Florida Constitution Revision Commission member Brecht Heuchan withdrew a proposal that would have guaranteed rights to nursing-home residents and allowed them to sue facilities if those rights were violated.
Florida & Beyond, and All Opinions
Tuesday Briefing: C.J. Nelson Trial, School Fitness, Colbert Ln. Development, Bach at Stetson
The school board buys fitness equipment, Palm Coast talks big development along Colbert Lane, cooling night ahead, Bach’s birthday celebrated at Stetson, Whitney Lab tours, adult basketball at Indian Trails.
Scott Signs Bill Targeting Opioid Addiction, Imposing Limits on Prescriptions
The bill is designed, at least in part, to prevent patients from getting addicted to prescription painkillers and then turning to street drugs such as heroin and fentanyl.
Monday Briefing: Severe Weather Potential, C.J. Nelson Trial, Emergency Communications, Provencher Town Hall
A heavy trial week includes that of C.J. Nelson, severe weather could be plaguing the area today and tomorrow, the county commission settles on a contractor to build the next emergency communications network.
Are Drug Addicts Less Valuable Than Students? Florida Says Yes, Wrongly.
Politically there may be a big difference between students’ safety and drug addicts. Ethically, there is none, and financially, addicts are being lethally short-changed.
Weekend Briefing: Freedom’s Journal, The Nerd, Graham Swamp Endurance, Mozart and Friends, Youth Clinic
The Flagler Playhouse’s last weekend for “The Nerd,” a mountain-biking endurance event at Graham Swamp, NCAA youth sports clinic at Indian Trails Sports Complex, Recycled Percussion at the Auditorium.
Broad-Ranging Gun Control Proposal Could End Up on November Ballot as an Amendment
A proposed constitutional amendment would a minimum age of 21 on all firearm purchases, a 3-day waiting period and a comprehensive background check.
Thursday Briefing: Farm Swap and Music Jam, Enchanted Music of Ireland, Jake Tapper, Buxtehude
Andy Cooney brings his enchanted music to the Flagler Auditorium, and his Enchanted Music of Ireland, the Agricultural Museum’s Farm Swap, Jake Tapper on journalism.
White Supremacist Teacher Dayanna Volitich Mustn’t Be Returned to the Classroom
Try to imagine you’re a non-white student in Volitich’s social studies class. What do you do with this new information about your teacher’s “white superiority”?
Wednesday Briefing: Night in 30s, Building Robots, Cancellations Aplenty, Olde Florida Title
Spring break takes its toll as various meetings are cancelled, one of the county’s oldest businesses marks a grand opening in Flagler Beach, a freezing night ahead, a Dietrich Buxtehude fugue.
Post-Hurricane Initiatives Fall Short of Measures to Prevent Fuel Crises In Next Storms
A strategic fuel-reserve task force and using rail-tank cars to bring fuel into evacuation areas to avoid a repeat of runs on gas stations were among initiatives that failed at this year’s legislative session.
Tuesday Briefing: Marion Hammer’s NRA, Palm Coast “Progress Report,” Free Army Field Band Concert
Marion Hammer’s NRA power in Florida, the Palm Coast Council hears from its administration on the city’s “progress” so far this year, a free concert at the Flagler Auditorium.
From Guns To Opioids To Education, A Legislative Session That Got A Few Things Done
The session became dominated in February by the aftermath of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County.
Monday Briefing: Unemployment Report, Spring Break, Travel Policy, FPC Snow, Mencken on Poetry
Looks like a lot of Flagler County is taking the week off, not just schools, as spring break takes precedence over most duties all the way up to criminal court.
Nobody Knows How Many Kids Get
Caught With Guns in School. Here’s Why.
Lax reporting by schools, lax oversight by state and federal authorities make it nearly impossible to say just how many students get caught taking firearms into public schools each year.
Bunnell Police Find Weapon Used in School Incident, a BB Gun, and Locate 2nd Boy
The gun allegedly brandished during a school-related incident was a BB gun, and the second boy located in relation with the incident may not be facing charges.
NRA Files Challenge Moments After Gov. Scott Signs School-Safety and Gun-Control Bill
The new law raises the permissible age to buy rifles from 18 to 21 and imposes a three-day waiting period for the purchase of rifles and other long guns, among other provisions.
Florida Increases Per-Student Funding By $101, Much Of It For Security and Mental Health
The annual school funding formula would include a new category for mental-health funding with $69 million and increase the school-coop pot by $97 million, to $162 million.
Weekend Briefing: Paul Miller in Court, Commissioner Eric Cooley, Lions’ Dining in Dark, Seafood Festival, Snowfest
Flagler Beach murderer Paul Miller, now 70, comes back to court, the Seafood Festival in Central Park, snow at FPC, the Lions’ Club’s Dining in the Dark fundraiser, symphonic hip hop.
Thursday Briefing: Eric Cooley Takes Office, Flagler Playhouse’s “Nerd,” Matanzas Stands With Parkland, Flood Risks
School and sheriff’s officials talk school security, Matanzas High School stands with Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High, “The Nerd” is back at the Flagler Playhouse.
Wednesday Briefing: Canales in Court, County Commission Candidate Forum, Grand Living, Garcia-Marquez
Jonathan Canales, the veteran who shot his wife in the neck in the Monxed, is scheduled–again–to appear in court, a GOP forum for all county commission candidates, Grand Living replaces Coquina Construction in Flagler Beach.
House Edges Closer to Vote on Bill Mixing Guns With School Safety and New Limits
Those younger than 21 would be prohibited from buying rifles, others would have a 3-day waiting period. Coaches and others could be “deputized” as school marshals.
Tuesday Briefing: School Board Talks Security (Secretly), Palm Coast Photo Contest, Improv for Joy
The Flagler School Board meets in closed-door session to discuss campus security and in open to talk land sale, Palm Coast launches the year’s photo contest, a DC+SC prof talks on the joys of improv.
Senate Passes Safety Plan, Including Armed Teacher Program and $97 Million for More School Cops
Flagler County would be in line for a substantial increase in dollars allocated for school resource deputies, and would have the authority to implement a school marshal program.
First Responders in Florida Aren’t Covered for PTSD. That May Change After Parkland.
Like many states, Florida does not provide lost wages to first responders disabled with PTSD. A bill that would change that is now gaining momentum after 17 people were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last month.
Monday Briefing: Kristin McCabe-Kline, Repaving Old Dixie Highway, U.S. Air Force Band, Tennis Day
Dr. Kristin McCabe-Kline, the emergency medicine director, is FHF’s physician of the quarter, the county commission approves a repaving contract, the legislature talks Daylight Saving permanence.
Florida Senate Backs Arming Teachers And Rejects Assault Weapons Ban
The Senate plan and a similar House proposal would allow school boards to decide whether they want to implement a “marshal” proposal to arm certain teachers.
Gov. Scott Pleads For More Cops In Schools as Safety Plans Provoke Divisions
Scott’s $500 million package would require, among other things, school boards to assign a law enforcement officer to each school and at least one resource officer for every 1,000 students.
Weekend Briefing: The Nerd, Student March, Flagler Reads Together, Fearless Women, Chamber Players
Students march to Flagler Beach, “The Nerd” at the Playhouse, Flagler Reads Together kickoff, the Palm Coast Chamber Players in concert, Robert Wittman, founder of the FBI’s art crimes division, is back, and much more.
Tougher Texting-While-Driving Law Passes House Overwhelmingly But Stalls In Senate
Appropriations Chairman Rob Bradley has indicated the proposal likely won’t appear in the Appropriations Committee before the legislative session ends next week.
Thursday Briefing: Flagler Volunteer Services’ $10,000, Nate McLaughlin Visits Democrats, Ex-Youth Pastor In Court
Flagler Volunteer Services raised $10,000 at its masked and Venice-styled fund-raiser, Chris Miller, the ex-youth pastor found guilty of molesting children, is in court on a probation violation, spring conferences in elementary schools.
Ding Dong! The Obamacare Tax Penalty Is(n’t) Dead–Not Until 2019
That means you still will owe an Obamacare tax penalty if you didn’t have health insurance or an exemption from the mandate in 2017. The same holds true for this year.
Democrats, ‘Party of Intellectuals,’ Have a Second-Amendment Blind Spot
Americans possesses an unalienable and inherent right of self-defense, a lawfully armed citizenry is a free citizenry, and no government has merited the total trust of its people.
Wednesday Briefing: Wadsworth Skate Park Upgrades, Compassionate Friends, Sabal Palms, Orwell
Wadsworth skate park is getting an $80,000 upgrade, Sabal Palms, another assisted living facility, holds its grand opening, texting while driving at the Legislature, Orwell on poverty.
Ban on Assault-Type Guns Fails in Raucous Hearing, Training and Arming Teachers Passes
The intense debate came during a Senate Rules Committee hearing on a broad package addressing school safety, guns and mental health, in response to this month’s massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland that left 17 people, including 14 students, dead.
Tuesday Briefing: Palm Coast Charter, Wickline Center’s Future, Get Out the Vote, Entrepreneur Night
The NAACP holds the season’s first Get Out the Vote campaign, Sheriff Staly is the Elks’ Citizen of the Year, Palm Coast talks charter, Flagler Beach talks Wickline, and Willie is in St. Augustine.
As Calls For Broward Sheriff’s Removal Mount, Scott Orders Investigation of School Shooting Response
The directive came as House Speaker Richard Corcoran sent a letter co-signed by 73 Republican House members requesting that Scott suspend Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, a Democrat.
Monday Briefing: Banning Vaping in Bunnell, Old Kings EarlyAct, African-American Entrepreneurs, Orientalism
Bunnell wants to ban vaping in certain places, The African-American Entrepreneurs Club hosts a networking event to celebrate Black History Month, The McCartney Years.
Inside Atomwaffen As It Celebrates a Member for Allegedly Killing a Gay Jewish College Student
When Samuel Woodward was charged with killing 19-year-old Blaze Bernstein last month, Atomwaffen members cheered the death, concerned only that the group’s cover might have been blown.
Lawmakers Craft Law Allowing Teachers To Carry Guns In Florida Schools
The controversial measure would allow trained teachers to bring guns to schools, a concept that has divided Republican politicians and faces opposition from Democrats and educators.
Weekend Briefing: Job Fair, Volunteer Services Gala, Flagship Showcase, Shakespeare In the Park, George Winston
Flagler Volunteer Services holds a fund-raising gala, The annual Flagler jobs fair at DSC, Shakespeare in the Park all weekend in Town Center, Leading ladies at FPC, George Winston performs at Stetson.
Thursday Briefing: African-American Read-In, Shakespeare In the Park, Leading Ladies, Art League Gig
Two plays kick off, Belle Terre Elementary hosts its second African-American Readi-In, vacation rentals get two legislative hearings, Kim Weeks in court, the art league celebrates its 40th.
School Shooting Survivors Demand Change in Tallahassee, But NRA-Backed Bills Only “Paused”
Students turned into activists as they cried, pleaded and argued with lawmakers Wednesday in the state Capitol, but they made limited gains, if any, with pro-gun bills merely paused.
Wednesday Briefing: Elijah Miller, Veterans Show on WNZF, Citizenship Ceremony, Gordon Lightfoot
Flagler College celebrates its new president with a U.S. citizenship ceremony, a new show for veterans begins on WNZF, suicide prevention in Tallahassee, Gordon Lightfoot is at the Peabody.
Teacher Unions Protected But Public Funding of Private School Students Advances
The Florida Senate rejected a House proposal to dissolve teacher unions if membership falls below a certain point, but also approved a version of a school voucher program funding private school students.
Tuesday Briefing: Hurricane Problem-Solvers, Matanzas Flagship, Revision Commission, Trump’s Russian-Style Propaganda
The Flagler School Board discusses a new flagship program for Matanzas High, last Constitution Revision Commission hearing within commuting distance, Bunnell Planning talks variance v. special exception.
Gun Control Could Become a Key Issue in Florida’s Elections
Major political donors on both sides plan to use support for “common-sense” legislation as a litmus test for candidates during the 2018 midterm elections.
Claiming “Nothing Will Be Done” On Guns Lets NRA Off the Hook, Overstating Its Strength
NRA influence has limits, and there’s evidence it’s on the wane, but fatalism spares opponents of gun reform from even having to make their arguments for protecting the gun lobby.
Monday Briefing: Heat Again, Constitution Revision Commission Hearing, Commission Triple-Header
This afternoon may be your only chance to address the Constitutional Revision Commission in person, in a 5-hour Jacksonville hearing, the Flagler County Commission has three meetings, more dune walkovers open up in Flagler Beach.
Thoughts and Prayers, As Pointless as Outrage
The ultimate, most pointless outrage is at lawmakers and gun freaks, one and the same, who stand in pools of blood as they tell us our gun epidemic has nothing to do with it.