Staring May 20, Flagler County Fire Rescue reduced fire engine staffing from three firefighters to two at two of the county’s three fire stations to make possible the addition of a seventh ambulance unit, reducing response time or the need for aide from neighboring counties. But the shift has triggered opposition from the firefighters’ union, on safety grounds, and fears among residents.
Backgrounders
Tri-County Drug Sweep Nets 57 Arrests, 20 in Flagler, But Many Back On the Streets Swiftly
Dubbed “Operation Safe Summer,” the three-county drug sweep was conducted to reduce the amount of drugs available as summer break approaches, officials said, but by late afternoon several of those arrested were already back on the streets, and many more would likely follow.
Maya Angelou, On the Pulse of Mourning
Starting with ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,’ Maya Angelou’s seven-part autobiography redefined the art of memoir writing while giving voice to a form of literary jazz and blues that trace the liberation and triumphs of a black woman in a culture that, as a result, bears her mark.
Flagler Gun & Archery Club Raises $3,150 for American Cancer Society
The Flagler Gun & Archery Club’s Cancer in the Crosshairs fundraiser on May 4th raised $3,150 for cancer research in the name of Marlene Germain, who died in December of pancreatic cancer, the club announced.
Drunk Drivers and Boaters Beware: Sheriff Deploying Extra Patrols in Flagler Over Memorial Weekend
Flagler Sheriff’s deputies will be conducting extra patrols this weekend throughout the county. The extra patrols will take place on our local roads and waterways during the three-day Memorial Day holiday. But deputies will not set up check points.
Florida Prisons Want To Slash Kosher Offerings; Justice Department Says It Would Be Illegal
In a brief filed Monday, lawyers for the Department of Corrections argued that the law allows Florida to scrap the kosher meals because of the financial burden placed on the “cash-strapped agency.” The state has spent more than $200,000 on the lawsuit so far.
From a New Branch Library to a West Side Fire Station, Flagler Commissioners Weigh Sales Tax-Funded Projects
Most of the $2-million-a-year sales tax revenue the county commission voted in almost two years ago is spoken for–a new jail, a new sheriff’s HQ–but a few million dollars remain spendable. The administration is proposing a long wish list that commissioners will now rank.
Dispute Over State’s Shifting Juvenile Detention Costs to Counties Simmers Again
The dispute goes back to 2004 and centers on DJJ’s handling of a law that requires counties help pay for “predisposition,” or the costs of detaining underage offenders before they are sentenced. It affects 38 counties. The 29 poorest counties in the state are considered “fiscally constrained” and aren’t part of the cost-sharing formula.
As City Market Place Plays Hardball With Palm Coast, Gallery’s and Theater’s Future There Dims
The new owners of City Market Place want to jack up rent on Palm Coast city offices by 33 percent, and slam similar increases on Hollingsworth Gallery and other long-time anchors of the strip mall, making every one of those tenants question whether they will be there much longer–and placing a cloud on the future of some tenants, such as City Repertory Theatre.
PERT: Why Flagler Students Are Forced to Take the Stupidest Test You’ve Never Heard Of
Why are a slew of high achievers at Matanzas High School and FPC who have already succeeded in various courses having to take the so-called Post Secondary Educational Readiness Test on top of all other tests? How many unnecessary, time-consuming tests are we going to continue to subject our students to?