For the third time in six months, the Florida Ethics Commission has dismissed a complaint filed against Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin, finding it legally insufficient. The complaint was filed by Jeani Duarte, who in September twice filed suit in Flagler County Circuit Court in an attempt to stop the city’s referendum on a charter amendment. A judge called Duarte’s pleadings “nonsensical.”
Noisy Planes at Low Altitude Will Spray Mosquitoes Swarming in Aftermath of Hurricane Milton Starting Nov. 2
One or two Beechcraft King Air turboprop planes will start spraying mosquitoes across most of Flagler County at very low altitude–just 300 feet–starting Nov. 2, to reduce the multiplying population of mosquitoes in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. The spraying is paid for with state emergency funds and the planes are contracted through the state rather than through the East Flagler Mosquito Control District.
Almost 60 Percent of Flagler County’s Registered Voters Have Cast a Ballot, 6th Highest Turnout in Florida
Turnout in the general election in Flagler County was approaching 60 percent Thursday, with two more days of early voting and Election Day next Tuesday, ahead of the pace of the 2020 election, which resulted in a turnout of 78.6 percent among registered voters. The supervisor of elections and local Democratic and Republican party leaders are describing a nearly issues-free election of historic proportion.
Gov. DeSantis Appoints Derek Barrs, Who Lost to Janie Ruddy by 291 Votes, to School Board Seat Hunt Resigned
Gov. Ron DeSantis Wednesday appointed Derek Barrs, the former Florida Highway Patrol troop commander and chief who lost to Janie Ruddy by 290 votes in a School Board race in August, to the board seat Sally Hunt resigned a month after the primary.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, October 31, 2024
The Halloween Hall of Terror is back at Palm Coast Fire Station 21, Model Yacht Club Races at the Pond in Palm Coast’s Central Park, Wendell Berry and critical race theory before its day.
Why Does Donald Trump Tell Such Blatant Lies?
Politicians who lie can gain a strategic advantage. If you can successfully embellish the truth or construct a new reality, this often tends to be more interesting and engaging than the complicated truth. The truth may be a bit dull and uninspiring; the lie can be whatever you want it to be. You know what your audience wants to hear. When it comes to lying in politics, Donald Trump is in a class of his own. According to the Washington Post, he made 30,573 false or misleading claims in his four years as president.
Inaccuracy of Terms: ‘Arab-Israeli Conflict’
Is “Arab-Israeli conflict” an accurate reflection, given that the active participants are no longer just Arabs and Israelis? Should we retire that term for good now that the conflict has widened, drawing in the United States and Iran – and potentially Turkey and others in the coming years?
At Chamber’s Future of Flagler Forum, Rousing Cheer for Years Ahead from City, County and School Leaders
The Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber of Commerce gave a crowd of over 100 people the chance to hear the state of Flagler County’s cities, county and school board in less than 60 minutes, presented in rapid, compelling, and at times rousing succession by men and women more knowledgeable, less vapid and generally more intelligent than the elected officials who hire them: city and county managers and the school superintendent.
Flagler Beach City Manager Dale Martin Accepts ‘Tough Love’ Evaluation of His First Year
With one exception, Flagler Beach City Manager Dale Martin did not get past “meets job standards” from four city commissioners and the mayor in the evaluation of his first year, and barely made it into that category (a few decimal points above “improvement needed) from one of them as he tallied an average score of 3.65 points out of a possible 5.
Judge Extends Prohibition on DeSantis Administration From Prosecuting TV Stations Over Abortion Ads
Just a week before Election Day, a federal judge on Tuesday said he would extend a restraining order blocking state officials from taking action against TV stations running a controversial ad urging voters to support a ballot measure aimed at enshrining abortion rights in the Florida Constitution.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Future of Flagler Forum 2024, The Halloween Hall of Terror is back at Palm Coast Fire Station 21, early voting, blind soccer and DEI, and the divine and felonious nature of the human being.
The 14th Amendment’s Backstop Against Subversive Legislatures
Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election not only failed, but some of them also rested on a misreading of the U.S. Constitution. Trump claimed that the Constitution allowed state legislatures to directly choose a slate of electors without a popular vote. He was wrong. There was a safeguard already in place – and it remains today, defending against this approach being used to subvert the 2024 presidential election. It’s the 14th Amendment.
Gambling Compact Dispute Ends with Settlement
The Seminoles, West Flagler Associates, and the Bonita Fort Myers Corp. reached a deal that puts an end to the legal wrangling and creates a partnership that allows Jai Alai waging on the tribe’s Hard Rock Bet app.
Texts Show Ed Danko Seeking to Recruit Resident to File Lawsuit Against His Own Council’s Debt Referendum
Dozens of texts Palm Coast Councilman Danko exchanged with a Palm Coast resident who was willing to be the plaintiff in a lawsuit show to what extent Danko was strategizing against the a referendum that would facilitate city debt. Texts show Danko predicating at least one council vote’s outcome on a lawsuit, discussed lawyers, sought information from his potential recruit and spoke of “our lawsuit.” A friend, Alan Lowe, eventually filed the lawsuit. Council member Theresa Pontieri says Danko’s involvement is a “blatant” conflict.
Flagler Government’s Former HR Manager Sues the County, Describing Hostile and Indifferent Environment
Samatha Whitfield, the former human resources manager for Flagler County government, is suing the county in a whistleblower action, claiming she was terminated last summer in retaliation for reporting violations of rules and misconduct by one of her colleagues, to which the county administration responded with indifference.
Bunnell, Palm Coast and County Will Host Joint Veterans Day Ceremony and Parade Nov. 11
The parade will travel east on Moody Boulevard and conclude at the Government Services Building where the traditional ceremony will begin. Retired U.S. Naval Captain James Randall “Randy” Stapleford – a career naval aviator who served from 1972 to 2003 – will be the grand marshal of the parade and will share a few words at the ceremony.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Early voting continues at five sites in Palm Coast and Flagler County, Random Acts of Insanity Standup Comedy at Cinematique Theater in Daytona, a wise and benevolent maxim.
Don’t Stereotype Voters Without Children
Politicians and others often use the word “childless” as an umbrella term for people who do not have children. This doesn’t capture some important nuances. Large-scale demographic data show that there are many types of nonparents – and each has its own set of political priorities.
An Invitation to Mobility Week Nov. 1 at Lehigh Trailhead
The City of Palm Coast, in partnership with Flagler County Government, the River to Sea Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), invites residents to join us for a Mobility Week Trail Walk, with staff, elected officials, and local partners to promote active transportation and community connectivity.
Internet Groups File Constitutional Challenge to Renner-Led Social Media Law Restricting Access
In a long-anticipated move, two internet-industry groups Monday filed a constitutional challenge to a new Florida law aimed at keeping children off social-media platforms. The Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice, whose members include tech giants such as Google and Meta Platforms, said in a federal lawsuit that the law violates First Amendment rights and that parents should make decisions about children’s social-media use.
Palm Coast Council Sharply Divided Over Making Large Developers Pay ‘Minuscule’ Fee for Public Art
The Palm Coast City Council is divided over a modest program to fund public art installations that would require larger developers to devote half of a percent of the value of their project to the arts. One council member calls it “awesome.” Another says it “makes no sense.” A third is “torn.”
Two Flagler Beach Residents Prevail Over Veranda Bay’s Parent Company, Ending 5-Year-Old Defamation Suit
Sunbelt Land Management, the company affiliated with the Veranda Bay development on John Anderson Highway, has lost a defamation suit the company filed in 2020 against Sallee Aernoff and Ken Bryan, two Flagler Beach residents who spoke up about its land-clearing practices. Circuit Judge Chris France, in a strong opinion in defense of expression on public issues free of intimidation, granted the two residents’ motion for summary judgment last week.
Palm Coast Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary with Quilts, Cake and a ‘Living Time Capsule’
In contrast with the rain-soaked 10th anniversary celebration, the skies were cloudless Saturday and the sun blazing as Palm Coast marked its 25th anniversary with speeches, a blue and yellow cake, quilts and a “living time capsule” that looks back at the past quarter century.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, October 28, 2024
Early voting enters its second week, the Bunnell City Commission meets, the Washington Post’s decision not to endorse, and whether newspapers should ne endorsing to start with.
Free School Meals Are On the Rise. Trump Would Change That.
Donald Trump’s administration made multiple attempts to weaken the nutritional quality of school meals despite evidence supporting their benefits for students. For example, they rolled back expectations that kids would be served more whole grains and stalled efforts to decrease sodium levels. Project 2025, a package of policy proposals authored by people closely tied to Trump’s 2024 presidential bid – but that the campaign has sought to disavow – calls for cuts in federal spending that helps fund universal free school meal programs.
Florida Politicians Owned by Polluters: A Database Helps Show How
Vote Water recently rolled out what it calls its “Dirty Money Project.” It’s a searchable database to track donations to Florida politicians from polluting industries such as Big Sugar and the rest of the agricultural industry, the phosphate miners, the major utilities, the developers and even the sneaky “polluter PACs” — committees that function as cash machines and get significant funding from these industries.
Rubio Claims ‘Anti-Trump’ Generals Are Lying to Get Paid
Florida’s Senior Senator (and potential Secretary of State if Donald Trump is elected) is disputing claims by Generals Mark Milley and John Kelly that the GOP candidate is a “fascist” and that Adolf Hitler did “some good things” by questioning their motivations.
Portions of East Drain Street in Bunnell Will Be Renamed in Honor of Former Commissioner Daisy Henry
Following a vote by the Bunnell City Commission in July, Bunnell government will rename a portion of East Drain Street in the south part of the city after Daisy Henry, the long-time city commissioner and a local icon who was all but synonymous with life around and beyond Drain Street. The street will be called Daisy Henry Street. That ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 1 at 8:30 a.m. at the intersection of East Drain Street and South Pine St. in Bunnell, with ample parking near Carver Gym.
The Affordable Care Act Is Back in the Bull’s Eye in Final Days of the Campaign
Health care is suddenly front and center in the final sprint to the presidential election, and the outcome will shape the Affordable Care Act and the coverage it gives to more than 40 million people. Besides reproductive rights, health care for most of the campaign has been an in-the-shadows issue. However, recent comments from former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, about possible changes to the ACA have opened Republicans up to heavier scrutiny.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, October 27, 2024
The St. Augustine Orchestra is in Concert at Flagler Auditorium, how unaffordable homes have become, Peter Viereck’s review of William Buckley’s God and Man at Yale.
What Kent State Teaches About Deploying Troops to Crush Legal Protests
The prospect of dispatching troops in the way that Trump proposes chillingly echoes actions that led up to the Kent State shootings. Some active-duty units, as well as National Guard troops, are trained today to respond to riots and violent protests – but their primary mission is still to fight, kill, and win wars. It is not policing.
Trump Doubles His Support Among Florida’s Cuban-Americans
The Cuba Poll asked 1,001 Cuban Americans in South Florida about a variety of issues between Sept. 25 and Oct. 9, including preference atop the ticket in November. The survey finds Donald Trump is riding high with the traditionally right-of-center cohort, leading Kamala Harris 68% to 23%.
A ‘Firehose’ of Disinformation as Trump and Musk Spread Lies About Voter Fraud in Campaign’s Final Days
Fanned by former President Donald Trump and notable allies such as tech tycoon Elon Musk, election disinformation is warping voters’ faith in the integrity of the democratic process, polls show, and setting the stage once again for potential public unrest if the Republican nominee fails to win the presidency. Their lies about noncitizens voting, the vulnerability of mail-in ballots and the security of voting machines are spreading widely over social media.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, October 26, 2024
Peps Art Walk, noon to 5 p.m. next to JT’s Seafood Shack, Coffee With Commissioner Scott Spradley, Maze Days at Cowart Ranch, an enraged elephant hits a woman at the zoo.
Trump’s Attack on Overseas Voters: Factually Wrong, Politically Dangerous.
Donald Trump’s Truth Social post about overseas voters in late September and Republican efforts to undermine those voters are factually wrong and politically dangerous. There are lawsuits in several states designed to disenfranchise American citizens abroad. These are citizens who may have gone to enormous lengths to carry out their duties by asking for and sending in election ballots, often at substantial personal expense and faced with substantial barriers.
Speech Codes at Flagler School Board and Palm Coast Council Are Now Illegal, Thanks to Moms for Liberty
A decision by the federal 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, controlling law in Flagler County, invalidates local governments’ speech codes that prohibit public speakers from addressing individual members of elected boards, or citing employees by name, or quoting from school library books, no matter how racy, or speaking offensively, which is considered a point of view. But rules against disruption and obscenity remain. The question is: will local governments correct their rules accordingly?
DSC Partners with Florida Surf Film Festival in Showings Nov. 15-16
Three-time World Surf League Champion Tom Curren will make a special appearance at the East Coast premiere of “Tom and I”, a film directed by Nilton Baptista and Jeremy Pfeiffer. The premiere will be held during the Florida Surf Film Festival, taking place November 15-16 at Daytona State College’s News-Journal Center.
A Third of Flagler County Voters Have Already Cast a Ballot, Compared to 24% in Florida
Early voting in Flagler County have significantly exceeded the numbers in the 2020 and 2016 general elections, with the total of mailed-in votes almost at parity with early voting. By early afternoon Friday, just the fifth of 13 days of early voting, a third of Flagler County’s registered voters–almost 32,000—had cast a ballot, well ahead of the 24 percent who have done so statewide.
A Different Kind of Road Rage: Man Accused of Threatening Work Crew with Machete
Miguel Angel Rodriguez, a 43-year-old resident of Seminole Woods in Palm Coast, faces a felony assault charge after allegedly confronting a work crew while brandishing a machete. He’d been upset about a delay on Belle Terre Boulevard.
Flagler Auditorium’s New Season Launches with St. Augustine Orchestra, and a Special Violinist, Sunday
When the SAO, which lacks its own permanent performing space in St. Augustine and plays at high schools, churches and other venues across Northeast Florida, reached out to the Fitzgerald to rent its theater for a concert, Fulmer and the performing arts center governing board saw an opportunity they didn’t want to slip away: to bring back classical music performances to the local stage.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, October 25, 2024
Flagler Outreach Brings Social Service Providers to Cattleman’s Hall, Collective Bargaining session in Palm Coast, Fall Horticultural Workshops at the Palm Coast Community Center, reflections on raising a new roof.
Harris and Trump on Crime and Justice
Though crime and criminal justice policy are central issues in many elections, that’s not true in 2024. Surveys show that relatively few American voters rank crime as their most important concern. Yet both former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris say they take those problems seriously.
Stetson University Named a Green College by Princeton Review for 9th Time
Stetson University has been recognized for the ninth time as a Green College by The Princeton Review, which cited the institution’s strong commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship on the DeLand campus.
Florida, in Turf War, Sues U.S. Attorney General Over Trump Assassination Investigation
In a dispute over federal law following the second attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Company Building Data Center in Palm Coast Clears Undersea Cables’ Final Hurdle in Flagler Beach
Flagler Beach’s South 6th Street will soon be the landing point for up to six of the 600-some transatlantic data cables that form the backbone of the internet. The cables will then snake underground, across State Road 100 and into Town center, where DX Blox, the Atlanta-based company, will build a “cable landing station,” or a data center, near the intersection of Town Center Boulevard and Royal Palms Parkway.
As Seminole Woods Soon Gets Its Own Fire Station, Emergency Response Times May By Cut in Half for Many
The Palm Coast Fire Department and city government officials hosted a groundbreaking for the $10.5 million Fire Station 26 in Seminole Woods, what will be the city’s sixth fire station. It is expected to drastically reduce emergency response time in Seminole Woods and Quayle Hollow when the building is finished in January 2026.
Palm Coast Belies Its Own Council Members’ Statements As It Claims Debt Referendum Is ‘Clear and Unambiguous’
Sharply divided though it’s been over the matter, the Palm Coast City Council is opting to fight a lawsuit that seeks to invalidate a proposed charter amendment at the Nov. 5 election, filing an answer to the lawsuit that seeks its dismissal primarily on technical grounds. The city’s answer that the ballot language is “clear and unambiguous,” however, directly contradicts what a majority of the council has said about the language.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, October 24, 2024
Early voting continues, the Flagler Beach City Commission meets, the Model Yacht Club races at the pond in Palm Coast’s Central Park, and could a letter to the editor have provided the idea for the first-ever beach renourishment, at Coney Island?
How the Government Can Stop Political ‘Churches’ From Exploiting Tax Exemption
Some groups that aren’t churches or associations of churches want to be designated that way to avoid the scrutiny being a charitable organization otherwise requires. At the same time, some other groups that should qualify as churches may have difficulty doing so because of the IRS’ outdated test for that status.
Florida Health Chief Ladapo of Vaccine Shams Attacks Abortion-Rights Ads Over Facts
In a document filed Tuesday opposing the committee’s request for a preliminary injunction, lawyers for Department of Health Secretary Joseph Ladapo, who is the state surgeon general, argued that the ad contains “objectively false factual information” because the six-week law includes exceptions when the life of a pregnant woman is at risk.