In many states, lawmakers long have used so-called fiscal impact statements to predict how much money proposed laws will cost or save. Now more legislators want to use racial impact statements to predict how a particular measure might harm—or help—racial and ethnic groups or widen racial disparities, though you won;t see this in Florida any time soon.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, November 7, 2021
The Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras are in concert at Jacoby Hall, featuring a couple of Flagler’s own, how Alden Global Capital is gutting newspapers, And the World Goes ‘Round, the musical review at Flagler Playhouse.
How to Spend $1 Trillion on Infrastructure
The bill is the largest investment in the nation’s infrastructure in decades. It puts about US$240 billion toward building or rebuilding roads, bridges, public transit, airports and railways. More than $150 billion is slated for projects that address climate change, like building electric vehicle charging stations, upgrading energy grids and production to work better with renewables, and making public transit more environmentally sustainable.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, November 6, 2021
The latest on the storm, with some flooding expected today, The Palm Coast Arts Foundation’s First Saturday Creative Bazaar Arts & Crafts Market is cancelled, Thomas Wolfe’s “Man in Full.”
Today’s Flooding Is No Fluke. Sea Levels Are Rising.
Climate change, fueled by fossil fuel use and other human activities, is causing average global surface temperatures to rise. This is leading the ocean to absorb more heat than it did before the industrial era began. That, in turn, is causing ocean thermal expansion.
2 Flagler School Board Members Object to Black Lives Matter Language and a ‘Hate Group’ Trolls District’s Library Books
The Flagler County School Board is not banning books–yet. But two board members–Jill Woolbright and Janet McDonald–are on the warpath, playing up isolated complaints about materials they find objectional on ideological grounds and mirroring similar attempts in other districts where a few voices have capitalized on largely manufactured controversies. The board members’ moves parallel a national extremist organization’s inquiry in Flagler and other Florida counties about the district’s book holdings, especially targeting racially-conscious and LGBTQ-themed books.
Matthew Wright Dies of Wound in Attempted Murder-Suicide, Gia Troutman, 23, in Critical Condition
Matthew Wright, the 25-year-old Palm Coast man involved in what appears to be an attempted murder-suicide Thursday afternoon, had spent most of his adult life in prison. He’d been out less than a year when he died Thursday of what authorities are reporting as a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, after shooting his girlfriend, Gia Troutman, four times.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, November 5, 2021
Three to 6 inches of rain expected over the next 24 hours. Jonathan Lord discusses the nor’easter on Free For All Fridays, And the World Goes ‘Round Music Review at Flagler Playhouse, Willa Cather’s “Uncle Valentine.”
Lessons from the Virginia Governor’s Race
Many voters wanted to hear both candidates’ views on “kitchen table” issues – such as expanding job opportunities, ensuring public safety, and reforming education – in the closing weeks before the election. But that wasn’t always what voters got. Instead, they were often presented not with the issues, but with heavyweight political endorsements.
Domestic Argument Between Man and Woman Leads to Apparent Attempted Murder Suicide on Bunker Knoll Lane
Flagler County Sheriff’s detectives are investigating a domestic altercation between a woman and her boyfriend on Palm Coast’s Bunker Knoll Lane that resulted in a shooting that left both severely wounded this evening. The shooting appears to have been an attempted murder suicide.
In Wrenching Hearing, Judge Opts for Closure More than Retribution in 5-Year Prison Sentence for Fatal Hit and Run
Joshua Carver had faced up to 30 years in prison for the hit and run collision that left 29-year-old Jonathan Rogers dead on the side of State Road 100 in February 2020. Circuit Judge Chris France sentenced him to five years in prison and five years on probation after hearing from families on both sides of a divide marked not by enmity but mutual loss.
Nor’Easter’s Rain and Flooding Potential Forces Moving Matanzas-FPC Potato Bowl to Tonight
With a Nor’easter expected to bring between 1 and 3 inches of rain to the region starting Friday morning, the athletic departments at Matanzas and Flagler Palm Coast High School agreed to move the annual potato bowl from Friday to tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Matanzas’s Pirates Stadium.
35% Short of Needed Bus Drivers, School District Agrees to $15/hr Pay, Plus Incentive, as Part of Raises for All Service Employees
Members of the Flagler Educational Support Professional Association, the union that represents Flagler schools’ 800-some service employees, are voting today on what may amount to the largest pay increase in nearly 20 years, though bus drivers and paraprofessionals will see larger increases than all others.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, November 4, 2021
Joshua Carver, the 36-year-old Palatka man whom a jury found guilty of hit-and-run in the death of Jonathan Rogers, is sentenced, the Flagler Playhouse launches its “And the World Goes ‘Round” review, and a few kind words about Nero, Caligula and Domitian.
LGBTQ Life Is Flourishing in Small-Town America
LGBTQ people in rural places and small towns are often ignored in the larger conversation surrounding queer life and culture. Even with these omissions, Pride celebrations in those locations are sweeping the nation (including Palm Coast), often encountering initial resistance.
No Additional Election ‘Audit,’ But DeSantis Says He’ll Push for More Election Crackdowns
Gov. Ron DeSantis plans to ask lawmakers for more “election integrity reforms” during next year’s legislative session, as he has resisted pressure from within the Republican Party to audit the 2020 elections.
Learning Is for Commie-Pinko Wokesters and We Don’t Need Any of It Around Here
Praise Jesus, here in Florida our governor has decreed that there will be no “The 1619 Project,” and none of that Critical Race Theory making our sweet white children hate themselves, their mamas and daddies, and their great-great-grandparents, who happened to belong to the Ku Klux Klan.
Tommy Tant Memorial Surf Classic Marks 20th Anniversary Nov. 12 and 13 in Flagler Beach
The 20th Annual Tommy Tant Memorial Surf Classic presented by The Surf Station will take place on November 13 and 14 in Flagler Beach. What began in memory of Tommy Tant—a local surfer who passed away tragically from an aortic aneurysm at 24 years old—has grown into a beloved event that celebrates the bond of family, friendship, and surf culture he loved.
‘You Know This Always Ends Up with You in Jail,’ Cop Tells Fleeing Felon After Manhunt and 10th Arrest in a Decade
A Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy was investigating the latest domestic disturbance at David Badal’s Palm Coast house when Badal fled, almost injuring the cop, and triggered a two-hour manhunt resulting in his arrest and two felony charges, the latest in a chronic, temperamental criminal history.
Turf Battle Over Picnic Tables at FPC Devolves into Threats of a Shooting and Felony Arrest of 15 Year Old Student
An argument over a picnic table between two groups of students at Flagler Palm Coast High School on Tuesday allegedly led one of the students to threaten to shoot another at given place after school. The student was arrested.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, November 3, 2021
The Palm Coast Code Enforcement Board meets, Stetson’s Great Pianists series features pianist Kemal Gekic, Willa Cather on overdevelopment in the old countryside.
Facebook’s Misinformation Problem
Leaked internal documents suggest Facebook – which recently renamed itself Meta – is doing far worse than it claims at minimizing Covid-19 vaccine misinformation on the Facebook social media platform.
County Commission Again Delays Decision on School Impact Fees As Disputed Numbers Strain Trust on Both Sides
The Flagler County Commission voted to delay for two months a decision on the school board’s request to double its impact fees following a two-and-a-half hour meeting Tuesday evening. The county is not trusting the school board’s numbers, and the school board is frustrated over the county’s resistance to what the district considers an emergency request.
Flagler County Fire Rescue Holds Pinning Ceremony for Recent Hires and Promotions
Flagler County Fire Rescue held a “Pinning Ceremony” on Monday for its hires since January 2020, and for the promotion of three of its own to lieutenant.
Road to Success Program Pays Businesses to Employ Its Youths
Road to Success (RTS) is a youth program that helps 16- to 24-year-olds who exited from high school earn their general education diploma (GED). It has been in existence since September 2012 and graduated 272 to date. For the current year, we are scheduled to serve 53 young adults. RTS is closing in on graduating 300 students overall.
Democrats Criticize Special Session on Vaccination Mandates
Democrats expressed opposition Tuesday to a special session ordered by Gov. Ron DeSantis to push back against requirements that workers be vaccinated against Covid-19.
County Commission Boots Mike Goodman Off Planning Board in Apparent ‘Retaliation’ Over Captain’s BBQ Lawsuit
The Flagler County Commission on Monday unceremoniously voted to boot Mike Goodman, the co-owner of Captain’s BBQ at Bings Landing and a voice of prudence on development, off the county’s planning board, just three years after voting him in. Commissioner Dave Sullivan directly cited Captain’s lawsuit against the county and said removing Goodman might spur movement on the lawsuit, which has stalled.
Detectives Investigating Alleged Home Invasion Robbery and Shooting on Palm Coast’s Coral Reef Court
Early Monday morning a 36-year-old Palm Coast resident of Coral Reef Court reported to Flagler County Sheriff’s detectives that he was the victim of a home-invasion robbery, in the course of which he fired a gun belonging to one of the assailants, but missed.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, November 2, 2021
The Flagler County Commission holds the second required workshop and special meeting in the school board’s attempt to double its impact fees ahead of projected growth, a step the commission had resisted when the matter was first debated at a previous workshop.
Covid’s Threat to the Already Shaky Status of Arts Education in Schools
In two studies from 2007 to 2008, schools indicated that they had cut an average of 145 minutes per week across the nontested subjects, lunch and recess. Where visual art and music were cut back, it was for an average of 57 minutes per week.
Seminoles Quietly Kick Off Sports Betting in Florida
The Seminole Tribe on Monday quietly launched online sports betting in Florida, amid continuing legal challenges to a gambling deal approved by state lawmakers in May. The tribe’s highly anticipated rollout of sports betting in the state came with no fanfare.
Flagler County Fire Rescue Hosts ‘Push In’ Ceremony for New $224,485 Ambulance
The new rescue, housed at Station 62 cost $224,485 and was purchased from Ten-8 Fire and Safety. It is a 2021 Ford F450 gas powered Braun Chief XL Ambulance with state of-the-art features.
With County as Farrier, Whispering Meadows Ranch Takes a Step Closer to Permanent Home at Fairgrounds
With Flagler County government clearing the way lease, free, a large portion of a 44-acre parcel, Whispering Meadows Ranch, Flagler County’s equine therapy non-profit on John Anderson Highway, is a step closer to its next permanent home on the grounds of the county fairgrounds.
Felony Cruelty Charge for Man Who ‘Whacked’ Trapped Raccoon and Left Injured Cat Without Care for 3 Months
Todd Rainey, 55, told a sheriff’s deputy he “whacked” a raccoon that had been trapped in a cat trap because it couldn’t get out, and had left his own cat’s injured leg go without medical attention for three months. He faces a felony count of animal cruelty.
Plagued With Problems, Flagler Beach Bar and Restaurant Formerly Known as Jimmy’s Hang Ten Closes Permanently
The restaurant and bar at 1112 South Oceanshore Boulevard, immediately north of the Topaz motel, dealt with the difficulties of the pandemic before James Harris, who had co-owned the bar with his wife, was arrested on July 3 on charges of molesting his stepdaughter. Then a different set of problems emerged: code enforcement issues with the city over noise, music permits and insufficient bathroom accommodations.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, November 1, 2021
The Flagler County Commission hears all about the Creekside Festival, American exceptionalism c. 2021, the morality and immorality of killing in war.
K-Pop Is Trending. So Is Anti-Asian Bigotry.
There is no doubt that the representation of Asian people in Hollywood has improved. The pandemic has led to a disturbing rise in anti-Asian racism and hate crimes.
DeSantis Warns Businesses Against Being “Woke”
Appearing before a group of business leaders last week, Gov. Ron DeSantis warned about following a “woke” ideology, which he called “very dangerous” for the country.
Palm Coast Fire Department’s 20th Year of the Hall of Terror
This year marks the 20th year of the highly anticipated annual ‘Hall of Terror’ event and the Palm Coast Fire Department (PCFD) is ready to bring on the frights!
Mandates Decline as Appeals Court Signals Alachua and Duval ‘Defiance’ on Masks Violates Law
A seven-page order said two school districts have been “remarkably open in their defiance” of the state over masking. Meanwhile, as Covid cases go down, several school districts that had been strict about mask mandates are now loosening their policies.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, October 31, 2021
Final day for City Repertory Theatre’s production of “Urinetown,” final day for UF’s survey on disposable plastic bags, and David Means’s curiously absorbing “The Depletion Prompts,” plus a few thoughts from David Shipler and our rights.
School Choice: Why You Should Vaccinate Your Kids 5 to 11
The FDA authorization comes after months of pediatric clinical trial investigation involving about 4,500 children ages 5 to 11. Pfizer released new data on Oct. 22, 2021, stating that its vaccine is almost 91% effective at preventing COVID-19 in that age group, with similar tolerability and antibody responses to that seen in older age groups.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, October 30, 2021
Happy Birthday, Robert Caro, another performance of CRT’s Urinetown, Conrad Aiken’s “Three Star Final,” and the only way to understand Donald Trump’s letter to the Wall Street Journal.
Save the Tatas. Sure. But Do a Better Job Focusing on Women at Stage 4, Too.
Breast cancer awareness campaigns can do a better job supporting women who’ve received a stage 4 diagnosis, instead of focusing only on early detection and ‘beating cancer.’
Father of 20-Month-Old Boy Found Guilty of Brutalizing and Burning Him, and Faces 80 Years in Prison
A jury this evening found Deviaun Toler, 29, formerly of Palm Coast, guilty on all charges of aggravated child abuse, felony abuse and neglect at the end of a five-day trial. The victim was his 20-month-old son, who was near death when hospitalized, but survived.
A Divided Flagler Beach Commission Rejects Church’s Proposal to Open a Small Christian School Near Center of Town
In an unusual land-use decision that bowed to public concerns over firearms and economic activity, the Flagler Beach City Commission on Thursday rejected a church’s request to run a non-traditional parochial one-room school on South 6th Street, between South Central and South Daytona avenues.
School Officials and Sheriff’s Deputies Again Forced to Respond to Generic Attempt to Disrupt the Day at FPC
A local school–this time, Flagler Palm Coast High School–was again the target of a vague threat of violence, disseminated on social media and mirroring similar, low- to no-credibility threats circulating in other parts of the country.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, October 29, 2021
The Deviaun Antriel Toler trial on child abuse charges is in its fifth day, City Repertory Theatre’s production of “Urinetown” enters its final weekend, Paul Krugman on the GOP’s cowards.
Climate Change: What Big Oil Knew and When It Knew It
The oil industry’s own words show companies knew about the climate change risk fossil fuels posed long before most of the rest of the world. Here’s what corporate documents from the past six decades show.
DeSantis Administration Sues Biden and Federal Agencies Over Vaccine Mandate
Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody announced the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. district court in Tampa against several defendants, including President Joe Biden, NASA, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, the federal Office of Management and Budget and the federal General Services Administration.