County Commissioner Kim Carney’s support for the county-wide beach-management plan she endorsed just weeks ago appeared to waver when she raised questions about it at last Monday’s commission meeting, potentially putting the entire plan in jeopardy, especially with an undecided Palm Coast looking on.
10 Years on, Palm Coast Finally Breaks Ground on Nerve-Center Maintenance Facility’s $12 Million 1st Phase
Palm Coast hosted a groundbreaking for what will eventually be a nearly 100-acre maintenance facility gathering public works, stormwater and utility departments in one location off U.S. 1, to the northwest of the city. The $12 million phase is the first of three. The City Council in 2016 set the project in motion, but funding has been a challenge, as has the criticism of the project.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, March 19, 2025
The Palm Coast Planning Board meets, the Palm Coast administration and members of the council break ground on a new maintenance facility, the William McKinley tariffs in a very different era.
Palm Coast Government Clears Annual Financial Audit Without Internal Weaknesses
The financial audit did not reveal any material weaknesses in internal control or instances of noncompliance. All funds are in compliance or exceed the fund balance policy, reflecting the City’s commitment to sound financial management practices.
Anti-DEI Rules Are Gutting Educators’ Free Speech Rights
The Trump administration’s attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion have continued in the form of a “Dear Colleague” letter from the Department of Education to educational institutions – from preschools through colleges and universities.. The directive the letter infringes on free speech, misunderstands the law and undermines education.
Florida Attorney General Threatens Removal of City Council Members Who Blocked Cooperation with ICE
Attorney General James Uthmeier is threatening three Fort Myers city council members with removal from office after they refused Monday to deputize police officers to participate in immigration enforcement. Uthmeier, who became the attorney general a month ago, warned the council that Gov. Ron DeSantis could remove them from office if they didn’t allow the city police to question people about their immigration status and detain those subject to deportation.
Man Who Threatened to Jump Off SR100 Bridge on I-95 Is Rescued After Hour of Negotiations
A man threatening to jump off the I-95 bridge over State Road 100 was rescued after snarling traffic for nearly an hour. The same man had attempted to jump off the Palm Coast Parkway bridge over I-95 last August. He was Baker Acted then, as he was today.
Palm Coast Adopts 31% Water and Sewer Rate Increase Over 3 Years, Scaling Back Spending to $512 Million
The Palm Coast City Council today in a 3-1 vote approved a 31 percent water and sewer rate increase to be phased in five increments through October 2028, and to finance a half-billion-dollar spending plan to improve the city’s utility infrastructure, some of which is overcapacity and outdated. The plan scales back an earlier proposal that would have increased rates 36 percent. The new plan calls for one bond issue of $292 million.
Palm Coast Mayor’s Motion for Construction Moratorium Fails in Face of Builders’ Bulky Show of Force
Mayor Mike Norris’s motion for a residential building moratorium this morning, made after nearly an hour of zealous speeches for or against, but mostly for, quickly failed for lack of a second, and applause resounded across the standing-room-only chamber. Some of it was consolation for Norris by his supporters. Most of it was from builders and their supporters.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, March 18, 2025
The Palm Coast City Council meets at 9 a.m., with an expected pro-Mayor Norris rally preceding it, Random Acts of Insanity at Cinematique, how the Washington Post is dying at Jeff Bezos’s hands.
Mayor Norris In Pattern of Offensive Behavior Toward Staff Since November, Internal Complaints Show
Several city employees and directors have filed a series of complaints and memos to Human Resources documenting behavior by Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris they considered rude, demeaning, offensive, abusive, harassing and inappropriately interfering with administrative duties, in violation of the city charter. The complaints were filed well before three City Council members called for an independent investigation of Norris over his overstepping his authority.
Ellianos Coffee Finally Opens Palm Coast Drive-Thru on SR100
Ellianos Coffee, the Italian-styled drive-through that seemed to be forever under construction in Flagler Plaza on State Road 100 (between Flagler Dental and Suterra Wellness, the medical pot shop) is finally open. The Southeast-spreading brand announced the opening today in a release. The drive-through serve coffee, energy drinks and a quick-service menu.
Patient Attack of 2 Staffers at AdventHealth Palm Coast Highlights Dangers Facing Health Care Workers
Rolfe A. Troup, 33, of Palm Coast, who two years ago completed a probation sentence for assaulting his stepfather, was arrested again on Friday after allegedly assaulting two staffers at AdventhHealth Palm Coast Parkway, where Troup had been taken under a Baker Act. He faces two first-degree felony counts, each with a maximum penalty of 30 years. The assault highlights the generally little known reality that health care workers suffer some of the highest rates of workplace violence and injuries of any profession.
After a Protest, Flagler Beach Again Changes Rule for Large Annexations, Requiring Supermajority Vote
A year after removing the requirement that annexations of 5 percent or more of its land mass would require a referendum, the Flagler Beach City Commission again changed the rule, now to require at least a supermajority of the commission before such annexations may be approved. The change is the result of a protest lodged about the original amendment by the attorney representing a non-profit group that has opposed Veranda Bay, the large development seeking annexation into the city.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, March 17, 2025
The Flagler County Commission meets in the evening, the East Flagler Mosquito Control District meets in the morning, and the histories and pleasures of Calvados, drink of the gods on Mont-Saint-Michel.
Corporations Are DEI’s Great Hope
Whether the many attacks on DEI – first from right-wing bloggers, then from the Supreme Court, and then from the president – will affect the makeup of Fortune-level boards in 2025 and beyond remains to be seen. But so far, these boards are diversifying and seeing the value in DEI.
Florida Lawmakers Are About to Roll Back Rural Protections in Favor Of Developers. Don’t Let Them.
The Florida Legislature is once again trying to push through legislation that would take away the rights of area citizens and local government to have any voice in the management of rural and agricultural lands. It is crucial that citizens contact their legislative members and demand that these egregious measures be stopped immediately.
The Sun Is Setting on Government Transparency in Florida
Florida, the “Sunshine State,” once known as a beacon of government transparency, is growing ever darker, and the clouds are spreading throughout the United States. Legislators have passed more than 1,100 exemptions to the Florida Sunshine Law, and growing.
None of Florida’s Cities Are Among the Happiest
All the warm weather, vast beaches, travel opportunities and booming business doesn’t seem to provide extraordinary happiness in Florida. A new study by WalletHub, a personal finance company, shows Florida doesn’t have many cities that are among the happiest in America.
Florida Law Banning Kids off Some Social Media Prevails as Judge Refuses to Block It
A federal judge has rejected a request to block a 2024 Florida law aimed at keeping children off some social-media platforms, ruling that industry groups did not show they had legal standing to challenge the measure.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, March 16, 2025
‘The Drowsy Chaperone,’ at St. Augustine’s Limelight Theatre, Farmer’s market at European Village, the pandemic of backing in, how parking lots have ruined the urban landscape.
The Women Behind the Babylonian Captivity
The church may not have seen women as equals, but nevertheless, their work was key to the workings and finances of the papal court and its surroundings. The fact is made obvious in the archives by simply following the money. It was hardly glamorous work but necessary for the functioning of the papal court.
Federal Appeals Court Upholds Florida Ban on Under-21s Buying Long Guns
A U.S. appeals court has once again upheld Florida’s 2018 law barring people under age 21 from buying long guns, rejecting a challenge by the National Rifle Association. But Florida’s attorney general says that if the case is appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, his office won’t defend it.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, March 15, 2025
The Saturday Flagler Beach Farmers Market, Democratic Women’s Club of Flagler County meeting, Coffee With Commissioner Scott Spradley, ‘The Drowsy Chaperone,’ at St. Augustine’s Limelight Theatre.
Stetson Survey Finds Puerto Rico and D.C. Get Statehood Support, Canada and Greenland Do Not
With the current debate over U.S. expansion, a new survey by the Center for Public Opinion Research (CPOR) at Stetson University finds that Americans remain deeply divided on the prospect of adding a 51st state if it’s not Puerto Rico or Washington, D.C.
In Red and Blue States, a Surge of Laws to Protect Teen on Social Media
In 2024, approximately half of all U.S. states passed at least 50 bills that make it harder for children and teens to spend time online without any supervision. Research shows that adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media have an increased risk of anxiety and depression. Almost half of teens have faced online bullying or harassment, with older teen girls most likely to have experienced this. Social media use has been linked to self-harm in some cases.
Florida Bill Would Ban Migrant Children Fleeing Abuse Elsewhere From Seeking Residency in Florida
A bill advancing in the Florida Senate would make it harder for children without legal status who are fleeing abuse in their home countries to become permanent residents. That’s because they could lose the assistance of immigration attorneys and advocates, who say that SB 1626 would stop them from applying for immigration relief on behalf of such children.
Saving Our Beaches Is a Collective Responsibility Like Roads and Parks. Let’s Each Do Our Part.
A Beverly Beach resident explains how protecting Flagler County’s beaches through the proposed county plan is similar to supporting communal responsibilities like roads, schools, parks and libraries: not everyone benefits from those services equally, but the services all play a crucial role in the local quality of life and the economy, and must be supported evenly. So it is with the beach.
Norman Mugford, Alarmpro Owner and Longtime Member of Palm Coast Code Enforcement Board, Dies at 76
The City of Palm Coast honors the memory and celebrates the life of Norman Mugford, who passed away on Monday, March 3, 2025, at the age of 76. Norman was a dedicated public servant whose tireless commitment significantly shaped Palm Coast, particularly through his extensive service on the Palm Coast Code Enforcement Board.
Five Apply for Ray Stevens’s Palm Coast Council Seat Amid Mounting Turmoil; Window Closes March 19
Just five candidates have applied for the District 3 seat on the Palm Coast City Council that Ray Stevens resigned at the end of February, including Mark Stancel, who lost a primary vote to Stevens by two votes. Whoever the council appoints will be joining a county and a city in turmoil. The council will make its choice in early to mid-April.
Jane Mealy Exits Flagler Beach Dais After 19 Years, Cunningham Is Sworn-In and Sherman Named Chair
Jane Mealy for 19 years had been the Flagler Beach City Commission’s unrivaled workhorse and its sharpest study long before successive commissioners mostly modeled themselves after her, whether they knew it or not. Thursday evening, Mealy cast her final vote and exited after her defeat by John Cunningham, and the re-election of James Sherman, who was elected chair. Rick Belhumeur was elected vice-chair, to his recurring chagrin.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, March 14, 2025
Flagler Outreach Brings Social Service Providers to Cattleman’s Hall, ‘The Drowsy Chaperone,’ at St. Augustine’s Limelight Theatre, the misfortunes of the phrase “leader of the free world.”
Even Florida’s Naturalized Citizens Are Fearful of State’s New Anti-Immigrant Laws
Nearly two-thirds of non-U.S. citizens and one-third of U.S. citizens who responded to a survey, said they hesitated to seek medical care in the year after Florida’s anti-immigration law, SB 1718, was enacted. Laws like SB 1718 amplify preexisting racial and structural inequities. Structural inequities are systemic barriers within institutions — such as health care and employment — that restrict access to essential resources based on one’s race, legal or economic status.
In Startling Stand-Your-Ground Ruling, Judge Nichols Dismisses Charges Against Man Accused in Violent Attack at Circle K
In a stand your ground ruling that startled law enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office, Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols on Monday dismisses felony charges against 23-year-old Hunter Detherow, who was facing five to 20 years in prison for a fight at the Palm Harbor Circle K a year ago that left one man with four broken ribs and another with stab wounds, a collapsed lung and a black eye. Detherow, a former Marine, was not injured. The two men were twice his age, though one of them was nearly twice his weight.
Palm Coast Eases Stance on Beach-Saving Sales Tax as ‘Grow Some Balls’ Message Lifts Plan’s Chances, But More Talk Needed
In contrast with their joint meeting in February, representatives from Palm Coast, Beverly Beach, Bunnell, Flagler Beach, Marineland and the county were all more supportive of a proposed beach-management plan centered on raising the sales tax as they discussed it Wednesday evening. Palm Coast remains the crucial hold-out for now, if not an immovable one. But time is running out.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, March 13, 2025
The Flagler Beach City Commission meets, the Bunnell City Commission and its planning board hold a joint workshop on the 8,000-home development of the Reserve at Haw Creek, Christopher Lasch and tariffs.
Brain-Training to Stave Off Dementia Is Unproven. Here’s What Might Help.
People can make changes throughout adulthood that can help prevent or delay cognitive decline and even reduce their risk of dementia. These include quitting smoking and properly managing blood pressure. Brain-training games, which claim to optimize your brain’s efficiency and capacity at any age, are unproven.
Michael Jennelle, 53, Guilty on All Charges of Raping Granddaughter; He Faces Life in Prison
At the end of a three-day trial and just 75 minutes of deliberations this afternoon, a jury found Michael Jennelle, 53, guilty on seven counts of raping and molesting his granddaughter when she was between 7 and 10, and whom he had adopted as his daughter. He faces life in prison when he is sentenced at a later date.
City Council Cuts City Manager Candidates to 5, But with Sharp Disparities Regarding Most
Shortly before giving applicants yet more reasons to think twice about working here, the Palm Coast City Council Tuesday shortened its list of city manager candidates to five, with one clear front-runner–William Smith, a former county and city manager in Georgia and North Carolina, with vast experience in the field, and the first candidate to get across-the-board top scores from all four council members so far.
Palm Coast Council Agrees to Investigation of Mayor Norris After Allegation of ‘Blatant Violations of City Charter’
The Palm Coast City Council late Tuesday night called for an independent investigation of Mayor Mike Norris after Interim City Manager Lauren Johnston confirmed that he unilaterally demanded in a private meeting that she and Chief of Staff Jason DeLorenzo resign, what would be a “blatant violation of the city charter,” in Council member Ty Miller’s words. Norris is denying the charge.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Flagler County, Flagler Beach, Palm Coast, Bunnell and Beverly Beach governments hold a joint meeting to discuss a beach-management plan, Michael Jennelle’s trial, day 3, the risibility of Palestinian-Israeli prisoner exchanges.
American Imperialism Is Back
Embracing traditional U.S. imperialism would upend the rules that have kept the globe relatively stable since World War II. That would unleash fear, chaos – and possibly nuclear war.
University of Chicago’s Tony Banout, Freedom of Expression Expert, Speaks at Stetson March 26
As academic freedom and freedom of expression become flashpoints on college campuses nationwide, Stetson University will host a national expert March 26 to speak about the importance of free inquiry and expression. Tony Banout, Executive Director of the University of Chicago’s Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression, will give a talk entitled “Why is Wrongheaded, Immoral, and Offensive Speech Protected on Campus and Constitutionally?”
12-Year-Old Testifies of Years of Sexual Abuse at Grandfather ‘Mike’ Jennelle’s Hands; He’ll Take Stand in His Own Defense
When Michael Jennelle takes the stand Wednesday, as he said he would, in his defense against charges that he raped and molested his pre-teen granddaughter for years, he will have to overcome the nearly flawless, withering day Assistant State Attorney Melissa Clark marshaled against him today, leaving the defense flailing. It will take a lot more than “I didn’t do it” for Jennelle (as he told the judge in December) to convince the jury of his innocence.
Foreclosure Ahead: Judge Orfinger Maps Way for Flagler County Against Old Dixie Motel Owners
Senior Judge Rick Orfinger today directed the attorney representing Flagler County to draft an order that would grant the county’s motion for a final judgment in its favor nearly four years after an obscure partnership bought the property, made a string of empty promises to rebuild it, flouted a court order to put up a bond and ran up $115,000 in contempt fines.
Semi-Trailer Truck Driver Killed in Fiery Crash on I-95 Near Palm Coast Parkway
A semi-trailer truck driver was killed in a fiery crash on I-95 just before the Palm Coast Parkway exit in mid-afternoon Monday. No one else was involved. It was the fifth fatality on Flagler County roads in a 10-day span.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, March 11, 2025
The Flagler School Board holds a trio of meetings, two of them open, the Palm Coast City Council discusses its comprehensive plan, the Flagler County Planning Board meets, on the imminent dissolution of the world.
Severe Prison Sentences and ‘Truth-in-Sentencing’ Laws Don’t Work
Tough-on-crime policies are surging again, despite research showing they do little to reduce crime, particularly violent offenses. Research highlights the inefficacy and unintended consequences of these laws. There is no compelling evidence that punitive sentencing policies discourage individuals from engaging in criminal activity. And states without truth-in-sentencing laws have seen their crime rates fall to roughly the same degree as states that have the laws.
Lawmakers Scheme Toward Paying Less Than Minimum Wage to Workers in ‘Job Training’
The Republican-controlled Commerce and Tourism Committee voted 5-3 along party lines to approve the measure (SB 676), which would provide an exemption to the voter-approved minimum wage when employees are involved in “a structured work-study, internship, pre-apprenticeship program, apprenticeship program or other similar work-based learning opportunity.” The proposal is aimed at helping people gain skills through entry-level work experience, even though the minimum wage is intended for entry-level workers.
Jennelle’s Defense, Implying a Monstrous Conspiracy, Terms Charges of Child Rape the Fabrications of a Jilted Wife
In brief opening arguments in the trial of Michael Jennelle, 53, who faces life in prison if convicted, the prosecution told the jury that Jennelle started sexually abusing his granddaughter when she was 7 and continued to do so until she was about 10. The defense said it was a fabrication between the granddaughter and her grandmother at a time when Jennelle was divorcing her. The trial is expected to take most of the week.