Has Flagler Beach’s July 4 celebration become too much–too big, too unpredictable–of a good thing for this sliver of a town? Could its interminable parade possibly be scaled back, its fireworks show shortened or ceded to Palm Coast, its Veterans Park activities refocused on families and the flow of booze in public places restricted on the beach, where it is now legal?
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, September 14, 2021
The Palm Coast City Council discusses commercial vehicles in driveways and splashes up a new city logo, the Flagler Beach committee on July 4 fireworks meets for the first time, a free concert offered by the Flagler Auditorium, but at the Palm Coast Arts Foundation’s outdoor venue in Town Center.
Texas Rebirths Jim Crow Tactics in Vigilantism-Enabling Abortion Law
The new Texas law that bans most abortions uses a method employed by Texas and other states to enforce racist Jim Crow laws in the 19th and 20th centuries that aimed to disenfranchise African Americans.
L’Darius Smith Is Sentenced to a Year in Jail Over Baseball Bat Incident, Ending Latest But Not Last Court Odyssey
The long, convoluted, at times controversial case of L’Darius Smith ended Friday with his sentencing to a year in jail for aggravated assault, burglary, theft, battery and the improper exhibition of a weapon in a pair of incidents that go back to early 2020 in Palm Coast, that touched on claims of racial prejudice and involved a stand your ground hearing that Smith lost.
City Rep Theatre’s 11th Season of Leviathans: Martin Luther King, Billie Holiday, Godot and that Reign of Terror
Covid permitting, the 11th season of Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre proposes its most ambitious line-up yet, with Martin Luther King Jr., Billie Holiday, a vengeful dead wife, a blind woman battling murderous intruders in her home, and a rebel fighting the tyranny of pay toilets in a dystopian world all gracing City Rep’s stage.
17-Year-Old Boy Arrested After Report of a Firearm Pointed Out of a Car at Indian Trails Sports Complex
The report was called in by a juvenile who was at the complex, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The juvenile claimed the incident took place around 3 p.m. and that the Nissan in question was being driven by a juvenile.
After A Fraud: A Tax Accountant Explains What To Do If You’re a Victim of an Unscrupulous Tax Preparer
Chris Kocher, a licensed CPA since 2003 and a long-time tax accountant in Bunnell, explains how to handle the fallout from revelations that numerous clients of Robert “Bob” Newsholme’s Flagler Tax Services may have been defrauded.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, September 13, 2021
The Bunnell City Commission faces a 23 percent tax increase ahead of having to buy land and build a new City Hall, now that its current one is uninhabitable. A note on Trump’s lethal effect, and how voting is a pledge of allegiance to the future, in Lawrence Wright’s words.
Why 7,000 Steps a Day Is the New 10,000 Steps a Day
Researchers found that those taking at least 7,000 steps a day had a 50 to 70% lower risk of dying during the study period compared with those taking fewer than 7,000 steps a day. Next time you see your daily step count is below 10,000 steps, do not get demotivated and remember you will get some health benefits from doing around 7,000 steps.
A Survivor Tree Grows in Palm Coast: 9/11 Ceremony at Heroes Park Dedicates Sapling From Ground Zero
Saturday evening in Palm Coast, in a 9/11 memorial ceremony organized by Patrick Juliano and the Palm Coast Fire Department, a sapling from the Survivor Tree was dedicated at Heroes Park.
How Another President’s Vaccine Rollout Eradicated a Deadly Disease, Without Ideological Animosity
On May 31, 1955, just weeks after the Salk polio vaccine was proved effective against the deadly and paralyzing disease, President Eisenhower outlined the benefits of universal vaccination and hinted he would use the full powers of the government to ensure inoculations. But cooperation from federal, state and local governments made that unnecessary. Polio was eradicated within a few years.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, September 12, 2021
Godspell, the ugly attack on Larry Elder, Edith Wharton’s delicious remembrance of Teddy Roosevelt, and a few words about H.L. Mencken the epigrammatic bigot.
Simplistic and Damaging: How Schools Teach 9/11
Narratives reduced to a focus on heroism and simplistic interpretations of good and evil do not help students reflect on the many controversial decisions made by the U.S. and their allies after 9/11, such as using embellished evidence to justify the invasion of Iraq in 2003. And they potentially reinforce political rhetoric that paints Muslims as potential terrorists and ignore the xenophobic attacks against Muslim Americans after the 9/11 attacks.
Florida Is Among World Leaders in Mass Incarceration
Florida and a dozen other states imprison people at the highest rates in the world, without demonstrating that incarceration reduces crime, says the Prison Policy Initiative, a non-partisan research and policy advocacy organization.
Over 1,600 Pounds of Trash Collected During 14th Annual Intracoastal Waterway Cleanup
Since 2008, volunteers participating in the event have collected over 20,000 pounds of trash. This year, over 250 volunteers participated in the event and recovered over 1,600 pounds of trash!
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, September 11, 2021
A day and evening of 9/11 commemoration ceremonies from the Elks Lodge to Hammock Beach Resort to Heroes Park in Palm Coast, with a few words from Don DeLillo’s “Falling Man.”
Black Lives Matter: Where We Stand
Black Lives Matter has been called the largest civil movement in U.S. history. Lately, the movement and its leading organizations have become more traditional and hierarchical in structure. Two scholars of worldwide African communities and cultures – Kwasi Konadu and Bright Gyamfi – discuss BLM as both a movement and an organization.
Number of Potential Victims Up to 57 in Bob Newsholme Tax Fraud Case as Slew of Schemes Involving Big Sums Emerge
Innumerable reports by his clients pointing to hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraud paint a picture of Bob Newsholme, the long-time owner of Flagler Tax Services, as a versatile but clumsy schemer. Newsholme seemed to have boxed himself in in a Ponzi scheme of his own making, hoping to stay ahead of the inevitable reckoning by enlarging his circle of fraud. But as it began to unravel, it unraveled very quickly. But his clients are now left to pick up the pieces–and pay what they owe to the IRS.
Palm Coast Fire Department Hosts September 11 Remembrance Ceremony and Survivor Tree Dedication at Heroes Park
The community is invited to attend the September 11th Remembrance Ceremony on Saturday, September 11, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. at Heroes Memorial Park in Palm Coast.
Challenge to DeSantis’s Ban on Mask Mandates In Doubt Again as Appeals Court Reinstates Stay on Judge’s Decision
Pointing to “serious doubts” about the lawsuit, an appeals court Friday put on hold a circuit judge’s ruling that said Gov. Ron DeSantis overstepped his constitutional authority in a July 30 executive order aimed at preventing school mask mandates.
Set in Tallahassee, Flagler School Tax Rate Declines for 7th Year in a Row, and to Another Historic Low
The Flagler County School Board on Sept. 7 adopted its property tax rate and $212 million budget for 2021-22. The tax rate, set by lawmakers in Tallahassee, continues a two-and-a-half decade downward trend, to $5.865 per $1,000 in taxable value, down from $6 last year.
Sharp Drop in Covid Cases at Schools, Hospital and Community, But Flagler Deaths Have Nearly Doubled to 201 in 4th Wave
The fourth and gravest wave of the Covid pandemic has crested in Flagler County, with case loads in schools, at the hospital and in the community falling sharply, but at a heavy price: deaths from Covid-19 in Flagler have reached 201, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The county has coordinated a video PSA to push vaccinations, with the cooperation of every local government.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, September 10, 2021
A busy Friday with L’Darius Smith’s sentencing in court, the Palm Coast Senior Games kicking off, “Godspell” at the Daytona Playhouse, “Frozen 2” in Movies in the Park, a chamber music concert at Stetson, and Lawrence Wright on time unspooling.
Federal Judge Issues Injunction Against Florida’s Protest Law, Calling It ‘Vague and Overbroad’
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker on Thursday blocked a controversial state law that enhances penalties and creates new crimes in protests that turn violent. Walker, who has frequently clashed with the DeSantis administration and the GOP-controlled Legislature, granted the plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction blocking DeSantis and three sheriffs from enforcing the law.
Why Israel’s Vaccine Rollout Faltered After Early Successes
After its fast start, Israel’s rollout slowed. There have not been any clear interruptions to vaccine supply, so factors such as hesitancy or access to healthcare may have been an issue. For example, there’s evidence of uptake being lower among Arab and ultra-Orthodox Jewish groups.
Palm Coast Policing Budget Will Jump 42% with 10 New Deputies, Tax Rate Will Dip a Smidge, but at Reserves’ Expense
The Palm Coast City Council Thursday evening ended weeks of wrangling over its budget and tax rate and voted 3-2 to approve awarding the sheriff all 10 requested additional deputies and reduce the tax rate enough to save the average homesteaded homeowner about $11, while using $530,000 from city reserves to make the numbers work.
As Tempers Flare, Attorney and Flagler School Board Members Attempt Unprecedented Ban of Meeting’s Recording
Flagler School Board Attorney Kristy Gavin, School Board members Janet McDonald and Jill Woolbright attempted to ban recordings by a reporter and others of today’s daylong training workshop. A lawyer with the Attorney general’s office prevented the ban after a nearly 30-minute recess of the workshop.
Realtors Abandon Ballot Initiative that Would Have Ensured Funding for Affordable Housing
Realtors are halting an effort to pass a constitutional amendment to ensure funding for affordable housing, saying they will work with legislative leaders to create a program to help people such as nurses, police officers and firefighters buy homes.
27-Year-Old Man Arrested for Child Kidnapping and Grand Theft
Andrew T. Allen is a 27-year-old transient. Wednesday night, he was arrested and charged with kidnapping of a minor, a first-degree felony, grand theft and battery as a result of an incident that began at the Circle K at 890 Palm Coast Parkway.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, September 9, 2021
The school board holds a day-long “training” session that may get a bit messy if board members veer toward discussions of meetings’ content. The Palm Coast City Council at the 11th hour hopes to find the votes to pass its coming year’s budget and tax rate.
Nomophobia: Can You Bear to Be Without Your Phone?
The anxiety felt when people are unable to use or be in contact with their smartphones is known as nomophobia, or no-mobile phobia. It is thought to be a product of the intense attachments to our devices, and is believed to be strongest among people who use their phone the most, like teens and young adults. And it’s not good.
Students Now Begin the Day With 1 to 2 Minutes of Silence, Costing Teachers Up to 6 Hours of Instructional Time
Public schools across Florida are under a new requirement to hold a daily moment of silence for at least a whole minute and up to two minutes, according to a law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in June. How that plays out could mean less instruction time for teachers, improved mental health for students or maybe just a waste of time.
Tropical Storm Mindy Projects Quick, Messy Slog Across Northeast Florida, Up to 1″ of Rain in Flagler
Tropical Storm Mindy formed late this afternoon over the northern Gulf of Mexico and veered east in a rapid trek expected to take it from Florida’s Big Bend through the northeast portion of the state over the next 24 hours. Impacts in Flagler County are expected to be limited to rain and some wind, but the county’s emergency chief cautions about rapidly changing patterns.
Partisanship First, Good of Country Last
The change in who we are as a country has been caused by partisan leaders being willing to rally their minions for any purpose so long as it might lead to demolishing their opposition. The good of the country no longer is even part of the goal, argues Irwin Connelly.
Rezoning Near Integra Woods and U.S. 1 Clears the Way for Up to 650-Unit Apartment Complex, or ‘Attached’ Homes
The Palm Coast City Council approved the rezoning of 72 acres between U.S. 1 and Seminole Woods Boulevard, clearing the way for a multi-phased development of up to 650 apartments, what the developer’s attorney describes as “attached single-family home-like” apartments rather than traditional, multi-story apartment buildings.
Stay on Mask Ruling Is Lifted, Enabling Local School Boards to Impose Mandate–Until the Next Ruling
Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper today lifted the stay on his own ruling that declared illegal Gov. Ron DeSantis’s executive order banning mask mandates in schools. That opens the way for school districts to impose mandates if they wish–at least until the next step in the case’s legal journey.
Gov. DeSantis, in Palm Coast, Opens Federally-Funded Monoclonal Center at Daytona State College Campus
Continuing his tour across the state, Gov. Ron DeSantis this morning stopped at Daytona State College’s Palm Coast campus to announce the opening of a free monoclonal treatment center made possible by federal funds. The treatment will be open seven days a week starting Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The treatments do not require a prescription.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, September 8, 2021
L’Darius Smith is back in court ahead of his sentencing on Friday to argue, with a fair amount of evidence on his side, that he was wrongly found guilty by a jury of aggravated assault. The County Commission meets for the first time in an eternity. Arundhati Roy on America’s fiery, brutal impotence.
Next Assault on Affordable Care Act: Preventive Care
The preventive health provision of the ACA has resulted in significant reductions in patient costs for many essential and popular services. But a court case is targeting preventing care, and appears headed for the Supreme Court.
Palm Coast Council All in for 10 More Cops, But the Votes for a Budget and Tax Rate Aren’t Lining Up, Setting Up Showdown
The Palm Coast City Council in a disorderly special workshop meeting this evening agreed to fully fund the Flagler County Sheriff’s request for 10 additional deputies for city policing, four more than it had originally budgeted. But that’s as far as it got in agreeing to a new budget. The rest remains a churn of conflicts, setting up a potential showdown between council members at a public hearing on Thursday.
After 2,234 Students’ Quarantines, Flagler Medical Director Urges Masking in Schools. Board Still Refuses.
Dr. Stephen Bickel, the medical director at the Flagler Health Department, discussed stronger covid-safety measures with the Flagler County School Board today, but in the end a majority of the board, citing the governor’s executive banning mask mandates, showed no inclination to adopt such measures as mandatory masking.
Can There Ever Be Common Ground in Communities Torn by Polarization? A New WNZF Show Attempts an Answer.
Flagler NAACP Branch President Shelley Ragsdale is hosting a new weekly show on Flagler Broadcasting’s WNZF called “Common Ground,” an exploration of bridge-like themes that may narrow the deep divisions cutting through communities.
Flagler Tiger Bay Club’s Free 9/11 Program Features Ex-Chief of Border Patrol Michael Fisher
The Flagler Tiger Bay Club welcomes Chief Michael Fisher for a 9/11 Commemorative 20th Anniversary public program at 4 p.,. at the Flagler Auditorium.
Bob Newsholme, In Apparent Attempted Suicide 2 Weeks Ago, Investigated for Fraud in Tax Business
Flagler Sheriff’s and IRS agents served a search warrant on Robert “Bob” Newsholme’s Flagler Tax Services business in Bunnell two weeks after Newsholme shot himself at his home in an apparent but failed suicide attempt. He faces at least a dozen investigations for fraud.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, September 7, 2021
The Flagler County School Board holds a 3 p.m. workshop that could draw another round of anti- and pro-masking militancy. The Palm Coast City Council for a final time hashes out ways to approach the sheriff’s request for 10 more deputies. Mme de Staël on the pleasures of opposition.
Children’s Pandemic Concerns Are Usually Ignored in School Planning
We are choosing to view the pandemic-derived challenges surrounding childhood through an adult lens. In other words, we are re-inscribing western colonialist ideology on children, in the way we choose to understand their struggles and their need for education and socialization.
Outgunned, Outplayed and Frustrated, Reilly Opelka Is Knocked Out of U.S. Open: ‘I’m Not There Yet’
Reilly Opelka lost his fourth-round match to South Africa’s Lloyd Harris, who was almost impossible to deal with. His service games in the final two sets flew by faster than a reality TV star’s career, while Opelka’s serve and net play deserted him.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Labor Day, September 6, 2021
Reilly Opelka attempts to get into the US Open’s quarterfinals in his fourth-round match today, a farewell to Michel Corboz, Joseph Heller’s “Something Happened.”
Tattoos’ Long and August History of Meanings
Tattoos have a history as old as ancient Egypt and Greece, enriched through the ages by way of Native Americans, and given deep meaning more recently as expressions against oppression, racism and colonialism even as they’ve endured as signs of beauty and identity.
People Don’t Want to Work? Wrong. They Just Don’t Want to Work for Your Kind of Substandard Workplace.
After an earth-shattering 16 months that have seen hundreds of thousands of our family members, friends, and neighbors die at the hands of an implacable and indiscriminate foe, there’s just a genuine question of whether grinding it out for 40 hours a week at a job with substandard pay, low benefits, and little work-home balance is really worth it.