A disconnect is developing between the Flagler County School Board and a proposed state law to push middle and high school start times later. The Flagler board favors a later start time for middle schools. But it’s pushing an earlier start time for high schools.
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Road Rage Stabbing on I-95 Leads to Arrest of Felon Out on Bond for Another Stabbing
Michael Marsh Jr., who faces a felony charge stemming from the stabbing of a truck driver on I-95, is a felon many times over in the past dozen years and a former state prison inmate who was out on bond at the time of the road rage incident–on an aggravated battery charge involving a stabbing.
Campaigning in Iowa, DeSantis Says Culture War Offensive Will Help GOP Elections
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told Iowa Republicans Friday that standing strong in the culture wars around issues like education, criminal justice and health care in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic will help their party win elections.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, March 13, 2023
A Flagler County School District Review Committee judges “The Nowhere Girls,” the Bunnell City Commission meets, Bach’s forth piano partita, banning Jack Kerouac.
Jehovah’s Witnesses: A Look at an Often Misunderstood Sect
In many countries, Jehovah’s Witnesses are known for their outreach work, going door to door or standing in public areas to try to distribute religious material. But many people are unfamiliar with their beliefs, and when the group makes headlines, it is often for reasons related to persecution abroad. So who are they?
How Cupcake Café’s TikTok of Mr Keith’s Surgical Cake Order Went Viral in Whirls of Good Wishes
TikTok clips by Theresa Tazewell, owner of Cupcake Cafe in Palm Coast, went viral as she documented customer Keith’s wish to pay for his wife’s birthday cake in advance for fear that he might die during surgery. He survived, and was lavished with millions of good wishes from a round the globe through Tazewell’s TikToks.
Michael Rickman Performs Beethoven’s 2nd Piano Concerto in Daytona Solisti’s Final Concert
The Daytona Solisti Chamber Orchestra’s annual Beethovenfest concert on March 26 will celebrate Ludwig van Beethoven with the first full-length orchestral piece the composer ever wrote: Piano Concerto No. 2, featuring pianist Dr. Michael Rickman, an internationally acclaimed pianist.
Florida House Advances Proposal to Renew Medical Pot Cards by Telehealth
A Florida House panel on Thursday unanimously signed off on a proposal that would allow doctors to renew patients’ medical-marijuana approvals using telehealth.
Severe Thunderstorm Potential Sunday Night Into Monday
A Low-pressure system and accompanying cold front will generate strong to severe thunderstorms Sunday afternoon into Monday in Northeast Florida and Southwest Georgia. The squall line is expected over Flagler County between 11 p.m. this evening and 8 a.m. Monday. after 7 p.m.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, March 12, 2023
Swingtime: The Jive Aces at the Auditorium, another day of the Strawberry Festival, Trinity Handbell Choir and Friends in Concert, when the good times were over at The Ledger.
Why the Job Market Is Still On Fire Despite Fed’s Hosing
The U.S. economy added 311,000 jobs in February, higher than economists were forecasting, keeping unemployment near the lowest level in over 50 years, despite the most aggressive pace of interest rate hikes since the 1980s. Why?
Iowa Outdoes Florida’s ‘Parental Rights’ Abuses
GOP lawmakers pushing a “parental rights” agenda nevertheless think it’s just fine for gun owners to leave loaded weapons in cars in school parking lots, to loosen child labor laws, to cut unemployment benefits for parents with more than three children.
A Motorcyclist Is Killed, Another Is Critically Injured in Separate Crashes in Flagler
As Bike Week was entering its closing weekend, a motorcyclist was killed and another was critically injured Friday in separate crashes in Flagler County, the first in Palm Coast, the second in Bunnell.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, March 11, 2023
The Annual Strawberry festival in Palm Coast’s Central Park, Gamble Jam, a bounty of pandemics, Tucker Carlson’s shtick, Yankees v. Southerners in the trenches.
Barbie’s Endurance More Than 60 Years On
Sixty-four years on, Barbie continues to be the subject of cultural, sociological and psychological interest. By creating an iconic brand with special meaning for fans of all ages toy company Mattel has successfully extended the lifecycle of the Barbie brand for well over half a century. Barbie is also a polarizing, paradoxical figure.
Challenged in Flagler Schools: Amy Reed’s The Nowhere Girls, a Review and Recommendation
Amy Reed’s “The Nowhere Girls,” a 2017 novel on high school rape culture and three girls’ attempt to counter it, is a #MeToo manifesto for young adults. It’s up for banning from Flagler schools. This review is a guide.
Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin Seeks Resident’s Vision of City’s Future
The City of Palm Coast is announces ‘Share with the Mayor,’ an all-new initiative to get residents involved in planning and building the future of Palm Coast for tomorrow and beyond.
Vast Expansion of Public Funding of Private Education Heads for House Floor
A proposal that would make all Florida students eligible to receive taxpayer-backed school vouchers is headed to the full House, after getting some changes Friday. The Republican-controlled House Education Quality Subcommittee approved the proposal (HB 1) in a near party-line vote.
Two Suspects Fleeing From Cops on US1 Left 2 Dogs in Burning Vehicle. One Died.
The man and the woman fleeing from cops in a stolen pick-up truck Thursday on U.S. 1 abandoned the truck on fire and ran into the woods before being chased down and arrested. But they’d left their two dogs in the burning truck. One died, the other dog disappeared.
The Winner of a Historic Landslide and Prodigal Everyman Get Busy on Diverse Flagler Beach Commission
The Flagler Beach City Commission reconstituted with Scott Spradley and Rick Belhumeur Thursday. As a group, and with Jane Mealy still its reigning dean, the commission combines experience and youth, business, law, academia, real estate, labor and Belhumeur’s Everyman.
Future Ballot Measure May Ask Voters Whether School Board Races Should Be Partisan
Some Florida GOP lawmakers want to see if voters think local school boards should be partisan — meaning school board members could be Democrats, Republicans, or another signifier of political alignments.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, March 10, 2023
LGBTQ+ Night at Flagler Beach’s Coquina Coast Brewing Company, the Blue 22 Forum, a dissent on cheerleaders, Matt Friend.
School Board’s Sally Hunt Claims That She Resigned, Then, Bizarrely, Retracts the Claim
Sally Hunt claimed this evening in her own words that she had resigned her Flagler County School Board seat, four months after her election. It was not necessarily true. Hunt has appeared increasingly conflicted by the glare she’s been attracting recently, glare only likely to intensify after the conduct she exhibited this evening.
Stolen Pick-Up Truck Burns on U.S. 1 Near Hargrove Grade as Occupants Flee Intense Chase
The report of a stolen pick-up truck Volusia County and heading into Flagler led to a chase in the county, where the occupants abandoned the truck, on fire, near Hargrove Grade on U.S. 1, triggering a foot pursuit that continues as of now. The incident has drawn a very large police response and some traffic controls on U.S. 1.
Teens-In-Flight Makes Plane-Piloting Dream Come True for Terminally Ill 16 Year Old
Austin Booth has been afflicted with numerous illnesses since birth and was given only eight or nine years to live. He’s now 16, and last week he took off from Flagler County airport at the controls of a Teens-in-Flight Cessna, making a lifetime’s dream come true.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, March 9, 2023
Rick Belhumeur and Scott Spradley are sworn-in at the Flagler Beach City Commission for three-year terms, the Palm Coast Democratic Club discusses the Legislature’s planned expansion of funding private education with public dollars, Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series.
When Asked, Voters Typically Reject School Choice Proposals
Of those 121 school voucher or charter programs in 45 states, only two have been approved by voters. In 16 referendums, the proposals have failed 14 times.
School Board Will Decide Superintendent’s Fate in April as Back-Channel Jockeying Intensifies
The Flagler County School Board agreed to vote on whether to extend or not renew Superintendent Cathy Mittlestadt’s contract on April 18, but each member will have filed evaluations and discussed them by April 4, when the superintendent’s fate should be clearer.
Lawmakers Seek to Cut Florida’s Abortion Ban to 6 Weeks, from Current 15
Much of the bills would be contingent on the Supreme Court effectively upholding the 15-week law. The current limit has drawn criticism because it does not include exemptions for victims of rape or incest.
Florida Lawmakers Fast-Tracking Bill Eliminating Unanimous Jury Requirements in Death Penalty
The House measure would require judges to impose death sentences if recommended by at least eight jurors. That differs from the Senate bill, which would require death sentences if at least 10 jurors recommend the death penalty.
Palm Coast’s Curley Tail Design Celebrates 25 Years in Business
Since 1998 Curleytail Design’s Kim Fizgeraldand has created branding, logo design, business cards, brochures, direct mail campaigns and more for thousands of local businesses. The company is pleased to be celebrating 25 years in business this month.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Separation Chat, Weekly Chess Club for Teens at the public library, Ronald Reagan’s Evil Empire speech, Amy Reed’s Nowhere Girls.
Springing Time Forward Is Bad for Your Health
Researchers are discovering that “springing ahead” each March is connected with serious negative health effects, including an uptick in heart attacks and teen sleep deprivation. In contrast, the fall transition back to standard time is not associated with these health effects, as my co-authors and I noted in a 2020 commentary.
His Sights Well Past Tallahassee, DeSantis Vows to ‘Swing for the Fences’
While the State of the State address is always a high-profile event in Tallahassee, DeSantis’ speech Tuesday drew national attention as he is widely expected to run for president in 2024.
Scott Spradley Wins Big in Flagler Beach, Belhumeur Is ‘Re-Commissioned,’ Defeating Incumbent Phillips
Attorney Scott Spradley won election to the Flagler Beach City Commission by a large margin Tuesday, an unsurprising result from an electorate looking for the analytical cool-headed approach Spradley represents, after a turbulent year in the city and the recent firing of a city manager.
Yet Another Book Survives Ban as 2 Flagler High School Panels Vote to Keep Novel of McCarthy Era
A joint high school committee’s decision today to retain Malida Lo’s “Last Night at the Telegraph Club” was the sixth book in a row in about as many weeks that survived a challenge either on MHS or joint MHS-FPC school-level committees, or at the district-level appeals committee.
Battle Over Vacation Rentals Resumes as Flagler Resists Lesser Regulation for 9th Year
For nine years, vacation-rental regulations in Flagler County have survived unscathed even as the short-term rental industry continues to grow in popularity and clout. Each year, local officials fear that era of local control may be over, as lawmakers attempt to pass de-regulation bills. This year is no different.
Annual Mental Health Summit Set for March 29 at St. Augustine Amphitheatre
The third annual BRAVE Summit, a free event for teens that aims to break the stigma surrounding mental health, will the held on March 29, 2023, at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre. The event, hosted by Flagler Health+, is free and open to all high school students throughout Florida.
‘Our Ambitious Agenda Is Well Underway,’ Renner tells Joint Legislative Session
House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, made remarks to the House on the opening day of the 2023 legislative session. Sheriff Rick Staly and the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard were Renner’s guests.
22-Year-Old Man Dies in Motorcycle Crash on John Anderson Highway
A 22-year-old Coshocton, Ohio man lost his life in a single motorcycle crash between 2 and 3 this morning (March 7) on John Anderson Highway, north of Bridle Ridge Court/Trotters Lane.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, March 7, 2023
The school board and the Palm Coast Council meet, another school-level book-review committee meets, trigger warnings on trigger warnings, Massimo Vignelli’s subway map, Joan Didion’s Salvador.
Drag Show Curbs Likely Violate First Amendment
Republican lawmakers in numerous states, including Florida, seek to restrict or eliminate events like drag shows and drag story hours. These efforts have been accompanied by inflammatory rhetoric not grounded in fact about the need to protect children from “grooming” and sexually explicit performances.
District Appeals Committee Votes Unanimously to Keep Sold on High School and Middle School Shelves
An 11-member district-wide appeals committee this evening voted to uphold two school-based committees’ decisions to keep “Sold,” the fictional story of a 13-year-old girl trafficked into sexual slavery, on the library shelves at high and middle schools.
No Evidence Links Wind Turbines to Whale Deaths, But Ship Strikes May
A string of articles from local and national outlets have linked wind development and dead whales over the past several months, but there is no evidence linking the two. On the other hand, there has been an increase in whale deaths linked to shipping strikes.
Former Matanzas High Student, 16, Charged as Adult in Alleged Sex Assault of Girl During Class
When Marshall Thomas, 16, was arrested on charges of stealing guns and making written threats to kill in January, authorities did not disclose that he had months earlier been arrested on a sexual assault charge involving a 15-year-old student at Matanzas High School. Thomas has now been charged as an adult on all five charges from both incidents and faces up to 45 years in prison.
Challenged in Flagler Schools: McCormick’s Sold, a Review and a Recommendation
Patricia McCormick’s “Sold,” about the experiences of a 13-year-old girl sold into sexual slavery, is among the 22 books that a trio of “moms for liberty” have sought to ban from high school library shelves. A school committee voted to keep the book. The banners appealed the decision to a district committee, which meets on March 6. The following review is presented as a guide.
Florida Legislature Is Set to Push Sweeping Changes to Legal System, Favoring Business and Government at Individuals’ Expense
Paul Renner, the Palm Coast Republican and House Speaker, is enthusiastically leading a House that has lurched further to the right than under any administration in generations as the Legislature seeks to revamp the state’s litigation system, favoring businesses at the expense of individual consumers.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, March 6, 2023
A district appeals committee meets to review “Sold,” a novel two residents want banned from high school libraries. The Flagler County Commission discusses its own procedures. The Astronomy and Garden Clubs meet. The Zapruder film’s odyssey.
Republicans Want a Multiracial Right Even as They Stoke White Grievances
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has continued his crusade against “woke ideology” as Nikki Haley launched her bid for president with a video appealing for racial harmony. What kind of GOP do Republicans want?
Judge Orders Mental Evaluation for Matanzas Student Who Assaulted Aide
A judge has ordered a mental evaluation of 17-year-old Brendan Depa, the Matanzas High School student accused of attacking his paraprofessional. Court documents related to the order for the first time confirm that Depa has been treated for mental illness and is on various medication for psychological issues.