New York-based Bikepath Country has offered to give the state 30 percent of any revenue over 15 years in exchange for making signs and seeking corporate sponsors for the controversial program, which went into effect more than a year ago.
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Phil Robertson’s Edited America
Phil Robertson’s comments about gays, cloaked in religious dogma, touched off an immediate firestorm, but his observations about blacks in the Jim Crow South prompted an oddly muted response, though those comments reveal a man still living in a fantasy only white prejudice can construct.
FHP Trooper Is Shot in the Face Then Kills Assailants in Palatka; 2nd Suspect Still at Large
Florida Highway Patrol trooper Lawrence Andrew Litzell, an 11-year veteran, was shot in the face following what had started as a routine traffic stop in Palatka after midnight today. Litzell was able to return fire, FHP reports, and killed one of two assailants, Somourian Jamal Wingo, who had turned 24 today. The second suspect is at large.
Solar Panel Users as Freeloaders: ALEC Network’s State Lobbyists Attack Homeowner and Business Subsidies
According to the American Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative network better known as ALEC, our solar panels make us “free riders.” What? Yes, according to ALEC, an organization that specializes in getting the right-wing agenda written into state laws, people like me who invest in energy-efficiency and shrinking our carbon footprints ought to be penalized, writes Isaiah J. Poole.
Ryan Peeling of FPC One of Two Teens-In-Flight Students Admitted to Embry-Riddle
Two Teens-In-Flight students–Ryan Peeling of Flagler Palm Coast High School and Cora Rand of Seabreeze High–have earned admission at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University for the Fall 2014 session, with scholarships.
88,000 Floridians Lose Emergency Jobless Benefits Today as Congressional Deal Skirts By
The emergency benefits, begun in 2008 under President George W. Bush, were created to help unemployed workers who had exhausted their state jobless benefits during the economic recession. But about 1.3 million Americans’ unemployment checks weren’t part of the bipartisan budget deal passed by Congress last week and signed by President Obama on Thursday.
Lost on Christmas Eve, Rottweiler Is Found on I-95 After Pooch Alert and Search By Flagler Sheriff’s Detectives
A young female Rottweiler named Kayenne was back home Thursday and in good health after being on
the loose since Christmas eve. Kayenne was recovered and returned home thanks in part to the efforts of a few Flagler County Sheriff’s Office investigators.
Your Backpack Please: Florida Appeal Court Rules Legal Search Based on Anonymous Tip
A high school student who took a loaded gun to school argued that the search of his back-pack, based on an anonymous tip, was illegal. A 2-1 ruling of the Third District Court of Appeal disagreed.
Obamacare Dilemma:
High Deductibles vs. “Huge Fear”
Going without insurance “is like gambling,” says a 43-year-old social worker. But the high deductibles of Affordable Care Act plans make them a hard sell, as the plans sold on the exchange are not as generous as employer-sponsored insurance.
Fuel Truck Explodes in Collision With Another Truck on I-95, Killing One; I-95 Shut Down North of Palm Coast Parkway
A wreck involving two tractor trailers and resulting in at least one fatality shut down I-95 in both directions in Palm Coast at 3:45 a.m. Tuesday. Southbound lanes reopened at 7, but northbound lanes will remain closed as the roadbed has been destroyed by the fire.
Deloitte Defends Work on Florida’s System for Unemployed as It Faces $15,000-a-Day Fine
The $62.8 million Connect system went live on Oct. 15 and continues to pose problems for many users and headaches for Florida officials. Deloitte Consulting contends its contract “has surpassed the performance of the unsustainable systems it replaced.”
Palm Coast Man Charged With Raping 8-Year-Old Girl; Bunnell Man Charged With Statutory Rape
Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Gregory Selts of Palm Coast and Dante Mobley of Bunnell in unrelated cases between Dec. 19 and 22 involving the rape of children—in Selts’s case, a girl who claims she was raped when in first grade in Palm Coast, and in Mobley’s, the case of an alleged statutory rape of a 14-year-old in Bunnell.
Yes, That Too: Your Employee-Provided Health Insurance Costs Are Going Up in 2014
The new year will likely bring higher deductibles and co-payments, penalties for not joining wellness programs and smaller employer contributions toward family coverage, but Obamacare isn’t entirely to blame: it is only accelerating pre-existing conditions.
In Wealth of Heart, Flagler County and Palm Coast Firefighters Fulfill Christmas Wishes of 58 Children
Flagler County Fire Rescue’s Station 92 Sunday was transformed into a Christmas giveaway station for some 58 children thanks to county and Palm Coast firefighters who’d donated their own money and time to make it possible. The event was organized by firefighter Kyle Lockwood.
Conservative Pensacola Approves Domestic-Partnership Registry, Heartening Gay Advocates Elsewhere
The passage of a domestic-partnership registry ordinance in one of Florida’s most conservative environs has gay rights advocates cheering. But some social conservatives say the registries mean little in a state where a ban on gay marriage is enshrined in the constitution.
Putting Bach Back in Christmas
Rather than cheat Christmas by limiting it to December 25, WKCR’s annual BachFest is a 240-hour celebration of the holiday through the music of Johan Sebastian Bach. It’s also a front seat at the Creation.
Before Florida Made an Ass of Christmas, Philadelphia Gave Us a Founding Nativity Scene
The Rick Scott administration’s illiterate interpretation of the Bible and the first amendment turned the Florida Capitol rotunda into a comedy of absurd Christmas displays and discrimination, all of which could have been avoided with a reason and respect–for the holidays and the Constitution.
Safety Advocates and Sheriff Oppose 75 on Highways And Higher Speeds Elsewhere
Representatives from the National Safety Council and the Consumer Federation of the Southeast, along with the Wakulla County Sheriff say a proposal to raise speed limits will make roads less safe as motorists further surpass speed limits that exceed their ability to safely operate vehicles.
Unemployment Falls Sharply to 9.2% in Flagler, But County’s Workforce is Thinner By 1,000 Over the Year
There were 92 fewer jobs in the county over the month, and 82 fewer unemployed people. But the labor force lost 174 people over the month, continuing a worrisome trend that has persisted for more than a year.
Matanzas High Community Awakens to Suicide of One of Its Own, 9th Grader Dalton Coxwell
Dalton Coxwell, a 9th grader at Matanzas High School, hung himself at his home in Palm Coast the afternoon of Dec. 18. The school is responding to students’ grief with a stepped-up presence of administrators and counselors while a school board member asks that social media be monitored.
FDLE Arrests 4 in Two Convicted Murderers’ Escape Scheme, But Unanswered Questions Remain
The escapes of Charles Walker and Joseph Jenkins deeply embarrassed the Department of Corrections and raised grave questions about the state’s security measures, down to the office of the Orange County Clerk of Court, where the forged paperwork landed on desks that cleared the way to free the inmates on bogus reduced sentences.
Deemed “Grossly Offensive,” Satanic Display Is Barred from Florida Capitol’s Christmas Gallery
The state Department of Management Services on Wednesday denied an attempt by “Satanists” to put up a display in the Florida Capitol, which currently showcases a Nativity scene, a Festivus pole made of beer cans, posters from atheists, and a crudely-made Flying Spaghetti Monster.
SBA Officials, Not FEMA, Touring Palm Coast Damage to Assess Residents’ Eligibility For Loans
Federal officials are in Palm Coast today to assess the damage of last Saturday’s tornado, but they are not with FEMA, as the city previously said. Rather, they are officials with the Small Business Administration, assessing whether residents may qualify for loan assistance.
Sinbad the Comedian Brings His Different World to the Auditorium Tonight
Sinbad–the comedian who made his fame on “A Different World” and other stages but has had his shares of setbacks–appears at the Flagler Auditorium Thursday evening for one show only, at 7:30 p.m.
With 78% of High Schools Rated A or B, Tougher Standards Will Kick In Next Year
Matanzas maintained its A, making it the third A since the school opened in 2006. FPC improved from a B, earning an A for only the second time in 13 years. But a state rule calls for automatically tougher standards when more than 75 percent of schools in the state earn an A or a B.
Federal Officials Descending on Palm Coast Thursday to Conduct House-By-House Evaluation for Aid
Federal, state, county and city officials will be in Palm Coast’s B, C and F Sections starting Thursday morning to conduct an assessment of Saturday evening’s tornado and decide what financial aide, if any, may be released.
Domestic Altercation Leads to Arrest on Child Porn Possession Charge for Palm Coast Man
What started as a domestic dispute between Palm Coast resident Scott P. Ward and his girlfriend ended in an arrest the afternoon of Dec. 17 on a domestic battery charge and charges of possession of child pornography stemming from the discovery of allegedly sexually explicit images of a 15-year-old girl.
Marijuana Use Barely Up, Synthetic Drug Use Sharply Down, Along With Other Narcotics
The use of synthetic marijuana products and bath salts dropped sharply in 2013 among students in middle and high school as students increasingly see the products as dangerous, according to the most authoritative annual drug and alcohol survey, with marijuana use up slightly but most other drugs showing declines.
A Pope Gays Can Love, Blaming Homelessness on God, Christmas Pot and German Beer: The Live Wire
Pope Francis is gays and lesbians’ person of the year, Mayor Bloomberg blames homelessness on god, Florida again ranks as the most dangerous state for the homeless, Facebook goes commercial, the F-35 boondoggle and Mandela’s Invictus.
Eddie Johnson, US National Team Striker and Bunnell Native, is Traded to DC United
Bunnell native and Flagler Palm Coast High School graduate Eddie Johnson was traded to DC United on Tuesday, DC United announced, from the Seattle Sounders, where Johnson had played the last two seasons. Johnson had made 48 appearances and scored 23 goals for the Sounders.
Superintendent Valentine Will Not Return to Work; “Expedited” Search Will Continue
The Flagler County School Board will look to buy out Janet Velentine’s contract, which runs through June. An attempt to appoint Jacob Oliva superintendent fell short as the board decided to stuck with an expedited search and a Feb. 4 appointment.
Elections Supervisor Again Giving Palm Coast Grief Over 2014 Voting, Jeopardizing Taxpayer Savings
Tangled conflicts over realistically minor matter has been the context of Weeks’s relations with the city over the past four months. She’s not been wrong as much as disproportionately alarmist over problems that have relatively simple solutions. Minor missteps aside, the city has readily offered solutions. Weeks has not been as quick to accept them.
In Defense of Net Neutrality: How To Keep Biggest Internet Providers From Running Amok
Without net neutrality, the Web would look a lot like cable, with the most popular content available only on certain tiers or with certain providers: Imagine AT&T as the exclusive home of Netflix and Comcast as the sole source of YouTube.
Senate Wants to Make Florida “Scorched Earth” For Violent Sexual Offenders
The proposed bills would “widen the net” to apprehend, punish and monitor sexually violent predators anywhere in Florida. The proposals have bipartisan support and the Senate and House are speeding toward a comprehensive effort in both chambers.
Sheriff Seeking Help to Nab Thief of Laser Device at Palm Coast’s Fantasy of Lights Display
Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies are seeking help in tracking down whoever stole a pair of laser lights from the Palm Coast Rotary’s holiday fantasy light display in Central Park in Palm Coast’s Town Center. This year is the 8th year that the event has been sponsored by the Rotary.
Palm Coast Mayor Declares State of Local Emergency as Tornado Details Emerge
The state of local emergency does not release state or federal aid dollars, but it gives the city more freedom and authority to address the storm’s aftermath such as expediting permitting, scheduling more debris and trash removal than normal and applying for state support.
Cops’ Extra Presence in Palm Coast’s Tornado-Damaged B-Section Helps Lead to Hit-and-Run Arrest
Wendy Labell, 55, was arrested at her Baydside Drive home early Sunday morning when a sheriff’s deputy helping with the storm’s aftermath there noticed her driving her car erratically into her driveway–and matched the car’s description to a hit-and-run incident that had felled a bicyclist a short time earlier at Belle Terre and Palm Coast Parkway.
Holding a Candle to a Citizenship Oath
Twenty-seven ago today I was one among a few hundred Technicolor-skinned and Babel-tongued immigrants who jammed into an enormous hall in Federal District Court in Brooklyn and recited the oath of citizenship. A candle-lighting has marked the occasion every year since.
Warning Shot Bill: Public Defenders Back a Revised Version of Marissa Alexander-Inspired Measure
Polk County Rep. Neil Combee sponsored the 2013 bill after hearing about Marissa Alexander, a Jacksonville woman who was sentenced to 20 years in prison under the 10-20-Life sentencing law for firing a gun into a wall during a fight with her husband. Combee said her sentence was an example of the “negative unintended consequences” of 10-20-Life, which requires mandatory-minimum prison terms for gun-related crimes.
Palm Coast’s B-Section Residents Awake to Tornado’s Wreckage; Severe Damage Is Limited; City Ready to Help
Residents of Palm Coast’s B-Section awoke Sunday to a morning soggy with the wreckage of Saturday night’s tornado. One resident, who was hosting a birthday party for her 12-year-old son, compared the tornado to “a front on steroids.”
Possible Tornado Touches Down in Palm Coast, Damaging Homes in B and C Sections and Downing Power Lines; No Injuries Reported
Heavy winds, possibly a tornado, struck portions of Palm Coast’s B and C Sections at around 7:20 to 7:25 p.m. Saturday evening, damaging several homes, downing power lines and closing streets.
White Christmas in Bunnell: Snow Falls And Hearts Soar as City Caps Centennial
Bunnell marked the end of its centennial year Friday evening with the biggest Christmas celebration of its hundred years, including free barbecue, greetings with Santa, three musical groups and a surprise blanketing of snow.
Family of Four From Palm Coast’s Woodlands Among 32 Arrested or Sought for Pill-Pushing
The Bridewell family of 7 Blackberry Place in Palm Coast were part of a vast drug sweep Friday morning by the Flagler County Sheridff’s Office. The sweep targeted 32 individuals involved in one form of drug infraction or another. The sweep netted 19 arrests, all but one in Palm Coast.
Blogger Peter Schorsch Resigns from Florida Press Association After Objections Are Raised
Dean Ridings, press association president and CEO, said Peter Schorsch, creator and editor of the influential SaintPetersBlog, which is followed by many journalists, politicians and lobbyists across the state, was advised of the objections and that he “offered” his resignation.
They Don’t Only Shoot Them: Sheriff’s Deputy Bret Wood Saves Raccoon Stuck in Tree
When a 12-year-old student on his way to school this morning noticed a raccoon stuck in a tree on Palm Coast’s Florida Park Drive, deputies were called in, and as Animal Control would not respond, deputy Bret Wood used a car jack to pry the imprisoning branches apart and free the raccoon.
Flagler Schools Improve Graduation Rate For 5th Year in a Row, to 76.6%; Black Rate Lags
Flagler’s rate improves from last year’s 74.8 percent, and is up significantly from the 2008-09 rate, when it was 65.1 percent. But the graduation rate of 67.9 percent among black students continues to lag, adding to pressure on the district that it’s not doing enough to address a vast gap between white and black achievement.
Longing For Stormin’ Norman: How Obama’s Smugness Is Crippling His Leadership
There are leaders out there. The Obama administration administration has let us down by failing to find them. As a result, the task Barack Obama has left himself is to convince us that the Affordable Care Act is a winner, not a clunker.
Inquiry Into 4th Grader’s Suspension at Palm Harbor Charter School Raises Concerns of Arbitrary Discipline and Due Process
The Flagler County school district is investigating the case of a fourth grade girl who was suspended from Palm Harbor Academy, the Palm Coast charter school, for two days in late November without documented due process, and in apparent violation of school policy and safety standards.
Chris Molumby, 27, Dies From Injuries Sustained in Single-Car Wreck on I-95
Christopher W. Molumby, a 27-year-old resident of Palm Coast’s W Section, is in critical condition at Shands Hospital in Jacksonville following a single-car wreck Monday afternoon on I-95 just north of the Flagler-St. Johns County line.
Daytona State College Sets One-Stop Enrollment Day for Jan. 4; Online Tax Class Offered
With the spring semester looming large, it’s time for returning students and those new to a college career to lock in their schedule. Daytona State College offers an easy-access no-cost session on Jan. 4 to make registration a simple one-stop process.