- December 25, 2024
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+ Thanks for your story on Stewart; support the Humane Society!
Dear Editor:
Thank you for the recent story about Palm Coast resident Larry Stewart and his new lifesaving canine friend, Orion the black Labrador mix. As mentioned in the Palm Coast Observer, these two came together through K9s for Warriors and the Flagler Humane Society. All of us at the Flagler Humane Society are proud of Orion and his service to the Stewarts. Orion, who came to us as a stray black dog (we called him Midnight), has proven shelter dogs (and cats) are all remarkable and worth saving!
Many people do not realize, but large black dogs are the most likely to be euthanized at shelters throughout the country. It’s hard to believe, but they are the dogs most often overlooked because there are so many of them. In fact, because we have so many black dogs at the shelter that need to find a forever home, we will be reducing their adoption fees during our Dogs In Black special, beginning June 18. However, if you come in before this kickoff date, we will offer the same discount. Please mention this letter!
The Flagler Humane Society is truly committed to giving every animal that comes to us a chance to find a forever home. When a dog like Orion finds an owner like Larry Stewart, both human and pet win. It is truly a sense of accomplishment for our entire team.
We also want to remind the public it costs a tremendous amount of money to house, feed and provide medical care for all shelter animals. The majority of funds come from generous donations, and because we are a full-service shelter that turns away no animals, it can be overwhelming at times. Each day, several animals find their way into our care.
We want the Flagler Humane Society to be a facility the community can support with pride, but we can’t do it without local support. We invite you to help us make a difference.
Diane Voigt
Flagler Humane Society Board president
+ Palm Coast has much to offer, and there are jobs to be had
Dear Editor:
One of the biggest reasons I chose to move here was because of the affordable housing, the parks and trails system that the city has in place and all the accessibility for walking and bicycling. It is by far one of the most beautiful areas of the state, and if you don’t believe it, then I have one small bit of advice for you: leave.
Sure, this city was built to draw retirees and international residents. So what? Retirees have paid their dues, and international residents bring culture and diversity. Embrace them.
No jobs for young people? Oh, I beg to differ. There are plenty, if you pursue them. And Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach and DeLand are within commuting distance. There are new businesses going up almost weekly in Palm Coast, and most all of them have a need for good employees.
My daughter and I both moved here together in 2009, when the unemployment rate for Flagler County was the highest in the state. We both had a job within three weeks.
Since I moved here, Red Lobster, Olive Garden and Panera have moved in. Another branch of Florida Hospital Flagler is under construction, and from what I read in this newspaper (which has expanded from one day a week to two), there are building permits for new businesses being issued daily. I have personally seen home expansions, new homes being built and more jobs created. I have a full-time job, having started as part-time, and on my day off, I went to several places and saw a “help wanted” sign in almost all of them.
The city planners are to be commended, not vilified. I applaud the suggestion of building a City Hall in Town Center. It will increase traffic flow to the area, make good use of the land that has already been allocated for public buildings and allow more businesses to affordably rent space.
Stop griping that “things aren’t like they used to be” and welcome and embrace the changes. Palm Coast is a beautiful place to live. It was “back in the day,” and it is now.
Brenda Flynn
Palm Coast
DYWER STORY CHALLENGED
+ Please provide all the facts
Dear Editor:
I love The Observer. I actually canceled the News-Journal because I like the format of this paper. We get international news elsewhere, and the local emphasis of this paper serves our needs. I know that in time it will grow to be a prominent national/international paper.
However, I am totally amazed that two excellent writers could not do a fair job of reporting the story on attorney Marc Dwyer. I checked with The Florida Bar, and they told me that there has been no reprimand and the information is not available to the public. What is the whole truth here? So that all the citizens of Flagler County can make up their own minds, I think The Observer, Palm Coast’s only real local newspaper, must be fair and balanced in reporting all the news.
I am totally puzzled by your last paragraph: “Incidentally, long before anyone announced candidacy, fellow 2012 judge candidate Sharon Feliciano was on the grievance committee that voted June 25, 2010, that probable cause was present in the case against Dwyer.”
What is this candidate’s role in this story? Perhaps you didn’t know, but Sharon Feliciano was campaigning to help Dwyer’s rival in 2010. Isn’t that the same time she voted on Dwyer’s Bar case? That sounds like a serious conflict of interest. Why was that not mentioned at all in your article?
Your entire piece and especially your last paragraph leaves much to the imagination, as her name was not mentioned in the body of the piece, yet, “incidentally” she is the closing character. What is Feliciano’s role in this story?
Seems to me that The Observer may have placed its budding reputation in the role of printing information that candidates like to use for political hit-jobs instead of sharing with us the whole story to produce a fair and balanced presentation.
I believe I can trust this paper to do the right thing! Thanks for the opportunity to be involved in the process.
Jennifer Holness
Palm Coast
Editor’s Note: The Florida Bar filed a complaint against Marc Dwyer Jan. 19 with the Supreme Court of Florida (Case No. SC11-629), in which The Bar recommended ethics school and a public reprimand for mishandling a case, as we reported in the May 23 edition.
We called The Florida Bar to ask whether the documents about Dwyer’s potential reprimand were public. A clerk there said a decision has not yet been made public. However, we found the documents online at the Supreme Court website. Later, The Bar’s director of public information, Francine Andia Walker, called back and said that, in fact, the documents were public record and that the clerk had been misinformed.
Our story named Sharon Feliciano because she was on the grievance committee in the case against Dwyer and is now a candidate opposing him. Readers can make their own inferences and conclusions.
Serving on grievance committees is a professional responsibility, according to Walker. The rules for serving on such a committee include that there should be no personal interest in the outcome. You said Feliciano supported Dwyer’s opponent when he ran for circuit judge in 2010. We were told the same thing, but whether Feliciano should have recused herself is not for us to say in a news story.
If people feel there was a conflict of interest, Walker recommends they file an ethics complaint.
We appreciate your trust in us. We are always wary of ethics accusations for precisely the reasons you mentioned: They easily can be used as political tools.
We published the report about Dwyer because The Bar recommended ethics school for Dwyer, and we thought readers should know about it.
We are committed to providing fair and balanced elections coverage.
— Email [email protected].
