The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s Marcus Dawson, first at the scene of a W-Section fire in Palm Coast Sunday evening, entered the smoke-filled house and found a 3-year-old boy hiding under a cover in a bedroom. The fire was contained to the kitchen.
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Daily Cartoon and Briefing
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, October 18, 2021
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local
Florida Republicans Want to Put Ban on Mask Mandates in State Law
The proposal (SB 452), filed by Sen. Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, also would bar cities and counties from requiring people to wear masks or undergo medical procedures or treatments. It came a day after the Florida Department of Health announced it had imposed a $3.57 million fine on Leon County for requiring government employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Amid Uptick in Anti-Asian Hate, Florida Democrats Want Students to Learn More Asian American History
Following 18 months of hate, violence and discrimination against Asian Americans and Asian immigrants, three Florida lawmakers want to incorporate the history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders into the state’s curriculum. If approved by the Legislature and the governor, the AAPI courses and other materials would be added to required instruction under Florida law, such as history of African Americans and the history of the Holocaust.
First Friday, Christmas Parade and Starry Nights Are Returning to Flagler Beach in December as Grinch Variant Wanes
The Flagler Beach City Commission signed off on returning the city’s popular holiday-season events and First Friday, kicking off on Dec. 3 and 4. The city will also launch the second edition of Starry Nights, lighting up the pier, Veterans park and participating businesses, also starting on Dec. 3.
Flagler’s 1st Domestic Violence Conference Confronts Myths and Silences Often Complicit With Abusers
Panels at the conference, called Rise Up 2021, was organized by Daytona State College and the Flagler County Domestic Violence Task Force, delved into religious organizations’ silence toward or complicit enabling of domestic violence, the mechanics of stalking, trauma on children and other prevalent but rarely discussed fallout from a widespread problem.
Darlene Love, Melissa Manchester and ‘Let’s Hang On’ Highlight Flagler Auditorium’s First Full Season Since Covid
The 17-show new season features the return of nationally touring acts, including Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer Darlene Love (of “He’s a Rebel” renown) on Dec. 11, Melissa Manchester on Feb. 6, the Canadian Brass on March 29 and a number of tributes such as the season-concluding Bobby Darin show Splish Splash on April 24.
Palm Coast Man, 63, With Recent History of Domestic Violence, Faces 1st-Degree Attempted Murder Charge Over Roommate Attack
Steven Schneider, on probation over a stalking charge, was charged with attempted first-degree murder after allegedly attacking his 29-year-old roommate with a hammer and a knife and repeatedly stabbing him. The roommate survived. the incident was witnessed by the roommate’s mother.
Third Major Development Slated for Roberts Road Near Sea Ray Would Add 217 Single-Family Homes
The 217 houses of Grand Reserve East would go up on a 142-acre tract paralleling Lambert Avenue to the east, adding to developments bringing 240 apartments and 112 single-family homes a bit further south. The property owner is going through rezoning steps.
On Little More Than Junky Evidence, Palm Coast Councilman Wants $1,000 Fine for Littering and Cops Turned Trash Patrol
Palm Coast Council member Ed Danko wants to see Sheriff’s deputies paying more attention to litterers, and he wants to increase littering fines from $150 to $1,000, though neither he nor the city administration could provide a way of measuring whether there is an unusual littering problem in the city, or how anything more than an awareness campaign could improve matters.
Flagler Health Department Chief Tells Cities and County: Decision to Hold Events Is Yours, Not Health Department’s
The Flagler County Health Department is making it clear to local city and county governments: the department is no longer in the business of telling them whether to hold events or not. That goes for the Christmas parade in Flagler Beach. That was true of the Creekside Festival last weekend. That goes for events at the Flagler Auditorium and anywhere else.
Panel Discusses Eliminating Flagler Beach’s July 4 Parade, or at Least Significantly Scaling It Back
Flagler Beach City Manager William Whitson suggested doing away with the Independence Day parade, an idea that gained little traction among July 4 committee members today, but there was more unanimity about significantly scaling back the parade and eliminating politicians and most businesses from participation.
State Attorney Drops Felony Charge Against Mom in Indian Trails Incident With Boys But Files Misdemeanor Battery
Ruffin, 31, of Palm Coast’s R-Section, drew as much mainstream and social media attention a month ago from an allegation that she had assaulted a juvenile boy as she did from a 15-minute video of herself indignantly countering the charge and describing her role as an instance of instinctive protection of her son, who she said had been targeted by others.
A Buddy Taylor Middle Student Is Arrested for Making Threats to Kill at School, Adding Misogyny to Insults
A 13-year-old student at Buddy Taylor Middle School was charged with two felony counts of making threats to kill after he allegedly threatened his teacher and a classmate at school on Tuesday. It is the second instance of a student arrest for making threats at school since school resumed on Aug. 10, the third involving a child making such threats on or off campus.
Expect Delays and Detours Over Next 10 Nights as Paving Coats Widened Old Kings Road at Palm Coast Parkway
Traffic frustrations around the construction zone at Old Kings Road and Palm Coast Parkway are about to ramp up for a few nights before they get better as the widening project, already weeks past its completion date, enters its final, paving phase. The $6.5 million project was due to be substantially completed by Sept. 22. The completion date is now Oct. 22.
In Swap Deal With Developer of 450 Homes, Citation Boulevard Will Extend to Seminole Woods, Saving Cost of New Firehouse
Plans are being laid out to stretch Citation Boulevard from Belle Terre Boulevard all the way to Seminole Woods Boulevard, creating one of those rare east-west thru-ways in Palm Coast, and possibly saving the city the need to build a firehouse, at least in the longer run.
The Conversation
Antarctica’s Ice Sheet Collapse Is Still Preventable. Barely.
In West Antarctica, the interior of the ice sheet sits atop bedrock that lies well below sea level. As the Southern Ocean warms, scientists are concerned the ice sheet will continue to retreat, potentially raising sea level by several meters.
Florida and Beyond
The Freedom to Vote Act Is No ‘Compromise.’ It’s an Imperative.
The Freedom to Vote Act was introduced in the Senate as the successor to the For the People Act, which was shot down twice by Republican filibusters. The new act, which has the support of all 50 Democrats in the Senate, is sometimes described as a “compromise bill,” but let’s be clear: The bill is no compromise when it comes to essential protections for voting rights.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, October 17, 2021
Today is the United Nation’s annual International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Norm MacDonald’s birthday, Hawthorne’s passages from a relinquished work.
Bisexual Superman: A Subtext Finally, Happily Out of the Closet
Son of Kal-El will be out this November, and will feature Jon sharing a kiss with friend and online journalist Jay Nakamura. Apart from proving Superman has always had a thing for reporters, Jon expressing his sexuality is a watershed moment in the venerable franchise.
More Florida and Beyond
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, October 16, 2021
Community Cats of Palm Coast celebrates the official Grand Opening of its adoption center and thrift store in the Alamo Business Center off U.S. 1, a few words about Noah Webster’s paradoxes, and a few lines from William Trevor.
Do Unbiased Jurors Exist in Social Media Age Anymore?
It’s a fundamental question for this era: Is it possible to find unbiased citizens to serve on a jury in high-profile cases during an age of ubiquitous social media? The dilemma facing the Supreme Court is how prescriptive they want the voir dire process to be. It could issue an opinion requiring lower courts to ask jurors more penetrating questions about their exposure to media accounts in high-profile cases.
Leon County Judge Refuses to Block Florida Law Banning Vaccine Passports
The ruling by Circuit Judge Layne Smith was a victory for Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has led efforts to prevent businesses from requiring customers to show proof they are vaccinated against Covid-19 — an issue that has become known as requiring vaccine passports.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, October 15, 2021
A free half-day conference on domestic violence, open to everyone, is at the Palm Coast Campus of Daytona State College. Bob Snyder, Paul Renner, Travis Hutson on Free for All Friday, and Roxane Gay on the problematic Dave Chappell.
No, Immigrants Don’t Reduce Natives’ Wages
Nobel Prize winner David Card combined a clever technique with data generated by a unique historical event to credibly answer how large-scale immigration from a poor country affects the wages of native-born citizens. It doesn’t hurt those wages.
Covid’s Impact on Students’ Mental Health Termed ‘Widespread and Deeply Concerning’
The turbulent and stressful Covid-19 crisis has impacted mental health issues, including instances of suicidal thoughts among students who have had to deal with the trauma of trying to learn during the pandemic.
Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism: Just Another Day at the NFL
The NFL’s Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen arrogantly believed that their comments would not enter into the public domain. Truth be told, they had ample reason to believe such a possible reality. For more than a decade the NFL gave them free rein to engage in such perverted, hyper levels of toxic masculinity.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, October 14, 2021
Another road closure, this one on Palm Coast Parkway, for beautification, Carla Cline gets the Flagler Beach City Commission’s appreciation, and Peter Beinart on what went wrong for Democrats.
The Live Calendar: Today and Tomorrow
The Live Calendar is a compendium of local and regional political, civic and cultural events. You can input your own calendar events directly onto the site as you wish them to appear (pending approval of course). To include your event in the Live Calendar, please fill out this form.
See the full Live Calendar here.
October 2021
Monday, Oct 18
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Flagler County Commission Evening Meeting
Government Services Building
Tuesday, Oct 19
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Flagler County School Board Information Workshop
Government Services Building
Tuesday, Oct 19
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Food Truck Tuesday
Central Park in Town Center
Tuesday, Oct 19
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Flagler County School Board Meeting
Government Services Building
No event found!
Commentary
What’s Behind All Those Empty Shelves in Stores
There are four primary – and interrelated – reasons for the continuing supply chain crunch, which won’t be resolved by the holidays: soaring consumer demand, a labor shortage, a shipping container shortage, and clogged ports.
On Refugees, Joe Biden Should Emulate Canada: Go Big
The capacity of private American citizens to resettle refugees is large and untapped. It may even bridge the divide over immigration in the United States. Now is the time for Biden to ask the American people to invite homeless and war-ravaged Afghan refugees into their homes and their communities.
We’re Finally Decreasing Child Poverty. Let’s Not Blow It.
Expanded Child Tax Credit payments led to “a notable drop in child poverty” after just the first month. The U.S. Census Bureau also found that after just one month, food insecurity among vulnerable families dropped significantly, and families receiving checks also had less difficulty paying for weekly expenses.