Although there is a fire hose of health-related content online, not all of it is factual. In fact, much of it is inaccurate or misleading, raising a serious health communication problem: Fake health information – whether shared unknowingly and innocently, or deliberately to mislead or cause harm – can be far more captivating than accurate information. This makes it difficult for people to know which sources to trust and which content is worthy of sharing.
Don’t Buy the False Narrative that Palm Coast’s Infrastructure Isn’t Keeping Up with Growth
No one disputes that Palm Coast has grown significantly and faster than most communities in the country. The city’s population has grown by 150 percent in 20 years. That kind of growth naturally brings challenges, and anyone who suggests otherwise is being disingenuous. But to claim that our infrastructure is incapable of supporting this growth, or worse, that the city has been sitting idly by, is to ignore a mountain of evidence.
Gov. DeSantis Jeered at WWE’s Pro Wrestling Event
Ron DeSantis has a less than certain political future. But he may have a future as a pro wrestling baddy, if the rude reception he received at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Tampa is any indication. The Governor was greeted by jeers and a mild “You Suck” chant, as depicted in multiple tweets from the event.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, May 26, 2025
Memorial Day ceremonies today at 8 a.m. in Palm Coast, 10 a.m. at Bunnell’s county government building, and 1 p.m. in veterans’ Park in Flagler Beach, Ronald Reagan at the Brandenburg Gate, behind the words: tear down this wall.”
How Ronald Reagan Made Disney a Patriotic Site
Disneyland in Anaheim, California, and Walt Disney World, near Orlando have become two of the most important spaces for the celebration and creation of American identity. One of the reasons for this is the legitimization a presidential visit bestows on a site. Forty years ago this month, Walt Disney World received a very special visitor: Ronald Reagan.
Democracy’s Sunset: There’s a 70% Chance the Constitution Will Be Suspended Before 2028
The democratic moment is over. There’s a 70 percent chance that the Constitution will be suspended before the legal end of the current administration. The chance of a suspension grows to 110 percent in case of an actual emergency, like a 9/11-style attack. But a majority of Americans aren’t interested in democracy anymore. They want their strongman. Nothing else explains the country’s surrender to the degradation of the country’s institutions since Jan. 20.
Dangerous Dog Owners Must Now Have $100,000 Liability Insurance: New Law
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law bringing harsher penalties and restrictions for owners of dogs that severely injure or kill people. The bill, known as the “Pam Rock Act,” honors a mail carrier who was mauled to death by five dogs in Putnam County in 2022. Starting July 1, owners of dogs that have attacked humans, severely injured or killed pets, or menacingly chased people will have to carry liability insurance of at least $100,000.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, May 25, 2025
SunBros Cafe Celebrates the Life of Travis Sundell, Clay Jones on Kristi Noem’s corpulent ignorance, Gamble Jam, André Gide on what gratefulness he owes his creator, Brian Greene on God’s choice.
No, Race Is Not a ‘Biological Reality’
Scientists reject the idea that race is biologically real. The claim that race is a “biological reality” cuts against modern scientific knowledge. Anyone trying to pound a nail with a screwdriver soon realizes that tools are good for tasks they were designed for and useless for anything else. Genetic populations are tools for specific biological uses, not for classifying people into “real” groups by race.
Florida Lawmakers Shrug Off Budget Negotiations Until June 2
House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton issued brief statements late Friday afternoon telling their members that they do not need to plan on returning to Tallahassee next week.
Why the Far Right Fabricated the Myth of a Migrant ‘Invasion’
The current administration is using the claim that immigrants have “invaded” the country to justify possibly suspending habeas corpus, part of the constitutional right to due process. A faction of the far right has been building this case for years. By 2022, invasion rhetoric, which had previously been relegated to white nationalist circles, had become such a staple of Republican campaign ads that most of the public agreed an invasion of the U.S. via the southern border was underway.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, May 24, 2025
Peps Art Walk, near Beachfront Grille in Flagler Beach with makers, crafters, artists, of all kinds, the Saturday Flagler Beach Farmers Market, fanaticism and sexual repression and the rage of the incels.
The Supreme Court Hands a Temporary Defeat to Religious Charter Schools
Critics of funding religious charter schools warned a faith-based charter would be an unconstitutional breach of the “establishment clause,” which forbids the government from establishing an official religion or promoting particular faiths over others. In an anticlimatic outcome, the Supreme Court issued a brief order in a 4-4 outcome that leaves a lower court judgment in place that prevented St. Isidore’s from opening – but did not explain why.
Flagler Sheriff’s Detective Kyle Gaddie A Finalist for Florida Attorney General’s Officer of the Year Award
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier recognized Flager County Sheriff’s Office Master Detective Kyle Gaddie as one of six finalists for the Attorney General’s “Officer of the Year” award during the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Ceremony in Tallahassee. Of the six finalists, Sunrise Police Department Detective Robert Padron was ultimately named “Officer of the Year.”
Danko No Longer District Director for Randy Fine; Congressman Calls for Nuking Gaza’s 2 Million Palestinians
Ed Danko and U.S. Rep. Randy Fine have parted ways a week after the former Palm Coast City Council member was named Fine’s district director in Flagler, Volusia and St. Johns Counties. On Thursday, Fine called for the nuking of Gaza, the small enclave of 2 million Palestinians. Fine will be a featured speaker at Palm Coast’s Memorial Day commemoration, and at the county’s commemoration later on Monday.
41-Year-Old Woman Accused of Stabbing Boyfriend in Argument Over Air Conditioning
Amy Dougherty, a 41-year-old resident of Winchester Road south of Favoretta, is at the Flagler County jail on a second-degree felony charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after allegedly stabbing her boyfriend of 26 years during an argument over an air-conditioning unit he had turned off. J.W., the 40-year-old victim, bled “profusely,” according to the woman’s arrest report, and was treated at AdventHealth Palm Coast.
Flagler Beach’s Farmers Market Will Move to South 2nd Street by City Hall After Losing Wickline Park
The Flagler Beach farmers market that’s jazzed up the grounds of the Wickline Center off South Daytona Avenue since 2022 will have a new home after July 4: along South 2nd Street between State Road A1A and South Central Avenue, in front of City Hall. The city nudged the market out of Wickline Park where it had been operating since 2022, after complaints about the misuse of the park. The new location will significantly improve visibility for the market, which is run by Flagler Strong, a nonprofit.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, May 23, 2025
School Board member Janie Ruddy is on Free For All Fridays, the Scenic A1A Pride Committee meets, Acoustic Jam Circle At The Community Center In The Hammock, Carlos Lozada’s 73 percent solution, André Aciman on non-fiction.
Afrikaners are South African Opportunists, Not Refugees
South Africans are wearily attuned to governments’ Orwellian misuse of language. So perhaps they should not be unduly surprised that the government of the US has imported 49 Afrikaners and labelled them as “refugees”. The claim is that they are escaping from the persecution of Afrikaners – and white people more broadly – in South Africa today. But there is no evidence whatsoever that Afrikaners or white people more generally are subject to genocide.
Federal Judge Hears Challenge to Florida’s Law Sharply Restricting Ballot Initiatives
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker listened to about three hours of testimony on Florida Decides Healthcare’s and Smart & Safe Florida’s request that he block certain provisions of the law while the legal challenge moves ahead — including a requirement that sponsors turn in completed petitions within 10 days after the voter signs the petition, as well as stepped up fines and criminal penalties.
Sheriff Warns of Scammer Peddling Fake Arrest Warrant
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office warns the public to think twice before responding to unsolicited text messages or phone calls after a local resident received a text message and subsequent phone call on May 20 from an individual posing as a Flagler County Sheriff’s Office employee who claimed the victim had an active misdemeanor arrest warrant for Failure to Appear.
Palm Coast City Attorney Calls Mayor Norris ‘Unprofessional and Inappropriate’ 3 Weeks After Censure for Similar Behavior
Palm Coast City Attorney Jeremiah Blocker last week told Mayor Mike Norris that his conduct with the city’s two attorneys was “unprofessional and inappropriate” following a suggestion by Norris that the attorneys were ignoring him. It was the latest in a series of incidents involving Norris’s often brusque conduct involving city staffers, council members or members of the business community. The latest revelations are notable for having occurred after Norris was censured by the rest of the City Council for his conduct, and after he had offered something resembling an apology.
An Ugly Town Meeting in Marineland as Questions Hang Over Legality of Mayor’s Unilateral Appointment of a Commissioner
An emergency meeting of what was left of the Marineland Town Commission on Wednesday degenerated into a 40-minute verbal brawl involving the mayor, two attorneys, and members of the public as accusations of lies, improprieties, corruption and possible charter violations marred the legally dubious appointment of a commissioner. The meeting was called following the death of Mayor Gary Inks. Acting Mayor Dewey Dew unilaterally appointed Jessica Finch commissioner, against the town attorney’s advice, even though the meeting’s quorum and Dews’s authority to make the appointment were in question.
Flagler Beach Centennial Community Dinner’s Ticket Deadline Is Friday
Flagler Beach continues to host a series of monthly events to mark its centennial, highlighted by a 300-seat Community Dinner at Veterans Park that will be catered by 15 city restaurants, but tickets are limited and the deadline to buy them is Friday.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, May 22, 2025
The Flagler Beach City Commission meets this evening, and will ask permission of itself to serve alcohol at a centennial event in veterans Park, Model Yacht Club Races, the tipping point in media.
Israel’s Catastrophic Starvation of Gaza’s Millions
After 18 months of punishing airstrikes, raids and an increasingly restrictive siege in Gaza, the United Nations on May 20, 2025, issued one of its most urgent warnings yet about the ongoing humanitarian crisis: an estimated 14,000 babies were at risk of death without an immediate influx of substantial aid, especially food. Aid delivery continues to be inconsistent and well below what was necessary for the population, culminating in a dire warning by U.N. experts in early May that “the annihilation of the Palestinian population in Gaza” was possible without an immediate end to the violence.
Pasco Sheriff Ordered to Pay Legal Fees After Suppressing Public Records
A three-judge panel of the 2nd District Court of Appeal sided with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Florida, which filed a lawsuit in September 2022 seeking to force the sheriff’s office to provide records related to what was known as the “Intelligence Led Policing” program. The program included analyzing various types of information and compiling lists of “problem people” and “at-risk youths” who would get increased law-enforcement attention, according to Wednesday’s ruling.
Maga’s Fearful War on Universities
Ron DeSantis has been trying for years to regulate speech in colleges and universities, impose restrictions on what teachers can teach in schools, and decree which books the state of Florida finds “acceptable.” DeSantis, nothing if not energetic in his rage, is now determined to shield our precious college students from Dangerous Thoughts. He’s the model for someone else in charge.
Palm Coast’s Golden Chopsticks Buffet Open Again 2 Days After Sanitation Inspection Ordered It Closed
Two days after it was ordered closed due to several sanitation violations, Golden Chopsticks Buffet, the less-than-one-year-old Chinese restaurant on Palm Coast’s Cypress Edge Drive, was bustling with business again today at lunch, its neon “open” sign burning red.
Margaritaville’s Compass Hotel in Flagler Beach Opens in Buffett-Themed Celebration of a Downtown Remade
“Total excitement. Fantastic. Finally.” With those words, Flagler Beach Mayor Patti King summed up the response to today’s opening of the 100-room Compass Hotel by Margaritaville in the heart of Flagler Beach, more than half a century after its three-story predecessor in the same spot closed its door on its last guest. The $27 million project includes a pair of bars and restaurants totaling 240 seats and employs some 80 people, most from Flagler Beach and Palm Coast.
Flagler County Clears Construction of 124 Single-Family Houses at Veranda Bay in Latest Phases of 453-Unit Development
The Flagler County Commission approved Monday the final plat for 124 single-family house lots at Veranda Bay near Flagler Beach, the last two of six phases totaling 335 houses in the development along John Anderson Highway, which was permitted for 453 housing units in 2020. Veranda Bay’s ultimate plan is for 2,400 housing units and annexation into Flagler Beach. That plan is on a hiatus.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, May 21, 2025
The Flagler County Contractor Review Board meets, the Flagler County’s Technical Review Committee meets, the Palm Coast Planning and Land Development Board meets, and we remember Joe Isuzu, emblem of the lying 80s.
AI Is Changing How Students Write
A writing professor sees artificial intelligence as more of an opportunity for students, rather than a threat. That sets her apart from some of her colleagues, who fear that AI is accelerating a glut of superficial content, impeding critical thinking and hindering creative expression. They worry that students are simply using it out of sheer laziness or, worse, to cheat. Perhaps that’s why so many students are afraid to admit that they use ChatGPT.
State Attorney Investigating Records Linked to Casey DeSantis’ Hope Florida
Records related to a state House probe of a nonprofit linked to First Lady Casey DeSantis’ signature Hope Florida assistance program are part of an “open” investigation, Leon County State Attorney Jack Campbell’s office said Tuesday. House Health Care Budget Chairman Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, submitted records to Campbell’s office late last month after concluding a House inquiry into the Hope Florida Foundation, a nonprofit linked to the Hope Florida program.
Flagler Cares Recognized for 10 Years of Treating ‘Every Individual with Dignity and Compassion’
The Flagler County Commission on Monday recognized through a proclamation the 10th anniversary of Flagler Cares, the social service non-profit that provides its own services, coordinates many others and houses independent organizations at its Flagler County Village at City Marketplace in Palm Coast. The proclamation is making the rounds of local governments.
Reversing Planning Board’s Decision, Palm Coast Council Approves 100,000-Sq.-Ft. Storage Facility on Pine Lakes Pkwy
Overriding a decision by its Planning Board, the Palm Coast City Council today granted a special zoning exception to allow construction of a 100,000-square-foot storage facility on 6.8 acres off Pine Lakes Parkway, halfway between Belle Terre and Palm Coast Parkway. The Planning board, in an unusual decision, voted 4-2 to deny the special exception, saying there were enough self-storage facilities as it is: social media pages are rife with screeds about a surfeit of storage facilities.
Flagler Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord Warns of a Different Disaster Ahead: the Vanishing of FEMA Money
With or without FEMA, Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord cautioned, local governments must be prepared to assume more costs of recovery than they have in the past, especially if the federal government declares fewer disasters, as appears to be the plan. Fewer declarations will mean far less reimbursements and far fewer grants for innumerable projects and services local governments depend on in the recovery phase of what are becoming routine climate disasters.
Marineland Mayor Gary Inks Dies at 79; Had Led Career in Resort and Dolphin Attraction Marketing
Gary Paul Inks, the mayor of Marineland since last year, a member of that town’s commission since 2020, and a former marketing director for Marineland Dolphin Adventure, died over the weekend after battling illness for weeks. He was 79.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, May 20, 2025
The Palm Coast City Council meets at 9 a.m. but without a mayor (he’s on vacation), Food Truck Tuesdays in Central Park, the Library of America’s new volume by and on Hellen Keller.
Ex-Sen. Travis Hutson Joins St. Johns Clerk of Court as Government Affairs Adviser
The St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller’s Office announced that former Florida State Senator Travis Hutson will be joining the team as Senior Advisor for Intergovernmental Affairs, effective today.
The Trouble with Gluten-Free Foods
U.S. consumers often pay more for gluten-free products, yet these items typically provide less protein and more sugar and calories compared with gluten-containing alternatives. That is the key finding of a new study, published in the journal Plant Foods for Human Nutrition.
Federal Judge Orders Florida to Follow Series of Steps to Protect and Feed Manatees
A federal judge Monday ordered the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to take a series of steps aimed at protecting manatees in the northern Indian River Lagoon, including requiring it to go through a federal permitting process and temporarily preventing new septic tanks in the area. U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza also ordered establishment of programs to conduct biomedical-health assessments and supplemental feeding for manatees.
Reversing Planning Board’s Decision, Bunnell Commission Clears the Way for ‘Historic’ 28-Unit Affordable Housing Project
Reversing a recommendation by its planning board and significant public opposition neighboring the proposed development, the Bunnell City Commission unanimously approved the final site plan for Phoenix Crossings, a planned 28-unit affordable-housing apartment complex for people with disabilities and other difficulties, and for the elderly. None like it exists in Palm Coast or Flagler County. The 5-year-old proposal is the work of Sandra Shank and her Abundant Life Ministries, a non-profit. The Bunnell Planning Board on April 1 recommended denial of the site plan on a 3-2 vote.
Judge Lauren Blocker’s Elevation and Judge Stasia Warren’s Retirement Open 2 More Seats on 7th Circuit Bench
With the retirement of Circuit Judge Stacia Warren and the elevation to Circuit Court of County Judge Lauren Blocker, the Judicial Nominating Commission for the circuit will conduct a new round of interviews for candidates looking to fill the two vacancies. Applications are due by June 23.
Palm Coast Man, 26, Charged with Making Lewd Selfie Video While Holding 8-Month-Old Daughter
Timothy Wiliams IV, a Daytona Beach transient who shares custody of a Palm Coast toddler, is at the Flagler County jail on a second-degree felony charge of lewd exhibitionism in his daughter’s presence. According to law enforcement, Williams, 26, uploaded a 12-second video clip of himself nude, holding his daughter and masturbating when she was 8 months old. She is a little older now.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, May 19, 2025
A Flagler County Commission workshop takes on beach-management yet again, along with a few other issues, the Gershwin’s “Someone to Watch Over Me,” and Michel Houellebecq on nostalgia.
Here’s What Makes the Most Dynamic and Sustainable Cities
The top 10 cities in 2025 were London, New York, Paris, Tokyo, Berlin, Washington DC, Copenhagen, Oslo, Singapore and San Francisco. The top three all do particularly well in human capital, which includes features like educational and cultural institutions. They also score highly on international profile, which looks at indicators of global interest, such as the number of airport passengers and hotels.
Flagler Free Clinic Earns National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics Award
The Flagler Free Clinic earned a 2025 Gold Rating from the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC) Quality Standards Program. This achievement reflects the clinic’s ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality, accessible healthcare to uninsured individuals in Flagler and Volusia counties.
Palm Coast Council’s Charles Gambaro Calls Norris Lawsuit Against Him ‘Frivolous’ and Mayor’s Conduct an ‘Abdication’
In a letter to the community, Palm Coast Council member Charles Gambaro on Sunday said Mayor Mike Norris’s conduct, from suing to get Gambaro off the council to conspiracy theories to evading City Hall deeply concerning, and the mayor’s refusal to fulfill numerous responsibilities “a troubling and unprecedented abdication of the fundamental duties he swore to uphold when taking office and deprive our citizens of full representation in their government.” Gambaro, for his part, intends to continue to serve.
Dog Surfing Hilarity Conquers Flagler Beach as Chi-weenie, Corgis and Costumes Thrill to 4th Hang 8 Extravaganza
The Hang 8 Dog Surfing and Costume Contest returned to Flagler Beach for its fourth edition Saturday with a few repeat winners as the six-hour event south of the pier combined hilarity with humane causes against a picture-perfect backdrop of blue skies, blue oceans and gentle waves perfectly calibrated to surfing paws. Hang 8 was conceived by Suzie Johnston and Eric Cooley four years ago, becoming a signature event for Flagler Beach since.