Busy weekend all around with the Beatles tribute at the auditorium, Ron Desantis appearing at Ocean Art Gallery in Flagler Beach, a soccer tournament and the Picnics and Pops concert, moved to Destination Daytona at I-95 and US1.
All Else
Proposal Allowing Concealed Guns in Schools, Largely Opposed By Flagler Board, Dies
Bills that would lead to guns at schools have traditionally faced an uphill challenge in the Senate, which is more moderate on such issues than the House.
You May Soon Shoot Black Bears: FWC Will Set One Week in October For Hunting
Hunting up to 200 black bears in Flagler and other parts of Florida would be allowed as part of a management plan as the state’s bear population of 2,500 is in increasing contact with its human population of nearly 20 million.
Thursday Briefing: Rape Suspect James McDevitt in Court, Jobs Council in Session, Apollo 16 in Memory
James McDevitt, accused of raping a woman in Flagler Beach in 2013, appears before a judge today for a final docket sounding before a scheduled trial next week. With more on Pope Francis, Magna Carta and Apollo 16.
27-Year-Old Woman Accused of Robbing and Assaulting 67-Year-Old For Prescription Pills
Tara Lynn Davis, a 27-year-old resident of Espanola Road in Bunnell, was booked at the Flagler County jail on three felony charges: robbery, battery on a person 65 or older, and grand theft.
Rep. Ron DeSantis Makes It Semi-Official: He’s Considering a Run for Rubio’s Senate Seat
DeSantis’s quick rise after his election to the House in 2012, his frequent presence on conservative talk shows and relentless criticism of the Obama administration has made him a favorite of tea party conservatives and some further to the right.
Bunnell Joins County in Big-Debt Refinancing Trend, Saving Large Amounts
By cutting its financing costs by almost half, Bunnell will save $600,000 on two loans dating back to the 1990s. County government similarly saved millions by refinancing loans for the courthouse and the Government Services Building.
Wednesday Briefing: Landon’s Futurism, Shakespeare’s New Rape Play, Goodbye Percy
Jim Landon’s “Making Our Future Together” Lunch ‘n Learn lecture today is sold out, three Flagler middle school girls are named to a prestigious STEM conference, Shakespeare’s new authenticated play is making students uncomfortable, and it’s Take a Wild Guess Day.
For Palm Coast’s Money-Losing Golf Course, Grass Is Always Greener On Other Side of Promises
An update on the city’s golf course did not go well this morning at city council. Instead of projecting when the golf course and tennis center would stop losing money, City Manager Jim Landon directed the company managing the operations to simply stop making projections to the city council.
Sheriff’s Awards Go To Deputy Pedersen, Detention Deputy Ward and Volunteer Ramos
Deputy Erik Pedersen was recognized for going beyond the call of duty in helping a 94-year-old woman reconnect to the world, and Detention Deputy Ronald Ward stopped an inmate from committing suicide.
Last Patrol: Undersheriff Rick Staly Looks Back On 40 Years as a “Cop’s Cop,” and Forward
Undersheriff Rick Staly, who retires this week, took his last road patrol last Friday, an unusually quiet evening he spent driving and reflecting on his career and how law enforcement has changed since his first days as a cop in 1974.
Florida Lawmakers Float Measure to Regulate Drones Amid Buzz of Privacy Concerns
The proposals prohibit the use of aerial drones to capture images that could infringe on the privacy of property owners or occupants but also give police some authority to use drones.
Tuesday Briefing: Palm Coast’s Golf Dreams, VPK and Kindergarten Round-Up, Anchors’ Demise
The Palm Coast City Council again hears from the management company trying to keep the city’s golf course and tennis center from soaking in the red, VPK and kindergarten registration is today, Frank Rich tells us why the anchorman’s job is the dumbest.
Rubio Joins Growing List of Presidential Hopefuls, Setting Up Showdown With Bush
A primary showdown between Rubio and Bush could cause friction in Tallahassee, where the GOP dominates state government, and a scramble is expected for Rubio’s senate seat.
Sheriff’s Deputy Under Investigation After He’s Found at “Young Adults” Drinking Party
The deputy, Jonathan Kuleski, 22, was in the company of about 15 people in a wooded area behind houses along Wood Aspen Drive and Wood Acre Lane in Palm Coast.
Police Badge More Than “Just a Trinket Or Souvenir”: Sheriff and Bunnell Deny Ex-Cop
When David Barbee, who’d worked with the Flagler sheriff’s office and the Bunnell Police Department for a badge and retirement ID–though he did not retire from either agency–he was denied from both agencies. He is protesting the decision to the Bunnell commission tonight.
Geography as Destiny: Hospitals Leave Downtowns For More Prosperous Digs
By moving to wealthier areas, hospitals can reduce the percent of uninsured and lower-paying Medicaid patients, but relocations often spark anger from those left behind, who worry about loss of jobs and of access to care, particularly for the poor.
Monday Briefing: Gunter Grass Is Dead, Desalination in California, Rubio Announces
The great German writer Gunter Grass, author “The Tin Drum,” is dead, Marco Rubio announces his plans for the 2016 presidential election this evening.
April 13, 1975
April 13, 1975, marks the first day of the Lebanese Civil War. On the 40th anniversary, FlaglerLive editor Pierre Tristam remembers that day as he lived it in Lebanon, and reflects on what the date has meant for two generations of Lebanese.
A Bigger Public-Health Problem Than Hunger: The Global Obesity Threat
The total economic impact of obesity is about $2 trillion a year, or 2.8% of world GDP – roughly equivalent to the economic damage caused by smoking or armed violence, war, and terrorism, according to new research by the McKinsey Global Institute.
Upon Further Review: Inside the Police Failure to Stop Darren Sharper’s Rape Spree
Nine women reported being raped or drugged by Sharper to four different agencies before NFL safety Darren Sharper’s capture. His Sharper’s rampage of druggings and rapes could have been prevented, according to a two-month investigation by ProPublica and The New Orleans Advocate.
As Rideshare Apps Like Uber Build Up Fares, Florida Senate Taps Insurance Requirements
As taxi and limo services call for stricter regulations on growing “transportation network companies,” the Senate has expanded an insurance measure to include a requirement for around-the-clock coverage on the vehicles of app-connected rideshare drivers.
Daytona State Honors 179 Students, Employees and Alumnus at Awards Convocation
A list of those honored is included. The awards convocation is the preceding event to the college’s commencement exercises that will take place on Monday, May 18, at 2 and 6:30 p.m. at the Ocean Center.
Will Florida Senate Recognize That Every Child Has the Right To Be Loved?
The choice is not whether church-sponsored agencies have a right to practice their religion. Of course they do. The issue is whether they have a right to enforce their beliefs against others when acting as agents of the state. They do not.
Draft Lease With YMCA at Belle Terre Racquet Club May Be Ready in May, But First, a Trial
The Flagler schoolo administration has made steady progress toward a lease agreement with the YMCA to take over the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club, but a negligence lawsuit hanging over the club since 2012 may be heading for trial at the end of May or in early June.
Weekend Briefing: Flagler Beach’s 90th Birthday Bash, a Murderer Returns, Millennials’ Hookup Culture
Enoch Hall, on death row for the murder of a Volusia prison guard in 2008, challenges his conviction before Flagler’s Judge J. David Walsh, who presided over his trial. The Palm Coast Garden Club holds its annual sale, Flagler Beach holds its 90th birthday celebration.
Recovering From Major Cancer Surgery, County Chairman Meeker Addresses REC Expulsion
The Flagler County Republican Executive Committee’s expulsion of County Commission Chairman Frank Meeker may not be legal, and reflect the REC’s intention to put clubbish concerns ahead of county interests.
Relearning to Love the Bomb
The shocking thing about nuclear weapons is that they seem to have lost their power to shock. While the nuclear deal just reached with Iran is very good news, that effort should not obscure the bad news elsewhere, writes Garth Evans.
Guess Who’s Rethinking Guns In Schools: Colleen Conklin May Not Oppose Designating Concealed Carriers, But She’s In a Minority
Most Flagler County School Board members, the superintendent and the sheriff say school officers, not individuals carrying concealed weapons, can best address security needs in local schools. A bill making its way through the Legislature would allow school boards to designate employees or volunteers to carry concealed weapons.
Dennis McDonald Sues Palm Coast Again, This Time Over Tripping On a Cracked Sidewalk
The city’s insurer denied Dennis McDonald’s claim for damages over an injury he suffered while walking on a Club House Drive sidewalk in 2013. He’s suing the city for damages of more than $15,000, though he’s yet top pay a slightly larger debt to the city, by a judge’s order, in compensation for a frivolous and unrelated lawsuit he’d filed five months after the accident.
Thursday Briefing: Anger Management at the County Jail, Renewed Debate on Police Tactics
Police tactics are again under scrutiny after a video captured the cold-blooded killing of an unarmed man running away from a cop in South Carolina. “Fresh Off the Boat” fails its writer, and the White House condemns “gay therapy.”
Gov. Rick Scott Angling For Sen. Bill Nelson’s Seat in 2018
Scott in an OpEd lectured Obama on how he’s balancing budgets, creating jobs and demonstrating “fiscal responsibility” here in Florida. He’s preparing for his next makeover and political campaign, writes Daniel Tilson.
As Sheriff Defends Cops’ Body Cams, Public Defender Warns Of Untenable New Work Load
Public Defender James Purdy agrees with Sheriff Manfre that cops’ body cams are a valuable addition, but he says neither his nor the state attorney’s office have the manpower required to review the data being generated by the cameras, and the Legislature isntt about to provide more money or attorneys to help.
Wednesday Briefing: Renaming State Colleges, SC Cop Charged With Murder, Florida as Obamacare Capital
A South Carolina cop is charged with murder after video surfaces showing him shooting a suspect in the back, after the suspect was stopped for a broken taillight.
Midnight Crash on I-95 Leaves Palm Coast’s Jeffrey Coffey, 30, in Critical Condition
Jeffrey Coffey, a resident of Palm Coast’s S Section, was in critical condition after a wreck on I-95 just after midnight Wednesday morning (April 8), the Florida Highway Patrol reports.
The Solar Price Revolution: Why Renewable Energy Is Becoming Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels
As some countries prepare to generate solar-powered electricity at half the cost of its production in the U.S., assumptions that generating electricity with natural gas or coal is less expensive or more efficient than solar power are rapidly becoming untenable.
Florida Senate Calls For Police Policies on Body Cameras, Addressing Privacy and Data
Body cams are worn by deputies at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Jim Manfre instituted the practice when he took office in 2013 and has been an ardent defender of the cameras.
Travis Hutson Wins Senate Seat, Paul Renner Wins House in Special Election
Republicans Travis Hutson and Paul Renner have won the special election for Florida Senate District 6 and House District 24, respectively. Hutson defeated Democrat David Cox. Renner defeated Adam Morley.
Blues No More: Island Grille Will Pick Up Where Famed Flagler Beach Restaurant Left Off
Island Grille Restaurant will open before Memorial Day where Blue Restaurant used to be, with a partnership bringing together Blue’s Chef Gary Maresca, Woody’s Joe Rizzo and Chris Zwirn, Realtor David Alfin, and Flagler Beach’s Carla Cline.
Tuesday Briefing: Wittman at the Auditorium, Cops’ Body Cams, and Jeb’s Hispanic Origins
Florida lawmakers talk of regulating cops’ body cameras. The Flagler school board and Palm Coast City council have full agendas today. Jeb Bush discovers his Hispanic origins.
From One Second To The Next: Werner Herzog’s Texting and Driving Documentary
Werner Herzog’s texting and driving documentary on the consequences of tragedies started as announcements he’d agreed to make for AT&T’s “It Can Wait” campaign.
In Reversal, Scott Opposes Expanding Poor’s Health Insurance and Opens $2.2 Billion Budget Hole
Scott’s opposition means Florida would again forego $47 billion in federal aid over the next 10 years while fewer poor Floridians would have health coverage–and the state’s budget would lose $2.2 billion in current aid that federal officials will no longer provide to the state under its existing medicaid system, which falls short of federal standards.
County Rejects Contractor’s Sharp Protest as It Approves $9 Million Matanzas Interchange Bid
Watson Civil Construction of Jacksonville, sharply protested the bid award, claiming that Hubbard’s bid was incomplete and that the county’s process in accepting the bid went grossly against the county’s own policy. The process the county allowed, Watson claimed, set a precedent that will allow future bidders to game the system to their advantage.
Monday Briefing: Matanzas Woods Interchange Gets Busy, Carver Auction Gets Going, Rolling Stone Retracts
The county commission is set to approve a $9 million contract to start construction on the long-awaited Matanzas Woods interchange at I-95. Rolling Stone retracts its story on a rape at the University of Virginia; a noon webcast conference is scheduled at the Columbia School of Journalism.
Robert Wittman, FBI’s James Bond of Stolen Art, Brings His Best-Selling Tales to Flagler Auditorium April 7
Robert Wittman and the FBI’s art-recovery division he created were responsible for recovering some $225 million in stolen art through remarkably daring undercover operations. Wittman, a best-selling author, appears at the Flagler Auditorium on April 7 to recount his adventures in a fund-raising for the Flagler County Art League.
Barnett Newman’s Stations of the Cross
Barnett Newman’s Stations of the Cross, 14 panels of abstract art retelling Christ’s Passion, are as sublime and austere as they are evocative.
Indiana and Arkansas Retreat From Hate Laws. Florida Plows Ahead.
Between Sen. Frank Artiles’ war on transgender people and a House bill protecting discrimination against gay parents, Florida verges on making bigotry state policy again, harkening back to Jim Crow days, but against the LGBT community.
Palm Coast Mayor Netts Urges Residents To Join Water-Conservation Challenge
By participating in the National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation, Palm Coast residents can qualify to win a Prius and other eco-friendly prizes, and put the city on the map of greenest communities.
Florida Lawmakers OK Discriminating Against Gay Adoptions on “Religious” Grounds
Despite warnings that Florida would follow Indiana into a controversy with statewide economic implications, the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved a bill that would allow private adoption agencies to refuse to place children with same-sex couples.
Weekend Briefing: 1st Friday in Flagler Beach, Special Election Early Voting, Lawmakers Get Homophobic
Good Friday closes many government offices but not the voting booth: early voting for the special election for House and Senate in Flagler continues through Saturday. The Big Red Bus needs your blood donations, plus a few words on Bush, Montaigne and Disney employees.