Palm Coast Observer Editor Brian McMillan would restrict the book at the center of a controversy from high school libraries, even though he doesn’t find it pornographic. His argument and his prescription are untenable, because they rest on an analogy that has no application to George Johnson’s “All Boys Aren’t Blue.” A school district committee is currently reviewing the book’s status.
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The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, November 18, 2021
The Flagler County firefighters’ union and Flagler County government’s management team are in collective bargaining negotiations, Sartre’s “No Exit” at Stetson’s Second Stage Theatre, notes on war reporting for cowards.
Ex-Sheriff Jim Manfre Gets Most Votes in Short-Listing of 6 Candidates for Palm Coast City Manager
In a stunner, former two-time Sheriff Jim Manfre was the top vote-getter in the short-listing of possible candidates for Palm Coast City Manager as the council this evening picked six candidates to back-ground check and possibly interview in January.
Florida House Votes to Reject Federal OSHA Protections for Workers and Replace them With State Alternative
With Republicans angry about a vaccination rule issued by the federal Occupational and Safety and Health Administration, the Florida House on Wednesday approved a proposal that could lead to the state taking over regulation of worker safety and health issues.
Fire Chief Jerry Forte Recognized with Tony Gasparino ‘Lest We Forget Award’
The Knights of Columbus Corpus Christi Assembly 2810 and Santa Maria Del Mar Catholic Church recognized Palm Coast Fire Chief Jerry Forte with the Tony Gasparino “Lest We Forget Award.” Attending with Forte was his wife, Lisa, and his mother, Theresa.
Help Make Flagler County Known for Progress, Tolerance and Growth Instead of Ignorance and Hate
Offering the perspective of a parent, Palm Coast resident Courtney Hildreth calls on the Flagler School Board to re-focus on academic and intellectual freedom, ensuring access to age-appropriate literature, filling classroom vacancies, and preserving principles of equity and acceptance.
Student Protesters Face Hail of Vile Obscenities, Taunts and Threats From Group Claiming to Speak For Children
Students and parents protesting against a potential book ban in school libraries were confronted with a loose band of counter-protesters at the Government Services Building Tuesday evening, some of them in camouflage and body armor, taunting with obscenities, homophobic slurs and threats even as they claimed to object to “obscene” books. Sheriff’s deputies kept the taunts from escalating beyond the verbal.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, November 17, 2021
The Palm Coast City Council meets in special session this evening at City Hall to review the applications for city manager. The council members are expected to bring their own short lists of up to five candidates each.
Journalism in Middle America Got Communities Through the Pandemic
How did so many local news organizations – especially newspapers – manage to survive the pandemic? Weeklies beefed up their daily online news coverage, business models were blown up and existing rationales for why journalism matters became more than theoretical to rural journalists.
Potential Book Ban in Schools Galvanizes 2 Sides in Day of Highs and Lows as Sheriff Recoils at Criminal Complaint
the Flagler County School Board today contended with the fallout of a criminal complaint and call for a book ban filed by Board member Jill Woolbright, and did so for 10 hours, from a lengthy and at times ugly workshop to a student-led demonstration marred by harassment and insults by detractors to an evening meeting that stretched past 11 p.m.
For Another $1.2 Million, County Will Build Planned Addition to Sheriff’s Operations Center Now
The $23-million, 51,000 square-foot Sheriff’s Operations Center about to rise within sight of the Government Services Building in Bunnell will grow by another 6,000 square feet with the addition of a warehouse.
Covid Isn’t Over, But in Flagler It’s Receded from Menace to Nuisance, at Least For Now
Covid isn’t gone. It may never end. But for now, it’s more nuisance than menace in Flagler. Weekly case loads fell in 10 of the last 11 weeks and for the past four weeks have been averaging around 50 per week–not as low as the spring of 2020, but still the lowest numbers by far since the arrival of the Delta variant, the supersize equivalent of the coronavirus.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, November 16, 2021
The Flagler County School Board has a pair of meetings where the matter of book-banning is certain to be discussed, with a 5 p.m. protest of book-banning outside the Government Services Building in Bunnell. It’s also Food Truck Tuesday.
The Ancient History of Adding Insult to Injury
From James Bond to the Terminator, quips over someone’s demolition literally add insult to injury, defaming the victim immediately after their demise, emblazoning the death with a caption, like a perverse eulogy. It’s a long tradition.
Dave Sullivan and Don O’Brien Elect Joe Mullins, a Bigot, Chairman of the Commission and Face of Flagler County
Flagler County Commissioners Don O’Brien and Dave Sullivan voted for Joe Mullins, who voted for himself, making Mullins, a bigot with a propensity for lies, slanders, insults, anti-Semitism and unprecedented divisiveness for a commissioner, chairman of the county commission for the next year.
“No Response From 5111”: End of Watch for Sgt. Dominic Guida as Family and Community Mourn Young Cop’s Loss
Viewing and services for Sgt. Dominic Guida of the Bunnell Police Department, who died on Nov. 9 in the line of duty, brought throngs of law enforcement officers and first responders to First Baptist Church in Bunnell at noon today as part of a two-hour service that ended with Guida’s End of Watch Call. He was 43.
The County Commission’s Choice Tonight: Filth or Statesmanship
The Flagler County Commission this evening is set to elect a new chairman, with Joe Mullins in line for the job, unless fellow-commissioners think better than to choose a bigot to represent them and the county. The School Board elects a chair Tuesday evening, with its own dilemmas.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, November 15, 2021
The Flagler County Commission this evening may decide that the face of the county should be a bigot as it elects a new chairman of the commission, with Joe Mullins in line for the title unless his colleagues think better of it. The funeral for Bunnell Police Department Sgt. Dominic Guida is at noon.
Building More Homes Isn’t Affordable Housing For Those Who Need It Most
There is not a single state, metropolitan area or county in which a full-time minimum wage worker can afford the “fair market rent” for a two-bedroom home, as designated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Even the smallest, most basic housing units are often unaffordable to people with very low incomes.
Cheryl Massaro Rebukes Fellow School Board Member Woolbright Over ‘Rogue’ Attacks on Books and Superintendent
In a statement issued Sunday night, School Board member Cheryl Massaro said fellow-Board member Jill Woolbright “crossed the line when she filed a criminal complaint against the Flagler Schools’ Superintendent and Attorney” over Woolbright’s attempt to ban books. Massaro sharply rebuked the attempted censorship of books and said Woolbright doesn’t speak for the board.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, November 14, 2021
Maya Angelou’s critical race theory, Woodwinds and brass ensembles in two concerts at Stetson, Tommy Tant Surf Classic concludes, music revues at City Repertory Theatre and Flagler Playhouse have their final runs.
Transgender and Gender Diverse Teens: How to Talk To and Support Them
Transgender youth have been around long before the word transgender has. Yet today, transgender teens are increasingly visible in society. For parents and caregivers, knowing how to talk to their children about gender can present a steep learning curve.
The Live Interview: Author George M. Johnson Speaks to Those Who Want Book Banned From Flagler Schools
George M. Johnson, author of “All Boys Aren’t Blue, one of the books School Board member Jill Woolbright calls a “crime” to have in schools and wants banned, speaks to FlaglerLive about frequent experiences with “the purity brigade,” differences between porn and sex, the orchestration behind current book bans and what Johnson would tell the district committee reviewing the book.
The Flagler School Board’s Shameless War on Equity
The Flagler school board doesn’t believe in equality anymore. The administration, out of fear and misplaced pragmatism, is abandoning the word “equity” and replacing it with a bromide of a euphemism–“student success”–in appeasement of a faction led by School Board members Jill Woolbright and Janet McDonald, the same board members targeting books and instructional materials with anti-racism and other minority-oriented themes.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, November 13, 2021
A few words about Flagler’s book-burners, the 20th Annual Tommy Tant Memorial Surf Classic takes to the waves near the Flagler Beach Pier, and City Repertory Theatre and the Flagler Playhouse each have a musical revue on stage.
If You’re a Sucky Employer, Don’t Be Surprised Your Workers Are Quitting
The U.S. labor market is expected to become far more diverse going forward in terms of gender, ethnicity and age. Thus, employers that cannot provide greater flexibility and variety in their working environment will struggle to attract and retain workers.
11 White Jurors and One Black Juror: Ahmaud Arbery and the Limits of Justice
Jogging while Black. Driving while Black. Walking while Black. Sitting in a public space while Black. Asking for help while Black. Eating while Black. Merely existing while Black. The cold, agonizing, disturbing truth is that to be Black in America is to regularly endure an ongoing onslaught of assaults and insults. These incidents are a stark reminder that to be Black in America means to live in a constant state of uncertainty.
‘Do We Settle?’ Palm Coast Mayor’s Question Reflects Disappointment in 90 Manager Applicants, Suggesting Do-Over
Mayor David Alfin and other Palm Coast council members are disappointed in the quality of candidates who have applied for city manager, opening the possibility that the process may be set aside and re-started, with a search firm this time–if the mayor gets his way.
Sheriff Presents 2021 Quarter 3 Awards
Sheriff Staly recognized exceptional service by Sheriff’s Office employees and members of the community, including honoring the team directly responsible for saving the life of a juvenile threatening to jump off the I-95 overpass.
Two Parents Are Arrested on Felony Child Neglect Charges After Leaving Toddler Unsupervised Overnight
The parents of at least three children were arrested on November 10 on felony child neglect charges after they were found to have left a toddler unsupervised at their house at 57 Blare Castle Drive in Palm Coast, where the toddler’s sisters, 13 and 14, were also left without supervision.
‘All Together Now!’ Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre Musical Revue Joins a Global Fundraising Event
Music Theatre International is one of the world’s most prominent theatrical licensing agencies, representing hundreds of musicals ranging from Tony-winning classics to children’s fare. It is allowing theaters worldwide to perform “All Together Now!” license-free to help raise money for the theaters themselves. In this case, Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre will benefit.
Isolation and Beyond in Sartre’s ‘No Exit’ by Stetson University Theatre Arts
Stetson University Theatre Arts presents Jean-Paul Sartre’s play “No Exit,” a one-act philosophical drama that examines morality, identity and human connection. Directed by Stetson Theatre Arts senior Shay Figueroa, the production runs Nov. 18-21 at Stetson’s Second Stage Theatre in the Museum of Art – DeLand.
Vague and Controversial Parents’ Bill of Rights Will Get Renewed Focus in Special Session of Legislature Next Week
The Parents’ Bill of Rights, sponsored by State Rep. Erin Grall in the 2021 legislative session, was criticized for its vague language and unclear boundaries. But it became a clarion call for parent power as local school boards developed Covid policies impacting students, and a mask mandate debacle that pitted the executive branch against local school boards.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, November 12, 2021
The Tommy Tant Surf Classic kicks off, City Repertory Theatre’s All Together Now, a brand new musical revue, And the World Goes ‘Round, the music Revue at Flagler Playhouse.
The Federal Poverty Line Is Out of Step With the Way The Other Half Lives
In 2021, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, a worker needs to earn $20.40 per hour to be able to afford a modest one-bedroom apartment anywhere in the country. That’s an annual salary of $40,800 – more than twice what Brookings refers to as the median wage for low-wage work.
Public Viewing, Funeral Service and Honors Set for Sgt. Dominic Guida
Funeral services for Bunnell Police Officer Sgt. Dominic Guida are scheduled for Monday, Nov. 15 at First Baptist Church of Bunnell, with two public viewing sessions scheduled for Sunday afternoon and Monday morning at the church.
Jill Woolbright Wants 4 Books Banned Over Anti-Racism, LGBTQ, Police Violence and Rape Themes; District Removes Them Pending Review
Copycatting a tactic developing across the country and targeting the same books, Flagler County School Board member Jill Woolbright wants four books removed. The books, award winners and critically acclaimed, deal with LGBTQ themes, anti-racism, police shootings, and the trauma of rape. Three are by Black authors.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, November 11, 2021
Schools, government offices, police departments and courts are closed today in observance of Veterans Day. Commemorations are scheduled at 10 a.m. at the county, 11:30 a.m. in Palm Coast and 1 p.m. in veterans Park in Flagler Beach.
School Surveillance of Students Through Laptops May Be Doing More Harm Than Good
Student surveillance is taking place – at taxpayer expense – in cities and school communities throughout the United States. In one large district, three-quarters of incidents reported – that is, cases where the system flagged students’ online activity – took place outside school hours.
Almost As Bad as Hurricane Matthew: Post-Storm Survey in Flagler Reveals Substantial Loss of Dunes
Last weekend’s nor’easter ripped through Flagler County’s dune structures and caused a lot more damage than originally thought, further weakening the dune line that has steadily been losing sand since it was rebuilt in 2018 for $20 million after Hurricanes Matthew and Irma.
100-Room Hotel in Heart of Flagler Beach, ‘A Good Fit,’ Could Break Ground in 2nd or 3rd Quarter of 2022
After buying the 1.3 acres that used to be a farmer’s market in the heart of Flagler Beach for $3.8 million in July, the CEO of the Ormond Beach-based hotel development firm redeveloping the land promises a 100-room, 3-story hotel that will reflect the Flagler Beach lifestyle and will not be “a cookie cutter Hampton Inn.”
James McIntire, 71, Pleads to Molesting Girl, 15, in Exchange for 2 Years in Prison; He’d Faced Up to 15 Years
James Lee McIntire, a 71-year-old resident of 71 Florida Park Drive in Palm Coast, pleaded guilty on Monday to molesting the 15-year-old daughter of a woman who said he’d molested her, too, when she was 14, some 28 years ago. McIntire pleaded only to the offense for which he was charged–the more recent case, which covers several incidents that took place at McIntire’s home in the summer of 2019.
FPL Customers Could Face Bills of Up to $6.83 a Month More on Top of Previous Increase Due to Natural Gas Costs
The request, filed at the state Public Service Commission, would push up FPL customer bills that were already slated to increase next year. Costs for natural gas and other power-plant fuel are generally passed through to customers.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, November 10, 2021
White Table Ceremony honoring soldiers missing in action in all wars, at the county library, competitive fencing, Community Night at Flagler Playhouse, Big Pharma’s big friends, a few lines from Jason Brown’s “A Faithful but Melancholy Account of Several Barbarities Lately Committed.”
U.S. Military Is Single-Largest Polluter in the World. And Hides It.
If the US military were a country, its fuel usage alone would make it the 47th largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, sitting between Peru and Portugal. In other words, the US military is a more consequential climate actor than many of the industrialized countries gathered at the COP26 summit in Glasgow.
Sgt. Dominic Guida, A 19-Year Veteran of Bunnell Police and Sheriff’s Office, Dies After Heart Attack in Training
Sgt. Dominic Guida of the Bunnell Police Department was rushed to AdventHealth Palm Coast this afternoon after suffering a cardiac event while in training with Flagler County sheriff’s deputies at the county’s training facility and burn tower on Justice Lane in Bunnell. He died at the hospital. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Guida’s death at 5:40 p.m.
In Shift, Flagler Beach Will Not Abandon July 4 Fireworks. It’s Now How, Not Whether, to Preserve Tradition.
After considering abandoning July 4 fireworks due to overcrowding and safety concerns, a committee appointed by the Flagler Beach City Commission to study the matter will recommend keeping the fireworks while proposing a series of management and policing approaches to better control crowds, minimize underage drinking and provide alternatives to driving and parking on the island.
When Even the Victim of Domestic Violence Wants a No-Contact Order Lifted, and the Judge Says No
Joel Buzzard, 49, of Bunnell, is on bail awaiting trial on a felony domestic violence charge involving a woman with two young children who, today, wanted his no-contact order lifted so they could see each other again. A judge said no, and Buzzard’s own attorney ordered him out of the courtroom when he had an outburst.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, November 9, 2021
The Palm Coast City Council does redistricting, the County Planning Board considers rezoning land near the airport on SR100 to industrial, LBJ’s spankings, and modern music at Stetson University.
Nicaragua’s Ortega Helped Overthrow a Dictator. Now He Is One.
Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo have managed to cling on to power. There are many reasons for their political survival, including the opposition’s fragmentation, a repressive state apparatus, and a lack of international pressure. What is too often overlooked, though, is that for many Nicaraguans, the FSLN remains the only political party that represents the interests of the poor.