Florida’s state-run prisons would be allowed to cut visitation with inmates in half to mirror staffing shortages. Advocates for inmates and their families object, saying visitation is a boon to inmate behavior and helps maintain family ties critical for the success of inmates returning to free society.
By Focusing Only on ‘Resilience,’ Florida’s Governor Ignores Climate Change’s Deadly Heat
“Resilience” is the word politicians use when they mean “climate change is an opportunity for me to hand out lots of big government contracts for construction work that will try to cope with rising sea levels.” But resiliency does nothing to reverse dangerous courses.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday July 10, 2022
Flagler Playhouse auditions for “Oliver!,” Happy Birthday Mary McLeod Bethune, national character and Jan. 6, the Nile of language, best shots at Wimbledon.
Who’s Being Discriminated Against? A Huge Perception Gap Between Blacks and Whites.
A third of white Americans say they have seen “a lot more” discrimination against white people in the past five years and a majority see no increased discrimination against minorities. A large majority of Black Americans disagree.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, July 9, 2022
Auditions for the afterschool theater program at the Palm Coast Arts Foundation, Family Builder Lab at the library, auditions for “Oliver!,” Grace Community Food Pantry.
Buying Into Conspiracy Theories Can Be Exciting – and Dangerous
Anyone who talks to conspiracy theorists knows that they’re never short on details, or at least “alternative facts.” They have plenty of information, but they insist that it be interpreted in a particular way – the way that feels most exciting.
Flagler Schools Get B as Florida Resumes Grading, But Rymfire-Buddy Taylor-FPC Pipeline Is a C
After two years of Covid, when the state did not grade schools and districts, Flagler County schools earned a grade of B this year, with only three of its schools earning an A and four earning a C. Two earned a B. It was a middling performance coming off the disruptions of the pandemic and a decline from the A the district had scored in 2019.
Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition “Water|Ways” Opens at AACS’s Museum Saturday
The AACS Museum was expressly chosen by the Florida Humanities as part of the MoMS national, state and local partnership to bring exhibitions and programs to museums and cultural organizations in rural locations across the USA. Support for MoMS is provided by Congress.
Attempt to Extend Olive Branch to Green Lion Fails as Council Cites ‘Disrespect’; City Will Issue RFP
Palm Coast government’s relationship with the Green Lion Cafe is over, and an attempt by City Council member Nick Klufas to extend a two-week grace period and hold a workshop with the restaurant’s owners failed. The Green Lion now has six months to clear out of Palm Harbor, and the city must pay a year’s back rent, or $7,200.
Developments Could Stall If County, Cities and District Can’t Agree on School Construction Payments
As they hurtle toward an arbitrary Aug. 31 deadline that could potentially bring some local development to a halt, the Flagler County School Board on one side and the county, Palm Coast and Bunnell on the other remain in sharp opposition over how to collect money developers owe the district to ensure there are enough schools for incoming students.
Portables Are Back: Buddy Taylor Middle Takes Delivery of 7 Classrooms, Leased for $105,000
After an absence of 14 years, Buddy Taylor Middle School this week was again the scene of installations of portable classrooms, a trend the Flagler County school district has been trying to avoid by planning for new construction. But wrangles with the county and cities over school financing is increasing the likelihood of more portables ahead.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, July 8, 2022
Flagler Broadcasting’s four radio stations, including flagship WNZF, hold a six-hour Food-A-Thon today, the Calgary Stampede, a little bit of cricket, on having an affinity for shock.
Follow Your Passion? 5 Drawbacks.
Following one’s passion does not necessarily lead to fulfillment, but is one of the most powerful cultural forces perpetuating overwork. It also helps perpetuate social inequalities due to the fact that not everyone has the same economic resources to allow them to pursue their passion with ease.
In the Shadow of Tom Joad: Pride in Flagler’s Food-A-Thon, Wrath That It Is Still Needed
One naturally feels proud about a community capable of generosity on the scale of Flagler Radio’s Friday Food-A-Thon. But there’s no pride in the persistent poverty it speaks of: There’s something pathologically wrong about any community in what is supposedly the wealthiest country on earth still having to do this to ensure something as basic as putting food on the table for 3,500 families every week.
Multiplication of Loaves: Flagler Radio’s Food-A-Thon on July 8 Aims for $1 Million Food Buy for Needy
A July 8 Food-A-Thon organized by Flagler Broadcasting’s four radio stations aims to raise $200,000 in cash, which can then be leveraged to buy more than $1 million in food to ensure $00 worth of groceries every week for 3,500 families through the new year. The donations and pledges are already poring in.
School Board at Impasse With County and Palm Coast Over Billing Developers for New Schools
The Flagler County School Board says it needs to collect a larger portion of impact fees up front to plan for $175 million in new school construction. The County Commission and Palm Coast object, proposing a plan that would let developers pay a smaller share up front, and pay as they go.
Taxable Values Surge at Highest Pace in 16 Years, Setting Up Windfall for Government
Taxable values in Flagler County rose 18 percent in 2021, higher than initially estimated two months ago. Values rose nearly 20 percent in Palm Coast, 14.5 percent in Flagler Beach and 22 percent in Bunnell. The school board’s taxable values increased by 25 percent. For local governments, the surging values can translate to surging revenue–if the governments do not hold the line on tax rates.
State Government Veteran Pete Antonacci Will Lead Florida’s Elections Police
The Legislature voted this year to create the office at DeSantis’ urging in a Republican-led push to ensure “voting integrity” despite the overall agreement that the 2020 election ran smoothly in Florida.
Gas Prices Falling Steadily, and May Continue to Fall Nearer $4 Mark as Recession Looms
Gas prices are not tumbling yet, but they’re falling, and they may continue to fall as oil producers increase production, supplies increase and fears of recession slow demand.
Contaminants Found in Oysters in Waters Around Florida
With a new state law addressing the clean-up of chemical compounds that have been widely used by industries, a Florida International University study says the substances have been found in oysters in Biscayne Bay, the Marco Island area and Tampa Bay.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, July 7, 2022
A special meeting of the Flagler County Commission on school concurrency, sliced bread’s origins, the running of the bulls in Pamplona, the Sun Also Rises.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Is Your Friend
Numerous studies have shown that consuming olive oil – in particular extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) – can have many different benefits for our health. Women who ate a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil had a 62 percent lower risk of breast cancer compared to women who were advised to eat a low fat diet.
After 17 Years, Two School Board Members Put Flagler Youth Orchestra’s Future in Doubt
Even as they professed support for what the Flagler Youth Orchestra has achieved and acknowledged its cost-effectiveness, School Board members Janet McDonald and Jill Woolbright questioned whether the board should continue supporting the model.
Palm Coast Opts for FCC Environmental After 16 Years With Waste Pro, Dismissing Pleas and Accusations
The Palm Coast City Council voted 4-1 to approve a $32 million, seven-year contract with FCC Environmental, ending what will be a 16-year relationship with Waste Pro, whose employees and supporters unsuccessfully attempted to sway the council back their way Tuesday evening.
16 Flagler Businesses Pass July 4 Test: None Sold Booze to Underage Undercover Agent
State Agents from Jacksonville’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT) conducted compliance checks throughout Flagler County, in an effort to combat underage drinking for the 4th of July holiday weekend.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, July 6, 2022
The Palm Coast Code Enforcement Board meets, Jacinda Arden’s graduation speech, “Soldiers’ Pay.”
Abortion: The Canadian Option
In Canada, abortion is completely decriminalized. Abortion is health care and is no more governed by criminal law than knee surgery or intravenous antibiotics. There are no legal limits on gestational age, or mandatory waiting periods or requirements that youth seek parental consent.
State Quickly Appeals Abortion Law Ruling, Leaving New Restrictions in Place
A new Florida law blocking doctors from performing abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy remains in effect despite a Leon County circuit judge’s ruling that it is unconstitutional, as attorneys for the state swiftly appealed the decision Tuesday.
Doctor’s $1 Million-a-Year Endowment, Largest of Its Kind, Launches Flagler Cares Initiatives for Neediest
In what amounts to the largest health-related private endowment in Flagler County’s history, Dr. Stephen Bickel is pledging to award Flagler Cares, the Palm Coast-based non-profit focused on health and social services for the neediest, $1 million a year, every year, leading to a self-sustaining endowment worth $10 million. Flagler Cares today is launching mold-breaking innovative grants and local health initiatives with the money.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, July 5, 2022
The Flagler County School Board holds a six-hour “retreat” (open to the public) before a workshop, the Palm Coast city council meets, Fredrick Douglass asks what the 4th of July is to a slave.
Was There Anything Real About Elvis Presley?
Presley never wrote a memoir. Nor did he keep a diary. Once, when informed of a potential biography in the works, he expressed doubt that there was even a story to tell. Over the years, he had submitted to numerous interviews and press conferences, but the quality of these exchanges was erratic, frequently characterized by superficial answers to even shallower questions.
Two Trauma Evacuated, Including Child, in 3-Vehicle Crash Near Flagler Beach Bridge
The eastbound lanes across the bridge into Flagler Beach were shut down this morning just as the city’s annual Independence Day parade was ending following a severe three-vehicle crash at the intersection of State Road 100 and John Anderson Highway.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, July 4, 2022
The annual Stars and Stripes parade, sponsored by Flagler Beach Rotary, kicks off at 10 a.m. down State Road A1A to the heart of town, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, Salvatore Cardillo.
Critical Race Theory Is Not in Schools. It Should Be.
As a framework, critical race theory asks teachers to use equitable approaches to curriculum, policy and structures in schools and school boards. For example, K-12 curriculum that is viewed through a CRT lens provides historical contexts and explains how history informs contemporary social, political, economic, cultural situations and issues.
Palm Coast Plans to Trash Waste Pro for New Hauler, FCC Environmental, and Another Fee Increase
After 15 years with Waste Pro, Palm Coast government is proposing to drop the trash hauler and sign a seven-year, $32 million contract with Houston-based FCC Environmental, raising residential homes’ monthly trash fee to $32.32 a month, up 59 percent from last year, and 7.8 percent from the existing, temporary one-year extension contract with Waste Pro.
No Fireworks in Flagler Beach? No Problem: Palm Coast Hosts July 3 Fireworks Show at County Airport
Celebrate Independence Day with “Fireworks Over the Runways” on Sunday, July 3, with a 20-minute production by Fireworks by Santore at the Flagler Executive Airport, 201 Airport Road in Palm Coast. The show features more than 1,000 exploding shells and a jaw-dropping finale.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, July 3, 2022
Fireworks Over the Runways, Palm Coast’s celebration of Independence Day at the county airport, Grace Community Food Pantry, the USS Vincennes’ error, the strange career of Jim Crow.
Does ‘Hardening’ Schools Make Students Safer?
Schools cannot be hardened enough to prevent gun violence. Schools can, however, become more physically and psychologically safe so students can learn and thrive.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, July 2, 2022
Flagler Beach Farmers Market, First Saturday Creative Bazaar Arts and Craft Market in Town Center, Sunshine and Sandals Social at Cornerstone, the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Red Flag Laws Saved 7,300 Americans From Gun Deaths in 2020 Alone, and Could’ve Saved 11,400 More
In 2018, after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida passed a red flag law, and many other states followed suit. By the end of 2021, 19 states and the District of Columbia had done so. Not every state is on board: In 2020, Oklahoma banned its counties and municipalities from passing red-flag laws.
‘If You Get Out of This Car You’re Going to Jail,’ Troopers Warned Joe Mullins in Confrontational Stop
Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins was threatened with arrest by troopers as he argued with them and told them, twice, he was an elected official, after being pulled over for going 91.7 mph on I-4 in June, and after initially ignoring the troopers even as one of them clocked him.
Contentious Education Laws Take Effect Today as Schools Grapple With Confusion and Unknowns
Florida state laws that went into effect today include measures that prohibit certain lessons in history from being taught, limit class discussions on matters involving the LGBTQ+ community, and even remove books from school libraries.
A Seemingly Threatening Graffiti Facing Wawa Parking Lot Has Palm Coast Officials on Edge
An ominous set of red and black graffiti in bold letters, some of it possibly threatening a former Palm Coast City Manager, appeared on the wall of a property facing the Wawa on Bulldog Drive. The property owner and his son have had a long running feud with the city.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, July 1, 2022
First Friday in Flagler Beach, the Tour de France begins, Remembering Liberace in all his flamboyance, William O. Douglas on the spiritual values of wilderness.
Leon County Judge Rules 15-Week Abortion Law Violates Florida’s Constitutional Privacy Protections
The law (HB 5) is set to take effect Friday. It will be in place for at least a few days before Cooper issues a written order. The state also quickly announced it plans to file an appeal, which would automatically freeze Cooper’s order and effectively put the law back into effect.
How Coastal Gentrification in Puerto Rico Is Displacing People and Damaging the Coast
Tourism income is central to Puerto Rico’s economy, especially in the wake of heavy damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017. But it comes at a cost: destruction of mangroves, wetlands and other coastal areas. Puerto Rico is no stranger to resort construction, but now widespread small-scale projects to meet demand for rentals on platforms like Airbnb are adding to concerns about coastal gentrification and touristification.
Seminole’s Judge Wayne Culver Faces 60-Day Suspension for Rude Courtroom Outbursts
Judge Wayne Culver became angry about interruptions, made inappropriate comments to a litigant, and in another instance was rude to a person entering the courtroom.
Flagler Beach Mayor Files Grant On Her Own, Underscoring Grievance With Manager Over Serial Fails
Flagler Beach Mayor Suzie Johnston filed an application to the county’s Tourist Development Council for a $739,000 grant to rebuild the city’s boardwalk, without commission approval, but in reaction to what she sees as a series of failures on the city administration’s part to follow through on city initiatives.
You Cannot Be Serious: Brian McMillan Leaves The Observer
Palm Coast Observer Brian McMillan announced today in a column that he was leaving the paper after 12 years. Though he leaves the paper in the equally qualified hands of Jonathan Simmons, it is no less of a gut punch and a loss to the community. McMillan had kept the Observer centered.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, June 30, 2022
Drug Court convenes, Wallace Stegner hangs out with the great Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz, Free Meals for Kids and Teens at FPC and the Housing Authority in Bunnell.