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.
Backgrounders
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.
Single-Family Homes No Longer Sacred as States Turn to Zoning Laws to Lower Housing Costs
Twenty-eight states and Washington, D.C., last year passed a variety of legislation that addresses the housing affordability problem, from tax credits for developers to rental assistance and eviction protections for residents.
Rubio Derides as ‘Publicity Stunt’ Banks’ Funding Halt to Vouchers Underwriting Anti-Gay Schools
An investigation found at least 156 Florida private schools that took state-funded scholarships had anti-gay views or policies, and 83 of the schools refused to admit LGBTQ students or could expel them if their sexual orientations or gender identities were disclosed.
Catholic Leaders Promised Transparency About Child Abuse. In Florida and Elsewhere, They Haven’t Delivered.
After decades of shielding the identities of accused child abusers from the public, many Catholic leaders are now releasing lists of their names. But the lists are inconsistent, incomplete and omit key details.
Weekend Briefing: Mr. Pro Bono, Bunnell Retreat, Race of the Runways, Capitol Steps at the Auditorium, Linda Cole
Attorney Vincent Sullivan honored for pro bono work, the Bunnell City Commission takes a retreat for goal-setting, The Rotary Club of Flagler Beach hosts the annual Race of the Runways for Rotary, Linda Cole Sunday Jazz Rendezvous at Cue Note.
Colleen Conklin Applies for Flagler Superintendent in Bold But Risky Move After 20 Years as School Board Member
Colleen Conklin, at 20 years the longest-serving member of the Flagler County School Board, this afternoon applied to be the next superintendent, a move that triggers a series of ramifications and places her four colleagues in the odd position of deciding whether to be her boss.
Flagler Beach Citizens Academy Taking Enrollment for March Session
The latest session of the Flagler Beach Citizens Academy is scheduled for eight consecutive Wednesdays beginning on March 4, 2020, running through April 22, 2020, from 2:00—5:00 PM.
2020 Flagler Elections Guide Mailed to 54,000 Households Ahead of Busy Season
A very long list of offices and seats are up for election in Flagler County, Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and Bunnell this year, with three major election days ahead plus municipal elections in March.
When a Local Government Trespasses a Citizen from Public Property: Palm Coast Is Adopting New Rules
The Palm Coast City Council will approve a new ordinance codifying trespassing procedures and the due-process appeals process as it applies to members of the public who may be barred from public property, including city parks.
Logan Goodman, 14, Killed, Joey Renn, 20, Critical in Motorcycle Crash in Palm Coast’s Woodlands
Logan Goodman, 14, was killed and Joey Renn, 20, is in critical condition following a single motorcycle crash this evening on Blare Castle Drive in Palm Coast’s Woodlands.
Beyond Transgender Student’s Transfer Out of Matanzas, Calls on School Board to Take LGBTQ Safety Seriously
A throng of students, faculty members and parents asked the Flagler County School Board Tuesday to support more explicit procedures protecting LGBTQ students as Charlene Cothran, a Palm Coast pastor, again attacked the a transgender student and ridiculed LGBTQ rights.
Florida Senate Panel Backs Reparations for Descendants of Ocoee Massacre Victims at White Mob’s Hands
Some 60 to 70 black residents of Ocoee were murdered during the massacre in the Central Florida town. The reparation funding levels were modeled, in part, on a 1994 decision by the Legislature to compensate African-American families up to $150,000 for damages in the Rosewood Massacre of 1923.
2020 Flagler Jail Bookings, Sheriff’s, Bunnell and Flagler Beach Crime and Incident Reports (Archived)
Archived 2020 Flagler County jail bookings, commanders’ crime and incident reports, Flagler Beach and Bunnell police shift reports and archive.
Flawed Marijuana-Impaired DUI Testing Means Wrongful Prosecutions and Lax Enforcement
DUI-testing for marijuana impairment is inaccurate, easily disputed and defeated. The result is uneven prosecution. Innocent drivers are being wrongly convicted. Impaired drivers are remaining undetected, posing a potential safety risk to everyone on the road.
Death Row’s Cornelius Baker a No-Show at His Own Pre-Trial Ahead of Potential Reprieve
Lawyers and the judge in the re-sentencing case of convicted murderer Cornelius Baker focused on a lengthy questionnaire about the death penalty the defense planned to submit to potential jurors. The judge ordered the questionnaire significantly shortened.