The coronavirus has mutated into ideological variants. We are moving from a natural disaster to a man-made one, from statistically unavoidable deaths to deaths willed by indifference, ignorance, selfishness, and the political calculations of a single man. The consequences will compound rather than mitigate the pandemic.
Backgrounders
Covid-19 Advice: 7 Lessons America’s Governors Should Not Ignore as They Reopen Economies
We spoke to frontline experts from around the globe and have compiled a list of recommendations for reopening U.S. states. Their consensus? It’s tough to find policies that simultaneously save lives and livelihoods.
Florida Infections Spike to Near Peak Again, Flagler Cases at 52; St. Johns Reopens Beaches Partially
Flagler County Covid-19 cases are expected to spike a little because of increased testing; AdventHealth Palm Coast’s ICU capacity at 28 percent and total capacity at 30 percent. Flagler County government defends its decision to open some trails as St. Johns opens its beaches for four hours a day, with limited use.
Millions of Americans Might Not Get Stimulus Checks. Some Might Be Tricked Into Paying TurboTax to Get Theirs.
Congress gave the IRS the job of sending out coronavirus rescue checks. But the underfunded agency is struggling, while for-profit companies like Intuit have started circling, hoping to convert Americans in need into paying customers.
Covid-19 Peak Pushed Back to May 3; In Flagler, 47 Are Tested at Drive-Up Site and 400 Households Get Food Aid
More details about the first Covid-19 infection affecting a Flagler staffer at a nursing home as the county begins drive-up testing, officials warn relaxing distancing measures, and Palm Coast launches its Rise-Up Palm Coast initiative.
Spike in People Dying at Home Suggests Coronavirus Deaths Are Considerably Higher Than Reported
Coronavirus death counts are based on positive tests and driven by hospital deaths. But data from major metropolitan areas shows a spike in at-home deaths, prompting one expert to say current numbers were just “the tip of the iceberg.”
Covid-19 Tempers: How Palm Coast Residents With No Prior Records Are Ending Up In Jail on Domestic Violence Charges
Even as the sheriff stresses de-escalation before arrests, ordinary family members are losing tempers and acting violently at home in collateral consequences of the coronavirus emergency, as this weekend’s repeated examples from Palm Coast illustrate.
Oceanfront Property Owners Want Beach Closure Lifted. Federal Judge Says No.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit, including former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, argued that the ordinance is unconstitutional on a series of grounds, including that it violates privacy and due-process rights.
How and When to Wear a Mask, and How Not To
Whether to wear a mask or not to protect against Covid-19, in what circumstances, and in what manners. Here’s what’s known and recommended in those regards as of mid-April.
1st Infection in Flagler Nursing Home; Flagler Opens Covid Testing Site at DSC Tuesday; Big Food Drop For Needy at FPC
Flagler opens its first drive-up Covid-19 testing site Tuesday and organizes a major food drop as infection numbers appear to be slowing but local officials say it’s still important to “stay the course” on distancing.
Flagler County’s Crime Rate Falls 19% in 2019, After 22% Drop Year Before; Staly Credits Innovations
Much of the crime drop was in non-violent crimes, burglaries and larcenies especially. Vehicle thefts increased 26 percent despite the increasing use of license-plate readers. Rapes increased, and murders matched the previous year’s total: three.
Flagler Elections Supervisor Kaiti Lenhart Helping to Lead Push for Expansion of Mail Ballots and Early Voting
Flagler County Elections Supervisor Keiti Lenhart is among the Florida supervisors who have asked Gov. Ron DeSantis for emergency measures they say will help them cope with an anticipated “significant statewide shortage” of poll workers later this year because of the coronavirus.
Are You Really Recovered After Overcoming Covid-19? Doctors Can’t Guarantee You Won’t Re-Transmit
As with so many other aspects of the coronavirus, determining when a patient has recovered is fraught with uncertainties. Federal guidelines are limited. Physicians can’t offer seemingly recovered patients who aren’t retested any guarantees about whether they will be able to transmit the virus.
At AdventHealth, 15 Ventilators and Plans for 66 ICU Rooms; Local Officials Prepare for Surge and Promised Tests Don’t Show
As confirmed Flagler County Covid-19 cases reach 28 Friday evening, local health officials are now stopping short of using reassuring language, saying the worst is yet to come, while various shifts point to the increasing severity of the pandemic.
Fox News’ Jesse Watters Said Travel Bans ‘More Critical In Saving Lives’ Than COVID Testing. He’s Wrong.
Travel restrictions are most effective in combating viral spread if they are accompanied by targeted, robust testing and quarantining, which are the areas in which the Trump administration stumbled.
HIPAA Heist: Lethal Privacy In the Age of Coronavirus
Misapplications and misinterpretations of the federal medical privacy law known as HIPAA are conspiring to kill more of us than otherwise would die from the coronavirus. And officials are taking advantage of the law to cloak their failures.
Covid-19 Study Projects Florida Will See 5,568 Deaths By August, Peaking on May 3; Florida Extends School Closures Through May 1
The number of deaths in Florida and the nation from Covid-19 will rise rapidly in April despite social distancing rules in place–but would rise even more if those measures were not in place, the study’s author warns.
What Takes So Long? A Behind-The-Scenes Look At The Steps Involved In COVID-19 Testing
Even for people who are able to get tested for the coronavirus, and there’s still a big lag in testing ability in hot spots across the U.S., there can be a frustratingly long wait for results — not just hours, but often days. Here are some answers why.
‘Red Dawn Breaking Bad’: Officials Warned About Safety Gear Shortfall Early On, Emails Show
A high-ranking federal official’s messages on the quickly rising urgency in February provide a sharp contrast to President Donald Trump’s statements at the time that the threat the coronavirus posed to the American public remained “very low.”
Palm Coast Data Battles Eviction Lawsuit and Calls “Fraud” on Landlord and Former Owners, Casting Pall on 600 Jobs
Both the lawsuit and Palm Coast Data’s answers combine to paint a grim picture for one of Palm Coast’s largest employers, months after losing a major account and now facing yet another major blow from the coming economic consequences of the public health emergency.
Flagler Cases Up to 4; Woman Treated for Covid-19 at Advent Is Released, But Her Son, an FPC Student, Tests Positive
Tuesday was proving to be a day of mixed signals, with resilience and fortitude competing with challenges and more dispiriting numbers as various segments of society were rapidly adapting to life under different degrees of restrictions and still often unclear expectations.
CDC Bungling of Coronavirus Testing Likely To Haunt Nation For Months To Come
The CDC distributed just 200 tests roughly equally to 100 public health labs in all 50 states in early February. That decision presaged weeks of chaos, in which the availability of COVID-19 tests seemed oddly out of sync with where testing was needed.
No School Board Meetings Until July and Potential Extension of School Year to June 30 as Questions Swirl
The coronavirus-triggered directives are raising questions among local officials about whether in-person school will resume at all this school year, even after April 15, and about the wisdom of not holding board meetings for long stretches of time.
Close the Damn Beach Already
By keeping the beaches open, Flagler and Flagler Beach officials are wanting it both ways. They’re sending contradictory messages and enabling irresponsibility. They’re issuing visas to the virus.
Flagler Circuit’s Chief Judge Issues Order With Potentially Extraordinary Measures as Florida Covid-19 Cases Double in 2 Days to 319
The court system’s new restrictions reveal the potential for extraordinary, court-ordered measures in answer to the coronavirus emergency, pointing to the sort of unprecedented role the courts and law enforcement may be taking on in the weeks and months ahead.
Flagler and Florida Schools Will Remain Closed Through April 15, But With Distance Learning; State Tests Cancelled
All of Flagler’s schools’ physical campuses will remain closed at least through April 15 by order of Gov. Ron DeSantis, but distance learning will be instituted starting March 31. State tests are cancelled for the remainder of the year in response to the coronavirus emergency.
Flagler’s Businesses Bristle as Bars Are Ordered Closed for 30 Days, Restaurants Restricted and Beach Crowds Urged Limited
Restaurant-bars like the Brown Dog and Moonrise Brewing in Palm Coast are facing difficult choices even as they’re allowed to remain open, while business on the beach has been brisk, but for a scarier reason, according to a business owner and commissioner there.
Florida Coronavirus Cases Triple in 2 Days to 64; Floridian Dies in California; AdventHealth Announces Measures
Coronavirus cases have jumped to 64 as of early Saturday morning, from just 21 two days ago, according to the Florida Department of Health, with nine cases in Florida unrelated to travel and 16 cases whose origins are still under investigation. Four Floridians have died from Covid-19, one of them in California.
Virus Testing Will Vastly Expand in Flagler and Florida, ‘So Things Are Going to Change Drastically in Terms of Numbers’
Coronavirus testing capacity will expand next week in Flagler County and across Florida, with capacity for some 625,000 tests available starting Monday, but a lot remains uncertain about the extent of the virus’ effects locally, how many people it will affect and whether current measures will be enough to stave off a major local outbreak.
Weekend Briefing: Movies in the Park (Probably), Plant Sale (Maybe), Suffragettes (Cancelled), Fishing 101
Many events were scheduled for this weekend but patrons are advised to check with event organizers before they go as the coronavirus situation is causing cancellations.
AdventHealth Launches Coronavirus Information Line as Palm Coast Fire Chief Urges Fewer In-Person Dr. Visits
AdventHealth is launching a free phone service for Floridians who have questions about coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, including the opportunity to speak with a nurse as appropriate. The 24-hour line is in addition to a similar line operated by the Florida Department of Health.
Volusia/Flagler Chapter Marks ACLU’s Centennial With “Future Voters Essay Contest” and $500 Prize
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) ‘s Volusia/Flagler chapter is celebrating the ACLU’s 100th birthday with an essay contest open to all students, with a $500 prize and publication of the winning essay in FlaglerLive.
Public Responses to 4 Superintendent Candidates Draw Sharp Distinctions on Eve of Board’s Choice
there is no clear-out, absolute favorite in public responses, but there are certainly sharper opinions, good and bad and in descending order, about Earl Johnson, Vernon Orndorff and Cathy Mitteldstadt.
How the School District Allowed “Rocco” Paffumi To Keep Teaching Despite 5 Violent Incidents
Jeffrey Rocco Paffumi, the former Buddy Taylor Middle School teacher who physically threw a student out of class in January, had a long and documented history of violent behavior in and out of the district, including two arrests and at least five previous instances of violent behavior toward students or adults, men and women–in 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2014. Yet he was allowed to keep teaching.
Weekend Briefing: Keith Johansen, 70s Dance Party, Hammock’s Art In the Garden, Stayin’ Alive
A Bee Gees tribute at the Flagler Auditorium, Art in the Garden with the Hammock Community Association, Romeo and Juliet, a 70s dance party at AACS, a wine festival, a safari dinner and a lot more.
Flagler School District Explains Its Role and Parents’ Responsibilities in Wake of Coronavirus Outbreak
The Flagler County school district issued a statement regarding district protocols in place in response to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, and precautionary expectations as far as what parents and guardians may or should do.
Flagler Beach’s Oak Place Residents Want To Know Why the U.S. Post Office Won’t Deliver To Them
The U.S. Postal Service refuses to deliver mail to houses along Oak Place in Flagler Beach even though FedEx, UPS and other delivery services do so, and the street, though dirt, is no different than innumerable such streets in the county.
15-Year-Old Mondex Boy Arrested on Child Porn Charges in Isolated Example of Rampant Crisis
The 15-year-old boy had allegedly produced child pornography, exploiting a child known familiarly to him, and traded and sold images or videos, knowing it was wrong, for “a couple of hundred” dollars.
Tuesday Briefing: FTI’s Jalyn Clavizzao, Dune Restoration, Superintendent Search, Real Socialists, Hotel California at Auditorium
An explanatory meeting on the dunes restoration project in Flagler Beach, an Eagles tribute band at the Auditorium, Jens Bjørneboe explains why businessmen are the real socialists, FTI’s Jalyn Clavizzao.
Palm Coast’s Opelka Wins Second ATP Tour Singles Title in Dramatic Fashion, Here in Florida
Reilly Opelka had to play two matches in one day, and a total of six sets, to win the Delray Beach Open, vaulting his ranking back inside the Top 40 to Number 39, just three off his career-high mark.
Personalities and Civility More Than Differences Define 4 Candidates for 2 Seats on Flagler Beach City Commission
Ken Bryan, Paul Harrington, Deborah Phillips, and Marshall Shupe, the only incumbent, are candidates for two seats in the March 17 Flagler Beach municipal election. Their appearances at two forums were defined by thoughtfulness, mutual respect and a general consensus on most pressing issues, including development.
Weekend Briefing: Native American Fest, ‘The Witness’ at Playhouse, Mardi Gras Pet Parade
“The Witness,” a Story of Racism in 1960s St. Augustine, at the Flagler Playhouse, the Flagler County Humane Society presents the 1st annual Mardi Gras Pet Parade at Central Park, Linda Cole Sunday Jazz Rendezvous.
Thursday Briefing: The Inspired Mic at Hidden Treasures, Candidate Forum in Flagler Beach, Mrs. California
It’s time for another edition of the Inspired Mic at Hidden Treasures in Flagler Beach, a candidate forum for Flagler Beach City Commission, “Mrs. California” at DeLand’s Second Stage Theater.
Jerrard Moore, Felon Several Times Over, Arrested Over Threatening Ex and Another Woman With Shotgun
Jerrad Moore’s 26-year-old ex-girlfriend had asked him to leave their house. He showed up at her workplace and allegedly pulled a shotgun on her and the woman she was working for in Palm Coast.
Issuing Superintendent Preferences, ESE Committee Is Sharply Critical of Process and Local Candidates
The Exceptional Student Education Parent Advisory Council, a group of volunteers recognized but not sanctioned by the Flagler County School Board, issued its own recommendations for superintendent–a list of six candidates, none of them local, while pointedly excluding or sharply criticizing four of the local candidates who’d made a different short list.
That Old “Socialism” Slur
For decades, Republicans have painted anyone left of Barry Goldwater as a “socialist.” Why? Because for a generation raised on the Cold War, “socialist” just seemed like a damaging label.
Flagler Politicians, Take Note: Brevard Taxpayers Just Paid $490,000 to Settle Illegal Christian Prayers at Meetings
Just as Flagler County commissioners started proffering prayers at public meetings, as the school board almost did, the Brevard County Commission paid out $490,000 in a settlement for doing so illegally for years.
Rezoning of Long-Gestating Mega Development on Old Kings Road Stirs Residents’ Anxieties Anew
The Bulow Creek development starting just south of State Road 100 on both sides of Old Kings Road would consist of 2,250 houses and apartment units and 1.7 million square feet of commercial and office space, built over four phases stretching over 20 years or more.
It’s Bat Mating Time Again: Check Your Home Before Maternity Season
Florida is home to 13 resident bat species, including threatened species such as the Florida bonneted bat. Some bat species roost in artificial structures, including houses and other buildings. It is illegal to harm or kill bats in Florida, so guidelines have been developed to ensure bats are removed safely and effectively outside of the maternity season.
Three Fires in Volusia and Ocala Forest Are Sending Smoke Over Flagler
Three controlled or “prescribed” fires burning to the southwest and the west are sending plumes of smoke and acrid smells over Palm Coast and Flagler County.