The Florida Senate on Wednesday approved a controversial measure that would shield travel records of the governor and other state leaders. The proposal also would withhold from the public names of certain guests at the governor’s mansion.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, April 20, 2023
Drug court, the 24th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre, Stewart and Carlin, an Intimate History of Killing.
How Hip-Hop Enhanced American Education
2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip-hop. People around the world are taking time to reflect on and celebrate hip-hop’s accomplishments. Educators are not only remembering the obvious ways hip-hop has influenced language and fashion or provided the soundtrack to our study sessions and sports events, but we are also acknowledging how hip-hop has changed education.
Coming YMCA Could Give Belle Terre Club a Few Years’ Reprieve. 2 School Board Members Won’t Hear of It.
After yet another round of hardened, inconclusive debate over the fate of the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club during the school board’s workshop on Tuesday, the board agreed to vote on the matter one way or the other at its May 16 meeting. But this time a new element is in play, with the very strong possibility of a YMCA coming to town in a few years.
Dune Restoration Will Extend from Beverly Beach to Varn Park Over Next 10 Weeks
Dune restoration work for the next 10 weeks – weather permitting – will extend from Beverly Beach to Varn Park as part of Flagler County’s ongoing emergency sand operations.
‘Don’t Say Gay’ Extended to 12th Grade in New Board of Education Rule, With Vague Exceptions
Teachers shall not “intentionally provide” instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in fourth through 12th grades. Teachers could face suspension or revocation of their educator certificates for violations of the rule.
Bob Snyder, Guardian of Public Health in Flagler for a Decade, Is Boy Scouts Council’s Golden Eagle Award Winner
Bob Snyder, the Flagler County Health Department administrator since 2015 and the county’s leader in public health, is the 2023 Golden Eagle honoree. He’s receiving the honor this evening at the annual Flagler County Boy Scout Golden Eagle Dinner at Hammock Dunes Resort.
Furry and Chong, Who’d Slandered Opponents During Campaign, Seek to ‘Censure’ School Board Chair Cheryl Massaro. They Fail.
An attempt by School Board members Will Furry and Christy Chong to censure Cheryl Massaro failed, 3-2, Tuesday evening. The motion and the discussion surrounding it had elements of the surreal, as most school board meetings now do. Massaro’s comments were cutting, but nowhere near the slanders and lies Chong and Furry had peddled about board members and candidates during their campaign a few months ago.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Virginia “Ginger” Delegal, Executive Director of the Florida Association of Counties, speaks at Flagler Tiger Bay, The Tourist Development Council looks over the past year, the Palm Coast Planning Board meets, remembering the Oklahoma City bombing.
It Is Unconstitutional, But Florida Lawmakers Approve Death Penalty in Child Rape Cases
Lawmakers hope the bill (HB 1297) will ultimately lead to the U.S. Supreme Court reversing a 2008 decision that barred the death penalty for people who rape children. The state House passed the bill last week.
El Niño Is On the Way, With Oceans Already at Record High Temps
During El Niño, a swath of ocean stretching 6,000 miles warms for months on end, typically by 2 to 4 degrees Fahrenheit–more than enough to completely reorganize wind, rainfall and temperature patterns all over the planet.
County Rejects Proposed 16-Home ‘Solitude’ Seaside Development on A1A, With Legal Threats Looming
With the possibility of facing a lawsuit from either side, the Flagler County Commission Monday evening voted 4-1 to deny the proposed Solitude at Matanzas Shores’ development of 16 single-family homes on 3.9 seaside acres along State Road A1A, at the north end of the county. The developer may still build 14 town homes, if that’s how he chooses to proceed, but with conditions previously negotiated.
Crank, Novel of Addiction, Survives Ban at FPC and Matanzas for Now in Unanimous Vote
Two committees meeting jointly to review a challenge to Ellen Hopkins’s “Crank,” a novel tracing the spiral of a 17-year-old high school girl into drug addiction, voted unanimously Monday afternoon to keep the book on high school library shelves. But the superintendent’s recent decision to ban a book despite three unanimous votes to keep it left a chill in the committees’ decisions on Monday.
52-Year-Old Man Killed in 2-Vehicle Crash on I-95, North of Palm Coast Parkway
A 52-year-old Delray Beach man was killed early Tuesday morning in a two-vehicle crash on I-95 just north of the Palm Coast Parkway interchange.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, April 18, 2023
The Flagler County School Board has a pair of meetings, requiring a run on Xanax, Food Truck Tuesday in Central Park, Clarence Darrow’s birthday and rumored death, Robert Persig on the art of climbing mountains.
Dominion’s Defamation Case Against Fox Is Not Easy to Prove
The statements against Dominion have already been proved false. The question now is whether the statements harmed Dominion’s reputation enough to rise to the level of defamation. But it is far easier to throw around as an accusation than it is to actually prove fault.
DeSantis Decrees that Legislature Will Void Disney’s Autonomy on Development Rights
The feud between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Walt Disney Co. escalated Monday after the governor said that the state Legislature intends to void an agreement on Disney development rights for years to come.
Wadsworth Elementary’s Karter Consolazio’s Alertness Earns Him a Sheriff’s Scholarship
Sheriff Staly and Deputy Erlandson presented Karter Consolazio with a certificate for a scholarship to attend the FCSO Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Academy this summer.
Man Faces Felony Child Abuse and Other Charges From Attack on Wife Witnessed by 3 Children
Harold S. Jackson, a 51-year-old resident of Powder Hill Lane in Palm Coast, is at the Flagler County jail on $82,000 bond and two felony charges, including child abuse, following an alleged attack and strangulation of his wife that was witnessed by their three children.
With a $400,000 Loss in 5 Years, Flagler Beach Pier’s Bait Shop Will Close Permanently as a City Business
The bait shop that for decades burnished the Flagler Beach pier’s quaintness and served as gatekeeper to pier fishers and visitors, will close permanently as a city-run business on June 1. The city may consider leasing the small space to a private company, whether as a shop or as a different kind of business, but it won’t decide that until May.
Challenged in Flagler Schools: Ellen Hopkins’s Crank, a Review and a Recommendation
Crank is the first book by Ellen Hopkins, a very popular young adult novelist, and the first in an autobiographical trilogy centered on her daughter’s crystal meth addiction. It is among the 22 books a trio of Flagler County residents want banned. A joint committee of Matanzas and FPC faculty take on the challenge this afternoon.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, April 17, 2023
The Flagler County Commission will again consider a controversial 16-home development on the beachside at the north end of the county, the East Flagler Mosquito Control District Board meets, Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman.
In Defense of Major League Baseball’s New Rules
There’s an almost mythical belief that baseball doesn’t change over time. When this assumption is challenged, accusations of blasphemy result. But baseball has changed, and so have the rules.
Republicans Lost GenZ with Expulsion of Two Black Lawmakers
As have many shameful lawmakers before them, Tennessee Republicans weaponized the rules of conduct to punish state Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson. But respectability politics mean nothing to GenZ. If such glaring issues as gun violence, healthcare, and climate change were not enough to engage the youth, watching racism and inequality so blatantly on display certainly did the job.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, April 16, 2023
The Hispanic Cultural Festival of Palm Coast, Pellicer Creek Raid Re-Enactment at the Ag Museum, Daytona State College Theatre’s “The Prom,” Picasso’s cigarette burn, LBJ on J. Edgar Hoover.
Trans Bathroom-Ban Bills Affect Private Businesses, Schools, Public Shelters and Healthcare Facilities
The sharply restrictive bills making their way through the Florida Legislature don’t just attempt to control bathroom use by transgender people but represent a much more “broad and vague” ban on gender-inclusive restrooms and changing facilities in private businesses, health care facilities, schools, public shelters, and jails.
Stetson Names Elizabeth Skomp New Provost and Vice President
Stetson President Christopher F. Roellke, PhD, announced that Elizabeth Skomp, PhD, will serve as the university’s next provost and vice president of Academic Affairs.
Anti-Mifepristone Court Decisions Rely on Bogus Medical Information and Flawed Reasoning
One decision cites no evidence – because there is none – that mifepristone alone causes complications. Further, it cites no evidence that access to mifepristone through the mail, or up to 10 weeks of pregnancy, increased the rate of complications.
(Redirected) Michael Blum, F-Section Resident on Probation, Arrested
Michael Philip Blum, a 45-year-old resident of 18 Felter Lane, was arrested in connection with the unexplained suspected explosion in a swale at Fernwood Lane and Fleetwood Drive in Palm Coast Friday afternoon, a short distance from Blum’s house.
Michael Blum, F-Section Resident on Probation, Arrested in Connection With Mortar Explosion
Michael Philip Blum, a 45-year-old resident of 18 Felter Lane, was arrested in connection with the unexplained suspected explosion in a swale at Fernwood Lane and Fleetwood Drive in Palm Coast Friday afternoon, a short distance from Blum’s house.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, April 15, 2023
Lt. General Mark Hertling speaks at the Hilton Garden Inn, Andrew Spar speaks at the Community Center, Curtis Gray memorial event, Matanzas High’s Pirate Players Present ‘Grease,’ Eric Schlosser, Ray Kroc and Fast Food Nation.
Flagler Beach Rotary Buys City Police a $10,000 Emergency Response Trailer
The Rotary Club of Flagler Beach is pleased to announce that the club has purchased a new Emergency Response Trailer for the City of Flagler Beach.
Much-Touted App Swiped Off as Flagler Beach Re-Focuses on Clunky Website to Communicate
Flagler Beach’s year-long attempt to launch an app that would improve engagement and communication with residents is flickering out. The City Commission Thursday evening voted unanimously to end development of the app and shift money allocated for it back to improving the city’s website. There was little indication that the city was interested in further app development, though that door remains ajar.
Mother of 6-Year-Old Faces Felony Child Neglect Charge Following DUI Crash on I-95
Earthalee Summers, the 32-year-old mother of a 6-year-old boy, faces a felony child neglect charge and several lesser charges, including drunk driving, after falling asleep and rear-ending a truck on I-95 in Palm Coast late Wednesday night, with her unsecured 6-year-old child possibly in the front seat of the car.
Boil-Water Advisory in Effect Citywide After Power Surge Briefly Knocks Out Bunnell Plant
A power surge this morning briefly knocked the Bunnell water plant off line, interrupting water service city-wide, Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson said. The interruption resulted in a cautionary boil-water advisory for residents and businesses across the city today.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, April 14, 2023
LGBTQ+ Night at Flagler Beach’s Coquina Coast Brewing Company, Flagler County fair, the Cosmic Hippie at the Hammock Community Center, Matanzas High’s Pirate Players Present ‘Grease,’ the Paris world expo of 1900, explaining La Nina and El Nino, defining deviancy down.
The Challenge of Boosting Electrical Vehicle Market to 67% of U.S. Car Sales
The proposal would require a huge change in production and consumer choice. To put it in perspective, in 2022 about 6% of U.S. passenger vehicle sales were all-electric. But U.S. automakers are already ramping up to meet the California rules, as well as aggressive requirements in Europe and China.
Sheriff’s Office Investigating Likely ‘Unsubstantiated Rumor’ of Shooting at Indian Trails Middle Friday
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is investigating reports by students and parents at Indian Trails Middle School that the school will be the target of a shooting on Friday. The alleged threat appears to have originated from within the school, and appears to have little validity, but more than one source.
Florida Lawmakers Approve Abortion Ban Past 6 Weeks, One of the Most Restrictive in U.S.
In less than a year, Florida has moved from a 15-week abortion ban to the passage of one of the most restrictive bans in the nation — a 6-week abortion ban. The state House approved the legislation after at least six hours of questions, amendments, debate, protests and a final vote that will clear the way for Gov. Ron DeSantis to consider the bill.
Marketing Lab Opens at Matanzas High School, Giving Classroom a Real-World Vibe of Office Energy
Matanzas High School’s Marketing Lab is the newest addition to its marketing and finance program, a hands-on immersive experience for students to get the full workplace experience from conceiving products to pitching their marketability to developing advertising campaigns to selling. Superintendent Cathy Mittelstadt and Matanzas Principal Kristin Bozeman inaugurated the lab today.
Scattered Strong to Severe Thunderstorms Today in Flagler
The National Weather Service in Jacksonville cautions that today–Thursday–will bring unsettled weather to the Flagler-Palm Coast region.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, April 13, 2023
Matanzas High School Marketing Lab Ribbon Cutting, the Flagler Beach City Commission meets, Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series, Justin J. Pearson, “Defiant and Determined.”
Banning TikTok May Weaken Personal Cybersecurity
Blocking access to TikTok by filtering traffic destined for addresses believed to be owned by TikTok is possible but would be difficult to accomplish. Server addresses can be changed and a TikTok ban could devolve into a game of cat and mouse.
Louis Gaskin Killed 33 Years After Double-Murder as Mark Carman, Who’d Arrested Him, Witnesses
Louis Gaskin, who murdered Robert and Georgette Sturmfels in Palm Coast’s R Section in 1989, was killed by lethal injection Wednesday evening. Mark Carman, who arrested Gaskin 33 years ago, was among the witnesses to the execution, and spoke of the experience, as did others who turned up in opposition to the death penalty.
Renaming of Palm Coast Community Center After Jon Netts Draws Current Mayor’s Surprise Objection
The proposed renaming of the Palm Coast Community Center for the late Jon Netts turned oddly contentious at the Palm Coast City Council on Tuesday, with Mayor David Alfin–usually the conciliator–leading the charge, and Netts’s memory paying the price.
Palm Coast Plan Proposes 102% Increase in Stormwater Rates in 4 Years. Council Is ‘Uncomfortable.’
A Palm Coast government consultant is proposing a 102 percent increase in homeowners’ stormwater rates over the next four years, what would equate to an annual bill of $542–more than what some homeowners pay in city property taxes. The City Council isn’t ready to go that far, but steeply higher rates are coming.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Louis Gaskin is scheduled to be killed at Raiford state prison at 6 p.m., making him the first man convicted in Flagler to be executed since 1973. Separation Chat, Flagler County Fair, Stetson Guitar Ensemble, Bitcoin’s energy waste.
Fox News ‘Journalists’ Lied With Impunity. It’s Their Business Model.
Businesses exist primarily to make a profit and doing actual news isn’t essential. Adam Serwer, reporting for The Atlantic, wrote “sources at Fox told me to think of it not as a network per se, but as a profit machine.” Profit machines can hire anybody who falls off a turnip truck and label them journalists because the job has no standardized requirements.
Splitting from Palm Coast, Flagler County Stays With Waste Pro, at Rates 65% Higher Than 2017 Contract
After the County Commission signed on to a five-year contract valued at around $3 million annually, Waste Pro will remain unincorporated Flagler County’s trash hauler, but not Palm Coast’s, where FCC Environmental will be the trash hauler starting June 1. Waste Pro had picked up Palm Coast’s trash for the previous 16 years.
Owners of 10,000 Vacant Lots in Palm Coast May Soon Be Responsible for Mowing Rights of Way
Palm Coast government’s quarter-century-old practice of mowing the rights of way in front of vacant lots mostly at its own expense may be about to end. The Palm Coast City Council today agrees that the responsibility should shift to the property owners, and that it should be enforced by the city’s code enforcement officers.