Flagler County Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord is urging caution and alertness in preparation for a day of stronger-than-usual winds around midday Tuesday, then a squall lines of storms Tuesday evening, especially between 5 and 7 p.m. Relative to the Panhandle, the unsettled weather won;t be as severe in Flagler County, but the most important thing will be to be informed through an alert system, Lord said, as there is a small potential for tornadoes and hail.
Schools
School Board and Other Elected Officials Could Soon Be Barred from Censoring People on Social Media
At stake is what constitutes state action – or action taken in an official governmental capacity – on social media. Under the First Amendment, officials engaging in state action cannot restrict individuals’ freedom of speech and expression. The ruling could establish whether social media accounts of public officials should be treated as personal or governmental.
Superintendent Appoints Angela O’Brien, a Former Special Education Executive, as Her No. 2
Superintendent LaShakia Moore is recommending the appointment of Angela O’Brien to the post of Assistant Superintendent of Academic Services. The post was previously held by Moore. O’Brien previously served as Regional Director for Pennsylvania-based New Story Schools–a national network of schools that focuses on students with special needs.
UF’s Extension Office in Flagler Offers 4-Week Florida 101 Course on State’s Ecology and How to Protect It
Florida 101 is an introduction to Florida designed for both new and seasoned residents of Flagler County who are interested in learning about the ecology of Florida, how to best take advantage of our unique climate, flora, and fauna, and how to protect it.
21-Year-Old Man Is Found Dead at Belle Terre Park of Apparent Overdose
Calvin Alexander Stull, 21, who had bicycled into Belle Terre Park the previous day was found dead Wednesday morning, of an apparent drug overdose. The park is adjacent to Wadsworth Elementary school, but school is not in session this week.
School Board Attorney Kristy Gavin Still On the Job, With ‘Progress’ and Uncertainty on Resolution
School Board Attorney Kristy Gavin was still on the job this morning–as a School Board attorney. But uncertainty remains, even though the board has approved a new job description that would theoretically allow Gavin to step into a new role as staff attorney, or general counsel, answering to the superintendent.
We Asked Flagler County Leaders to Tell Us About Their Favorite Book of 2023. Their Answers Are Page-Turners.
Twenty-one Flagler County leaders–in politics, culture, business, education, media–were asked to tell us about their favorite book of 2023. The very wide-ranging responses were always enlightening and often surprising, showing how minor our political or ideological differences can be, or ought to be, when we connect on a cultural and personal or literary level, which is to say: a human, or humanist, level.
Students Are Not Showing Up for Class. Lawmakers Want To Do Something About It. But What?
In measuring student attendance, the department looks at students who miss 21 or more days and students absent for 10 percent or more of the academic year. The 2021-2022 data showed that 32.3 percent of students, or more than 1 million students, were absent for 10 percent or more of the year.
Florida State Sues Atlantic Coast Conference, Banking on $1 Million in Taxpayer-Funded Legal Coffer
Florida State University on Friday filed a lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference, alleging the conference has “persistently undermined its members’ revenue opportunities” and damaged FSU. The Seminoles became the first undefeated champion of one of the Power 5 football conferences to be left out of the College Football Playoff. Gov. Ron DeSantis recommends the state offer $1 million for any legal action about the snub.
Matanzas Teacher Anthony Zaksewicz Is Reinstated after Agreeing to Plea and Restitution Deal in Walmart Thefts
Anthony Zaksewicz, the Matanzas High School teacher arrested in early December on charges resulting from a long-running shoplifting scheme at Walmart, has been reinstated at Matanzas High School following a plea deal and pre-trial intervention program that, if abided by, may lead to the dropping of all charges in a year. Zaksewicz pleaded before Circuit Judge Terence Perkins on Wednesday.