Donald Trump is now a convicted felon, and will be the first president of the United States with a felony conviction. The sentencing brings this phase of the case to an end. Once the sentence is officially entered in a final judgment, Trump can appeal the case, as he has a legal right to do so. Trump’s attorney, Todd Blanche, made clear during the sentencing that Trump intends to appeal.
Florida & Beyond, and All Opinions
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, January 10, 2025
Free For All Fridays on WNZF recaps the top stories of 2024 with a roundtable of local reporters and editors, the Friday Blue Forum, reflections on Jimmy Carter’s funeral and the Burghers of Calais.
Christian Pressure Group Pushing Lawmakers to Ban Freedom of Personal Pronouns in Local Governments
John Labriola, a lobbyist for Christian Family Coalition Florida, told Marion County lawmakers Wednesday that his organization would like to see restrictions in the 2023 education law extended to city and county governments. Labriola said he hopes the issue will be considered during this year’s legislative session, which will start March 4.
How the Santa Ana Winds Fuel California’s Deadly Fires
Thousands of homes and other structures, including several schools, had burned by Jan. 9, and at least five people had died. Officials urged more than 180,000 residents to evacuate at the height of the fires. With the winds so strong, there was little firefighters could do to control the flames. Here’s what causes extreme winds like this in Southern California, and why they create such a dangerous fire risk.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, January 9, 2025
The cold-weather shelter opens again tonight, the Flagler Beach City Commission meets, China’s nuclear boom, a scene from “The China Syndrome,” Sarah Orne Jewett.
How Jean-Marie Le Pen Mainstreamed Nationalist Bigotry
The death of Jean-Marie Le Pen, former leader of the party once known as the National Front, occurs at a time when the mainstreaming of far-right politics in France seems almost complete. Le Pen was, for most of his career, considered the devil in French politics. Yet today, his party, headed by his daughter and now called National Rally (Rassemblement National), is at the gates of power.
Florida Grand Jury Investigating Covid Vaccines Finds No Evidence of Crimes
The publication of the grand jury’s final report comes more than two years after Gov. Ron DeSantis asked the Supreme Court to assemble it to investigate wrongdoing related to the Covid vaccines. At the time, DeSantis eyed his unsuccessful bid for the presidency and explained his petition by saying that misrepresenting the efficacy of a drug was against Florida law.
Drag Show Case Still Has Legs, Orlando Restaurant Challenging Florida Ban Argues
As an appeals court considers the constitutionality of a 2023 Florida law banning children from attending drag shows, it is pondering whether the case moot after Hamburger Mary’s, the Orlando restaurant challenging the law closed. An attorney for Hamburger Mary’s argued in a brief to the court that the business has continued to produce drag shows with other venues and plans to host shows when it reopens in Kissimmee.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, January 8, 2025
Flagler County Legislative Delegation meeting featuring Tom leek and Sam Greco, the Public Safety Coordinating Council meets, and why Donald Trump is right: America’s airports are awful.
Plants that Evolved in Florida Over Millennia Face Extinction and Lack Protection
The potential extinction of one of Florida’s ancient plant species is more than just the loss of an individual species; it’s the loss of millions of years of evolution. These plants have thrived in Florida’s ecosystems through gradual adaptations over millennia, and their disappearance would leave lasting gaps in the region’s evolutionary history. The collapse of these plant species also threatens the broader ecosystem, including wildlife such as scrub jays and insects such as bee flies that rely on them for food and shelter.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, January 7, 2025
The Cold-Weather Shelter opens again tonight, the Bunnell Planning Board takes on the rezoning of Reserve at Haw Creek, the Palm Coast City Council meets, Sydney Shlenker’s pyramid, an I.M. Pei’s.
Electrical Vehicle Fires: Should We Be Worried?
It’s save to own an electric vehicle, or EV, but only if certain safety measures are followed. Systemic measures, like advanced fire suppression systems in public spaces, are critical, but individual EV owners also play a vital role in minimising risks. Owning an EV with a home-charging setup offers great convenience, but it’s essential to address potential hazards.
Signaling Sunset of Florida’s Citrus Industry, Alico Inc., a Major Grower, Exits the Business
Pointing to Florida’s decades-long fight with deadly citrus greening disease and damage from hurricanes, a major grower Monday announced it will “wind down” citrus operations and focus on more-profitable uses of its land. Fort Myers-based Alico Inc. said it will not spend additional money on citrus operations after the current crop is harvested. It said about 3,460 acres of its citrus land will be managed by other operators through 2026.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, January 6, 2024
Flagler County Commissioners make appointments and re-appointments to the planning board and vote on a dangerous-dog designation, the Beverly Beach Town Commission meets, memories of Baalbek.
‘Literally’ Is Here to Stay, and English Will Survive
Few words so rile language purists as the use of the adverb “literally” in a figurative sense, as in, “That movie literally blew my mind.” While it might feel like nails screeching on a blackboard, the use of nonliteral “literally” developed as an organic and dynamic outgrowth of the very human desire to communicate emotion and intensity.
Rethinking Who Belongs on Historical Markers
As the United States prepares to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, many states are inventorying, mapping and repairing old historical markers, as well as installing hundreds of new roadside signs, plaques and interpretive panels. In South Carolina, the focus is on sharing lesser-known stories of women, children, Native Americans, enslaved and free Black people and even the Loyalists who sympathized with King George III.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, January 5, 2025
Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village, Peter Kuper on global smoking, on Breaking the Silence, the organization of whistleblowing veteran soldiers who have served in the Israeli military since the start of the Second Intifada.
How Cities Are Reinventing the Public-Private Partnership
An emerging trend with local governments engaged in private-sector collaborations – what we have come to describe as “community-centered, public-private partnerships,” or CP3s. Unlike traditional public-private partnerships, CP3s aren’t just about financial investments; they leverage relationships and trust. And they’re about more than just building infrastructure; they’re about building resilient and inclusive communities.
Clarence Thomas Eludes Investigation Over Ethics Lapses as Federal Courts Circle Wagons
The federal courts will not refer complaints that Justice Clarence Thomas violated ethics laws to the Department of Justice for investigation. The national policymaking body for the federal courts on Thursday rejected Democratic lawmakers’ request to refer to the attorney general claims that Thomas violated the law when he failed to disclose luxury travel, the sale of property to billionaire Harlan Crow, and other gifts.
Bringing Gaza Home to Your City
For any city or county in the U.S., simply find your population and area, then do the math to extrapolate the impacts of the genocide based on Gaza’s population and area.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, January 4, 2024
The Saturday Flagler Beach Farmers Market, Grace Community Food Pantry, on the Soap Museum in Saida, and Barbara Ehrenreich talks candidly about cleaning up other people’s crap.
Men Are Carrying the Brunt of the ‘Loneliness Epidemic’
Emotional pain is linked to serious health issues. But the public’s response to male expressions of emotion and vulnerability is often minimizing, if not dismissive. In May 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory highlighting what he described as an epidemic of loneliness and isolation in the country. Research confirms this scourge.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, January 3, 2025
First Friday Garden Walks at Washington Oaks, on the beauty of Maine’s flora, Steinbeck and Charley discover Aroostook County.
Behind the Scenes in the Battle Over “The Satanic Verses”
In March 1989, Mahathir wrote a letter to then UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher that was blunt even by his standards. Unlike a lot of his angry letters, this one wasn’t published. Mahathir’s letter was about Salman Rushdie’s controversial book, “The Satanic Verses.” The letter has now been declassified and reveals uncomfortable words.
‘Smart Cities’ Are Also Surveillance Cities: Privacy-Busting Cameras Are Everywhere
People on the roads are likely used to red light and security cameras at intersections, but advancements in cloud technology and artificial intelligence allow transit agencies and cities to collect far more data than ever before, and to use that data in more strategic ways. But with increased monitoring, data collection and analysis comes ethical and privacy concerns.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, January 2, 2025
The Bunnell Coty Commission and its Planning Board hold a joint workshop on the pending rezoning application by Reserve at Haw Creek, on golden ageism, Philip Glass and the cosmic calendar.
Election Reform Lost in the Last Election
In the 2024 election, voters proved hesitant to overhaul the election systems they were already familiar with, as almost all of the reforms failed. Voters become familiar with the electoral system they live under and can be slow to embrace changes to that system. It can take several election cycles before they fully adapt to these changes.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, January 1, 2025
It’s back to 1954 in Florida, launching a new year on a few thoughts by Pascal, a song suggested by Andy Montgomery (the poor have too much money), and Sabbath’s Theater.
As Trump Boasts of Immigrant Roundups, Militias Are Standing By
President-elect Donald Trump has reaffirmed that once he takes office he plans to declare a national emergency and use the military on American streets to accomplish his promises to round up and deport millions of undocumented migrants. Some militia units may see it as their duty to assist with such efforts. In fact, local police may even deputize certain militias to help them deport immigrants.
From Facebook Ban to Building Regulations, These Nine New Florida Laws Go in Effect on Tuesday
From banning minors from social media to imposing harsher penalties for getting too close to first responders, these nine laws go into effect on New Year’s Day.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, December 31
Nothing doing around Palm Coast and Flagler County except shopping for Veuve-Cliquot, a few meaningless predictions for 2025, the absurdity of crystal balls, a final word by Voltaire.
Ethel Rosenberg Was Innocent. It’s Time to Exonerate Her.
Ethel Rosenberg and her husband, Julius, were executed on June 19, 1953, for conspiracy to commit espionage. They were accused of giving “the secret” of the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union, meaning they supposedly passed vital technological information to help the Soviets develop their own bomb. The author of a book on the Rosenberg case found no “secret,” and that while Julius was a spy, Ethel was not.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, December 30, 2024
Clay Jones on Jimmy Carter, last Night for Rotary’s Fantasy Lights Festival in Palm Coast’s Town Center, Nar-Anon Family Groups, a few thoughts about Byblos, its etymology and history, goodbye Demis Roussos.
Israel’s Increasingly Violent and Racist Settlers
In the past decade, a militant stream gained increasing popularity within the Israeli settlers movement. Its leaders have embraced the followers of Kahanism, a racist ideology promoted by Rabbi Meir Kahane in the 1970s and ‘80s. Kahane proposed extreme policies to promote Jewish supremacy in Israel and the West Bank, such as calls to expel all Arabs from the country or prohibit marriage between Jews and Muslims. Kahane’s followers also justified violence against Palestinians.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, December 29, 2024
Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village, next-to-last night of Fantasy Lights in Palm Coast’s Town Center, on the price of denying love to children, and the rewards of providing it.
The Horror of Native American Boarding Schools and Biden’s Inadequate Apology
Over the past 10 years, many historians and Indigenous scholars have said that what happened at the Indian boarding schools “meets the definition of genocide.” From the 19th to 20th century, children were physically removed from their homes and separated from their families and communities, often without the consent of their parents. The purpose of these schools was to strip Native American children of their Indigenous names, languages, religions and cultural practices.
LGBTQ+ People Relive Old Traumas as They Age on Their Own
Of the 3 million Americans over age 50 who identify as gay, bisexual, or transgender, about twice as many are single and living alone when compared with their heterosexual counterparts. This slice of the older population is expanding rapidly and faces a daunting array of problems, including higher-than-usual rates of anxiety and depression, chronic stress, disability, and chronic illnesses such as heart disease, according to numerous research studies.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, December 28, 2024
Gamble Jam, Paul Salopek’s Out of Eden walks of the last 11 years, Ian Frazier takes te F and reflects on Brooklyn and its smells from coffee to fingernail polish to eucalyptus.
How Aristotle Explains Trump’s Speeches
With half of the US electorate on his side, Trump’s chaotic speaking style is clearly no barrier to success. If his public appearances are indeed so shambolic, why do they continue to fire up his supporters, attract new ones–and give him the victory? Aristotle would have understood, and explained it this way.
Spurred by a Middle School Student’s Project, Florida’s Dixie County Leaps Into Electric School Buses
The Dixie district is so small, it serves approximately 2,000 students across five schools, from pre-K through 12th grade. Still, its 23 buses will collectively travel 270,000 miles annually. By avoiding 228 metric tons of CO2 emissions, the electric buses will improve air quality for the whole community so everyone can breathe easier. Dixie’s electric buses are among the 66,000 projects funded by the $568 billion Biden infrastructure plan, which is considered the nation’s largest investment ever in clean energy.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, December 27, 2024
Acoustic Jam Circle At The Community Center In The Hammock, Rotary’s Fantasy Lights Festival, recalling Apollo’s orbits around the Moon at Christmas 1968, and Time Magazine’s year of culture.
A Few Reminders About Thomas Aquinas
Aquinas is a giant of Western philosophy and theology, and for good reason. His writing is clear, well organized, free from bombast – ideas shine through his words. Famously, he insisted that faith and reason are in harmonious partnership, integrating the known science, philosophy and theology of his day into a comprehensive, interconnected system. All this helps explain why his work has maintained an enduring appeal, even as equally brilliant medieval thinkers have sunk into oblivion.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, December 26, 2024
Rotary’s Fantasy Lights Festival continues for a few more days in Palm Coast’s Town Center, Bachfest, a few reflections on Jewett’s Country of the Pointed Firs and the 100 best books of the 21st century.
How Gladiators Inspired Evangelicals’ Sense of Persecution
You might be surprised to learn that there are threads that tie together gladiators, Christian martyrs and the sense of persecution that exists among many U.S. evangelicals today.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, December 25, 2024
Nothing doing today, and beside the chestnuts roasting on a natural gas fire and the remains of yesterday’s fog, it’s time for Bachfest and the smell of Christmas in “The Plot Against America.”
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, December 24, 2024
Clay Jones is rightfully upset that Disney kissed Donald Trump’s ring with that settlement, on the origin of St. Nick, Nicholas of Myra, and a spin around the world with Satchmo.
America, Not Just Florida, Faces an Insurance Crisis
Home insurance rates are rising in the United States, not only in Florida, which saw tens of billions of dollars in losses from hurricanes Helene and Milton. homeowners insurance increased an average of 11.3% nationwide in 2023, with some states, including Texas, Arizona and Utah, seeing nearly double that increase. Some analysts predict an average increase of about 6% in 2024.
Bob Dylan’s Creative Leap
The Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” starring Timothée Chalamet, focuses on Dylan’s early 1960s transition from idiosyncratic singer of folk songs to internationally renowned singer-songwriter. Sixty years ago, on Halloween Night 1964, a 23-year-old Dylan took the stage at New York City’s Philharmonic Hall. He had become a star within the niche genre of revivalist folk music.
Trial Will Decide Whether Florida’s DEP Violated Endangered Species Act, Causing Manatee Deaths
A federal judge has rejected a state attempt to end a lawsuit stemming from manatee deaths in the Indian River Lagoon and said a trial is needed to determine whether the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has violated the Endangered Species Act. U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza issued a 17-page order last week siding with arguments by the environmental group Bear Warriors United that wastewater discharges into the Indian River Lagoon have led to the demise of seagrass and, as a result, the deaths of manatees.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, December 23, 2024
The Bunnell City Commission hears an appeal from a developer who thinks less open space should be fine, a few thoughts about harsh parents, and the Little Prince.