DCF did not deem urgent a message from a lawyer for the girl’s father the day before the killing warning that Jonchuck was “driving all over town in his pajamas with Phoebe” and “seems depressed and delusional.”
Health & Society
“I’m So F— Sorry”: In 911 Call of AK-47 Shooting, Regret and Worries of Going to Jail
In the 911 call, Brandon Williamson describes how he shot his friend Shane Huber and apologized repeatedly as Huber sat or stood near him for 8 minutes before deputies and paramedics arrived.
Nuclear Power’s Last Tango: Industry’s Promise Fails to Outrun Crippling Costs
If you like the U.S. nuclear power industry, it’s a Michael Jordan-type gallant return. If you don’t like nukes, it’s more of a Gloria Swanson gruesome comeback in Sunset Boulevard.
What’s the Definition of Sexual Intercourse? Florida Supreme Court Justices Will Decide.
The question stems from charges filed in 2011 against Gary Debaun under a law that requires HIV-infected people to inform potential sexual partners about the disease before having sexual intercourse. Debaun was accused of not providing the information to a male sexual partner.
More States Lean Toward Medicaid Expansion, But Florida Remains a Holdout
The biggest nonexpansion states are Florida and Texas, where expansion would add a total of 2.6 million uninsured residents to the Medicaid rolls. But both the Florida and Texas legislatures are dominated by Republicans, and expansion remains a long shot.
Florida Republican Files Bill to Extend Medical Pot Access to AIDS, Cancer and Other Ills
The proposal (SB 528), filed by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, includes a detailed regulatory structure that would place requirements on patients, doctors, growers and retail stores. Patients could only get “medical-grade” marijuana if their physicians sign off on the need.
Heroin Overdoses Spike After Florida
Cracks Down on Prescription Pill Abuse
Five years ago, Florida was the prescription drug capital of the U.S. Seven people died every day from overdoses. The state cracked down, but this year, heroin overdose deaths are expected to be double those number four years before.
8 Weeks After FSU Shooting, House Panel Approves Concealed Guns on Florida Campuses
Currently, people are banned from carrying such weapons at Florida colleges and universities, with the exception of stun guns or similar devices. Data show that 246,632 Floridians between the ages of 21 and 35 have concealed carry permits.
Palm Coast’s Pink Army Run Raises $13,152 for Florida Hospital Flagler’s Breast Cancer Fund
After an event that drew upwards of 1,000 runners, a record, Palm Coast’s Pink Army Run last October netted $13,152, money that will help defray the cost of mammograms and other breast-cancer diagnoses or treatments.
Attention Florida Pot Growers: State Would Pick 5 Nurseries To Cultivate Marijuana Under New Rule
A panel comprised of the director of the state Office of Compassionate Use, an accountant and a member of the Drug Policy Advisory Council would pick five nurseries to grow, process and dispense medical marijuana under a revamped rule released Thursday by the Florida Department of Health. The selection committee would take the place of […]
Flagler Humane Society Ends Year With 50% Fewer Euthanized Animals, Among Other Milestones
The Flagler Humane Society saw a 25 percent increase in adoptions and a 12 percent increase in lost animals being returned to their owners in 2014, netting an 88 percent save rate for all animals entering the shelter.
Child Thrown From Bridge in Tampa Prompts New Look at DCF’s Porous Safety Net
Records of the case reveal that many answers were already available — in the form of arrests that could have raised alarms at the state abuse hotline operated by the Florida Department of Children and Families.
Group Homes for Children: More Expensive, Less Beneficial Than Foster Parents
Group homes, considered less effective than foster homes, cost taxpayers more than $37,000 per child, compared to $6,180 per year in a foster home, a study found.
Flu Visits to Flagler ER Spike 33% Over Last Season, But Officials Aren’t Calling It an Epidemic
Flu visits to the ER were especially pronounced in November. They leveled off a bit in December. But the first week of January saw the numbers spike again, especially compared to last year,
Prominent Central Florida Cardiologist Asad Qamar Is Sued for Medicare Fraud
Central Florida cardiologist Asad Qamar, who claims to have 23,000 patients, is the target of two lawsuits accusing him of systematic Medicare fraud, including padding bills and performing unnecessary procedures.
Education or Exploitation? When a Patient’s Death is Broadcast Without Permission
Ethicists say medical reality shows exploit patients’ pain for public consumption, but their makers argue that they educate viewers and inspire people to choose careers in medicine.
Medicare Penalties Hit 31 Florida Hospitals Over High Infection Rates; FHF Spared
In its toughest crackdown yet on medical errors, the federal government is cutting payments to 721 hospitals – including 31 in Florida — for having high rates of infections and other patient injuries.
Firing a “Sponge Grenade,” Flagler Deputies Defuse a Would-Be Suicide-By-Gun After Hours of Negotiations
Flagler deputies after hours of negotiations near the Palm Harbor overpass in Palm Coast Wednesday morning stopped a man from killing himself with a .38 by firing so-called “less-lethal” munition.
With 800,000 Floridians in Health Insurance Limbo, Hopes Return for Medicaid Expansion
A coalition of businesses groups, local officials and healthcare industry representatives has rolled out a plan to insure nearly one million low-income Floridians who fall in the so-called Medicaid coverage gap.
Ferguson Events and FSU Shooting Trigger Florida’s Third-Busiest Gun Shopping Day Ever
The Nov. 28 purchases trailed only the sales for two days in December 2012, which came after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.
In Mass-Casualty Simulation, Flagler First Responders and Hospital Test Capabilities
The simulation entailed a plane crash at the county airport and more than two dozen injuries as fuel and debris struck Hijackers’ Restaurant. The exercise unfolded in front of Florida Hospital Flagler’s Emergency Room.
Florida’s Minimum Wage Going Up to $8.05 as Obama’s Push For $10.10 Remains Elusive
A Democratic bill in the Florida Legislature would seek the $10,10 threshold, but its chances of passing are slim to none. Business groups like the Florida Chamber of Commerce have argued against such proposals.
Flagler Opens 1st Secure Site For Supervised Children’s Visits in Sally’s Safe Haven
It took three years and $400,000 from a federal grant, but on Monday county officials dedicated the safe haven in the old Bunnell Post office location, ensuring that parents don’t have to travel to Volusia or St. Johns to execute court-ordered, supervised children’s visitations.
In Reversal, Accused European Village Attacker Daniel Noble Found Competent to Stand Trial
Daniel Noble appeared ready to shoot his Uzi-style assault weapon at a crowd at European Village in March before he was wrestled to the ground. After being deemed incompetent to stand trial three months ago, a judge ruled today that trial can proceed.
How to Easily Navigate Big Changes in Fine Print of Obamacare Plans Before Deadline
Even if you’re getting the same plan — of the nearly 2,800 health plans offered in 2014, about 1,700 of them will exist in the same form next year — their benefits may not stay the same. Here’s an easy way to figure it all out.
Obamacare Snags: He Wants To Be Insured But Still Can’t Afford It.
The law requires all Americans to carry health insurance, but despite subsidies, it isn;t a given that some workers can afford their portion of premium costs. One of those people is Leaburn Alexander
Faith Coleman, Founder of Flagler County Free Clinic and Champion of Grit, Is Dead at 60
Even as she battled a cancer that kept recurring over the past 11 years, Faith Coleman created in the Flagler County Free Clinic one of the county’s most crucial and enduring institutions, which a board of directors now vows to preserve in her memory.
As Large Businesses Look to Dump Employees on Obamacare, Smaller Firms Snub Subsidies
Few employers are embracing a temporary Obamacare subsidy for small businesses while large businesses are hiring brokers to help them shift employees to government-subsidized plans, which the Obama administration says is illegal.
Regrettable Holiday Ritual: Spike in Calls to Alzheimer’s Hotline as Families Grasp Changes
Visiting with relatives over the holidays may raise questions about the physical and cognitive health of family members. Although some change in cognitive ability can occur with age, serious memory problems are not a part of normal aging. Recognizing the difference between normal aging and more serious problems can help you identify when it may be time for you to make the call or see a doctor.
Florida’s Pot Legalization Forces Open 2-Front Offensive: Legislature and 2016 Ballot
After falling just 2 points short of victory in November, medical-marijuana advocates will take their battle to the Florida Legislature, and failing that, will place the initiative on the ballot again in 2016.
Feed Flagler’s 364-Day Blinders: Why Isn’t a Portion of Old Courthouse Considered as Homeless Shelter?
It must be Thanksgiving because as with the first Thanksgiving, the pilgrims seem more interested in clobbering the poor than feeding them.
For Shane Kitchens, Left in 30-Day Coma After Collision on A1A, a Painful Roll Back
Shane Kitchens, the 37-year-old Flagler Beach business owner, was crossing A1A in August when a motorcycle struck him as if he wasn’t there. This is the story of his recovery since.
Obamacare 2.0: Open Enrollment Starts With Few Glitches as Floridians Sign Up Over the Weekend
Sharply contrasting with last year’s roll-out, enrollment for the Affordable Care Act, which started Saturday, has gone smoothly, as the federal government expects nearly 10 million insured by the time the window closes in February.
Don’t Tell Us How You’re Feeling: Facebook and the Mirage of Positive Posting
After a steady onslaught of social media, is it any wonder we sometimes feel numb to the suffering—or joy—of others? Laurie Uttich rethinks the one-sided nature of Facebook declamations.
Judge Throws Out Florida’s Medical Marijuana Rules, Calling Them Vague and “Unbridled”
Administrative Law Judge W. David Watkins sided with Miami-based Costa Farms and others that objected to the Department of Health’s use of a lottery to pick five licensees that will grow, process and distribute strains of non-euphoric marijuana authorized by the Legislature and approved by Gov. Rick Scott earlier this year.
Preparedness Before Hype: Flagler Emergency Responders Form Team With Ebola in Mind
An “incident management team” was created to respond to any infectious disease emergency in Flagler, with Emergency Management, Florida Hospital Flagler and the the Health Department leading the response, should one ever be necessary.
For 1 Million Floridians, Health Insurance Again in the Balance as Supreme Court Rethinks Subsidies
Enrollment and subsidies, along with provisions such as the prohibition on excluding people with pre-existing conditions, are now at risk, because once again, the Supreme Court will decide whether the Affordable Care Act lives or dies.
Feed Flagler, in Its 6th Year, Launches Food Drive and Free Thanksgiving Meals Plan
Feed Flagler, the community-wide effort to provide meals for the needy (or anyone who requests one) at Thanksgiving, is off to its 6th year, with renewed emphasis on food collection for families.
“Personhood” Amendment Crushed Even in the Reddest State, Dealing Blow to Abortion Foes
Two proposed constitutional amendments that would have declared life starting at conception were overwhelmingly defeated in North Dakota and Colorado, with two-thirds of voters opposed.
Does Life Begin at Conception? Nation Eyes Referendum That May Set Precedent
The battle over North Dakota’s Measure 1 highlights the biggest trend in national abortion politics this November: wide-ranging pro-life ballot initiatives that would alter state constitutions in ways whose long-term repercussions are difficult to predict.
I Had a Stroke at 29
Two weeks after her then-fiancé proposed to her, Kari Cobham had a stroke. The former News-Journal reporter and current executive producer of social media for Orlando’s WFTV writes of her experience for the first time, on World Stroke Day.
Sheldon Adelson Adds $1 Million to Fight Against Medical Pot Legalization
Sheldon Adelson had contributed $5 million of the $5,842,897 raised by the “Drug Free Florida Committee” as of Sunday. The committee also spent $1,254,013 in mid-October and reported an overall spending total of $5,582,772.
Florida Tries Again to End Decade-Old Lawsuit Calling State’s Children’s Health Care Inadequate
The state Agency for Health Care Administration is making a renewed attempt to scuttle a nearly decade-old lawsuit alleging the state’s Medicaid program has not provided adequate care for low-income children.
Please Don’t Take a Seat: Flagler Schools Start Adapting to Stand-Up Desks in Fitness Push
A new trend is emerging at Flagler schools. It’s now all about “active learning,” a teaching style aimed at promoting better health and academic performance. At Belle Terre Elementary, that means adjustable standing desks.
Ebola Isn’t a Problem in the U.S.
Hysteria and Xenophobia Are.
There is not going to be an Ebola epidemic in the United States. There isn’t one now. But there is a an epidemic of hysteria and cowardice that’s costing more lives in Africa, and that could threaten the West if segregationists have their way.
Brittany Maynard and the Right to Die: An Open Letter from a State That Denies It
Laureen Kornel, a Flagler Beach resident, was left helpless, watching her mother’s agonizing death from cancer because the right to die on terms other than those dictated by doctors was not an option. She writes Brittany Maynard in hopes of spurring the movement in Florida and other states that deny that right.
Nearly Sure Thing Months Ago, Medical Pot Initiative Appears Headed For Defeat Behind Snuff Money
The latest Tampa Bay Times poll has the measure winning only 48 percent of the vote, 12 points short of the needed 60 percent, as Sheldon Las Vegas gambling magnate Sheldon Adelson increased his contributions against the measure to $3.5 million.
Pot Amendment: For Debilitating Diseases or an Open Door to Full Marijuana Legalization?
A briefing on Amendment 2, the proposed constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana: supporters say it’ll help the sick, opponents claim it’s flawed and will result in “a joint in every backpack.”
“Thank You for Using Your Legs to Show Us What’s In Your Hearts,” Palm Coast Mayor Tells Pink Army
This morning’s 5K Pink Army run for breast cancer awareness drew hundreds of runners, walkers and strollers of all ages and sizes who thronged Town Center just after dawn, for the cause.
From Polish and Italian to Arabic and Creole: The Changing Sound of the American Street
One-fifth of Americans now speak a language other than English at home. Fastest-growing are Arabic and Creole, though Spanish and Chinese are still the number 1 and 2 languages after English.