It’s a matter of time before marijuana is legalized, for medical uses or not, even in Florida. But Attorney General Pam Bondi is doing her best to preserve a prohibition that relies on disinformation to benefit cops and jails at the expense of greater safety, less crime and more compassion, were marijuana to be legalized.
Featured
State Attorney Files Attempted Murder Charge Against Morris in Trevor Blumenfeld Shooting
The State Attorney’s Office filed charges against two of the four suspects involved in the Nov. 4 shooting of 19-year-old Trevor Blumenfeld in Palm Coast’s LL Section, changing a charge of aggravated battery against suspect Matthew D. Morris to attempted third-degree murder, a third-degree felony. Three charges were filed against Matthew Smith, each carrying life felony sentences.
School Board Honors John Winston, Tireless Advocate of Flagler’s African-American Mentor Program
At 76, John Winston has continued to be the leading force behind the Flagler school district’s African-American Mentor Program, which pairs young boys and men in need of solid direction with adults who take on the role of father figures. Winston is himself the patriarch of a family of seven children and three dozen grandchildren.
Rick Scott Puts State Employees to Work On Re-Election Campaigning Veiled as “Outreach”
On-the-clock state employees from a number of agencies have been splitting shifts since Monday to call businesses and use talking points that are indistinguishable from the language of campaign ads to help Rick Scott’s re-election.
Superintendent Jacob Oliva: School Board Frames a Near-Certainty In Pro-Forma Search
It is almost a certainty that come Feb. 4, Jacob Oliva will be named Flagler County’s new school superintendent, but the school board has appointed a 15-member search committee to broaden public input, vet Oliva and avoid accusations of reaching a pre-determined conclusion. Nevertheless, Oliva’s favored status has rankled some members of the black community.
Medical Marijuana Tangles Up Florida Supreme Court Justices In Weeds of Words
The idea of medical marijuana technically isn’t at issue in the case. Instead, Attorney General Pam Bondi, legislative leaders and medical, law enforcement and business groups argue that the ballot title and summary that would appear on the ballot could deceive voters about the scope of the amendment.
Nelson Mandela, 1918-2013
Forgive, But Don’t Forget
Nelson Mandela, one of the towering figures of the 20th century and the liberator of South Africa from apartheid, died today–Dec. 5–at 8:50 p.m. in Johannesburg. He was 95. Here are exts from his own pen, which speak more eloquently than obituaries about his vision for a world of equality, human rights and dignity unobscured by illusions.
Two Years In, Tourism Director Georgia Turner Is Leaving Flagler For Native Alabama
Georgia Turner, the county’s radiant tourism director who oversaw Flagler’s and Palm Coast’s realignment as niche sports destinations, a steady rise in tourism-tax revenue and a first-ever working coalition of local arts groups, is leaving after just two years on the job. Personal, not political, reasons led her to the decision.
Another Obamacare Surprise: Married Couples Not Eligible For Subsidies Given Single Filers
For middle class married couples who don’t have children, the subsidy cutoff is $62,000. If one spouse makes $30,000 and the other $40,000, they are ineligible for a subsidy when combined. But if they were just living together, each would be eligible for a subsidy.
An Attempt to Discredit a Commissioner Over Her Temporary Digs in Palm Coast Backfires
Bunnell City Commissioner Jenny Crain-Brady sold her house in Bunnell and temporarily moved to a friend’s house in Palm Coast, though she was rebuilding another house in Bunnell. The move triggered a complaint about her right to serve on the commission–or to run for re-election in March–and a fellow-commissioner brought the question to the full board.
School Enrollment Stabilizes But Remains Below Last Year’s, With Decreases Projected
As of the end of November, the district had 12,794 students. The good news is that the district saw enrollment rise for the past two months, but the number is still 100 students below last November’s, with projected declines of 1 to 2 percent between January and May, which may have ripple effects on the economy.
Proposed Monument Honoring Union Soldiers at Florida’s Olustee Battlefield Sparks Outrage
The bid to add a Union monument to the Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park near Lake City, site of the Civil War’s largest battle in Florida, turned a public hearing into a three-hour bout of recriminations that re-enacted some of the Civil War’s deepest passions.
Court Appearance Adds to Puzzles Behind Mobil Mart Murder Suspect as Victim’s Mother Looks On
A Tuesday court appearance by Joseph Bova II, accused of murdering Roman Rosado in an execution-style killing at the Mobil Mart on SR 100 in February, added to questions surrounding his case, including about his competence and a mysterious incident involving him that took place at the jail on Thanksgiving Day.
As County Library’s Purpose Changes, Commissioners Examine Expansion Plans
Flagler County Library Director Holly Albanese led county commissioners on a tour of the main branch Tuesday morning in hopes of persuading them to soon approve expansion plans in line with the library’s changing mission.
Gambling’s Odds in Florida May Be Left To a Constitutional Amendment in 2014
House Speaker Will Weatherford’s new plan–to let voters decide if they should weigh in on future expansion of gambling–could provide cover for Republican House members reluctant to expand gambling as the Legislature takes up the thorny issue during the upcoming session.
Palm Coast Couple Charged With Aggravated Child Abuse After Neglecting Broken Arm
Authorities learned that the couple allegedly had cruel means of disciplining the 3-year-old boy, including dousing the child in cold water for napping when he wasn’t supposed to, sitting the child by the front door, as punishment, for 10 to 60 minutes, “and twisting [the child] into a pretzel with legs behind [his] head, causing pain to the groin area,” according to the arrest report.
County Rejects Donations of Flagler Estates Lots, Seeing No Public Purpose in Acquisition
A divided commission rejected the proposal, 3-2, with Nate McLaughlin leading an adamant opposition that showed no interest in bailing out private property owners who made poor investments, or setting the county on a course that has no clear objective.
With 3 Weeks To Go, Consumers Fear Ending Up Without Health Coverage On New Year’s
The next three weeks are critical for consumers keen on getting health coverage as soon as the health law allows it on Jan. 1. People who desire coverage by then need to sign up in the new marketplaces no later than Dec. 23. Consumers can still enroll up to the end of March, but their coverage will begin later.
Don’t Slash Government Spending. Increase It.
One of the biggest common misunderstandings is that governments are like households, which need to tighten their spending when times are tough. Actually, governments and households work in opposite ways. Governments can and should spend more when times are tough.
Obama’s Free Press Problem: Why Reporters in the U.S. Now Need Protection
The Obama administration has made the most concerted effort since the Nixon years to intimidate officials from talking to a reporter. Paul Steiger, Paul Steiger recipient of this year’s the Burton Benjamin Memorial award from the Committee to Protect Journalists, argues for a response.
Rick Scott’s $11,370-Worth of “Congratulations” Letters Blur Line Between Applause and Electioneering
Scott views the missives as a means to applaud individuals and to promote Florida. His critics say some of the messages include language that deviates into campaign talking points. Don’t expect the letter-writing campaign to slow or the questionable language to disappear from such messages.
Of Thanksgiving Day Parades and Friends in Exile
Watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on CBS was a bit like being waterboarded, but matters improved very quickly when the channel changed and the aromas of the day began invading the house, along with just the right spirits: Praise be to Beaujolais Nouveau.
Tricia James, 22, Is Killed in a Head-On Collision on Pine Lakes Parkway, One Hour Into Thanksgiving Day
Tricia A. James, 22, of Ormond Beach, was killed at 1 a.m. Thursday in a head-on collision in Palm Coast as she drove on Pine Lakes Parkway. Her car collided with an SUV driven by James J. Rumph of Palm Coast. Rumph, 18, is recovering from serious injuries at Florida Hospital Flagler.
Convicted Sex Offender Is Accused of Coercing His Fiancée’s 14-Year-Old Sister Into Sex
Ismael Angel Rios, a convicted sex offender who’d molested young girls he taught in a theater program a few years ago, was arrested again on a charge that he coerced a 14-year-old girl into oral sex while he was painting the girl’s Palm Coast home.
Dawn to Starlight: Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and the Hammock Warm Up Christmas Parades
Palm Coast’s annual Starlight parade is scheduled for Dec. 14. Flagler Beach’s Holiday at the Beach Parade is scheduled for Dec. 7 at 1 p.m., and businesses in the Hammock will be lighting up A1A with special events, lights and Christmas cheer for the first two week-ends of December.
State Website for Florida’s Unemployed Still Plagued By Flaws, Delaying Urgent Checks
Claims by jobless people that are flagged for investigation or are under appeal continue to be a major hurdle to correct. The Department of Economic Opportunity’s goal is to complete the remaining conversion issues by Dec. 20.
Why Florida Should Embrace Common Core: A Conservative Perspective
“I believe in Common Core State Standards, believed in them decades before they existed, and desperately want them for my grandchildren, their children and the future of this great nation,” writes Nancy Smith, the conservative editor of Sunshine State News. “If I’d been an educator, I might have invented them.”
A Divided Bunnell Accepts Old Courthouse Despite Mounting Questions About Mold and Other Issues
The 3-2 vote of the Bunnell City Commission was fraught with questions about the conditions of the 49,700 square foot building, which is in serious disrepair, shows evidence of leaks and possibly mold, and may cost upward of $5 million to be functional again, though Bunnell says nit would only refurbish a portion of it at a lower cost.
Spared Again: Florida Makes It Through 8th Straight Hurricane Season Without Major Hit
The pre-season forecast for the June-through-November storm season for the Atlantic and Caribbean was for 12 to 18 named storms, with between six and 10 reaching hurricane status. Saturday was the last official day of this year’s hurricane season.
Despite $51 Billion For the Taking, Florida Unlikely to Expand Health Coverage in 2014
Consumer groups, hospitals and insurers are clamoring for Florida to take the $51 billion in federal funds that have been offered to the state over the next decade to provide health coverage to the working poor. But those who are tuned in politically — even those who desperately want it to happen — say it’s very unlikely in 2014.
Fire Demolishes House in Painter’s Hill and Jumps A1A to Island Estates Before It’s Stopped
A fire that started at about 3:15 this afternoon in a vacant, two-level house at 3518 North A1A, in Painter’s Hill, was fueled by 40 mph winds off the ocean and had quickly engulfed the structure in flames by the time firefighters arrived at the scene.
Florida State’s Jameis Winston, In the Pocket of a “Big Football Town”
As with anyone accused of a crime, Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston is entitled to the benefit of the doubt and is presumed to be innocent. But how can we be sure that justice is being served when the actions of those responsible for investigating sexual assault complaints against athletes is so slipshod?
Flagler’s Unemployment Down to 9.4%, But Labor Force Is Shrinking; Florida’s Rate at 6.7%
Flagler’s lower unemployment rate is not being driven by an increase in the number of people with jobs, but by a significant decrease in the labor force, which has shrunk 4 percent over the year. The number of Flagler residents holding jobs declined by 343 between September and October, and by 821 people over the year.
Vagina Monologues Dressed Up: Nora Ephron’s “Love, Loss, and What I Wore” at Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre
Ever since god allegedly turned Adam’s rib into a companion of the opposite sex, men have struggled to understand women. You can’t blame them: men are not only the weaker sex. They’re also the dumber. In comes Nora Ephron’s “Love, Loss and What I wore” to help them out this weekend at Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre.
Needed Or Not, Lawmakers Seek 2-Week Tax Holiday for “Hurricane Preparedness”
A big factor in how much of the cuts or tax holidays make it into the next fiscal plan depends in part on the state’s economic outlook that the economists will update prior to the legislative session early next year.
Flagler Playhouse Pleasing Faithfuls With Mainstream Theater But Looks to Broaden Appeal Beyond Retirees
Aside from “Urinetown,” its last play of the current season, the Flagler Playhouse’s offerings hew to traditional crowd-pleasers, which keeps seats filled, though the community theater’s leaders are interested in experimenting beyond their comfort zone.
Crist 7 Points Ahead of Scott in Latest Quinnipiac Poll; Floridians Overwhelmingly Favor Medical Marijuana
If the election for Florida governor were held today, Charlie Crist would be the likely winner over Rick Scott by a 47 to 40 percent advantage, a Quinnipiac poll released this morning found, and Scott’s negative ratings continue to weigh heavily on his chances. Florida voters support 82-16 percent allowing adults to legally use marijuana for medical use if it is prescribed by a doctor.
Republicans Fret as Motor Voter Law
Meets Obamacare
Twenty years ago, Congress passed a controversial law requiring states to allow people to register to vote when they applied for driver’s licenses or social services. That same law is bringing voter registration to the health insurance marketplaces, and again, it is expected to result in legal fights as Republicans fear it will drive up Democratic registrations.
Florida Supreme Court Stays Execution, Raising Questions About Cruelty of Lethal Injection Cocktail
A 5-2 Florida Supreme Court vote put the execution of convicted murderer Askari Abdullah Muhammad on hold Monday to consider claims that the three-drug cocktail used to put inmates to death could cause unnecessary suffering.
Palm Coast Council Votes 5-0 For New City Hall in Town Center, With Move-In by End of 2015
In the face of intense opposition, but also just as intense support, the Palm Coast City Council Tuesday said Yes to a new city hall. The 5-0 vote followed three hours of presentations, public comment and discussion before an overflow crowd at the Palm Coast Community Center, the largest crowd to turn up for any issue in recent memory.
The Time Will Come For a New Palm Coast City Hall. This Isn’t It.
Landon and the council want their $9 million city hall the way petulant children want a new toy. But there’s a lot more arrogance than prudence in the city’s approach. So it’s pretty simple. If the city is convinced that this is a good thing for itself and for residents, just ask residents what they think. That’s a yes or no question all of us would welcome.
Charlie Crist’s Bailout Plan: Bill Nelson
Fanning the flames of uncertainty about former Gov. Charlie Crist’s viability as a gubernatorial candidate, Democrats close to U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson are letting potential supporters know the three-term senator is waiting in the wings if Crist’s campaign stumbles.
Obamacare Will Survive. Obama and Democrats, Maybe Not So Much.
The law’s rocky debut has refocused attention on whether Obama, intellectually gifted though he may be, was ready to be the country’s chief executive. It may also decide which party is in control after 2016.
“Punishment Therapy” For Depression? A Lake Worth Doctor Is Accused of Torturing a Patient
Dr. David Simon, a Lake Worth family doctor accused of sadistic “punishment therapy” that involved handcuffs, blindfolds, whips and other implements of torture apologized repeatedly to the Board of Osteopathic Medicine, but that was not enough to persuade board members that Simon could safely continue to practice.
As High Court Takes On Medical Marijuana Proposal in Florida, Politics Muddy Merits
The Florida Supreme Court will try to sort through the conflicting arguments between Attorney General Pam Bondi, who opposes legalization, and proponents of the measure. The court hearing is scheduled for Dec. 5, a key step in deciding whether voters will get to have their say next fall.
In Flagler Beach, Muted Interest in Last Two Candidates Looking to Head Fire Department
Thursday evening’s town hall-style meeting with Bobby Pace and Brandon Seymour, the two candidates looking to be Flagler Beach’s Fire Captain (that is, chief), drew hardly an audience, possibly because City Manager Bruce Campbell’s choice, to be announced before Thanksgiving, has not been a secret.
William Styffe, 33, Suspected Bank Robber, Is Dead 7 Weeks After Suicide Attempt in Jail
William Carl Styffe, who was accused of trying to rob Hancock Bank in Palm Coast and robbing a Sun Trust Bank in Ormond Beach on Aug. 30, then a Compass Bank in St. Johns County a few days later, died over the weekend subsequent to injuries he sustained during a suicide attempt at the Volusia County Branch Jail on Sept. 18.
Only 3,600 Floridians Enroll in Affordable Care Act’s First Month; Obama Accepts Blame But Questions Abound
Only 3,571 people have successfully enrolled in a private insurance plan in Florida in the first month of the Affordable Care Act’s federal marketplace. The target was 33,400, resulting in a success rate of just 11 percent, though 3.8 million Floridians are without health insurance.
Burdens and Costs Pile Up for School Board’s Ex-ITT Building on Corporate Drive, Disrupting Community Education
The board bought the 54,000 square-foot building for $3.5 million in 2001 and housed the Flagler Technical Institute’s community education classes and offices there, but the building must be evacuated either by January or by summer and either rebuilt and renovated at costs approaching $5 million or demolished even as the district continues to pay $445,000 in annual debt service on it.
Speed Limit Could Go Up to 75 On I-95 By July, and to 70 on U.S. 1
Florida lawmakers’ proposal to raise speed limits would direct the state Department of Transportation to determine the safe minimum and maximum speed limits on all divided highways that have least four lanes. In Flagler County, that includes I-95 and U.S. 1. On U.S. 1.