Omicron is here, if not yet in full force, and is up to five times as infectious as the delta variant of Covid-19. But if delta was a hurricane, omicron is shaping up as more of a tropical storm. And the more protected your house is–the more you’ve developed immunity through vaccines, boosters, prior infections–the less likely you are to get sick, let alone get gravely ill or die.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, December 24, 2021
Midnight Mass with a fabulous musical program at Elizabeth Ann Seton, and a 5 o’clock program for those who can’t hack the midnight thing, plus Darlene Love’s Christmastime for the Jews and Ronald Reagan on carpet-bombing Vietnam in time for Christmas.
What to Do About All This Holiday Stress on Your Relationship
You might already know stress can affect your own health, but what you may not realize is that your stress – and how you manage it – is catching. Your stress can spread around, particularly to your loved ones. Christmas is an especially contagious time, not just for the Omicron variant.
Sheriff Staly Says Target’s Ties to Shop With a Cop Irreparably Destroyed as Company’s Statements Vacillate
What started with an email from target to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s Shop with a Cop charity in October and a puzzled response that went unanswered has turned into a full-bore and continuing assault on the company by Sheriff Rick Staly, who has been lambasting Target for “talking out of both sides of their mouths” after abruptly severing a 13-year relationship with what had previously been known as Christmas with a Deputy.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, December 23, 2021
Waste Pro garbage pick-up schedules for Christmas and New Year will not change. Jamelle Bouie on “a homegrown ideology of reaction in the United States.” Holiday rules on what not to talk about around the dinner table.
Louis C.K.: Sexual Misconduct, Cancel Culture and the Pursuit of Justice
Cancel culture, as a type of internet vigilantism appears fundamentally incompatible with the actualization of restorative justice because it is oriented to punishment and exclusion, leaving no space for dialogue or personal change.
Proposal to Let Death Row Inmates Represent Themselves on Appeal Sparks Sharp Opposition
The proposal, which was released in May, has spurred opposition from a wide range of groups that argue Death Row inmates are not qualified to represent themselves in the often-complicated proceedings, including many inmates who have mental illnesses.
Palm Coast Firefighters Spread Holiday Cheer with 3rd Annual Heroes & Helpers Holiday Celebration
The Palm Coast Fire Department along with Professional Firefighters Local 4807 were successful in spreading holiday cheer by hosting the 3rd annual Heroes & Helpers Holiday Celebration on Saturday, December 18. The event was hosted by the Palm Coast Professional Firefighters Local 4807 and their local charity, Palm Coast Firefighters Benevolent Fund Inc.
Off Duty Flagler County Fire Rescue Staffers, and One Retiree, Join Santa Collecting and Distributing Gifts
Firefighters Conlan Pottinger, Andy Thomas, Rob Zerbino, Lt. John Krall, Community Paramedic Caryn Prather, Chief Mike Tucker, and retired Flight Medic Roy Longo joined the Moscowitzes in their gift-giving mission.
With Best In Show Going to 100 Bellaire Drive, Palm Coast Announces Top 5 Winners of Holiday Lights
The City of Palm Coast hosted the second annual ‘Holiday Light Fight’ home decorating contest. Spearheaded by the Parks and Recreation Department, Palm Coast residents who decorated their homes were able to register and submit photos online.
5th Grade Teacher at Wadsworth Elementary Disciplined Over Inappropriate Story About ‘Beautiful Black Boy’
A Wadsworth Elementary teacher told her students a “story” about an inner-city Black student living with violence and poverty and, and told her students–according to their accounts–that they were privileged or blessed to be where they were, leading to disciplinary action against the teacher for being inappropriate and unprofessional.
Woman, 27, Crashes on I-95, Passes Out, and Is Arrested for Child Neglect and Fentanyl Possession
Shelby Vise, 27, was at the wheel of a gray Toyota late Tuesday, driving on I-95 in Palm Coast, when she crashed into the woodline. Her child was strapped to a car seat in the back. He appeared uninjured.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, December 22, 2021
Barely three days left to shop around Omicron, on the little-known enslavement of Native Americans, Beethoven’s big concert, and a few words about “a monument of German stupidity.”
Manchin Killed Build Back Better Over Inflation Fears. He’s Wrong.
What really matters is how much the bill would spend in excess of any taxes raised to pay for the program. The higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations that the House version of the bill calls for would reduce economic activity – by taking money out of the economy – offsetting some of the impact of the spending that would stimulate it.
Florida Department of Education Removes LGBTQ Resources. Nikki Fried Provides Her Own Instead.
Advocates complain that removing resources for LGBTQ students is the latest attack on LGBTQ Floridians by the DeSantis administration. Earlier this month, the department scrubbed dozens of informational links from its webpage on “Bullying Prevention.”
Sheriff Among Responders to a Repeat-Overdose Victim, Who Joins ‘Leave at Home Narcan Program’
Authorities have often spoken of treating addicts at scenes, at times the same addict in the same 24-hour period, only to hear them say that as long as they have access to Narcan, they feel secure. Authorities in this case referred to the “Leave at home Narcan program.”
What Renovations? Between County and New Owner, Same Old Stalemate Returns Over Old Dixie Motel
Time after time, Flagler County government has battled with owners of the derelict Country Hearth Inn on Old Dixie Highway to get it repaired, or at least to move it past the eyesore and nuisance stage to something less unattractive–and less attractive to vandals and mischief. Time after time, the owners have fallen short of meeting benchmarks.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, December 21, 2021
The latest uncertainties on the Omicron variant, All Things Christmas Sale at Santa Maria Del Mar, an excerpt from “Like to the Rushing of a Mighty Wind,” by Tracy K. Smith.
What’s the Point of Holiday Gifts?
Shouldn’t the holiday season simply be about family, friends and food? And wouldn’t everyone just be better off spending their own money on things they know they want? Gift exchanges may seem wasteful and impractical. But as social scientific research reveals, the costs and benefits of gift-giving aren’t what they seem.
Environmentalists Threaten EPA with Lawsuit Over Pollution Killing Manatees in Mass Numbers
An environmentalist coalition has served notice of its intent to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency unless it intervenes with state regulators to halt the release of pollutants into the Indian River Lagoon, where endangered Florida manatees are undergoing an historic die-off.
Continuing a Pre-Covid Trend, State College Enrollment Continues To Shrink Sharply
The steady decline of college enrollment in Florida began long before the coronavirus pandemic. The system now has about 100,000 fewer students than it did at the height of enrollment a decade ago. The 2010-11 academic year had an enrollment of 375,292 college students.
2 Weeks After Retiring as Tamarac Fire Chief, Percy Sayles Is Named Deputy Fire Chief in Flagler
Both Chief Mike Tucker’s appointment in summer and, in turn, that of Percy Sayles now, reflects a change in direction for a department that for many years drew its leadership from within. It is also no small thing that Sayles will be the highest appointment of a Black firefighter-paramedic to a leadership position in past or present fire departments in the county–in a profession where the proportion of Blacks is not high.
Angela TenBroeck, Marineland Mayor and 4th Generation Farmer, Is Florida Woman of the Year in Agriculture
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried named Marineland Mayor Angela TenBroeck, an innovator of sustainable and innovative farming techniques, Florida Woman of the Year in Agriculture. TenBroeck is CEO of a 30-acre aquaponics farm in East Palatka and heads the non-profit Center for Sustainable Agricultural Excellence and Conservation.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, December 20, 2021
The cynics take hold of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” David Denby on capitalism, our children and the avalanche of crud, and a quick preview of the 2022 election.
Teaching to Transgress: bell hooks Will Endure
As a leading Black intellectual, hooks pushed the feminist movement beyond the preserve of the white and middle-class, encouraging Black and working class perspectives on gender inequality. She taught us about white supremacist capitalist patriarchal values – giving both the words to define it and the methods to dismantle it.
New York City Will Allow 800,000 Non-Citizens Right to Vote in Local Elections
Nationwide, 14 municipalities allow noncitizens to vote, including two Vermont cities that approved similar measures earlier this year. San Francisco allows noncitizens to vote in school board elections, while nine Maryland towns permit noncitizen voting in local elections.
AdventHealth Tops Out Landmark ‘Innovation Tower’
In a spectacular nighttime display, AdventHealth ceremonially “topped out” its newest structure, a landmark 12-story building that will be known as “Innovation Tower,” alongside Interstate 4 in downtown Orlando earlier this week.
Flagler County Community Paramedicine, Led by Caryn Prather, Wins 3rd Award
The Flagler County Community Paramedicine program has received national, state, and regional accolades for utilizing best practices and providing the highest quality services to its residents.
Florida Lawmakers’ Proposals Would Require National Anthem at Games
The state Senate and House will consider a proposal that would require Florida professional sports teams receiving government assistance to play the U.S. national anthem before every home game.
DeSantis Wants to Deal With Florida’s Sea Level Rise Without ‘Left-Wing Stuff’
At his press conference in Oldsmar last week, DeSantis emphasized how much of the taxpayers’ millions the state was going to spend on “resilience.” That’s a politician code word for coping with the symptoms of climate change, but not doing anything about what’s causing it.
Flagler County Fire Rescue Accountant Suzanne Eubanks Deploys to Kentucky
Flagler County Fire Rescue Accountant Suzanne Eubanks deployed with the Northeast Florida Region 3 All-Hazards Incident Management Team to support recovery efforts in Kentucky in the aftermath of the tornadoes that hit late last week.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, December 19, 2021
Community Cats of Palm Coast is hosting the Third Annual Pawsitively Purrfect Auction at the Pine Lakes Golf Club Dec. 19 from 2 to 5 p.m., Karl Ove Knausgaard on faith.
Fruitcakes: Maligned and Misunderstood
Haters and disrespect aside, fruitcake is still a robust American tradition, with 2 million sold each year, though a quip attributed to former “Tonight Show” host Johnny Carson has it that “There is only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other.”
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, December 18, 2021
“All Things Christmas” Sale at Santa Maria Del Mar Catholic Church, why people and birds aren’t real, Ronald Dworkin on the degradation of free speech in America.
The Problems With Banning Cell Phones in the Workplace
Bans on employees using cellphones are relatively common in workplaces such as factories, farms and fast-food chains. Such employer rules are legal, and there is relatively little that employees can do about it. But different situations have indicated the necessity for workers to have access to their phones, for safety’s sake.
Florida Democrats Call on DeSantis to Declare Emergency Over Affordable Housing
The Democrats cite data from the National Low Income Housing Coalition showing 40 percent of middle-income households in Florida are “cost-burdened” in terms of housing expense and that 89 percent of poor households pay more than 30 percent of their monthly income for rent.
Flagler Health+ Completes 70-Acre Buy at Palm Coast Parkway for Eventual Hospital, Challenging AdventHealth
The purchase was not unexpected. It has had the acreage under contract since August. The purchase is part of its ongoing efforts to challenge AdventHealth’s supremacy in Flagler, a supremacy AdventHealth is defending just as aggressively: the hospital system is building its second hospital in Palm Coast, a 100-bed facility, almost within sight of the Flagler Health + acreage.
As Another Bogus TikTok Variant Stalks Schools Everywhere, Flagler District Urges Responsibility and Vigilance
A threat, spread across the nation on TikTok, the faceless social media bullhorn, is not credible or specific to most locations, as police and school authorities keep saying, but a day rife with absenteeism even in the most normal of times may turn into an attendance rout even as officials urge reason.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, December 17, 2021
Last day of school as Winter Break begins this afternoon and until the first week of January, local and state unemployment figures are released this morning, and how to celebrate Saturnalia without waiting for Christmas.
Coffee, Good to the Last Drop? Don’t Be So Sure.
You’ve probably heard it before: drinking coffee is good for your health. Studies have shown that drinking a moderate amount of coffee is associated with many health benefits, including a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But while these associations have been demonstrated many times, they don’t actually prove that coffee reduces disease risk. In fact, proving that coffee is good for your health is complicated.
Palm Coast’s R-Section Getting 1st Large-Scale Apartment Complex, a 216-Unit Plan Near Rymfire Elementary
The Palm Coast Planning Board recommended approval of a development plan for a 216-unit apartment complex at the southwest end of the R Section. It is to be called Red Mill Pointe, and would become the first large-scale apartment complex of the R-Section. The second tract zoned for it, in the central-west portion of the R Section, is yet undeveloped.
Federal Officials Drop Feud Over School Masking as Districts End Defiance and State Returns Money Owed
In early November, citing steep drops in local coronavirus cases, the last of the eight districts came into compliance with the health department’s rule aimed at preventing mask requirements. The state education department on Nov. 29, returned nearly $878,000 to districts.
57-Year-Old Flagler Beach Resident Takes His Life With a Gun at Silver Lake Park
Shortly before 11 this morning, the 911 dispatch center got a call from a man saying he was going to take his life. The dispatcher then heard a gunshot, and then silence. Before the gunshot, the man had given his location. He was at Silver Lake Park, an out-of-the-way park in the 1600 block of North Daytona Avenue.
He Took Their 14-Year-Old Son’s Life in a Motorcycle Crash. Their Grace Saves Him from 9 Years in Prison.
Joey Renn Jr. was speeding at 109mph on his motorcycle through Palm Coast’s Woodlands when he crashed in January 2020, killing Logan Goodman, 14, who’d been riding with him. He faced 7 to 9 years in prison. Goodman’s parents objected, and agreed only to Renn serving six months in jail, then a week in jail every anniversary of Logan’s death, for 14 years.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, December 16, 2021
Circuit Court Judge Terence Perkins hears a plea from Joey Renn, the 22-year-old man facing a charge of vehicular homicide. Patricia Lockwood on her father’s belief that cats, which he despises, are Democrats.
The White Flight Behind Native Americans’ 87% Population Growth
Birth rates among Native Americans don’t explain the massive rise in numbers. And there certainly is no evidence of an influx of Native American expatriates returning to the U.S. Instead, individuals who previously identified as white are now claiming to be Native American. This growing movement has been captured by terms like “pretendian” and “wannabe.”
Arsenic Laces Up Concerns at 200-Home Lakeview Estate Development on Ex-Matanzas Golf Course, But Board Clears Project
Relying on state regulations that require the land to be cleaned up of arsenic and any other contaminants before development can go forward, the Palm Coast Planning Board this evening voted unanimously–6-0–to approve the latest step, with more to go, in a large-scale residential home development in the L-Section that will over the next few years replace much of what used to be the Matanzas Woods Golf Course over time.
Under Fire, Sgt. Matt Mortimer Quits Troubled Bunnell Police–and Applies to be Deputy at Flagler Sheriff’s Office
Matt Mortimer, a 16-year veteran of Bunnell’s police department, resigned after being directly implicated in a withering disciplinary report against ex-Police Chief Tom Foster, whom the city manager criticized for protecting Mortimer and downplaying allegedly serious breaches of protocol and policies. Mortimer immediately applied to be a deputy at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Facing Record Exceeding 1,000 Manatee Deaths This Year, Wildlife Officials Seek Permanent, Effective Solutions
In 2017, manatees were upgraded from an “endangered” designation to “threatened” under the federal Endangered Species Act, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service pointing to an increase in the manatee population and habitat improvements because of conservation efforts. That trend appears not to have lasted. The number of deaths this year is estimated to be about one-sixth of the population of manatees in the waters of the southeastern United States and Puerto Rico.
Flagler County Judge Andrea Totten Announces 2022 Election Run to Keep Seat Created in 2019
Appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to a newly created County Court seat in Flagler in 2019, Judge Andrea Totten announced she will run for the seat’s full six-year term in next August’s election. In her two-year tenure she has established herself as a sharp, serious, unassuming and compassionate judge.