Flagler County officials have required of the new owners of the old Country Hearth Inn on Old Dixie Highway to pay a $250,000 cash bond and reassure the county that the renovation project of a property that has long vexed officials and residents is still on track, after missing a key August deadline.
All Else
Judge Hears Private Business’ Challenge to DeSantis Ban on Covid Passports
Circuit Judge Layne Smith is considering the case two months after a federal judge in South Florida sided with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings in a challenge to the law, which seeks to prevent businesses from requiring customers to show proof of vaccination against covid and threatens fines for violations.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, October 7, 2021
The 2021 Nobel Prize for literature is announced early this morning, the rezoning listening tour has its final stop at Buddy Taylor Middle School at 6 p.m., Rousseau on Protestant and Catholic critical thinking.
Should You Have to Conceal Your Gun? Supreme Court May Soon Say No.
The Supreme Court’s ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, expected by mid-2022, could declare a New York state restriction on carrying concealed handguns in public places unconstitutional. Such a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs, which include a National Rifle Association affiliate, could loosen gun regulations in many parts of the country.
Ed Danko Is Cautioned of Being Removed from Dais for Violating Council’s Rules in Repeated Outbursts
Ed Danko, a Palm Coast City Council member for less than a year, was admonished and cautioned about being removed from the dais after repeated angry outbursts interrupting a public speaker at the beginning Tuesday’s council meeting. Never in the 21-year history of the Palm Coast City Council had a council member come close to eliciting so much as the suggestion of being asked to leave the dais.
James Egan Jr., 64, a Flagler School Bus Driver, Is Killed in Motorcycle Wreck on Belle Terre and Ponce de Leon
James Egan Jr., a 64-year-old Palm Coast resident and school bus driver with the Flagler County school district since 2016, was killed in a motorcycle crash at Belle Terre Parkway and Ponce De Leon Drive Tuesday evening.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, October 6, 2021
The Palm Coast Code Enforcement Board meets, Facebook down, John McWhorter on “They,” Malcolm X doesn’t want you to pat him on his back.
The Brutal Slave Trade Within the US Has Been Largely Whitewashed Out of History
Slavery still conjures images of Southern farms and plantations. But the institution was grounded in the sales of nearly 2 million human beings in the domestic slave trade, the profits from which nurtured the economy of the entire country.
Will Democrats Get Their Act Together?
This is not the New Deal or Great Society era, when Democrats had power in numbers. The current era requires “an honest embrace of what the politics of the moment will accept,” if only to prevent a return of the cult that doesn’t give two figs about governing.
Flagler Beach Golf Club’s Terry McManus Is Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison on DUI, After Snubbing 2-Year Deal Hours Earlier
Terry McManus, who owns the company running the Ocean Palms Golf Club for Flagler Beach government, had snubbed a plea offer of two years in prison, setting two separate cases. He got sentenced to four years in prison in one case, and now still has to deal with another case where he may yet get more prison time.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, October 5, 2021
The Flagler County School Board meets in workshop to go over its meeting agenda later this month. The Palm Coast City Council will approve next year’s cultural arts grants. Jean-Francois Revel on the cult of ignorance.
The Dishonesties of Cherry-Picking Bible Verses
Many Bible verses are being lifted out of context and repurposed to buttress the anti-vaccine movement. Such shallow reading in service of political and cultural agendas has long been a fixture of evangelical Christianity.
Casey DeSantis Is Diagnosed with Breast Cancer
The governor issued a statement Monday about the diagnosis, though the statement did not provide details about issues such as the type of breast cancer, the stage or treatment. Casey DeSantis, 41, is the mother of three children under age 5.
‘Marinas Are Dead for Now!’ County Rejects Proposal That Would Have Facilitated Huge Boat-Storage Facility in Scenic A1A
The Flagler County Commission today voted 3-1 to reject adoption of a controversial land-use amendment that would have allowed marinas in such areas as Scenic A1A, in essence further clearing the way for a controversial 240-boat storage facility next to Hammock Hardware. The vote was the latest victory for the Hammock Community Association, which has been opposing the already litigated facility.
Flagler Commission Appoints Heidi Petito Permanent County Administrator, if Less Aptly Than 1 Commissioner Wished
Commissioner Andy Dance wasn’t opposed to Heidi Petito’s appointment, which was not a surprise, but to the haphazard manner in which Commissioner Greg Hansen brought it up, at the end of the meeting, when the matter was not on the agenda. It was yet another reflection of a commission inclined to bypass process for improvisation.
With 99.05% of Dunes Project Shoreline Secured, Flagler Extends Hold Harmless Branch in Bid to Secure Last 3 Easements
With $25 million still sitting idle, awaiting a go-ahead to rebuild 2.6 miles of dunes in Flagler Beach, Flagler County government is down to securing signatures for easements from just two hold-outs after two years of efforts. The county is hoping it will keep its 104-year streak going of never having to invoke eminent domain proceedings against a county property owner.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, October 4, 2021
The Flagler County Commission considers allowing marinas along the Intracoastal and hears updates on the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club and the dunes project in Flagler Beach.
Sex Trafficking Isn’t What You Think: 4 Myths Debunked
Law enforcement, medical providers, case managers, victim advocates and immigration lawyers inconsistently define and apply the label “trafficking victim” – especially when it comes to sex trafficking. That makes it harder for these professionals to get trafficked people the help they request.
Scholarships for ‘Career Online High School’ Diploma and Certificate Program Available at Flagler Public Library
Flagler County Public Library is offering the Career Online High School program to adults, 19 and older, who want to earn a career certificate and a high school diploma. Scholarships are funded through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
The Lie About Border Patrol Agents Whipping Haitians
There are no photos of agents whipping migrants. Nor is there any video, in an age when there’s video of everything. The photographer, Paul Ratje, who took the controversial images to which the president and his acolytes refer, told KTSM TV in El Paso that he never saw agents whipping anyone.
“Don’t Texas My Florida!” Protesters Mobilize for Women and LGBT Rights Across U.S.
The marches and rallies were scheduled in cities and communities across Florida and states elsewhere on Saturday, part of a “Day of Action” nationwide as tensions rise over the threat to the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.
Federal Judge Refuses to Reconsider Decision Backing DeSantis Ban on Mask Mandates
Rejecting arguments by parents of children with disabilities, a federal judge has refused to reconsider a decision that backed Gov. Ron DeSantis in a battle about student mask requirements in schools.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, October 3, 2021
Why the January 6 insurrection was far worse than we knew and what Democrats should do to prevent a rerun. Sally Rooney on if we have to go to our death for the greater good of humankind.
Pot Products Are Being Sold as Sleeping Aids. Do They Help?
As with many issues in research, there isn’t a neat answer to how effective cannabis is in improving sleep. How the drug is prepared, the way it’s taken and the person’s expectations are just some important factors that may influence the outcome. And, as with all health products, there is a risk of side-effects.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, October 2, 2021
A fall book sale at the Flagler County Public Library, including DVDs, Phileas Fogg Wager Day, Gen. Milley’s little big men, and a few thoughts from Graham Greene.
Supreme Court’s Docket: Guns, Abortion, Religion
The biggest case this year is a challenge to abortion rights. Several states are asking the justices to reconsider Roe v. Wade – the landmark 1973 ruling that established the constitutional right for a woman to terminate a pregnancy, regardless of the moral beliefs of other citizens.
Brooke Lorenzen, 19, Charged With DUI Manslaughter in Death of Mario Bizier, 56; She’d Been ‘Distracted By Her Phone’
Brooke Anna Lorenzen, 19, of Palm Coast, faces charges of DUI manslaughter and DUI with property damage in the 2020 crash that killed Mario Joseph Bizier, 56, on I-95. Lorenzen, who was to turn herself in at the jail today–and who had won a scholarship to an SEC university–told an investigator she had been distracted by her phone, and her blood-alcohol level registered 0.111.
Nicole Critcher Appointed Principal at Old Kings Elementary
Critcher has been with Flagler Schools for 20 years. She taught at Rymfire Elementary School and Indian Trails K-8 for 13 years. She was an instructional coach at OKES for three years. Following a year with the Teaching and Learning Department before taking the assistant principal position at Matanzas High School.
Desmond Meade, Leader in Restoring Felons’ Voting Rights, Wins $650,000 MacArthur Fellowship
Desmond Meade, a former drug dealer who has received international accolades after leading the drive to pass a 2018 Florida constitutional amendment to restore voting rights for felons, has been awarded a MacArthur Foundation fellowship, the program announced on Tuesday. Meade is one of this year’s 25 fellows selected for “originality, insight and potential,” according to the program’s website. They receive $625,000 grants, paid out over five years.
Royal Palms Parkway Reopens as Palm Coast City Crew Labors 12 Hours a Day to Complete Storm Pipe Repairs
Royal Palms Parkway, one of Palm Coast’s few east-west thruways, is again open to traffic after a two-week closure from Belle Terre Parkway to Rickebracker Drive when a storm pipe collapse that made the road unsafe to drive. The road reopened well ahead of expectations: A crew leader had projected a reopening by the end of next week. But the in-house city crew got the work done in less than five days, for about $56,000.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, October 1, 2021
Superintendent Cathy Mittelstadt explains on WNZF why a doubling of school impact fees is necessary, Judge Perkins holds a status hearing on the increasingly bizarre Richard Dunn, Adam Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiment.
Why is the Flagler County Commission Holding New School Construction Hostage?
Pandering to home builders, the Flagler County Commission is rashly scuttling the school district’s plan to double impact fees on new construction for the first time since 2005, even though the county is doubling its own impact fees. It’s an unjustified and hypocritical assault on district planning and future student needs.
Flagler Commission Expected to Approve Marinas in Scenic Hammock, Clearing Way for Warehouse-Like Boat Storage
The Flagler County Commission is preparing to approve an amendment to a land-use ordinance that would allow marinas in the Scenic A1A district, opening the way for a 240-boat storage facility that court decisions and the Hammock Community Association have blocked for over two years.
Why Charter Schools Are Not as ‘Public’ as They Claim to Be
Charter schools are not as accessible to the public as they are often made out to be. This finding is particularly relevant in light of the fact that charter school enrollment reportedly grew by 7 percent during the pandemic. Here are four examples of how charters bring certain types of students in and push other kinds of students out.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, September 30, 2021
Drug court, the University of Florida’s survey on plastics and other pollutants, Florida’s minimum wage kicks up to $10 an hour, Adam Smith on the self-interest of essential workers.
‘Thrifty Food Plan’ Update Enables Long-Overdue Food Stamps Benefit Increase
An unprecedented update of the Thrifty Food Plan – an estimate of the minimum cost of groceries to meet a family’s needs–is behind the largest-ever permanent increase in benefits and puts a healthier diet within reach for the 42 million Americans enrolled in SNAP, which replaced food stamps.
Jury Rapidly Finds Josh Carver Guilty in Hit-and-Run Death of Jonathan Rogers; He Faces up to 30 Years in Prison
Joshua Carver, 36, who claimed not to have known that he’d struck Johnathan Rogers, 29, as Rogers walked on State Road 100 in February 2020, was found guilty of the first-degree felony in less than 30 minutes by a jury Wednesday, ending a three-day trial.
In Flagler Beach, Cop Pulls Gun on Once and Future Commissioner Who’d Called in Assault Claim
Wayne L. Herboldt, a 66-year-old resident of Flagler Beach, was arrested on a charge of aggravated assault after a confrontation with his neighbor, Doug “Bruno” O’Connor, the former Beverly Beach city commissioner who has spoken of his intentions to run for Flagler Beach City Commission.
Panel’s Latest Ideas: Make Visitors Pay for July 4 in Flagler Beach–and Make Businesses Pay for Fireworks
Members of the committee responsible for recommending whether to keep July 4 fireworks in Flagler Beach or scrap them reflect a broad complexity of opinions in town, for and against fireworks, but more data is emerging about the heavy cost the city is paying–in dollars, safety and quality of life.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, September 29, 2021
Flagler Beach’s July 4 committee meets for the second time, the Joshua Carver hit-and-run trial is in its third and possibly final day, the Palm Coast Redistricting Commission meets.
The Supreme Court’s Immense Power May Be Its Achilles’ Heel
That immense power of the Supreme Court has arguably made the court a leading player in enacting policy in the U.S. It may also cause the loss of the court’s legitimacy, which can be defined as popular acceptance of a government, political regime or system of governance.
Prosecution Draws ‘Unspeakable’ Motives Behind Hit-and-Run That Left a Man Dead and Another Facing 30 Years in Prison
Joshua Carver, 36, faces up to 30 years in prison if found guilty of the hit-and-run collision that killed Jonathan R. Rogers as he walked on State Road 100 a year and a half ago. The case the prosecution built today–and isn’t finished building–left little room for doubt that Carver knew he’d been in a grave collision that required him at least to pull over and call authorities, which he never did.
Makenna’s Story: 9-Year-Old Palm Coast Student’s Covid Hospitalization Upends Glib Assumptions
Makenna’s story illustrates the pernicious tenacity of a disease that upends, separates and traumatizes families, cuts off income, creates unspeakable loneliness even for those not hospitalized, and leaves its casualties fuming at a community’s refusal to embrace–beyond thoughts and prayers–the small, effortless measures that could prevent much of the harm to most.
Friends of the Library Book Sale Saturday
The Friends of the Library is having a Welcome to Fall book sale Saturday, October 2, at the Flagler County Library. The sale is from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, September 28, 2021
The trial of Joshua Carver on a first-degree felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident with a death enters its second day, the gundemic takes its toll, Daniel Boorstin on essential, unsung workers then and now.
Is It Autumn for the First Amendment?
Freedom of speech has long been the very foundation of our country, but a majority of Americans are now afraid to exercise it. That sad fact has become the new normal in America. And that’s a lot more frightening than the scariest haunted house anyone will enter this autumn.
The Sharpest Murder Spike in 61 Years of Record-Keeping: What Happened?
Homicides in the U.S. spiked by almost 30% in 2020. The fact that big cities, small cities, suburbs and rural areas – in both blue and red states – experienced similar increases in homicides suggests that nationwide events or trends were behind the rise. what happened in 2020 was a confluence of events that created the perfect conditions for a spike in murders.
Seven Flagler County Fire Rescue FireFlight Medics Complete Shallow Water Egress Training (SWET)
All seven Flagler County Fire Rescue FireFlight medics trained September 18 to complete their Shallow Water Egress Training (SWET) to ensure they can escape from the helicopter’s cockpit should an accident leave it and its crew upside down in the water.
Charles and Elizabeth Duva’s Seed Gift Kicks Off $5 Million Embry-Riddle Fundraising Initiative to Promote Entrepreneurs
Charles “Chuck” Duva, M.D., and his wife, Elizabeth “Beth” Duva, Ph.D., longtime community leaders in Volusia County, Florida, have made a generous half-million-dollar gift to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The gift will kick-start an ambitious $5 million Embry-Riddle fundraising initiative to elevate the school’s Launch Your Venture competition.
New Laws: Florida’s Minimum Wage Goes to $10 an Hour, Vaping Minimum Age Rises to 21, DNA Regulations
Minimum wage workers in Florida will get a voter-approved pay boost this week as the state’s wage makes its way to the $15 minimum by 2026, and about two-dozen new laws kick in, including a regulatory framework for electronic cigarettes and DNA sample privacy.