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.
Backgrounders
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.
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.
Thursday Briefing: Model Yacht Club, Flagler Beach Water and Sewer Fee Increase, Charter Workshop, Fall Festival
The newly-formed Palm Coast Model Yacht Club meets at Palm Coast’s Central Park pond in Town Center at 2 p.m. to race its sailing boats, which vary in length from 3 to 5 feet.
Bunnell Manager Dan Davis Placed on 6-Month Probation After Barrage of Criticism From Commissioners
Four of the five Bunnell city commissioners criticized Davis for his leadership style, his “demeaning” of employees or even commissioners, his lack of communications, but granted him a final reprieve.
Short-Term Rentals in Flagler County: The View From Home Owners’ Associations
Paul C. Pershes, president of the 1,100-home Ocean Hammock Property Owners Association, addresses members of a key senate committee that will be hearing proposed regulations of short-term rentals.
Racist, Violent, Unpunished: A White Hate Group’s Campaign of Menace
the Rise Above Movement, one of whose men beat up protesters in Charlottesville, train to fight. They post their beatings online. And so far, they have little reason to fear the authorities.
Flagler’s Unemployment Rate Falls To 3.9%, A 10-Year Low, Even As Hurricane Whacks State’s Jobs Figures
Flagler’s sharp drop is even more remarkable for taking place during a month that saw Hurricane Irma cut across the region, severing power, work schedules and routines for almost 10 days.
You’re Not Reading Wrong: [Title of Show] Sings Anthem To Selfie Culture In CRT Musical
The latest musical to be staged at Palm Coast’s City Rep Theatre is about creating a show that takes its name – brackets and all – from the entry form used to submit a finished work to a festival.
Prosecution Stymied In Ex-Jail Guard’s Trial Over 2-Year-Old Girl’s Alleged Brutalization
Stanley Wykretowicz, 41, was the sole caregiver to his 2-year-old niece when he brought her to Florida Hospital Flagler, comatose and bruised, but his lawyers say she was merely ill, not abused.
Tip Leads Palm Coast Man Turned Fugitive on Molestation Charges To Be Re-Arrested in Las Vegas
Flagler Sheriff’s Detective George Hristakopoulos contacted the Las Vegas Police Department on a tip that Bryan Loveland may be in the area going by a false name.
Stunner On Birth Control: Trump’s Moral Exemption Is Geared To Just 2 Groups
A separate rule allowing employers that are not religious organization to deny contraceptive coverage to employees is geared toward anti-abortion groups, but its legal status is doubtful.
Wednesday Briefing: Kelsey Banks, Survivor, SBA Disaster Loan Assistance, Ending Fireworks Ban
A Belle Terre Elementary 4th grader has a day proclaimed for her as she passes 5-year mark cancer free, SBA loans for disaster recovery in Flagler Beach.
Florida Lawmakers Hear Grim Picture of Worsening Opioid Crisis and Lack of Treatment
In the first six months of 2016, deaths caused by fentanyl increased by nearly 140 percent, deaths from heroin overdoses jumped by 25 percent, compared to the same period in 2015.
Tuesday Briefing: Development Worries at Matanzas Shores, Palm Coast Data’s Pink Army, NRA’s Guns, FPC Chorus
Residents from the Matanzas Shores area plan to jam a county planning board meeting to oppose proposed developments there, the FPC chorus is in concert, exploring for oil in the Everglades.
Why Lakeside By The Sea Residents See a Pair of Proposed Developments Turning Their Properties Into “Little Lakes”
A developer plans to build 185 homes at the north and south ends of Lakeside By The Sea, the subdivision in the Matanzas Shores area at the northern end of Flagler County, on the barrier island.
Palm Coast Drops Lobbyist of 17 Years To Hire Southern Strategy, Mayor’s Former Employer
Southern Strategy Group is one of Tallahassee’s most powerful lobbying firms. Mayor Milissa Holland worked there from 2013 to 2015.
What You Should Know About Trump’s Rollback Of Contraception Coverage
The rules will make sweeping changes to the law’s requirement that most employers provide coverage of birth control with no out-of-pocket costs to women.
Judge’s Order Calls For Kim Weeks and Others To Pay Flagler Officials $312,000 Over Frivolous, Malicious Complaints
The orders are a remarkable victory for county government and for County Attorney Al Hadeed, who led the charge to recoup fees from Weeks, Dennis McDonald and Mark Richter Jr.
Flagler’s Emergency Manager Resigns as Allegations Fly In Latest Shake-Up At Troubled County Division
Steve Garten says he was pushed out after less than two years on the job, claiming micromanaging by County Administrator Craig Coffey, who defended his role in the shake-up.
Wednesday Briefing: Fire Police Heroes, Charter Review, Walk To School Day, Einstein’s Socialism
Palm Coast Fire Police members are honored by the sheriff, Rymfire Elementary has Walk To School Day, Palm Coast holds another one of those charter review meetings.
An AK-47 Assault Rifle in a Child’s Closet Among Weapons Seized in R-Section Drug Raid: 2 Arrests
Shawn Crawford, 35, and Tariq D. Khawaja, 27, were arrested this morning at 6B Ryall Lane in Palm Coast after a search allegedly uncovered illegal weapons, marijuana, cocaine and ecstasy.
Up to 14 Inches of Rain Fall on Already Drenched Flagler, But Damage Is Limited
Weekend rains dumped from 4 to 14 inches on already-saturated Flagler County, flooding streets, overcoming swales and ditches and soaking some areas more than others.
Palm Coast Will Spend $200,000 To Add “Palm Coast” Sign On I-95 Overpass, Double Original Estimate
The cost is two to four times more than a previous council was told in 2016, and the money comes out of a fund that pays for street improvements.
Only a Handful Turn Up at Palm Coast’s 1st Charter-Review Workshop; Public Input Limited
Just 13 or 14 people turned up for the first of four city charter-review workshops, and that public’s chance to weigh in was severely constrained by rules that leave the process largely in the council’s control.
Historically Low School Tax Will Diminish Effects of Tax Increases in Palm Coast and County
Even though county government, Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and Bunnell are all increasing taxes, homeowners’ bills will not see a steep increase thanks to a lower school tax.
How Florida’s Failing Charter Schools Exploit Voucher Program To Stay Alive on Public Dime
Charter schools that fail two years in a row should close by law. Instead, they reopen as private schools and use publicly funded vouchers to keep operating, with the state’s blessing.
Students Can Rejoice: Only 1 Hurricane Make-Up Day, No Disruption of Thanksgiving Week Off
The district will make up one day on Oct. 16, with three days already accounted for in the existing schedule and two days waived by the state.
Trying To Make Up For Mistakes, Florida Health Officials Seek To Speed Up Medical Pot Licensing
The Florida Health Department had until Oct. 3 to issue 10 medical pot licenses to producers, a deadline it will almost certainly miss even as it scrambles to ease the application process.
Flagler County Appeals Dangerous Dog Ruling, Challenging Judge DuPont’s Interpretation of Law
Circuit Judge Scott DuPont in August quashed the Flagler County Commission’s order declaring a dog dangerous, saying the commission acted improperly. Flagler is appealing.
How Health Insurers Fuel Opioid Crisis By Denying Claims For Less Addictive But More Expensive Drugs
Insurers limiting access to drugs with a lower risk of addiction or dependence. Why? Opioid drugs are generally cheap while safer alternatives are often more expensive.
Uninsured Rate Falls To Record Low Of 8.8%, But Florida’s Rate Still 5th Highest in U.S.
Florida’s rate of uninsured would have been lower had Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature not prevented the federally-funded expansion of Medicaid.
FPL Lies
FPL’s response to Hurricane Irma in Flagler has been disgraceful and secretive, both at the expense of local emergency responses and at the expense of residents.
Post-Irma Daily Digest: Flagler Beach Crossovers and Pier Update, FEMA Registrations, Senior Games
Local governments’ drizzle of information releases related to post-Hurricane Irma recovery are distilled for their essentials and published in a running tally.
In Flood-Pummeled Flagler Beach, Mountains of Heartbreak, But Surges of Grit And Samaritans
No place was hardest-hit by floods than Flagler Beach, yet no place seems as vibrant with community support as neighbors have mobilized to help neighbors cope.
As Emergency Yields to Recovery in Flagler, More Inconveniences Than Damages Or Troubles
More than 60 percent of Flagler residents were still without power Tuesday evening but recovery efforts were powering up and destruction from the storm was limited.
Spotty Cell and Internet Service in Flagler: “How Many Bars Do You Have?” Is A Post-Irma Refrain
The infuriating cell and internet signal failures residents in the Flagler-Palm Coast region are experiencing will parallel power failures and restoration.
In Flooded Flagler Beach, Caring For Neighbors In Cops’ Colossal Trucks Or in Tiny Kayaks
The Sheriff’s Office sent out its colossal military-surplus trucks on search and rescue missions, while at least two Flagler Beach residents conducted their own in canoes and kayaks.
FPL Says 10 Percent of Flagler Residents Expected to Lose Power, Millions More Across Florida
FPL is deploying nearly 17,000 line workers across the state and conducting repairs between Hurricane Irma feeder bands to minimize outages.
Sheltering From Irma in Flagler: 4 Shelters, 3,000 Spots, Food, WiFi, Power And ♥ Left Behind From Students
Here’s what to expect at Flagler County’s four emergency shelters opening at 7 a.m. Saturday, who’s paying for all that food, and what you can stream on WiFi.
What To Expect in Flagler In Next 48 Hours on Shelters, Evacuations, Storm Effects and Hunkering Down
As Hurricane Irma approaches, a complete run-down of what you should expect from emergency responders and what you should do in the next 48 hours.
As Flagler Prepares For Irma: “We’re Anticipating A1A To Be Severed In Multiple Locations”
Law enforcement, first responders and local governments were in full preparation mode with evacuation orders policing planning going into gear. The details.
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Second Bill of Rights: For Workers
At the end of his last State of the Union message to Congress in 1944, Franklin Delano Roosevelt outlined an ambition plan for a “Second Bill of Rights” to ensure “”economic security and independence.”
Behind Solar Shades Soon in Palm Coast, A “Voluntary” FPL Program of Limited Benefit But Ample Marketing
FPL’s SolarNow program bills willing customers $9 a month then uses the money to build solar-power installations like those coming to Holland Park, City Hall and the Community Center.
In Flagler Beach, Palm Coast and County, More Contempt For Medical Pot
Elected officials in Palm Coast, Flagler County and Flagler Beach are still peddling false or misleading assumptions as they draw up more restrictive medical pot dispensary zoning.
For David Snelgrove, Sentenced in Palm Coast Double-Murder in 2000, Execution Again In Question
The Supreme Court threw out David Snelgrove’s death sentence as unconstitutional because twice juries were not unanimous. A re-sentencing’s complicated road began today before Judge Dennis Craig.
White Supremacists Joked About Using Cars To Run Over Opponents Before Charlottesville
Leaked chat room conversations by white supremacists reveal expectations of violence — along with detailed planning and intelligence gathering on left-wing adversaries.
In Preventive Demonstration, Sheriff Highlights Lethal Danger of Leaving Children in Hot Cars
With an average of 39 children killed each year for being left in hot cars, Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly and DCF officials underscored the danger in a demonstration in Palm Coast this morning.
In the Hammock, A Concern That a Small Rule Change Will Turn Rustic A1A Into Commerce Central
The Flagler County administration is reinterpreting how the residential and commercial mix along A1A must be applied, raising fears that it’ll open the way to innumerable businesses there.
Palm Coast Approves Its First Microbrewery: Moonrise Brewing Co. at European Village
The brewpub and restaurant, opening in October, will produce about 15,000 pints a month. Its three owners, in the industry many years, expect it to become a big draw for European Village.
