The CDC halted evictions at the height of the pandemic, saying that putting people out of their homes when state and local authorities had issued stay-at-home orders to stop the spread of covid-19 would be a public health hazard. But the court said a nationwide eviction moratorium was not under the health agency’s purview.
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‘Enough’ Is Not Enough: Flagler’s Dangerous Leer at Extremism
What happened on Tuesday at the Palm Coast City Council is indefensible and dangerous. But it’s nothing new. We’ve simply not been paying attention to a perilous degradation of public discourse and behavior. We are slowly becoming a crueler community debased by primitive instincts, because no one in charge, or too few people in charge, are standing up and saying enough.
Flagler Playhouse Emerges Financially Solid from Covid Darkness with 2 Flagler Theatre Workshop Productions
With $243,000 in cash and savings and $1.4 million in assets, the Flagler Playhouse begins to light up its stage again in Bunnell with workshops and, come September, a new season starting with Neil Simon’s “Rumors.”
Man Who Rushed Mayor During Palm Coast Council Meeting Is Trespassed, and Says He Will Sue
Mark Phillips, a frequent presence at city and county meetings who aggressively rushed the dais during the Palm Coast City Council meeting Tuesday to confront Mayor Milissa Holland, was trespassed from City Hall the next day, records show. He has the right of appeal.
In Contrast With Flagler Beach, Palm Coast Will Go Ahead With Independence Day Fireworks in Town Center
The annual Palm Coast fireworks celebration of Independence Day will return this year on July 3 along with the traditional Central Park picnic, with no restrictions on attendance except for a recommendation of physical distancing.
Palm Coast Council Approves 240-Unit Apartment Complex Near Boston Whaler Plant on Colbert Lane
The developer of the Lighthouse Habor Luxury Apartments complex says the apartments will be marketed to “more affluent transitional folks” rather than workforce tenants, though Palm Coast is experiencing a shortage in workforce housing.
Flagler Sting and Arrest of 2 Catalytic Converter Thieves Highlights Widespread and Profitable Racket
Catalytic converters, the pollution-control devices on all gasoline-powered cars and trucks, can be more valuable contraband than drugs–easier to acquire, easier to sell, and less punishable if caught. The sheriff’s office arrested two men in a local sting operation targeting converter thieves.
DeSantis Signs Bill Retrenching Voting Rights on ‘Fox & Friends’ as Opponents Immediately File Suit
DeSantis, who will be on the ballot in 2022 as he seeks a second term as governor, signed the bill (SB 90) on the Fox News show “Fox & Friends” after an event with supporters in West Palm Beach.
Flagler Schools Will Keep Mask Rules In Effect, Making them Voluntary in Summer
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ order overriding local county and city masking regulations doesn’t apply to school districts. The Flagler district announced making rules will stay in effect for the next four weeks, becoming voluntary with summer session and the next school year.
Behind Palm Coast’s $5.7 million Push for a Regional Racket Center, a Big Bet on Players and Partnerships
Palm Coast’s bet on a vast expansion of the Tennis Center into the Reilly Opelka Racquet Center rests on hopes for a much larger population ahead that would be keyed into tennis and pickleball, but optimistic–speculative–figures don’t match up with current trends despite a surge in 2020 in racket-sport participation.
Almost 3 Years Late and $300,000 Over Budget, County Finally Opens Palm Coast Precinct for Sheriff
The Palm Coast Precinct at 14 Palm Harbor Village Way was originally supposed to open in 2018 but fell victims to delays and successive changes of plans before reverting back to its original intent.
A Tense Palm Coast Council Meeting Turns Menacing as a Man Rushes Dais to Affront Mayor Holland
An unnerving, and to Mayor Milissa Holland frightening, incident interrupted tonight’s Palm Coast City Council meeting as a man menacingly walked up to within a foot or two of the mayor before a Flagler County Sheriff’s commander quickly stepped between him and Holland and eventually directed the man away from the dais.
Palm Coast Doffs Mask Ordinance With a Few Theatrics and the Usual Disinformation
The Palm Coast City Council this evening revoked its year-long, never-enforced but influential mask mandate on the heels of the city administration lifting mask requirements in city facilities and county government doing likewise on Monday.
Lauryn Darnell, 19, Will Serve 3 Years in Prison for Role in W-Section Conspiracy and Shooting That Left a Man Disabled
Lauryn Darnell, one of four co-conspirators in the armed robbery and shooting of Carl Saint Felix on Palm Coast’s White Star Drive in 2018, pleaded today to conspiring to armed robbery and principal to armed robbery and will be sentenced to three years in prison followed by three years’ probation.
Benjamin Allen, Now 18, Will Go on Trial May 24 for Murder of Elijah Rizvan, 17, in W-Section Shooting
Benjamin Allen, accused of shooting 17-year-old Elijah Rizvan to death in front of 7 Westford Lane in Palm Coast almost two years ago, faces life in prison if convicted. He previously turned down a plea deal requiring him to serve 30 years in prison, with a possibility of early release after 25.
‘Warehouse’ or ‘Marina’? Battle Lines Are Drawn Again Over Dry Boat-Storage Facility Along Scenic A1A
A developer wants to turn an old boat-manufacturing facility into dry storage for 240 boats along with a restaurant on 4.3 acres next to Hammock Hardware. He calls it a “marina.” The Hammock Community Association calls it a warehouse and says it’s not allowed in the Scenic A1A overlay area.
From Vacation Rentals to Bright Futures Eligibility, THC Caps and School Board Term Limits: Bills That Died
From abortion restrictions to vacation rentals, many high-profile bills died Friday when the Florida legislative session ended. Here are 10 issues that did not make it through the Legislature.
County Sends Stronger Signals that It’s Finally Getting Serious About Getting Broadband to West Flagler
Flagler County government is looking to the $1.9 trillion Covid relief package, a separate federal fund through the Federal Communications Commission and potential subsidies for money that may finally underwrite expansion of broadband internet service to some 400 West Flagler households that have been clamoring for service for years.
Sheriff Staly and Deputies Chase Accused Armed Carjacker to Daytona, Where He’s Tased and Arrested
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly and and Chief Mark Strobridge found themselves in the thick of a chase for an accused carjacker who’d just fled from a deputy after pointing a rifle at a passenger. The chase ended in Daytona Beach with the suspect’s arrest after he was tased.
Flagler Government Lifts Masking Rules But Flagler Beach Commissioner Warns Mullins: ‘Don’t Tell Us What To Do’
Flagler Beach Commissioner Jane Mealy twice told county commissioners this morning, specifying Joe Mullins, “don’t tell us what to do,” reasserting why the city is not holding July 4 festivities even as a county commissioner has been harping on it to reverse course.
CVS and Walgreens Have Wasted More Vaccine Doses Than Most States Combined
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 182,874 wasted doses as of late March, three months into the country’s effort to vaccinate the masses against the coronavirus. Of those, CVS was responsible for nearly half, and Walgreens for 21%, or nearly 128,500 wasted shots combined.
What Stolen Election Diehards Owe Holocaust Deniers
Holocaust denialism’s dregs on the fringe don’t get much attention because responsible institutions from publishers to campuses to media organizations kept them in their gutter. Election deniers are owed no less.
What We Can Learn From Canada’s Clarity on Pot
The inherent contradictions of American cannabis laws is undermining consumers and businesses unfairly and at times absurdly. Federal law must change, as it has fallen behind states’ efforts on marijuana in several ways.
Asked to Boost Jobless Benefits for Everyday Floridians, Lawmakers in the House and DeSantis Say No
Legislation that would have boosted the top unemployment benefits by $100 per week in Florida has died because the state House declined to take up a bipartisan Senate bill to that effect on the final day of the annual legislative session.
Protests, Twitter, Covid, Elections, LGBTQ: Ten Big Issues from the 2021 Florida Legislative Session
Controversial issues from the banning of transgender girls in sports to restrictive voting and protesting laws to bills on education, taxes, covid, insurance and other issues defined the 2021 legislative session just ended. Here’s a recap.
Flagler County Makes a Little History With Its First Aerial-Ignition Prescribed Fire at Princess Place
A successful prescribed fire, sometimes also referred to as a “controlled” fire, removes the hazardous level of fuel in a given area. Unplanned wildfires have a greater risk of being destructive, because the accumulation of vegetation serves as the fuel for these hotter, faster moving fires.
‘Armed and Dangerous’ Felon Kyle Knever Is Found Following Two-Hour Search in W-Section
Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies Saturday morning were searching in the area of Commerce Boulevard and Wells Place in Palm Coast for Kyle Knever, a 35-year-old felon considered “armed and dangerous,” according to the Sheriff’s Office.
How Garry Lubi and Friends Scored the Palm Coast Songwriters Festival as it Rebounds from Covid Year
The festival is now in its fourth year, has grown from nine songwriters and an attendance of 275 in its first year to some 30 songwriters this year, and hopes to exceed the 700-some who attended when it was last held in person. The festival is the brainchild of Garry Lubi, the Palm Coast banker.
Palm Coast Asks Residents a Smidge Tendentiously: Is It Time to Relax Ban on Work Vehicles in Residential Driveways?
Palm Coast forbids commercial vehicles to park in residential driveways on anything but work calls, unless the commercial signs are covered. At least two council members want the rule relaxed. The council is issuing a public survey to gauge interest in that direction.
Mayor’s State of the City Address: The Year of Covid, Universities and Renewed, Robust Growth
Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland delivered the annual State of the City address and recognized the year’s recipients of three awards, including Citizen of the Year and the Public Safety Award. Here’s the full text.
George Floyd-Inspired Bill Requiring Use-of-Force Training for Police, Termed a ‘Good Start,’ Clears Legislature
The measure seeks to address aspects of policing that came under scrutiny after the death of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed by ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin nearly a year ago. Chauvin, who was captured on video kneeling on Floyd’s neck, was found guilty by a jury last week of murdering Floyd.
Measure Banning Transgender Girls From High School and College Teams Heads for DeSantis Signature
Under the measure on its way to Gov. Ron DeSantis, female students’ eligibility for sports teams would be based on their “biological sex” on birth certificates issued “at or near the time of the student’s birth.”
Palm Coast Swipes Sheriff’s Peerless PR Director Brittany Kershaw in Latest Revamp, at a Salary of $105,000
Palm Coast is elevating Brittany Kershaw’s position to the level of director, and in all local governments, directors’ salaries begin in the 90,000 and go up from there. She takes over a communications division that has been in flux, to put it mildly, since City Manager Matt Morton’s arrival two years ago.
Flagler’s Population Increases at Fastest Pace in 13 Years as Housing Inventory Shrinks Despite Construction Boom
Flagler County in 2020 added 3,538 residents, after an almost equally strong gain in 2019. The gains are still less than half what they were at the peak of the county’s boom years, but they are remaking the landscape. The boomlet is reflected across other indicators–property values, the shrinking available inventory of single-family homes, and the sharp rise in permitting for new single-family homes.
In Flagler Beach, Bank of America’s Blockish Eyesore Will Be Replaced By Vacation Rentals and Shops
The blockish and unsightly Bank of America building that sat for decades at South 3rd and State Road A1A in Flagler Beach will be renovated into the unrecognizable Ocean Club, with seven short-term rentals upstairs and clothing and gift shops downstairs.
Palm Coast Songwriters Festival Returns, Starring “Same Ole” Paul Overstreet and 30 Top Songsmiths
The Palm Coast Song Festival runs April 29-May 2 at various area venues, featuring 30 songwriters who have penned hits, including more than 125 No. 1s, for such country stars as Garth Brooks, George Strait, Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw and many others – including George Jones and Randy Travis.
Sharp Acceleration of Shifting Tax Dollars to Private Schools Clears Senate and Heads for DeSantis Signature
The proposal also would increase the maximum income eligibility to receive vouchers to 375 percent of the federal poverty level, meaning a family of four making nearly $100,000 a year would qualify.
Contrary to Commissioner’s Claim, Flagler County Is Not at Herd Immunity, Health Officials Warn, Only Nearing It
Local health officials cautioned against ending covid-19 precautionary restrictions in response to a false claim by Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins that herd immunity has been reached, and that he would call for an end to restrictions at the next county commission meeting. Mullins often writes or speaks falsehoods or makes misleading statements about covid-19 and numerous other matters.
Greg Schwartz, Principal at South Daytona Elementary, is Named Tom Russell’s Replacement at FPC
Greg Schwartz, Principal at South Daytona Elementary, today was named principal at Flagler Palm Coast High School. Schwartz replaces Tom Russell, the popular and charismatic principal who’d led FPC for less than two years by the time of his death from covid last December.
Florida Senate Passes DeSantis-Priority Bill That Would Force Political Candidates’ Speech on Social Media Platforms
The bill, in part, would bar social-media companies from removing political candidates from the companies’ platforms. Companies that violate the prohibition could face fines of $100,000 a day for statewide candidates and $10,000 a day for other candidates.
Vaccines Now Exceeding Demand, Health Department’s ‘Ground Game’ Targets New Veins in Flagler Beach
As vaccine supply edges past demand and the rate of those getting vaccinated is slowing, the Flagler County Health Department is shifting strategies and making walk-in vaccines available at four Flagler Beach restaurants and later, on Sundays, at the Flagler Beach branch of the tax collector’s office.
Two Elderly Men Stranded in a Jon Boat in Intracoastal Marshes for 7 Hours Are Rescued Near Bings Landing
Two men who’d gone fishing Friday afternoon in a jon boat spent seven hours stranded after the jon boat’s engine died and they proved unable to summon a tow, finally resulting in a late night rescue by public safety agencies.
This Supermoon Has a Twist: Expect Flooding, But a Lunar Cycle is Masking Sea Level Rise Effects
A “super full moon” is coming on April 27, and coastal cities know that means one thing: a heightened risk of tidal flooding. Because of the moon’s long-term cycle, these are the years to implement infrastructure plans to protect coastal areas against sea level rise.
Stop Trash-Talking the Unemployed
Misinformation and distortions by businesses and some politicians, echoed by media, are blaming the unemployed for staying home to live on government checks. The evidence says otherwise, though belittling workers and lampooning government is part of the continuing war against better wages and stronger worker-safety protections.
Trump-Republican Men Lead in Vaccine Refusal, Putting Goal of Herd Immunity at Risk
About 13 percent of American adults don’t want a covid-19 vaccine, but nearly 30 percent of Republicans don’t. The counties that are most vaccine-hesitant are rural, more likely to support Trump and have lower income levels and college graduation rates.
A Surfer, a Fashionista Hunter, a Smiling Earth: Flagler County High School Students’ Best Art Exults in Annual Show
Here are the winners of the annual student photography show at the Flagler County Art League, including Best of Show Briana Aguiar. Like everything else in the past year, the show at the Flagler County Art League was in part restricted by the pandemic, though it’s online and the top three works will be on display at Galleria d’Arte in Palm Coast.
Christopher Holmes, 41, Faces Assault and Robbery Charges Following Series of Bizarre Palm Coast Incidents
Christopher Holmes, 41, stopped his car in the middle of intersections and walked around, ranting, allegedly stole a phone from a motorist, and tried to run over someone else Thursday afternoon as he supposedly was searching for his daughter in Palm Coast.
Florida Supreme Court Rejects Recreational Pot Amendment from 2022 Ballot
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at allowing people to use recreational marijuana, saying it would be misleading to voters because it’s still illegal under federal law.
Palm Coast Council Approves 300-Unit Apartment Complex Off Pine Lakes Parkway, But Vote Is Divided
The Palm Coast City Council on Tuesday approved the site plan for a nine-building, 300-unit apartment project to be built off the northwest side of Pine Lakes Parkway, on 35 acres just south of the Indian Trails Sports Complex.
Scenes of Disarray and Filth and 3 Neglected Children at West Bunnell Home Result in Arrest of Two Parents
Deputies and an employee from the Department of Children and Families witnessed scenes of extreme neglect in and around the house on County Road 75 this morning, after being called there by neighbors who kept hearing children wailing. The scene resulted in the arrest of the children’s parents.
