Michael Lewis, who’s covered Reilly Opelka for FlaglerLive since 2013, was reporting from Wimbledon this week, where Opelka fell in the second round, and where Lewis saw the Palm Coast tennis giant “depressed, frustrated and at a loss as to what’s going on with his career” as he interviewed him after the match.
Two Injured When Boat Crashes into a Dock on Intracoastal Near Beverly Beach
Two people were injured, one of them severely, when their pontoon boat crashed into and went under a dock on the Intracoastal Waterway near Beverly Beach late the afternoon of July 4.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, July 5, 2025
Clay Jones on the degenerate merchandizing of Florida’s Alligator Alcatraz, the Saturday Flagler Beach Farmers Market, Georges Simenon’s Lock 14, or what’s behind the name of a book title.
Welcoming Immigrants, Detroit Ends Decades of Population Declines
Detroit’s population grew in 2024 for the second year in a row. This is a remarkable comeback after decades of population decline in the Motor City. What explains the turnaround? One factor may be Detroit’s efforts to attract and settle immigrants.
DeSantis Sued Over Apparent Laziness in Judicial Appointment Delay
Alleging that Gov. Ron DeSantis did not comply with a constitutionally required deadline, an attorney asked the Florida Supreme Court on Friday to direct the governor to appoint a circuit judge in the Tallahassee area.
Rain on Independence Day? Worst Expected in Mid-Afternoon, Less Likely During Fireworks
The National Weather Service in Jacksonville is predicting that the highest probability of rain in the Flagler Beach-Palm Coast region will be from 3 to 6 p.m., with a 6 percent chance at 3, falling to a 45 percent chance at 6 and 30 percent by 9 p.m.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, July 4, 2025
Independence Day Events in Flagler Beach and Palm Coast and Evening Fireworks, with midday First Friday in Flagler Beach, when Harvard chose to celebrate its anniversary as Emerson would have disapproved, with a few reminders from his “American Scholar.”
Who’s the Most American? Too Often, Biases Say It’s White English Speakers.
Many people who explicitly endorse egalitarian ideals, such as the notion that all Americans are deserving of the rights of citizenship regardless of race, still implicitly harbor prejudices over who’s “really” American. White and Asian participants in a study responded most quickly in matching the white faces with “American,” even when they initially expressed egalitarian values. Black Americans implicitly saw Black and white faces as equally American – though they too implicitly viewed Asian faces as being less American.
Flagler Sheriff’s Office Increasing Patrols on Roads, Waterways and Parks Over July 4 Weekend
To ensure that Flagler County residents and visitors have a safe Fourth of July weekend, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and law enforcement partners will be conducting increased patrols along roadways, waterways, parks, and other high-traffic areas throughout the county. These enforcement efforts will begin on July 3 and continue through the holiday weekend.
In Stinging Defeat for Mayor Norris, Judge Rules on All Counts in Favor of City’s Gambaro Appointment
Circuit Judge Chris France today handed Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris a stinging defeat in his lawsuit against his own city, challenging the legality of the council’s appointment of Charles Gambaro to a vacated seat last summer. In a hearing lasting less than an hour, and in a courtroom with more than two dozen Norris supporters filling the gallery, France ruled against Norris both on standing–he had none–and on the merits.
In Historic Shift, Palm Coast Council Votes Unanimously to End All Color Restrictions on Exterior House Paint
Palm Coast’s decades-old discrimination against colored houses may be over. In a remarkable vote on Tuesday, the Palm Coast City Council unanimously agreed to repeal almost all restrictions on exterior house colors in place since before Palm Coast was a city. The requirement of only two base colors and some accent-color allowances will remain. The repeal is nowhere near final. It requires a rewrite of the ordinance, a hearing before the planning board, and two more hearings before the council. The vote was a victory for Mayor Mike Norris, who pushed hardest for the repeal.
More Tension and Frustration Than Answers as County Seeks to Break Off Animal Control from Flagler Humane Society
Flagler County government is estimating that if it were to run its own animal control operation, separate from the Flagler Humane Society, it would cost taxpayers $420,000 in the first year and an average of $333,000 a year. County Commissioner Kim Carney says the numbers are not believable and are designed to set up the proposal for failure. Commissioner Leann Pennington, who is also interested in breaking away, is displeased with the slow pace of moving that way, despite the commission’s direction to its administration to have a plan fleshed out before the next one-year contract with the society runs out.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, July 3, 2025
Mayor Mike Norris’s lawsuit against the city and Charles Gambaro goes before Judge France, Model Yacht Club Races at the Pond in Palm Coast’s Central Park, the Australian cat-kidnappers of “Lebanon Days.”
Christian Nationalism Raises Its Flag at the Pentagon
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s affiliation with the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches – commonly called the CREC – drew attention even before his confirmation hearings in January 2025. More recently, media reports highlighted a Pentagon prayer led by Hegseth and his pastor, Brooks Potteiger, in which they praised President Donald Trump, who they said was divinely appointed.
Federal Appeals Court Endorses Florida Ban on Teachers’ Preferred Pronouns in Public Schools
A federal appeals court has ruled against a Florida teacher who challenged a state law forbidding transgender teachers from using their preferred pronouns during their official duties in the classroom. The case involves Katie Wood, a math teacher in Hillsborough County who is transgender. She sued the state after a 2023 law passed saying that employees of public schools may not identify to their students with pronouns not consistent with their birth sex, “an immutable biological trait.”
Heavy Rainfall May Dampen July 4 Weekend
The National Weather Service is cautioning that Palm Coast, Flagler County and Northeast Florida are in for a soaking over the Independence Day weekend, with local accumulations of several inches possible.
Mayor Mike Norris Snubs July 4 Parade and Reading of Declaration of Independence with Colleagues
Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris is snubbing both the July 4 parade and the traditional reading of the Declaration of Independence alongside 15 elected officials, including all four of his council colleagues Friday as he continues to abdicate many of his office’s public responsibilities outside of council meetings.
Stunning Flagler Beach, County Plans to End Paying Its Half of Lifeguard Costs, Endangering Program’s Future
Flagler County Administrator Heidi Peito wants to end the county’s annual grant to Flagler Beach that for years has paid for half the cost of the city’s lifeguard program. Without that money, the city may have to either shrink its 15-block zone of lifeguard-covered shoreline or space out its lifeguard towers further, increasing response times in drowning or distress incidents. At least one city commissioner is questioning whether the city could keep financing the program on its own.
Palm Coast Library Hours Will Be Cut 23% and Staff Reduced, Shifting Resources to New Nexus Center in Bunnell
The Flagler County Public Library in Palm Coast will see a sharp, 23 percent reduction in hours of operation–from 52 to 40 hours a week–and a significant reduction in staffing as the new south side library, known as the Nexus Center, opens later this year, itself with slightly fewer staff than originally planned. Each library will be closed two days a week. For the Palm Coast branch, that means no more Monday hours. It’s been closed on Sunday.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Weekly Chess Club for Teens, the Flagler Beach Parks Ad Hoc Committee meets, the Palm Coast Code Enforcement Board meets, Jay Gardner’s birthday, John McEnroe at his tennis academy, Casanova on love.
Bill Moyers’ Brilliant, Humane Journalism Strengthened Democracy
Bill Moyers, who died at 91 on June 26, 2025, was among the most acclaimed broadcast journalists of the 20th century. He’s known for TV news shows that exposed the role of big money in politics and drew attention to unsung defenders of democracy, such as community organizer Ernesto Cortés Jr. Earlier in his life, Moyers served in significant roles in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, but his fame comes from his journalism.
DeSantis Vetoes Bill That Would’ve Limited University Board Seats to Florida Residents
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday vetoed three bills, including a proposal that would have placed new restrictions on members of the state university system’s Board of Governors and university boards of trustees.
Pulitzer Prize Board Appeals to Supreme Court to Halt Trump Defamation Lawsuit
Pulitzer Prize board members have gone to the Florida Supreme Court as they seek to halt a defamation lawsuit that President Donald Trump filed after the board refused to rescind a 2018 award to The New York Times and The Washington Post.
County Administrator Asks Constitutionals to Cut Cost-of-Living Raises from 4% to 2% to Close $2.2 Million Gap
Facing a $2.2 million deficit in next year’s budget Flagler County Administrator Heidi Petito is asking the county’s five constitutional officers to consider reducing what had been a proposed 4 percent cost-of-living pay increase to 2 percent, a reduction that would all but erase the gap. Most of the constitutional officers are willing to work with the county toward that end, with caveats. The constitutionals include Property Appraiser Jay Gardner, Clerk of Court Tom Bexley, Sheriff Rick Staly, Supervisor of Elections Kaiti Lenhart, and Tax Collector Shelly Edmonson.
No More Undocumented Chickens: Palm Coast Launches Pilot Backyard Program for Up to 4 Hens Per Coop
The city today launched a pilot program that will permit 50 residents to have up to four chickens per backyard coop. The $100 permit, valid for two years (or $50 a year), will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. The program is available to residents of homesteaded, single-family houses only. That means residents of areas controlled by homeowner associations are not eligible. Nor are residents in apartments or duplexes. Nor are renters. Nor are roosters.
Palm Coast Administration Issues Budget Plan Scaling Back Some Spending Ahead of July 8 Discussion
With budget season in full swing, the City of Palm Coast is presenting the Fiscal Year 2026 General Fund budget at the City Council workshop meeting on Tuesday, July 8, at 6 p.m. The City Council’s priorities remain at the heart of this budget, with a focus on maintaining a healthy fund balance or reserve while investing in public safety, infrastructure, and long-term efficiencies.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, July 1, 2025
The Bunnell Planning Board discusses a retail project on the west side, The Palm Coast City Council holds an evening meeting, a few more thoughts on the Schbertian “Memory of Old Jack,” and some late Schubert.
One in 3 Florida 3rd Graders Have Untreated Cavities. Now a New Law Prohibits Fluoride in Water.
Florida ranks among the worst states in the U.S. for dental care access, with over 5.9 million residents living in dental care health professional shortage areas. a new Florida law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in May 2025 and going into effect on Tuesday (July 1), now prohibits local governments from adding fluoride to public drinking water. This makes other preventive treatments even more essential. Fluoride varnish, recommended by pediatric and dental associations, is a topical treatment that should be applied every 3-6 months to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
Elected Officials’ Personal Phone Numbers and Home Addresses Are Now Secret
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a bill that creates a public-records exemption to prevent the release of home addresses and telephone numbers of legislators, members of Congress and numerous other elected officials.
DeSantis Signs $115 billion Budget, Vetoes $567 million; Palm Coast’s Modest Appropriations Survive
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a long-awaited state budget Monday just hours before it would take effect, vetoing $567 million. Palm Coast’s pair of appropriations, $2.5 million for an “equalization tank” and $2.5 million to help modernize Waste Water Treatment Plant 1 in the Woodlands, the city’s biggest and oldest, survived vetoes.
14 Years in Prison for Devarus Bethea, 38, Over Fentanyl Trafficking as He Quotes Latin Root of ‘Remorse’ to Judge
Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols sentenced Palm Coast’s Devarus Oshay Bethea, 38, to 14 years in prison, by far his longest of his four prison sentences since 2010, with an additional five years he gets to serve concurrently. Bethea pleaded to trafficking fentanyl, a first-degree felony, and unlawful use of a communication device, a third-degree felony. He could have faced 35 years in prison and $100,000 fine. The fine was waived. He spoke to the judge of the latin root for the word “remorse” in hopes of mitigating his sentence.
Assistant County Attorney Sean Moylan’s Lock on Job to Succeed Hadeed Looks Anything But Certain
A divide over the hiring of the next county attorney is becoming clearer between Flagler County commissioners, making Deputy County Attorney Sean Moylan’s prospects to get the job, so bright a few months ago, somewhat less than a lock as two commissioners didn’t shortlist him for public interviews on July 15, though they did not foreclose on his chances, either.
Gregory Smith, 45, of Palm Coast, Faces at Least 7 Felonies from Years of Sexually Assaulting Adolescent
Gregory Allen Smith, a 45-year-old resident of 6 Plateau Place in Palm Coast, is being held without bond at the Flagler County jail on five first-degree felony rape charges and two molestation charges involving the adolescent daughter of his wife before they separated in 2019.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, June 30, 2025
The total obliteration of truth, so naturally nobody wants to do anything today, how housing assistance falls short, how architecture shapes humanity, Dickens’s Bleak House.
The Meaning of Zohran Mamdani’s Win in New York
Top Republicans and Democrats alike are talking about the sudden rise of 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani, a state representative who won the Democratic mayoral primary in New York on June 24, 2025, in a surprising victory over more established politicians. Some establishment Democratic politicians say they are concerned about how the democratic socialist’s progressive politics could harm the broader Democratic Party and cause it to lose more centrist voters.
Sarasota County Officials Downplayed Flood Risk. Tropical Storm Debby Exposed their Failures.
Sarasota County’s stormwater system is designed to steer floodwaters away from homes and businesses and safely to the coast. When Tropical Storm Debby hit in August 2024, the system proved dangerously unprepared when it mattered most — not because the system was overwhelmed, but because those in charge neglected to protect it, an investigation found.,
As Gun Homicides Continue to Decline, Gun Suicides Reached Record High in 2023
More people in the United States died by gun suicide in 2023 than any year on record — more than by gun homicide, accidental shootings and police shootings combined. A new report analyzing federal mortality data found that suicides involving firearms made up 58% of all gun deaths in 2023 — the latest year with available data. In total, 27,300 people died by gun suicide in 2023, according to the report from the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions and the Johns Hopkins Center for Suicide Prevention.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, June 29, 2025
On the pleasures of smoking a pipe from Casanova to Flaubert to Yusuff Ali to John Updike to Simenon, Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village, Pat Bagley on the bombing of the Constitution.
The Supreme Court Doesn’t Want You To Choose Your Own Doctor
Having the freedom to choose your own health care provider is something many Americans take for granted. But the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority ruled on June 25, 2025, in a 6-3 decision that people who rely on Medicaid for their health insurance don’t have that right.
States Fear Critical Funding From FEMA May Be Drying Up: ‘Locals Won’t Step Up Unless They’re Dealing with a Catastrophe’
Many states rely on the federal government for the vast majority of their emergency management funding. Now, local leaders are looking for clues about the money — and the future of FEMA itself. W. Craig Fugate served as FEMA administrator under Obama and, before that, as head of Florida’s emergency management division under then-Govs. Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist. “My experience tells me locals will not step up unless they are dealing with a catastrophe,” Fugate said.
Palm Coast Fire Department and Sheriff’s Office Hold Joint Training at Long Creek Nature Preserve
The Palm Coast Fire Department held a three-day joint training exercise with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office – the latest in a long line of training efforts that the two agencies have worked together on to prepare for a variety of different emergencies.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, June 28, 2025
Peps Art Walk, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. eat Beachfront Grille in Flagler Beach, the Saturday Flagler Beach Farmers Market, Bruce Springsteen Hometown, Wendell Berry and Old Jack’s memories.
Understanding the Supreme Court Ruling Against Universal Injunctions
When presidents have tried to make big changes through executive orders, they have often hit a roadblock: A single federal judge, whether located in Seattle or Miami or anywhere in between, could stop these policies across the entire country. But the Supreme Court has just significantly limited this judicial power.
Flagler Beach Commissioners Blister Design for New A-Frame and Boardwalk as ‘Expensive Gingerbread’
Flagler Beach’s planned reconstruction of the A-Frame and boardwalk at the pier is now estimated to cost $3 million, up $300,000 from last year. And city commissioners are not too thrilled about the too-fancy architectural design. Not at all–especially proposed changes to the A-frame and shell-like exteriors to a new building’s facade. They killed both proposals, among others they panned, opting for simpler looks that preserve what they see as old charms. They directed their designer to return later this summer with a significantly revised plan.
DeSantis Warns: The Vetoes Are Coming
During a lengthy press conference on higher education held on the campus of Florida Atlantic University, the Republican governor took shots at the Legislature for not passing a budget on time. He also noted that the final $115.1 billion budget includes enough local projects for individual lawmakers to leave him “kind of numb.”
Environmental Groups Sue in Federal Court to Stop Everglades Stockade for Migrants
Environmental groups Friday filed a federal lawsuit seeking to halt construction and operation of a detention center for undocumented immigrants that has been dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” saying it threatens ecologically sensitive areas and species in the surrounding Everglades and Big Cypress National Preserve. The lawsuit, filed by the group Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, alleges that federal and state agencies have violated laws that, in part, require evaluating potential environmental impacts before such a project can move forward.
Flagler County Attorney Al Hadeed Awarded State Association Honor for ‘Outstanding Contributions to Local Government Law’
A month from retirement after a career spanning four decades as county attorney for Flagler County government, Al Hadeed on Thursday received the Gordon Johnson Award “for his distinguished service to Flagler County and outstanding contributions to local government law in the State of Florida.” Hadeed received the award during the Florida Association of County Attorneys’ annual two-day continuing legal education seminar in Orlando. The association president prized Hadeed’s institutional memory and his mentorship of younger attorneys.
Fast times at Flagler Beach for DJ Vern’s Cherry Drops as Hall of Fame Inductees Take Over Pier for Music Video
Flagler Beach’s Vern Shank, also known as DJ Vern, whose band The Cherry Drops was inducted into the California Music Hall of Fame last year, is bringing “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” star Robert Romanus to shoot a new music video on the Flagler Beach Pier this weekend, “I Dedicate This Song to You.” The new video is just part of what are heady times for Shank and the Cherry Drops, keeping Flagler Beach in the limelight.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, June 27, 2025
Acoustic Jam Circle At The Community Center In The Hammock, Free For All Fridays with Host David Ayres, the Friday Blue Forum, Georges Lefebvre, Napoleon, and that bogus assassination attempt on 18 Brumaire.
Canada’s Strong Borders Act Is Bad News
The Canadian government advanced the controversial Strong Borders Act covering a wide swath of proposed legislative changes, from intensified border security measures to more restrictive immigration and asylum policies. Embedded within the proposed legislation are significant risks to digital privacy, along with increased executive authority — also known as “warrantless” powers — without judicial or civilian oversight. In these respects, the proposed Canadian legislation could be considered more worrisome than American travel bans.