We have to reconsider what we thought we saw Monday night and discover how it played where it mattered, in counties such as those in western Pennsylvania, and those clustered along Interstate 4 in Florida. These, more than elite opinion-spinners clustered along our deep-blue coasts, will decide the Nov. 8 outcome, argues Tom Jackson.
All Else
Harrison Wilker, 18, of St. Augustine, Killed in Crash on State Road 16
Harrison Wilker, 18, of St. Augustine, was killed early this morning in a single-vehicle crash on State Road 16 near Masters Drive in St. Augustine, the Florida Highway Patrol report.
Tampa Christian School Files Suit Over Ban on Loudspeaker Prayer at Football Game
The nonprofit that operates Cambridge Christian School in Tampa said the Florida High School Athletic Association violated its civil rights by banning the private school and its opponent from joining in prayer over the loudspeaker at the game.
Wednesday Briefing: Beach Belly Bobs, Holland Park History, Trump’s Excellent Temperament, Twitter Automation
Donald Trum’s excellent temperament is reviewed, learn all about Twitter automation, ribbon-cutting at Beach belly Bobs in Flagler Beach, and the Vivaldi-Bach concerti.
Organized Thieves With Taste for Champagne Target 3 Publix Stores in Palm Coast
Three times in a single day last week, thieves working in concert struck at three different Palm Coast Publix stores to steal wines and champagnes. They’ve been getting away with plenty of both, in one case stealing nearly $3,000 worth of bottles.
Back-Up City: Palm Coast Will Buy Its Third Fire Truck in 2 Years, for Total of $774,034
The Palm Coast City Council is expected to approve the third truck, for $259,678, next week, maintaining a fleet of front-line and back-up trucks throughout the city. The council approved two of the three pumper trucks last spring, for $513,356.
Post-Debate, Clinton, Clinton and Trump Are Invading Florida in Hunt for 29 Electoral Votes
While Clinton works Southeast Florida, her husband, former President Bill Clinton, will campaign Friday and Saturday across the top of the state, and Trump begins his visits Tuesday in solidly-Republican Melbourne.
10-Year-Old Boy Is First Cyclist Injured in Crash With Car Since Last School-Year’s Rash
Matthew Bell, 10, was struck by a Massey Services company vehicle speeding on Emerald Lake Drive in Palm Coast after Bell was unable to stop his bike from crossing from a sidewalk into the road.
Tuesday Briefing: Dedicating Frank Meeker Field, FPC v. Matanzas in Volleyball, Bill Nelson Representatives in Flagler Beach
A soccer field is dedicated to Frank Meeker at Indian Trails Sports Complex, Palm Coast buys a pumper truck, FPC and Matanzas face off in volleyball, the whistleblower court case against Sheriff Manfre is delayed.
Monday Briefing: Banned Books Week, John Sbordone, Covering “Black Rage”
The Flagler County Public Library marks Banned Books Week starting with an Ed Murrow documentary, Bunnell holds a tax hearing, City Repertory Theatre’s John Sbordone is profiled.
Early Voting Facts and Myths
Research shows early voting increases turnout by 2 percent to 4 percent. In some cases, it particularly boosts voting among minorities, a constituency that tends to vote Democrat.
Panic: On the Prospect of a Trump Presidency
“I spent the past year making fun of Trump and taking it for granted that Hillary Clinton would demolish him. I didn’t take into account her fabulous skills for self-destruction or the country’s ripeness for mass delusion.”
A 3-Year-Old Boy Attending Roma Court Academy Wanders Into Traffic as Staff Is Oblivious
Staff at Roma Court Academy had no idea the boy had wandered off the property until a Chinese delivery driver and another driver saw him in traffic on Palm Coast Parkway.
In a Telling Surprise, Cops and 5 Public-Sector Unions Endorse Staly for Sheriff Over Jones
It is actually an endorsement from all six county public sector unions, so Staly is now backed by cops, teachers, school service employees, county and Palm Coast firefighters, and Palm Coast’s blue-collar workers, representing in all a block of 2,000 employees and many more family members, friends and neighbors.
Vote-By-Mail Requests Already Set Records In Flagler; Big Lead For Republicans
With some voting already under way, upwards of 12,000 vote-by-mail ballots have been requested from the Flagler elections supervisor, and more than 2 million have been requested statewide.
Weekend Briefing: Kaepernick’s Time, Charlie Brown Vets Special, Native American Day, FPC Open House, Cop Tattoos
Charlie Brown, the musical, at City Rep, this time with a veterans’ special, a campus-wide open house at FPC Friday, should cop tattoo policies be relaxed, Jane Jacobs remembered.
Lory Yazurlo, Owner of Defunct Pig Sanctuary, Is Killed In Van Fire on John Anderson Highway
Lory Yazurlo, the 53-year-old owner of what was once a sprawling, 20-acre pig sanctuary in western Flagler, was killed early this morning as her van caught fire on John Anderson Highway, not far from her mother’s house. A paraplegic, Yazurlo was in the van, unable to get out.
Man Found Dead in E-Section Lot Identified as Joseph A. Kelemen, 46, Formerly of Palm Coast
Joseph A. Kelemen was found dead in an empty lot near the intersection of Eagle Harbor Trail and Eagle Crest Path in Palm Coast early Tuesday morning. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is attributing the death to a likely suicide by hanging.
Thursday Briefing: 2 New Detention Deputies, A Lobbyist for Flagler Beach, Milissa Holland’s Designs
The Flagler Beach City Commission will pay $30,000 for a state lobbyist, Milissa Holland tells the News-Journal of her plans as Palm Coast’s new mayor, and Paolo Restani playing Mendelssohn’s Capriccio Brillante.
Divided Over Car Sale at FPC that “Violated” Pact and Precedent, School Board Mulls Next Step
Two school board members charge that an agreement signed with the district on the use of FPC was violated when a car “show” turned into a major car sale, but the board is unclear over what to do next.
The Climate Change Debate is Over: Seas and Temperatures Are Rising Dangerously
Increasing major storms and rising sea levels have long been predicted by climate models, and now they’re coming true. Time for deniers to concede defeat and become part of the solution, argues Todd Larsen.
Wednesday Briefing: The Observer’s Jeff Dawsey, Tax-Setting Hearings, Northwest Crack-Up, Unsinkable Trump
Palm Coast and Flagler Beach set your tax rates for next year, The Northwest Passage has melted, the Observer’s Jeff Dawsey’s journey from drug dealer to minister, Trump’s unsinkable campaign.
Pam Bondi Is Shocked, Shocked Over Claim That Trump Donation Influenced Her Decisions
In a contentious session with reporters, Bondi said she had no regret about Trump’s $25,000 donation and refuted claims that it had influenced her decisions to dismiss allegations that Floridians had been bilked by Trump University.
Mercy Lives: 24-Year-Old Horse Pulled Out of Septic Tank in 2 1/2-Hour Rescue in Mondex
A dozen agencies and veterinarians were mobilized to rescue Mercy, a 24-year-old horse that fell in a septic tank Tuesday morning, managing the rescue after two and a half hours of efforts.
Local Authorities Converge on Areas of Concern as Travel-Related Zika Cases Are Declared in Palm Coast
Mosquito Control officials have been focusing on mosquito hot spots in Palm Coast’s P Section and visited other properties of concern as county officials prepare a county-wide meeting next week to address the local response.
Tuesday Briefing: FPC’s Car Sale, Bed Race Prep, Food Truck Tuesday, Prison Jobs Fair, Old Yacht Club’s New Tenants
The Flagler County School Board discusses the controversial car sale that took over the campus of Flagler Palm Coast High School earlier this month, it’s Food Truck Tuesday in Central Park, and does God want Trump to be president?
Florida Universities Seeking $14.5 Million Extra To Meet Spiking Demand for Mental Health
Universities saw a 48 percent increase in demands for counseling and other mental health services, and an increase in emergency or crisis visits, involving issues like severe depression, acute anxiety and suicidal thoughts.
Trump-Bashing’s Indictment as Americans’ Trust in Mainstream Media Sinks to a New Low
Covering Trump’s contradictory and rash statements is one thing. That’s the media’s job. But there isn’t a commentator or an anchor on CNN who doesn’t wear a Clinton heart on his or her sleeve. With 53 days to go before the election, they’ve even stopped trying to hide it.
Sally’s Safe Haven at Year 2: Where Children Traumatized by a Violent Parent Can Still Visit
Sally’s Safe Haven in Bunnell, which has served almost 100 families so far, allows supervised visits for parents otherwise restricted from seeing their child. The haven is underwritten by a federal grant and run by the county and the the Children’s Home Society.
Everyone Else Ready for Trial, Man Accused of Child Rape Asks, and Gets, Delay and New Lawyer
John J. Schenone, 33, of Palm Coast, accused of raping the 11-year-old daughter of his then-girlfriend, claimed his court-appointed lawyer had a conflict of interest with another molester she is defending, and was granted a new lawyer and court date.
Monday Briefing: John Schenone Trial, An Extended Runway for Flagler Airport, Trump in lee County, iPhone’s New Coke
John J. Schenone, 21, of Palm Coast, goes on trial for an alleged sex assault of an 11-year-old girl, the county commission moves forward on building a $12 million runway extension at the county airport, why the new iPhone risks being Apple’s New Coke.
Another Unrealistic Trump Policy Proposal: Billions of Dollars for Homeschool Vouchers
Trump recently proposed billions in spending to allow the nation’s poorest students to leave public schools and enroll elsewhere, including by using homeschooling. Except the plan won’t work for the poorest students.
Peter Cerreta, Mischievous Artist Whose Gifts Never Cease to Unwrap: At Salvo
At 84, Peter Ceretta continues to create works of art that are fresh, whimsical, poignant, mischievous, daring, slightly cubist in execution, youthful in their exploration of color and form, ageless in their immediacy.
Flagler Youth Center Director Cheryl Massaro Appointed to Federal Juvenile Justice Board That Advises Congress and the President
Cheryl Massaro, for 11 years the director of the Flagler Youth Center, has served on the local and state juvenile justice advisory boards, and will now be responsible for representing Florida and other states for two years on the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice.
Giving Charm a Chance, City Rep’s 6th Season Opens With “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”
“You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” the musical opening at Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre Friday, was written not by Schulz but by Clark Gesner, who of course based his “average day in the life of Charlie Brown” on the beloved comic strip characters.
Weekend Briefing: Peter Cerreta’s New Show at Salvo, “Mutable” at ZinkZank, Charlie Brown at CRT, Bergen’s Profanities
The great Peter Cerreta shows new work at Salvo Art Project, City Repertory Theatre presents another weekend of “Charlie Brown,” the musical, “Mutable: Temporality and the Fickle Nature of Art Making,” at ZinkZank Gallery, a fundraiser at the Flagler Auditorium, Benjamin Bergen on the scientific purposes of profanity.
10-Year-Old Girl Made Up Story of Man Suspiciously Photographing Children at F-Section Bus Stop
The 10-year-old girl’s report that a man was following her in an SUV and taking pictures and video of her at her bus stop touched off alerts, fears and an investigation, which concluded with the girl’s story being held to be false.
Gov. Scott’s Office of Open Government Barricades Itself
Florida once had one of the toughest sunshine laws in the country, and people were proud of that. But it’s no longer the case. Transparency has given way to talk–and barricades.
Thursday Briefing: County Property Taxes, School Open Houses, Trump’s Hissy Fits, Filming Private Ryan
The Flagler County Commission holds the first of two public hearings on next year’s taxes, Trump’s hissy fits get less attention than Hillary’s caughing fits, how Saving Private Ryan’s battle scenes were filmed.
School Board’s Conklin “Willfully” Failed to File Disclosure, But Ethics Panel Stops Short of Removing Her From Office
Colleen Conklin took months to file a financial disclosure form and paid a $1,500 fine over it, but an ethics investigation found her failure had been “willful,” and the Florida Ethics Commission could have had grounds to remove Conklin from her Flagler County School Board seat.
Wednesday Briefing: Cultural Arts Grants, Joe Arpaio’s Posse, Elizabeth Ann Seton Canonization, Incomes Zoom, Finally
Ever wonder who on earth was Elizabeth Ann Seton? Today is the anniversary of her canonization, Americans’ incomes zoom up finally, Joe Arpaio’s posse may be in trouble, Ford’s self-driving car.
Palm Coast and Flagler County Compete on Soccer Fields Over Frank Meeker’s Memory
The late County Commissioner Frank Meeker, who died in July, had also served on the Palm Coast City Council, so both governments will have separate memorials to his memory on soccer fields at opposite ends of town.
In Florida, Citrus Nears Oblivion as Disease and Development Squeeze it to Economy’s Margins
The citrus industry lost 4 percent of its grove land, 21,275 acres, over the past year. Citrus greening disease, which is deadly to the crop, has infected nearly all of Florida’s commercial citrus groves.
Florida Hospitals in Flagler and Volusia Anchor 3-Year Project to Improve Lung Cancer Care
The ACCC Optimal Care Coordination Model for Lung Cancer Patients on Medicaid project will work to reduce barriers to care by developing a care coordination model to leverage effective partnerships among cancer programs and practices, community organizations, patients, and primary care and specialty providers.
Heavier Rains Than Hermine Expected In Next 24 Hours Over Flagler-Palm Coast
The unnamed tropical wave churning off the coast of Central Florida is expected to bring more rain and heavy thunderstorms over Flagler County in the next 24 hours than did Hurricane Hermine.
Tuesday Briefing: Crashing Players Club, Grading on a Curve, Renner Kick-Off, Cost of Incarceration
Three buildings at the old Players Club are demolished, ending the nuttiness of grading on a curve, Flagler Palm Coast High School meets Pine Ridge, Matanzas High School meets DeLand in Bowling, the staggering costs of incarceration.
In 3-1 Vote, County Enacts Special Taxing Districts for Two Hammock Subdivisions to Drain Flooding
Flagler County government is rolling out a long-awaited plan to contain drainage problems in Marineland Acres and the Malacompra Basin, with a new annual tax on property owners to help pay for the improvements. Some residents welcome the plan, others see it as costly and as jeopardizing the beachfront atmosphere.
Justice Perry Will Retire, Giving Gov. Scott 1st Chance to Appoint a Conservative to High Court
Perry is among five jurists who make up a liberal-leaning majority of the seven-member court, which has drawn the wrath of the Republican governor and the GOP-dominated Legislature.
Silver Alert for Palm Coast’s William Wheat, 79, Missing and Endangered
William Wheat was last seen Sunday at 3 p.m. at his home in Palm Coast’s LL Section. He is believed to be driving a 2015 blue Dodge Ram 1500 two-door truck with Florida tag 873-8HV.
Monitoring the Vote in Real-Time With Electionland
Which voters are getting turned away (and why)? Where are lines so long that people are giving up? Is there actually any evidence of people casting fraudulent votes? Whether you’re a journalist or not, here’s your chance to be an effective monitor.