The Palm Coast City Council Tuesday evening agreed to an unprecedented and very expensive forensic audit of city finances, the sort of audit usually predicated on suspicions of wrongdoing, despite a lack of evidence of any wrongdoing and routine, annual audits and a finance department that just as routinely wins annual awards for transparency. The council was responding to public demands driven more by ideology and general dissatisfaction than facts.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, August 2, 2023
Flagler Beach’s Margaritaville Hotel public meeting, the Flagler County Republican Club meets, Separation Chat’s open discussion, the ins and outs of juries and jury selection.
Unsupportive Families and Conversion Therapy Drive Trans Youth to Suicide
Supportive family environments and hormone replacement therapy that affirms a transgender child’s gender identity decrease their risk of suicide or running away from home, whereas unsupportive family environments and conversion therapy that denies their gender identity increase these risks.
Next Flagler School Superintendent’s Salary May Be As High as $200,000, a 48% Jump in Last 3 Years
Barely three years ago, the Flagler County School Board hired Cathy Mittelstadt as its superintendent on a base salary of $135,000. The next superintendent may earn as much as $200,000. Flagler School Board member Sally Hunt wanted to go as high as $215,000, though the average salary in Florida is $174,000, and Flagler County is among the state’s smaller districts.
Flagler County Fire Rescue Receives American Heart Association Award
Flagler County Fire Rescue has distinguished itself when it comes to treating heart attack patients and has been awarded the American Heart Association “Mission: Lifeline EMS Silver” for 2023.
Palm Coast and Florida Gas Prices Reach 3-Month High
Florida gas prices surged to the highest levels this summer over the past two weeks, adding 30 cents per gallon to an average of $3.67 before declining slightly. Oil prices today topped $81 a barrel, approaching their highest level since April as economic data has been stronger than expected.
Without Authority, a County Commissioner Asks Flagler Beach to Table Sales Tax Increase Discussion
The Flagler Beach City Commission pulled from consideration for now a county proposal to raise the local sales tax, after Flagler County Commissioner Dave Sullivan requested that the item be tabled–even though he had not secured the County Commission’s authority to do that. It was the latest example of factual, political and procedural messiness surrounding the county’s sales tax proposal.
50-Year-Old Palm Coast Cyclist Is Killed in Crash While Crossing State Road 100 in Bunnell
A 50-year-old Palm Coast man on a bicycle lost his life Monday night in a collision with a car driven by a 77-year-old woman on State Road 100 just west of Commerce Parkway in Bunnell.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, August 1, 2023
The Palm Coast City Council will consider the management contract for a new cell tower at Ralph Carter Park, remembering Charlie Ericksen, Jack Reacher solves the mystery behind why hookers always carry big purses.
Aromatherapy and Its Skeptics
Aromatherapy is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of any medical condition. Clinicians say there’s not sufficient evidence to show that it works. Conversely, public acceptance of aromatherapy has never been higher. But this is not always a good thing. Although information about aromatherapy abounds on the internet, many of the claims are based on personal experience. This is not scientific evidence.