PALM COAST
Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 12, NO. 29
PASS THE BATON 13 THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 2021
Overwhelmed The coronavirus runs rampant in Flagler, straining health care BRIAN MCMILLAN EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Seven Flagler County deaths and 92 hospitalizations were reported by AdventHealth to Department of Health-Flagler Health Officer Bob Snyder, on Aug. 17. The previous afternoon, more than 200 SEE COVID PAGE 10
Deputies clear the room at School Board meeting Mask debate riles crowd. BRENT WORONOFF CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Many taking a stand against mask mandates in their children’s schools, residents filled the chambers at the Flagler County School Board meeting Tuesday, Aug. 17. An hour and a half into public comments board attorney Kristy Gavin ordered sheriff’s deputies to clear the room after Gavin and Board Chair Trevor Tucker repeatedly warned the audience not to clap or interrupt in other ways. But a boisterous group refused to leave as Bunnell police joined deputies in dispersing the crowd. “You have the right to be here, don’t leave,” one man yelled. “You have the right to be replaced,” another yelled to board members. “Shame on you,” a woman shouted. “This is our house,” said another. School Board member Jill Woolbright called for decorum.
Photo by Brian McMillan
Health Officer Bob Snyder talks on the phone with an assisted living facility while dozens of cars file through the Department of Health parking lot to get COVID tests, just outside his office. The number of people requesting COVID-19 tests has more than doubled, and for students in Flagler Schools, it all has to be done at the DOH, to sure proper documentation. Snyder is requesting more staff from the state, and he is talking with county officials to move the testing operation back to the fairgrounds, in Cattleman’s Hall.
FOREWORD
Vaccine as dune, as insurance, as miracle If you’re still deciding whether to get a vaccine, let me try a few new angles. For the facts on the coronavirus and vaccines, visit cdc.gov.
SEE DEPUTIES PAGE 3
INDEX
Briefs..................... PAGE 8 Business...............PAGE 14 Cops Corner.......... PAGE 2 Real Estate...........PAGE 16 Your Town.............PAGE 12
DUNE
BRIAN MCMILLAN EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Still hesitant? A few things to consider.
First, let’s compare the vaccine to another local issue: the dune that protects Flagler Beach from ocean surge. Imagine that the ocean is the virus, and it’s crashing into our community and spreading far and wide. The dune, if it’s contiguous along the coast, is the
vaccine, which is nearly 100% effective at stopping the virus. A handful of oceanfront property owners have said they are suspicious of the government and are therefore refusing to let the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers build part of the dune on their property. In effect, that leaves holes in the entire community’s line of defense against storm surge. (Fortunately, most are coming around.) Similarly, many people are declining the vaccine because they either feel their own health
isn’t at risk, or they don’t trust the government for pushing the vaccine so hard. But that calculation leaves out the impact their decision has on their neighbors. The more unvaccinated people, the more eligible hosts for the virus. Thus, the pandemic continues to flood the community, overworking health care workers, canceling elective surgeries, disrupting supply chains. Our community’s quality of life is diminished right now, SEE VACCINE PAGE 6