As the United States prepares to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, many states are inventorying, mapping and repairing old historical markers, as well as installing hundreds of new roadside signs, plaques and interpretive panels. In South Carolina, the focus is on sharing lesser-known stories of women, children, Native Americans, enslaved and free Black people and even the Loyalists who sympathized with King George III.
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Daily Cartoon and Briefing
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, January 5, 2025
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local
Bunnell’s 8,000-Home Development Plan Nears Approval. Residents Raise Questions. Officials Don’t.
Members of the public had many questions, at least to the extent that they were allowed to speak their mind. Members of the Bunnell City Commission and its planning board barely had any as the two panels met in a joint workshop Thursday evening to examine the development agreement for the 8,000-home Reserve at Haw Creek project that will transform the city.
Cold-Weather Shelter for Homeless and Others Will Open for Its Longest Stretch Yet
The Sheltering Tree will open the Flagler County cold-weather shelter for its longest-ever stretch as an extended clod wave descends on Flagler County starting tonight and lasting for much of next week.
Despite Investigation Clearing Starbucks, Moody Targets Company for Alleged Race-Based Hiring
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody in May filed a complaint with the Florida Commission on Human Relations alleging that Starbucks had policies that “appear on their face to be racial quotas.” But after an investigation, the commission’s executive director in November issued a determination that there was “no reasonable cause” to believe that the Seattle-based coffee company violated a state anti-discrimination law.
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More Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local
Remembrance of Reads Past: Flagler County Leaders and Thinkers’ Favorite Books of 2024
What started last year as FlaglerLive’s end-of-year gift to our readers is back this year with 18 community leaders and thinkers sharing with us their favorite book of the year. Each was a surprise, a discovery, a challenge in the most rewarding sense. Your to-read pile is sure to grow. Happy New Reads in what we hope will be a page-turning 2025.
FPL Seeks to Increase Electric Rates in Four Successive Years Starting in 2026
FPL, which provides electric power to all of Flagler County, will seek increases of about $1.55 billion that would take effect in 2026 and $930 million that would take effect in 2027, according to a letter filed with the Florida Public Service Commission. It also will seek additional money in 2028 and 2029 to pay for solar-energy and battery projects, though the filing did not detail specific amounts.
Flagler Beach’s Kimberly Chewning, 53, Arrested for Allegedly Attacking Cops and Smashing Neighbor’s Window
Kimberly Chewning, a 53-year-old resident of South 2nd Street in Flagler Beach, was booked at the Flagler County jail Sunday morning on felony charges of battering and threatening law enforcement officers following what had initially appeared as an attempted burglary in her next-door apartment, and in which law enforcement believes she may have been involved.
Jimmy Carter’s One Hundred Years of Solitude
Contrary to his undeserved and simplistic reputation, Jimmy Carter was one of the better presidents of the 20th century. But Americans like their country to be run as a theme park. Annoyances like reality, responsibility and malaise have no place. Neither did Carter. The fantasists have been taking their revenge on him ever since, even as Carter’s legend grew in the 43 years since his presidency. He became the busiest ex-president in history, if still the least celebrated and the most shunned.
As Florida Celebrates Ignorance, SAT Scores and College Rankings Drop, Teachers Flee
A recent column in the Independent Florida Alligator laments how college professors and other educators who teach disfavored subjects or use certain words are beginning to self-censor. The headline reads, “Think While It’s Still Legal.” Gov. Ron DeSantis and his angry regime aren’t big fans of thinking. Or learning. They hate and fear knowledge.
LGBTQ+ People Relive Old Traumas as They Age on Their Own
Of the 3 million Americans over age 50 who identify as gay, bisexual, or transgender, about twice as many are single and living alone when compared with their heterosexual counterparts. This slice of the older population is expanding rapidly and faces a daunting array of problems, including higher-than-usual rates of anxiety and depression, chronic stress, disability, and chronic illnesses such as heart disease, according to numerous research studies.
Bunnell Says No to Developer Seeking To Reduce Open Space By 10% at 8,000-Home ‘Haw Creek Reserve’
The 8,000-home development called Reserve at Haw Creek in Bunnell may proceed, but it will have to respect the city’s minimum requirement of 60 percent of open space. Rejecting a developer’s claim that his due process was violated or his veiled threat to build more apartment buildings if his request was rejected, the Bunnell City Commission voted 3-2 to deny an exception that would have allowed reducing open space at the Reserve at Haw Creek from 60 percent to 50 percent.
Justifying Book Bans, Florida Says It’s Not Required to Provide Libraries to School Students. Publishers Disagree.
Major publishing companies and authors Friday argued that a federal judge should deny Florida’s request to dismiss a lawsuit over the removal of school library books, saying a controversial state law violates First Amendment rights. Attorneys disputed a state position that selection of school library books is “government speech” and, as a result, is not subject to the First Amendment.
Flagler County Raised Concerns Well Before Developer Sought to Reduce Open Space at 8,000-Home ‘Reserve’ in Bunnell
As the developer of the proposed 6,000-t-8,000-home Reserve at Haw Creek in Bunnell, the single-largest development in the county since Palm Coast’s origins, seeks to lower the proportion of open space there, Flagler County months ago issued a detailed letter to the city raising concerns with the plan, especially as it relates to the number of homes, flooding and open space. And that was before the developer increased the proposed density and sought to lower the amount of open space.
Ragga Surf Eviction Stands as Marineland and Flagler County Snipe at Each Other and State Snubs Them All
If the 50-some of supporters of Ragga Surf Café who turned out for a Marineland Town Commission meeting Thursday evening to hear some hope, any hope, that the café can stave off eviction from its temporary home at the River to Sea Preserve on Dec. 31, they were disappointed. The eviction stands. The earliest Ragga may have a chance to reclaim its spot, if at all, may be March, judging from what County Administrator Heidi Petito estimated, though it would likely be longer.
November House Sales in Flagler County At Lowest Level in Almost 7 Years, Job-Holder Total at 2-Year Low
Flagler County’s unemployment was 4.4 percent in November, up a decimal point from a revised 4.3 percent the previous month, a statistically insignificant change, even as the number of unemployed residents declined slightly. More alarmingly: housing sales hit a seven-year low, while the number of Flagler residents holding jobs continued to decline significantly.
The Conversation
How Cities Are Reinventing the Public-Private Partnership
An emerging trend with local governments engaged in private-sector collaborations – what we have come to describe as “community-centered, public-private partnerships,” or CP3s. Unlike traditional public-private partnerships, CP3s aren’t just about financial investments; they leverage relationships and trust. And they’re about more than just building infrastructure; they’re about building resilient and inclusive communities.
Florida and Beyond
Clarence Thomas Eludes Investigation Over Ethics Lapses as Federal Courts Circle Wagons
The federal courts will not refer complaints that Justice Clarence Thomas violated ethics laws to the Department of Justice for investigation. The national policymaking body for the federal courts on Thursday rejected Democratic lawmakers’ request to refer to the attorney general claims that Thomas violated the law when he failed to disclose luxury travel, the sale of property to billionaire Harlan Crow, and other gifts.
Bringing Gaza Home to Your City
For any city or county in the U.S., simply find your population and area, then do the math to extrapolate the impacts of the genocide based on Gaza’s population and area.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, January 4, 2024
The Saturday Flagler Beach Farmers Market, Grace Community Food Pantry, on the Soap Museum in Saida, and Barbara Ehrenreich talks candidly about cleaning up other people’s crap.
Briefs and Releases
Doctor Faces $10,000 Fine for Violation Abortion Waiting Period
Lawsuit Proceeds After District Allowed Christian, But Not Satan, Banners at Schools
Flagler County Wins Public Safety Award from Northeast Florida Regional Council
Court Sides with Prison Guards Accused of ‘Deliberate Indifference’ in Restrained Inmate’s Death
Friends of GTM and the GTM Research Reserve Say Thank You
More Florida and Beyond
Men Are Carrying the Brunt of the ‘Loneliness Epidemic’
Emotional pain is linked to serious health issues. But the public’s response to male expressions of emotion and vulnerability is often minimizing, if not dismissive. In May 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory highlighting what he described as an epidemic of loneliness and isolation in the country. Research confirms this scourge.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, January 3, 2025
First Friday Garden Walks at Washington Oaks, on the beauty of Maine’s flora, Steinbeck and Charley discover Aroostook County.
Behind the Scenes in the Battle Over “The Satanic Verses”
In March 1989, Mahathir wrote a letter to then UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher that was blunt even by his standards. Unlike a lot of his angry letters, this one wasn’t published. Mahathir’s letter was about Salman Rushdie’s controversial book, “The Satanic Verses.” The letter has now been declassified and reveals uncomfortable words.
‘Smart Cities’ Are Also Surveillance Cities: Privacy-Busting Cameras Are Everywhere
People on the roads are likely used to red light and security cameras at intersections, but advancements in cloud technology and artificial intelligence allow transit agencies and cities to collect far more data than ever before, and to use that data in more strategic ways. But with increased monitoring, data collection and analysis comes ethical and privacy concerns.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, January 2, 2025
The Bunnell Coty Commission and its Planning Board hold a joint workshop on the pending rezoning application by Reserve at Haw Creek, on golden ageism, Philip Glass and the cosmic calendar.
Election Reform Lost in the Last Election
In the 2024 election, voters proved hesitant to overhaul the election systems they were already familiar with, as almost all of the reforms failed. Voters become familiar with the electoral system they live under and can be slow to embrace changes to that system. It can take several election cycles before they fully adapt to these changes.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, January 1, 2025
It’s back to 1954 in Florida, launching a new year on a few thoughts by Pascal, a song suggested by Andy Montgomery (the poor have too much money), and Sabbath’s Theater.
As Trump Boasts of Immigrant Roundups, Militias Are Standing By
President-elect Donald Trump has reaffirmed that once he takes office he plans to declare a national emergency and use the military on American streets to accomplish his promises to round up and deport millions of undocumented migrants. Some militia units may see it as their duty to assist with such efforts. In fact, local police may even deputize certain militias to help them deport immigrants.
From Facebook Ban to Building Regulations, These Nine New Florida Laws Go in Effect on Tuesday
From banning minors from social media to imposing harsher penalties for getting too close to first responders, these nine laws go into effect on New Year’s Day.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, December 31
Nothing doing around Palm Coast and Flagler County except shopping for Veuve-Cliquot, a few meaningless predictions for 2025, the absurdity of crystal balls, a final word by Voltaire.
Ethel Rosenberg Was Innocent. It’s Time to Exonerate Her.
Ethel Rosenberg and her husband, Julius, were executed on June 19, 1953, for conspiracy to commit espionage. They were accused of giving “the secret” of the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union, meaning they supposedly passed vital technological information to help the Soviets develop their own bomb. The author of a book on the Rosenberg case found no “secret,” and that while Julius was a spy, Ethel was not.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, December 30, 2024
Clay Jones on Jimmy Carter, last Night for Rotary’s Fantasy Lights Festival in Palm Coast’s Town Center, Nar-Anon Family Groups, a few thoughts about Byblos, its etymology and history, goodbye Demis Roussos.
Israel’s Increasingly Violent and Racist Settlers
In the past decade, a militant stream gained increasing popularity within the Israeli settlers movement. Its leaders have embraced the followers of Kahanism, a racist ideology promoted by Rabbi Meir Kahane in the 1970s and ‘80s. Kahane proposed extreme policies to promote Jewish supremacy in Israel and the West Bank, such as calls to expel all Arabs from the country or prohibit marriage between Jews and Muslims. Kahane’s followers also justified violence against Palestinians.
Commentary
The Horror of Native American Boarding Schools and Biden’s Inadequate Apology
Over the past 10 years, many historians and Indigenous scholars have said that what happened at the Indian boarding schools “meets the definition of genocide.” From the 19th to 20th century, children were physically removed from their homes and separated from their families and communities, often without the consent of their parents. The purpose of these schools was to strip Native American children of their Indigenous names, languages, religions and cultural practices.
How Aristotle Explains Trump’s Speeches
With half of the US electorate on his side, Trump’s chaotic speaking style is clearly no barrier to success. If his public appearances are indeed so shambolic, why do they continue to fire up his supporters, attract new ones–and give him the victory? Aristotle would have understood, and explained it this way.
Spurred by a Middle School Student’s Project, Florida’s Dixie County Leaps Into Electric School Buses
The Dixie district is so small, it serves approximately 2,000 students across five schools, from pre-K through 12th grade. Still, its 23 buses will collectively travel 270,000 miles annually. By avoiding 228 metric tons of CO2 emissions, the electric buses will improve air quality for the whole community so everyone can breathe easier. Dixie’s electric buses are among the 66,000 projects funded by the $568 billion Biden infrastructure plan, which is considered the nation’s largest investment ever in clean energy.
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