The Palm Coast Holiday Boat Parade is scheduled for 6 p.m., Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village, Rad Assal corrects New York Times headline writers, Riadh Alamadeddine with a key bartending observation, Bach’s sublime English Suite in A minor.
All Else
Birthright Citizenship Is Under Attack from Trump and His Allies
Denying citizenship to some individuals born in the United States, as members of the incoming Trump administration intend to do, reflects a conflict that’s been going on for nearly 200 years: who gets to be an American citizen.
Don’t Ban Health-Related Books from Florida Schools, Groups Urge
Four groups — the Florida Freedom to Read Project (FFTRP), PEN America, EveryLibrary, and the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCA) — sent a letter to school superintendents and attorneys representing Florida’s school boards urging restraint when it comes to books that include topics such as anatomy, teen pregnancy, and sexual assault.
Why Americans Are Furious With Health Insurance CEOs
Over 8,000 Americans die every day, many unnecessarily. The United States still does not have in place a national health care system that guarantees everyone adequate medical attention. Some 25 percent of Americans have people in their family who have had to delay medical treatment for a serious illness because they couldn’t afford the care. Some 79 percent of America’s nurses, for their part, say they’re working in inadequately staffed health facilities.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, December 14, 2024
Palm Coast’s Starlight Parade in Town Center, American Association of University Women (AAUW) Monthly Meeting, Gamble Jam, dreaming of Las Vegas, Second Saturday Plant Sale at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park.
The Meaning and Controversy of the Global Seed Vault
Today, seed banks around the world are doing much of the work of saving crop varieties that could be essential resources under future growing conditions. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway supports them all. It is the world’s most famous backup site for seeds that are more precious than data.
Taco Is Flagler County Fire Rescue’s Therapy Dog
There’s no better way for Flagler County Fire Rescue to embrace the holidays than with a pint-sized, er Taco-sized, therapy dog to be its ambassador for public outreach events – as well as to provide crucial comfort and support to those who need it most during traumatic events or circumstances.
$405 Million for 2 New Schools by 2033? Not If Flagler District’s Enrollment Continues to Flatline
Since 2007, enrollment in Flagler County’s nine traditional, brick and mortar schools has barely budged even as the county’s population has surged. Enrollment in those schools was 12,580 in 2007. At last count this year, it is 12,478–a slight decline both from 2007 and from the end of last school year, when enrollment rose a bit. The district is projecting a new middle school and a new high school by the early 2030s, for $405 million.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, December 13, 2024
Christmas in Bunnell, Shop with a Cop, Sen. Tom Leek on Free For All, a new Chopin waltz is discovered, Chechnya banning music considered too fast or too slow.
Merde Alors: Should We Be Worried About Trump Tariffs on French Wines?
Still traumatised by the 25% Trump tax in place from October 2019 to March 2021, the French wine industry is anticipating further difficulties in exporting to the United States. However, a comparison between the previous tax and what the president-elect has announced for his second term provides some hope.
Veranda Bay Annexation in Flagler Beach Tabled Until Next Year as City Mulls Threat of Lawsuit
At the suggestion of Scott Spradley, its chair, the Flagler Beach City Commission this evening voted unanimously to table the proposed annexation of Veranda Bay until next year so city officials have time to study the merits of what Spradley described as a threat to sue the city if annexation went ahead.
Trump Names Attorney and Big Donor Dan Newlin Ambassador to Colombia
Trump has named prominent Orlando lawyer Dan Newlin as the next Ambassador to Colombia after Newlin was one of Trump’s top fundraisers in his home state. Newlin also spent millions on billboard and TV advertising promoting Trump in the buildup to the November election and hosted a major fundraiser at his Windermere home with Trump in attendance in April.
Ex-Trump Adviser Michael Flynn Loses Defamation Suit Against Man Who Called Him ‘Putin Employee’
A state appeals court upheld a decision dismissing a defamation lawsuit that former Trump administration national-security adviser Michael Flynn filed against Rick Wilson, a political strategist and key player in the “Never Trump” movement. Wilson referred to Flynn in a 2022 tweet as “Putin employee Mike Flynn” and in 2023 retweeted “FYI, Mike Flynn is Q.”
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, December 12, 2024
The Flagler Beach City Commission holds its last meeting of the year and votes on annexing Veranda Bay, “From Jellyfish to Sharks,” the Evening at the Whitney lecture, Gore Vidal on Christopher Lehmann-Haupt’s reviewing.
The Importance of London’s New Slavery Memorial
In 2026, a new memorial to the 12.5 million enslaved people transported to the Americas and Europe – and their descendants – will be unveiled on West India Quay in London’s Docklands. The winning commission, an installation piece by US artist Khaleb Brooks called The Wake, will take the shape of a seven-metre bronze cowrie shell – the currency that was used in the trade of enslaved peoples, and an object symbolic of the entangled history of slavery and capitalism.
USTA Interested in Managing Southern Rec Center, But Locals Worry About Messing With a Good Thing
After granting Palm Coast $700,000 to build five additional tennis court at the Southern Recreation Center, the USTA is interested in a management partnership with the city there. But tennis and pickleball players at the center are raising cautions about such an arrangement, worrying either that pickleball would get cheated or that other amenities would be run differently, though the potential arrangement also has some notable support.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, December 11, 2024
The Cold-Weather Shelter opens again tonight, a few thoughts on a passage from Katherine Ann Porter’s “Leaning Tower,” Weekly Chess Club for Teens.
Kristallnacht’s Legacy as Hamburg Wrestles with Memory and Reconstruction
Over the past few years, the location of the Bornplatz Synagogue, a former landmark, has become the site of controversy as residents debated whether and how to rebuild the old synagogue, which would demolish the memorial standing there today.
AdventHealth Partners with District’s Project SEARCH to Prepare Disabled Students for Workplace
Project SEARCH partners Flagler Schools with local businesses, like AdventHealth Palm Coast, and provides students with real-world job experiences that build skills for future careers and confidence in navigating the workplace.
‘Granny Cams’ Could Be Coming to Florida’s Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities
The bill (SB 64) by Republican Sen. Illeana Garcia would allow residents to install cameras so long as they are willing to foot the bill for installation and removal. Nursing home residents who share rooms would have to secure permission from their roommates to use the cameras, as well.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, December 10, 2024
The Palm Coast City Council will discuss its procedures, accused wife-murderer Jermaine Williams is in court, the school board holds a workshop, the end of Hafez and Bashar el Assad and a remembrance of Hama Rules.
Has Syria Just Traded One Barbarian for Another?
The rebel group that just took over Syria, led by Abu Mohammad al-Golani, originated as an offshoot of the Nusra Front, the official al-Qaida affiliate in Syria. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham was initially recognized for its combat effectiveness and its commitment to global jihadist ideology, or the establishment of strict Islamic rule across the Muslim world.
GOP’s Randy Fine Files Bill to End In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants
Undocumented immigrants would lose access to in-state tuition rates at Florida colleges and universities under a bill filed by Sen. Randy Fine. The Republican from Brevard County called the practice of providing in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants a “sweetheart deal.”
Long-Time Tampa Democrat Susan Valdes Switches to Republican, Adding to GOP’s House Supermajority
Elected four times to the state House as a Democrat, Tampa lawmaker Susan Valdes on Monday added to Republicans’ supermajority. Valdes announced she had become a Republican, saying she expected to be “welcomed and treated with respect” by her new party. The move, which drew a rebuke from House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, came a week after Valdes lost a bid to become chairwoman of the Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, December 9, 2024
Lyonel Jeune, is sentenced for a hit-and-run death, the Bunnell City Commission meets, the library board of trustees meets, Fantasy Lights in Town Center, Pablo Neruda and metaphors, an excerpt from Wendell Berry’s “The Rise.”
Syrian Refugees Get Battered From All Sides in Lebanon
For the 1.5 million Syrian refugees already in Lebanon, having fled civil war in Syria, the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah introduces new uncertainties. Syrians who temporarily fled Lebanon or were displaced within its borders now face growing hostility and restrictive policies regarding their return, namely from the Lebanese themselves, who have a history of brutality toward and ill treatment of refugees.
The Firefighters of Notre Dame
The firefighters who saved the majority of the cathedral, which could very well have collapsed without their heroism, now stand as tall and as anonymous as the architects and masons of Notre Dame. They deserve their own Victor Hugo.
Ron DeSantis Back-Up Defense Secretary If Hegseth Stumbles Out?
The President-elect’s stated commitment to Hegseth comes as Florida’s Governor is seen as a better bet on a prediction market. Ron DeSantis led the field Friday morning on Polymarket, but had fallen back by Saturday. Trump and DeSantis are attending the Dec. 15 Army-Navy football game, deepening the intrigue.
RFK Factor: An Unwelcome, Possible Return of Measles, Whooping Cough, and Worse
After backlash against public health interventions culminated in President-elect Donald Trump’s nominating Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the country’s best-known anti-vaccine activist, as its top health official, infectious disease and public health experts and vaccine advocates say a confluence of factors could cause renewed, deadly epidemics of measles, whooping cough, and meningitis, or even polio.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, December 8, 2024
‘The Country Girl’ at City Repertory Theatre, Handel’s Messiah at United Methodist Church, a Christmas Carol at Athens Theatre, a response to December 7, Michael Sandel on Trump’s America, an excerpt from Orbital.
Notre Dame Rises from the Ashes, But at What Price?
On April 15, 2019, viewers around the world watched live footage of one of the most famous cathedrals on the planet, Notre-Dame de Paris, being devastated by fire. More than five years later, Notre Dame was due to reopen to the public on December 8th. Behind the headlines, a fierce debate has been raging about who is responsible for funding France’s cultural heritage and whether visitors to the landmark should be charged an entry fee.
UNF Gets $800,000 National Parks Service Grant to Restore Coastlines and Battle Erosion
The University of North Florida and National Park Service announced the NPS has awarded nearly $800,000 to UNF to ramp up efforts to restore local coastlines and battle shoreline erosion at three national parks in Florida and Georgia.
If Republicans Can Take My Rights Away Today, They’ll Take Yours Tomorrow
Most days in my depraved, transsexual lifestyle start the same: I wake up at 5:15 a.m. to pet my cat, have some coffee, and journal a little before I get out the door. Meanwhile, Republicans are warming up for their bigger goals. If they can wipe away two decades of progress for trans people in a few short months, they’ll have playbook for overturning gay marriage by the end of the year.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, December 7, 2024
The Flagler Beach Holiday Parade, “The Country Girl’ at City Repertory Theatre, the Flagler Beach All Stars hold their monthly beach clean-up, Coffee With Commissioner Scott Spradley, Trump’s 49 percent and Pearl Harbor.
The Best Exercises to Boost Brain Health After 60
Contrary to popular belief, the brain does not deteriorate continuously with age. Instead, it only sees the number of its brain cells drop and connections deteriorate from the age of 45 onwards as part of a normal ageing process. But cerebral plasticity, although reduced, is present until the end of life. Each individual will build up a cognitive reserve throughout their lives. The more positive, rich and stimulating the lifestyle, the more powerful and effective the reserve. In other words, it’s possible to moderate the effects of age on cognition.
Federal Court Rules TikTok Ban Constitutional
The law Congress passed this year to force the Chinese parent company of social media giant TikTok to either sell the service or face a U.S. ban is constitutional, a panel of federal appeals judges ruled Friday. The order from a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals preserves the bipartisan law President Joe Biden signed in April forcing ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, to cease operations in the United States.
Charging 1st Degree Murder for an Overdose Death Is Indefensible
A charge of first-degree murder requires premeditation. Florida’s law charging first degree murder for causing a death by overdose does not. It relies on assumptions and entirely negates the user’s responsibility. The law was intended as a deterrent. But in Florida, overdose deaths have increased sixfold in 25 years. The law beings neither deterrence nor justice in a crisis that will not be solved by sending people to prison for life.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, December 6, 2024
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.
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.
Palm Coast Graduates Its 56th Class City’s Citizens Academy
Graduates of this session include Joseph Benney, Kathleen Brady, Joanne Campbell, Geraldine Casarella, Gina DosSantos, Michael Flanagan, Rosa Fragosa, Donna Harkins, Cornelia Downing Manfre, Mahogany Marfan, Francine Martin, Kenneth McGevna, Christine Paris, Christine Reardon, Harold Sankey, Jane Santi, Kristina Uzun, Phyllis Van Reeth, Kathleen Vining, and Lynn Wade.
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.
Water and Sewer Projects Top Palm Coast’s List of Asks from Legislature in a Year of Leaner Pork Barrels
This time, the Palm Coast City Council wants to be very clear with the state legislature and the governor: the city’s priorities for state dollars are its oldest of two sewer plants, and for one of its three water plants. But it’ll be difficult for Palm Coast to repeat its record haul of state money of the last two years, now that it has lost Paul Renner and Travis Hutson, who have been replaced by backbenchers.
Addiction v. Redemption in City Repertory Theatre’s Production of Clifford Odets’s ‘Country Girl’
Clifford Odets’s play, opening at Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre Thursday and running as a staged reading through Sunday, tells the story of Frank Elgin, a once-lauded actor who’s become mired in booze even as he’s hoping to return to his past glory, while his ever-faithful wife, Georgie, struggles to keep him from tumbling into an alcoholic abyss. CRT is staging some of its leading stars and veterans, including Director John Sbordone.
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 Leads the Nation in Affordable Care Act Enrollment
Florida leads the nation in Obamacare enrollment after a month of open enrollment. Data released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services show that 1,458,792 Florida residents signed up for insurance coverage through the “Marketplace” for 2025. The Marketplace, obtainable through Healthcare.gov, is where customers can compare health plans and provides enrollment services and other help.
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.
Cody’s Corner Roundabout Now Open to Traffic as Flagler’s 3 Once-Deadliest Intersections Are Tamed
The $4.7 million roundabout at Cody’s Corner that started construction at the beginning of April is now open to traffic and is expected to significantly reduce fatal and grave crashes at what had been one of Flagler County’s three deadliest intersections. Cody’s Corner, named for a convenience store there, is the intersection of State Road 11 and County Road 304, 10 miles southwest of Bunnell.
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.
