The DeSantis administration seems happy to trash that pesky First Amendment whenever they feel like it, forbidding educators to discuss systemic racism — no learning about redlining, unequal access to justice, Jim Crow, habitual dumping of toxic waste in minority communities, or denying Black veterans access to GI Bill benefits — policing college course descriptions for naughty words such as “gender” and “decolonize,” or hyperventilating over the possibility sex might be mentioned in the classroom.
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Daily Cartoon and Briefing
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, November 2, 2025
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local
Food Stamps Cruelty But for a Gavel
A federal judge ridiculed the Trump administration’s lie that it could not logistically use billions of dollars in emergency funds to continue providing food stamps, and today ordered the government to release the funds. The administration will doubtless appeal. Either way, it should not have gotten this far: the battle over food stamps exposes the mendacity of an administration’s cruel stand in a shutdown that may yet force millions to lose health insurance.
Palm Coast Invites Residents to Take an Economic Development Survey the Council Did Not Review
Palm Coast government is inviting residents to play a role in shaping the city’s economic future by participating in “Prosperity 2035,” a community-driven vision plan developed in partnership with the Northeast Florida Regional Council (NEFRC). But the city did not develop the survey. Nor did the City Council review it or discuss it at a meeting.
Nor’easter Damage to Flagler’s Beaches, Neighborhood By Neighborhood: Emergency Dunes Are No Longer Enough
The nor’easter that barreled through the region between October 10 and October 14 caused uneven but significant and in some places severe damage to Flagler County’s 18 miles of shoreline, with beaches toward the north holding up better than beaches further south. A thorough analysis based on on-the-ground observations and drone footage reveals that no stretch of beach was spared erosion. The analysis underscores an expensive reality: it is not enough to keep building sacrificial dunes. The beaches in front of the dunes must be rebuilt, too. The county has a plan, but little money to enact it.
More Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local
Sen. Tom Leek Again Files Bill to Create Museum of Black History Board in St. Johns, After Setback Earlier This Year
Sen. Tom Leek of Ormond Beach introduced Senate Bill 308, which would create an Administrative Board that must be formed by July 31, 2026. The panel will oversee the museum’s construction, operation, and administration — a key step in fulfilling the vision outlined in legislation authorizing the museum’s development. Leek had filed a similar bill last year. It cleared every committee unanimously. It cleared the House and Senate unanimously, along $750,000 for actual construction. Gov. DeSantis vetoed the funding, and Leek’s bill died.
Palm Coast Woman Who Let Mom Die in ‘Concentration Camp’ Conditions Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison
Kim Zaheer, the now-68-year-old woman accused of letting her mother die of such neglect that neither the medical examiner nor the funeral home personnel who handled the body said they’d seen anything so abject in their careers, was sentenced to six years in prison this afternoon. Frances Hildegard King, 88, was found dead on Dec. 5, 2018, at the house she owned at 20 Rocket Lane in Palm Coast since 2008. With time served and time off for good behavior, Zaheer may be out of prison in a year and two months.
Grand Reserve Shows Its Muscle as Bunnell City Commission Rejects Voting Districts in Close Vote
Despite the increasingly disproportionate influence of Grand Reserve, the city’s largest subdivision, the Bunnell City Commission this week narrowly rejected a proposal to ask voters in a referendum whether they’d favor adopting voting districts to even out electoral representation across the city. But the matter may soon return before the commission. The 3-2 majority opposing the proposal included two commissioners–David Atkinson and Dean Sechrist–who live in Grand Reserve. If districts were in effect, only one of them could serve on the commission.
Free the Food Trucks: Palm Coast Will End Strict Regulations on Popular Roving, Popup Businesses
Palm Coast is ready to make it easier for food trucks to sell in the city–at public parks, in commercial parking lots, on private property–with basic permitting. Council members don’t yet agree on the details. But they all agree that regulations must be loosened, that food trucks be more accessible on public and private grounds, that the city control them with a much lighter hand, and that local food trucks be given preference.
Parents Each Charged 4 Days Apart With Felony Child Abuse Involving Same Autistic Teen Son
Jason Joseph Reed, 42, of Raeland Lane in Palm Coast, was arrested on Oct, 21 and charged with felony child abuse following an incident captured on internal video and involving his autistic teenage stepson. Four days later, Jason’s wife Janet Lynn Reed, 41, was arrested on an identical charge following a different incident with her son, who will be referred to here as Tom (a pseudonym). Tom was taken to the hospital after the second incident.
Palm Coast Fire Department’s Osvaldo Sene Is Kiwanis Club’s Firefighter of the Year
The Flagler-Palm Coast Kiwanis Club has named Palm Coast Firefighter Paramedic Osvaldo “Ozzy” Sene its 2025 Firefighter of the Year. Firefighter Paramedic Sene joined the Palm Coast Fire Department two years ago and has quickly become a standout member of the team through his dedication to professional development, community service, and mentorship.
In a Flagler First, Three Former FPC Students Are Its Teacher, Employee and Rookie of the Year
In what appears to be a first in the county’s history, three former Flagler Palm Coast High School students–Alex Giorgianni, Calvin Grant and Madison Mead–have been named the school’s Teacher of the Year, Employee of the Year and Rookie Teacher of the Year. FPC Principal Bobby Bossardet celebrated the occasion in a schoolwide.
Palm Coast Will Not Join 25 Local Governments in Lawsuit Against SB180, Which Disables Development Regulation
The Palm Coast City Council today said it is declining to join a lawsuit by 25 other local governments against a new state law, known as SB180, that has sharply restricted governments’ regulatory authority on local development. Bunnell, Flagler Beach and county government have also declined. Council member Theresa Pontieri pushed back against Mayor Mike Norris’s suggestion to join the lawsuit, saying the city should not risk its political capital by alienating lawmakers whose help and appropriations it needs, at a time when lobbyists are near certain that the law will be amended by next March.
Concrete Company Looking to Open Batch Plant on Hargrove Lane in Palm Coast Gets Approved for One in Bunnell
In January a split Bunnell City Commission rejected a request by Hard Rock Materials to rezone 1.4 acres at the end of Hibiscus Avenue for a concrete batch plant. Neighborhood residents had objected, fearing noise and raising safety concerns. On Monday, the commission unanimously reversed itself, saying the conditions Hard Rock is willing to abide by are sufficient to warrant a change of heart.
Bankruptcy Judge Rejects Marineland Sale for Now, Ordering Community Bidder to Be Considered
Displeased with the way a community bidder was locked out of the process and concerned about the fate of the historic treasure and its animals, a federal bankruptcy judge in Delaware this afternoon refused to approve the $7.1 million sale of the Marineland Dolphin Adventure property to a developer and ordered the debtors’ attorney to have discussions with the lower bidder, Jack Kassewitz, a dolphin specialist proposing to save the facility as an oceanarium.
Florida Cabinet Questions Voucher Dollars Going to Muslim Schools, But Not Christian Schools
All three members of the Florida Cabinet are questioning the legality of the state voucher system that has steered taxpayer-funded scholarships to private Islamic schools that they contend undermine “Western” values. Attorney General Uthmeier, Chief Financial Officer Ingoglia, and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, all Republicans and allies of the governor, spoke against extending vouchers to the Hifz Academy and Bayaan Academy, Islamic schools in Tampa now accepting these scholarships.
The Live Calendar: Today in Flagler
November 2025
Nov 03 2025
Flagler County Commission Morning Meeting
Government Services Building
Nov 03 2025
Beverly Beach Town Commission meeting
Beverly Beach Town Hall
Nov 03 2025
Nar-Anon Family Group
St. Mark by the Sea Lutheran Church
Nov 03 2025
Palm Coast Charter Review Committee Meeting
Palm Coast City Hall
Nov 04 2025
Flagler Beach United Methodist Church Food Pantry
Flagler Beach United Methodist Church
Nov 04 2025
Sheriff Staly 50th Year Celebration
Sheriff's Operations Center
Nov 04 2025
Flagler Beach Library Writers’ Club
315 South 7th Street, Flagler Beach
Nov 04 2025
Flagler Beach Planning and Architectural Review Board
Flagler Beach City Hall
Nov 04 2025
Palm Coast City Council Meeting
Palm Coast City Hall
Nov 04 2025
Bunnell Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board
Government Services Building
Nov 04 2025
Flagler Beach United Methodist Church Food Pantry Evening Hours
Flagler Beach United Methodist Church
Nov 04 2025
Thornton Wilder’s ‘Our Town,’ at Limelight Theatre in St. Augustine
Limelight Theatre
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The Conversation
Congress’ Path to Irrelevance
Throughout the shutdown battle, Congress – particularly the House of Representatives – has been unwilling to assert itself as an equal branch of government. Beyond policymaking, Congress has been content to hand over many of its core constitutional powers to the executive branch. This renunciation of responsibility is difficult to watch. Yet Congress’ path to irrelevance as a body of government did not begin during the shutdown, or even in January 2025.
Florida and Beyond
Daylight Saving Time Is Against Human Nature
Biologically speaking, it is normal, and even critical, for nature to do more during the brighter months and to do less during the darker ones. Animals go into hibernation, plants into dormancy. As far as we humans know, we are the only species that chooses to fight against our biological presets, regularly changing our clocks, miserably dragging ourselves into and out of bed at unnatural hours.
More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by ICE and Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days
Americans have been dragged, tackled, beaten, tased and shot by immigration agents. They’ve had their necks kneeled on. They’ve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear. At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them. One of those women had already had the door of her home blown off while Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem watched. About two dozen Americans have said they were held for more than a day without being able to phone lawyers or loved ones.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, November 1, 2025
J.D. Vance’s food stamps cruelty, Grace Community Food Pantry hours, the Saturday Flagler Beach Farmers Market, ‘The 39 Steps,’ at the Daytona Playhouse, Thornton Wilder’s ‘Our Town,’ at Limelight Theatre in St. Augustine.
More Florida and Beyond
The Other Marineland’s Demise Points to Decline of Zoo Tourism
Thirty beluga whales are at the risk of being euthanized at the now-shuttered Marineland zoo and amusement park in Niagara Falls, Canada. Marineland said in a letter to Canada’s Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson it will have to euthanize the whales if it doesn’t receive the necessary financial support to relocate them. The park has come under intense scrutiny recently due to the ongoing struggle to relocate its remaining whales amid financial struggles, a lack of resources and crumbling infrastructure.
State Defends Firing Employee Over Charlie Kirk Social Media Post
Disputing allegations that they violated First Amendment rights, Florida wildlife officials Thursday argued that a federal judge should reject a request to reinstate a biologist who was fired because of a social-media post after the murder of conservative and openly racist, misogynistic and homophobic activist Charlie Kirk.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, October 31, 2025
Rocky Horror Picture Show at Athens Theatre, Free For All Fridays on the pending food crisis if food stamps are cut off, on life sentences, Thornton Wilder’s ‘Our Town,’ at Limelight Theatre in St. Augustine.
Protesting America
Protests are becoming a routine part of public life in the United States. Since 2017, the number of nonviolent demonstrations has almost tripled, according to researchers with the nonprofit Crowd Counting Consortium. And more people are joining than ever. Polarization – the extent to which people dislike members of the opposing party – is a key driver. Today political polarization, as reflected by the ratings Americans give to the political parties, continues to be at its highest level since political scientists began using the measure in 1964.
Overruling Judge, Attorney General Says Prosecutors and Staff May Bring Guns into Courtrooms
In an Oct. 20 letter posted to the attorney general’s website, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier told Sarasota’s Republican State Attorney, Ed Brodsky, that he and his staff should be allowed to bring their guns into courtrooms — even though the Chief Judge of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit decreed otherwise in a September order.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, October 30, 2025
Rocky Horror Picture Show at Athens Theatre, Randy Fine’s “America for Americans” muse, Thornton Wilder’s ‘Our Town,’ at Limelight Theatre in St. Augustine, A Forum on the Future of Volusia County’s Beaches.
4.7 Million Floridians Have Obamacare. Here’s What Happens If They Lose Their Subsidies.
The number of people insured under the ACA in each state varies. But the state with the largest number of residents on marketplace insurance plans is Florida. About 4.7 million Florida residents are covered through these plans, representing 27% of the state’s under-65 population, compared to the national average of 8.8%. Of those on marketplace plans, 98% receive a subsidy at some level. There are several reasons why this rate is so much higher in Florida than elsewhere.
‘There Will be Some Changes’ to SB180, Sen. Tom Leek Says of Law Favoring Developers At Home Rule’s Expense
State legislators are discussing the possibility of revising a new law that has drawn legal challenges because it blocks cities and counties from approving “more restrictive or burdensome” changes to growth plans. Senate Majority Leader Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, said Monday during a Manatee County legislative delegation meeting that he has talked with sponsors of the 2025 legislation and that “tweaks” are being discussed.
State Kills Norman Grim for 1998 Murder of Cynthia Chapman, Record 15th Execution of the Year
After declining to fight the execution in court, Norman Grim was put to death by lethal injection Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison for the 1998 sexual assault and murder of a woman in Santa Rosa County. Grim, 65, was pronounced dead at 6:14 p.m., becoming the 15th inmate executed in Florida this year — a modern-era record.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Another Clay Jones special on his recovery and a rewind to those Obama years, weekly chess club for teens at the county library, Frances Fitzgerald on a 2008 letter imagining Obama’s America in 2012.
Trump Scrapped Detailed Annual Food Insecurity Report, Making It Harder to Know American Hunger
The Trump administration announced plans to stop releasing food insecurity data. The federal government has tracked and analyzed this data for the past three decades. Food banks relied on the data to understand who was most likely to need their help. The data also allowed policymakers to see the big jump in need during the Great Recession starting in 2008. It also showed a slight decline in food insecurity with the rise in government assistance early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
2.9 Million Floridians Will Lose Food Stamps Benefits Saturday if Shutdown Doesn’t End
Nearly 3 million Floridians who rely on federal food assistance will see their benefits end in November due to the federal government shutdown. Florida has the fourth largest SNAP enrollment nationwide with 2.94 million relying on the assistance for their food security, behind California, Texas, and New York. Nationwide, 41.7 million people rely on SNAP benefits, August 2025 data show.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, October 28, 2025
The Palm Coast City Council and the School Board hold meetings, the latest Israeli theft of Gaza, the Flagler County Affordable Housing Committee, Budgeting by Values: A Free, Virtual Class to Learn Budgeting Skills at Flagler Cares.
Commentary
Workplace Exhaustion’s Connection to Extremism
A new study of 600 employees suggests burnout may quietly fuel worrying attitudes – specifically, the potential justification of violent extremism – towards the perceived source of their distress. In the study, employees made daily notes of their burnout symptoms, emotional states, and violent extremist attitudes. On days when employees felt more burnt out, they reported significantly more sympathy toward extremist ideas, such as justifying violence against perceived injustices.
Speaking Spoofs to Power: Those Inflatable Costumes at Trump Protests
activists taking part in protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) across the United States have donned inflatable animal costumes. The aim is to disrupt the Trump administration’s claim that the protests are violent “hate America” rallies. The result is a sight to behold, with many encounters between police and protestors going viral. Whether they know it or not, these costumed activists are contributing to a rich history of using humour and dress to mobilise against and challenge power.
When Florida Sends Goons to Intimidate Government Critics
Retired Florida resident James O’Gara sent a postcard to Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, saying simply, “You lack values.” Soon after the postcard, two guys in armored vests emblazoned “POLICE” showed up at the O’Gara home and asked if James O’Gara had mailed that little missive to Tallahassee. They didn’t identify themselves, but the O’Garas checked with Largo police and found out the men were from the Department of Financial Services’ investigations unit.