Timothy Whitfield, a 44-year-old resident of Palm Coast hired as a history teacher at Flagler Palm Coast High School last year, was effectively fired two months ago following sheriff’s and district investigations that uncovered grave ethical improprieties but no criminal findings. Whitfield had maintained a relationship with a female student, paid her nearly $6,000 through 127 cash-app transactions, and lied on his job application.
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Why Florida’s and Other States’ Anti-Vaccine Efforts Are Mostly for Show
Many of the new anti-vaccine mandate laws, including Florida’s, are either symbolic or vulnerable to federal preemption, or in some cases both. Some have provisions that align with federal regulations, such as sections that say people can reject vaccinations for religious reasons.
Flagler School Libraries Face Chilling Dangers Beyond Book Bans
Book-banning doesn’t really exist: ban a book, and it gains more notoriety than ever. The danger ahead in Flagler schools is Board members Jill Woolbright’s and Janet McDonald’s attempt to keep certain books from even reaching library shelves before they’re bought, thus eliminating the glare of controversy. That kind of self-censorship is far more damaging to diversity on Flagler’s library shelves.
Inaction from Florida House on ‘Vile’ Social Media Posts Against Muslims and Palestinians from GOP’s Randy Fine
In mid-August, an official complaint was filed in the Florida House of Representatives against Randy Fine, the Palm Bay Republican, for “hateful” and “atrocious” social media comments directed to Palestinians and Muslims, whom he’s called “monsters,” “terrorists,” and “rapists,” among other Islamophobic bigotries, on his social media platforms.
The More Telling Months After the First Thanksgiving
What happened four months after the first Thanksgiving, starting in March 1622 about 600 miles south of Plymouth, is far more reflective of the country’s origins – a story not of peaceful coexistence but of distrust, displacement and repression.
Criminalizing a Black Jogger: 3 Georgia Men Found Guilty of Murdering Ahmaud Arbery
Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, was killed on Feb. 23, 2020, after being pursued through the predominantly white suburban neighborhood of Satilla Shores, near Brunswick in Georgia. For many, the manner of his death raised questions over the role race played in the killing, evoking a U.S. in which gangs of white men killed Black men and boys with impunity.
Keon Sands, 27, Veteran of Afghanistan, Is Killed in Motorcycle Collision With Semi on I-95. Semi Kept Going.
Keon Clyde Sands, 27, was killed moments after 11 p.m. Tuesday night as he was riding his motorcycle north on I-95, in a collision with a semi truck near mile marker 296, just south of Old Kings Road.
Between Jorge Salinas and Generous Federal Subsidies, Broadband May Finally Connect West Flagler By End of 2023
A slew of federal subsidies, including Covid-relief funds and an auction with broadband providers, is making possible what Flagler County commissioners have only talked about for several years. The commission approved negotiating a no-bid contract with Charter Communications, itself the beneficiary of over $1 billion in federal subsidies, to extend broadband to underserved areas in West Flagler by the end of 20223 or early 2024.
Future July 4 Celebrations Take Shape Between Certainty of Fireworks and Uncertainty of Flagler Beach’s Geography
The July 4 committee the Flagler Beach City Commission appointed last August to figure out whether there is a future for the Independence Day fireworks that light up much of the city’s historical identity is close to finishing its work, with a final report now in preparation.
Judge Exonerates 4 Black Men Known as ‘Groveland Four’ Who’d Been Falsely Accused of Raping White Woman
A Central Florida judge on Monday exonerated Black men known as the “Groveland Four” who were accused of sexually assaulting a white woman in one of the most-notorious cases from the state’s Jim Crow era. All four have died. They were accused in 1949 by Norma Padgett, then 17, of Lake County.
On Book Bans, ‘Equity’ and the School District’s Duty to Honor Student Diversity: The Students’ Perspective
Karissa Jackson and Kaylee Briggs are among the more outspoken student board members who have served on the Flagler County School Board. They both addressed the ongoing attempt by Board members Jill Woolbright and Janet McDonald to remove or review books from school libraries.
Violent Felon With Long Prison History Accused of Attacking Teen Unprovoked in a Seminole Woods Driveway
Sean Patrick McNamara, who has spent almost 27 of his 53 years in state prison, moved to Palm Coast in 2020 and has since faced four charges in three incidents, the last two being felony child abuse and making threats to kill following a confrontation with a minor child in the boy’s driveway in Seminole Woods in Palm Coast.
Flush With Federal Money, DeSantis Pitches Temporarily Eliminating State Gas Tax, Reducing Revenue by $1 Billion
Continuing to contrast his economic approach to the Biden White House–which ensured that Florida would get billions in Covid and infrastructure subsidies–DeSantis said the approximately 25-cent-a-gallon “gas tax relief” proposal could save the average Florida family up to $200 over a five- to six-month period, while reducing state revenue by more than $1 billion. DeSantis wants lawmakers to approve it during the legislative session that starts Jan. 11.
It’s Our Right as Americans to Breathe Open Air Without Some Wussy Libtard Face Diaper
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the fine MAGA folks of the Florida Legislature are right here in the state capital, passing laws telling Biden where he can stick that order making businesses with more than 100 employees mandate the vax. And yeah, it might cost the taxpayers several million for the lawsuits that’ll come out of these new bills, but keeping Florida free is worth every penny.
Closing Inquiry, Sheriff Rebuffs Charge of ‘Crime’ in Book Controversy; Woolbright Wants ‘All Young Adult Books Checked’
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office found no grounds for a criminal inquiry into School Board member Jill Woolbright’s charge that making “All Boys Aren’t Blue” available to students was a “crime.” The sheriff was sharply critical of having been brought into a position of making judgments he said are the responsibility of the board and its processes. The inquiry also dismissed claims that Woolbright faced any immediate threat, as had been claimed.
School Board’s Cheryl Massaro Reverses Against Dropping ‘Equity’ in District Goals’ Language
Cheryl Massaro had previously joined three other board members on Nov. 2 in directing Superintendent Cathy Mittelstadt to drop the word “equity” from the district’s upcoming Strategic Plan. Tuesday, she said she wanted the matter brought back up for discussion, and that she was no longer in favor of dropping the word.
Trevor Tucker Is Re-Elected Flagler School Board Chair in Nomination Reflecting Guile Behind Deep Divisions
Trevor Tucker was unanimously re-elected chairman of the Flagler County School Board board, with Colleen Conklin re-elected vice-chair. The unanimity of the Tucker vote hides deep divisions on the board that were reflected both in the Conklin vote and the nomination of Tucker.
Why All Boys Aren’t Blue Belongs in High School Libraries: A Response to Brian McMillan
Palm Coast Observer Editor Brian McMillan would restrict the book at the center of a controversy from high school libraries, even though he doesn’t find it pornographic. His argument and his prescription are untenable, because they rest on an analogy that has no application to George Johnson’s “All Boys Aren’t Blue.” A school district committee is currently reviewing the book’s status.
Ex-Sheriff Jim Manfre Gets Most Votes in Short-Listing of 6 Candidates for Palm Coast City Manager
In a stunner, former two-time Sheriff Jim Manfre was the top vote-getter in the short-listing of possible candidates for Palm Coast City Manager as the council this evening picked six candidates to back-ground check and possibly interview in January.
Student Protesters Face Hail of Vile Obscenities, Taunts and Threats From Group Claiming to Speak For Children
Students and parents protesting against a potential book ban in school libraries were confronted with a loose band of counter-protesters at the Government Services Building Tuesday evening, some of them in camouflage and body armor, taunting with obscenities, homophobic slurs and threats even as they claimed to object to “obscene” books. Sheriff’s deputies kept the taunts from escalating beyond the verbal.
Potential Book Ban in Schools Galvanizes 2 Sides in Day of Highs and Lows as Sheriff Recoils at Criminal Complaint
the Flagler County School Board today contended with the fallout of a criminal complaint and call for a book ban filed by Board member Jill Woolbright, and did so for 10 hours, from a lengthy and at times ugly workshop to a student-led demonstration marred by harassment and insults by detractors to an evening meeting that stretched past 11 p.m.
For Another $1.2 Million, County Will Build Planned Addition to Sheriff’s Operations Center Now
The $23-million, 51,000 square-foot Sheriff’s Operations Center about to rise within sight of the Government Services Building in Bunnell will grow by another 6,000 square feet with the addition of a warehouse.
Covid Isn’t Over, But in Flagler It’s Receded from Menace to Nuisance, at Least For Now
Covid isn’t gone. It may never end. But for now, it’s more nuisance than menace in Flagler. Weekly case loads fell in 10 of the last 11 weeks and for the past four weeks have been averaging around 50 per week–not as low as the spring of 2020, but still the lowest numbers by far since the arrival of the Delta variant, the supersize equivalent of the coronavirus.
Dave Sullivan and Don O’Brien Elect Joe Mullins, a Bigot, Chairman of the Commission and Face of Flagler County
Flagler County Commissioners Don O’Brien and Dave Sullivan voted for Joe Mullins, who voted for himself, making Mullins, a bigot with a propensity for lies, slanders, insults, anti-Semitism and unprecedented divisiveness for a commissioner, chairman of the county commission for the next year.
“No Response From 5111”: End of Watch for Sgt. Dominic Guida as Family and Community Mourn Young Cop’s Loss
Viewing and services for Sgt. Dominic Guida of the Bunnell Police Department, who died on Nov. 9 in the line of duty, brought throngs of law enforcement officers and first responders to First Baptist Church in Bunnell at noon today as part of a two-hour service that ended with Guida’s End of Watch Call. He was 43.
The County Commission’s Choice Tonight: Filth or Statesmanship
The Flagler County Commission this evening is set to elect a new chairman, with Joe Mullins in line for the job, unless fellow-commissioners think better than to choose a bigot to represent them and the county. The School Board elects a chair Tuesday evening, with its own dilemmas.
Cheryl Massaro Rebukes Fellow School Board Member Woolbright Over ‘Rogue’ Attacks on Books and Superintendent
In a statement issued Sunday night, School Board member Cheryl Massaro said fellow-Board member Jill Woolbright “crossed the line when she filed a criminal complaint against the Flagler Schools’ Superintendent and Attorney” over Woolbright’s attempt to ban books. Massaro sharply rebuked the attempted censorship of books and said Woolbright doesn’t speak for the board.
The Live Interview: Author George M. Johnson Speaks to Those Who Want Book Banned From Flagler Schools
George M. Johnson, author of “All Boys Aren’t Blue, one of the books School Board member Jill Woolbright calls a “crime” to have in schools and wants banned, speaks to FlaglerLive about frequent experiences with “the purity brigade,” differences between porn and sex, the orchestration behind current book bans and what Johnson would tell the district committee reviewing the book.
The Flagler School Board’s Shameless War on Equity
The Flagler school board doesn’t believe in equality anymore. The administration, out of fear and misplaced pragmatism, is abandoning the word “equity” and replacing it with a bromide of a euphemism–“student success”–in appeasement of a faction led by School Board members Jill Woolbright and Janet McDonald, the same board members targeting books and instructional materials with anti-racism and other minority-oriented themes.
‘Do We Settle?’ Palm Coast Mayor’s Question Reflects Disappointment in 90 Manager Applicants, Suggesting Do-Over
Mayor David Alfin and other Palm Coast council members are disappointed in the quality of candidates who have applied for city manager, opening the possibility that the process may be set aside and re-started, with a search firm this time–if the mayor gets his way.
‘All Together Now!’ Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre Musical Revue Joins a Global Fundraising Event
Music Theatre International is one of the world’s most prominent theatrical licensing agencies, representing hundreds of musicals ranging from Tony-winning classics to children’s fare. It is allowing theaters worldwide to perform “All Together Now!” license-free to help raise money for the theaters themselves. In this case, Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre will benefit.
Vague and Controversial Parents’ Bill of Rights Will Get Renewed Focus in Special Session of Legislature Next Week
The Parents’ Bill of Rights, sponsored by State Rep. Erin Grall in the 2021 legislative session, was criticized for its vague language and unclear boundaries. But it became a clarion call for parent power as local school boards developed Covid policies impacting students, and a mask mandate debacle that pitted the executive branch against local school boards.
Jill Woolbright Wants 4 Books Banned Over Anti-Racism, LGBTQ, Police Violence and Rape Themes; District Removes Them Pending Review
Copycatting a tactic developing across the country and targeting the same books, Flagler County School Board member Jill Woolbright wants four books removed. The books, award winners and critically acclaimed, deal with LGBTQ themes, anti-racism, police shootings, and the trauma of rape. Three are by Black authors.
Almost As Bad as Hurricane Matthew: Post-Storm Survey in Flagler Reveals Substantial Loss of Dunes
Last weekend’s nor’easter ripped through Flagler County’s dune structures and caused a lot more damage than originally thought, further weakening the dune line that has steadily been losing sand since it was rebuilt in 2018 for $20 million after Hurricanes Matthew and Irma.
100-Room Hotel in Heart of Flagler Beach, ‘A Good Fit,’ Could Break Ground in 2nd or 3rd Quarter of 2022
After buying the 1.3 acres that used to be a farmer’s market in the heart of Flagler Beach for $3.8 million in July, the CEO of the Ormond Beach-based hotel development firm redeveloping the land promises a 100-room, 3-story hotel that will reflect the Flagler Beach lifestyle and will not be “a cookie cutter Hampton Inn.”
James McIntire, 71, Pleads to Molesting Girl, 15, in Exchange for 2 Years in Prison; He’d Faced Up to 15 Years
James Lee McIntire, a 71-year-old resident of 71 Florida Park Drive in Palm Coast, pleaded guilty on Monday to molesting the 15-year-old daughter of a woman who said he’d molested her, too, when she was 14, some 28 years ago. McIntire pleaded only to the offense for which he was charged–the more recent case, which covers several incidents that took place at McIntire’s home in the summer of 2019.
FPL Customers Could Face Bills of Up to $6.83 a Month More on Top of Previous Increase Due to Natural Gas Costs
The request, filed at the state Public Service Commission, would push up FPL customer bills that were already slated to increase next year. Costs for natural gas and other power-plant fuel are generally passed through to customers.
Sgt. Dominic Guida, A 19-Year Veteran of Bunnell Police and Sheriff’s Office, Dies After Heart Attack in Training
Sgt. Dominic Guida of the Bunnell Police Department was rushed to AdventHealth Palm Coast this afternoon after suffering a cardiac event while in training with Flagler County sheriff’s deputies at the county’s training facility and burn tower on Justice Lane in Bunnell. He died at the hospital. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Guida’s death at 5:40 p.m.
In Shift, Flagler Beach Will Not Abandon July 4 Fireworks. It’s Now How, Not Whether, to Preserve Tradition.
After considering abandoning July 4 fireworks due to overcrowding and safety concerns, a committee appointed by the Flagler Beach City Commission to study the matter will recommend keeping the fireworks while proposing a series of management and policing approaches to better control crowds, minimize underage drinking and provide alternatives to driving and parking on the island.
When Even the Victim of Domestic Violence Wants a No-Contact Order Lifted, and the Judge Says No
Joel Buzzard, 49, of Bunnell, is on bail awaiting trial on a felony domestic violence charge involving a woman with two young children who, today, wanted his no-contact order lifted so they could see each other again. A judge said no, and Buzzard’s own attorney ordered him out of the courtroom when he had an outburst.
Big Box Store ‘Everyone in the County Will Be Happy About’ Coming to SR100 Near Airport
A developer is seeking to rezone 40 acres of agricultural land to industrial along State Road 100 near the county airport, land owned by Jay Gardner, the county property appraiser. He says the developer plans a big-box store anchoring a commercial development with restaurants and other out-parcel type businesses. Industrial uses are less clear.
In Flagler, Nor’easter’s Damage Is Limited to Some Dune Erosion, a Few Walkovers, Street and Yard Flooding
Flagler County made it through the weekend nor’easter with some heavy rains and the expected high waters and some flooding and minor damage to walk-overs and dunes, but no reported flooding into homes or any serious property damage. The forecast for rain had been for 4 to 8 inches. The county got roughly 5.
Five Florida School Boards Move Quickly to Appeal Decision Supporting State Ban on Mask Mandates
The filing came shortly after Administrative Law Judge Brian Newman rejected a challenge to a Sept. 22 emergency rule issued by the Department of Health. That rule, at least in part, carried out a July 30 executive order by Gov. Ron DeSantis that sought to prevent school mask mandates.
Corporal Punishment Is Child Abuse. Florida Law Must Stop Protecting It.
Under Florida law, child abuse is legal as long as the violence doesn’t amount to intentional, malicious harm. There is no age cut off. There are no limits on what means are used to brutalize a child. The law is a leftover from barbaric days.
New Laws’ Fiscal-Impact Statements Are Routine. Now, Some States Push for Racial-Impact Statements.
In many states, lawmakers long have used so-called fiscal impact statements to predict how much money proposed laws will cost or save. Now more legislators want to use racial impact statements to predict how a particular measure might harm—or help—racial and ethnic groups or widen racial disparities, though you won;t see this in Florida any time soon.
2 Flagler School Board Members Object to Black Lives Matter Language and a ‘Hate Group’ Trolls District’s Library Books
The Flagler County School Board is not banning books–yet. But two board members–Jill Woolbright and Janet McDonald–are on the warpath, playing up isolated complaints about materials they find objectional on ideological grounds and mirroring similar attempts in other districts where a few voices have capitalized on largely manufactured controversies. The board members’ moves parallel a national extremist organization’s inquiry in Flagler and other Florida counties about the district’s book holdings, especially targeting racially-conscious and LGBTQ-themed books.
Matthew Wright Dies of Wound in Attempted Murder-Suicide, Gia Troutman, 23, in Critical Condition
Matthew Wright, the 25-year-old Palm Coast man involved in what appears to be an attempted murder-suicide Thursday afternoon, had spent most of his adult life in prison. He’d been out less than a year when he died Thursday of what authorities are reporting as a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, after shooting his girlfriend, Gia Troutman, four times.
Domestic Argument Between Man and Woman Leads to Apparent Attempted Murder Suicide on Bunker Knoll Lane
Flagler County Sheriff’s detectives are investigating a domestic altercation between a woman and her boyfriend on Palm Coast’s Bunker Knoll Lane that resulted in a shooting that left both severely wounded this evening. The shooting appears to have been an attempted murder suicide.
In Wrenching Hearing, Judge Opts for Closure More than Retribution in 5-Year Prison Sentence for Fatal Hit and Run
Joshua Carver had faced up to 30 years in prison for the hit and run collision that left 29-year-old Jonathan Rogers dead on the side of State Road 100 in February 2020. Circuit Judge Chris France sentenced him to five years in prison and five years on probation after hearing from families on both sides of a divide marked not by enmity but mutual loss.
35% Short of Needed Bus Drivers, School District Agrees to $15/hr Pay, Plus Incentive, as Part of Raises for All Service Employees
Members of the Flagler Educational Support Professional Association, the union that represents Flagler schools’ 800-some service employees, are voting today on what may amount to the largest pay increase in nearly 20 years, though bus drivers and paraprofessionals will see larger increases than all others.