The District Band Festival kicks off three days at Flagler Palm Coast High, Flagler County’s all Girl Scout Team, The Luna-tics, win in the Northeast regional Robotics Championship.
Florida & Beyond, and All Opinions
DeSantis Pushes Hard Line Against Sanctuary Cities, Calling For Collaboration With ICE
DeSantis is urging Florida sheriffs to participate in a federal immigration enforcement program in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, deputizes local law officials.
Wednesday Briefing: Bing’s Landing Meeting Cancelled, Compassionate Friends, Stetson Jazz Ensemble, Health Survey
The County Commission cancels a meeting to decide whether, where and how to build an expanded Captain’s BBQ at Bing’s Landing, the Stetson Jazz Ensemble performs, Compassionate Friends meet..
Trump Administration Finalizes Rule Expelling Planned Parenthood From Family Planning Program
The program provides contraceptives, screening and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and other primary health services to 4 million patients each year, many of them low-income or uninsured, at more than 4,000 clinic sites.
From Pot to School Safety to Deregulation: 10 Issues To Watch In 2019 Legislative Session
Led by Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, and House Speaker Jose Oliva, R-Miami Lakes, lawmakers this year will deal with myriad issues, ranging from passing a state budget to deciding whether to allow patients to smoke medical marijuana.
Tuesday Briefing: Rosado Murder Civil Suit, Entrepreneur Night, Kids’ Town Hall Meeting, Stetson University Concert Band
A case management hearing is scheduled in the civil case against the Mobil station where clerk Zuheili Rosado was gunned down in 2013, Flagler Beach Mayor Linda Provencher hosts a kids’ town hall meeting, Entrepreneur Night at the Hammock Wine and Cheese Garden.
Supreme Court Impanels Grand Jury to ‘Investigate Crime’ and ‘Return Indictments’ on School Safety
Chief Judge Jack Tuter, of the 17th Judicial Circuit in Broward County, will preside over the panel, which will meet for one year and will be comprised of jurors drawn from Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, according to the order.
Monday Briefing: Fruehan Arraignment, Happy Hour Fundraiser for Free Clinic, Cameron’s Contract, Bunnell’s Special Events
The County Commission is expected to ratify a contract with its interim administrator valued at $237,000 in total compensation, the Free Clinic has a fund-raiser at the Brown Dog, Florence Fruehan is arraigned on felony battery charges.
Let Marijuana Help Fight Opioid Abuse
It’s time for lawmakers and health officials to recognize the well-established power of medical marijuana to treat chronic pain — and to acknowledge its emerging role in combating the opioid abuse crisis.
Shop Local, But Under Tallahassee Rules: Lawmakers Seek to Restrict County and City Regulations
A broad proposal aimed at curbing local business regulations advanced in subcommittee despite criticism that it could block ordinances that prohibit “puppy mills” or the regulation of fertilizer use near waterways.
Weekend Briefing: Bowling Verdict, Shakespeare in the Park, Flagship Showcase, Great Pianists
The Taming of the Shrew in Town Center, a flagship and technical education showcase at Buddy Taylor, a symphonic band and a great pianist at Stetson, the Michael Bowling verdict.
Thursday Briefing: Belle Terre’s African-American Read-In, School Safety at Tiger Bay, Inspired Mic, Taming of the Shrew
Belle Terre Elementary hosts its popular annual African-American Read-In, the county commission holds a pair of meetings, including on the Sheriff’s Operations Center, the Tiger Bay Club hosts a panel on school safety.
Take It From Me: Addiction Doesn’t Start At the Border
As the sister of a brother lost to an opioid overdose, Trump’s claim that we need a border wall in order to keep drugs out is offensive to me on multiple levels. We should treat the root causes of addiction instead.
126.1 Million Visitors To Florida in 2018 Sets Another Record; Almost 90% From U.S.
The increase was bolstered by 7.1 percent growth in U.S. travelers, who accounted for 88.6 percent of the state’s visitors, according to the Visit Florida numbers. Overseas visitors declined by 1 percent, to 10.818 million, after falling by 2 percent a year earlier.
Constitutional Amendment Proposal for School Board Term Limits Easily Clears House Hurdle
The proposal was approved in an 11-4 vote that was largely along party lines. Voters would be asked in 2020 whether they want to impose eight-year term limits on school board members.
Wednesday Briefing: Judge Melissa Distler, Bowling Trial, Azure Assisted Living, Harlem Renaissance, Hidden Treasures
Speaker George Fraser is at AACS, County Judge Melissa Moore-Stens becomes Melissa Distler, the Michael Bowling trial is in its third day, Hidden Treasure Restaurant marks its third year.
Cecil C. Sowell, 1931-2019
Cecil C. Sowell, 87, of Flagler Beach, died February 17, 2019 at the Stuart F. Meyer Hospice House. A veteran of Korea and Vietnam, he was a builder, a deacon and a family man.
Florida Takes Center Stage In Controversy Over Citizenship Question On Census Form
Including the citizenship question could hurt Florida and other states with large immigrant populations in the decennial reapportionment process, a federal judge wrote.
Tuesday Briefing: Meet the Candidates in Flagler Beach, Suicide Prevention, Bowling Trial, Palm Coast Manager
Four candidates for Flagler Beach commission answer questions in a public forum, Michael Bowling is on trial again after December’s mistrial, Palm Coast narrows its list for manager.
Monday Briefing: Interim Administrator Interviews, Sheriff’s Storage Options, Bunnell’s Historic Registry
The Flagler County Commission is in marathon session starting at 8:30 a.m. with interviews of interim administrator candidates, ending with an evening meeting to discuss storage options for sheriff’s units.
Anthony Fennick’s Death and The Sheriff’s Green Roof Inn Smear
Much is unknown in the death of inmate Anthony Fennick, but much is known, including the sheriff’s responsibility for hiring trouble-ridden Armor Health–and for showing inmates contempt from the outset with his “Green Roof Inn” sign.
Discharged, Dismissed: ERs Often Miss Chance To Set Overdose Survivors On ‘Better Path’
It’s an opportunity that’s being missed in emergency rooms everywhere: the next step — a means to divert addicted patients into treatment — remains elusive once an addict is released from an emergency room.
Federal Appeals Court Hammers Florida For Imposing ‘Serious Burden’ on Right To Vote
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a Florida law requiring voters’ signatures on mail-in ballots to match the signatures on file with elections officials imposes “a serious burden on the right to vote.”
DeSantis Calls For Statewide Grand Jury Investigation of Local School Districts’ Safety
Gov. Ron DeSantis is asking the Florida Supreme Court to impanel a statewide grand jury to investigate whether school districts are complying with mandatory safety measures designed to protect students.
Weekend Briefing: Dance of Love, Walk For Shaunti Stafford, Cat Adoption, Brian Hammond at Salvo, Bing’s, Solisti
Valentine’s Dance at AACS, a walk in memory of Shaunti Stafford, cat and kitten adoption at Sable Palms, Brian Hammond at Salvo Art House, an art opening, Daytona Solisti Baroque Orchestra romances strings.
Renner Wants ‘Objectivity’ To Drive Felons’ Voter Restoration, But Hurdles Are Multiplying
Elections officials could face a Herculean task trying to verify whether people who’ve registered to vote have met all the conditions required to make them eligible to cast ballots.
Thursday Briefing: Valentine’s Mass Wedding, Anthony Fennick Vigil, Linda Cole at the Library
The Flagler Clerk of Court presides over the second annual mass wedding at the courthouse, a candlelight vigil for Anthony Fennick, who died Saturday at age 23, Linda Cole’s traditional Valentine’s recital at the public library.
Lieselotte Martha Beilke, 1933-2018
Lieselotte Martha Beilke died at Palm Coast’s Windsor. She was married to Max Beilke in 1959 until Max’s death on September 11, 2001 in the terrorist attack on the Pentagon.
Wednesday Briefing: Opioids Crisis, Community Cats, Leadership Flagler, Hansen’s Hammock
The Public Safety Coordinating Council meets for the first time in almost a year in joint session with the county commission to talk opioids, community cats advocates gather.
Trump Said He Would Protect Families, Then Deported My Husband
A year ago, my husband Jorge was torn from our family and deported to Mexico after living peacefully in the United States for nearly 30 years, working and raising a family with me in suburban Detroit, the author writes.
Lawmakers Approve Smokable Pot, But It Must be Pre-Rolled and Filtered
The amendment also would require pre-rolled joints with filters. That was designed to address concerns about the negative health effects of smoking.
Tuesday Briefing: Florida Park Drive Traffic, Opioid Task Force, Rickenbacker Drive Closure, Pot-Smoking Ban
The Palm Coast Council again discusses issues surrounding Florida Park Drive, the countywide opioid task force meets, legislators debate a bill to lift a ban on smoking medical pot.
Senate Panel Weigh Watered Down ‘Sanctuary Cities’ Ban, Eliminating Sanctions on Local Governments
The anti-sanctuary cities bill may be now more appealing to the Florida Senate, which is viewed as the more moderate chamber and has blocked similar proposals in the past.
Monday Briefing: FYO’s Strings Around the World Concert, James Wolfe’s Probation, Bunnell Special Events
The Flagler Youth Orchestra presents its Strings Around the World Concert at the Auditorium, ex-Matanzas teacher James Wolfe wants his probation ended after serving time for illegal sex with a minor, Bunnell rewrites its special events ordinance.
Flagler’s AAUW Branch Marks 35 Years of Advancing ‘Equity for Women and Girls’
What began with an organizational meeting of the Flagler Beach of the American Association of University Women is now an organization 50-member strong.
State GOP Targets ‘Sanctuary Cities’ Even Though There Are None in Florida
Critics of the bill argue efforts to outlaw “sanctuary cities” have more to do with partisanship than with thwarting an existing problem as there are no counties or cities in Florida that act as “sanctuaries” for undocumented immigrants.
Governor Seeks More Generous Teacher Bonus Program, But Is Silent on Higher Salaries
DeSantis said the new program could provide bonuses of more than $9,000 to nearly 45,000 “highly effective” teachers, whose unions say higher salaries would be the best approach.
Weekend Briefing: Black History, Bobcat 5K Run, Hot and Spicy Food Fest, Turtle Preservation
Birds of a Feather Fest all weekend, AAUW on Black History, Belle Terre Elementary’s Bobcat Run, a talk on The Sheltering Tree, FPC’s thespians put on Shakespeare.
Sweeping Bill Would Allow Private, Armed Guards on Florida’s School Campuses
A sweeping proposal would allow districts to arm teachers, look to train guardians outside the counties where they would serve and allow districts to contract with guards through private security firms.
Thursday Briefing: Birds of a Feather Fest, FPC Theater, Critic’s Choice at Dahlia’s Mexican, Science Café
Palm Coast’s beloved Birds of a Feather Fest kicks off, FPC’s thespians do Shakespeare, Critic’s Choice diners try Dahlia’s Mexican Kitchen, the health survey is still open.
Wednesday Briefing: FPC’s Much Ado About Nothing, Human Trafficking, Blue Power, Health Survey
FPC’s Thespians stage “Much Ado About Nothing, 80s Style,” local law enforcement discuss human trafficking, take the community health survey, A1A construction, Elgar’s strings serenade.
Florida’s More Conservative Supreme Court Rejects Considering Minimum Wage Case
Tuesday’s actions could signal how the new majority will come down on future business-related disputes and could spark state lawmakers, whose annual session begins in March, to consider business-backed legislation to address issues that the old court had foiled.
Tuesday Briefing: Pinning Firefighters, Pulse Celebration, MHS Percussion, DSC Job Fair
Palm Coast firefighters in a pinning ceremony, a DSC job fair at the DeLand campus, a Stetson Alumni Recital features “PULSE: A Musical Celebration of Those Who Lived and Are Living Their True Lives.”
A Quarter of Florida’s Physicians Skip Required Opioid-Prescription Training
The Florida Department of Health now is preparing to send non-compliance letters advising the providers that they have 15 days to take the mandated course or face disciplinary action.
Medicare for All: No Country for “Can’t”
Medicare for all could be the most efficient, cheapest, and provider-friendly—but not perfect—part of what could be a health system that promotes health, saves lives, and creates a sense of social solidarity.
Monday Briefing: Flagler Health Survey, Shortlisting Administrator Candidates, A1A Construction Update
The Flagler County Commission meets to short-list applicants for the interim administrator job, the Flagler Health Department wants you to take part in a health survey, lawmakers consider a proposal to abolish the Constitution Revision Commission.
Starbucks’s Howard Schultz: Another Billionaire Presidential Candidate Who Doesn’t Get It
Privileged candidates from Donald Trump to Howard Schultz don’t have any idea what life is really like for a single parent raising two kids while working and attending night classes.
Lawsuit Allegations Detail How The Sackler Family Built An OxyContin Fortune
This is the first lawsuit among hundreds of others that were previously filed across the country to charge the Sacklers with personally profiting from the harm and death of people taking the company’s opioids.
DeSantis Backs More Money for Armed Staffers in Schools, But Also More Flexibility in District Spending
DeSantis is proposing renewing nearly $100 million in school security funds but wants school districts to have more choice in how they spend the money.
DeSantis Pitches $91.3 Billion Budget, Including Education Increase of $224 Per Student
In what would be the largest budget in state history, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday released a proposed $91.3 billion spending plan that would increase school funding, pump money into water-quality projects and trim taxes.