The first edition of Coffee and Conversation with Palm Coast City Manager Michael McGlothlin, First Friday in Flagler Beach, Free Family Art Night at Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens, First Friday Garden Walks at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, sanitizing Israeli apartheid.
Florida & Beyond, and All Opinions
Israel Is Accelerating Its Creeping Annexation of the West Bank
While global attention remains on Gaza, Israel has rapidly accelerated its creeping annexation of the West Bank through legislative bills, security measures, and settlement expansion. Despite President Donald Trump’s stated opposition to annexation, the Israeli government continues establishing irreversible facts on the ground. To preserve any possibility of a future independent Palestinian state and to maintain regional stability, the United States must intervene decisively now.
Florida House Passes Bill Granting Immunity to Gun Manufacturers Amid Sig Sauer Lawsuit Concerns
The Florida House passed HB 1551, a bill providing gun manufacturers immunity from certain products liability lawsuits. The 75-29 vote follows over $500,000 in campaign contributions from Sig Sauer, which faces litigation over its P320 pistols. While the House approved the measure, the Senate version remains stalled in committee with only 1 week remaining in the current legislative session.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, March 5, 2026
A few pictures of the disappearing Flagler Beach pier, a brief history of piers and one of their secret histories, Model Yacht Club Races at the Pond in Palm Coast’s Central Park, a few more days of free tax preparation.
The New Food Pyramid Is Scientifically Questionable
The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) for 2025-2030 have caused significant controversy, with polarised opinions between their supporters and detractors. They are disruptive, to say the least, both in how they are presented and the recommendations they make. Little has been said about the fact that, for the first time since 1980, after nine editions in 45 years, the standard scientific procedure for preparing them has been completely bypassed.
Bill To Allow Easier School Vaccine Opt-Outs Heads to Senate Floor Despite Rising Measles Cases
A Florida Senate panel approved SB 1756, a bill allowing parents to opt out of school-required vaccinations based on “conscience.” The move comes despite Florida ranking third nationally with 107 confirmed measles cases this year. Lawmakers also rejected an amendment that would have permitted private schools to maintain their own mandates. With 10 days left in the session, the House has yet to hear the proposal.
Florida Kills Billy Leon Kearse For The 1991 Murder Of Officer Danny Parrish
Florida killed 53-year-old Billy Leon Kearse on Tuesday for the 1991 murder of Fort Pierce Officer Danny Parrish. Kearse, who shot Parrish 13 times during a traffic stop, was the third inmate executed in Florida this year. The state Supreme Court recently rejected his final appeals, which claimed intellectual disability and improper jury influence caused by the presence of uniformed officers during his trial.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, March 4, 2026
A Neil Diamond tribute show at the Fitz, the Palm Coast Code Enforcement Board meets, free tax preparation services, Bingo Night at Palm Coast Elks Lodge, the Flagler County Republican Club meets, Osama, Khamenei, Trump and Lucifer have coffee at Starbucks’s hell branch.
Destruction is Not Political Success: There’s No Evidence of Iran Endgame
The U.S.-Israeli bombardment of Iran, including the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, lacks a viable political endgame. While air power can destroy military infrastructure, historical precedents in Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan demonstrate that bombing rarely produces cooperative governments. Instead, these strikes risk creating power vacuums, radicalizing the population, and strengthening the Revolutionary Guard, ultimately failing to achieve long-term regional stability.
DeSantis Signs Ex-Cop James Duckett’s Death Warrant for 1987 Murder of Teresa McAbee, 11
Governor Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant for James Aren Duckett, a former Mascotte police officer convicted of the 1987 rape and murder of 11-year-old Teresa McAbee. Duckett, 68, is scheduled to be killed by lethal injection on March 31 at Florida State Prison. This is the fifth warrant the governor signed this year follows a record-breaking 19 executions carried out in Florida in 2025.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Flagler Beach elects its next two city commissioners, polls open from 7 to 7, the Palm Coast City Council meets this evening, the State of the Union is at 9, Patricia Lockwood on New Hampshire.
US And Israeli Strikes On Iran Are Lawless and Undermine Global Security
Joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran violate international law, as preventive war lacks legal standing under the UN Charter. Launched during active negotiations, Operations Shield of Judah and Epic Fury ignore diplomatic pathways and the Caroline doctrine. By targeting heads of state and pursuing unplanned regime change, these actions risk regional chaos and humanitarian disaster, signaling a dangerous collapse of the established rules-based international order.
Florida Supreme Court Rejects Legal Petition To Block DeSantis From Redrawing Congressional Districts
The Florida Supreme Court unanimously rejected a petition from voters seeking to block Governor Ron DeSantis’ plan to redraw the state’s congressional districts. The ruling confirms the governor’s authority to call a special session and the Secretary of State’s power to adjust election qualifying dates. DeSantis aims to reshape districts ahead of potential federal rulings regarding the Voting Rights Act and race-based mapping.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, March 2, 2026
The Flagler County Commission holds a pair of meetings, one of them to discuss Administrator Heidi Petito’s resignation, the Beverly Beach town commission meets, how the Jerusalem Post glorified Donald Trump, a few words from Siegfried Sassoon.
Why Regime Change in Iran Is Unlikely
Following massive joint airstrikes by U.S. and Israeli forces that reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Donald Trump is heavily advocating for regime change in Iran. Despite the aggressive military campaign and calls for a civilian uprising, veteran diplomat Donald Heflin warns that the Iranian regime’s deeply entrenched power and well-armed Revolutionary Guards make a successful civilian-led overthrow highly improbable at this time.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, March 1, 2026
Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village, Valeria Luiselli’s “Predictions and Presentiment” and the place of sounds in prose, Grace Community Food Pantry.
High-Speed Rail Moves Millions Around the World, Except in the U.S.
High-speed rail systems are found all over the globe. Japan’s bullet train began operating in 1964. China will have 31,000 miles (50,000 kilometers) of high-speed track by the end of 2025. The fastest train in Europe goes almost 200 mph (320 kph). Yet high-speed rail remains absent from most of the U.S.
Saturday in Byblos:
John Updike and Paul Bowles do Morocco
American authors John Updike and Paul Bowles portray Morocco in two short stories that start from the same geographic spot on the Mediterranean. Bowles approaches his Moroccan characters with a lyrical detachment that leaves room for interpretation. Updike projects a bleak, fear-driven racism reducing Arabs to menacing stereotypes. Both writers reveal much more about American anxieties and orientalist attitudes than the actual North African landscape they visited.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, February 28, 2026
Gamble Jam, Feline Friendship Art Class and Wine, “The Colored Museum” at CRT, Coffee With Commissioner Scott Spradley, experiencing Joe Rogan with David Remnick, Hugh Thomas on wizardry.
Martin Luther King Was For Universal Basic Income
Each year on the holiday that bears his name, Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered for his immense contributions to the struggle for racial equality. What is less often remembered but equally important is that King saw the fight for racial equality as deeply intertwined with economic justice. To address inequality – and out of growing concern for how automation might displace workers – King became an early advocate for universal basic income. Under universal basic income, the government provides direct cash payments to all citizens to help them afford life’s expenses.
Florida Senate Approves Data Center Legislation To Shield Local Communities From Massive Utility Costs
The Florida Senate unanimously passed a bill imposing new restrictions on large-scale data centers to prevent local utility ratepayers from shouldering the immense electricity and water costs associated with the booming artificial intelligence industry. Spearheaded by Governor Ron DeSantis, the legislation mandates public disclosure when data center plans are filed and requires the Public Service Commission to ensure these facilities cover their own utility expenses.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, February 27, 2026
“The Colored Museum” in its final weekend at CRT, Acoustic Jam Circle At The Community Center In The Hammock, Scenic A1A Pride Committee meeting, Darius the Great and Donald Trump.
Feeling Unprepared for AI’s Shocks? You’re Not Alone.
Highly educated, accomplished professionals worry whether there will be a place for them in an economy where generative AI can quickly – and relativity cheaply – complete a growing list of tasks that an extremely large number of people currently get paid to do.
Florida May Be Left Holding Bag for $608 Million Cost of ‘Alligator Alcatraz’
The Justice Department announced that a highly anticipated $608 million federal reimbursement from FEMA will not cover construction costs for Florida’s state-run migrant detention centers, including “Alligator Alcatraz.” Court filings reveal any potential funding would only apply to operational expenses, contradicting prior claims by the DeSantis administration. The funding delay occurs amid a major restructuring at the Department of Homeland Security under Secretary Kristi Noem.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, February 26, 2026
The Flagler Beach City Commission meets, Model Yacht Club Races at the Pond in Palm Coast’s Central Park, Ian McEwan’s “What We Can Know,” and McEwan spends an hour with David Remnick.
Florida Patients and Doctors Scramble As Proposed AIDS Drug Program Cuts Threaten Care And Public Health
Proposed budget cuts by the Florida Department of Health threaten the state’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program, which helps low-income residents access vital HIV medications and insurance coverage. Tightened eligibility requirements and restricted drug options could leave thousands without lifesaving treatment, likely increasing transmission rates and public health costs. Advocacy groups have filed lawsuits to block these changes while the legislature debates additional program funding options.
In Year’s Second Execution, Florida Kills Melvin Trotter, 65, For 1986 Murder Of Grocery Store Owner
Melvin Trotter, 65, was executed by lethal injection at Florida State Prison for the 1986 murder of Palmetto grocery store owner Virgie Langford. The Florida Supreme Court denied his stay of execution, rejecting claims about lethal injection procedures and his age. Catholic leaders unsuccessfully urged Gov. Ron DeSantis to commute the sentence, criticizing Florida for its accelerated pace of executions after a highly active year.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, February 25, 2026
The River to Sea Transportation Planning Organization meets, free tax preparation, Separation Chat, Marco Rubio’s manufactured humanitarian crisis in Cuba, images from Havana and a DeLillo snapshot.
The Supreme Court’s Unanswered Questions in Tariffs Ruling
The Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s widespread use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose unilateral tariffs, ruling the practice unconstitutional. While the decision invalidates emergency tariffs on multiple nations and removes a key negotiating tool, Trump may still utilize specific provisions like Sections 232 and 301. The ruling opens the door to potential trade renegotiations and corporate tariff refund demands.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, February 24, 2026
The school board holds a pair of meetings, County Commissioner Kim Carney’s town hall meeting at the Wickline Center in Flagler Beach, Barack Obama’s too-controlled answer to Bryan Tyler Cohen.
From Kent State to Springsteen’s ‘Streets of Minneapolis’
The deadly 2026 shootings of protesters in Minneapolis by federal immigration agents share striking similarities with the 1970 Kent State tragedy. Public reactions to the two events diverged sharply due to modern free speech tools. Social media, ubiquitous smartphone cameras, and rapid digital song releases empowered Minneapolis protesters to firmly control the narrative, driving widespread public support and a swift retreat by the federal government.
Florida Sugarcane and Citrus Growers Face Losses of Over $3 Billion Following Two Winter Freezes
A pair of severe winter storms in early 2026 caused an estimated $3.17 billion in agricultural damage across Florida, according to preliminary state reports. The freezing temperatures devastated crops that were not yet ready for harvest, severely impacting sugarcane, citrus, strawberries, and other vital commodities. These extensive crop losses will likely disrupt future yields, prompting state officials to immediately seek necessary federal emergency assistance.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, February 23, 2026
Cold-weather shelter opens tonight. Community Preparedness Workshop at the Emergency Operations Center, the Bunnell City Commission meets, Thomas Mann’s “Little Lizzy” as a study in humiliation, Jacques Brel’s “Ne me quitte pas.”
Stephen Colbert, the FCC, and the Looming War on Editorial Discretion
When CBS prevented Stephen Colbert from airing an interview with a Democratic candidate over Federal Communications Commission equal time rules, Colbert broadcasted the segment on YouTube instead. Historically, the equal time provision mandates equal broadcast access for political candidates, but Congress created exemptions for news programming. Now, critics fear that FCC threats against late-night talk shows signal a growing interference with independent media editorial discretion.
Local Governments Clash With Federal Agencies Over Massive ICE Detention Centers
As the Trump administration rapidly expands immigration detention through a massive federal budget, local communities across the United States are vehemently opposing new plans to convert industrial warehouses into large holding facilities. Citing a profound lack of federal transparency, severe economic strain, and deep humanitarian concerns, city leaders are utilizing zoning laws, moratoriums, and public pressure campaigns to successfully block these highly controversial new developments.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, February 22, 2026
“The Colored Museum” at City Repertory Theatre, Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village, favorites and not so favorites of Milan Cortina, what curling looked like in 1902.
China’s Electric Vehicle Dominance, Except in U.S. and Canada
In 2025, 1 in 4 new automotive vehicle sales globally are expected to be an electric vehicle – either fully electric or a plug-in hybrid. In the U.S., however, EV sales have lagged, only reaching 1 in 10 in 2024. By contrast, in China, the world’s largest car market, more than half of all new vehicle sales are electric. The International Energy Agency has reported that two-thirds of fully electric cars in China are now cheaper to buy than their gasoline equivalents. With operating and maintenance costs already cheaper than gasoline models, EVs are attractive purchases.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, February 21, 2026
“The Colored Museum,” at City Repertory Theatre, ‘Social Security,’ At the Daytona Playhouse, Coffee With Commissioner Scott Spradley, The Saturday Flagler Beach Farmers Market, John Updike’s Couples and The Doors.
How Ring Doorbells Reveal the Future of Surveillance
Private companies are supplying “intelligence as a service” to government entities and others – and as the Amazon-owned Ring doorbell camera company found out when it advertised a new feature, the change is not without controversy. This broader surveillance economy that has emerged is driven by private companies, not governments.
Florida Senate Unanimously Passes Public Registry for Animal Abusers
The Florida Senate unanimously passed a bill to create a public registry for individuals convicted of animal abuse, maintained by the Department of Law Enforcement. The legislation also aims to crack down on puppy mills by introducing consumer protections, eliminating limits on recoverable veterinary costs, and establishing a voluntary best-practices program for dog breeders. A companion bill is currently advancing through the Florida State House.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, February 20, 2026
“The Colored Museum,” at City Repertory Theatre, the Flagler County Cultural Council meets, free tax preparation services, a magazine with an “intelligent, well-educated, discriminating, well-informed” readership celebrates itself, Social Security,’ At the Daytona Playhouse.
Why Mass Shootings Can’t Be Reduced to a Mental Illness Diagnosis
In the aftermath of violent tragedies like the recent mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., a common panic-fueled and grief-stricken reaction is to rush to simple, tidy explanations. Mental illness, for example, is often used to make sense of what appears to be senseless. The explanation is appealing because mass shootings feel shocking and sudden, and mental illness offers a way to wrestle with them and try to understand. But the reality is that although mental illness sometimes plays a role in violence, it’s rarely the most important factor.
Florida House Votes to End All Non-School Homestead Property Taxes, But Senate Odds Remain Slim
The Republican-controlled Florida House passed a joint resolution to ask voters to eliminate non-school property taxes for homesteaded properties by 2027. The sweeping measure faces doubtful success. The Florida Senate has not introduced companion legislation and Governor Ron DeSantis prefers a special session. Democrats heavily criticized the proposal, warning that it would bankrupt local governments and defund essential local public services.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, February 19, 2026
Marineland Commission meeting, Model Yacht Club in Palm Coast’s Town Center, the Olympic moment occasionally regained, when the queen of England jumped out of a helicopter, Reagan at the 1984 Olympics.
Atrocities Are Not Limited to Autocratic Countries
Thousands of people were killed by Iranian security forces in days of protests in January 2026. Meanwhile, in the same month, the killing of two protesters in Minneapolis shone a light on the use of fatal force by American law enforcement — a phenomenon that in 2025 saw the deaths of more than 1,300 people in the U.S., according to data tracking such incidents. But should one of those two sets of killings be classified as a government-involved “atrocity” and the other not? The answer may not be as simple as you think, and it revolves around how you classify atrocities.
Florida House Approves New Hurdles on Already Strict and Stingy Jobless Benefits
The Florida House passed a bill Tuesday adding strict eligibility requirements for unemployment benefits, including mandatory weekly employer contacts and interview attendance. While Republicans argue the measure is necessary to stop fraud, Democrats contend it penalizes valid claimants in a system that already offers some of the nation’s lowest benefits. The bill also mandates the Department of Commerce perform bi-weekly checks on claimants’ incarceration and employment status.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, February 18, 2026
The Tourist Development Council meets, the Palm Coast Planning Board meets, the county’s industrial development board meets, Bingo Night at Palm Coast Elks Lodge, Jesse Jackson.
A Day After Blocking Diverting Emergency Money to Migrant Enforcement, House Backs Down
The Florida House on Tuesday backed down from its proposal to block emergency funds from being used on illegal immigration enforcement following harsh criticism from the DeSantis administration. This represents a massive pivot from the GOP-dominated House’s original proposal to exclusively use the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund on natural disasters, an idea blasted as “moronic” by the state Attorney General James Uthmeier, a former aide to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
What Jesse Jackson Accomplished
Jesse Jackson expanded the size and diversity of the electorate and inspired a generation of African Americans to seek office. His political rise coincided with and likely encouraged the exodus of racially conservative white voters out of the Democratic Party. Today, some political thinkers question whether a distinct “Southern politics” continues to exist. The life and career of Jesse Jackson reflect that place still matters – even for people who have left that region for colder pastures.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, February 17, 2026
The Palm Coast City Council meets, Adam Shatz’s Another Country, a worrisome power shift between job openings and the unemployed.




















































