Abdulrazak Gurnah is one of the most important contemporary postcolonial novelists writing in Britain today and is the first Black African writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature since Wole Soyinka in 1986. Gurnah is also the first Tanzanian writer to win.
DeSantis Makes Unfounded Claim About Federal Help Under Biden Compared to Trump
The governor marked the near-three-year anniversary of Hurricane Michael to indulge nostalgia for the Donald Trump presidency, when he enjoyed a close connection to the White House, and to criticize the Joe Biden presidency, which he implied is hostile to Florida.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, October 9, 2021
It’s all about the Creekside Music and Arts Festival today at Princess Place Preserve, plus a little more “Peril” from Bob Woodward.
Biden Restores Protection for National Monuments Trump Shrank
On Oct. 7, 2021, the Interior Department announced that President Biden was restoring protection for three U.S. national monuments that the Trump administration sought to shrink drastically: Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante in Utah, and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts in the Atlantic Ocean. President Trump’s 2017 orders downsizing these monuments, originally created by previous administrations, ignited debate over whether such action was legal.
A Matanzas High School Football Player Shoots and Wounds Another With BB Gun, and Faces Felony Charges
A 14-year-old student at Matanzas High School, faces two felony charges after allegedly shooting a BB gun and wounding a fellow-student early Thursday evening in Palm Coast’s F Section. The incident was preceded by a case of bullying and sexual humiliation that had originated earlier in the day at the school, though authorities say no connection was established between the bullying and the shooting.
Here, There, Everywhere: Why Self-Storage Facilities Are Booming All Over Flagler, and Will Keep Booming
Everywhere you go in Flagler County these days, there’s a business with wide-open lockers and lots of space for you to store your goods. Reasons vary, but the Palm Coast area is especially attractive to the market.
Doctor Recommends Sending Man Who Killed His Father Back to State Hospital. Defense Wants 2nd Opinion.
Dunn, 60, killed and mutilated his elderly father in Palm Coast 15 years ago. He was close to regaining his full freedom this summer when he started exhibiting strange behavior and violated his probation, landing him back in jail for the first time in eight years. A doctor is recommending that he be returned to a state psychiatric hospital.
Journalism Wins
It is revealing that in a year that drew 329 candidates for the peace prize, including organizations fighting climate change or covid 19, the committee opted for journalists. It’s a happy surprise for us reporters. It’s also, finally, a necessary one.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, October 8, 2021
The Nobel Prize for Peace is announced, the Creekside Music and Arts Festival returns at Princess Place, Richard Dunn is back in court, his freedom in the balance, Gen. Mark Milley gives Stephen Miller a piece of his mind.
How Facebook’s ‘Dangerous’ Algorithms Can Manipulate You
Social media platforms rely heavily on people’s behavior to decide on the content that you see. In particular, they watch for content that people respond to or “engage” with by liking, commenting and sharing. Troll farms, organizations that spread provocative content, exploit this by copying high-engagement content and posting it as their own, which helps them reach a wide audience.
Florida Democrats Unveil Sweeping Energy Plan to Tackle Climate Change, but GOP Support Is Doubtful
A group of Democratic lawmakers unveiled an energy-efficiency plan this week that would reward farmers for conserving energy, assess energy efficiency in state-funded buildings, and create “floating solar” systems – among other projects.
Fried Urges ‘Endangered’ Status for Manatees
State Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried asked the federal government to again list threatened manatees as “endangered,” as Florida has had a record number of manatee deaths this year.
Despite Delays and Nervousness on County’s Part, Motel on Old Dixie Is Moving Toward Renovations
Flagler County officials have required of the new owners of the old Country Hearth Inn on Old Dixie Highway to pay a $250,000 cash bond and reassure the county that the renovation project of a property that has long vexed officials and residents is still on track, after missing a key August deadline.
Ruth Rupprecht, Owner of Animal Rescue Operation with Checkered History, Faces 17 Animal Cruelty and Drug Charges
Ruth Rupprecht, accused of using her animal rescue operation as a front for selling drugs, has run the organization known as Saffari since 2012, and surrendered numerous animals to the Humane Society in 2016. A search of her property in September revealed deplorable conditions–and drugs–and she surrendered 46 animals before being charged.
What a Difference an R-Section Makes: New, Limited School Rezoning Proposal Draws Near-Empty Hall
In contrast with two previous “listening sessions” on school rezoning, which drew dozens and reflected sharp if concentrated opposition to the proposal at the time, the session the Flagler school district held at Indian Trails Middle School’s cafeteria Wednesday evening drew at most five people, not counting double that number in district staffers, including Superintendent Cathy Mittelstadt.
Judge Hears Private Business’ Challenge to DeSantis Ban on Covid Passports
Circuit Judge Layne Smith is considering the case two months after a federal judge in South Florida sided with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings in a challenge to the law, which seeks to prevent businesses from requiring customers to show proof of vaccination against covid and threatens fines for violations.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, October 7, 2021
The 2021 Nobel Prize for literature is announced early this morning, the rezoning listening tour has its final stop at Buddy Taylor Middle School at 6 p.m., Rousseau on Protestant and Catholic critical thinking.
Should You Have to Conceal Your Gun? Supreme Court May Soon Say No.
The Supreme Court’s ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, expected by mid-2022, could declare a New York state restriction on carrying concealed handguns in public places unconstitutional. Such a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs, which include a National Rifle Association affiliate, could loosen gun regulations in many parts of the country.
Ed Danko Is Cautioned of Being Removed from Dais for Violating Council’s Rules in Repeated Outbursts
Ed Danko, a Palm Coast City Council member for less than a year, was admonished and cautioned about being removed from the dais after repeated angry outbursts interrupting a public speaker at the beginning Tuesday’s council meeting. Never in the 21-year history of the Palm Coast City Council had a council member come close to eliciting so much as the suggestion of being asked to leave the dais.
49-Year-Old Bunnell Man in Mental Crisis Decapitates Family Parrot of 48 Years and Faces Animal Cruelty Charge
A 49-year-old Bunnell man with a recent history of mental disabilities faces a felony charge of animal cruelty after killing a parrot that had been in his family for 48 years, and threatening to do harm to other pets and family members in the household.
James Egan Jr., 64, a Flagler School Bus Driver, Is Killed in Motorcycle Wreck on Belle Terre and Ponce de Leon
James Egan Jr., a 64-year-old Palm Coast resident and school bus driver with the Flagler County school district since 2016, was killed in a motorcycle crash at Belle Terre Parkway and Ponce De Leon Drive Tuesday evening.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, October 6, 2021
The Palm Coast Code Enforcement Board meets, Facebook down, John McWhorter on “They,” Malcolm X doesn’t want you to pat him on his back.
The Brutal Slave Trade Within the US Has Been Largely Whitewashed Out of History
Slavery still conjures images of Southern farms and plantations. But the institution was grounded in the sales of nearly 2 million human beings in the domestic slave trade, the profits from which nurtured the economy of the entire country.
Will Democrats Get Their Act Together?
This is not the New Deal or Great Society era, when Democrats had power in numbers. The current era requires “an honest embrace of what the politics of the moment will accept,” if only to prevent a return of the cult that doesn’t give two figs about governing.
Worker Shortage Puts Florida Group Homes in ‘Survival Mode’
For some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens who receive around-the-clock care in residential facilities, the competition for workers is having dire consequences.
Flagler Beach Golf Club’s Terry McManus Is Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison on DUI, After Snubbing 2-Year Deal Hours Earlier
Terry McManus, who owns the company running the Ocean Palms Golf Club for Flagler Beach government, had snubbed a plea offer of two years in prison, setting two separate cases. He got sentenced to four years in prison in one case, and now still has to deal with another case where he may yet get more prison time.
Michael McIntyre, 35, Is Latest Flagler Resident Indicted for Murder in Overdose Death of a Client–Chelsea Price, 33
Chelsea Price of Palm Coast died of a fentanyl overdose on Aug. 11, 2020. Michael G. McIntyre, who has a history of drug trafficking, allegedly sold or gave Price the fentanyl that killed her. He was in jail on a charge of selling meth when he was served the grand jury’s indictment for murder, a capital felony.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, October 5, 2021
The Flagler County School Board meets in workshop to go over its meeting agenda later this month. The Palm Coast City Council will approve next year’s cultural arts grants. Jean-Francois Revel on the cult of ignorance.
The Dishonesties of Cherry-Picking Bible Verses
Many Bible verses are being lifted out of context and repurposed to buttress the anti-vaccine movement. Such shallow reading in service of political and cultural agendas has long been a fixture of evangelical Christianity.
Casey DeSantis Is Diagnosed with Breast Cancer
The governor issued a statement Monday about the diagnosis, though the statement did not provide details about issues such as the type of breast cancer, the stage or treatment. Casey DeSantis, 41, is the mother of three children under age 5.
Covid Is Killing Rural Americans at Twice the Rate of Urbanites
Rural Americans are dying of covid at more than twice the rate of their urban counterparts — a divide that health experts say is likely to widen as access to medical care shrinks for a population that tends to be older, sicker, heavier, poorer and less vaccinated.
‘Marinas Are Dead for Now!’ County Rejects Proposal That Would Have Facilitated Huge Boat-Storage Facility in Scenic A1A
The Flagler County Commission today voted 3-1 to reject adoption of a controversial land-use amendment that would have allowed marinas in such areas as Scenic A1A, in essence further clearing the way for a controversial 240-boat storage facility next to Hammock Hardware. The vote was the latest victory for the Hammock Community Association, which has been opposing the already litigated facility.
Flagler Commission Appoints Heidi Petito Permanent County Administrator, if Less Aptly Than 1 Commissioner Wished
Commissioner Andy Dance wasn’t opposed to Heidi Petito’s appointment, which was not a surprise, but to the haphazard manner in which Commissioner Greg Hansen brought it up, at the end of the meeting, when the matter was not on the agenda. It was yet another reflection of a commission inclined to bypass process for improvisation.
In Prison on Another Charge, Angelo Antolino, 31, Is Booked at County Jail on DUI Manslaughter and Homicide
Angelo Michael Antolino, a 31-year-old resident of Commerce Avenue in Deltona, a state prison inmate, was booked at the Flagler County jail on Friday on charges of vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter as a result of a 2020 crash on U.S. 1 that took the life of 59-year-old Indiana Kern and gravely injured William M. Kerns, 62.
With 99.05% of Dunes Project Shoreline Secured, Flagler Extends Hold Harmless Branch in Bid to Secure Last 3 Easements
With $25 million still sitting idle, awaiting a go-ahead to rebuild 2.6 miles of dunes in Flagler Beach, Flagler County government is down to securing signatures for easements from just two hold-outs after two years of efforts. The county is hoping it will keep its 104-year streak going of never having to invoke eminent domain proceedings against a county property owner.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, October 4, 2021
The Flagler County Commission considers allowing marinas along the Intracoastal and hears updates on the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club and the dunes project in Flagler Beach.
Sex Trafficking Isn’t What You Think: 4 Myths Debunked
Law enforcement, medical providers, case managers, victim advocates and immigration lawyers inconsistently define and apply the label “trafficking victim” – especially when it comes to sex trafficking. That makes it harder for these professionals to get trafficked people the help they request.
Scholarships for ‘Career Online High School’ Diploma and Certificate Program Available at Flagler Public Library
Flagler County Public Library is offering the Career Online High School program to adults, 19 and older, who want to earn a career certificate and a high school diploma. Scholarships are funded through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
The Lie About Border Patrol Agents Whipping Haitians
There are no photos of agents whipping migrants. Nor is there any video, in an age when there’s video of everything. The photographer, Paul Ratje, who took the controversial images to which the president and his acolytes refer, told KTSM TV in El Paso that he never saw agents whipping anyone.
“Don’t Texas My Florida!” Protesters Mobilize for Women and LGBT Rights Across U.S.
The marches and rallies were scheduled in cities and communities across Florida and states elsewhere on Saturday, part of a “Day of Action” nationwide as tensions rise over the threat to the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.
Federal Judge Refuses to Reconsider Decision Backing DeSantis Ban on Mask Mandates
Rejecting arguments by parents of children with disabilities, a federal judge has refused to reconsider a decision that backed Gov. Ron DeSantis in a battle about student mask requirements in schools.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, October 3, 2021
Why the January 6 insurrection was far worse than we knew and what Democrats should do to prevent a rerun. Sally Rooney on if we have to go to our death for the greater good of humankind.
Pot Products Are Being Sold as Sleeping Aids. Do They Help?
As with many issues in research, there isn’t a neat answer to how effective cannabis is in improving sleep. How the drug is prepared, the way it’s taken and the person’s expectations are just some important factors that may influence the outcome. And, as with all health products, there is a risk of side-effects.
Spradley’s Beachside Blog: Closing the Book on Ian (Redirected)
Scott Spradley, a long-time resident of Flagler Beach, a photographer and an attorney who remained on the the barrier island throughout the storm, continues documenting the effects of Hurricane Ian.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, October 2, 2021
A fall book sale at the Flagler County Public Library, including DVDs, Phileas Fogg Wager Day, Gen. Milley’s little big men, and a few thoughts from Graham Greene.
Supreme Court’s Docket: Guns, Abortion, Religion
The biggest case this year is a challenge to abortion rights. Several states are asking the justices to reconsider Roe v. Wade – the landmark 1973 ruling that established the constitutional right for a woman to terminate a pregnancy, regardless of the moral beliefs of other citizens.
Court Will Consider Returning Richard Dunn, Father’s Killer, to Psychiatric Hospital After Alarming Behavior
Richard Dunn, the now-60-year-old man who stabbed his father to death in Palm Coast in 2006 and spent years in a psychiatric hospital, may be re-committed there just as he was approaching regaining his full freedom. A psychologist retained by Flagler County Circuit Court is recommending that he be re-committed involuntarily for further treatment.
Brooke Lorenzen, 19, Charged With DUI Manslaughter in Death of Mario Bizier, 56; She’d Been ‘Distracted By Her Phone’
Brooke Anna Lorenzen, 19, of Palm Coast, faces charges of DUI manslaughter and DUI with property damage in the 2020 crash that killed Mario Joseph Bizier, 56, on I-95. Lorenzen, who was to turn herself in at the jail today–and who had won a scholarship to an SEC university–told an investigator she had been distracted by her phone, and her blood-alcohol level registered 0.111.
Nicole Critcher Appointed Principal at Old Kings Elementary
Critcher has been with Flagler Schools for 20 years. She taught at Rymfire Elementary School and Indian Trails K-8 for 13 years. She was an instructional coach at OKES for three years. Following a year with the Teaching and Learning Department before taking the assistant principal position at Matanzas High School.
Desmond Meade, Leader in Restoring Felons’ Voting Rights, Wins $650,000 MacArthur Fellowship
Desmond Meade, a former drug dealer who has received international accolades after leading the drive to pass a 2018 Florida constitutional amendment to restore voting rights for felons, has been awarded a MacArthur Foundation fellowship, the program announced on Tuesday. Meade is one of this year’s 25 fellows selected for “originality, insight and potential,” according to the program’s website. They receive $625,000 grants, paid out over five years.
