 bond.
‘Like Someone Went to Class and Didn’t Come Back’: Florida Universities Contend With Students’ Belongings
Universities across the state will allow students to have items delivered to them or return to campus at a safe time to pick up belongings. Some universities are even preparing to dispose of unwanted items at the students’ request.
The Joe Mullins Smear
Joe Mullins is a distasteful man whose behavior as an elected official is dangerous and should be held to account. But not by reporting as unsubstantiated as the allegations it’s based on. To play into them without strict and uncompromising authentication legitimizes them and gives journalism a bad name.
Eligible for Re-Trial, Dorothy Singer Pleads in 2017 Murder of Her Husband and Is Sentenced to 32.5 Years
She was eligible for a new trial. But facing daunting evidence against her, Dorothy Singer, formerly of west Flagler, pleaded to second-degree murder in the shooting death of her husband Charles in 2017.
Surprise Proposal to Raze Moldy Sheriff’s Ops and Build There Anew Introduces New Uncertainties in Projects
The Flagler County Commission chairman on Monday discussed the possibility of razing the building and constructing anew there–either a sheriff’s operations center or a south branch public library. That approach would nullify a recent agreement to locate both the operations center and a south branch library off Commerce Parkway in Bunnell.
At Gargantuan Feed Palm Coast Food Drop, Tears, Solidarity, and the Reality About Those ‘Late-Model Cars’
No government, no military contingent, no church or any other private organization had ever attempted what Palm Coast government and Parkview Church did Saturday: the distribution of 5,000 boxes packed with a week’s worth of groceries, and thousands of additional boxes of snacks and Easter candy, for families that streamed through the two drop locations.
Palm Coast Reopens a Few Passive Parks and Trails Monday as Flagler Beach Weighs Limited Pier Access
Palm Coast and Flagler Beach governments are reopening a few of their more passive parks, trails and other outdoor amenities Monday while keeping major parks closed and maintaining a strict focus on safety and social distancing.
More Than 700 Graduating Eagles Unite Online for Virtual Celebration
Spring commencement season is here and, although in-person ceremonies across the globe could not take place as planned due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University community has come together online to share, in spirit, the success of all 754 Eagles graduating in its Daytona Beach Campus spring Class of 2020.
Hair Salons, Barber Shops, Bars, Gyms and Theaters Will Remain Closed for Now
The governor said more consideration of employee and customer safety is needed before he can give the go-ahead for salons and barber shops to turn on the lights again.
Why You Can’t Always Trust Your Coronavirus Antibody Test Results
There are questions about how accurate antibody tests are. And even with a very good test, it’s possible to test positive for antibodies even when you don’t actually have them. Watch this video to learn why.
Florida Regulators Issue Permissive Rules for Restaurants In Reopening Steps
Servers and other employees won’t be counted toward limits on occupancy when restaurants reopen Monday under coronavirus guidelines, the state’s top business regulator said.
Palm Coast Plan Will Allow Restaurant Use of Sidewalks and Parking Lots For Less Restricted Outdoor Seating
Palm Coast government is devising a plan that, in its broad outlines issued late this afternoon, would significantly relax rules on restaurant use of sidewalks and even parking lots, enabling restaurants to place tables there and compensate for the loss of business they would otherwise continue to suffer if they were limited to the 25 percent rule.
Saturday in Flagler: 3 Massive Food Drops at 4 Locations In Unprecedented Reflection of Aid and Hardship
Thousands of families will line up in cars for food distributions at Palm Coast City Hall, Parkview Church, on Education Way off U.S. 1 and at Wickline Center in Flagler Beach in a day of aid reflecting the crushing needs provoked by the coronavirus emergency.
Graduates, Start Your Engines: FPC and Matanzas Will Have In-Person Graduation at the Speedway on May 31
Flagler Palm Coast High School and Matanzas High School will hold their graduation ceremonies on May 31 at the International Speedway in Daytona Beach following a committee’s work on devising an original plan to ensure a safe, in-person event despite the coronavirus emergency.
Brave New Covid World at AdventHealth: Your Car as Waiting Room, Phone Check-Ins, Mandatory Tests and Masks
AdventHealth physicians outlined how the system’s hospitals, including AdventHealth Palm Coast, will operate from here on, with significantly new procedures for patients, visitors, staff and physicians and a heavy emphasis on technology, social distancing and the isolation of anything Covid-19, including air.
More than a Fifth of Americans Unemployed as 1st Time Claims Keep Surging and Checks Keep Lagging
The total number of first-time claims filed in Florida since the start of the coronavirus emergency totals 1.6 million in a civilian labor force of 10.5 million, placing the state’s unemployment rate at over 15 percent.
Facing Bankruptcy, Flagler County Chamber of Commerce Prepares to Dissolve, Ending 60-Year Run
The Flagler County Chamber of Commerce board is meeting this afternoon to dissolve the 60-year-old organization as the coronavirus crisis tipped it into bankruptcy. The move follows several years of struggles, downsizing, and layoffs as recent as early February, before the crisis struck.
Restaurants Can Reopen at 25% Capacity, Many Restrictions Will Remain as Florida Moves to Reopening on Monday
Citing Florida as weathering the coronavirus crisis much better than many other states, especially those hardest hit, Gov. Ron DeSantis today said the state will begin reopening starting on May 4, except for three South Florida counties. But many existing restrictions will remain in effect.
County Elections Supervisors Describe Struggles With Felons’ Voting Law and Lack of Reliable Data
The state lacks a single database where felons, lawyers or elections officials can determine whether people have outstanding court-ordered financial obligations. Florida’s new but restrictive felon-voting law is the subject of a nationally watched trial this week.
Reality Check: What Antibody Studies Can Tell You — and More Importantly, What They Can’t
Coronavirus antibody studies and what they allegedly show have triggered fierce debates, further confusing public understanding, especially about fallacies about herd immunity. Here is some clarity and fact-checking around these crucial surveys.
Daytona State Earns No. 3 Ranking for Nation’s Best Paramedic to RN Programs
Daytona State College’s healthcare program has received another honor as the school’s Paramedic to RN transition program is ranked No. 3 nationally by Registered Nursing.
Business Group Report Estimates $859 Million Hit to Florida’s Economy From School Closures
Florida’s economy could take an estimated $859 million hit as a result of school campuses being closed for six weeks during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report released Monday by the Florida Council of 100 business group.
FPL Customers’ Bills Will Drop 24% in May, Resulting from Lower Fuel Costs
The savings stem from lower-than-expected costs for natural gas to fuel power plants. Utilities are required to pass along savings to customers when fuel costs drop, but the money typically goes to customers gradually.
AdventHealth Foundation Donates 5,000 KN95 Masks for Distribution During Feed Palm Coast May 2
Palm Coast government this afternoon took delivery of 5,000 high-quality face masks from AdventHealth Palm Coast’s foundation. The masks will be distributed to 5,000 families during the major Feed Palm Coast food drop on May 2 at City Hall and at Parkview Church on Belle Terre Parkway.
With $57,000 Raised and Tons of Food Boxed, Plan to Feed 5,000 Families Turns Palm Coast City Hall Into Relief Central
Feed Palm Coast has turned City Hall into a warehouse for a massive food aid operation relying on city staffers, volunteers and the donations of residents to feed 5,000 families with a week’s worth of groceries come May 2.
A Plea From Superintendent Tager To Telecoms: Students Need Reliable Internet Connections Across Flagler
As the Flagler school district went virtual in answer to the coronavirus crisis, it found that unreliable internet service in parts of the county puts some students at a disadvantage. Superintendent Jim Tager asks communications companies to address the gap.
2 Staffers at 2 Assisted Living Facilites in Palm Coast Test Positive as Local Covid Cases Rise; Antibody Tests On the Way
Flagler’s Covid-19 cases now total 127, two of them at assisted living facilities, as local officials caution against a too-swift relaxation of precautions or too high hopes on antibody testing on its way. The testing will be focused on health workers.
Rumor Control is Critical and Time-Consuming for States, With No Help From Trump or His Likes
In addition to battling the coronavirus, states and localities are spending time and increased effort batting down rumors and myths — everything from President Donald Trump’s suggestion last week that injecting poisonous disinfectants might help to rumors that National Guard troops are enforcing stay-at-home orders at gunpoint.
Michelle Parker Noller, 48, of Flagler Beach, Dies of Self-Inflicted Gunshot
Michelle Parker Noller, a 48-year-old resident of 1007 South Flagler Avenue in Flagler Beach, died of a self-inflicted gunshot Wednesday (April 22) at her home.
How Many Deaths Can We Live With?
The coronavirus emergency is raising ethical questions as communities reopen: how many deaths are we willing to live with, and whose deaths? The questions are at the heart of the debate on reopening, but are not being confronted honestly.
Anti-Vaccine Activists Latch Onto Coronavirus To Bolster Their Movement
While most of the world hungers for a vaccine to put an end to the death and economic destruction wrought by COVID-19, some anti-vaccine groups are joining with anti-lockdown protesters to challenge restrictions aimed at protecting public health.
Flagler Beach and County Reopen Beaches 24 Hours Sunday Morning, Maintaining Limits on Activities
Flagler County and Flagler Beach have agreed to reopen all 18 miles of beach in the county 24 hours starting Sunday at 7 a.m., while maintaining restrictions only on certain activities on the beach: “for leisure, no, for exercise, yes,” as Flagler Beach Police Chief Matt Doughney put it this afternoon.
In Flagler Beach, a Few Dozen Demonstrators Rally for Trump, Leaving Reopening ‘Amerika’ To an Afterthought
Some 35 to 40 people stretched along State Road A1A in Flagler Beach this morning in what had been dubbed as a reopen-the-economy rally, but proved to be mostly a campaign rally for President Trump.
Reopening Palm Coast: City Issues Cautious Plan Stretched Over Four Seasons, With Some Permanent Changes
Palm Coast government today issued a recovery plan that anticipates a three-phased reopening of the city and its economy over the next year, cautiously, gradually resuming mostly normal activities while permanently maintaining new norms such as the wearing of masks in public and re-configuring certain interactions.
Lost to Car Crash Last Week, Williams Family Will be Celebrated at Saturday Service in Palm Coast
Wilma Williams and her two daughters, Mozella and Kaleigh, 12 and 13, will be celebrated on the north campus of Palm Coast United Methodist Church Saturday at 11 a.m. in a drive-in service that will combine the requirements of social distancing with the ceremonial spirit of the solemn occasion.
Millions of People Face Stimulus Check Delays for a Strange Reason: They Are Poor
The IRS has had trouble getting money to people quickly because millions of Americans pay for their tax preparation through a baroque system of middlemen.