Early voting, the River to Sea Transportation Planning Organization meets, a Palm Coast Parkway flash mob of one, Beirut Airport flash mob, metropolitan diaries.
Harris and Trump on LGBTQ Rights
A March 2024 survey by independent pollster PRRI found that 68% of voters will take LGBTQ rights into consideration at the polls. Fully 30% stated that they would vote only for a candidate who shares their views on the issue. It is no coincidence, then, that LGBTQ rights issues feature prominently in the party platforms.
AI-Driven Technology Changing Heart Care at AdventHealth Palm Coast
The new tool, called CathWorks, is enhancing the way doctors at AdventHealth Palm Coast and AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway detect and treat heart blockages, making procedures safer and more precise for patients. CathWorks uses advanced computer-based software to help cardiologists accurately pinpoint areas of concern within the heart’s arteries.
Touch-and-Go Noise Around Flagler County Airport: Residents Hear Facts, and Contempt
A group of residents surrounding the Flagler County airport in Palm Coast have for years complained about the constant stream of touch-and-go student flights, about noise, about pollution, and about the county’s own dismissive attitude toward them. On Monday, the group got more of the same, with at times overt contempt from Airport Director Roy Sieger.
Hammock and Barrier Island Outside Cities Would Pay New Tax to Help Pay for Flagler’s $8.2 Million Beach Plan
Flagler County government has devised a plan to generate $8.2 million a year in local dollars to rebuild and maintain the 11.6 miles of beach north of Beverly Beach to the border of Marineland. The County Commission intends to vote on that plan, which includes a new tax for portions of the barrier island, on Nov. 4.
Palm Coast Historical Society and City Unveil Hernandez-Honoring Historical Marker at Long Creek Preserve
The Palm Coast Historical Society and Palm Coast government on Friday unveiled a new historical monument at Long Creek Nature Preserve, honoring the rich history and natural beauty of this beloved local treasure.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Fall Horticultural Workshops at the Palm Coast Community Center, Palm Coast’s bedraggled Residential Drainage Citizens Advisory Committee meets, Willie Nelson, the Red-Headed Stranger and “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.”
The Contradictions of ‘Minnesota Nice’
After Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, much of the media coverage zeroed in on Walz’s Midwestern roots, with some pundits using the phrase “Minnesota nice” to describe his appeal. Minnesota nice, whether represented in policies or in being kind to neighbors, is a worthy ideal. But looking at the experiences of Vietnamese refugees in Minnesota, the trope of Minnesota nice has a more complex history – especially when it comes to nonwhite people.
DeSantis Rails Against Abortion-Rights Amendment on 1st Day of Early Voting
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday continued his push to get voters to reject Amendment 4 by appearing in Coral Gables alongside anti-abortion doctors, including one of his appointees to the Board of Medicine, to criticize the proposed abortion-access initiative.
Early Voting Kicks Off in 51 Florida Counties
Monday marked the earliest date Floridians could vote in person, as all but 16 counties in Florida started early voting. Nine counties will open voting on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday and the remaining seven will open on Saturday.
Matters of Temper Dominate Palm Coast Mayoral Candidates Cornelia Manfre’s and Mike Norris’s Final Clash
In their hour on the air, sitting in close quarters in WNZF’s studio but with an empty chair between them, Palm Coast mayoral candidates Cornelia Manfre and Mike Norris attacked, ducked, provoked and raised alarms about each other, never in good fun but never with disrespect. Manfre was clearly more prepared, sounding more forceful, answering questions in sharp, short and clear outlines and keeping Norris on the defensive.
Early Voting at Flagler County’s Five Locations Breaks Single-Day Record; 12,100 Mail Ballots Already In
With some 12,100 votes already turned in by mail so far, early voting in Flagler County began its 13-day run today with record-breaking turnout despite slow lines as a ballot with two dozen races and a half dozen constitutional and charter amendments took voters time to read and fill out.
Federal Judge Cites ‘Legislative Privilege’ to Shield School Board Members from testifying in Book Ban Case
A federal judge has shielded Escambia County School Board members from having to testify in a legal battle about the removal of children’s books from school libraries. United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho on Friday issued a 15-page order agreeing with the school board that members do not have to give depositions because of what is known as “legislative privilege.”
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, October 21, 2024
The Flagler County Commission meets in workshop to talk beach management and other matters, then in a voting evening meeting, the canvassing board meets, reading crime novels, Celine on fearing human beings.
Hurricanes Spawned Politics and Finger-Pointing Even in Hemingway’s Time
Ernest Hemingway, then a resident of Key West, provided an eyewitness account of the catastrophic storm that leveled Upper Matecumbe Key and Lower Matecumbe Key and took the lives of more than 400 people, many of them World War I veterans. Then, as now, the aftermath of a natural disaster included political finger-pointing.
New College’s Descent from Stellar Florida College to ‘Eugenicon’
Steve Sailer, a “eugenicon” who believes Black people are genetically inferior to whites, race is biological, interracial marriage is wrong, and “core Americans” are by definition white, has been invited to speak at one of New College’s “Socratic Stage Dialogues.” Socrates himself would not know whether to laugh, cry, or take an even bigger swig of hemlock.
Disney Donates $3 Million for Hurricane Milton relief
As Floridians recover from the recent strike of Hurricane Milton, Disney World is giving $3 million to several organizations to help with relief efforts. The money is going to Feeding America, the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund and local nonprofits, including the World Central Kitchen and Second Harvest Food Bank.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, October 20, 2024
Bunnell’s Italian Festival at the county fairgrounds, Maze Days at Cowart Ranch, Grace Community Food Pantry is back, David Brooks on why Harris isn’t running away with this, John Travolta’s famous opening.
Hamas’s Yahya Sinwar’s Death Will Not End Netanyahu’s Wars on Gaza and Lebanon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sinwar’s killing – long a major objective of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) – would signal the “beginning of the end” of the war. But he made clear the war is not over. Benny Gantz, a former defence minister and member of the war cabinet, said the IDF would continue to operate in Gaza “for years to come,” while Netanyahu wants to demolish Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Civil Rights Groups Drop Challenge of DeSantis ‘Anti-Riot’ Law
The lawsuit civil rights groups filed against Gov. Ron DeSantis over the 2021 law imposing harsher penalties for protesters inciting violence is officially over.
Judge Prohibits DeSantis Administration From Threatening to Prosecute TV Stations Over Abortion-Rights Ads
With Floridians already voting by mail in the runup to the Nov. 5 election, fierce legal wrangling continues to escalate over a ballot measure that would enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution. A federal judge on Thursday sided with supporters of the proposal, which will appear as Amendment 4 on the ballot, who filed a lawsuit alleging the state violated the First Amendment by threatening television stations over an ad supporting the measure.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, October 19, 2024
Bunnell’s Italian Festival at the county fairgrounds today and tomorrow, Maze Days at Cowart Ranch, Coffee With Flagler Beach Commission Chair Scott Spradley and City Manager Dale Martin, on the killings of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, and the surviving Benjamin Netanyahu.
Politicians Love to Warn of American Decline
Politicians’ warnings of decline persist because they invoke fear for the country’s security, anxiety about another country gaining more power and anger about the United States’ various problems. While Trump’s messages of American carnage are dramatic, exchanges of this sort are not uncommon in U.S. politics.
Hurricane Milton Damage Forces Flagler Beach Public Library, a City Treasure, to Close Until Further Notice
Hurricane Milton’s rains caused some damage at the Flagler Beach Library, requiring services to be limited to curbsides, with even those services now suspended. A reopening date is not yet certain, but is probable later this month.
54-Year-Old Palm Coast Man Wanted in Flagler Beach Shooting Found Dead of Apparent Self-Inflicted Gunshot
Yairton Garcia, the 54-year-old Palm Coast and Daytona Beach resident suspected by Flagler Beach police of shooting and wounding a man in Flagler Beach in the early morning of Oct. 5, was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound at a Lake Charles house in Palm Coast on Wednesday after Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies had surrounded the house and sent in a robot to investigate Garcia’s whereabouts.
After Closed-Door Meeting, No Sign Palm Coast Is Settling Ballot Referendum Litigation, Which May Go Past Election
Signals from Thursday’s closed-door meeting of the Palm Coast City Council suggest that the city appears not ready to settle the lawsuit over the ballot referendum on a charter amendment that would allow the city more freely to borrow money and enter into lease agreements. If the referendum fails, the case would be moot. If it succeeds, it won’t be the end of litigation: at least twice before courts have invalidated such referendums in Florida well after the vote was certified, and those challenging the measure intend to keep challenging it even if it succeeds at the polls on Nov. 5.
Storm Debris Collection Begins Today in St. Johns County
Beginning today–Oct. 18–emergency debris removal contractors, AshBritt and TetraTech, will join FCC Environmental in the ongoing efforts of collecting storm debris post Hurricane Milton. This is an additional service to support the recovery efforts in St. Johns County.
Florida Agriculture Took a $2 Billion Hit from Hurricane Milton
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson said Thursday that the financial damage to the state’s agriculture industry from Hurricane Milton will likely exceed $2 billion. Those figures add to the more than $1.5 billion in damage already suffered from Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Debby, and Hurricane Idalia that hit the Big Bend area of North Florida over the past 13 months.
Miami Circuit Judge Alberto Milian Reprimanded
An investigative panel of the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission recommended a reprimand for Circuit Judge Alberto Milian, according to documents posted on the Florida Supreme Court’s website in June.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, October 18, 2024
A face-off between Palm Coast mayoral candidates Cornelia Manfre and Mike Norris on WNZF’s Free For All, unemployment numbers are released, The music duo Wandering Spiral, featuring Michelle Davidson and Rick de Yampert at Flagler Beach’s Gathering Place, and in praise of Robert Caro and “The Power Broker.”
Looking Past Trump’s Lies to Understand Temporary Protected Status
Former President Donald Trump and his running mate, U.S. Sen. JD Vance, have criticized the Biden administration’s decision to allow Haitian nationals who are in the U.S. to apply for permission to stay under a legal classification called Temporary Protected Status. Here is what this designation means and how it’s made.
Aviation Company Aura Aero Selects Volusia Over Flagler County for for 500,000-Square-Foot Manufacturing Plant and 1,000 Jobs
Aura Aero Inc., the French designer and manufacturer of next-generation aircraft, has announced its intent to build a 500,000-square-foot manufacturing and assembly plant in Volusia County at the Daytona Beach International Airport. The facility will create more than 1,000 high-paying jobs in the area. Flagler County had been in contention for the facility.
Palm Coast Council Wants Another Re-Write of Vacation-Rental Ordinance, Pushing Approval to Next Year
Four months after it directed its attorney to draft it, the Palm Coast City Council again delayed approving the city’s first-ever vacation-rental ordinance as numerous issues and new proposals arose after the latest draft, which was due for a first read on on Tuesday. Instead, the council agreed to table it and schedule another workshop in December or January, when three new members will be on the council. That means the council will barely have time to approve the ordinance before the state Legislature again tries to pass a law that invalidates local ordinances.
Palm Coast Renews Contract with Southern Group Lobbying Firm, But With a Probationary Caveat
Last June the Palm Coast City Council called on the carpet its lobbying firm in Tallahassee after voicing some dissatisfaction over the city’s record haul in state appropriations. On Tuesday, the council renewed its contract with the firm, but only for one year, not three, as the administration had proposed. The city will pay the firm $72,000 for the year, up from $60,000 in the last contract year, and leave the option open for four renewals.
Contracted Jail Guard Roberto Martinez of Palm Coast Accused of Pulling Gun on Fiancée
Roberto Martinez, a 34-year-old resident of Bannerwood Lane in Palm Coast, was arrested on a felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge after allegedly intimidating his fiancée with a gun during an argument, and quickly changing into his guard uniform before police showed up, as if to gain favor with deputies.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, October 17, 2024
Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols’s first Drug Court session, Election turnout and interest in politics in the United States compared to other countries, and “The Big Money Behind the Big Lie.”
Will Rogers’s Charitable Political Wisdom
For those trying to come to terms with a particularly tumultuous election year full of deep divisions, ideological invective and personal insults, guidance can come from Will Rogers, a historical figure whose insights into American politics still prove useful.
Hurricane Milton’s Estimated Losses Statewide Near $1.9 Billion
Six days after Hurricane Milton slammed into Florida, estimated insured losses increased Tuesday to $1.865 billion, according to data posted on the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website.
Florida Court Rules It’s OK to Shoot a Dog in Stand Your Ground Situation
In a case stemming from a man who killed a pit bull when he and his Chihuahua felt threatened, an appeals court ruled Wednesday that Florida’s “stand your ground” self-defense law can apply to cases involving animals. A three-judge panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal said a Palm Beach County circuit judge improperly denied a stand-your-ground immunity hearing for Cassanova Gabriel, who was charged with crimes including cruelty to animals.
Palm Coast Approves 1st Steps Toward $240 Million Sewer Expansion, With Higher Utility Rates Coming in Spring
Addressing one of the most critical issues hampering the city’s infrastructure–and facing an order from the state to expand sewer capacity–the Palm Coast City Council on Tuesday took a pair of momentous steps that by next spring will result in higher water and sewer rates to help pay for a nearly quarter-billion dollar expansion of one of the city’s two sewer plants. Only a portion of the construction can legally be covered by development impact fees. Absent grants or unexpected new revenue, the rest has to be paid through water and sewer rates, which are currently too low to shoulder that burden.
How Residential Growth, a State Order and Intense Rains Are Forcing Palm Coast’s Hand on Sewer Expansion
A combination of sharp growth that’s not paying for itself, a consent decree–or mandatory order–by the state and increasingly intense rain events have combined to force Palm Coast to rapidly expand its two sewer plants, resulting in significant capacity by 2028 but at significant cost: one of the two plant expansions will cost $245 million, between design and construction costs, and likely more by the time it’s done around 2028. The city has no choice in that timeline because of the consent decree, just as the Palm Coast City Council will have no choice but to raise utility rates next year.
Settlement Offer Gives Palm Coast Council Chance to Pull Embattled Debt Referendum from the Ballot
The Palm Coast City Council is holding a closed-door meeting at 3 p.m. on Thursday at City Hall to consider a settlement offer in the lawsuit challenging the veracity of the city’s debt referendum on the Nov. 5 ballot. The offer proposes that opposing sides agree to end the lawsuit and not count the results of the referendum, which will still appear on the ballot. The city would not owe the opposition attorneys’ fees.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Flagler Cares hosts its quarterly Help Night from 3 to 7 p.m., the Flagler County Tourist Development Council meets, the Palm Coast Planning and Land Development Board meets, remembering Lebanon’s Elias Khoury.
Maxie Puritis of Flagler Palm Coast High School Wins Cultural Council’s Creekside Photo Contest
Winners Maxie Puritis (1st Place), Rylee Draper (2nd Place), Lana Rogers (3rd Place), Michelle Kozinski (Honorable Mention), and Liliana Delbuono (People’s Choice) were presented with certificates and cash awards, sponsored by the Flagler County Cultural Council.
The Nobel Peace Prize to Japanese Atomic Bomb Survivors’ Group
The 2024 Nobel peace prize has been awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese grassroots organisation created by survivors of the two US atomic bombs that were dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.
Total Hurricane Milton Damage to Private Property in Flagler and Cities: $18.8 million, Government Costs Yet to Be Tallied
Flagler County suffered an estimated $18.8 million in private property damages countywide from Hurricane Milton, and an additional $14 million in damages to just under 11 miles of beachfront, with additional estimates yet to be calculated such as costs to government infrastructure and services, and losses to the federal portion of the beach in Flagler Beach–the 2.6 miles the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers just renourished.
Anger, Praise and Rudeness for Palm Coast’s Storm Response; Another Failed Attempt at Building Moratorium
A blustery, angry morning segment of a day-long meeting of the Palm Coast City Council today felt like aftershocks of Hurricane Milton as numerous residents assailed what they saw–against evidence–as the city’s failed response during the storm while some residents praised the same response for weathering a historic rainfall with very limited damage: just five homes had any kind of flooding, the city confirmed this afternoon. An attempt by City Council member Theresa Pontieri to call for a year-long moratorium on residential construction failed.
For Colleen Conklin, a Preview of Farewells and Flowers After 24 Years as She Logs Penultimate School Board Meeting
Flagler County School Board members Colleen Conklin and Cheryl Massaro, each in her own way, spoke their farewells at their last voting School Board meeting, though both will serve through another workshop in November, where a celebration of their tenures is planned. Conklin has been on the board since 2000, Massaro since 2020.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, October 15, 2024
The Palm Coast City Council meets at 9 a.m. at City Hall for a marathon meeting, A Community Presentation on Sand Dunes By Florida Sea Grant and UF/IFAS Extension Flagler, Food Truck Tuesdays, campaign ads, the Kennedy-Nixon election of 1960, Machiavelli’s refuge.
Trump’s Lies Politicize FEMA’s Disaster Relief
Rumors and lies about government responses to natural disasters are not new. Those rumors don’t usually come from former presidents. Yet in the wake of hurricanes Helene and Milton, former President Donald Trump spread falsehoods about the federal government’s response to the disaster. Misinformation on the topic became so widespread that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, known as FEMA, set up a webpage to debunk the rumors spawned by Trump.