We’re reporting live this afternoon from various Feed Flagler locations as the community-wide Thanksgiving celebration takes place from 3 to 6 p.m.
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Feed Flagler Raises $25,000 as Don Fleming Reminds Suzanne Johnston Who’s Sheriff
The $25,000 raised largely on the strength of the sheriff and the tax collector’s efforts is $10,000 more than last year, and means that $14,000 of it will be split between two Flagler County food pantries. The rest pays for today’s 4,000 free Thanksgiving meals across the county.
Sunshine Lessons Clouded By Possibly Dimmer Visibility as Jobs Council Meets for 1st Time
Flagler’s nine-member Economic Development Council conducted the equivalent of a meet-and-greet for itself on Tuesday and promptly reversed a promise that all meetings would be televised live, opting instead for audio broadcasts.
Flagler School District Reaffirms Wireless Ban On Buses Even As It Encourages iPad Fever
A proposal to let students use their smart phones to listen to music or text failed on a 2-2 vote, but the school board left silent the matter of tablets, such as iPads, which can also be used to read a book, do homework or write an essay on the bus–but are now banned as well.
Routine County Appointments Get Testy As Commissioner McLaughlin Challenges Holland
Barbara Revels’s appointment as chairman of the Flagler County Commission was overshadowed by Alan Peterson’s and Nate McLaughlin’s unsuccessful attempts to replace Milissa Holland on two boards. McLaughlin did not take the rejection happily.
Driven By Lower Fuel Costs, FPL Projects Lowering Power Bills By $2 a Month in 2012
FPL, the state’s largest utility, said 2012 fuel costs are now projected to be $460 million less than it had anticipated earlier as natural gas costs keep dropping. That won’t affect surcharges for future nuclear power plant construction.
How Progress Energy Wants to Pass On A $2.5 Billion Nuclear Blunder to Customers
One of the most expensive nuclear accidents in United States history happened right here in Florida a little over two years ago, and now Progress Energy wants customers to pay for its mistake at the Crystal River nuclear plant.
Palm Coast Observer Bucks Bleaker Newspaper Trends As Weekly Nears 2-Year Mark
The Palm Coast Observer’s latest audit shows a weekly print run of 25,000 and a household reach in Palm Coast exceeding 60 percent, compared with the News-Journal’s daily reach of 20 percent.
Our School District’s Uniform Follies
The Flagler County School Board’s push for uniforms is out of touch with the county’s struggling families and plundered budgets and revealing of a board too prone to selling out to charter-school gimmickry.
Flagler’s Firefighters and Paramedics Sweep Another Competition, This Time in Nebraska
Flagler County’s firefighters-paramedics took first, third and fourth-place honors in an annual competition in advanced life support in Omaha, Neb., and second place in the basic life support category.
John Feind Is Leaving After 8 Years; Joy McGrew and Sandra Mason In the Race
When it convenes in February, the Flagler Beach City Commission will look vastly different than it did just a year ago, with three of its commission seats and the mayor’s seat having turned over, but the four candidates running for a commission seat and the mayor’s seat are not quite newcomers.
Florida’s Prescription Express: Doctors Shoving Drugs at Poor Patients, for Millions
Florida regulators are finally getting around to stopping doctors from over-prescribing drugs, some of them risky, to Medicaid patients, and at times to the wrong patients, after enabling the practice despite signs of misconduct.
Feed Flagler Heats: Sheriff and Tax Collector Top $6,000, Chicks With Cans Up Tonnage
Suzanne Johnston and Don Fleming are racing to top each other in fund-raising, and all else is set to go go next Wednesday’s Feed Flagler serving of 4,000 meals at 11 locations across the county.
Florida’s Unemployment Falls to 10.3%, Lowest in 28 Months; Flagler’s at 14%
While the jobless figures are improving and trends are better than they’ve been, Florida is also paring people off its jobless rolls through artificial means that create a slightly deceptive result.
FPC’s Frankie Garcia Picked to Join U.S. Army’s All-American Marching Band
Frankie Garcia’s honor is reserved for just 125 high school senior band musicians once a year, chosen from 1,234 nominations across the nation. He’ll perform at the the annual U.S. Army All-American Bowl’s half-time show before a national television audience.
Carnage Continues: 3rd Fatality in 2 Days as a Woman Is Killed in Head-On Crash on SR100
A woman was killed and two men injured this morning when the woman lost control of her pick-up and slammed it head-on into another pick-up on State Road 100, just past the overpass over U.S. 1 and approaching Bimini.
Second Fatality in Third Wreck, On I-95, Caps a Violent Day on Flagler Roads
David Anthony Adorante of Flagler Beach was speeding in his Nissan south on I-95 when he rear-ended a semi carrying a shipping container. The car flipped several times and was mangled beyond recognition, killing the driver.
Exodus at Flagler Chamber of Commerce As Four Staffers Resign in Four Weeks
After Peggy Heiser announced her resignation as tourism’s VP, Lauren Walsh, Nick Langille and Laura Gamba followed, though Chamber President Doug Baxter assures: “It’s got nothing to do with me,” while the TDC wondered if pay is adequate.
What Global Warming? Science-Doubting Florida Lawmakers Move to Kill Cap-and-Trade
The 2008 law that would be repealed was pushed through in 2008 by former Gov. Charlie Crist, but has never been used to pursue cap and trade — an approach that would provide incentives for businesses, such as electric utilities, to reduce emissions.
Flagler Wrecks: 2 Crashes, 3 Cars, 3 Hospitalized, 1 Dead in 7 Hours on US1 and I-95
Victoria Jordan, 21, of Palm Coast, a 2008 graduate of FPC, was a passenger when she was ejected and killed in a single-car wreck on US1 early Wednesday morning. A two-car wreck on I-95 north of the weigh station sent two to the hospital seven hours later.
Town Hall on School Uniforms Draws Out Big Opposition; Decision Set for Jan. 3
John Fischer, the school board member pushing for school uniforms, did not attend the meeting at the Flagler Auditorium, which drew some 150 people, a third of whom spoke–with a 5-to-1 margin opposing uniforms.
DeLorenzo and McGuire, Palm Coast Council’s Newest, Pick Up Where Pit Bulls Left Off
Mayor Jon Netts and council members Jason DeLorenzo and Bill McGuire were sworn in today, and two brief, emotional speeches over, McGuire cast his first dissenting vote as the council took up mundane and mordant business.
Court Hearing Arguments in a Case That May Determine Legality of Sweepstakes Gambling
Allied Veterans is asking the 1st District Court of Appeal to let the lawsuit move forward, as the non-profit organization seeks a declaration that it offers legal sweepstakes games at the cafes — and not illegal gambling, as critics allege.
Alice Baker Stepping Down in Flagler Beach, Feind May Follow, Joy McGrew Wants Back In
Flagler Beach’s next election is scheduled for Jan. 31 to coincide with the presidential primary and save money. The mayor’s seat has drawn three candidates. One commission seat is up.
Pit Bull Attacks, Mystery Traffic, Angry Neighbors: The Battle Over Farraday Lane
Two dogs are dead following a pit bull attack on Farraday Lane, the second in four months, leading neighbors to mount a campaign against residents in a duplex on the street–who call the campaign unfounded and based on stereotype and hearsay. Residents are taking their case to the Palm Coast City Council Tuesday.
Françoise Pecqueur, Struck By School Board Member’s Wife, Dies 2 Days Short of 77
Françoise Pecqueur was walking her dog in Palm Coast’s C-section the evening of Nov. 10 when she was struck by a a car driven by Jamesine Fischer, wife of John Fischer, the Flagler County School Board member. The incident is now a homicide investigation.
Steve Knob, 5-Year Band Leader at Matanzas, Resigns After Downloading Porn at School
Steve Knob had brought a long and distinguished career to Flagler. Matanzas High School Principal Chris Pryor and others caught him in the act of downloading porn on Oct. 7, but Pryor attributed his resignation to “family medical issues.”
Wilted Rust: The Flagler Playhouse’s Disappointing “Steel Magnolias”
Robert Harling’s “Steel Magnolias” was awful when it was first staged off Broadway in 1987. The greeting-card writing was dated then. Age or venue changes haven’t done it any favors, and the Flagler Plahouse production is unable to salvage it.
Rick Scott Opposes Electronic Health Databases Designed to Speed Up Patient Care
Florida’s Health Information Exchange, a national pioneer, replaces paper with electronic records, speeding up patient care and information exchanges between health providers. Rick Scott opposes it, claiming it doesn’t save money and breaches privacy.
At Hollingsworth Gallery:
Weldon Ryan, Artist of the Year
Weldon Ryan’s journey from Trinidad to the Bronx to Brooklyn to Palm Coast, navigating poverty, violence, brutality and beauty, begins to explain his art’s hyper-realism and its arms-length emotions.
Lazy, Cheap, Irresponsible Palm Coast
This week’s dismal voter turn-out for the Palm Coast election is a reflection of a city and a council that mirror each other in laziness, misplaced penny-pinching and indifference to civic engagement where it actually matters.
Sisco Deen on the Meaning of Veterans Day, Frank W. Buckles and Mackenzie’s Card
In a moving tribute to veterans and Frank Buckles, the late, last World War I veteran, Sisco Deen, Flagler County’s archivist, reminds us why we must “always remember and honor those who have served and dedicated their lives to our country.”
76-Year-Old Walker in Critical Condition After Car Strikes Her and Drives On in Palm Harbor
The car that struck Francoise Pecqueur, 76, was driven by Jamesine Fischer, 55, the wife of John Fischer, the Flagler County school board member. The car was impounded and the case is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
A Matter of Heart: Tommy Tant Surf Classic Returns to Roil Flagler Beach
The annual Tommy Tant Memorial Surf Classic, a competitive surfing celebration of the late Tommy Tant, runs Saturday and Sunday in Flagler Beach with a focus this year on heart health, as Tommy died of an aortic aneurysm 13 years ago.
The Boys of Pointe du Hoc: Ronald Reagan in Normandy
Reagan’s speech at Normandy’s Pointe du Hoc on June 6, 1984, commemorating the 40th anniversary of D-Day, is one of his noblest, especially in retrospect, for what he said about the cold war, the Soviet Union and nuclear weapons.
Florida’s Latest Immigrants: Undocumented Workers Fleeing Alabama’s Harsh Vise
Reversing Florida’s recent population loss, there’s been an influx of undocumented workers moving to Florida from Alabama as a result of a newly passed state law, the harshest immigration enforcement measure in the country.
Angela Wray, a Cop’s Wife, Jailed Over Embezzling $59,000 from Celico Auto
Angela Wray worked as Celico Auto Body’s bookkeeper and secretary from January 2007 to December 2010, committing 127 individual acts of thefts, according to the FDLE, and cashing checks or paying personal bills at various banks or financial institutions.
Flashgate: Internal Investigation Clears Bunnell Cop, Citing Another for “Honest Mistake”
Cpl. Sergio Pina was exonerated of acting improperly when he deleted files off the flash drive of a former Bunnell cop that had been turned into the department. Lt. Randy Burke was cited for “improper procedure” without malice.
Saturday Afternoon With The Artists Returns At the Art League, Beckoning Inquisitors
The Flagler County Art League’s annual show, opening Saturday at 4 p.m., is your chance not only to let your eyes wander the walls of a new art show—this one featuring some 70 works—but to meet the artists in person and quiz them about their own work.
Expedia v. Florida: Claims of Harassment And Privilege in Online Booking Tax Brawl
Rep. Rick Kriseman, the St. Petersburg Republican, distributed Expedia documents that showed the company knew as early as 2003 that it should pay Florida’s bed taxes. The company wants him to explain his role in court. The Legislature is claiming that lawmakers cannot be forced to testify about issues in the legislative process.
Walmart Wants To Be Your Health Care Provider
Walmart wants to become by “the largest provider of primary healthcare services in the nation,” according to a request for information from potential partners sent the same week Walmart–the nation’s largest private employer–scaled back its health coverage for employees.
Moorman and Cross Concede, McGuire Puts Landon on Notice: “He Should Be Nervous”
The Palm Coast City Council is gaining two outspoken voices at odds with the council’s laid-back make-up until now, while Jon Netts is the last member of the council who’d voted to hire Jim Landon, raising questions about the city manager’s future.
McGuire Ahead of Moorman by 54 Votes, DeLorenzo Ahead of Cross by 37
Our earlier report that Holsey Moorman had won the election may have been premature. An additional tally by the Supervisor of Elections, this one including absentee ballots, shows McGuire beating Moorman by 54 votes, and Jason DeLorenzo beating Dennis Cross just under 40 votes.
Too Close to Call: Early Voting Gives Slim Lead to Moorman, Cross and DeLorenzo Closer
Results of the Palm Coast City Council election between Holsey Moorman and Bill McGuire, and Jason DeLorenzo and Dennis Cross.
Turnout for Palm Coast Election Poor To Dismal Again as Polls Close; Results Soon
By 4 p.m., tallies–including early voting and absentee–had still not totaled the 5,248 voters who turned out for the mayoral election in September, the worst in the city’s history by turnout.
Revels + 8 As Commission Appoints Economic Development Council, With Dash of Snub
The seven men and two women on the economic development council have more business than racial, political or geographic diversity, with one voice from western Flagler and one–Revels–from Flagler Beach.
Secret Donors, Unlimited Contributions, Super-PAC Elections as FEC Stalemates
Nearly two years after a U.S. Supreme Court decision struck down key restrictions in campaign finance law, the Fderal Elections Commission still hasn’t begun the process of changing its regulations to comply with the ruling.
On Election Eve, DeLorenzo Contributions Surge–Including $100 from Waste Pro Rival
The latest campaign-finance reports cover the last two weeks of October. The donation to DeLorenzo from waste hauler Republic’s marketing manager was recorded eight days after the one from Waste Pro.
Young Father in Jail Over Severe Head, Eye and Leg Injuries to His 17-Week-Old Child
Edward Parker, 18, of the Mondex, was preparing for a run when his son began crying. The child was taken to the hospital with a brain hemorrhage, a contusion to the eye and a fractured femur.
Rick Scott’s Liability to Taxpayers: As Lawsuits Against His Policies Mount, So Do Costs
A slew of Gov. Rick Scott-backed laws, from drug-testing welfare recipients to privatizing prisons and restricting voter registration and access have triggered costly lawsuits with potentially costlier hits to the treasury, reflecting the law’s extremism.