After the creation of the Ponce de Leon Hotel 125 years ago, Henry Flagler asked his cousin Thomas Horace Hastings to start a farm a few miles west of St Augustine to grow food for his guest.

By Tiffanie Reynolds | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Like her fictional family, the Bravos, author Laura Smith’s life and writing are shaped by the actions and consequences of her family.

“I’m always really moved to see how strong family ties can be. Even when your family members are driving you crazy, there’s this thread, I think, that runs underneath that you really can’t shake and that you don’t want to shake,” said Smith, adjunct English professor at Flagler College.

By Tiffanie Reynolds | gargoyle@flagler.edu

The whir of her cell phone, set to vibrate, goes off beside Susan Peters’ bed. She picks it up, already knowing the call is from the Betty Griffin House, walks to the bathroom, puts on her already folded change of clothes and drives to Flagler Hospital.

By Alexa Epitropoulos | gargoyle@flagler.edu

The last thing Michael Shannon expected while attending a family wedding was to be discriminated against because of the person he loved.

Shannon was staying at a Clearwater hotel with his mother when he realized that several LGBTQ social networking sites and dating sites were blocked from the server. More than that, Shannon’s complaints were received with the manager’s assertion that it was a “family hotel.”

By Latesha Johnson | gargoyle@flagler.edu

“I only have three weeks to go and we don’t have a name decided,” said Kristen Overton.

Overton is the head softball coach at Flagler College and for the second year in a row, she is expecting to give birth to a child during the season. This will be her second child, but it will be her first girl.

By Kristyn Pankiw | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Want to hear a little-known but terrifying fact?

There are 27 million slaves in the world today.

By Tiffanie Reynolds | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Gov. Rick Scott’s visit and cabinet meeting at Flagler College on April 2 honored teaching efforts throughout Northeast Florida, as well as marked the upward climb in the economy.

By Sarah Williamson | gargoyle@flagler.edu

600 couples gathered Sunday at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum for a world record attempt of the largest wedding vow renewal ceremony.

By Ryan Buffa | gargoyle@flagler.edu

After two of the largest advocates of women’s healthcare, the Susan G. Komen Foundation and Planned Parenthood, made amends after a potentially harmful decision, local branches believe it is an opportunity to strengthen relationships and refocus on important issues facing women’s healthcare.

“The experience of this week is going to renew and strengthen relationships on a local level,” North Florida Planned Parenthood CEO Staci Fox said. “It’s going to open up a new avenue for us to work together…”

With the surge of pressure from lawmakers and internal opposition, the world’s largest breast cancer organization, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, reversed a controversial decision on Friday that would have pulled funding from numerous Planned Parenthood projects.

By Mari Pothier | gargoyle@flagler.edu
Photo by Dyann Busse

Taking one game at a time and looking to the future is how head coach Bo Clark is keeping morale up among his players.

The men’s basketball team is currently on an 11 game losing streak with a 6-12 overall record.

“I think the big thing is to try to keep as much positive energy as we can,” Clark said.

By Tiffanie Reynolds | gargoyle@flagler.edu

This fall, students may be filling more seats in campus events. But, it’s not because they want to, it’s because they will be required.

The co-curricular requirement is the latest proposal of the academic strategic plan to be evaluated and voted on by the faculty senate. In the last meeting, which occurred on Jan. 11, the senate voted for it to be considered in this year’s institution budget.

A committee still needs to be formed to work out details of this proposal, but, when passed, it will require incoming freshmen to attend a certain number of campus events in order to graduate.

By {Amber James} | gargoyle@flagler.edu

About 2,000 people made a stand against abortion on Saturday, walking a mile through downtown for the March for Life St Augustine. But one woman marched in her own way.

Barbara Trost sat comfortably in her wheelchair, overlooking the countless children playing on the Mission de Nombre’s grounds and the crowd that had gathered to hear speakers talk about the pro-life movement. The 77-year old Christian faithfully held a sign in her lap that read, “Abortion kills 8,000 babies every year in Jacksonville.”

By Kylynn Pelkey | gargoyle@flagler.edu

I spent thanksgiving this year at an Alzheimer’s home. My Grandmother’s sister, Sandie, was transferred into the home about two months ago. The transition has been hard on her family.

Sometimes she doesn’t remember her son, Steven Jr., who pushed to put her in a home. Once, she didn’t remember her husband Steve.

“Why is that man in my room? Who is that man?” she asked the nurse.

By Amber James | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Rodderick Williams is a county sentenced inmate, in jail for violation of probation. But for five to six days a week, Williams gets to leave the jail and return to the free world, working at the Santa Maria restaurant downtown as a cook, preparing meals and prepping food, trying to turn his life around.

Williams has been part of the St Johns County work release program for the past five months.

By Tiffanie Reynolds | gargoyle@flagler.edu

On registration day, Heather Cribbs logged onto myflagler to find that the class she needed to take was no longer listed. It’s a scenario that has happened more than usual this semester, from seniors to freshmen finding more classes full or taken out all together.

“If you can’t get into it or your classes coincide, then you kinda have to choose your battle,” said Cribbs, a junior theater arts major.

Junior Johanna Falzone, a fine arts major, also had the same problem. The lack of class choice not only made it difficult to schedule her classes, but also made her feel under-appreciated as an upperclassman.