The Flagler Beach City Commission in a surprise appointed Rick McFadden, its long-time building official, as its interim manager until a permanent manager was found. He said he was willing to take on the role if it helped.
All Else
Florida Bars Cook Up Ways to Reopen By Turning Into Low-Budget Restaurants
Low-budget, hassle-free cuisine like hot dogs and cold sandwiches might be a financial godsend for desperate bar owners who’ve been sidelined for months because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’m So Embarrassed,” Judge Perkins Says of Further Delays in 3 Murder Trials Caused by Covid, Despite Innovations
Nathaniel Shimmel has been waiting three years for his murder trial, Tammy Almond two, Benjamin Allen one, and all three must wait until at least November as Covid restrictions are hampering Circuit Judge Terence Perkins, to his dismay, from going forward.
Ban on Visitors in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities Is Lifted Despite Concerns
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday he will allow visitors into nursing homes and assisted living facilities, nearly six months after the state blocked visitation during the first wave of coronavirus infections.
Jorge Salinas, a Transparency Ace, Appointed Deputy County Administrator In Largely Secretive Process
County Administrator Jerry Cameron appointed Jorge Salinas, 53, an assistant city manager in an Oregon town for the past five years, as his “chief of staff,” ending a largely secretive process that had involved the county commission.
Calling Current Schooling ‘Not Sustainable,’ 100 Teachers at FPC Plead for Altered Instruction on Fridays
Reflecting intense concern and frustration with current teaching requirements that blend in-person and distance learning, Flagler teachers submitted a plan to the school bard to turn Fridays into planning and focused study days as opposed to direct instruction days.
16th Covid Death in Flagler; Old Kings and Bunnell Quarantine 2 Classes; District Will Issue Weekly Covid Report
In a series of development, and as a drizzle of cases continue to develop on local campuses, the Flagler Health Department and the school district will issue weekly reports detailing where in schools covid-19 cases have been confirmed, in contrast with Volusia County, where the district is refusing to disclose any such information.
Opelka Falls in First Round at Fan-Less U.S. Open
Opelka was facing two opponents Monday night at the US Open: The world No. 10 ranked player David Goffin, an outstanding all-around competitor, and Opelka’s own balky right knee, which he re-injured last week.
State’s Legal Fees Top $800,000 In Court Fights to Keep Schools and Colleges Open
Florida officials have committed to spending more than half a million dollars on private lawyers to defend a mandate that schools reopen brick-and-mortar classrooms, and upwards of $300,000 in a parallel fight involving college and university reopenings amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Jerry Cameron, Chief of Sham
Flagler County Administrator Jerry Cameron put on a show behind closed doors of interviewing what may be his successor. Though 121 people applied, Cameron knew who he was going to pick from the start, skirting public record and open meeting laws along the way.
Calling Himself a ‘Scapegoat,’ Colon Pleads to 30 Years in Prison in Murder by Heroin of Savannah Deangelis
Joseph Colon, 37, pleaded to 30 years in prison in the death of Savannah Deangelis, 23, in 2017, after she took delivery of two $40 bags of heroin from him.
In Flagler Beach, A Pitched Battle Over Taxes Is Dividing Commissioners as Administration Draws Fire
The Flagler Beach City Commission appeared ready to prevent a tax increase of any kind this year until a surprising call for another budget meeting had two commissioners questioning the administration’s motives, and those of fellow-commissioners.
No Symptoms? No Testing. CDC Sticks By Controversial New Guideline Despite States’ Backlash
In an about-face reportedly prompted by the Trump administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week quietly narrowed its guidelines for Covid-19 testing — upending previous recommendations that all people exposed to the virus should get tested, whether they have symptoms or not.
3 Covid Cases at Bunnell and Old Kings Elementary, 2 at FPC; 21 Cases at 7 Assisted Living Facilities
Flagler County’s Covid-19 numbers have been trending downward for the last five weeks. But new infections have emerged in schools as faculty and staff returned to campuses and, after a long period of calm, in more than half a dozen local assisted living facilities.
26-Year-Old Woman Killed in 2-Car Crash on I-95 South of State Road 100
A 26-year-old Ormond Beach woman was killed early Friday morning in a two-vehicle crash on I-95 south of the State Road 100 interchange.
Cookies, Cakes and Candies: Florida Health Department Clears the Way for Edible Pot Products
The emergency rule on medical, edible pot dictates that “edibles shall be produced in a manner to minimize color intensity and other color and visual characteristics attractive to children.”
Motorized March to Flagler Courthouse Friday Marks 1963 March on Washington and Justice Reform
After the motorized march wends its way into the parking lot, speakers on the steps of the Flagler County courthouse commemorating the 1963 March on Washington will talk on criminal justice issues, voting rights and police reform.”
State of the Sheriff: Staly’s Self-Evaluation Touts Low Crime, Initiatives and ‘Open Carry,’ Stoking Campaign
Sheriff Rick Staly spent some of his “Addressing Crime Together” presentation in campaign mode, appealing to Second Amendment advocates, though the greater majority of his presentation focused on more factual accomplishments, initiatives and developments to come.
Police Chief Matt Doughney Appointed Interim Flagler Beach Manager As Search for Newsom Replacement Begins
Flagler Beach Police Chief Matt Doughney will lead the city as the commission itself handles every aspect of the hiring process for the next manager over the next few months. Doughney is leaving the door open to be among the applicants for the permanent job.
Joseph Colon, Heroin Dealer Accused of Murdering Savannah Deangelis, Will Plead to 30 Years in Prison
Savannah Deangelis was 23 and had been clean and in rehab for months when she took delivery of a $40 dose of heroin from Joseph Colon, and overdosed at her parents’ home in Grand Haven. Colon was indicted on capital felony murder.
Hundreds of Thousands of Nursing Home Residents May Not Be Able to Vote in November Because of the Pandemic
Swing states such as Florida and Wisconsin have suspended efforts to send teams to nursing homes to assist with voting. Despite a federal law that residents must be “supported by the facility in the exercise of” their rights, some states prohibit staff from actively doing so.
County Administrator Jerry Cameron Maneuvering to Hire His Successor Behind Closed Doors, With Commission’s Complicity
Four local candidates have been short-listed out of more than 100 applicants for deputy Flagler County administrator in a hiring that likely lines up the next county administrator, but Cameron has been going about the hire with no public discussion, involvement or notice even though commissioners are interviewing the candidates Friday.
Florida’s Colleges and Universities Are Suspending Students Who Flout Covid-Safety Rules
Florida university officials have started suspending fraternities and punishing students who flout coronavirus-safety measures, as schools grapple with cases of the virus at the beginning of the fall semester.
Palm Coast Now Conducting Indoor Building Inspections Virtually
Palm Coast building inspections are rendered on cell phones using Google Duo or FaceTime. Installation projects may include new windows, doors, water heaters, minor electrical work or air conditioning.
Flagler Courtroom Holds 1st In-Person Criminal Trial in Florida With Conviction of Car Thief, Masks and New Exclusionary Rules
A socially distanced jury found Brian Johnson, 22, guilty of car theft and fleeing police in a 2019 incident in which Sheriff Staly was involved, after a two-day trial that excluded the public and press but was entirely webcast on YouTube for the first time ever.
Florida Gulf Coast University Suspends 2 Fraternities for Hosting Big Parties
A week after resuming in-person classes, Florida Gulf Coast University has suspended two fraternities for hosting large parties over the weekend that appear to have violated the school’s coronavirus-related guidelines.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State Virtual National Advocacy Summit Sept. 14-15
AU’s Virtual National Advocacy Summit will bring together AU supporters from across the country to learn, advocate, and build the movement for separation of religion and government.
On 1st Day of School in Flagler, Excitement Balanced by Apprehension, and Far Fewer Students Enrolled
Fewer than half the district’s students took seats in actual classrooms and 10,000 attended one of Flagler schools’ three options overall, a 23 percent decline from the district’s usual enrollment. If there was a measure of excitement about being back, there was also apprehension, uncertainty, many unanswered questions.
Judge Rules Florida ‘Ignored the Requirement of School Safety’ by Opening Campuses Prematurely
Accusing the state of ignoring the Florida Constitution, a Leon County circuit judge on Monday sided with teachers unions that challenged a state order mandating that schools resume in-person instruction this month amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
A Man Is Wounded in Shooting at Hargrove Lane Garage, but Conflicting Accounts Yield No Arrest
Alan Presley Jr., 32, shot Joshua Lemaster Saturday afternoon at 5E Hargrove Lane, one of the dozens of businesses at the Palm Coast Commercial and Industrial Center off the west end of Hargrove Grade. Presley may have been acting in self-defense.
Palm Coast’s Justin Knapp, 35, Dies in Self-Inflicted Gunshot in His Backyard
Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies investigated the death by self-inflicted gunshot of Terrance J. Knapp, 35, in the backyard at 42 Lancelot Drive in Palm Coast Saturday afternoon (Aug. 22). His 14-month-old daughter was in a crib in the house. She was unharmed.
Flagler Beach City Manager Larry Newsom Dies at 56 After a Series of Illnesses
Larry Newsom, who Flagler Beach City Commission Chairman Jane Mealy termed the best city manager she’d worked with among a half dozen, died this afternoon at AdventHealth Palm Coast after seesawing between serious illnesses ad recoveries over the past year.
How Misinformation, Federalism and Selfishness Hampered America’s Virus Response
The American response to the pandemic, many public health experts say, has been uniquely hapless, ineffective, undisciplined and selfish. By some measures, the United States has handled the health crisis as badly as any country has.
‘Salvation Is In Sight’: Army Corps Extends Deadline as Dunes Hold-Outs Take Money and Sign
Impressed by a local, massive fund-raising effort intended to buy off 11 hold-outs, the US Army Corps of Engineers has agreed to extend the deadline in the long-sought, $25 million dune rebuilding project along 2.6 miles of shore in Flagler Beach.
Flagler Auditorium Hopes to Re-Ignite Arts Support, and Concert-Going, with Outdoors Hayfire Concert
All proceeds from the Sept. 13 benefit concert by Hayfire, the first at the Auditorium since the pandemic, will go to the Palm Coast Arts Foundation, Flagler Playhouse and City Repertory Theatre.
Traffic Safety at Premium as Deputies Deploy Alongside Return to School
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office will have increased patrols in school zones and bus stops throughout the county from August 24 through September 4 to help get the school year off to a safe start.
Flagler’s Unemployment Back Up to 10.2%, Florida’s Up to 11.3% as Covid Surge Takes Economic Toll
After dropping sharply to 9.4 percent in June–down almost five points from the month before–Flagler County’s unemployment rate rose again, to 10.2 percent in July, a reflection of the coronavirus resurgence that began and June.
Wear a Mask If You Can. But Don’t Bully Those Who Can’t.
“I know when I go out now that people are looking at me and judging me. They assume I don’t believe in science or I don’t care about their health, and neither is true,” the author writes.
After Months of a Covid-19 Tennis Break, Palm Coast’s Opelka Readies for U.S. Open in a Bubble
Now ranked No. 39 in the world, 22-year-old Reilly Opelka hasn’t competed in a sanctioned event since March, he’s getting ready to play the U.S. Open under strict protocols that mirror the NBA’s bubble.
Teachers’ Lawsuit: Judge Weighs Whether Schools Are ‘Simply Not Ready to Reopen’
As thousands of children return to classrooms throughout Florida, local school officials, teachers and doctors spent Wednesday picking apart a state mandate requiring schools to resume in-person instruction this month amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Flagler Schools Will Start Fall Sports on Sept. 5
The Flagler County school district today announced it will start fall sports on Sept. 5, two weeks after the start of the fall semester. The district had postponed all fall sports indefinitely on July 22 as covid-19 cases were still surging in the county.
What the Post Office Needs to Survive a Pandemic Election
Fueled by the president’s unfounded claims about rampant voter fraud, and reports of equipment being removed, the plight of the United States Postal Service has captured America’s attention. Will it collapse? Here’s what you need to know.
As Covid-Related Layoffs Hit Courthouse, Clerk of Court Gets, $250,000 Emergency Appropriation
Flagler County Clerk of Court Tom Bexley said his office saw $600,000 in lost revenue, the reduction from 62 jobs to 54, including four actual layoffs, and uncertainties ahead, requiring a $250,000 emergency appropriation to stave off further cuts.
Federal Court Freshly Stocked With Former DeSantis Picks In Showdown Over Florida Felon Voting
As Floridians went to the polls in Tuesday’s primary elections, an Atlanta-based appeals court held arguments in a showdown over voting rights that could determine whether hundreds of thousands of convicted felons will be able to cast ballots in the November presidential election.
Conklin, Massaro and Woolbright Win School Board, Sullivan Survives, and Finally, It’ll Be Judge Alicia Washington To You
Jill Woolbright and Cheryl Massaro won seats on the Flagler County School Board, and Colleen Conklin, at 20 years the longest serving elected official in the county, won her sixth term. Dave Sullivan won reelection to the County Commission. But the Palm Coast City Council is still very much in flux.
State Regulators Approve Decontamination and Closure Plan of Crystal River Nuke Plant
State regulators Tuesday approved a plan aimed at dramatically speeding up the decontamination and restoration of the site of Duke Energy Florida’s shuttered Crystal River nuclear-power plant.
Nine Covid Cases Involving Flagler School Staffers So Far in August; Commissioner Downplays Outbreaks
Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran wants superintendents check with the state before shutting down a classroom or school and to be “very surgical, not sweeping” when responding to coronavirus cases.
Last Day to Vote in Primary Began With 21,000 Ballots Already In and Historic Mail-In Count
Though powered by the largest vote-by-mail volume in the county’s history, Flagler County’s 2020 primary election turnout would need a relatively strong in-person voting tally today to exceed 2018’s turnout of 30 percent. The 2016 primary turnout of 27 percent is a closer target.
Flagler Schools’ Sophie’s Choice
Flagler County and Florida schools are reopening not because it’s safe, but because ideological debauchery or anti-science vigilantism are forcing them to, even though alternatives are in place for safe and effective education.
Judge Quashes Flagler Commission Decision on Hammock Boat Storage Facility, Halting Project for Now
A Flagler County circuit judge quashed a November decision by the Flagler County Commission that had opened the way to a controversial 240-boat storage facility and restaurant in the Hammock, next to Hammock Hardware. The judge ruled that the county reached its decision without substantial evidence.
