Robert Williams claimed someone had broken into his house on Westhampton Drive in Palm Coast and shot his dog. Sheriff’s deputies charged him with animal cruelty and firing a gun in a residence.
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Ride SunRail for Free Saturday From Afternoon to Midnight
SunRail is running a special service on Saturday, March 4, between 2 p.m. and 12:45 a.m., sponsored by Orlando Downtown Development Board. Ride free and save on parking for events in Downtown Orlando.
Palm Coast’s William McClean Faces Felony Drunk Boating Charge in Death of Thomas d’Aquila Last July
William S. McClean, a 56-year-old resident of Crain Court in Palm Coast, was charged with operating a boat under the influence of alcohol, a second degree felony, in the boating death of Thomas d’Aquila last July on the Intracoastal Waterway.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, June 28, 2023
The Freedom Readers Club at the Flagler County Public Library takes on For Whom The Bells Toll, The NAACP Flagler Branch’s General Membership Meeting, droning over America, the diversity of Congress, Rachel Carson’s Under the Sea-Wind.
Joe Biden, Press Evader
During Biden’s first year in office, he held a total of 10 press conferences. Most of those featured him reading prepared remarks and then leaving without taking questions from reporters. When he does take questions, he tends to call on only preselected reporters from – in his own words – “a list I’ve been given.”
Matanzas Student Who Attacked Aide Was Arrested 3 Times for Battery Before; Other Cases Examined
Brendan Depa, the 17-year-old special education Matanzas High School student whose assault of a paraprofessional at Matanzas High School school last week has drawn international attention, was arrested three times on battery charges when he was 13. His case recalls that other violent incidents that did not draw anywhere near the harshness he faces.
Challenged in Flagler Schools: Malinda Lo’s Last Night at the Telegraph Club, a Review and a Recommendation
Malinda Lo’s “Last Night at the Telegraph Club” is among the 22 books that a trio of “moms for liberty” have sought to ban from high school library shelves. A joint committee of Flagler Palm Coast and Matanzas high school faculty members and parent representatives meets on March 7 to decide whether to retain it or ban the book. The following review is presented as a guide.
Palm Coast and Flagler Want to Hear From You About Future Parks Plans Countywide
The City of Palm Coast and Flagler County Government have partnered to develop a Parks and Recreation Master Plan for the entire community. The goal is to hear from residents, business owners, special interest groups, and any other interested parties on what they would like to see included in future planning for Flagler County.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, February 27, 2023
Mosquito control, Life Skills program, Chinese Auction by the Ladies Auxiliary of Palm Coast, how NYPD Blue can teach the governor a lesson, Joan Didion’s Salvador, Hugo Black’s birthday.
White Saviorism’s Sordid Problem
“White saviour complex,” which has a long and sordid history, presumes that people of color, whether in the Global South or in the West, need “saving” from a white western person or aid worker, when what they do is ignore the role of western countries in encouraging inequalities and wars in the Global South.
Matanzas Student Charged as Adult with 1st-Degree Felony in Assault on Teacher Aide
Brendan Depa, the 17-year-old Matanzas High School special education student captured in surveillance video brutally attacking Joan Naydich, a paraprofessional at the school, was charged as an adult Friday by the State Attorney’s Office.
Nikki Fried Will Lead Florida Democrats in Hopes of Stanching State’s Bleed to Red
Fried will face a momentous task: To bring more Democrats into the fold, increase the number of Democratic candidates who can win races, and bring back a Florida that is at least purple, not red in the political scene. And keep in mind that DeSantis is considering a presidential bid for 2024.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, February 26, 2023
The 8th Annual Princess Place Preserve Pow Wow, Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village, The Hit men, at Flagler Auditorium, a Johnny Cash trio, and from the Journals of John Cheever.
Samuel Stewart and ‘Cancel Culture’ in the 1930s
More than 80 years ago, an English professor named Samuel Steward was dismissed from his teaching position after publishing what his college’s president deemed a “racy” novel.
CareSource Foundation Opens $400,000 Funding Competition
The CareSource Foundation Grant Challenge will award a total of $400,000 to Florida community-based organizations and nonprofits focused on demonstrating effective, practical solutions to address the needs of children and youth in medically complex care.
One Texas Judge Will Decide Fate of Abortion Pill Used by Millions of American Women
By filing a lawsuit in Amarillo, the Alliance Defending Freedom was almost guaranteed to draw U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a President Donald Trump appointee who worked as deputy general counsel at First Liberty Institute, a conservative nonprofit advocating for religious liberty, before being confirmed to the federal judiciary in 2019.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, February 25, 2023
The Flagler Woman’s Club’s Casino Night at the Italian American Social Club, Friends of the Library book sale, remembering Anthony Burgess on his birthday.
What the GOP Gets Wrong About ‘Woke Capitalism’
The notion of equal access to capital flies in the face of one of the central tenets of capitalism. The ability of different organizations to borrow and the price they pay is never equal. It depends on the risk of the investment and how many investors will take that risk.
Superintendent’s Fate Darkens as Sally Hunt, Board’s Swing Vote, Turns Agnostic on Mittlestadt’s Future
Flagler County Superintendent Cathy Mittlestadt’s future in the district became less, not more certain, with the school board’s latest discussion of her contract, which expires at the end of June: Board member Sally Hunt, the swing vote, is uncertain on the superintendent’s future.
For 4th Year in a Row, Flagler Beach Will Have No July 4 Fireworks
Flagler Beach ruled out an Independence Day fireworks show again this year, opting to partner with the county and Palm Coast instead, but there will be better-funded entertainment downtown to keep the celebration from being just “a drunk day at the beach.”
Already Serving Life, Carlos DuPree Is Convicted on Charges of Assaulting Jail Deputy
A jury on Wednesday found Carlos DuPree, 37, guilty of assaulting Flagler jail corrections deputy deputy Edward Wallace over a search of DuPree’s Koran in 2021, resulting in a five-year prison sentence in addition to a life term for home invasion that DuPree is already serving.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, February 24, 2023
The Scenic A1A Pride Committee meets, the killing of Orlando journalists, the essential work of journalists and other media workers, Ernie Pyle on war’s peculiar sounds.
Biden’s Border Crackdown Explained
The Biden Administration’s proposed rule change – which would see the rapid deportation of anyone who had not first applied for asylum en route to the U.S. – has been condemned by immigration rights groups, which claim it runs counter to the “humane immigration system” that Joe Biden promised while campaigning for the White House.
Former DeLand City Manager Mike Abels Will Lead Flagler Beach as Interim for Up to 6 Months
Two weeks after firing City Manager William Whitson, the Flagler Beach City Commission this evening hired Mike Abels, the city manager of DeLand for a decade until 2008, as its interim manager for the next few months. The commission had no choice. But based on his broad experience, it also could scarcely have secured a better interim manager.
Daytona Beach Home Sales Hit an 11-Year Low
Daytona Beach area home sales plummeted in January to low levels not seen since the last major recession. The last time Daytona Beach home sales started the year below 215 homes sold was 2012.
School Board’s Chong Demands ‘Safe Space’ Sign Be Removed Seconds After Decrying Violence at Matanzas
Flagler County School Board member Christy Chong had just decried a Matanzas High School student’s attack on a teacher aide there when, not a minute later, she demanded that a “safe space” poster associated with LGBTQ groups and anti-bullying be removed from a Matanzas classroom.
Daytona Solisti Chamber Orchestra’s ‘Romancing the Strings’ Concert Sunday
The Daytona Solisti Chamber Orchestra’s annual “Romancing the Strings” concert will feature a work that one music scholar called an “Everest” – Johann Sebastian Bach’s Chaconne in D minor.
Latest Attack on Home Rule Would Enable Suspension of Local Ordinances Subject of Suits
A bill in the Florida Senate would require local governments to suspend enforcement of ordinances while lawsuits play out. Also, plaintiffs who successfully challenge ordinances in court could receive up to $50,000 for attorney fees and costs.
Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Against Migrant Flights After Legislative Fix
A circuit judge dismissed a lawsuit filed after Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration sparked a controversy in September by flying about 50 migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. The lawsuit became moot when the Legislature this month passed a law addressing the issue.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, February 23, 2023
The Flagler Beach City Commission decides on an interim manager, drug court, Anne Applebaum on the war in Ukraine, a poem by Taras Shevchenko.
The Ethics of Home Ownership in an Age of Inequality
Despite the current state of the housing market, property is still considered a sound investment – at least for the limited group who can afford it. However, property ownership can have serious consequences on others’ lives.
State Agency Holds Office Hours in Bunnell to Help Residents with Post-Hurricane Permitting
The office hours will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 2 (Thursday) in the Engineering Conference Room (located on the third floor) at the Flagler County Government Building, 1769 E. Moody Boulevard, Bunnell.
John C. Hitt, Who’d Presided Over UCF for 28 Years, Dies at 82
President Emeritus John C. Hitt believed education transformed lives. The first in his family to attend college, he greatly expanded opportunities for students to earn UCF degrees while also leading the university through exceptional growth in academic quality and forming partnerships that remain critical to the region’s economic vitality.
School Board Chair Wants To Hear From Employees: Do You Want Armed Staffers on Campus?
As the Flagler County School Board nears a decision on arming some staffers on campus, School Board member Cheryl Massaro isn’t convinced that’s what employees want. She wants to hear from them before making a decision, and invited employees to use a district app or link to share their thoughts.
In Mayor’s Absence, Ed Danko Chairs Palm Coast Council Meeting, and the World Doesn’t End
With Palm Coast Mayor out for surgery, Vice Mayor Ed Danko chaired a City Council meeting for the first time on Tuesday. A former lightning rod of controversy, Danko’s handling of the brief meeting was entirely civil but for one interruption.
Matanzas High School Special Education Student Arrested in Attack of Teacher Aide
A 17-year-old Matanzas High School student was arrested on a charge of aggravated battery after allegedly violently assaulting a paraprofessional employee he accused of taking away a game he was playing. The employee was hospitalized.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, February 22, 2023
The school board meets today (not yesterday), the Atlantic Chapter of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State has its weekly chat group, a little Astor Piazzolla, a little Didion.
3 in 5 Long Covid Patients Have Organ Damage a Year Out from Infection
A new study published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine looked at organ damage in long Covid patients, most of whom were not severely affected when they had Covid initially. Organ damage was identified in 59% of participants a year after their initial symptoms.
‘How’s This Working Out for You?’ Judge Had Warned Duane Weeks Jr., Who’s Again Arrested
A judge had warned Duane Weeks Jr., the son of former Elections Supervisor Kim Weeks, to steer clear of trouble when he lasts sentenced him to prison. Weeks was out a matter of weeks before he was re-arrested, and now faces the prospect of a much steeper sentence.
City Approves Two Developments Totaling 382 Homes, in Town Center and Off U.S. 1
As home sales in Flagler hit a four-year low in January, Spring Lake at Palm Coast, now Reverie, got the go-ahead for 272 homes off U.S. 1 north of Palm Coast Parkway, and Palm Coast Seascape in Town Center was cleared for 110 luxury homes.
Commissioners Blame ‘Bad Planning’ as Cost to Replace Jail Security System Triples in Months
The Flagler County jail’s surveillance system, including 149 cameras, is not yet seven years old. It’s failing. The Flagler County Commission–the jail’s landlord–is having to replace it for $1.6 million, just months after the county administration told commissioners that it would cost only $500,000.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, February 21, 2023
The Palm Coast City Council meets, the Flagler County School Board yet again talks about arming staffers, a few words from Malcolm X.
Poland Is Policing History, and Distorting the Holocaust
In 2018 Poland passed a law punishing anyone who claimed Poles had any responsibility in the Holocaust. The law is intended to silence historians, even beyond Poland’s borders.
Plan to Expand Taxpayer Funded Private Education Advances as Democrats Sound Alarm
Florida House and Senate GOP lawmakers are fine with families of millionaires and billionaires utilizing public dollars to attend private schools, even if those families could afford private school costs and tuition.
Florida House Bill Targets Socially Responsible Corporations
The Florida House bill seeks to block government investment decisions involving “environmental, social and governance” standards, known as ESG.
Stony Silence as Commission Proclaims Flagler Reads Together and Book-Banning Title
A rather joyless Flagler County Commission designated March as “Flagler Reads Together” month as the Friends of the Library chose Celeste Ng’s “Our Missing Hearts,” a novel of a dystopian America that bans books and represses minorities, as its chosen title.
‘Historic’ Fire Station 22 Will Move to Colbert Lane and Make Room for Community Center Parking
The Palm Coast City Council on Tuesday is expected to approve ending the life of its oldest fire house, Station 22, on Palm Coast Parkway and building a new station on Colbert Lane. The plan is part of a larger design both to improve firefighters’ response times and to improve the dismal parking situation at the Palm Coast Community center.
Felon with Long Prison History Faces Stabbing and Home Invasion Armed Robbery Charges
Richard Westervelt, 31, of Ryland Drive in Palm Coast, got out of his last prison stint in August. He now faces up to life in prison if convicted of the latest alleged offenses, including a stabbing, armed home invasion robbery and burglary.
GOP Bills Disrupting Trans Youth Care Are Sweeping the Nation Beyond Florida
Republican lawmakers in more than half the states are continuing a party-line push to restrict doctors and other medical providers from offering some gender-affirming health care to minors, even with parents’ consent.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, February 20, 2023
To include your event in the Briefing and Live Calendar, please fill out this form. Weather: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 80s. West winds 5 to 10 mph. Monday Night: Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Lows in the upper 50s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Today at the Editor’s […]