In Caseytown, Desantistan, it’s Jan. 6, 2028, a year since Ron DeSantis declared himself President for Life, making this country the freest America in America, if not the world. Let’s recap.
Carousel
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, May 6, 2023
Flagler Beach All Stars’ beach clean-up, how the Intracoastal Waterway was built, Sunshine and Sandals, Arthur Miller’s ‘All My Sons,’ the beauty in the ordinary, Roxane Gay on this moment of danger.
Flagler County Works with Agencies for Larger Combined Dunes Project from Pier to Gamble Rogers
Flagler County Engineering has been working with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Department of Transportation to combine two projects to expedite restoration of a larger section of dunes south of the Pier in a more cost-effective manner.
Flagler’s Vacation-Rental Regulations Again Survive at Last Minute as Lawmakers End Session
For the ninth year running, local regulations of short-term vacation rentals in Flagler County and across the survived a legislative attempt at dilution and pre-emption by the state, though it came down to a last-minute escape as lawmakers finalized a $117 billion budget and ended the session.
FPC Student Vandalizes ‘Offensive’ Civil Rights-Inspired Posters. School Board’s Chong Rallies To His Side.
In response to one parent’s complaint about civil rights era-inspired posters by students, and to the the parent’s son vandalizing posters he found offensive at Flagler Palm Coast High School, School Board member Christy Chong has rallied to the side of the parent and the student and is seeking to revisit policies that address the display of student work in school hallways. Board members Will Furry and Sally Hunt are joining Chong in seeking that discussion.
Behind Mondex Man’s Armed Encounter with Deputies: Delusions of Kidnapping, and Close Call with Death
If it weren’t for the restraint of Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy Jennifer Prevatt, Manuel Almeida, 72, who may have been suffering from delusions, might have been shot as he was approaching her on a street in Daytona North Thursday, moments after he’d already fired a round from a .22 rifle.
57-Year-Old Man Dies in Single-Vehicle Crash in Target Shopping Center
A 57-year-old Crescent City man who may have been suffering a medical episode died today after a single-vehicle crash in the parking lot of the Target shopping center in Palm Coast, near the Famous Footwear store.
Flagler Beach’s Next City Manager Salary May Go Up to $165,000 as Commission Pitches for Candidates
The next Flagler Beach city manager will have a salary of between $125,000 to $165,000, an upper range that would have been unthinkable only a few years ago for the small city of 5,000 people. The city commission in an often-snippy special meeting Thursday also rewrote the profile that accompanies the job announcement for a new manager, which will be issued this weekend.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, May 5, 2023
Arthur Miller’s ‘All My Sons’ at City Repertory Theatre, First Friday in Flagler Beach, Flagler Memorial Gardens, Israel, at 75, a shtetl with nukes, ‘Barnum,’ at Flagler Playhouse, the Palm Coast Songwriters Festival.
Firings of Carlson and Lemon Are Not the End of Trash TV
Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon had become potential threats to the networks’ audience shares and advertising revenue. And rather than a victory for women or truth, these firings are an effort to sustain and grow corporate profits for CNN and Fox.
Andrew Gillum Acquitted on Lying Charge, Mistrial Declared on Conspiracy and Fraud Charges
After five days of rocky deliberations, jurors on Thursday acquitted former Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum on charges of lying to federal investigators but were unable to reach a verdict on conspiracy and fraud charges.
Sheriff’s Deputies Resolve Dangerous Incident as Man Brandishes Rifle at Passing Cars in Mondex
After swarming the area with a score of units, Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies resolved a dangerous situation involving a man with a rifle who was threatening passers-by and behaving out of control this morning in the Mondex, or Daytona North. The man was apprehended within 30 minutes. Authorities appeared to have used non-lethal weaponry to subdue him.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, May 4, 2023
May the 4th Storytime with Flagler Beach Police Captain Lance Blanchette, Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series, Market Street Palm Coast Senior Living Job Fair, more book-banning tactics.
America’s White Power Movements Have Often Relied on Veterans
For decades, the white power movement has gained steady momentum in the U.S. The movement has long included men, women and children; felons and religious leaders; high school dropouts and holders of advanced degrees; civilians and veterans and active-duty military personnel.
Women United Flagler Chapter Raises $30,790 at Power of the Purse
The Women United Flagler Chapter is pleased to announce the group’s Flagler Power of the Purse event held at Hammock Dunes Club on Monday, April 24th has raised $30,790.
Bill Banning Books During Challenges and Banning Preferred Pronouns Ready for DeSantis Signature
The bill restricts the way teachers and students can use their preferred pronouns in schools, expands last year’s “don’t say gay” prohibitions to eighth grade, and makes banning books and instructional materials easier, with simpler forms and a requirement that challenged materials to be removed from schools within five days of the objection, until the challenge is resolved.
Council Set to Approve 76% Stormwater Fee Increase Over 5 Years, With Annual Review to Possibly Lessen Impact
At the tail end of a five-year stretch doubled stormwater fees for Palm Coast residents, the City Council is set to yet again increase monthly fees by another 76 percent over the next five years. Council members pledge to review the stormwater budget annually and see if there’s room to lessen the impact of coming increases. But October’s 27 percent increase is all but certain.
YMCA, 3 Fire Stations, Road Projects: Palm Coast and Flagler Stand to Gain Nearly $100 Million From State
Flagler, Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and Bunnell may be at the receiving end of the largest appropriations of state dollars for local special projects, by far, in the county’s history–nearly $100 million for roads, fire stations, pier reconstruction, water projects, a substance abuse facility and other, smaller projects, according to the $116 billion budget the Florida House and Senate published Tuesday.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, May 3, 2023
The Flagler County Association of Realtors hosts its 15th annual Meet the Mayors, Weekly Chess Club for Teens at the public library, video of a main street in San Francisco before the 1906 earthquake, Danny Laferiere.
The Thinking error Behind Climate Change Deniers
Cold spells often bring climate change deniers out in force. From a scientific standpoint, these claims of disproof are absurd. Fluctuations in the weather don’t refute clear long-term trends in the climate. Yet many people believe these claims, and the political result has been reduced willingness to take action to mitigate climate change.
Bill Prohibiting College and University Decisions Based on Diversity Criteria Heads to DeSantis
Colleges and universities could soon be prohibited from requiring “political loyalty” tests for students and employees as a condition of admission or employment, under a measure passed Tuesday by the Senate.
33 Graduate Palm Coast’s 53rd Citizens Academy
The City of Palm Coast hosted the 53rd session of the Palm Coast Citizens Academy, which began on March 20 and ended on May 1. Thirty-three citizens academy participants graduated on Tuesday evening at the Palm Coast City Council business meeting.
Flagler School Board Plans to Appoint LaShakia Moore Interim Superintendent at Least Until January
The Flagler County School Board is planning to appoint LaShakia Moore its interim superintendent from July 1 to at least the beginning of January. The approach has the support of the board and relieves pressure on the board to find a superintendent at a time when nearly a dozen districts are looking to make similar appointments.
Written Out of Public Eye, Profile Framing Flagler Beach Search for Next City Manager Falters on Some Facts
A nine-page brochure framing Flagler Beach’s search for its next city manager does not appear to have been fact-checked or written with much depth beyond Trip-Advisor-type web scans and perhaps outdated news articles. It was written without public input. The city commission discusses the brochure on Wednesday, and will adopt it on Thursday.
How the Belle Terre Walkway Project Near Buddy Taylor Middle Doubled in Cost and Tripled in Completion Time
The reconstruction of the Belle Terre Parkway pathway near Buddy Taylor Middle School, and the rehabilitation of culverts beneath, was to have been a $1.89 million project, completed by last November. It is now a $3.4 million project and may not be completed until the end of summer.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, May 2, 2023
The school board meets, the Palm Coast City Council considers raising stormwater fees considerably, the difference between conspiracy theories and academic freedom. a video memo to DeSantis from Disney’s marvels.
The Demise of Buzzfeed News
A decline in traffic to the site seems to have been caused by a drop in referrals from feeder sites such as Facebook. This was itself caused by a switch to its users watching and sharing more video on sites like TikTok.
Appeal Court Upholds 13-Year Prison Sentence of Matthew Nesbitt, Who’d Threatened Flagler Deputies With Knife
Matthew Nesbitt, 49, sentenced five years ago to 13 years in prison for threatening deputies with a knife and attempting to run one over, has lost an appeal to overturn his conviction and is now making a motion to reduce or vacate his sentence on claims that his attorney made errors. He is not likely to prevail.
Army Corps Project in Flagler Beach Doubles to $33 Million as Dune Repair Costs Pile Up Faster Than Sand
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s project to rebuild 2.6 miles of dunes along the south shore of Flagler Beach was to cost $17 million when it was first approved by Congress in 2017. It is now a $33 million project, with Flagler County responsible for $11.3 million of that. The project is set to start, while the county is on an ambitious plan to cover the remaining miles of shoreline either with emergency sand dunes or with more durable dunes the size of the Corps’.
From Gun Truck to Healthcare: Ret. Gen. Mark Hertling, Former Commander of 90,000, Talks Leadership in Workplace
These days Mark Hertling lives in Palm Coast, teaches physicians and healthcare administrators how to lead, and talks geopolitics on CNN. When he has a moment, he appears before civic groups for a talk, as he did on a Saturday last month when he addressed the University Women of Flagler at the Hilton Garden Inn, as he will again on May 17 as the keynote speaker at Flagler Tiger Bay’s monthly lunch.
Gun Deaths Drive Biggest Spike in Child Mortality in 50 Years
After decades of steady improvement, the death rate of America’s children and teens shot up between 2019 and 2021 — and Covid-19 wasn’t the reason. Gun-related deaths represented the largest share of the increase — by far.
Palm Coast Songwriters Festival Set for May 4-7
Local organizers of the Palm Coast Songwriters Festival are pleased to announce the celebration of their 5-year anniversary with nearly 40 HIT Songwriters with over 125 #1 HITS and hundreds of additional charted songs to their credit performing May 4-7, 2023. Single-day tickets are $50.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, May 1, 2023
Flagler Beach Flood Outreach meeting, a dog-shooter pleads out, the Flagler County Commission and Beverly Beach Commission meet, as does the Astronomy Club of Palm Coast, Amtrack at 52.
Historic Flooding in Fort Lauderdale Is a Warning of What’s Ahead
When a powerful storm flooded neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in April with what preliminary reports show was 25 inches of rain in 24 hours, few people were prepared. Even hurricanes rarely drop that much rain in one area that fast. Residents could do little to stop the floodwater as it spread over their yards and into their homes.
Flagler-St. Johns Scenic A1A Organization Wins National Byway Award
The National Scenic Byway Foundation congratulates the A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway as the winner of our 2023 Byway Organization Award for Partnership. This is one of the Foundation’s eight national awards presented annually.
Florida House Approves Lowering Age to Buy Assault Rifles to 18, Reversing Ban Passed After Parkland Massacre
The Florida House passed a measure that would lower the minimum age from 21 to 18 to buy rifles and other “long” guns, voting to scrap a high-profile change passed after a 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. House bill sponsor Bobby Payne, R-Palatka, said the measure “corrects the wrong we did in 2018.”
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, April 30, 2023
Arthur Miller’s ‘All My Sons’ at City Repertory Theatre, Spanky and Our Gang’s “Give a Damn,” when Muhammad Ali lost his heavyweight title, ‘Barnum,’ at Flagler Playhouse.
Kurt Vonnegut’s Advice to College Graduates
A strain of sorrow and pessimism underlies all of Kurt Vonnegut’s fiction, as well as his graduation speeches. He witnessed the worst that human beings could do to one another, and he made no secret about his fears for the future of a planet suffering from environmental degradation and a widening divide between the rich and the poor.
How ‘Decorum’ Masks Discrimination
Republicans from Tennessee to Tallahassee to Tacoma struggle manfully to stop those rule-breakers who would keep disrupting white men’s God-ordained exercise of unchecked power. You know the kind: gays; transgender types; students; immigrants; women; Blacks. They’re getting uppity. They’re breaking the rules.
Trump, Time to Step Aside
Joe Biden can beat Donald Trump but not any of the GOP’s many powerful governors, should they run. The only hope Republicans have to regain the White House comes down to Trump having the decency to step aside and get enthusiastically behind the Republican 2024 nominee.
World Press Freedom Day Events Webcast from the UN on May 2
On May 2 and 3, the international community marks the 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day by the United Nations General Assembly. It will serve as an occasion to take stock of the global gains for press freedom secured by UNESCO and its partners in the past decades, as well as underline the new risks faced in the digital age.
My Date With Jerry Springer
In November 1998 I was traveling the country on a year-long assignment and at that point working on a piece on American discourse. I’d chosen Illinois as a prism: the various grounds of the Lincoln Douglas debates at one end and the Chicago-based Jerry Springer Show at the other. Springer agreed to let me hang out with him half a day, interview him and attend his show, thankfully not as a guest.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, April 29, 2023
Friends of the Library Book sale, Arthur Miller’s ‘All My Sons’ at City Repertory Theatre, ‘Barnum,’ at Flagler Playhouse, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s thoughts on alleged failure, David Shipler’s thoughts on abrogating liberties in the name of safety.
Food Stamps Work Requirements Don’t Work
SNAP eligibility is often contingent on beneficiaries working. But the policy doesn’t make people more likely to find a job or make more money, but it does make Americans who could use help buying groceries less likely to get it.
Georgia Store Clerk Shoots Suspect 8 Times After Palm Coast Robbery
Qwinntavus Kwame Jordan was shot eight times by a store clerk in Georgia and is in critical condition, hours after he allegedly robbed a gas station on Palm Coast’s State Road 100.
Flagler Beach, With Unusually Limited Transparency, Is on a Schedule to Hire Next City Manager By Mid-July
The Flagler Beach City Commission is on course to hire its next city manager by mid-July, but through an accelerated timeline that involves the least public input or transparency of any recent executive searches for local governments. That’s unusual in Flagler Beach, whose commission over the past decade and a half–regardless of make-up–has prized transparency and deliberation, at times to painful extremes. It’s also about to change, the commission chairman says.
Tired of Getting Bullied, 15-Year-Old FPC Student Threatens 2 With Death, and Gets Arrested
A 15-year-old student at Flagler Palm Coast High School is facing a second-degree felony charge of making written threats to kill following a conflict with two other students that led to allegedly threatening messages posted on social media.
Top of the World: FPC’s Per Berg Takes IB Students to Uruguay and Argentina in Pre-Exam Immersion
The IB is highly prized by college admission panels. It is also the most rigorous, demanding program of study in high school. Going on what looks like a vacation right before the exam might seem counterintuitive. But it is right in line with the IB’s philosophy–and it prepares the students for their exams better than sitting behind a desk, as Spanish teacher and coach Per Berg’s experience through a dozen trips with FPC students has shown.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, April 28, 2023
Arthur Miller’s ‘All My Sons’ at City Repertory Theatre, ‘Barnum,’ at Flagler Playhouse, National day of Mourning for workers in Canada, a dinosaur at the Flagler Youth Orchestra concert, Harper Lee’s birthday.
National Day of Mourning For Workers Lost on the Job
Each year on April 28, Canadians remember and honor those who have been killed or suffered injuries or illness at work. This day, known as the National Day of Mourning, was established by the Canadian Labour Congress in 1984 and made official in 1991. The United States has no such equivalent, though Workers Memorial Day is now worldwide.