Michael Klubock and his Malibu Foundation spent almost 20 years helping middle school kids understand the importance of protecting the oceans, especially against plastics. Frank Gromling showcases him.
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Best of the Best Reclimbs a Year of Sightly Heights at the Flagler County Art League
Whatever is your definition of art, Best of the Best likely satisfies it, from the symbolic or abstract to the cathartic, the socially engaging, the decorative or aesthetically pleasing. The show runs through July 11.
Thrasher Won’t Be Florida Senate President as Clearwater’s Latvala Lines Up Votes
John Thrasher, the St. Augustine Republican, now represents all of Flagler County in a newly drawn senate district. Sen. Jack Latvala believes he has enough support to claim the 2016 Senate presidency.
Wire Essentials: Double-Taxing North Floridians for Roads; Rubio Dithers
The Florida DOT wants to build toll roads in Northeast Florida, Richard Dawkins talks about Adam and Eve, Rubio dithers, Socialists win big in France, Michigan Republicans’ Vagina problem, Charlie Sheen returns, Diane Ravich takes on Mitt Romney, Havana memories, Michael Chabon on the stupidity of dreams, the wonder of books according to Carl Sagan, the cruelty of welfare reform, and more.
Heckling Obama
Neil Munro, a reporter for the Daily Caller, heckled Obama at the president’s announcement of a new policy regarding young immigrants. Munro’s behavior is indefensible.
Second Drunk Driver Hits Flagler Sheriff’s Deputy Car in 2 Days; No Damage This Time
Karolyn Harris, 22, of Palm Coast, backed into Flagler County Sheriff deputy Frederick Gimbel immediately after Harris was pulled over late Thursday evening, after she had carried out various odd maneuvers with her Chevrolet.
Florida and Flagler Back to Anemic Job Growth as Unemployment Stalls, Reflecting U.S. Trend
Florida added just 5,300 jobs in April, and the state unemployment rate would have risen back sharply had the labor department not revised its April figures to show a much higher unemployment rate than it announced last month.
Wire Essentials: June 15
Voter purge deja vu, tea party versus Ronald Reagan, quitting Microsoft in song, when Indianapolis was nuked, Romney’s bullying problem, Marco Rubio votes against food stamps, Fifty Shades of Gray’s origins, and more.
From Food Lion to Charter School: Deal Close To Convert Long-Vacant Flagler Beach Store
Jacksonville-based Florida International Language Academy has been on the hunt for a location in Flagler for its 364-student K-8, language-oriented school, opening in August. Talks in Bunnell and Palm Coast fell through, returning the company to the Food Lion location in Flagler Beach.
Drunk, She Strikes Sheriff’s Deputy’s Car Thinking She Hit a Mailbox, and Drives On
Colleen Comfort, a 45-year-old resident of Collingwood Lane in Palm Coast, thought she hit a mailbox when she nearly ripped the door off a sheriff’s deputy’s cruiser while the deputy was conducting an unrelated traffic stop on Palm Harbor Parkway Wednesday night.
National Spending on Health Rising to One-Fifth of GDP
Actuaries estimate that health spending will account for 19.6 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021, up from 17.9 percent in 2010. On average, 5.7 percent increases in spending are expected for each of the 10 years, although much of the increased spending will come in 2014 and after.
Stop and Frisk Follies
Stop and frisk is a constitutionally suspect police tactic that entails stopping and searching an individual for weapons arbitrarily. The practice disproportionately targets blacks and Latinos while yielding a minimal number of weapons–usually on whites.
Sarah Namdar-Yeganeh, 28, Flagler School Superintendent’s Daughter, in Critical Condition
Sarah Jean Namdar-Yeganeh, 28, the daughter of Flagler Superintendent Janet Valentine, was ejected from her car in a two-vehicle wreck on I-95 Wednesday afternoon.
Flagler School District Won’t Lift Facebook Ban, But Cracks Are Beginning to Appear
Facebook is blocked on Flagler County school district networks, though students and faculty access it anyway by bypassing the network on phones, and the district, which prides itself on technology uses, is considering lifting the ban during after-school activities.
Heroic Rower Lewis Colam Docks in New York, Completing 1,400-Mile Epic for Alzheimer’s
Lewis Colam, who had no rowing experience, took 100 days to complete his journey, which began in Miami on Mrch 3 and had him in Palm Coast, where he was warmly greeted, on March 20, for 34 hours’ rest.
Mormon, Yes. Christian, No.
“Being a Christian so often involves such boorish and meanspirited behavior that I marvel that any of my Mormon colleagues are so eager to join the fold,” writes David Mason.
Palm Coast and Flagler County Government TV Becoming Available on AT&T’s U-Verse
Flagler County, Palm Coast and Flagler Beach government meetings, along with school board meetings, will be available live on AT&T’s new U-verse cable system, which just launched locally.
Zimmerman’s Wife Arrested for Lying as Stand Your Ground Panel Opens Near Crime Scene
The governor-appointed Stand Your Ground panel held its first session near where George Zimmerman killed Trayvon Martin, 17, in February, and on the same day that Shellie Zimmerman was jailed for lying to a judge at a bond hearing about how much money the Zimmermans had.
Surprise: Palm Coast Hints at Building Its Own Natural Gas Fueling Facility in the Future
One of the reasons Palm Coast renewed its contract with Waste Pro was the garbage hauler’s pledge to build a natural gas refueling facility for itself and the city by next year. Now the city administration is suggesting that a city refueling facility may be more feasible, once the city is ready to move ahead with conversion.
Florida Prison Sentences Lengthen an Average Of 166% Since 1990, Most By Far in U.S.
Costing Florida taxpayers $1.4 billion a year, Florida’s prisons have some of the highest incarceration rates in the nation, too, even though the state still has the nation’s ninth highest violent crime rate, suggesting a poor return on investment.
Calling Their Tactic “Legal but Immoral,” Jim O’Connell Asks Flagler’s Write-Ins to Withdraw
In an open letter to write-in candidates in coming elections, Jim O’Connell, the former Flagler County Commissioner tells the write-ins their presence on the ballot will deny 40,000 voters their right to vote.
Thunderstorm Warning Downgraded to Severe Weather Advisory Until 5:30 PM
The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for northern Flagler County as well as northeastern Putnam and southeastern St. Johns counties until 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Facebook, First Amendment Rights and Employers’ Censors: The New Rules
Facebook’s big brothers: As employers develop policies to restrict what employees post on their personal Facebook pages, the federal labor board (NLRB) has found that employees fired or disciplined had engaged in “protected concerted activity” and were punished illegally.
Gov. Scott and Obama Administration in Dueling Lawsuits Over Illegal Voter Purge
The U.S. Department of Justice said Monday it will go to federal court to block Florida’s controversial effort to purge ineligible voters, ratcheting up a feud between the Obama administration and Gov. Rick Scott.
In Flagler Beach, 2 Men Accused of
Provoking a Violent Brawl Are Jailed
Steven Hoffman-Brown, 24, and Jacob Visconti, 30, are accused of attacking a dozen people, smashing out a car’s window with a crow bar, and rushing some of them with a truck, resulting in several injuries, including their own.
Judge Rules Flagler Sheriff Candidate John Pollinger Can Run as a Republican
Flagler County Circuit Judge Dennis Craig ruled today that John Pollinger, the candidate for Flagler County Sheriff, has been legally a member of the Republican Party in Flagler County since August 2009, and therefore can remain on the Aug. 14 primary ballot as a Republican.
Facing $5.65 Million Deficit, Flagler County Wrestles With What to Cut and What to Tax
The deficit was reduced to $3.65 million once commissioners agreed to use reserves and include a $1 million cut in the sheriff’s budget, but their debates got more heated on what services to eliminate or reduce, and what taxes to raise–or what new taxes could be imposed.
ACLU Lawsuit Challenging Florida’s Voter Purge
Two naturalized citizens and a Hispanic advocacy group filed suit in federal court Friday to block elections officials from purging the state voting rolls of individuals suspected of being non-citizens.
Gov. Scott Walker and the Pyrrhic Victories of Union-Bashing
Inspired by Ronald Reagan’s union-busting, the latest round in the war on labor is a self-inflicted wound on the American economy, where workers-union and non-union alike–have been losing ground for 30 years.
Beyond George Zimmerman: Five Stand Your Ground Cases You Should Know About
Although Florida was the first to enact a Stand Your Ground law, 24 other states enforce similar versions. Some of the most notable cases where a version of the Stand Your Ground law has led to freedom from criminal prosecution are highlighted.
Understated Slivers: The Unique Fragility and Vitality of Barrier Islands
Barrier islands such as the one that hosts Flagler Beach are fragile, diverse and play a vital, understated but often unappreciated role in coastal ecology and protection. Frank Gromling provides a tour.
Statewide, Democrats Fail to Run Candidates in 47 of 120 House Districts
Republicans failed to field a candidate in 23 House races, leaving either Democrats or no party or third party candidates to win those seats. But Democrats didn’t field a candidate in 47 of the 120 House districts.
Barbara Revels, Suzanne Johnston and Jay Gardner Are Re-Elected As Qualifying Ends
The 2012 primary and general elections will be heavily contested in all but a handful of local and judicial district races. County Commissioner Revels, Tax Collector Johnston and Property Appraiser Gardner are among the automatic winners who faced no opposition.
No Ruling on John Pollinger Case Friday
Flagler County Circuit Judge Dennis Craig’s ruling on whether sheriff candidate John Pollinger can remain on the Aug. 14 primary ballot as a Republican will be handed down on Monday at the earliest.
County and School Boards Ridicule Emergency Meeting Forced by Elections Supervisor Weeks
County Commission Chairman Barbara Revels called the emergency meeting “ridiculous,” School Board member Colleen Conklin called it “nonsense,” but neither commission nor school board felt it had a choice but to comply with Supervisor of Elections Kimberle Weeks’s demand that meeting be held.
Hazing Fallout: Florida A&M President James Ammons Defies Vote of No Confidence
The university board’s vote raised doubts about James Ammons’s ability to weather a series of scandals that have shaken the school, including a hazing incident that has threatened one of FAMU’s most cherished institutions.
Florida’s Voter Purge: There Is a Better Way to Ensure Accurate Rolls
Voter rolls to be as accurate as possible, but shouldn’t this be initiated through the 67 locally elected supervisors of election, who are constitutional officers? And shouldn’t this be done in a non-election year and in a non-redistricting year?
Prescription Drug Traffickers Arrested on I-95; Serial Burglars Arrested in Hunters Ridge
Steven Shrowder,24, and Cristina Hersh, 28, were driving to Jacksonville without seat belts when a Florida Highway Patrol trooper pulled them over and discovered a stash of narcotics pain relievers. Separately, in Hunters Ridge, two serial burglars were arrested.
Attorney General OK’s Flagler Beach’s Plan to Spend Sales Tax Money on Erosion Projects
In an Attorney General’s opinion, Pam Bondi wrote that Flagler Beach’s plan to spend sales tax revenue on beach erosion projects is authorized by law, but that the ballot language authorizing that sales tax may have to specify erosion projects, not just general infrastructure.
Best Way to Keep Florida’s Manatees Wild: Do Not Disturb
Manatees are experts at finding food and fresh water – they don’t need our assistance. Quite the contrary, they will do far better if we can give them a wide berth and keep our distance, writes Katie Tripp.
Pollingergate: In Motor Voter Registrations, An Applicant’s Former State Is Barely Relevant
When John Pollinger, the embattled Republican candidate for Flagler County Sheriff, first registered as a Florida voter in 2008 through motor voter, his previous registration status in New Jersey would not have come up, according to the motor voter process.
Florida Is the Most Corrupt State in the Union, According to a Federal Tally of Convictions
Based on U.S. Department of Justice data, Florida led the nation in the number of convictions between 2000 and 2010, according to data compiled by Integrity Florida, a non-profit research group founded earlier this year by former Florida Chamber spokesman Dan Krasner and former Common Cause Florida executive director Ben Wilcox.
Write-In Sham: How an Obscure GOP Group Is Disenfranchising 40,000 Voters in Local Races
Democrats and Independents would normally be allowed to vote in primaries featuring only Republican candidates. By fielding write-ins who have no chance or intention of winning, the Ronald Reagan group is locking out those Democrats and Independents by creating the artifice of a contested general election.
“The Wreckage Was Vast and Startling”: Ernie Pyle on Omaha Beach, June 6, 1944
Ernie Pyle on Omaha Beach after the D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944 describes a wreckage “vast and startling” along “this shoreline museum of carnage” even as he anticipates inevitable victory for the Allies.
In a Stunning Reversal, Palm Coast Council Bows to Acid Opposition and Kills Utility Tax
The campaign to force the council to reverse course was brutally effective against a council that appeared willing to ignore its own history and a year and a half of its administration’s work on the matter.
With Few Flagler Exceptions, Reading, Math and Science FCAT Scores Drop for Most Schools
As reading and math scores improved statewide in most grades, despite tougher standards, Flagler County students lost ground over last year’s results, and struggled to keep up with state averages.
Jim Guines Is Honored By the African American Mentor Program He Founded in 2007
Jim Guines, who served nearly 13 years on the Flagler County School Board until 2007, was received the Founder’s Award at the mentor program’s annual banquet Monday evening.
Lesbians’ Parental Rights Case Challenges Florida’s “Birth-Mother Only” Law
The lesbian couple’s case, now before the Florida Supreme Court, is unprecedented in Florida because the fertilized egg of one woman was implanted in her then-partner, who gave birth. The couple began raising the child together, but a legal battle began after a break-up that included the birth mother moving to Australia with the child.
Florida Youth Orchestra Festival Ends with a Free Concert
The Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestra (JSYO) hosts the Tallahassee Youth Orchestras (TYO) for a weekend of music and activities, culminating with a free concert open to the public on Sunday, June 17, 2012, at 2 p.m. at Jacoby Symphony Hall, Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts.
Verdict on Jeb Bush’s Education Guru: “Nonsensical, Confusing and Disingenuous.”
Matthew Ladner got a 2011 Bunkum Award for the research he has published while working at Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education, a nonprofit whose mission is to encourage Florida-style education reform in other states.