AdventHealth Daytona Beach, AdventHealth Fish Memorial and AdventHealth Palm Coast each earned five stars, placing them among the top-performing hospitals in the country, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Archives for May 13, 2026
Opioid Overdose Deaths Drop 42% in First Half of 2025, Fentanyl Deaths Down 46%
Opioid-caused deaths fell by 42 percent from January 2025 to June 2025, and fentanyl-caused deaths fell 46 percent, according to the interim 2025 Drugs in Deceased Persons Report released by the Florida Medical Examiners Commission. Drug harm reduction advocates and researchers say shifts in the drug supply and changes in drug use are the major contributors to the decrease in deaths.
Mandatory One Day Per Week Watering Restrictions Ordered as Drought Worsens
The St. Johns River Water Management District today issued a Phase III Extreme Water Shortage declaration in response to ongoing exceptional drought conditions, declining groundwater levels and reduced surface water flows across northeast and central Florida. The district includes 18 counties from Nassau to the north to Indian River to the south, including Flagler.
Council Rejects Affordable Housing Recommendations, Saying It Doesn’t Want to Alter Palm Coast’s ‘Character’
The Palm Coast City Council reviewed a sobering housing assessment identifying significant affordability gaps for working residents but rejected several strategies and narrowed the focus toward senior housing, exposing a deep divide between itself and its Affordable Housing Committee, if not its own administration. Advocates criticized the limited approach for ignoring the needs of teachers and first responders. Future expansion plans suggest a continued reliance on single-family homes, deepening a lack of diversity.
Palm Coast Council Will Join State Program Focused on Protecting Historical and Cultural Assets Citywide
Palm Coast City Council members agreed to draft an ordinance seeking inclusion in Florida’s Certified Local Government Program, which creates a partnership between federal, state, and local governments to evaluate and protect historic properties. The designation allows the city to access grant funding for preservation efforts citywide. Though 88 Florida cities and counties are part of the program, not a single Flagler County entity is. The efoort was spurred by concerns over Palm Coast’s westward expansion.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Conversations in Democracy at Pine Lakes Golf Club, Jonathan Brown on the cognitive test Trump failed, on being part of something bigger than oneself, David Foster Wallace on Charlie Rose.