The governors filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of a 2018 Mississippi law banning abortions after 15 weeks. The filing doesn’t make these states party to Mississippi’s defense of its statute, but voices their legal support for that state’s case.
Florida & Beyond, and All Opinions
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, August 2, 2021
It’s Andy Dance’s 58th birthday, shared with that of James Baldwin, the County Commission meets and will likely approve a lease moving the Bunnell Branch library to Marvin’s Garden.
When Americans Recall their Roots, they Open Up to Immigration
Reminding Americans of where they came from – such as the statements by Biden administration officials – creates empathy for immigrants, generating more favorable attitudes toward immigration.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, August 1, 2021
A dangerously hot day with heat indexes up to 109, the Observer interview with John Sbordone and Beau Wade, when majorities become tyrannies. Ann Frank’s last diary entry.
Changing Crime Reporting Practices to Do Less Harm
Acknowledging that journalism can inflict wounds unnecessarily, AP will no longer name those arrested for minor crimes when the news service is unlikely to cover the story’s subsequent developments. Often, such stories’ publication hinges on an odd or entertaining quirk, and the names are irrelevant. Yet, the ramifications can loom large and be long-lasting for the persons named.
Race, Gender, Abortion: GOP Lawmakers Across the Country Are Waging a Counterrevolutionary War
Republicans were emboldened in the 23 states where they control the governorship and both houses of the legislature. Other factors include a newly conservative U.S. Supreme Court, GOP backlash over former President Donald Trump’s reelection loss and a tidal wave of social media campaigns and commentary aimed at galvanizing conservatives by playing up divisive cultural issues.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, July 31, 2021
A Celebration of Life for Paul Harrington, the two-time candidate for Flagler Beach City Commission who died on April 14, is scheduled for 4 p.m. today at 210 South Central Avenue in Flagler Beach.
How This Summer Is Changing Our Understanding of Extreme Weather
A succession of record-breaking natural disasters have swept the globe in recent weeks, shocking climate scientists. We are used to treating each natural hazard independently from another. That’s a mistake. They are all connected.
Debunking the Bogus Claim that Face Masks Harm Children
Facial masks may be one of the most cost-effective strategies to prevent the diffusion of Covid 19 infection. Nevertheless, fake news is spreading, scaring parents about dangerous but false side effects of masks in children.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, July 30, 2021
The Palm Coast Canvassing Board meets to go over mail-in ballots and provisional ballots in the special election for mayor, and to announce official results. A word from the Tao Te Ching.
Behind Ben & Jerry’s West Bank Decision: Israel Is Losing the Battle for Public Opinion
Ben & Jerry’s said selling ice cream in the West Bank and Gaza “is inconsistent with our values.” The move is emblematic of a larger trend: public sentiment among a group of U.S. voters – including many American Jews – who used to be stalwart supporters of Israel has shifted, and they are increasingly turning their backs on the Jewish state.
Federal Appeals Court Rejects Defamation Claim By Anti-Gay Florida Ministry Termed a Hate Group
Coral Ridge, a nonprofit organization based in Fort Lauderdale, sought to benefit from Amazon Smile’s program but was denied admission because it had been tagged by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group over its positions on LGBTQ issues,
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, July 29, 2021
Back-to-school protocols, drug court, thoughts on the heated-up local housing market, and Immanuel Kant on the Enlightenment’s best lesson: think for yourself.
Cautionary Tale for Coastal Towns: What Miami’s Sea Wall Will Not Protect
The sea wall the Army Corps is proposing – protecting only 6 miles of downtown and the financial district from a storm surge – can’t save Miami and Dade County. Most of the city will be outside the wall, unprotected; the wall will still trap water inside; and the Corps hasn’t closely studied what the construction of a high sea wall would do to water quality.
DeSantis Ducks Reporters, His Office Is Unforthcoming About his Whereabouts Again
Lack of notice to the press — intermediaries for the taxpayers the governor works for — has been a persistent problem for the DeSantis administration, though it’s not a problem specific to him. Other governors have played the same games.
No Sales Tax on School-Related Supplies for 10 Days, Beginning Saturday
With most students expected to be in classrooms next month, after many learned online for at least part of the 2020-2021 school year, retailers anticipate a surge in shopping during Florida’s upcoming back-to-school sales tax “holiday.”
Domestic Violence 911 Calls Increased During Lockdown, but Police Reports and Arrests Declined
Stay-at-home orders disrupted traditional abuse-detection processes and support systems. A real increase in domestic violence indicates that this disruption occurred at a particularly damaging time. Better measures need to be put in place in order to protect victims during future outbreaks and keep everyone safe during lockdowns.
Here’s Why You Need to Mask Up Again Indoors, Even If Vaccinated
Vaccinated people need to mask up again, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On July 27, 2021, the CDC recommended that everyone in areas with high Covid-19 infection rates wear masks in public indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status. A physician who specializes in infectious diseases explains.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Flagler Beach City Commission members Rick Belhumeur and Jane Mealy have a funny exchange about ethics training, the state Ethics Commission releases its fiundings from a closed-door session Friday that included a discussion of the Milissa Holland case.
DeSantis Holds Roundtable on Masks in Schools. Traditional Public School Teachers and Educators Aren’t Invited.
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday afternoon held a roundtable discussion about masks at schools with representatives of charter and private schools, but not traditional public education. Media, the teachers’ union and even the Department of Education were not made aware.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, July 27, 2021
It’s the final Election Day in the Palm Coast race for mayor, polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., results expected shortly after that. The Palm Coast council meets to discuss its non-general fund categories, and a ground breaking of a Flagler Health Plus village in north Palm Coast.
Yes, Covid Can Cause Infertility and Sexual Dysfunction. But Vaccines Cannot.
Contrary to myths circulating on social media, Covid-19 vaccines do not cause erectile dysfunction and male infertility. What is true: SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, poses a risk for both disorders.
State Government Is Sitting on $15 Billion in Federal Aid to Help Florida Schools Through Pandemic
Most of the dollars have yet to be disbursed by state government to school districts for this past school year and this coming school year, and the 2021-22 academic year is just a few weeks away. That means initiatives outlined by the federal government, such as tackling student learning losses during the pandemic, are stuck waiting to help vulnerable students.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, July 26, 2021
The Bunnell City Commission appoints two new members to fill out the terms of Bill Baxley and Donnie Nobles, who have resigned. Amin Maalouf on the tolerance of former empires.
Can We Cancel ‘Cancel Culture’?
At its worst, cancel culture curtails speech. It threatens this longstanding fundamental freedom. If we limit speech by cancelling those we disagree with, other societal pillars also face peril. When expression is compromised, which freedom is next? Freedom of assembly? Freedom from fear?
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, July 25, 2021
A Community Cats adoption event at Pet Supermarket, and kittens in need of fostering at the Humane Society, with a word on the weather by Jenny Offill.
Is Islamophobia Hate Speech?
The central question that human rights tribunals must answer in these cases is whether false claims, such as those made by Mark Steyn in “America Alone,” a screed against growing Muslim populations in Europe, are so extreme that they’re likely to encourage hateful views and extreme action.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, July 24, 2021
Last day for early voting in the special election for Palm Coast mayor, second day of southern chess championship, first day of competition at the shameless Olympics, with a reminder from Red Smith about the Fields of Friendly Strife.
Ghostly, Soulless, Absurd Olympics
The epiphanies of supreme athletic achievements in Ancient Greek Olympics could occur only if witnesses were physically present to immerse themselves – and share in – the spine-tingling flirtation with the divine. The Tokyo Olympics are soulless in comparison.
Doctors Blame DeSantis: As Florida Hospitals Filled Up, “DeSantis Was Shouting About ‘Freedom Over Faucism’”
Florida physicians say DeSantis should spend more time talking to people about the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines and less time attacking federal infectious-disease expert Anthony Fauci in hopes of scoring political points.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, July 23, 2021
Next-to-last day for early voting in the Palm Coast mayoral election, Sheriff and fire chief on WNZF, first day of the shameless Tokyo Olympics, Louis Brandeis on free speech.
The Seduction of Propaganda
Propaganda is communication as force; it’s designed for warfare. Propaganda is anti-democratic because it influences while using strategies like fear appeals, disinformation, conspiracy theory and more. Political communication is persuasion used in politics. It helps to facilitate the democratic process. Guess what Americans prefer.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, July 22, 2021
Flagler Beach commissioners may again discuss the controversial decision to end July 4 fireworks and replace them with New Year’s Eve fireworks. Julian Lucas on Ishmael Reed.
At Origin of Cuba’s Mass Protests: Covid Misery and U.S. Economic Sanctions
Cuba’s current economic difficulties do not arise only from the pandemic: they are also the result of US policy. Thanks to US hostility, Cuba remains barred from access to emergency international financing from multilateral financial institutions.
DeSantis Rebuffs Calls for Red Tide State of Emergency, Accusing Environmentalists of ‘Politicizing’ Issue
DeSantis pointed to $4.8 million in the current state budget allocated for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Center for Red Tide Research, adding that an emergency declaration would only be warranted if the state needed to access unallocated general revenue.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, July 21, 2021
Early Voting Day Five for the special mayoral election in Palm Coast, the Observer’s Brian McMillan sets a smearing politician straight about “fake news,” George Packer on fake constitutionalists.
Ignoraunce Incarno: The Wrongheaded Calls to Cancel Chaucer
It’s true that Chaucer’s work contains toxic material, including sexist and antisemitic material. But if you examine his writings in detail, you’ll see themes of concern for women and human rights, the oppressed and the persecuted, reappear time and time again.
Canada’s Less Restrictive Border Rules Could be a Boon to Florida Tourism
While decisions remain from the White House about Canadian travelers entering the United States, members of Florida’s Economic Estimating Conference said Tuesday they anticipate changes will be made to make it more convenient for people traveling south of the U.S.-Canada border.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, July 20, 2021
Early voting in Palm Coast mayoral special election Day four of eight. The Palm Coast City Council meets and will set a tentative property tax rate for next year, and Tom Wicker writes about LBJ’s lack of likability.
Bias Is Natural. How You Manage it Defines Your Ability to Be Just.
We all have biases to some degree, whether we care to admit this or not. Our biases remain innocuous until our assumptions impact our behaviors toward other people. By acknowledging our biases we can find ways to mitigate their impact on our decision making.
Former Florida Chief Justice Kogan: Why Florida Should Abolish the Death Penalty
In a compelling new interview conducted by attorney and filmmaker Ted Corless, the late Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerald Kogan lists the numerous reasons why he believed Florida’s death penalty should be abolished.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, July 19, 2021
Early voting for the Palm Coast mayoral race is in its third day at three locations, the Mosquito Control board meets, the relationship between witchcraft and UFOs.
Most Covid Deaths in England Now Are in the Vaccinated. Here’s Why That Shouldn’t Alarm You
The fact that more vaccinated people are dying than unvaccinated people does nothing to undermine vaccine safety or effectiveness. In fact, it’s exactly what we’d expect from the excellent vaccines, which have already saved tens of thousands of lives.
Robert Cuff: Palm Coast’s Choice for Mayor Is Between Competent Leadership and Truly Dangerous Dysfunction
Robert Cuff, the former Palm Coast city councilman, warns that the July 27 special election for mayor will need a large turnout from voters who seek smoothly functioning government and serious leadership. The alternative is partisanship, division, and dysfunction for the next three years, endangering the city’s future.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, July 18, 2021
Palm Coast Little League’s hosting the state championship concludes, and it’s Nelson Mandela’s birthday: ““Let the strivings of us all, prove Martin Luther King Jr. to have been correct.”
Why Some Younger Evangelicals Are Leaving the Faith
The institute’s study found that only 14% of Americans identify as white evangelical today. This is a drastic decline since 2006, when America’s religious landscape was composed of 23% white evangelicals, as the report notes.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, July 17, 2021
Palm Coast Little League continues to hosts the 2021 Little League Baseball Florida Championships at the Indian Trails Sports Complex, auditions for Neil Simon’s “Rumors” at the Flagler Playhouse.
High-Tide Flood Risk Will Increase 5 to 15 Times Over Next 15 Years, Putting Coastal Economies at Risk
The frequency of high-tide flooding along the U.S. coasts has doubled since 2000, and it’s expected to increase five to 15 times more in the next 30 years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warns in a new report released July 14, 2021.
Citing History, Gov. DeSantis Urges Cuban Military to Overthrow Its Government
Gov. Ron DeSantis told young members of Cuba’s military to “live in the history books” by overthrowing their nation’s communist leadership, as he pushed President Joe Biden to bring Wi-Fi access back to people protesting on the island nation.
The Weekend Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, July 16, 2020
Parents’ Nights Out via the Palm Coast Community Center, Teen Chill Zone at the city’s Aquatic Center, auditions this weekend at the Flagler Playhouse for Neil Simon’s “Rumors.”