In Chapter 6 of “Go Set a Watchman,” Scout and Henry take a dip in the waters off Finch Landing, fully clothed, but no one believes they stayed modest.
Florida & Beyond, and All Opinions
At Olustee State Park, Confederacy Wins One As Plan For Union Monument Is In Retreat
Florida’s Olustee Battlefield State Park, site of the Civil War’s largest battle in the state, was to have a Union monument until opponents revived an old conflict.
Monday Briefing: Sheriff’s Budget, Bunnell and County Tax Rates, and Cheating Ethically
The County Commission and Bunnell’s city commission today set their proposed tax rates, and the county reviews the budgets of constitutional officers including a big increase submitted by the sheriff.
Barack Obama Stands Up to the Warmongers
The US is not a partisan in the Shia-Sunni struggle. If anything, the US confronts mainly Sunni terrorism, funded from Saudi Arabia, not Shia terrorism backed by Iran.
Flagler Live-Blogs Harper Lee’s “Go Set a Watchman,” Chapter 5: Days Of Her Lives
In Chapter 5 of “Go Set a Watchman,” Scout flashes back to childhood as she skates on a date with Henry.
Weekend Briefing: Sheriff Manfre v. Ethics Commission, Credit Card Thief Sought, A Marineland Engagement
Sheriff Manfre’s case goes before the Florida Ethics Commission this morning, the sheriff’s office is seeking the public’s help finding a credit card thief caught on video, a donation drive for the family victimized by a May fire in Palm Coast.
Flagler Live-Blogs Harper Lee’s “Go Set a Watchman,” Chapter 4: Maycomb Delta
In Chapter 4 of “Go Set a Watchman,” Scout and Henry have a date after Lee gives us a brief history of Maycomb, in words almost identical to those used in Mockingbird.
Florida Supreme Court Refuses to Lift Stay on Execution of Jerry Correll, Who Contested Lethal Injection
The Florida Supreme Court’s 5-2 decision turned down AG Pam Bondi’s request to let Gov. Scott set an executuon date, and ordered a hearing on Correll’s assertion that the drug poses a heightened risk to him because of his alleged brain damage and history of drug use.
Thursday Briefing: Bull Creek Restaurant Celebrates Year 1, Flagler Beach Still Disputes Sea Ray Lot
It’s a weekend celebration at Bull Creek Fish Camp, it’s continuing opposition to Sea Ray’s parking lot plans at the Flagler Beach City Commission, and Christian Thieleman conducts the complete first symphony by Beethoven.
Reporter Kicked Out: When Public Officials Abuse Florida’s Sunshine Law, With Lawmakers’ Blessing
A “health district” run by public officials closes a public meeting under a bogus exemption to the Sunshine law, and gets a blank check to secretly talk about whatever it wishes, though it affects public policy.
Walmart And Other Big Energy Users Want Out of Florida’s Conservation Program, Claiming They Can Do Better
Opponents say such a one-sided proposal would shift costs to small businesses and residential customers and jeopardize the viability of the 35-year-old conservation program.
Wednesday Briefing: Vehicle Burglaries Rash, Godspell Auditions, Breakfast With Lawmakers
Vehicle burglaries at Flagler beaches has the sheriff’s office again urging motorists to take basic precautions, City Repertory Theatre auditions for “Godspell,” the campaign against Planned Parenthood.
Flagler Live-Blogs Harper Lee’s “Go Set a Watchman,” Chapter 3: Aunt Alexandra’s Trash
In Chapter 3 of “Go Set a Watchman,” Scout and Aunt Alexandra rumble over Henry, and our 10 readers respond every which way.
The Iranian Nukes Deal and the
Horseman of the Jewish Apocalypse
Netanyahu is an ideologue of Jewish catastrophe. By this logic, risks and challenges cannot be approached with a view toward resolution, yielding instead to paranoia and antagonism, writes Shlomo Ben-Ami.
Some of Your Privacy Rights Are Waived In Medical Malpractice Lawsuits, Court Rules
The Florida court’s decision stemmed from a controversial 2013 law the Republican-controlled Legislature passed after a lobbying battle between groups such as doctors and plaintiffs’ attorneys.
Tuesday Briefing: A $1,500 Grant for the Youth Orchestra, Palm Coast Taxes, Polygamy, Obama v. Trump
The Palm Coast City Council sets its proposed maximum tax rate for next year, a slight increase, the Flagler Youth Orchestra gets a generous grant from the Palm Coast Arts Foundation, and after gay marriage, legalizing polygamy may be next on courts’s plates.
Charlie Crist Says He’ll Run for Congress If Redistricting Goes His Address’ Way
The newly redrawn district is expected to include Crist’s home, fueling widespread speculation recently that the 58-year-old Crist would launch another political comeback.
Service Specter: Rick Scott’s Job-Growth Puffery Masks Florida’s Low-Wage Future
About two of three of those new jobs is a low-paying service-sector one, mirroring years of Florida job growth in low-pay, no-benefits, dead-end jobs in Team Scott’s tourism-driven economy.
The Apple Watch 30 Days In: A Healthy Choice If You Get Past Its Miseries
If you’re buying it as a watch you’ll be miserable. If you’re buying it because you think it’ll be cool talk, text and send heartbeats you’ll be even more disappointed. But if all you wanted was the best health tracker on the market – that also happens to do some really cool stuff, this is surely the device for you.
Affordable Care Act Becoming Less Affordable as Florida Insurers Prepare Big Rate Hikes
If 1.6 million more Floridians have insurance thanks to Obamacare, sticker shocks keep coming as insurers have submitted 14 rate-hike requests to state regulators.
Monday Briefing: Racism in Palm Coast’s L Section, Beachfront Parking in the Hammock, Bill Cosby Uncut
Racist and Confederate graffiti is spray-painted on a street and on vehicles in Palm Coast’s L Section, the county reconsiders parking at Malacompra’s beach access, the Palm Coast Arts Foundation breaks ground on a pavilion at Town Center, Chuck Jones is profiled.
Flagler Live-Blogs Harper Lee’s “Go Set a Watchman,” Chapter 1: Back to Maycomb
Ten diverse and opinionated members of the Flagler-Palm Coast community take on Harper Lee’s “Go Set a Watchman” in a new experiment in communal reading, chapter by chapter. Join us.
Scott Bolsters Protection for Florida National Guard in Wake of Tennessee Marines’ Murders
In an executive order, Scott directed Adjutant Gen. Michael Calhoun to temporarily move National Guard members from six “storefront” recruitment centers to armories.
Donald Trump Isn’t the Exception.
He’s the Republican Prototype.
Donald Trump isn’t an exception or an offense to the GOP brand. He’s he’s almost indistinguishable from the other 14 Republican crackpots running for president, starting with Jeb Bush, the alleged “moderate” of the bunch. Bush’s Florida record proves it.
Weekend Briefing: Art in Public Places at Salvo, Eid Mubarak, Bunnell Elementary’s Chefs, Dying Mothers
Salvo Art Gallery has a new opening Saturday with Art in Public Places, Bunnell Elementary students will cook at a DeLand restaurant, 1.5 billion Muslims celebrate the end of Ramadan.
Florida’s Impending “Pastor Protection Act” Weds Spurious Scenarios With Homophobia
The proposal is aimed at safeguarding clergy members from being forced to perform gay-marriage ceremonies even though they’re categorically protected from doing so by the First Amendment.
Thursday Briefing: Lifeguard Competition in Flagler Beach, McLaughlin’s 100, Ginsberg’s Poem to Bernie Sanders
The Regional Surf Lifesaving Championships, hosted by Flagler Beach Ocean Rescue, starts today; No Child Left Behind is repealed today, and Allen Ginsberg writes a poem on socialism to Bernie Sanders.
Reclaiming Islam’s Enlightenment From Its Fundamentalist Hijackers
Granting that more than a few Muslims back the hijackers’ extremism, what is needed is cultural exchanges instead of armed, panicky overreactions,
Opposing Floridians for Solar Choice, Right-Wing Launches Amendment Drive of Its Own
Consumers for Smart Solar includes two ex-lawmakers, a Jacksonville tea-party founder and an ex-chairman of the Florida Public Service Commission.
Wednesday Briefing: A Competency Hearing for Accused Mobil Mart Murderer, Car Wash on Cypress Point, Improv Comedy and Galuppi
Joseph Bova, accused murderer of Zuheili Roman Rosado, was deemed incompetent to stand trial last year. His case is reviewed. Giuseppe Verdone is sentenced today for his carjacking and brutalizing of a Chinese food restaurant owner.
Against Protest, Walton County in Panhandle Joins Marion to Let Confederate Flag Fly For Now
Walton County flew started flying the Confederate flag at its courthouse in 1964 in direct opposition to the Civil Rights Act, which extended rights protections to blacks.
Good and Bad of the Iran Nuclear Deal: Caution and Selective Cooperation Ahead
The prospect that the agreement could keep Iran without nuclear weapons for 15 years is its main attraction. Sanctions alone could not have accomplished this, and using military force would have entailed considerable risk with uncertain results.
Florida Adds Still More Specialty License Plates to Some 120 Accenting Causes
It’s not as if Floridians need more specialized license plates. But more are going on the market and some are being redesigned.
Tuesday Briefing: Bastille Day, Guns at UF, Transgenders in the Military, Weddings in Flagler, Rambo v. ISIS
A court hears arguments today to allow guns at UF dorms, Flagler plays up its wedding-destination cachet, Sylvester Stallone decides to take on ISIS.
Millionaires Make Up Nearly One-Third Of the Florida Legislature, More in Senate
Almost half of the Florida Senate is in the millionaires club, and more than two dozen senators saw their net worths grow in the past year.
Monday Briefing: Synchro Belles Silver at Junior Olympics, Financial Audit in Bunnell, Understanding Bernie Sanders
Flagler County’s Synchro Belles got silver at the 2015 Junior Olympics in Greensboro, N.C., Bunnell accounts for its past deficits, why Bernie Sanders is making Hillary Clinton nervous.
Memo to GOP Candidates: Why Conservatives Should Embrace Gay Marriage Decision
As a conservative who has always supported gay marriage, it’s difficult for Nancy Smith to understand why so many people of her generation — the ones who grew up witnessing some of the worst discrimination of the 20th century — could consistently rage against it.
Signature Crop Loses Its Juice as Florida’s Orange Production Falls to New Low
Florida orange production for the 2014-15 season fell to 96.7 million boxes, a drop of 4 percent from last year, and a vastly worse total than projected last October.
Palm Coast’s Opelka Stuns World’s No. 1 and Advances to Wimbledon Boys Final Sunday
The 17-year-old continued his dream run at Wimbledon Friday, defeating No.1 seed Taylor Fritz, 6-3. 7-6 (13) to reach his first-ever Slam final.
Weekend Briefing: Princess Place on TV, the Mockingbird Sequel’s First Chapter, Shrek at the Playhouse
Reese Witherspoon narrates the opening chapter of Harper Lee’s sequel to Mockingbird, 30 young actors put on Shrek at the Flagler Playhouse all weekend, ibuprofen is a killer.
Supreme Court Declares Numerous Congressional Districts Corruptly Drawn, Forcing Another Special Session
The court ruled the congressional map was corrupted by the efforts of Republican political consultants, violating an anti-gerrymandering constitutional amendment voters approved in 2010. The Legislature must draw new districts within 100 days.
As South Carolina Folds the Confederate Flag, Florida County Votes to Raise It Back Up
The Marion County Commission voted unanimously to raise the Confederate flag again on government grounds after removing it last week, just as the South Carolina Legislature ended debate this morning ina vote to remove it from state grounds.
Thursday Briefing: Belly Dancing at the Library, Farmer’s Market Rules in Flagler Beach, Bull Creek at 1
The Flagler Beach City Commission takes up new rules for farmers’ markets, a belly dancing workshop for teens and adults at the public library, Diderot’s encyclopedia, marking Bull Creek restaurant’s one-year anniversary.
Jews Then, Muslims Now: How Imprudent Judgments Desecrate Western Values
To assume that all Muslims think alike because of their religious background, that they have “a mind” rather than individual thoughts, is as big a mistake as to assume to know the minds of Jews, Christians, or anyone else.
Florida’s Lagging Early-Childhood Education Programs Again Fail to Win More Legislative Support
Florida’s voluntary pre-kindergarten and school-readiness programs are funded below national averages. Advocates turn their hopes toward federal support.
Opelka Doubles Down on Wins as He Cruises Into Wimbledon Juniors Quarterfinals
After dramatic three-set wins the past two days, Opelka needed only 72 minutes to advance to his second consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal, then on his first-round doubles match at Wimbledon.
Wednesday Briefing: Peter Grimes Goes Epic, The McMillans Go Kerouac, South Carolina Battles the Flag
The South Carolina state house today debates whether it will bring down the racist Confederate flag from the grounds of the statehouse, Benjamin Britten’s opera “Peter Grimes” is at Palm Coast’s Epic Theaters.
Court Will Hear Argument That Guns Should Be Allowed at UF Dorms as They Are At Home
A circuit judge ruled against Florida Carry Inc.’s argument last year that people have a legal right to possess firearms at University of Florida housing just as they do in their homes.
In Donald Trump, Democrats Have a “Very Useful Idiot”
Republicans have an image problem. And it gets worse when somebody like Trump exacerbates the problem when he called Mexicans rapists.
Tuesday Briefing: Shrek Animates Flagler Playhouse, School Cops Contract Renewed, Kids on Gay Marriage
Middle school students put on “Shrek” at the Flagler Playhouse, the school board buys 22 million sheets of paper and approves a new school resource deputies contract, kids talk about the court’s gay marriage decision.