The Senate on Monday passed a measure that could lead to state colleges and universities sponsoring charter schools. Senators voted 29-11 to approve the bill (SB 1028), which would allow higher institutions, after receiving the go-ahead from the Department of Education, to solicit applications for charter schools.
All Else
Volusia Schools and AdventHealth Partner to Screen Student Athletes for Cardiac Health
Student-athletes from Volusia County Schools will for the first time be offered free electrocardiogram (ECG) screenings in addition to the annual state-required sports physical for middle and high schoolers, through a partnership with AdventHealth.
Flagler County Human Resources Director Pamela Wu Adds Feather to Leadership Cap
Flagler County government Human Resources Director Pamela Wu has added a feather to her leadership cap, as earlier this month she graduated from the National Association of Counties (NACo) High Performance Leadership Academy.
News-Journal: Joe Mullins’s Political Stunt with Constitution Is More Theatrics of Duplicity
Outlining a long list of Joe Mullins contradictions, bigotries and discrimination, the News-Journal in an editorial joins “those registering doubt of his sincerity last week, when he pushed the resolution of support for the Constitution that allowed him to unleash a flood of patriotic-sounding rhetoric in the middle of a commission meeting.”
Contrary to Commissioner’s Claim, Flagler County Is Not at Herd Immunity, Health Officials Warn, Only Nearing It
Local health officials cautioned against ending covid-19 precautionary restrictions in response to a false claim by Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins that herd immunity has been reached, and that he would call for an end to restrictions at the next county commission meeting. Mullins often writes or speaks falsehoods or makes misleading statements about covid-19 and numerous other matters.
Greg Schwartz, Principal at South Daytona Elementary, is Named Tom Russell’s Replacement at FPC
Greg Schwartz, Principal at South Daytona Elementary, today was named principal at Flagler Palm Coast High School. Schwartz replaces Tom Russell, the popular and charismatic principal who’d led FPC for less than two years by the time of his death from covid last December.
Florida Senate Passes DeSantis-Priority Bill That Would Force Political Candidates’ Speech on Social Media Platforms
The bill, in part, would bar social-media companies from removing political candidates from the companies’ platforms. Companies that violate the prohibition could face fines of $100,000 a day for statewide candidates and $10,000 a day for other candidates.
CareerSource Flagler Volusia Hosts Virtual Job Fair for Healthcare Careers on April 29
CareerSource Flagler Volusia will host the Virtual Job Fair for Healthcare Careers on Thursday, April 29, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Veterans and their eligible spouses will receive priority of service and may join the event starting at 10:00 a.m. The event will be open to the general public from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
Vaccines Now Exceeding Demand, Health Department’s ‘Ground Game’ Targets New Veins in Flagler Beach
As vaccine supply edges past demand and the rate of those getting vaccinated is slowing, the Flagler County Health Department is shifting strategies and making walk-in vaccines available at four Flagler Beach restaurants and later, on Sundays, at the Flagler Beach branch of the tax collector’s office.
Daytona State College Awarded $73,000 Career Pathways Grant to Support New Automotive Apprenticeship Program
The apprenticeship is expected to deliver approximately 2,650 hours of employer-based training through a combination of direct on-the-job training and one-on-one mentorship provided by qualified senior employees of Daytona Toyota.
Rise and Fall of the Anglo-Saxon Caucus and Its Florida Fellow Travelers
You may have heard that some of the most MAGA-ty of the congressional MAGA types — Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Duelling Banjos; Paul Gosar, R-Trump Tower; plus our own Matt Gaetz, R-Lolita Shores — recently proposed a new caucus dedicated to promoting the “values” of Donald Trump, by which they mean white supremacy.
This Supermoon Has a Twist: Expect Flooding, But a Lunar Cycle is Masking Sea Level Rise Effects
A “super full moon” is coming on April 27, and coastal cities know that means one thing: a heightened risk of tidal flooding. Because of the moon’s long-term cycle, these are the years to implement infrastructure plans to protect coastal areas against sea level rise.
Court Sides With Sumter County Teacher, Allowing Gun on Campus
An appeals court Friday sided with a Sumter County high-school teacher who challenged a school-district policy that barred him from having a gun in his car on campus.
A 17-Year-Old Boy Is Shot on Roxland Lane in Palm Coast, By an Assailant Said to Be Unknown
A 17-year-old boy was shot outside a house on Roxland Lane late Saturday night by a assailant said to be unknown, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said this morning. “At this time we do not believe that this was a random attack,” Sheriff Rick Staly said.
Flagler Sheriff’s Daniel LaVerne Gets Distinguished Victim Services Award
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) Deputy First Class (DFC) Daniel LaVerne was awarded the 2021 Distinguished Victim Services Award during a virtual version of the annual Victim’s Rights Week Ceremony hosted by Attorney General Ashley Moody.
Stop Trash-Talking the Unemployed
Misinformation and distortions by businesses and some politicians, echoed by media, are blaming the unemployed for staying home to live on government checks. The evidence says otherwise, though belittling workers and lampooning government is part of the continuing war against better wages and stronger worker-safety protections.
Trump-Republican Men Lead in Vaccine Refusal, Putting Goal of Herd Immunity at Risk
About 13 percent of American adults don’t want a covid-19 vaccine, but nearly 30 percent of Republicans don’t. The counties that are most vaccine-hesitant are rural, more likely to support Trump and have lower income levels and college graduation rates.
Flagler Jail Deputy Disciplined Over Alleged Use of N-Word Against Inmate, Which He Denies
Flagler County Sheriff’s detention deputy Cpl. Peter Descartes served a one-day suspension without pay last month following an internal investigation over allegations that he referred to a Black inmate by a racist slur in November. Descartes is himself Black, and denied using the term saying he used a different word that sounds similar.
A Surfer, a Fashionista Hunter, a Smiling Earth: Flagler County High School Students’ Best Art Exults in Annual Show
Here are the winners of the annual student photography show at the Flagler County Art League, including Best of Show Briana Aguiar. Like everything else in the past year, the show at the Flagler County Art League was in part restricted by the pandemic, though it’s online and the top three works will be on display at Galleria d’Arte in Palm Coast.
Would Daily Moment of Silence Help Florida Students with Stress or Just Steal More Instruction Time?
The Florida Senate passed legislation that would require every first-period teacher to set aside one to two minutes for a moment of silence. That would be every school day, meaning roughly 180 days in the academic year.
Cimmaron Drive Residents Clamor for a Sidewalk, Citing Dangers and Degradation of Walking and Biking Experience
It was a matter of time before Palm Coast residents would start complaining about Cimmaron Drive’s degradation and its impact on their ability to walk it, ride it or skirt its often indifferent traffic. That time is now, as Cimmaron Drive may become the city’s next Florida Park Drive headache.
Palm Coast Council Approves 300-Unit Apartment Complex Off Pine Lakes Parkway, But Vote Is Divided
The Palm Coast City Council on Tuesday approved the site plan for a nine-building, 300-unit apartment project to be built off the northwest side of Pine Lakes Parkway, on 35 acres just south of the Indian Trails Sports Complex.
Palm Coast City Manager Matt Morton’s Evaluations at Year 2: One Brutal, One Good, 3 Glowing or Stellar
City Manager Matt Morton’s past year saw some of the city’s most challenging times during the pandemic, and some of its greatest successes, with the landing of two university campuses and the return of the city’s largest manufacturing company, with 300 to 400 jobs.
Flagler Health+ Makes Pfizer Vaccine Available to All Over the Age of 16 on April 23
Flagler Health+ (formerly Flagler Hospital) is bringing the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccination to Flagler County for a one-time opportunity for anyone at least 16 years old to be vaccinated on April 23. Appointments are required, as is a return visit for a second dose on May 14.
Prospects Dim, Higher Fees Loom for Belle Terre Swim Club as Long-Shot Investor’s Demand May Be a Road Too Far
An investor is interested in taking over the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club but only if he can cut a new road through the P-Section, a very unlikely possibility, leaving the club facing mounting deficits and no interests from other governments to help.
Flagler Health Department and Grace Community Pharmacy Team Up in More Personal-Level Vaccine Push
In its push to personalize the vaccination experience and scale what reluctance there may be among residents to be inoculated, the Flagler Health Department in March launched a partnership with Grace Community Pharmacy (and has since added One Pharmacy), part of the department’s attempt to get Flagler ranked first in the rate of vaccinations.
School Board’s Latest Fray Over LGBTQ ‘Hysteria’ Is Tense But Civil as Law Has the Last Word, Not Parents
Flagler school district officials explained that a student’s privacy–and sexual identity–may override a parent’s right to know about it as transgender matters again divided an audience of 70 and the school board in impassioned but mostly courteous debates at a meeting Tuesday afternoon.
Florida Announces Increases of State Park Reservation and Other Fees
While entry fees at Florida state parks remain unchanged, reservation, cancellation, transfer and utility fees will all increase.
Sheriff’s Ex-Detective Mark Moy Demoted to Civilian Status, Criminal Charge of Domestic Violence Dropped
Mark A. Moy, the long-time veteran of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested in mid-February on a domestic battery charge, was suspended without pay for two months, demoted to civilian status without any law enforcement authority, placed on disciplinary probation for a year, and will be required to re-apply for a sworn deputy’s position as if he were starting over, his corporal rank now lost.
Sticking to Stinginess, Florida House Rejects Raising Unemployment Benefits Or Extending Eligibility
At a maximum of $275, Florida has the stingiest unemployment benefit system in the nation. It as the third-lowest weekly unemployment benefit behind Mississippi ($235), Arizona ($240), and is tied with Tennessee and Alabama. But all four of those states extend benefits for up to 26 weeks, while Florida does so just for 12.
Golden Magnolia Celebrates First Place Grand Award Win with Open House April 23rd
Golden Magnolia, recent winner of the first place Grand Award in their category for the company’s “Boliviana” home model, is excited to celebrate with an open house on Friday, April 23rd from 3:00PM until 6:00PM.
Joe Mullins Faces $2.4 Million Federal Lawsuit Alleging He Defrauded Company of Augusta Masters Golf Tickets
Joe Mullins, the Flagler County Commissioner and business owner, faces a $2.4 million federal lawsuit over allegations he defrauded a golf vacation-package company by delivering either invalid tickets to the 2018 Augusta National Masters tournament or failing to deliver tickets in 2018 and 2019, costing the company hundreds of thousands of dollars and lost customers and ruining the company.
There Are No Transgender “Issues” in Flagler Schools. A Small, Noisy Group Is Fabricating an Issue Anyway.
There are no transgender bathroom issues in Flagler schools, no issues with transgender athletes, no issues with a student of one birth sex supposedly using their transgender status to leer at students of the other. But to hear it from some, it’s a crisis warranting a reversal of policies and procedures. The School Board hears a presentation on the current state of the law and procedures Tuesday. A crowd is expected.
‘I Ain’t Going Peacefully,’ B-Section Felon Who’d Threatened Ex and Family Dares Cops in 3-Hour Standoff
Joseph Robert Bourke Jr., a 34-year-old resident of 130 Breeze Hill in Palm Coast and a felon several times over, had threatened to kill his girlfriend, put her family members in the hospital and intimated suicide by cop when contacted by a sheriff’s sergeant. A standoff ensued but ended peacefully with his arrest Saturday afternoon.
Tiny Number of People Will Be Hospitalized Despite Being Vaccinated. We Have to Learn Why.
Experts say we should investigate “breakthrough infections” to look out for variants and understand who’s vulnerable. In many cases, that’s not happening. Crucial pieces of the puzzle are being tossed in the trash.
Are Mass Shootings an American Epidemic?
The most recent research on frequency of mass shootings indicates that, while still rare, they are becoming more common, though the exact number each year can vary widely, while the number of Americans who are victims of crimes involving a firearm approaches half a million a year.
I’ve Recovered From Covid. Why Do I Still Have to Mask Up?
As the federal government doubles down on their importance, some states have thrown caution — and face coverings — to the wind. Here are the science and motives behind the masking recommendation.
‘Don’t Be a Holdout’: Flagler Aims for 1st In State in Vaccinations, With 40.7% Inoculated So Far and Youth Shots Ahead
Flagler County’s vaccine supply is now exceeding demand as health officials step up their outreach to restaurants, local businesses, schools and children 16 and 17 to get vaccinated in hopes of vaulting the county’s vaccination rate to the top of the state’s chart. Flagler is 7th or 8th best in the state in vaccinations.
Flagler and Florida’s Unemployment Rates Flat As DeSantis Amplifies False Claims About Unemployment Benefits
Some local officials, members of the business community and, today, Gov. Ron DeSantis, are without evidence other than anecdotal, attributing a dearth of job-takers to the claim that workers are staying home to cash in on unemployment benefits. The claim is largely false.
McCarthyism In Our Time: City Rep Stages Arthur Miller’s ‘The Crucible’
Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theater stages “The Crucible,” Arthur Miller’s play about witch-hunting in 17th-century Salem and –- allegorically — Joseph McCarthy’s Communist sniffing in mid-20th-century America, starting Friday at the Palm Coast Arts Foundation big tent in Town Center.
Flagler Beach Will Combine Prescription Drugs Take-Back Day With Golf Cart Registrations on April 24
Elected last month, Flagler Beach Mayor Suzie Johnston came up with the idea of combining a prescription drug take-back event with golf cart registrations. The city’s police chief will also go to the homes of those who prefer not to come out to drop off drugs.
Palm Coast’s Doug Bentley Appointed Director of Facilities at Seminole State College of Florida
Bentley, who joined Seminole State April 5, is a U.S. Army veteran and Palm Coast resident who served for more than 30 years before retiring.
Covid-19 Daily Data for Florida and Flagler: Cases, Testing, Locations, Hospitalizations and Deaths
Florida’s and Flagler’s complete daily reports by the Health Department of Covid-19 data including county-by-county infection numbers, testing, people monitored and deaths.
Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Suspension: A Doctor Explains What This Means for You
It is a testament to the emphasis by the CDC and FDA on vaccine safety that J&J vaccinations have been paused while this is studied by independent scientists and medical experts, explains Dr. William Petri in a Q&A about the J&J vaccine’s pause.
Bill Criminalizing Or Increasing Penalties for Certain Protest Activities Heads to Gov. DeSantis
The sweeping proposal, titled “Combating Public Disorder,” would create a new crime of “mob intimidation,” enhance penalties for riot-related looting and violence and create an affirmative defense for individuals who injure or kill violent protesters.
Citing Aesthetics and Law, Palm Coast Will Not Loosen Signage Ban, Whether for Realtors or Anyone Else
A majority of the Palm Coast Council rebuffed an attempt by Councilman Ed Danko to loosen the ban on Realtors’ open house and other signs in rights of way, saying both the city’s focus on beauty and a Supreme Court ruling on such signs leave no room for a shift away from current rules.
In a ‘Big Shift,’ Palm Coast Will Survey Residents On Relaxing Commercial Vehicle-Ban in Driveways
Palm Coast has always banned commercial vans and trucks from parking in residential driveways unless on a job, causing difficulties for many working people. The city council, willing to revisit the restrictions, will survey residents in a potential move toward relaxing the rules, which also affect signs on vans and trucks.
Daytona Condo Inventory Hits New Low
Condo sales were notably strong across the Daytona Beach area during March. Not surprisingly, sales were significantly higher than last March when the world first heard the words Covid-19 and business activities around the state came to a screeching halt.
Hope Clark Selected as Daytona State Women’s Soccer Coach
Daytona State College has selected Hope Clark as its new head women’s soccer coach. Clark brings 20 years of coaching experience to Daytona State, including 12 as a head coach at the college level. She officially joins the Falcons on June 1.
Florida House Backs Allowing Tourism Tax Money to be Spent on Flooding and Sea Rise Projects
The Florida House on Wednesday passed a bill that would allow counties to spend so-called “bed” tax money on efforts to combat flooding, despite concerns from the tourism industry that the change would reduce marketing dollars.