First Friday in Flagler Beach, Free Clinic Open House in Bunnell, Free Family Art Night at OMAM, First Friday Garden Walks at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, the death penalty conveyor belt and John Oliver’s take.
Florida & Beyond, and All Opinions
How Growing Opposition Threatens 70-Year-Old Fluoridation of Water
Since 1951, fluoride has been added to community water supplies in many countries to prevent tooth decay. Fluoridation started as an observation, then an idea that ended as a scientific revolution 50 years later. The practice has been hailed as one of the “10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.” But with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vocal opponent of fluoridation of water supplies, being tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, this progress is under threat.
Banning Birthright Citizenship Makes Newborns Criminals in Their Crib
Those who don’t like the idea that birth on American territory automatically grants you the gift of American citizenship have started to parse the words of the 14th Amendment. Conservative attempts to dismantle well over a century of constitutional precedent is dishonest, and untenable.
Sen. Rick Scott Gives Pete Hegseth Full Support Despite Drinking and Troubling Work History
While some Republican senators say they aren’t ready to just yet commit to supporting Pete Hegseth as damaging stories about his drinking and leadership continue to surface, Rick Scott is not one of them.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, December 5, 2024
John Garrison Sentencing, Ashley Estevez at The Stage in Palm Coast’s Town Center, A Christmas Carol at Athens Theatre, the demolition of a Palestinian student’s life.
How to Maintain Healthy Smartphone Habits
While some researchers and media outlets portray phone use as detrimental, the reality is that the effects of technology use, including phones, vary depending on multiple factors. Here are a few tips.
Florida’s Insurance Market Rebounds ‘From Brink of Collapse’ Despite Three Hurricanes
Changes to Florida laws — including a provision making it harder for policyholders to sue insurance companies — are working as intended to help bring the state’s property-insurance market “back from the brink of collapse,” the head of Citizens Property Insurance Corp. said Wednesday. Despite three catastrophic hurricanes hitting the state this year, Florida’s property-insurance market “continues to recover,” Citizens President and CEO Tim Cerio told the state-backed insurer’s board of directors Wednesday.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, December 4, 2024
The Palm Coast Code Enforcement Board meets, weekly Chess Club for Teens, Maupassant’s “On the water,” and a brief history of the Seine.
China May Be Winning the Race Back to the Moon
Will the next human to walk on the Moon speak English or Mandarin? In all, 12 Americans landed on the lunar surface between 1969 and 1972. Now, both the US and China are preparing to send humans back there this decade. However, the US lunar programme is delayed, in part because the spacesuits and lunar-landing vehicle are not ready. Meanwhile, China has pledged to put astronauts on the Moon by 2030 – and it has a habit of sticking to timelines.
Thomas Joseph Donaghy Sr., 1929-2024
With heavy hearts and deep sadness we announce the passing of Thomas “Tom” Joseph Donaghy Sr. of Flagler Beach, Florida, who left us peacefully in his sleep on November 20, 2024. He lived a long eventful life filled with 95 years of experiences and was a loving Husband, Father, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather and proud Veteran of the United States Army. A Mass will be held Thursday, December 5, at 10 AM at Santa Maria Del Mar Catholic Church.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, December 3, 2024
The Palm Coast City Council holds its second business meeting since the election, Flagler Beach’s Planning and Architectural Review Board meets, on Joe Biden’s reprehensible Beau pardon.
Yelp at 20: Confusing and Confounding
There’s a reason review sites like Yelp are so popular. No one wants to spend their hard-earned money on a dud product, or fork over cash for a bad meal. So we’ll seek advice from strangers and use various clues to judge if a particular review is authentic and reliable. But sometimes these cues can lead shoppers down the wrong path. Other times, the reviews are simply fake.
Florida’s Gen Z Are No Longer Solid Blue
Democrats can no longer assume young Floridians will vote blue, highlighting the need for the party to learn how to sway voters through social media, renowned political analyst Susan MacManus said during the Capital Tiger Bay Club’s post-election deep dive.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, December 2, 2024
The Flagler County Commission holds a pair of meetings, including its reorganization, the Beverly Beach Town Commission meets, the origins of Burgess’s “A Clockwork Orange.”
Why Americans Arm Themselves. It’s Not Just Physical Protection.
Gun owners aren’t just protecting against the specific threat of physical violence. Owners are also using a gun to protect their psychological selves. Owning a gun helps them feel more in control of the world around them and more able to live meaningful, purposeful lives that connect to the people and communities they care for.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, December 1, 2024
A Christmas Carol at Athens Theatre, Rotary’s Fantasy Lights Festival in Palm Coast’s Town Center, The Sarcoi, the Last Resort, and Dr Florian Willet’s imprisonment, plus that scene from MASH.
The Minefield of Religion in the Workplace
The most common concern about bringing up religion in the workplace is that it will lead to conflict – including conflict from people trying to change each other’s beliefs. But workers appreciate when their employers take active steps to let employees know that religious accommodations are available and that religious expression in general is not forbidden. Having upfront conversations about what is or is not appropriate – not only legally but socially – can go a long way toward setting boundaries.
How Bathroom Bans on Federal Property Would Impact Trans Americans
A proposed bill in Congress would ban trans people from bathrooms in museums, national parks and other federal property. How would it be enforced, and what are the consequences?
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, November 30, 2024
Peps Art Walk, holiday shopping edition, noon to 5 p.m. next to JT’s Seafood Shack, A Christmas Carol at Athens Theatre, Rotary’s Fantasy Lights Festival in Palm Coast’s Town Center, memories of Madison Square Garden.
Israel Politicizes Refugee Aid and Puts Millions of Lives at Risk
The Israeli parliament’s vote on Oct. 28, 2024, to ban the United Nations agency that provides relief for Palestinian refugees is likely to affect millions of people – it also fits a pattern. Aid for refugees, particularly Palestinian refugees, has long been politicized, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, or UNRWA, has been targeted throughout its 75-year history.
Project 2025’s Coming War on Struggling Families
I’m a mom of four and have a child with special needs. My husband and I work hard for our four boys. We live above the official federal poverty line, but we struggle. And if conservative groups succeed in implementing Project 2025 under the next Trump administration, we’ll struggle a lot harder, with looming, harsh cuts to programs that families like mine rely on.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, November 29, 2024
Ted Torres Martin as Elvis The Show at Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center (Flagler Auditorium), A Christmas Carol at Athens Theatre, Wendell Berry’s “The Long-Legged House,” Wim Statius Muller and Curacao.
The Day After: 208 Million Americans Are Obese
Nearly half of adolescents and three-quarters of adults in the U.S. were classified as being clinically overweight or obese in 2021. The rates have more than doubled compared with 1990. Obesity has slowed health improvements and life expectancy in the U.S. compared with other high-income nations. It increases the risk of diabetes, heart attack, stroke, cancer and mental health disorders.
Cape Coral Is Punishing Residents Fighting for Pollution Controls
Cape Coral’s elected officials seem to think the great American tradition of speaking your mind should be forbidden: three residents challenging the city’s permit to remove a waterway lock face $2 million in legal bills merely for fighting the city.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, November 28, 2024
A warmish day for Thanksgiving, with all government offices and most businesses closed, no trash pickup anywhere but in Flagler Beach, the thankful exception, Piazzolla’s Oblivion, Samantha Harvey’s Orbital.
Gen Z Heads Home. A Few Tips.
The adult child’s return home, even for a few days or weeks, may produce some stress for both generations. But, the parent-child relationship is always evolving, including negotiating – and renegotiating – power and control as children age.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Flagler County gradually shuts down for Thanksgiving, the Naxos label tries to sell “Classical for Cats,” Nicholson Baker’s “Books as Furniture.”
U.S. House Passes Measure That Could Punish Non-Profits Over Speech
The punishing measure against non-profits is part of a strategy to preempt opposition to Republican policies and encourage self-censorship. It’s a way for the GOP to try to restrict what activists and nonprofit organizations can say or do. And, essentially, it’s a threat to political opponents of President-elect Donald Trump.
Don’t Let Politics Ruin Thanksgiving
Some nasty newspaper columnists and teary-eyed panelists on CNN are so despondent about Trump’s victory they are willing to spoil the love and fun at half of America’s Thanksgiving dinners. They are urging their fellow Democrats not to invite – or to dis-invite – friends and family members to Thanksgiving dinner who voted for Trump or didn’t vote for Kamala Harris.
Florida’s New College Wants to Teach All About ‘Woke’
New College of Florida will soon start taking a scholarly look back at the stampede of “woke” teachings and social consciousness in higher education and politics that prompted protest marches, boycotts and “canceling” of anyone who defied the liberal line or spoke out against this new political correctness on steroids.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, November 26, 2024
The NAACP Flagler Branch’s General Membership meeting, Clay Jones on Pete Hegseth’s women problem, the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, a day late.
Superstition-Biases About Black Cats Have Real Effects
This superstition about black cats and other black animals in general has shaped people’s preferences about animals. It’s left its mark on things such as lower adoption rates for black cats and beliefs that black cats are more aggressive. Yet, these biases are unfounded.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, November 25, 2024
The Bunnell City Commission discusses and approves various annexations, the Flagler County Beekeepers Association meets, an explanation of the 2024 election from a 1915 Willa Cather novel, Hillary Hahn performs Vaughan-Williams’s ascending lark.
Florida’s New Condo Laws Recognize Price of Living on the Beach
Nearly a million Florida condo owners face an important deadline at the end of the year. That’s when a law passed in 2022 requires most Florida condo associations to submit inspection reports for their buildings and to collect money from owners to pay for any needed repairs. Condo owners are reporting that new condominium rules are driving up fees and inducing outrageous assessments.
Looking For Shared Values Beyond All-Or-Nothing Politics
If you want to play the game of politics, here’s step one: Reduce everything to a linear political viewpoint: “right” or “left.” No matter how deep and large and complex that viewpoint is, politicize it, turn it into something that’s either right or wrong. It’s all about winning or losing. But how do we reach a collective state that isn’t competitive? How do we actually live our values rather than simply attempt to impose them—and in the process of doing so, oh so often, completely disregard and violate those values?
Trump To Senate Republicans: Kill Bill Protecting Press Freedom
President-elect Donald Trump ordered congressional Republicans to block a broadly popular bill to protect press freedoms, likely ending any chance of the U.S. Senate clearing the legislation. The measure would limit federal law enforcement surveillance of journalists and the government’s ability to force disclosure of journalists’ sources, codifying regulations the Department of Justice has put in place under President Joe Biden.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, November 24, 2024
Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village, light up a house for the holidays, the United States aligns with the grimmer side of the world on anti-personnel mines.
Ta-Nehisi Coates on Israel’s Jim Crow-Like Apartheid
Aware of the racism that surrounds him as a Black American, Coates can imagine himself as both Palestinian and Israeli. This generosity of imagination does not prevent critical analysis. His accounts of life in the occupied West Bank underline the reality that Israel has imposed a regime that is effectively based on the subordination and dispossession of Palestinians – and a deliberate attempt, he writes, to deny any possibility of a genuine two-state solution.
Texas Board of Education Approves Curriculum Heavy on Christianity
A majority of the Texas State Board of Education gave final approval Friday to a state-authored curriculum under intense scrutiny in recent months for its heavy inclusion of biblical teachings. Critics, which included religious studies scholars, say the curriculum’s lessons allude to Christianity more than any other religion, which they say could lead to the bullying and isolation of non-Christian students, undermine church-state separation and grant the state far-reaching control over how children learn about religion.
Biden Approved Florida a Year Ago To Be 1st Canadian Drug Import State. DeSantis Hasn’t Made It Happen.
Nearly a year after the Biden administration gave Florida the green light to become the first state to import lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada — a longtime goal of politicians across the political spectrum, including President-elect Donald Trump — the program has yet to begin. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis hailed the FDA’s approval of his plan in January, calling it a victory over the drug industry. But he did nothing to advance the plan.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, November 23, 2024
Coffee With Commissioner Scott Spradley and Acting Police Chief Lance Blanchette, Gamble Jam, reflections on parking lots, Elizabeth Kolbert, Earth’s genetically modified environment.
Florida Surgeon general Calls for End to Fluoride in Drinking Water
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo — echoing viewpoints propagated by Robert F. Kennedy, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to become the nation’s chief health official — recommended against community fluoridation of drinking water Friday. The recommendation runs counter to public health officials and dentists.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, November 22, 2024
Flagler County’s cold-weather shelter opens tonight, Acoustic Jam Circle At The Community Center In The Hammock, the JFK assassination.
Is Marco Rubio NATO’s New Best Friend?
While Rubio has clearly changed his tune on Ukraine to align with Trump, he is not in lockstep with Trump on Nato. In fact, Rubio co-sponsored legislation alongside Democratic senator Tim Kaine, that would make it more difficult for Trump to withdraw from Nato by requiring two-thirds of the Senate to ratify withdrawal.
How a New Generation of Telescopes Will Probe ‘Unknown Unknowns’
All observatories have a list of science objectives before they switch on, but it is their unexpected discoveries that can have the biggest impact. Many surprise advances in cosmology were driven by new technology, and the next telescopes have powerful capabilities.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, November 21, 2024
The Flagler County Commission meets in workshop to discuss its beach management plan, Flagler Tiger Bay Club welcomes Carlos M. Cruz, Voltaire’s daddy issues on his 330th birthday.
On Voltaire’s Birthday, a Look Back at Candide, Tale of Human Folly in Times of Crisis
Voltaire’s Candide, or Optimism (1759) is widely recognised as his masterpiece. A darkly satirical novella taking aim at human folly, pride and excessive faith in reason’s ability to plumb the deepest metaphysical truths, it remains as telling in this era of pandemics and wild conspiracy theories as when first published.
State School Board Targets Parents Whose Children Report Unfounded Threats
The State Board of Education on Wednesday approved a rule change that will require school districts to make training available to parents and guardians on the use of FortifyFL, an app where anonymous tips can be submitted about suspicious activities. Students already receive such training.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, November 20, 2024
The Flagler County Public Library Book Club takes on David Von Drehle, Bridge and Games at Flagler Woman’s Club, the United Nation’s report on genocide in Gaza and apartheid in Jerusalem and the West Bank, which most media in the United States have not reported.
What James Earl Jones Can Teach Us About Activism and Art
James Earl Jones was looking to change the culture. He was trying to change the country’s understanding of what it means to fight – and what a freedom fighter is. Sometimes, activism can be as simple as making art to the best of your abilities – or, as W.E.B. Du Bois wrote, “to use beauty to set the world right.”