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The Manchurian Candidate Is Alive and Well and Living in the White House

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Until last week I did not believe in the transmigration of souls from celluloid to reality. That changed when Congress passed the so-called “big beautiful bill.” Raymond Shaw, the brainwashed assassin of “The Manchurian Candidate,” is alive and well and living in the White House. There may be other explanations. But outside of the theater of the loony it’s difficult to understand why a president of the United States would gift China the greatest act of strategic self-destruction next to China’s own suicide in the 15th century. 

As Texas Flood Death Toll Passes 50, Questions Arise Over Adequate Warnings and NWS Staffing

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Catastrophic flooding that has claimed more than 50 lives in Texas came amid concerns about staffing levels at the NWS, after the Trump administration fired hundreds of meteorologists this year as part of Elon Musk’s DOGE cuts. The NWS Austin/San Antonio office’s warning coordination meteorologist announced in April that he was retiring early due to the funding cuts, leading to speculation that vacancies could have impacted forecasters’ response.

Trump Is Shutting Down 3 Key Weather Satellites Ahead of Peak Storm Season

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On June 25, 2025, the Trump administration issued a service change notice announcing that the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, DMSP, and the Navy’s Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center would terminate data collection, processing and distribution of all DMSP data by July 31. The satellite data helps meteorologists create weather forecasts that keep planes and ships safe and prepare countries for a potential hurricane landfall.

Who’s the Most American? Too Often, Biases Say It’s White English Speakers.

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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

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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

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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 

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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

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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.

Christian Nationalism Raises Its Flag at the Pentagon

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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

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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.”

Stunning Flagler Beach, County Plans to End Paying Its Half of Lifeguard Costs, Endangering Program’s Future

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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

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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. 

Bill Moyers’ Brilliant, Humane Journalism Strengthened Democracy

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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.

County Administrator Asks Constitutionals to Cut Cost-of-Living Raises from 4% to 2% to Close $2.2 Million Gap

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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

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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

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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.

One in 3 Florida 3rd Graders Have Untreated Cavities. Now a New Law Prohibits Fluoride in Water.

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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.

14 Years in Prison for Devarus Bethea, 38, Over Fentanyl Trafficking as He Quotes Latin Root of ‘Remorse’ to Judge

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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

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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.

The Meaning of Zohran Mamdani’s Win in New York

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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.

As Gun Homicides Continue to Decline, Gun Suicides Reached Record High in 2023

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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.

States Fear Critical Funding From FEMA May Be Drying Up: ‘Locals Won’t Step Up Unless They’re Dealing with a Catastrophe’

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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.