Warning: heat index will reach 109 today, most government offices (but not all) are closed, the EPA’s National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution.
The Supreme Court Killed Student Loan Forgiveness. Here’s What’s Next.
When payments resume in October, the average student loan payment is expected to be between $200 and $500 per month. For those that resume making their federal student loan payments on time, this may lead to an increase in their credit score, while those that miss the first payment after payments resume can expect their credit score to fall.
Multi-Vehicle Severe Crash at Belle Terre and Whiteview Parkways Sends 3 to Hospitals
A multiple-vehicle crash, including a roll-over and a head-on collision, resulted in six injuries and three hospitalizations, one of them a trauma alert, early this afternoon at Belle Terre Parkway and Whiteview Parkway in Palm Coast.
Florida Suspends Sales Tax on Some Appliances For a Year, But Not Electric Stoves
A year-long suspension of Florida’s 6 percent sales tax started on Saturday, applying to certain Energy Star appliances but, in yet another example of the DeSantis administration’s bewildering opposition to to clean energy, not electric stoves. Price limits apply.
How Often Do Health Insurers Say No to Patients? No One Knows.
Insurers’ denial rates — a critical measure of how reliably they pay for customers’ care — remain mostly secret to the public. Federal and state regulators have done little to change that.
Divine Right of DeSantis: Vengeful, Petty and Cruel
DeSantis is using taxpayer money to punish his enemies, a warning to those who cross him. Through the budget, he’s pushing his hate-fueled vision onto us, trying to transform Florida into a subtropical version of Massachusetts under the Puritans: intolerant, ignorant, repressive, and cruel.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, July 2, 2023
The reprehensible Clarence Thomas, Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village, eulogy for America’s current direction, a few moments with Cornel West.
Expressive Businesses Can Now Freely Discriminate. What This Will Mean.
A bitterly divided Supreme Court held that the free speech clause of the First Amendment prohibited state officials from requiring the designer to create a website that communicates a message with which she disagrees. Ensuring both freedom of speech and civil rights means more litigation is ahead.
Florida’s General Revenue Tops Projection By About $100 Million in May
General-revenue tax collections topped expectations by about $100 million in May, while state economists pointed to “subpar” savings by Floridians.
$1.25 Million Book Deal Drives Up DeSantis’s Net Worth
Gov. Ron DeSantis likes to refer to his blue collar roots, growing up on the west coast of Florida, especially now that he has been campaigning for president. But a $1.25 million book deal helped drive up his net worth into the millionaires’ club in 2022.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, July 1, 2023
The Flagler Beach All Stars hold their monthly beach clean-up, Sunshine and Sandals, the Supreme Court upends decades of civil rights progress, Lyndon Johnson on affirmative action.
Court Orders Affirmative Action for Religious Workers, at Other Employees’ Expense
Religious employees may have an easier time getting their companies to accommodate requests. But while on the surface it may seem businesses will bear the costs of doing so, other employees may ultimately pay for much of the burden of accommodation.
Ruling Denies 1.5 Million Eligible Floridians Student Debt Relief
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to reject the legal arguments behind President Joe Biden’s student loan debt forgiveness plan ruined the chances of relief for more than 1.5 million Floridians who applied for or were eligible under the plan.
Matanzas Woods Pkwy Will Close from Lakeview to Londonderry Drive for 10 Days
Matanzas Woods Pkwy from Lakeview Boulevard to Londonderry Drive will be closed to traffic from July 5 to July 15 as crews repair and repave that segment, one of Palm Coast’s major arteries.
Shocking Disparities in Flagler’s Handling of 3 Different Assaults by Disabled Students Against School Staff
Violent assaults against school staff involving profoundly disabled students, never before reported in detail until today–and not caught on surveillance video–point to startling if not shocking disparities in how cases may be handled, compared to that of Brendan Depa at Matanzas High School, depending on the attention they garner.
Flagler Schools’ Bob Nocella Dies at 72
Flagler Schools mourns the loss of educator and coach Robert A. “Bob” Nocella who passed away June 25, 2023. He was 72.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, June 30, 2023
Before the heat dome, Pastor Charles Silano on the new poverty class, the Blue 22 Forum, Einaudi in concert, the culmination of the backlash against affirmative action.
Palm Coast Issues Certificate of Occupancy to AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway
The City of Palm Coast is excited to announce that the Certificate of Occupancy was signed on Thursday, June 29, for AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway, a 100-bed, four-story state-of-the-art hospital.
Greenland and Antarctica Cracking
Earth’s remaining ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are far more vulnerable to climate warming than models predict, and that the ice sheets may be destabilizing from inside.
A Motorcyclist Is Killed, Another Critically Inured in Multi-Vehicle Crash on A1A Near Sea Colony
A multi-vehicle crash on State Road A1A near Sea Colony late this afternoon resulted in the death of a man and serious or critical injuries to another person.
Un-Achieving Brown v. Board of Education
It took 69 years, but today the U.S. Supreme Court took its revenge on Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark case that cracked the door a smidge to desegregating schools. It did so in a vengeful, cynical decision re-inventing color-blindness in an America where only whites wear the blinders.
Dangerous Dog Designation Upheld for R-Section Dog Who Mauled Girl, 13, in ‘Gruesome’ Attack
In a rare appeal, a special magistrate this morning affirmed Palm Coast Animal Control’s decision to designate Ghost, a large pit bull mix, a dangerous dog following the dog’s attack on the 13-year-old girl who was walking him on an R-Section street on June 5.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, June 29, 2023
A dangerous dog appeal hearing in Palm Coast, the Flagler County Public Library Book Club meets, Elegy for Hill City, Kansas.
The Difference Between Nationalism and Patriotism
The words nationalism and patriotism are sometimes used as synonyms, such as when Trump and his supporters describe his America First agenda. But many political scientists and citizens don’t typically see those two terms as equivalent – or even compatible.
Moms for Bigotry Quoting Hitler Is an Example of the Right’s Embrace of Extremism
Last week, an Indiana chapter of Moms for Liberty, a nonprofit organization that advocates for “parental rights” in education, ended up apologizing and condemning Adolf Hitler after previously using a quote from the racist and anti-Semitic Nazi leader in its newsletter.
Malaria Cases Triggers Health Department Alert Across Florida
Today, Florida Department of Health (Department) is issuing a statewide mosquito-borne illness advisory following four confirmed and recovered local cases of malaria in Sarasota County. All individuals have been treated and have recovered. Malaria is transmitted through infected mosquitoes.
DeSantis Vetoes EV Bill House Approved 115-1 and Senate 38-0
Gov. Ron DeSantis today vetoed a bill that could have made it easier for officials to choose electric cars when buying vehicles for government fleets. The measure was approved 115-1 in the House and 38-0 in the Senate.
Obama-Era Plan Allows Flagler Schools to Provide Free Lunches For All Students Starting in August
In what may be a game-changer for many food-insecure families, an Obama-era child-nutrition program expanding under Biden will allow Flagler County Schools to provide free lunches in addition to the existing free breakfasts to all students, regardless of income, year-round at all nine traditional public schools starting on Aug. 10, when classes resume.
18 Months in Prison, 42 on Probation for Man Who Shot His Dog and Lied to Deputies
Circuit Judge Terence Perkins today sentenced Jamier Lee-Bright to 18 months in prison, 42 months on probation, and a lifetime designation as a felon and an animal abuser for shooting a dog at a house on Palm Coast’s Seaman Trail East 15 months ago, and lying to police about it.
Flagler Beach Selects Five Finalists for City Manager, Some With More Baggage Than Others
The Flagler Beach City Commission in a 20-minute special meeting Tuesday evening narrowed its list of city manager candidates to five finalists. They will be invited to interview with commissioners and meet the public on July 13 and 14. The finalists are Dale Martin, Todd Michaels, David Williams, James Gleason and Howard Brown, whose backgrounds are detailed.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Jamier T. Lee-Bright, who shot his dog, is sentenced, Separation Chat’s Open discussion, chess club for teens, the Canadian fires devouring an area the size of Ireland.
Right-to-Charge Laws Bring EV Promise to Apartments, Condos and Rentals
More than 3.6 million electric cars are driving around the U.S., but if you live in an apartment, finding an available charger isn’t always easy. Several states and cities, aiming to expand EV use, are now trying to lift that barrier to ownership with “right to charge” laws. Florida is one of them.
Razing Fire Station 22 For a Parking Lot May Be a Ballot Question as City Council Bows to History
A majority of the Palm Coast City Council doesn’t want to see Fire Station 22 leveled to make room for a parking lot once the station shifts further east, though the Community center has a deficit of more than 100 parking spaces. The city administration says it’ll cost at least $1.1 million, possibly more, to refurbish the building.
U.S. Supreme Court Decisively Rejects Outlier Elections Theory Giving Unchecked Powers to States
In a major election-law decision, the Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that although the Constitution gives state legislatures the power to regulate federal elections, state courts can supervise the legislature’s exercise of that power. By a vote of 6-3, the court rejected the so-called “independent state legislature theory” favored by a extreme Republicans.
Palm Coast Wants More Action on ‘Bad Drivers,’ Litterers and Priorities as Sheriff Submits Budget
Submitting his annual budget to the Palm Coast City Council this morning, Staly heard requests for more help with “bad drivers” and litterers to maintain quality of life, and answered an extended series of questions from a council member on the paradox between a sharply falling crime rate and a still-rising jail population.
With $1.2 Billion for Florida, Biden Unveils $42.5 Billion Plan to Connect All Americans to Broadband
The Biden administration on Monday announced $42.45 billion to connect all Americans to high-speed broadband internet by the end of the decade, likening the ambitious goal to FDR’s New Deal-era rural electrification program that brought the then-modern technology to farms and rural areas across the United States.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, June 27, 2023
Docket sounding for Damari Barnes, The Flagler Beach City Commission shortlists candidates for city manager, the Palm Coast council meets, John Reed, big Bill Haywood and the Wobblies.
Weakening Child Labor Restrictions
A movement to weaken American child labor protections at the state level began in 2022. By June 2023, Arkansas, Iowa, New Jersey and New Hampshire had enacted this kind of legislation, and lawmakers in at least another eight states had introduced similar measures.
Palm Coast’s Brandt Herron Part of Blind Soccer Clinic for Angel City Games
he U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) is hosting two blind soccer clinics on Sunday, July 2, as part of the 2023 Angel City Games. The clinics will be conducted by members of the USA Blind Soccer Men’s National Team, including sighted goalkeeper Brandt Herron of Palm Coast, Fla.
Flagler Beach City Manager Opening Draws 37 Applicants, Most from Out of State
The opening for a Flagler Beach city manager has drawn 37 applicants, a relatively low number–the city drew 58 applicants in its last search in 2020–with just 10 of them from Florida, and 11 of them not currently employed. The list as a whole does not quite flirt with the extraordinary, though a few names have solid experience in small towns and varied profiles.
Brendan Depa’s Mother Tells Her Son’s Story
Brendan Depa, a 17-year-old severely autistic student, attacked his paraprofessional, Joan Naydich, at Matanzas High School in February, and faces a first degree felony charge as an adult. His mother, Leanne Depa, speaks for the first time, detailing Brendan’s personal and medical history and his almost intractable challenges that pre-dated the horrific incident.
He Points a Glock at Fiancée’s Head in an Argument Over Baby Monitor
Alan Kith, 34, of Palm Coast’s P Section, told law enforcement that even though he pointed firearm at his fiancee’s head, he was just tired from work, frustrated and only trying to scare her.
School Vouchers, Teaching Muzzles, Diversity Bans, Looser Guns: 200 New Laws Take Effect Saturday
More than 200 laws passed during the 2023 legislative session, including a record $116.5 billion budget, will take effect Saturday, including a massive expansion of public money available for private schooling, permitless gun-carrying, and more restrictions or bans on what teachers may say or teach.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, June 26, 2023
The Flagler County Beekeepers Association meets, the Bunnell City Commission meets, trying to figure out Taylor Swift and her Swifties.
Wagner’s Mutiny and the End of Putin’s ‘Strongman’ Image
While the mutiny of mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner brutes was short-lived and its goals unclear, it will have lasting effects – exposing the fragility of Putin’s grip on power and his ability to lead Russia to victory over Ukraine.
How the Wall Street Journal Accused ProPublica of Misleading Readers in a Story It Had Not Yet Published
Behind the scenes of Justice Samuel Alito’s unprecedented Wall Street Journal pre-buttal, Alito’s behavior underscores that the “no surprises” approach involves taking a risk, allowing subjects to “spit in our soup,” as Paul Steiger, the former Journal editor who founded ProPublica, liked to say.
Driver Arrested After Fleeing from Hit-and-Run and Trespassing on School Property
The vehicle entered the property of Old Kings Elementary School and drove around the running track before exiting the school and continuing to flee down Old Kings Road. The vehicle then entered the Flagler County Landfill and into the wooded area between the landfill and I-95.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, June 25, 2023
Belle Terre Swim & Racquet Club Summer Open House Weekend continues, is the word “cracker” derogatory? Bach’s Partita No. 6, Ulysses Grant writes his father.
The Dangers of Boast-Seeking Adventure Tourism
Tourists are generally seeking more authentic experiences that occur without prescribed paths or known endpoints. Technology can often make the extreme environments of adventure tourism more safe, but at the bottom of the ocean, the vacuum of space or the cold of a mountain summit the consequences of failure can be high.
On EVs, Palm Coast and Flagler County Choose Backwardness
Flagler County, this self-deluded mecca of economic development, is not only an electric vehicle charging station desert. It is actually hostile to electric vehicles. It is sending a loud and shrill message to tourists and forward-looking businesses and the residents they’d bring along: we like to fossilize. Progress is elsewhere.