In April, the number of jobless Flagler County residents was at 6,795, a number never seen in Flagler’s or Palm Coast’s history. The figure is an undercount: many more have filed for unemployment since, according to weekly initial claims.
All Else
Worrisome Growth of Covid-19 Related Illnesses in Children, Including 12 in Jacksonville Area
Florida has a growing number of children with a Covid-19 related illness, but how long it has been attacking children and the number of pediatric patients who have been treated remains a mystery.
Due To Be Fired, Ex-Coach Ripley Is Allowed to Resign Over ‘Excessive’ Force On 8 Year Old, and Keeps Getting Paid
Ex-Matanzas football coach Robert Ripley was suspended with pay after using excessive force on an 8-year-old boy at Wadsworth Elementary in February. His firing was recommended in March. He’s been kept on through his resignation on May 29.
Flagler County Reopens Vacation Rentals as State Approves Safety Plan, With Restrictions
Flagler County’s vacation rentals may operate again after a two-month hiatus forced by a governor’s order in response to the coronavirus emergency. Rentals may resume immediately.
Before a Fast-Track Covid-19 Vaccine, a Series of Challenges, Risks and Pitfalls
Scientists have expressed skepticism at the breakneck timetable put forward by some Trump administration officials, who say that 100 million doses of a vaccine could be available by November.
Battling a Pandemic of Bigotry
Donald Trump fanned the flames of anti-Asian hostility by repeatedly calling Covid-19 the “Chinese virus” while the National Republican Senatorial Committee advised candidates to “attack China” as a mainstay of their campaign messaging.
Problems Persist for Florida’s Unemployed, Who Are Told to Expect Long Waits on Claims
Florida has scrambled to bring on more computer servers, set up a backup system for people to apply and allowed people to submit claims on paper applications.
Joe Mullins Wanted Sheriff to Fix Speeding Ticket in 2017; He Invoked Staly’s Name in Traffic Stop Last Week
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said he refused to fix a speeding ticket for Commissioner Joe Mullins three years ago. Last week, Mullins invoked both his own name and Staly’s during a traffic stop in Palm Coast.
New Sheriff’s HQ in Bunnell Will Be Built On Site Formerly Reserved for New Branch Library
A new Sheriff’s Operations Center will be built on an 8.4-acre site south of Commerce Parkway in Bunnell, but that bumps out a library planned for that site. The library will be built across the street, assuming negotiations with a church that owns the acreage are successful.
Palm Coast Data Laying Off 150, Closing Shop on Commerce Blvd. and Looking For New Home in the City
A combination of legal wrangles and financial difficulties led to Palm Coast Data’s eviction from its Commerce Boulevard location and layoffs of 40 percent of its workforce as it outsources core services. The company pledges to remain in Palm Coast.
Guidelines Issued on Reopening Nursing Homes to Visitors
The federal government on Monday released guidelines states could follow to reopen long-term care facilities to visitors.
Daytona State College Nursing Student Cassie Angrisani Recognized by State Board of Educators
Daytona State College nursing student Cassie Angrisani has been recognized by the State Board of Education for her work as an emergency responder on the front lines during the COVID-19 crisis. Angrisani was honored on Wednesday, before the Board’s regular meeting by Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran and Division of Florida Colleges Chancellor Kathy Hebda.
Florida Has Cases of Kawasaki Syndrome-Like Child Illnesses Tied to Covid-19
Surgeon General Scott Rivkees encouraged physicians and hospitals to make sure they report any suspected cases of what is known as a “multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children” to health department officials.
County Ready to Settle Lawsuit With Captain’s BBQ at Bing’s Landing, With Concessions From Both Sides
The county would make numerous financial and building concessions to Captain’s. In exchange, Captain’s agrees to remain at the current location, end its litigation, and pay a somewhat higher rent over time.
Ex-Tourism Chief Matt Dunn Did Business With Friends, But No ‘Kick-Backs’: FDLE Drops Investigation
Flagler County’s ex-tourism director Matt Dunn was suspended 13 months ago and fired in October following allegations of embezzlement. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement Agency now says no evidence warrants a criminal investigation.
Flagler Beach Cancels July 4 Parade and Fireworks, Palm Coast Does Likewise in Latest Covid Casualties
For the first time in 22 years, Flagler Beach will not hold its traditional July 4 parade and fireworks, nor will Palm Coast hold its own Independence Day festivities, which would have normally taken place in Central Park on July 3.
14-Year-Old Girl Takes Deputies on High-Speed Chase Through Palm Coast’s P-Section
The 14-year-old girl was driving a Jeep Wrangler at high speed through the P Section, with a 15-year-old passenger, before stop sticks forced her to pull over. She was arrested.
Shuttered Almost Two Months, Vacation Rentals May Reopen, With County and State Approval
Counties can submit vacation-rental reopening plans to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, which will have to sign off on the proposals.
Food Drops Are Not Enough. Expand Food Stamps Programs Now.
Big food drops like Palm Coast’s effort to feed 5,000 families are fine, but only an expanded SNAP (or food stamps) program can reach all families in need with an existing system that also acts as an economic stimulus for local business.
“Immune to Evidence”: How Dangerous Coronavirus Conspiracies Spread
Conspiratorial videos and websites about COVID-19 are going viral. Here’s how one of the authors of “The Conspiracy Theory Handbook” says you can fight back. One big takeaway: Focus your efforts on people who can hear evidence and think rationally.
AdventHealth Acknowledges 25,000 Covid-19 Tests Were Unreliable, Putting Recent Results In Doubt
AdventHealth blamed the unreliability of some 25,000 tests, including over 1,000 provided in Palm Coast, on Orlando-based MicroGenDX, a company that won emergency FDA approval to provide spit tests on the promise of accuracy and quick turn-arounds.
Gyms Reopen Monday at 50% Capacity, Restaurants and Shops Expand to 50%, Theaters Remain Dark
Gov. Ron DeSantis today announced what he described as a “full Phase 1” reopening of society and the economy even as the state recorded more than 40 deaths from Covid-19 for the fourth straight day, and an average of 600 daily infections in the past two weeks.
Why You’re Not Hearing Back on Your Covid-19 Test Results
Numerous residents in Palm Coast and Flagler County have been complaining of not getting back Covid-19 test results. The problem issued from a backlogged lab in Texas AdventHealth was using, but no longer is.
Fact Check: GOP’s McConnell Falsely Claims Obama Team Never left a ‘Game Plan’ For Pandemics
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell falsely claimed that the Obama administration didn’t leave a plan behind on handling pandemics. In fact, it left a detailed plan, including how to confront a novel coronavirus.
Superwash Express Now Offering Interior Fogging Sanitizer
The fogging technique kills germs and disinfects the air in your car, as well as sanitizes the door panels, the dashboard and the seats. The service team then sanitizes all the touch points in the automobile – steering wheel, door handle, gear shifter, and the key fob.
The Real Reason Trump Wants to Reopen the Economy
Donald Trump is trying to force the economy to reopen to boost his electoral chances, and he’s selling out Americans’ health to seal the deal, argues Robert Reich.
Flagler Beach Faces Decision Over Golf Course as Terry McManus Turns Himself In Over Fraud Charge
The felony charge against Terry McManus raises questions for Flagler Beach government, which owns the golf course he manages, regarding the future of that relationship. The relationship has been rocky from the start.
Mask-Wearing Is Not About Personal Liberty but Communal Health, Palm Coast Town Hall Experts Say
Is wearing a mask in public too much to ask for as Palm Coast and Flagler reopen? Does it infringe on individuals’ liberties? Two physicians, the Flagler Health Department’s chief and Palm Coast’s fire chief give an unequivocal No.
“Idiots” Remark Comes Back to Haunt Jack Howell as Fellow-Councilman Branquinho Berates Him
Palm Coast City Council member Eddie Branquinho excoriated fellow-Council member Jack Howell for six minutes at the end of Tuesday’s council meeting, over an article Howell wrote, proposing financial measures in light of the Covid-19 emergency. Branquinho said the article was politically motivated.
Palm Coast Man Accused of Raping Girl, 16, Denies Having Sex With Her Despite DNA Evidence
Kwentel Lakelvrick Moultrie, 21, of Palm Coast, seemed to borrow the argument of another man on trial for having sex with a minor the week detectives interviewed Moultrie, claiming he never touched his 16-year-old victim.
Caesar DePaço, Portugal’s Honorary Consul in Palm Coast Since 2014, Resigns Indignantly
Citing “unacceptable conduct” and “irreconcilable” differences with the Portuguese ambassador to the United States, Caesar DePaço resigned abruptly Tuesday evening, leaving the future of the honorary consulate in Palm Coast in doubt.
Flagler Beach’s Plan to Buy $571,000 Fire Truck Draws Opposition Over Timing and Recent History
The Flagler Beach Fire Department’s proposal to buy a $571,000 fire truck is triggering the sort of opposition mobilized against the 2015 purchase of a $600,000 “quint” fire truck, an odyssey that took 18 months. That truck was eventually delivered.
Rampant Covid Infection at Choir Practice Points to Dangers of Groups, Even Without Contact
As Gov. Ron DeSantis weighs when to move ahead with lifting additional coronavirus restrictions, a report issued Tuesday by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlighted how contagious the virus can be in group settings.
A Perfectly Legal Lynching in Georgia?
Killings of black men by whites are 8.5 times more likely to be ruled “justified.” That’s the reality behind a South Georgia prosecutor who’d said there was insufficient evidence to arrest two white men involved in the fatal shooting of black runner Ahmaud Arbery.
Manhunt in Palm Coast’s E-Section After Man Pulls Gun on Wife and Son Over a Dog
Larry Briggene Batson, a 41-year-old resident of 31 Ebb Tide Drive in Palm Coast, had allegedly pulled a gun on his wife because she would not turn the car around so he could go fetch his dog.
Flagler Beach and County Commissioners Call Out Joe Mullins Over a Baseless, Inflammatory Claim
Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins over the weekend made unsubstantiated accusations that unnamed Flagler Beach officials are hurting business and tourism in the city with their “stay on your side of the bridge mentality.” City commissioners corrected him.
Verdego Donates $32,000 to Grace Community Pantry after Diverting 5 Days’ Revenue
Verdego’s donation, more money than any amount Grace Community Food Pantry receives in a year, will translate into more than 236,000 pounds of food.
Florida Adds Covid-19 Into Its Hurricane Preparations
Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz said last week his agency is redeveloping plans about evacuations and shelters, while also adding facemasks to the state’s stockpile of storm supplies.
The Bailout Is Working — For the Rich
The economy is in free fall but Wall Street is thriving, and stocks of big private equity firms are soaring dramatically higher. That tells you who investors think is the real beneficiary of the federal government’s massive rescue efforts.
Palm Coast’s Grand Oaks Rehab Rejects Health Department’s Testing of Patients and Staff, Then Relents
After its corporate office overrode local resistance, Grand Oaks Rehab in Palm Coast agreed to have its 100 patients and 100 staff members tested for Covid-19 next week. The Flagler Health Department’s strike teams conducted 200 tests today at two other large nursing home facilities.
Terry McManus, Who Runs Flagler Beach’s City Golf Course, Wanted on Felony Insurance Fraud Charge
Terry McManus, the 54-year-old operator of Ocean Palms Golf Course, the Flagler Beach-owned 9-hole course, is accused of making up a bogus insurance claim and lying about a Caterpillar Skid Steer allegedly stolen at the golf course.
How Climate Change Is Contributing to Skyrocketing Rates of Infectious Disease
A catastrophic loss in biodiversity, reckless destruction of wildland and warming temperatures have allowed disease to explode. Ignoring the connection between climate change and pandemics would be “dangerous delusion,” one scientist said.
2 Suspects Face Felony Charges in BB Gun ‘Shooting Spree’ On I-95 in Palm Coast, Volusia and Jacksonville
Deon Jones, 21, and his girlfriend Tiyana Anderson, 22, are accused of shooting BB’s that shattered drivers’ vehicle windows and frightened them as they drove along I-4 and I-95 in Flagler, Duval and Volusia counties.
Economy Loses 20.5 Million Jobs in April, Unemployment Rate at 14.7%, Worst Since 1939
The April figures are an undercount, as they represent only a partial survey of actual job losses in April. Those losses are closer to 30 million or more, according to the cumulative total of first-time unemployment claims filed over the past few weeks.
Flagler Health Officials Pledge to Keep Up Covid Testing as AdventHealth Phases Out Drive-Up Sites
There is some confusion about how much testing should take place–2 percent of the population per month or overall–and whether it will be available to the extent recommended as society reopens. The guideline from the federal government of testing 2 percent is a monthly goal, not an overall goal.
Florida’s Universities Weigh What May Be an Altered Reopening This Fall, With Emphasis on Remote Classes
FSU Provost Sally E. McRorie told faculty members in an email that it is likely the school will only offer in-person courses that cannot be done remotely. Many universities are considering keeping at least some instruction online.
Richard Adams, Who Carried Palm Coast’s Water for 43 Years, Retires as He Worked: Quietly
Richard Adams, Palm Coast’s towering but famously modest utility director since 2003 and a presence in the city’s water infrastructure for 43 years, retired at the end of last week to remote accolades and an honorary flush.
DeSantis Is Right on Cautious Reopening, Wrong on Models
Gov. Ron DeSantis took a wisely cautious approach on reopening, but his caution contrasted with his ridicule of models that predicted grim outcomes for Florida in March. His criticism reflects a simplistic misunderstanding of models’ purpose, especially when they have their intended effect: to minimize loss of life.
Flagler Health Department and Palm Coast Mayor Recognize Heroes of a Pandemic: Nurses
The Flagler Health Department is joining Palm Coast and thousands of organizations across the country in celebrating National Nurses Week starting today and through From May 6 through May 12.
A Woman Disputing Social Distancing Rules at Local Clinic Clashes With Cop and Faces Felony Charges
It was an incident out of Covid-19’s unwritten playbook, escalating from a simple social-distancing request at the Florida Health Care Plans office off Palm Coast Parkway to a scuffle, a woman’s arrest and felony charges and an injury to a Flagler County Sheriff’s sergeant.