One innocent man’s odyssey through the justice system shows why defendants often agree to virtually inescapable plea deals for crimes they didn’t commit.
Florida & Beyond, and All Opinions
“We Don’t Serve Gays”
Invoking Christian belief to deny service to a gay couple is not a First Amendment right, nor is it a matter of artistic expression. It’s good old discrimination under a new mask.
Weekend Briefing: Kitten Adoption, Home For the Holidays, Ethics Commission, Starlight Parade, Circus
Repeat felon George Wood goes on trial for armed burglary on Palm Coast’s Utility Drive during the Hurricane Matthew emergency, Palm Coast’s Christ,mas parade, holiday shows everywhere, a wine and art shuttle and a lot more.
$50 Million for St. Johns River Protection, $100 Million for Florida Forever: Measures Advance
Measures doubling Gov. Scott’s request for the Florida Forever conservation program and earmark money to improve the St. Johns River moved easily through the Senate Thursday.
Thursday Briefing: Mosquito Control Audit, DSC Board, Cool Days, Schools’ Winter Concerts, Nutcracker
Dance Alive performs Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker at the Auditorium, a legislative committee considers auditing Mosquito Control, numerous elementary schools’ winter concerts.
In Blow to NRA, Florida Legislature Will Holster Open-Carry and Other Gun Bills
With the 2018 legislative session still more than a month away, gun-related measures might have died Tuesday in the Senate.
Wednesday Briefing: Paul Dykes Trial Day 3, Sheriff’s Christmas Wish, Drone Restrictions, Mandela
A Florida House committee considers restrictions on drones, the Paul Dykes trial enters its third and likely final day, marking the anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s death.
Tuesday Briefing: Matanzas Steel Drums Concert, Guns in Courthouses, Civil Liberties, The Great Fazil Say
The always-exciting Matanzas Steel Drums band is in concert, the Palm Coast council talks land uses, the Paul Dykes trial continues, Turkey’s Fazil Say is something to behold.
5 Years in Prison for Ex-Congresswoman Corrine Brown, Who Once Represented Flagler
Describing the fraud as “shameless,” a federal judge sentenced former Democratic Congresswoman Corrine Brown to five years in prison for her role in a charity scam.
Monday Briefing: Waste Pro Problems, Canvassing Board, Cell Towers, Paul Dykes Trial, WNZF Open House
Paul Dykes, 20, goes on trial on numerous child sex charges, including rape, the county commission is set to approve numerous cell towers and talk about Waste Pro’s poor service.
Florida Gun Store Burglaries, Often Brazen And Unresolved, Quadruple in 4 Years
Weak security practices at many gun stores have made commercial burglaries an increasingly significant source of weapons for criminals in Florida and beyond.
Scott’s Arab-Baiting Over Jerusalem
Continuing to prepare for his Senate run, Gov. Rick Scott’s Jerusalem ploy is demeaning Palestinians in the occupied lands to appeal to Jews in South Florida. He learned the trick at Trump’s knee.
82,000 Stolen Guns Are Missing in Florida, Feeding Traffic Among Drug Dealers and Felons
Car burglaries are driving the epidemic as many gun owners leave their vehicles unlocked. Gun stores offer another easy target. Firearms stolen from these businesses during burglaries have more than quadrupled over the last five years.
Florida Voters May Get Chance to Lift Ban On Tax Subsidies to Religious Schools
A ban on state support for religious groups would be removed from the Florida Constitution under a proposal approved Wednesday by a Constitution Revision Commission panel.
Weekend Briefing: Flagler Beach Christmas Parade, Tree-Lighting in Central Park, Messiah, Fantasy Lights, Snelgrove
A long list of Christmas-related events including a tree-lighting, the annual holiday parade in Flagler Beach, performances of Handel’s Messiah, the opening of Fantasy Lights in Central Park, and a lot more.
The Trump Tax Scam
The deeper costs of the $1.5 trillion tax plan are so large and so obvious that the failure of Republican leaders to disclose them is, for all practical purposes, a lie.
Pariente Stays: Supreme Court Rejects Scott’s Bid to Remove Justice in Succession Case
The Florida Supreme Court rejected an attempt by Gov. Rick Scott to remove Justice Barbara Pariente from a case that could determine the shape of the state’s highest court for decades.
Scott Announces Trip to Israel With Inflaming Call To Move U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem
The issue is particularly inflaming to Palestinians, who would see a move of the embassy as a provocation and a signal that the United States would then no longer be pursuing a two-state solution.
Taken For A Ride: Ambulances Stick Patients With Surprise Bills as Insurers Balk
Ambulance and private insurance companies often can’t agree on a price. That leaves patients stuck in the middle with out-of-network charges that are not negotiated.
U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Florida’s Ban on Openly Carrying Firearms, Ending 6-Year Case
State lawmakers have proposed measures that would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to openly carry firearms, but the proposals have not passed.
No Smoking at Work Could Be Followed by No Vaping: Constitutional Panel Reviews Proposal
More than 70 percent of voters approved the original workplace smoking ban in 2002. A state senator wants them to follow suit with a ban on electronic cigarettes.
Florida’s Cold Shoulder to Trump
The first holiday weekend Donald Trump brought his presidency home to Mar-A-Lago was a true come-to-Jesus lesson in business loss and lifestyle chaos for locals.
For Some Victims, Reporting a Rape Can Bring Doubt, Abuse — and Even Prosecution
There are many reasons for women to think twice about reporting sexual assault. But one potential consequence looms especially large: They may also be prosecuted.
Grower Sues, Charging Florida Illegally Delays Granting Medical Pot Growing Licenses
Michael Bowen, an epilepsy patient who had a seizure during a Senate committee meeting this year and who uses marijuana to treat his illness, is also a party to the lawsuit.
Thanksgiving Weekend Briefing: Compassionate Friends, Kristol’s Liberalism, Lighting Up, Arts Festival, Feet to Feast
It’s a calm weekend in deference to Thanksgiving activities, with a 5k before the feast, lighting up at the Ocean Center, the Bloodmobile at Walmart on black Friday, and Pires playing Mozart.
Scott Wants Justice Pariente Disqualified From Decision on Governor’s Authority to Pick Her Successor
The issue in the case is whether Scott or his successor will have the power to make the appointments — an issue that could shape the balance of the court for years.
Tuesday Briefing: Food Truck Tuesday, Chairmanship Votes at School Board, Voltaire’s Birthday, Bill Ryan’s Trip
The School Board votes to decide whether to stick with Trevor Tucker or pick a new chairperson, Bill Ryan takes you on a trip around Flagler’s historical sights, food in Central Park.
Monday Briefing: No School All Week, Short-Term Rentals Workshop, Mickey Mouse’s Carmen
There may be no school all week but that doesn’t mean Flagler politicians won’t be immersing themselves once again in discussions about short-term rentals. Mickey Mouse gives a musical break.
Unnecessary ‘Proof of Citizenship’ Voting Laws May Surge Under Trump, Suppressing Turnout
Some lawmakers have been emboldened both by President Donald Trump’s false claim that millions of noncitizens voted in 2016 and by his creation of a panel to investigate alleged fraud.
Stephen Bittell, Party Chair and High Hope for Florida Democrats, Is Latest Disgraced Over Leering Behavior
Bittel’s boorish behavior was hardly a secret in Democratic circles. It was impossible for him to remain the chairman after all four Democratic gubernatorial candidates demanded that he step down.
Trump Administration Plan to Add Medicaid Work Requirement Stirs Fears
advocates who see the changes as a way for states to kick millions of adults off the program and undermine its mission of providing health coverage to the poor.
Statue of Mary McLeod Bethune May Replace That of Confederate General in U.S. Capitol
Over the objection of a senator who decried “cultural purging,” a Senate panel approved 18-1 replacing the statue of Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith in the National Statuary Hall in Washington.
Arresting Speakers at a Government Meeting: Supreme Court Takes Up Florida 1st Amendment Case
Fane Lozman alleges that a south Florida city violated his First Amendment rights by retaliating against him for his outspoken criticism during his public comment period.
Where Buying Marijuana is Legal, But There’s Nowhere to Smoke It
Even where it’s legal to sell it, it’s typically illegal to smoke or ingest the drug in dispensaries, bars, restaurants, city parks and public streets. Why?
Florida’s Opioid Crisis: Thousands of Babies Born to Addicts or Removed From Users’ Homes
More than 4,000 babies were born addicted to opioids in Florida last year, with a 38 percent increase in the number of children under 5 removed from homes because of drugs.
Appeals Court Rejects Patrick Hannon Stay, Will Be 26th Executed On Gov. Scott’s Watch
A federal appeals court rejected Hannon’s claim that a new state death-penalty requirements relating to the unanimity of juries should be applied to his case. He murdered two men in 1991.
House Tax Bill: Penalty For No Health Coverage Stays, Medical-Cost Deduction Goes
The medical deduction, originally created in World War II, is available only to taxpayers whose expenses are above 10 percent of their adjusted gross income.
Truck Terror Attacks May Be a Sign of ISIS Weakness, But They’re Very Hard to Stop
As ISIS loses territory on the battlefield, lone-actor assaults are expected to increase. The question for cities is what more can be done to protect against such attacks.
Can Gov. Scott Appoint 3 Justices On Last Days in Office? Supreme Court Takes On Potential Constitutional Crisis
The three justices, who face a mandatory retirement age, are part of what is widely considered a liberal bloc, which now holds a slim 4-3 majority.
Potential Ballot Proposals Include Older Retirement Age For Judges, Ending Death Penalty, Restoring Bright Futures
the Florida Constitution Revision Commission have filed 64 proposals, but a measure needs support from 22 of the 37 commission members to make it to the 2018 election ballot.
Obamacare Enrollment Opens Wednesday For 5th Year: 5 Things You Should Know
Despite the efforts of President Donald Trump and the Republican-led Congress, the Affordable Care Act is still the law of the land. But there are changes.
Uncertainty On Generators at Nursing Homes After Governor’s Order Is Invalidated
Gov. Rick Scott’s administration appealed the order to the 1st District Court of Appeal and claims the rules remain in effect during the appeal.
At State Conference, Democrats Mostly In Lockstep Begin to Line Up For Governor’s Race
There were few differences in the responses from former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham of Tallahassee, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum and Winter Park businessman Chris King.
Lawmakers Moving To Put a Leash On
Bogus Service Dogs As Abuses Proliferate
Though Florida two years ago tightened some service dog regulations, it’s still easy to acquire or pass off any animal as a service animal. Other states are working to tighten their laws.
Monday Briefing: L’Darius Smith Trial, Hall of Terror, Local Mitigation, FEMA Deadline, Daniil Trifonov
L’Darius Smith, a former foorball player for FPC, is on trial on accusations that he held a gun while forcing a pre-teen girl to masturbate him, Palm Coast’s Hall of Terror on its first of two nights.
Fantasyland and the Liberal Delusion
Liberals’s hopes that the likes of Jeff Flake or Bob Corker in any way speak for today’s vanilla-white GOP is a refusal to concede that the Age of Trump is here to stay.
Treatment Overkill: Unneeded Scans, Therapy and Surgery Only Add To Patients’ Ills
Though ample evidence shows breast-cancer radiation treatment for many can be drastically cut down, less than half those eligible received it despite the additional cost and inconvenience.
FPL Seeking To Charge Customers Extra $50 to $60 a Year Through 2020 To Pay Irma Costs
The $1.3 billion FPL wants to recover would start showing up in customers’ bills in March — just as they get done paying off an extra $40 a year from Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
Weekend Briefing: Drug Court Graduation, “Plaza Suite” at the Playhouse, Bed Race, Chamber Players, Bras
Neil Simon’s “Plaza Suite” opens at the Flagler Playhouse, the 8th Fun Coast Bed Race in Flagler Beach, The Chamber Players of Palm Coast present another baroque concert.
A U.S. Soldier Died in Niger. What on Earth Are We Doing There?
If you were surprised to learn the U.S. has nearly a thousand troops in Niger, you’re not alone. But we’ve deployed troops to literally most of the planet, and our leading lawmakers don;t know it.