Oral arguments about Alachua County’s mask mandate before a three-judge panel of the First Circuit Court of Appeal Monday was a spectacle of audacious leaps and strange analogies that nevertheless illustrated the sharp and far from resolved divide between mask proponents and anti-maskers, including on the judicial bench.
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Powered by Vacation Rentals, Flagler’s Tourism Revenue Is Up Significantly as State’s Drops 30%
Flagler County’s tourism-tax revenue has gone up three successive months between July and September, substantially so in August and September, in contrast with statewide tourism revenue, which plummeted 30 percent in the third quarter. Vacation rentals, the beach, and vacationers traveling shorter distances account for the county’s success.
Charles Swindell, Felon Who Threatened to Burn His Mother and Did Burn a Child, Arrested for Raping Girl
Charles G. Swindell, a 50-year-old resident of Palm Coast, has a long and violent history, particularly with his own family–his mother and his children. But he’s served relatively little time in jail for his felony and misdemeanor convictions since 2013. That may change with his most serious charge yet: raping a child entrusted to him.
‘That Covid Kicked My Butt’: Flagler Infections Reach 2nd-Highest Weekly Total, 32 in Schools
Flagler County has the 10th-lowest average in the last seven days among Florida’s 67 counties. But those are relative and deceptive numbers that appear better only in relation to much worse numbers elsewhere. In the absolute local numbers remain dismal–and dangerous–by any measure.
Court’s Trump Appointees Strike Down Florida Bans on Bigoted ‘Conversion Therapy’ Aimed at LGBTQ Children
Two South Florida ordinances barred therapists from providing treatment or counseling that is designed to change minors’ sexual orientation or gender identity. Critics of such therapy say it harms minors who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. The federal court ruled against the ban on First Amendment grounds.
Recovery Stalls in Flagler and Volusia as Job Gains Slow, Consumer Confidence Drops and Covid Cases Surge
Flagler County’s unemployment rate in October was 5.7 percent, down a statistically insignificant decimal point from the previous month, and consumer confidence statewide again dropped in a reflection of the sharply worsening covid pandemic locally and statewide.
After Brush With Flagler Deputies, 2 Brothers Brag of Murdering 21 Year Old, But Questions Remain
Angel and Jojo Lobato, the two brothers involved in the traffic stop last week in Flagler County, were arrested in Polk County on first degree murder, grand theft and other charges connected to the stabbing death of 21-year-old Danne Frazier of Winter Haven.
How the ‘Massive’ Rollout of the Covid Vaccine Will Happen in Phases in Flagler and Palm Coast This Spring
Health care workers and first responders will get the vaccine first, followed by residents at large. The health department will use the same infrastructure it uses for Covid-19 testing, but on a more massive scale–assuming the more than 112,000 doses needed to approach herd immunity in Flagler are available by spring.
Flagler Public Health Director Echoes Strong CDC Directives Against Travel at Thanksgiving as Covid Surges
Bob Snyder, who heads the Flagler health department, has been warning for weeks that the combination of holiday gatherings, cooler weather and more indoor activities would result in quicker spread of the disease at a time when community spread is already out of control in much of the country and not exactly under control in Flagler.
Bar Deems Her ‘Not Qualified,’ But Senate Confirms Trump Nominee Kathryn Mizelle to Florida Judgeship
At 33, Kathryn Kimball “Kat” Mizelle is President Trump’s youngest federal judge appointee. She will serve in the Middle District of Florida, which includes Flagler County. She has never tried a case, criminal or civil. She was a former clerk for Supreme Court Judge Clarence Thomas.
FPC Principal Tom Russell Reveals Covid Diagnosis as Cases Rise and State Extends Remote School Option To June
Russell’s revelation occurs as cases in Flagler and in Florida are rising sharply and the surge cascading over much of the nation, now reaching catastrophic proportions in many states, is beginning to ripple in Florida, where the state agreed to extend remote-learning options in all schools through June.
Finally Confronting Warming, Florida Lawmakers Set to Address Rising Seas and Flooding Systematically
Florida lawmakers’ new perspectives and readiness to more directly tackle the crisis represented a further evolution in the position of Florida Republicans about climate change. But environmentalists said the GOP leaders are not going far enough.
State Attorney Will Seek Death Penalty for Derrek Perkins in Stabbing Murder of Wife Brandi in Hastings
The victim, a resident of Green Cove Springs who worked at a restaurant in St. Augustine, had filed an injunction against Derrek the day before the stabbing and after several intimidating and threatening incidents involving him.
Palm Coast Fire Department Revives Its Junior Firefighter Program to Prepare Young Recruits for a Career
The program is not in competition with the Fire Academy at Flagler Palm Coast High School, but rather a complement to it: students enrolled in the academy are welcome to apply to be in the fire department’s program as it would provide the natural steps in the progression toward becoming a firefighter.
Calmer Swearings-In at County and School Board; Mullins Will Not Be Commission Chairman This Year
The Flagler County School Board and the Flagler County Commission held swearing-in ceremonies for a combined six new and re-elected members. Donald O’Brien was named chairman of the commission, Trevor Tucker chairman of the school board.
‘Councilman Corrupt.’ ‘Councilman Full of Crap.’ It’s a Grim New Day on the Palm Coast City Council.
A confrontation between Palm Coast City Council members Eddie Branquinho and Ed Danko devolved into name-calling this morning soon after Danko was sworn in during an already tense meeting, signaling an unprecedented divide on the council.
Heralding ‘Big Change,’ County Approves Gardens Development on John Anderson With Few Conditions
The Flagler County Commission at a minute after 11 p.m. Monday approved The Gardens development of 335 homes on the east side of John Anderson Highway in a 3-2 vote, with few conditions, possibly ending the developer’s nearly two-year, three-front battle with county regulators, Flagler Beach government and a community organization that had opposed the proposal. But opponents hinted at litigation several times.
Behind an Investigation Alleging How a Case Worker Lied to Cover-Up a Pregnant Runaway Girl’s Escapes
A Flagler County Sheriff’s investigation points to a case worker’s alleged criminal misconduct as much as it does at cracks in a child-welfare framework that enabled a runaway girl, pregnant from a rape, to be out of supervision month after month even though her case worker allegedly knew where she was and how she would run away.
From Bogus Cures to ‘Frontline Doctors’: When False Covid Information Goes Viral
False or unverified information spreading through online support groups and by way of conspiracy theorists mislead patients, undermine trust in science and medicine in general, and lead to reckless behavior that exacerbates the pandemic’s toll.
It’s Not Trump’s Country — Even in ‘Trump Country’
Many of Trump’s rank-and-file voters aren’t such right-wingers at all: look at the multitude of overtly progressive ballot issues that won majority support on Election Day. Many were in blue states, but others came in purple states, and others deep in so-called “Trump Country.”
Rider Trauma-Evacuated in Vehicle-v-Motorcycle Crash at Belle Terre and Royal Palms in Palm Coast
A motorcyclist was seriously injured in a crash with a vehicle at the intersection of Belle Terre Parkway and Royal Palms Parkway in Palm Coast in early evening Sunday. No one else was injured.
Federal District Court in Jacksonville Honors 2 Flagler Palm Coast High Students in 19th Amendment Essay Contest
Sean Gilliam, a junior and International Baccalaureate candidate at Flagler Palm Coast High School, was the second-place winner Friday in the 2020 high school essay contest sponsored by the federal court for the Middle District in Jacksonville, taking home a $1,000 check, and junior Kenny Logan won honorable mention and $50. Both are students of FPC history teacher Allison Elledge.
In Flagler Beach, Eric Cooley Will Run Again, Linda Provencher Will Not, and Suzie Johnston Announces for Mayor
A Flagler Beach City Commission seat and the mayor’s seat are up in the March 2 election, with first-term incumbent Eric Cooley vying to keep his seat and Suzy Johnston, heir of the Johnston political dynasty in Flagler–and Cooley’s partner–seeking to replace Linda Provencher after Provencher’s 15 years of service as an elected official.
Disinformation and Allegations of Government “Threats” Are Delaying Dunes Project in Flagler Beach
False claims, disinformation, made up fears, “fairy tales” and allegations of government threats are hampering the county’s efforts to secure the necessary easements from a small group of hold-out property owners. Without the easements, the U.S. Army Corps will not proceed on its $25 million portion of the fully-funded project to protect 2.6 miles of beach.
One Undisputed Winner on Election Night: Marijuana
Majorities of Americans decided in favor of every marijuana-related proposition placed before them — a clean sweep — and they did so by record margins, whether to cultivate pot, use it recreationally or use it medicinally.
Covid Hospitalizations Up 25% in 2 Weeks Statewide, Flagler Cases Above 100 for 3rd Week In a Row
As Gov. Ron DeSantis adopts a dangerous policy of letting the coronavirus run its course to build herd immunity, case loads are steadily rising in Florida and remain high in Flagler, suggesting that the surge experienced across the country will likely cascade over Florida with colder weather and more indoor activities.
Trump Won Florida After Running a False Ad Tying Biden to Venezuelan Socialists
The video was part of a broader Trump campaign strategy in heavily Latino South Florida that sought to tie Biden to Socialist leaders like Maduro and the late Cuban President Fidel Castro. Trump won Florida by about 375,000 votes, the largest margin in a presidential election there since 1988. He carried about 55% of the Cuban American vote.
Tropical Storm Warning in Parts of Flagler as Eta Skirts By Today; Schools Open, Courthouse Closed
Flagler County was preparing to weather a late-season tropical storm as ex-Hurricane Eta was made landfall in the Cedar Key area Thursday morning then started its rapid churn toward Flagler and Northeast Florida.
In Latest Lawsuit Twist, Captain’s BBQ Wants County Attorney Hadeed and County Manager Cameron Deposed
On the eve of a hearing in circuit court that may decide the fate of Captains BBQ’s breach-of-contract lawsuit against Flagler County government Thursday, Captain’s lawyer is asking the court to compel County Attorney Al Hadeed and County Administrator to submit to depositions in a setting where they’d have little control on the questions asked or the ultimate direction of the deposition. The county is objecting.
New St. Augustine Costco Would Be Located 36 Miles North of Palm Coast
The proposed Costco would go up east of International Golf Parkway, at 655 World Commerce Parkway, just off of I-95. Once built, the store would be within 36 miles of Palm Coast Parkway, considerably closer than the two Jacksonville locations on Gate Parkway and Parramore Road.
Palm Coast Faces a Town Center Reckoning: Too Many Apartments, No Commercial Development, and Looming Cash Crunch
The Palm Coast City Council is awakening to several converging realities about Town Center, the once and future promise of the city’s vitality: incentives for apartment construction have worked, incentives for commercial development have not–not yet–and turnover on the council and the administration means few recall the purpose of Town Center to start with. The mayor is looking for a reset.
Affordable Care Act is Back at the Supreme Court, With 2 Million Floridians’ Health Coverage at Risk
The Supreme Court today at 10 a.m. hears oral arguments in a case that, for the third time in eight years, could result in the justices striking down the Affordable Care Act. It would affect 1.9 million Floridians, by far the largest number of enrollees in any state.
County Defense Against Captain’s BBQ Lawsuit: The Commission Illegally Approved Lease Amendment, So It’s Void
Flagler County government is actually arguing that since it approved the controversial lease amendment with Captain’s BBQ without seeking bids first, it was an illegal move, so the agreement is null and void. And with that approach, the county is now seeking to have Captain’s lawsuit against it thrown out. That hearing is set for Thursday.
Missing Almost 3 Weeks, Xandar Garrett, 13, Turns Up in Pinellas County After Running Away
Xandar Garrett, the 13-year-old boy who disappeared from his home on Oct. 22 after telling his step-mother he was going to walk the dog, was found safe in Pinellas County, where he’d run away.
How American Candidates and Presidents Concede: a Century of Decency and Continuity
From Herbert Hoover to Hillary Clinton, concessions by presidential candidates are among the high watermarks of American democratic discourse and reverence for institutional continuity. Candidates and incumbents have been delivering them without fail, their gestures a window into their character at their most vulnerable times.
Who’s Afraid of a $15 Minimum Wage?
Forget assumptions. Forget fear-mongering PR releases chambered in baseless claims that a $15 minimum wage will cost jobs. When the most extensive analysis on the subject shows 20 times more people will live better than lose jobs, it’s case closed.
Appeals Court Will Hear Challenge to Alachua County’s Mask Mandate
The Alachua County case, which will be heard Nov. 23 by a panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal, could serve as a test for mask requirements that have been approved in various parts of the state.
State of Emergency for 8 South Florida Counties as Tropical Storm Eta Looms
The governor’s order said the action was being taken “in an abundance of caution,” while the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory that “Eta could be near hurricane strength as it approaches Florida.”
Biden Wins
Joe Biden was elected the 46th president of the United States, with Kamala Harris the first-ever woman–the first Black, the first Indian-American–vice-president.
Cara Cronk Is Named Principal at Buddy Taylor Middle, Jessica DeFord Is New Principal at Belle Terre Elementary
Neither moves on the part of Superintendent Cathy Mittelstadt are a surprise, though they reinforce what the appointments do signal: that the superintendent, herself in the district less than half a year, is comfortable and trusting of an administrative staff that two previous superintendents cultivated for leadership positions. The district’s bench, in other words, is not thin.
Flagler and Florida Democrats Face a Reckoning After Dismal Showing at Every Level
Trump’s Florida victory aside, Republicans upset two incumbent South Florida congresswomen, flipped five state House seats and could pick up a seat in the state Senate, making a mockery of Democrats’ hopes to cut into the GOP’s legislative dominance.
Economy Adds 638,000 Jobs, Lowering Unemployment Rate to 6.9%; Half Covid Losses Recovered
The U.S. unemployment rate fell a full percentage point in October, to 6.9 percent, as the economy continued its steady if fitful recovery from coronavirus-related job losses, adding 638,000 jobs in October. The gains would have been higher had it not been for the loss of 147,000 temporary Census jobs.
If Trump Tries to Sue His Way to Election Victory, Here’s What Happens
It’s easy enough for the Trump campaign to file a lawsuit claiming improprieties, but a lot harder to provide evidence of wrongdoing or a convincing legal argument. Here’s what you need to know as the election lawsuits start to mount.
Flagler Falls 1% Short But Florida Voters Approve $15 Minimum Wage Phased in By End of 2026
The hike in the minimum wage will be phased in through Sept. 30, 2026, but it will represent a significant move in a state heavily dependent on tourism and the service industry for jobs. It was put on the ballot with the financial help of well-known Orando trial attorney John Morgan.
Trump Winning Florida With Three Times The 2016 Margin Explained in One Word: Hispanics
Trump defeated Biden in 55 of the state’s 67 counties, losing only one rural county — Gadsden, west of Tallahassee, unofficial results show. In all, he beat Biden by about 375,000 votes statewide, compared to a nearly 113,000-vote Florida margin over Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Holland and Klufas Hold On, Staly Wins Re-Election, Don O’Brien and Andy Dance Win County Commission, Ed Danko, Victor Barbosa Win Council Seats
With all early voting results counted, Sheriff Rick Staly had an insurmountable lead to win re-election to his second term, as did County Commissioner Donald O’Brien. Andy Dance, the school board member, also had an insurmountable lead to win the County Commission seat Charlie Ericksen opted not to contest.
Electionland: The State of Election Day in Palm Coast and Flagler County
At the current rate, and with mail ballots still being dropped off, Flagler could end the day with 75,000 ballots cast out of 92,000 eligible voters, for a turnout of 81 percent–close to the records of the 2000 and 2004 elections.
How Covid Death Counts Become the Stuff of Conspiracy Theories
Trump’s recent assertions have fueled conspiracy theories on Facebook and elsewhere that doctors and hospitals are fudging numbers to get paid more. They’ve also triggered anger from the medical community.
Flagler Reaches 40 Covid-Related Deaths, Hospitalizations Up, Florida’s Daily Average Back Above 4,000
Covid hospitalizations were back up to 7 over the weekend at AdventHealth Palm Coast after bottoming out at 2, and Flagler’s coronavirus case load totaled 227 in the last two weeks, signaling more hospitalizations ahead.
As Flagler’s Covid Numbers Keep Going the Wrong Way, Even a Judge Says It Doesn’t Look Good for a Murder Trial
Nathaniel Shimmel, 25, faces a 1st-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of his mother in 2017. He’s willing to plea to 30 to 50 years. The state wants 35 to life. The trial, the oldest on Flagler’s docket, keeps getting delayed despite that mere five-year gap in the negotiations.