Many children are expected to start the school year taking classes online because of concerns about the spread of the virus, likely spurring some families to look for computer equipment.
Economy
Despite Building Fiascos, County Now Wants ‘Due Diligence’ On Buying Old $1 Million Bank of America in Flagler Beach
Despite a nightmarish history of buying old buildings and having to unload them at a loss, the Flagler County Commission Monday will hear a proposal from its tourism department to gather information on buying the 40-year-old $1.1 million former Bank of America building on State Road A1A in Flagler Beach, opposite the pier.
Flagler Health Department’s Medical Chief Rebukes ‘Covid Minimizers’ as Deaths Surge and Hospitalizations Persist
Dr. Stephen Bickel, the medical director at the Flagler and Volusia health departments, criticized “covid minimizers” for seizing on rogue data to diminish the gravity of the coronavirus pandemic, hurting efforts to fight it.
Flagler’s Free Clinic Extends Hours to Accommodate Unemployed or Uninsured due to Covid
The Flagler Free Clinic has extended operating hours to assist anyone who has become unemployed or lost their medical insurance due to the covid-19 pandemic.
Flagler Adds 2 More Covid Deaths, for Total of 12; Flagler Children’s Overall Positivity Rate at 10%
Since the beginning of the pandemic, 55 Flagler County children ages 17 or younger have tested positive out of 545 tested, yielding a positivity rate of 10.1 percent–a rate higher than commonly assumed.
Florida Regulators Looking for Ideas on Reopening Bars to Stem Business Losses
Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Halsey Beshears said he will begin setting aside time to discuss his June 26 order that banned on-site consumption at bars to try to help stem the spread of covid-19.
Underfunded and Under Threat: Hollowed-Out Public Health System Faces More Cuts Amid Virus
The U.S. public health system has been starved for decades and lacks the resources to confront the worst health crisis in a century. In Florida, 2% of state spending goes to public health. Spending by local health departments in the state fell 39%, from a high of $57 in inflation-adjusted dollars per person in the late 1990s to $35 per person last year.
Flagler Covid Cases Set New Record for the Week, Including 6 Children 14 Or Younger; 22 in Treatment at AdventHealth
The latest Flagler County residents to test positive include girls age 2, 5 and 8 and boys age 8, 9 and 14, which raises concern for school and health officials looking at the reopening of local schools.
5th Covid Death in Eight Days in Flagler; 9 Year Old Dies in Putnam; Florida Reports Record 173 Deaths
The latest person to die locally is a 73-year-old man, bringing the total number of Covid-related deaths in the county to at least 10. Flagler has recorded 112 new cases in five days this week, with a rising positivity rate.
Flagler Reports Another Covid Death; School District Postpones All Fall Sports Indefinitely
The Health Department said a 92-year-old woman who’d been hospitalized with Covid died in hospice. The school district announced that all fall sports, including football and volleyball, are postponed until further notice.
Flagler School Board Supports Pushing Back Opening to Aug. 24; Up to 40% May Opt for Remote Learning
The Flagler School Board supports its superintendent’s request to delay school’s opening to Aug. 28 for students, and at least to Aug. 10 for faculty, to give staff more time to prepare for a radically different school-campus landscape that may be missing up to 40 percent of in-person students.
For Covid Tests, the Question of Who Pays Comes Down to Interpretation
Who pays when all employees are required to have a negative Covid test in order to return to work? Or if a factory tests workers every two weeks? Or just because someone wants to know for their own peace of mind?
Flagler Covid Cases Jump By 38 In a Day; Positive Staffers at 2 Assisted Livings; Older Children Just as Infectious, Study Finds
Flagler has seen 157 new cases in the last seven days, a quarter of its total since March and by far the most accelerated pace of new infections since the pandemic began, with a positivity rate of 10.6 percent. The largest study to date on the subject finds that older school-children are just as likely to be infectious as adults.
‘We’re Getting Clobbered’: Woman, 50, Is 3rd Covid Death in 3 Days in Flagler as Local Cases Break Records
Flagler County reported 26 new cases today, a record, in a week that also broke a record, with 126 cases, and 16 hospitalizations for Covid-19 at AdventHealth Palm Coast.
Flagler’s Unemployment Rate Drops to 9.7% in June as 2,200 Reclaim Jobs, Just Before Covid Resurgence
The number of unemployed fell from 6,100 in May to 4,371 in June in Flagler, pointing to a substantial rebound, though the surge in Covid-19 cases statewide and in Flagler since the June 5 Phase 2 reopening is casting doubt on the extent of the recovery.
15 Years On, $25 Million In, Flagler Beach Dunes Project Near ‘Dead In the Water’ as 13 Property Owners Hold Out
Just 13 property owners are essentially holding hostage a fully funded beach and dune-rebuilding plan Flagler Beach and the county have worked toward for 15 years, a resistance based on what the county considers extortionist motives for money that doesn’t exist.
50-Year-Old Man Is Flagler’s 2nd Covid Death in 2 Days as Florida Sets Another Single-Day Fatality Record: 156
Flagler County has seen a surge of 102 cases in the last five days in tandem with a continuing surge in the state, with local residents complaining of long delays in getting Covid-19 test results.
6th Covid Death in Flagler; Florida’s Fatalities Surge and Cases Exceed 300,000; School District Announces Remote Option
Flagler County is coming to terms with a situation more serious than some officials–more particularly, a few county elected officials–have acknowledged, with the school district on Tuesday announcing what amounts to a return to remote instruction for all those who want it come Aug. 10.
Field Hospitals for Covid-19 Surge a No-Go in Hurricane Season But Florida’s Alternative Is Wanting
The state is focusing efforts on expanding hospital surge capacity and not on creating alternate sites to accommodate any overflows of patients, but hospital executives are questioning the state’s lack of direction.
County Decisively Rejects Settlement With Captain’s BBQ, Refusing Special Favors and Low Rent
The proposal was almost bizarrely generous to Captain’s, providing for continued low rent decades, giving Captain’s first refusal rights on a pavilion on six national holidays, and committing the county to vast repairs and maintenance.
Explicitly Rejecting ‘Mandate,’ Flagler County Commission ‘Strongly Encourages’ Use of Masks Indoors
Last week Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and Bunnell all approved mask mandates but without enforcement provisions. Commissioners rejected the use of the word, saying it would not be enforceable.
15,300 News Cases in Florida Exceed New York’s High; Flagler Sets New Record; Schools Prepare to Open
Flagler County set a single-week record of 104 cases with a positivity rate of 10 percent as Florida shattered all single-day records across the nation, yet the Flagler school district is preparing to resume in-person classes on Aug. 10, along with most districts across the state.
Settlement Generous to Captain’s BBQ Termed at ‘Impasse’ as it Heads to County Commission
The settlement is remarkably generous to Captain’s, and in key parts even more generous than the controversial 2018 lease amendment the county eventually killed under pressure from a public backlash.
Trump and the GOP’s Handling of Covid-19 Is Sheer Lunacy
Just over half of working-age Americans have jobs now, the lowest ratio in over 70 years. What’s roaring back is Covid-19. Until it’s tamed, the economy doesn’t stand a chance, argues Robert Reich.
Flagler’s Covid Cases top 400, Two More at Long-Term Care Facilities; Palm Coast Eyes Mask Mandate Like New Smyrna Beach’s
Covid-19 cases in Flagler spiked in the last 24 hours by 18 cases, one of the largest-single-day spikes, as the Palm Coast City Council this evening considers a mask mandate, but it carries no penalties for violators.
Florida Exceeds 200,000 Coronavirus Cases, Just 13 Days After Topping 100,000
Hitting 200,000 cases this weekend would have seemed unlikely — if not unthinkable — a month ago: On June 5, Florida totaled 61,488 cases, after adding another 1,305 positive results that day. Flagler had 195 cases by June 5, and now has double that.
Flagler Sets New Infection Record With 90 in a Week, Florida Sets New Single-Day Record With 11,458
Flagler’s total broke the previous record of 61 set at the end of April, with almost half the county’s cumulative total infections occurring since Phase 2 reopening. Palm Coast Mayor Holland still intends to pursue a mask mandate after administrative officials on Friday said they would not.
Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and County Leaders Will Seek Mask Mandate as Covid Infections Keep Surging
As coronavirus infections continue to surge, Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland, Flagler Beach Commission Chair Jane Mealy and County Commission Chair Dave Sullivan will be asking their respective governments to approve a mandatory mask mandate in coming days.
Driver Strikes 4 Cars Then Dahlia Restaurant in Flagler Beach, But No Serious Injuries
A woman sustained minor injuries after striking four vehicles and crashing into the front of Dahlia Restaurant, the popular Mexican restaurant near Publix in Flagler Beach early this evening.
Flagler Beach Has No Plans to Close Beach Over July 4 Weekend, and Will Make Free Shuttle Buses Available
As several counties in South Florida close their beaches over Independence Day weekend, Flagler Beach will keep its beaches open and make free shuttle buses available for visitors, to alleviate traffic and parking on the island.
Princeton Village Resident Among 31 New Flagler Covid Cases in Last 3 Days; Florida Adds 6,000 Monday and 58 Deaths
Flagler County recorded 55 new cases last week and a total of 115 new cases since Phase 2 reopening began on June 5 as the surge of coronavirus cases across Florida reached Flagler.
DeSantis Signs Bill Banning Local Governments from Regulating Sunscreens, Cosmetics and Drugs
Opponents criticized the bill as an attack on local home-rule authority, while also raising concerns about coral reefs. It was one of 18 bills DeSantis signed in to law Monday.
In Major Coup for Palm Coast, UNF in Town Center Is a Go as MedNex Initiative Survives Veto
The University of North Florida’s plan to build a satellite presence in Palm Coast’s Town Center as a feeder of health care practitioners to regional hospitals and clinics is a go as the $24 million dollar MedNex initiative survived Gov. Ron DeSantis’s veto pen today.
Blaming Covid Spike on Young People and Bars, DeSantis Sends Mixed Messages on ‘Way Forward’
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Sunday the state is “trying to figure out a way forward” for bars, nightclubs and craft breweries that are essentially having to shut down again because of “widespread non-compliance” with coronavirus guidelines.
Covid-19 Total Nears 10,000 in Florida; Half Of State’s 132,500 Cases Reported in Last 17 Days
The Florida Department of Health today reported 9,636 new Covid-19 cases as of Friday, again shattering a record, the last set only the day before, when just under 8,900 cases were reported. Flagler recorded 60 new cases in seven days.
Consequences of Florida’s Careless Reopening: 8,933 Cases in 1 Day; Surge Reaches Flagler With 50 Cases in 6 Days
The numbers are a grim reflection of the consequences of Florida’s rapid and largely haphazard and careless reopening of society and the economy since the end of April, and of dangerous complacency among residents.
Swimmer Feared Drowned: “Oh My God, I Feel Terrible, I Think They’re Talking About Me.”
The swimmer who’s apparent disappearance triggered an 18-hour search Wednesday into this morning emerged today after reading accounts of the search and and explained how his disappearance may have been misconstrued.
Florida Again Shatters Record With 4,049 New Covid Cases in One Day as Alarming Spike Continues
Florida’s cumulative total is near 94,000. Flagler’s total is 224, a one-day jump eight cases–one of the largest one-day increases since the beginning of the pandemic, and a warning sign that the county’s relative success in containing the disease may be eroding.
Staffer at Grand Oaks and Resident at Tuscan Gardens Test Positive; Florida Cases Again Soar to New Record
The Covid cases at local long-term care facilities break a streak of negative testing as Flagler officials wearily eye surging numbers around the county and plan some strategies to keep Flagler’s low.
Flagler Unemployment at 14.8% in Slight Improvement from April, But Florida Rate Rises to 14.5%
Flagler County’s unemployment rate was at 14.8 percent, a slight decline from the 15.2 percent rate in April but a smaller decline than expected as the economy began swiftly reopening at the beginning of the month.
Ex-Employee at Palm Coast Medical Practice Accused of Fraudulently Ordering Prescriptions
Renee Caruso-Izarry, 37, a former employee at Coastal Health Care Partners, a chiropractic clinic in Palm Coast and Volusia County, faces seven felony charges stemming from allegedly ordering prescriptions and practicing medicine without a license.
Florida’s ‘Dreamers’ Hail Supreme Court Decision Barring Immediate Deportation
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 majority found that Trump failed to adequately justify the decision to shut down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, but the door remains open for him to do so.
Long-Awaited, Weirdly Revered Wawa Finally Opens to Cheers in Palm Coast
At 8 this morning, Palm Coast’s Wawa, with its hoagies, its coffees, its interiors lit brighter than the set of a sitcom, and of course its plexiglass and social distancing markers, opened to the public after a four-year wait.
Wawa: Behind the Name, a Rich Etymology from Around the World
The Wawa name has come to be almost synonymous with the company, as if it were its origin. In fact, the word–the sound, the name–has innumerably rich applications around the world.
DeSantis Promises Big Cuts from $93.2 Billion Budget to Account for Revenue Shortfall
A late May report from the Legislature’s Office of Economic & Demographic Research said revenue collections in April were more than $878 million below estimates, with a large chunk of the drop due to the decline in tourism.
18% of Florida’s Total Covid Cases Have Been Recorded Just in Last 7 Days in ‘Astronomical’ Spike
Flagler County public health, emergency and government officials are concerned about sharply rising Covid-19 numbers across the state, even though locally numbers have been kept in check for now. But Gov. Ron DeSantis says there is no rolling-back on reopenings.
Scaled Back Gardens Development, at 453 Homes, Expected to Clear Regulatory Hurdle
The Gardens, at one point a 3,966-home and apartment development planned for the two sides of John Anderson Highway in Flagler County, is now almost a tenth the original proposal.
Palm Coast Council Raises Parks and Fire Fees on Builders, Largely Returning to Pre-2012 Levels
The Palm Coast City Council voted to raise fire and park impact fees, the one-time levies builders pay on residential and commercial construction. The fees will defray the cost of a new fire station in Seminole Woods and a new community center, among other plans.
Stunning Victory for Transgender and Gay Rights as Supreme Court Makes Protections Explicit
The decision will have far-reaching consequences regarding LGBTQ rights beyond employment, as it now explicitly lays out a prohibition against discrimination that cannot apply in employment situations without also applying in housing, education, the military and elsewhere.
Public Health Officials Are Facing a Wave Of Threats and Firings Amid Coronavirus Response
Rebekah Jones, a top Florida Department of Health data manager Gov. Ron DeSantis fired last month, is just one of many officials in 27 states who have been fired or been forced to resign over Covid-related matters.