Some groups of Trump voters are having second thoughts. The most regretful are those with whom Trump made significant gains in 2024. They include political independents, African Americans, younger people and those with more education.
Deeply Buried in Forest of Candidates, Paul Renner Digs for a Blade of Grassroots
Former House Speaker Paul Renner is staring up at U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, James Fishback, and even Lt. Gov. Jay Collins in most polling of the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis. But he’s confident that public opinion surveys don’t sync up with what he’s seeing as he travels the state making his case to Republican voters ahead of the August Primary.
GOP Gerrymandering Is Burying the South’s Black Voters
Republican state legislatures across the South, Florida included, are passing new congressional redistricting maps that systematically divide concentrated Black populations into multiple white-majority districts to neutralize minority voting power and limits political representation. It is a regression to Jim Crow-era electoral suppression.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, May 17, 2026
‘The Curious Savage” at Daytona Playhouse, “Once on This Island,” a musical, at Limelight Theatre in St. Augustine, when Steinbeck’s Lonesome Harry met Albert Camus’ Harry in Prague and Simone de Beauvoir wondered what the hell she was doing in Rochester.
How A Rightwing Director Reopened The Venice Biennale to State Violence And War Politics
The 61st Venice Biennale has shifted from a spiritual artistic showcase into an ideological battlefield under new rightwing leadership. The reinstatement of controversial nations prompted the collective resignation of the official jury, widespread artist boycotts, and intense public demonstrations. Clashes between peaceful activists and riot police highlighted the tension. Art serves as a vehicle for state agendas and a tool for resistance.
45 Flagler County First Responders Hold Joint Training for High-Water and Flooding Emergencies
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and Flagler County Fire Rescue are completing a three-part swiftwater and flood rescue training series to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season. Approximately 45 personnel are practicing shallow-water maneuvers, defensive swimming, and multi-agency coordination.
Saturday in Byblos:
Maupassant’s Colonial Delusion
Guy de Maupassant’s 1884 short story “Châli” explores, against Maupassant’s intentions, the deep moral rot of European colonialism through a French admiral’s disturbing exploitation of a young Indian slave as the narrative highlights how imperial powers disguised systemic violence as benevolent paternalism. The literary self-deception directly mirrors the historical degradation of colonialism defined by Aimé Césaire.
Ingoglia Blusters Against ‘Wasteful’ Local Spending But Parses Taxpayer Giveaway for Rays Stadium
Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia’s aggressive targeting of alleged local government waste contrasts with his approval of unappraised state land transfers for a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium. Video evidence contradicts his claims of voting against a controversial Destin property acquisition, showing he ultimately acceded to a package vote approved by Governor Ron DeSantis.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, May 16, 2026
Unity in the Community, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Edward Johnson City Park in Bunnell, Chess Meet-Up for at all ages at the Flagler Beach Public Library, ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,’ an FPC Production, two shows at the Fitz, Trump’s diminishing fortunes.
The US-China Reset That May Not Be So Great for the World
US–China cooperation no longer automatically implies positive spillover effects for the rest of the world. It is at best a private bargain between two great powers, imposing hidden costs on those outside, looking in. The Trump administration has ushered in a noticeable shift in how the US views its economic interests: no longer premised on shared liberal values, but on spheres of influence among great powers. The question is not whether the US and China can cooperate. It is what kind of order their cooperation will produce.
Sergeant Adrian Zapata Named Officer Of The Year During Bunnell Police Awards Presentation
The Bunnell Police Department presented its annual awards on Monday during a city commission meeting coinciding with National Police Week. Sergeant Adrian Zapata received the 2025 Officer of the Year designation following two lifesaving incidents. Volunteer Chaplain Larry Hobbs earned the Chief’s Commendation. The agency reported significant progress, highlighting major annual crime reductions across person, society, and property categories throughout the city.
Flagler Beach Will Seek Bids for Paid Parking System as It Parallels Past Decades of Idle Talk
After talking about it for three decades, and 11 years after a committee that had met for two years had recommended it, Flagler Beach is about to issue a request for qualified companies to propose a paid parking system for the city. The request will be issued on June 1. Flagler Beach residents would be exempt. Palm Coast residents, who account for the majority of visitors to the island, would not be. City Commissioners stress that this is still the investigative phase and that there are no done deals.
Advocates of Huge Taxpayer Subsidies for Private Education Call Voucher Lawsuit ‘Frivolous’
The state education commissioner and “school choice” advocates have clapped back at the Florida Education Association’s lawsuit alleging the state’s school voucher program is unconstitutional. Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas during a Florida Board of Education meeting in Miami Thursday said the union “continues to waste members’ dues and taxpayer dollars on litigation that does nothing to advance student achievement or strengthen our schools.”
Judge Deals All But Fatal Blow to Chelsea Herbert Suit Challenging Bunnell’s 1,259-Acre Industrial Rezoning
Circuit Judge Sandra Upchurch today denied a motion for an extension to amend a petition filed by Bunnell resident Chelsea Herbert seeking to quash the industrial rezoning of 1,259 acres in Bunnell. The judge ruled the initial filing was a bare-bones document intended to circumvent 30-day jurisdictional deadlines. The decision complicates the legal challenge as settlement negotiations continue.
Sheriff Staly Leads Memorial Ceremony to Fallen Officers in Service and Shadow of Thin Blue Line
Numerous Flagler County officials and members of the public gathered Thursday evening for the annual law enforcement memorial honoring fallen deputies and K-9 Kyro at the Sheriff’s Operations Center in Bunnell, where Sheriff Rick Staly spoke of the heavy burden carried by families of the deceased. A thin blue line flag donated by Bunnell City Commissioner John Rogers flew over the ceremony.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, May 15, 2026
A Disaster Preparedness Expo at the Palm Coast Community Center, ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,’ an FPC Production, at the Fitz, Superintendent LaSjakia Moore on Free For All Friday, foreign language learning.
How the Supreme Court Created The Era Of Dark Money
While many blame Citizens United for the massive influx of money in American elections, the true turning point was the 1976 Supreme Court case Buckley v. Valeo. By equating political spending with free speech, the ruling dismantled crucial campaign finance regulations. It paved the way for super PACs, dark money groups, and billionaire self-funders, permanently transforming the landscape of modern United States politics.
A Symbolic 457-Day Jail Sentence, On Top of 9 Life Terms, to End Henriqson’s Stay at Flagler Jail
Kristopher Henriqson, 48, got a symbolic 457-day jail sentence today for marijuana distribution and possession of drug paraphernalia following his conviction a month ago on 11 counts of sexual assault involving his stepdaughter. The sentence ends his court cases in Flagler County and clears his transfer to state prison.
Florida House Committee Issues 1st Reprimand in 20 Years, to Rep. Angie Nixon Over Bullhorn Use
In an exceedingly rare move, a Florida House committee on Thursday reprimanded Rep. Angie Nixon for repeatedly blaring a bullhorn during a contentious fight over congressional redistricting. But the Jacksonville Democrat told reporters she’s unfazed — despite receiving the Florida Legislature’s first official reprimand in more than 20 years.
Pontieri: Unleashing the Private Sector Is the Conservative Solution to the Palm Coast Housing Squeeze
Flagler County and Palm Coast face a housing squeeze making it difficult for lower-income, elderly and other groups to overcome rental or mortgage burdens. But government interventions are not the way, argues Palm Coast City Council member Theresa Pontieri, as they distort market incentives and unfairly shift infrastructure costs onto existing taxpayers. True affordability requires cutting regulatory red tape and fostering economic growth to raise local wages.
Palm Coast Mayor Norris Turns Loop Road Groundbreaking Into Lashing of Western Expansion and Developer
Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris surprised attendees at a groundbreaking ceremony this morning by lashing into the $125 million loop road project connecting Matanzas Woods Parkway with Palm Coast Parkway, and into Raydient, the developer, attacking it for not shouldering its share of infrastructure funding. Norris discarded his prepared remarks to criticize the environmental impact on wetlands and the financial burden on local taxpayers. Council members Charles Gambaro and Ty Miller rebuked the mayor for his timing.
Diagnosing Alarming Deficit in Road Repair Bill, City Director Tells Palm Coast Council: You Did This
In a remarkably gutsy moment at the end of his presentation on the city’s deteriorating road system, Carl Cote, the city’s director of stormwater and engineering, reminded the council of how it has been reducing the tax rate for successive years since 2021. “In lieu of the rollbacks that council had done since then, if that was dedicated to resurfacing, that would be an additional $8.5 million we’d have in that program today,” Cote said. The program, in other words, would have been fully funded instead of facing a gaping deficit.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, May 14, 2026
Palm Coast’s Loop Road Groundbreaking on Matanzas Woods Parkway, ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,’ an FPC Production at the Fitz, The Flagler Beach City Commission meets, a Maupassant story anticipates Trump’s bloodlust at a UFC fight.
AdventHealth Palm Coast Earns Top Quality Rating from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
AdventHealth Daytona Beach, AdventHealth Fish Memorial and AdventHealth Palm Coast each earned five stars, placing them among the top-performing hospitals in the country, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Opioid Overdose Deaths Drop 42% in First Half of 2025, Fentanyl Deaths Down 46%
Opioid-caused deaths fell by 42 percent from January 2025 to June 2025, and fentanyl-caused deaths fell 46 percent, according to the interim 2025 Drugs in Deceased Persons Report released by the Florida Medical Examiners Commission. Drug harm reduction advocates and researchers say shifts in the drug supply and changes in drug use are the major contributors to the decrease in deaths.
Mandatory One Day Per Week Watering Restrictions Ordered as Drought Worsens
The St. Johns River Water Management District today issued a Phase III Extreme Water Shortage declaration in response to ongoing exceptional drought conditions, declining groundwater levels and reduced surface water flows across northeast and central Florida. The district includes 18 counties from Nassau to the north to Indian River to the south, including Flagler.
Council Rejects Affordable Housing Recommendations, Saying It Doesn’t Want to Alter Palm Coast’s ‘Character’
The Palm Coast City Council reviewed a sobering housing assessment identifying significant affordability gaps for working residents but rejected several strategies and narrowed the focus toward senior housing, exposing a deep divide between itself and its Affordable Housing Committee, if not its own administration. Advocates criticized the limited approach for ignoring the needs of teachers and first responders. Future expansion plans suggest a continued reliance on single-family homes, deepening a lack of diversity.
Palm Coast Council Will Join State Program Focused on Protecting Historical and Cultural Assets Citywide
Palm Coast City Council members agreed to draft an ordinance seeking inclusion in Florida’s Certified Local Government Program, which creates a partnership between federal, state, and local governments to evaluate and protect historic properties. The designation allows the city to access grant funding for preservation efforts citywide. Though 88 Florida cities and counties are part of the program, not a single Flagler County entity is. The efoort was spurred by concerns over Palm Coast’s westward expansion.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Conversations in Democracy at Pine Lakes Golf Club, Jonathan Brown on the cognitive test Trump failed, on being part of something bigger than oneself, David Foster Wallace on Charlie Rose.
The Nightmare Holocaust Survivors Came Home To
Holocaust survivors returning to Paris after the Nazi occupation discovered their homes were looted and occupied by strangers. Restitution laws meant to help victims often created bureaucratic hurdles that favored non-Jewish tenants instead. Many families spent decades fighting for financial compensation for stolen furniture and personal belongings. The exclusion of foreign-born Jews highlights the lasting economic and emotional scars left by the Holocaust.
Palm Coast Council Almost Finalizes Three Charter Amendments for November Ballot
The Palm Coast City Council today all but finalized language for three charter amendments that would appear on the November ballot. One proposal clarifies procedures for removing council members, another establishes an 18-month rule for holding special elections to fill vacancies, and a third increases the city debt limit to $30 million without requiring a referendum. The changes aim to resolve previous appointment controversies and modernize municipal financial governance.
Flagler Beach City Manager Says Firing of Fire Chief Was Not Disciplinary Or Result of Any Violations
Former Flagler Beach Fire Chief Stephen Cox did not break any laws, did not violate any city or Fire Department policies, and in City Manager Dale Martin’s evaluation was found to exceed expectations in a September evaluation. But a “loss in confidence” among staff led to his firing, Martin said in a press conference from the main hangar of the Fire Department this afternoon. Jennifer Fiveash and Morgan Rainey have returned in interim leadership positions, but appear uninterested in staying for the long term.
Jury Finds Gary Durso Not Guilty as Defense Attorney James Smith Dismantles Case Over a Single CSAM Image
A Flagler County jury acquitted 63-year-old Gary Durso of Palm Coast’s E Section of possessing a single image of child sexual abuse material after 45 minutes of deliberation. Defense attorney James Smith successfully argued that the prosecution failed to prove Durso knew the subject of a 2016 photograph he’d kept for nine years and disseminated on Flickr was a minor. The jury, unaware of Durso’s status as a sex offender who’d previously solicited a minor, found reasonable doubt regarding his intent and knowledge of image.
Florida Immigration Enforcement Costs Shifted from Storm Fund Climb to $460 Million For the Year
The fund was created in 2022 to handle hurricane preparation and response and other natural disasters, allowing Gov. Ron DeSantis to quickly dispense money during states of emergency. Since 2022, the lawmakers have deposited $4.77 billion into the fund. As of a few weeks ago, the fund balance was $199 million.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Day two of Gary Durso’s trial, the Palm Coast City Council meets in workshop, the Community Traffic Safety Team meet as does the school board, for a workshop, catching up with Robert Caro at 90, as he continues his biography of LBJ.
Atlantic Red Snapper Season Expanded to 39 Days, from 2 Last Year
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday revealed there will be a 39-day red snapper fishing season in the Atlantic coast this year, an expansion from the two days allowed last year. The longer fishing season was due to a switch from federal management of the waters off Florida’s east coast for red snapper to state management.
AI Integrated License Plate Readers Are Quietly Transforming American Cities Into Massive Surveillance Networks
Automatic license plate readers occupy thousands of American intersections, integrating with advanced artificial intelligence and creating searchable databases facilitating mass surveillance of marginalized communities. Private companies provide the equipment frequently bypassing local oversight laws. Significant costs exist. Little evidence supports claims regarding violent crime reduction. Activists are now organizing to resist this rapidly expanding government data dragnet nationwide across the United States today.
Victim’s Family Alleges in Lawsuit that FSU Shooter Was ‘Co-Conspiring’ with ChatGPT
The family of one of the victims of last year’s mass shooting at Florida State University have filed a lawsuit against the artificial intelligence chatbot the alleged shooter consulted before the attack. Lawyers representing 45-year-old Tiru Chabba’s estate announced the lawsuit filed Monday in Tallahassee federal court.
Flagler Beach Fire Chief Stephen Cox Fired Following Staff Resignations and No-Confidence Letter
Flagler Beach City Manager Dale Martin fired Fire Chief Stephen Cox this morning following the resignation of five firefighters and a no-confidence letter signed by seven staff members, including two who’d resigned. The document cited a hostile work environment and a lack of transparent communication. Martin concluded Cox could no longer lead effectively.
DUI Probationer Sent Back to Jail for Refusing to Profess Faith in God in Christian Treatment Program
A Flagler County judge returned 29-year-old Joshua King to jail for a probation violation after the 29-year-old Wiccan refused to profess Christian faith in God at Faith Farm Ministries as part of his court-ordered rehab therapy. He claimed the facility mandated religious conversion for program completion. The judge ruled that King failed to comply with the terms of the specific program he himself selected. He is to be resasigned to a different facility not of his choice.
Flagler Schools Earns Guy Harvey Conservation District Designation For The 2025-2026 Academic Year
Flagler Schools has been named a Guy Harvey Conservation District for the 2025-2026 school year, underscoring the district’s commitment to environmental education through teacher professional development, experiential learning and environmental leadership. A presentation honoring the recognition will take place at this month’s Flagler Schools Board Meeting at the Government Services Building in Bunnell on May 19.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, May 11, 2026
The Bunnell City Commission meets, Flagler County’s Land Acquisition Committee, Francis Fukuyama on the future of democracy, a few words from the Philippines.
Netanyahu’s Baseless Pledge to ‘Finish” Hezbollah
When it comes to Hezbollah, Israel’s military simply cannot completely defeat a resistance movement that is so embedded in the social, political and cultural fabric of Lebanon. This would require not just a military victory, but the subjugation of its supporters and the delegitimisation of its ideology.
Florida Democrats Are Getting Giddy. They Should Beware.
Florida Democrats are experiencing rare optimism following competitive polling and recent special election victories as Republican incumbents Byron Donalds and James Uthmeier face scrutiny over controversial statements and legal issues. But the GOP maintains a supermajority and control over the judiciary, and Democrats have a history of failing in critical statewide elections.
Time to ‘Move On’ From Alligator Alcatraz, Ashley Moody Says
Sen. Ashley Moody says that the migrant concentration camp in the Everglades known as “Alligator Alcatraz” has done its job and that its mission has been fulfilled, after it was opened to handle detainees the federal government couldn’t handle.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, May 10, 2026
‘The Curious Savage” at Daytona Playhouse, the maimed run in Gaza, Shell’s obscene war profiteering, Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village, when corporations were survivalists.
Why Do Some People Treat the Magic Kingdom and Disney Adults Like Cultural Abominations?
Critics frequently dismiss Disney World as a manufactured environment lacking true substance. This “authenticity objection” suggests the parks provide only mindless distraction. Philosophical analysis reveals Disney never purports to be anything other than a themed amusement park. Devoted fans also maintain their own unique identities outside this fantasy. The Magic Kingdom offers valuable spaces for diverse families to create lasting and collective memories together.
Paul Renner’s 2% Delusion
Paul Renner is at 2% in one from Fabrizio, Lee & Associates, which puts him 52 points behind U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds. He is also at 2% in a poll posted by The Floridian, the content of which appears to align with an internal survey referred to recently by Lt. Gov. Jay Collins. Yet he sees a path for victory in August’s Primary for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, May 9, 2026
Palm Coast Spring Arts Festival in Central Park, the Saturday Flagler Beach Farmers Market, AAUW Monthly Meeting, Second Saturday Plant Sale at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, William Maxwell’s “A Final Report.”
How Ted Turner Changed the Way We See Our World
Ted Turner will be remembered mostly for the creation and development of the Cable News Network – CNN – which launched in 1980 and made our knowledge of distant events instantaneous and our world more comprehensible. In this sense, Turner’s legacy extends beyond television. He changed our conception not only of journalism but also of our world.