School officials had thought (and feared) that the tea party throngs would turn up at Monday’s town hall on the proposed $0.25 mill school tax referendum. They didn’t. What those tea leaves say is not clear.
Schools
FPC’s Boys Raced, Pink-Socked, in Breast Cancer Solidarity at Manhattan Invitational
Inspired by their coach, an idea started by Brad Walbert, to honor his grandfather, developed into team-wide solidarity for breast cancer victims–with unexpected and moving results as the boys raced in in New York City.
Superintendent Janet Valentine: Why You Should Vote For the .25 Mill School Tax Levy
School Superintendent Janet Valentine makes the case for the 25-cent-per-$1,000 property tax levy on November’s ballot, the continuation of a tax homeowners have been paying all along.
School Board Members Talking to Empty Benches at Town Halls on Tax Levy
School officials think most people have already made up their minds about Flagler’s .25 mills school tax levy. They just can’t tell which way they’ll vote.
At Indian Trails, a Visa to Middleworld By Way of 2012’s Maya Calendar Rubbish
The Jaguar Stones trilogy authors Jon and Pamela Voelkel brought their live spectacle, humor and accurate history to some 90 Indian Trails Middle School students, setting a calendar’s record straight along the way.
To Counter Bullying, Flagler Sheriff Is Giving Away 3,000 Internet Monitoring Programs
The free programs enable parents to keep track of their child’s internet activity and exposure, from chats to bullying, though the cyberbullying problem may be overstated.
New York Bound: FPC’s Cross-Country Best Running in Manhattan Invitational Saturday
The storied Manhattan Invitational, actually held in The Bronx, is the largest high school cross-country meet in the nation, with some 10,000 competitors from 14 states.
Ending 8 Years on the Flagler School Board, Evie Shellenberger Endorses Raven Sword
Citing Raven Sword’s clear vision and analytical abilities, Evie Shellenberger said Sword was preferable to John Fischer’s poor grasp of issues and misunderstanding of a school board member’s role.
Sued by Its Architect Over Unpaid Bills, Flagler School Board Says Resolution is Near
Close to $300,000 was in contention by Paul Stressing Associates, but the school district has agreed to pay most of that, leaving the two sides haggling over about $75,000.
All Maya All the Time: How the Government Building in Bunnell Became Archeology Central
The four-day Maya at the Playa Conference at the county and school building gathered the leading experts in Maya archeology and history from nine countries and 29 states, drawing some 160 participants.
The Live Wire, Sept. 30: Glenn Beck’s AA Obsession, Obama’s Shadiness, Rubio’s Roving
Obama loves his privileged secrets, Glenn Beck loves himself, goodbye to Tony Curtis, hello to Karl Rove (behind Rubio), Congress tells the Moon to go to hell, and more.
Census: Flagler’s Population Stalls at 91,600; 28% of Housing Units Vacant; Poverty Rising
The 2009 population figures mean that Flagler will almost certainly not cross into six-figure territory when decennial census figures are announced. Figures on housing, income, poverty and insurance were also released.
Fine Arts Auction at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton on Oct. 16
Admission is $20 a person, auction prices begin at $65. The auction is a fund-raiser for the private Catholic K-8 school on Belle Terre Blvd.
Past Tea Party Bluster, Commissioners Eulogize Budget Season and Put Wailers On Notice
The tea party’s local version of budget oversight proved more noise than substance as county commissioners concluded a nearly half-year-long budget season with cautious positioning ahead of next year’s.
The Live Wire Weekend: Kent Sharples’ Latest Folly, Scott Sinking and Panthers Rising
Kent Sharples raids Daytona College fund to pay rock stars, Alex Sink is beating Scott, Obama is not as anti-business as he appears, Dali on “What’s My Line,” and much more.
Vote Early, Vote Often: Make Your Voice Heard for Art Programs and FPC’s Junia Louis-Pierre
Junia Louis-Pierre’s graffiti drawing of foreclosure and eviction is in the running for a $5,000 award for FPC’s art department and a $1,000 scholarship for Junia. But you must vote.
The Live Wire, September 23: Taj Mahals, Obama Shake-Ups and Gay Santas
Marco Rubio as Taj Mahal pasha, Mainland Coach Maronto resigns, police brutality on the elderly in Orlando, Harvey Firestein as gay Santa, septic tank emanations, Philip Roth on suicide, and more.
Inaccurately and Incoherently, Fischer Opposes School Tax Measure; Sword Favors It
The two school board candidates differ sharply in their awareness and understanding of a proposed school tax referendum on the November 2 ballot, with Fischer calling himself “confused” about it.
The Other Tax Referendum: School District Battles Misperceptions to Preserve Levy
What looks like a new school tax on the Nov. 2 ballot is, in fact, the continuation of a tax property owners have been paying all along. The school district still has a battle on its hand to convince voters.
Proposed Coral Farm at Matanzas High School Raises Tentacles of Possibilities–and Questions
In an untested, risky arrangement, the proposal would have the school district lease land to a private company that would, in exchange, share some of its profits with the district.
Preliminary SAT Results Show Higher Scores for Flagler’s Class of 2010
In all but math at FPC, students at the county’s two high schools improved when compared with last year’s seniors. Some 1.6 million students took the test in the last round.
Carver Gym on the Drawing Board: Rosy Goals, Grayer Certainties
A committee set up to save Carver Gym from the cleaver isn’t lacking for ideas and objectives, but money and ownership remain the unanswered questions.
Hometown Democracy and Class-Size Amendments Spark Up Civic Association Forum
The Flagler Palm Coast Civic Association’s forum featured contrasting views on ballot proposals that would affect class sizes, development laws, and two local taxes.
Longer Hours at the Indian Trails Middle School Media Center–and the Kitchen Sisters Club Kicks Off
ITMS Media Center library hours are extended to 3:30p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays for any student with a parent-signed pass. ITMS is also starting a girls-only club called Kitchen Sisters.
School Board Approves $166 Million Budget; Tea Party’s Response Is Mostly Decaffeinated
The school board’s final budget adoption hearing was better attended than most ion previous years; questions and comments didn’t necessarily have much to do with the budget.
Memo To Enterprise Flagler: Why Your Tax Plan Is Fumbling (and What To Do About It)
From its message to its messenger, Enterprise Flagler’s tax-and-build plan is facing obstacles and unanswered questions of its own making. It may be too late to reverse opposition, but not too late to do the right thing.
Launching 6th Season, Flagler Youth Orchestra Calls on All Students 3rd Grade and Up
The Flagler Youth Orchestra begins its sixth season, with an open house at the Indian Trails Middle School cafeteria at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Students 3rd grade and up are welcome.
Mainland High School Coach John Maronto’s Prostitution Arrest: Hold Your Sanctimony
Mainland High School football coach John Maronto, 68, was arrested in a prostitution sting Sept. 4. Hold your sanctimony: wasteful police stings aside, he did nothing wrong.
24 Roses in Red, White and Black for Ray Boylan, Mentor Beyond Call and Color
Ray Boylan, who died on Aug. 26 at age 76, was a hero of the Flagler school district’s African American Mentor Program, and its only white mentor. His widow Gail was honored Saturday.
Campana’s First:
FPC Bulldogs 30, Matanzas Pirates 13
First game of the season, full house, the Bulldogs and the Pirates were in something of a dogfight at first before the Bulldogs asserted themselves in spite of the Pirates’ grit.
Stetson Professor Monique Forte’s Death Attributed to Cocaine Abuse
Stetson Professor Monique Forte, beloved as a friend and mentor, had been battling mounting stress in her work and personal life.
For First Time in Memory, Flagler School Enrollment Stalls; No Budget Cuts Foreseen Yet
The 240 additional students the Flagler school district expected this fall haven’t materialized, resulting in a projected loss of $1.62 million in state funding.
Stetson Scores $610,000 Federal Stimulus Grant to Renovate Labs
Stetson’s grant will renovate its main science building’s labs. The grant is part of $3 billion awarded the National Science Foundation in stimulus dollars in 2009.
Back to School Jam: The Video
Watch the six-minute video of the Aug. 7 Back to School Jam, where some 2,600 backpacks and school supplies were given away.
Pregnant Mothers, Start Your Readers: Dolly’s Imagination Library Crosses Flagler Threshold
Dolly’s Imagination Library will ensure that every child born after Aug. 31 and living in Flagler will get a free book every month until kindergarten. The kick-off event is Sept. 1 at the Flagler County Library.
Rymfire Elem. on Brief Lock-Down As Cops Chase Burglary Suspect Near Ralph Carter Park
Jeremiah Harris, a 20-year-old resident of Bunnell, led deputies on a chase Friday morning following a suspected burglary in the R section.
Primary Turnout Is Worst in at Least 16 Years; Black Voters Shrug Off 3 Black Candidates
Three black candidates running in local elections didn’t get a higher turn-out from heavily black precincts. Whiter, richer precincts turned out at double those rates.
Tucker Wins, Fischer and Sword in Runoff; McLaughlin Beats Abbott; Dwyer and Nowell Out
FlaglerLive will provide updated election results in the 2010 primary in all races relevant to Flagler County voters, including olegislative and statewide races.
School’s Back. So Are Walking Children in a Town Short of Sidewalks. Watch Where You Drive.
Two years ago, 270 children younger than 14 were killed while walking by a road. School’s resumption calls for care, especially in Palm Coast, where sidewalks are lacking.
The Money Race: Five Flagler School Board Candidates Raise a Combined $32,900
District 5 candidate Raven Sword is the fund-raising leader when candidates’ own money is excluded. She also drew the largest number of contributors by far, with 130.
Scoring 7, FPC’s Rowan Littlefield Didn’t Just Conquer the World. He Conquered Pigdom.
Littlefield’s perfect 7 in his IB biology exam, scored on a global standard, marks the first 7 for any Flagler County student in any of the IB’s science disciplines.
The Live Q&A: School Board Candidates In Their Own Words (and Occasional Evasions)
The FlaglerLive Q&A was designed to draw candidates away from campaign generalities and cliches and to compel clearly stated positions on a dozen relevant issues.
Raven Sword, School Board District 5 Candidate: The Live Interview
Raven Sword, an attorney, is running from District 5 with the backing of former school board member Jim Guines.
Peter Peligian, School Board District 5 Candidate: The Live Interview
Peter Peligian, running from District 5, a retailer, cagey on two serious, previous issues, remained cagey in his interview.
John Fischer, School Board District 5 Candidate: The Live Interview (2010)
John Fischer, running from District 5, is a Knights of Columbus field agent whom Evie Schellenberger defeated when he challenger her four years ago.
Trevor Tucker, School Board District 3 Candidate: The Live Interview (2010)
Trevor Tucker is running from District 3 against Marc Ray. Tucker was appointed in January to fill the seat once occupied by the late Peter Palmer.
Marc Ray, School Board District 3 Candidate: The Live Interview
Marc Ray is an executive at the Hammock Dunes Club. He’s challenging incumbent Trevor Tucker.
Bill Delbrugge in Egypt: Beyond the Camel, A Discovery of Challenges and Serenity
In his first interview since leaving Flagler County in July, former Superintendent Bill Delbrugge describes his new old world in Egypt–the challenges, the revelations, the peace of it all.
Florida’s High School Students Near Bottom in College Readiness; Flagler’s Do Worse
The college readiness scores, trending downward for the state and for Flagler, undermine the state’s contention that it is improving education on a nationally competitive level.
McDermott Self-Evaluates After His First School Board Meeting
The Flagler County School Board’s newest student representative reflects on his first evening with the elected, and makes a pitch to fellow-students.