Flagler Cares, in partnership with local organizations, will host a free Back-to-School Help Night on Wednesday, July 29, from 3:00 to 6:30 p.m. at 160 Cypress Point Pkwy, Bldg. B, 3rd Floor, Suite 304, in Palm Coast. The event is free and open to the public, and families are encouraged to attend. The one-stop event is designed to help families get ready for the upcoming school year by connecting them with community resources, health screenings, and free giveaways, all in a single visit.
All Else
A Rare Florida Victory for ‘The Right To Tell People What They Don’t Want to Hear’
Judge Britt C. Grant described the DeSantis “Stop Woke Act” a breathtaking assertion of power aimed at banning unpopular ideas. Academic freedom requires open debate rather than state-mandated silence while suppressing critical discussions regarding race, gender, and history undermines the core educational mission of public universities across the state.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, July 26, 2026
2026 PBA South Region Palm Coast Open at Palm Coast Lanes, Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village, Gemini takes us on an odiferous tour of the Tour de France peloton, Red Smith’s Bike Ride.
America’s Promise of Religious Freedom Has Long Clashed with Prejudice
American history demonstrates a persistent tension between constitutional guarantees of religious liberty and acts of exclusion. Early state laws often restricted civic participation to Protestants. Over time, shifting attitudes and legal changes fostered a more inclusive “Judeo-Christian” and eventually multicultural identity. Modern incidents of arson and political rhetoric suggest that the founding promise of universal religious protection remains a contested ideal.
Fraternal Order of Police Latest Group to Oppose Property Tax Amendment
The Florida chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police is the latest public safety organization to oppose Amendment 3, the proposed constitutional amendment designed to provide property tax relief to homeowners but which critics allege could radically reduce revenues for local government essential services, including public safety.
Flagler Beach’s Alice Baker: A Remembrance
Don Deal remembers meeting Alice Baker during the early growth of Flagler Beach in the late 1970s. Over decades, Baker served her community in numerous municipal roles, including step-in mayor and board member, while building enduring local friendships. Even after moving to Georgia, her devotion to Flagler Beach remained strong until her passing, leaving a lasting impact on her beloved coastal town.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, July 25, 2026
Bowling: 2026 PBA South Region Palm Coast Open qualifying at Palm Coast Lanes, Gamble Jam, the Saturday Flagler Beach Farmers Market, Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground.
Say What? Florida Surgeon General Suggests Measle Outbreak Could Be Tied to Abortion Opposition
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo suggested Friday that opposition to abortion could have helped fuel a measles outbreak in Florida since many cases are tied to a private Roman Catholic college where students may be opposed to the vaccine.
The Government Is Ramping Up Mass Surveillance with AI Tools
The U.S. government now purchases massive quantities of your information from commercial data brokers. The information is not subject to the same restrictions as information it collects directly. The federal government is also ramping up its abilities to directly collect data through partnerships with private tech companies. These surveillance tech partnerships are becoming entrenched, domestically and abroad, as advances in AI take surveillance to unprecedented levels.
Flagler County Emergency Management’s Ryan Simpson Graduates FEMA’s Advanced Academy
Flagler County Emergency Management Manager Ryan Simpson on Thursday (July 23) graduated from the FEMA National Disaster & Emergency Management University’s Advanced Academy.
Leann Pennington, Flagler County Commission Candidate: The Live Interview
Incumbent Leann Pennington is one of three Republican candidates for Flagler County Commission, District 4. She faces Anna Jones and Drew Moss. Only registered Republicans may vote in the primary. The winner of the Republican Aug. 18 primary will still go on to the general because a write-in has filed, but the Republican who prevails is all but certain to win.
Bob Cuff, Palm Coast Pioneer Whose Wry Wit and Humanity Shaped Policy and Moved Friends, Dies at 75
Former Palm Coast City Councilman Bob Cuff died Wednesday at age 75 following a prolonged battle with cancer. A legal pioneer, he served 17 years as general counsel for ITT Community Development Corporation, shaping the city’s early expansion. Colleagues remembered the former attorney for his sharp intellect, dry wit, unyielding integrity, and deep dedication to authentic public service across decades of local governance.
Bob Cuff, 1950-2026
Letter from the Magic Mountain
We formed an unlikely bond over a shared disdain for local political spectacles and a mutual passion for books no one reads anymore, Thomas Mann’s Magic Mountain especially. And now an illness from the underworld is doing its ravages.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, July 24, 2026
Heat index values as high as 105 today, the Scenic A1A Pride Committee meets, Acoustic Jam Circle At The Community Center In The Hammock, how two cartoonists see the Saudi nukes deal.
Trump’s Antifa Terrorism Threat Does Not Exist
The Trump administration anti-terrorism campaign is targeting a phantom threat. Antifa represents a decentralized ideology rather than a structured organization with central leadership or funding. Executive orders and pressuring foreign allies risks civil liberties, chills lawful speech, and distracts vital intelligence resources from genuinely lethal global terrorist networks possessing documented command structures and destructive intent.
Florida Immigration Judges Issue Record Number of Removal Orders as National Deportation Rates Surge
Since March, deportations ordered by immigration judges in Florida have increased 18 percent, according to recently released data. In June, judges issued 5,415 removal orders, a 17.6 percent increase compared to March’s 4,605 removal orders. Florida follows a national trend of an increase in deportation orders, which hit an all-time high of 79,000 in June.
Ron Long, Flagler County School Board Candidate: The Live Interview
Ron Long is one of three candidates for Flagler County School Board, District 4. Trevor Tucker and incumbent Christy Chong are the others. It is a non-partisan race: all registered voters regardless of party affiliation or non-party status may vote in the Aug. 18 primary.
Christy Chong, Flagler County School Board Candidate: The Live Interview
Incumbent Christy Chong is one of three candidates for Flagler County School Board, District 4. Trevor Tucker and incumbent Ron Long are the others. Chong has declined to participate in the Live Interview. It is a non-partisan race: all registered voters regardless of party affiliation or non-party status may vote in the Aug. 18 primary, which will decide the winner, who will be sworn-in in November.
Moms for Liberty’s Influence on School Board Races Is Not What It Was in Florida, Its Home State
Moms for Liberty’s influence has been on a long decline in its home state as the organization faced a wave of resignations, chapter dissolutions and scandals among Moms for Liberty leadership.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, July 23, 2026
The Flagler Beach City Commission meets, the trouble with Joe Manchin and his killing of the center, Model Yacht Club Races at the Pond in Palm Coast’s Central Park.
Most Americans Broadly Support Public Education for the Undocumented
When confronted with the statement, “I believe all children, regardless of immigration status, should have the right to public education,” 75.5% of all Americans agreed with the statement. Among Hispanics and Latinos, nearly 86.9% supported the policy, along with 86.7% of African Americans, 77.7% of Asians Asian Americans and 69.9% of non-Hispanic white people. In each income bracket, there was over 70% of support for free public education for all.
In 11-1 Vote, Jury Recommends Death For Jermaine Williams In Stabbing Of Wife Yolonda
A Flagler County jury this afternoon took just an hour and 38 minutes to recommend the death penalty for Jermaine Williams Sr. following his conviction for the brutal premeditated murder of his wife, Yolonda Williams. Prosecutors demonstrated four aggravating factors detailing the calculated nature of the attack and emotional victim-impact statements from family members deeply moved the courtroom, overwhelming the defense’s weak mitigating arguments during the penalty phase.
Trevor Tucker, Flagler County School Board Candidate: The Live Interview
Trevor Tucker is one of three candidates for Flagler County School Board, District 4. Ron Long and incumbent Christy Chong are the others. It is a non-partisan race: all registered voters regardless of party affiliation or non-party status may vote in the Aug. 18 primary.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Joint County Commission-Flagler Beach City Commission meeting on beach renourishment, the Flagler County-Palm Coast Affordable Housing Advisory Committee meets, a few words from William Shirer’s Berlin Diary of 1941 and Hannah Arendt on American imperialism.
Trump Wants Greenbacks To Be His Personal Vanity Plates
Efforts by the Trump administration to place President Donald Trump’s image and signature on United States coins and banknotes mark a significant departure from American tradition. Global currency data shows that featuring a sitting head of state on money remains an attribute almost entirely unique to hereditary monarchies.
Flagler Beach Restricts Outdoor Plastic and Metallized Party Decorations
The ordinance updates penalties, enforcement procedures, and definitions relating to littering on public and private property with new restrictions on plastic and metallized party decorations.
Jermaine Williams Stabbed His Wife 20 Times to ‘Preserve His Sense of Self As a Man,’ Expert Testifies
The penalty phase began today in the murder trial of Jermaine Williams, convicted of stabbing his wife Yolonda to death in August 2024. Prosecutors presented aggravating factors to secure a death sentence recommendation. Defense attempts to offer mitigating testimony backfired through ineffective family testimonies and a psychologist’s assessment revealing Williams murdered Yolonda to remain “the king of his family, and maintain his sense of identity.”
Rob Wood, Flagler County School Board Candidate: The Live Interview
Rob Wood is one of two candidates for Flagler County School Board, District 2, running against first-term incumbent Will Furry, who is not participating in the Live Interview. It is a non-partisan race: all registered voters regardless of party affiliation or non-party status may vote in the Aug. 18 primary, which will decide the winner, who will be sworn-in in November.
Will Furry, Flagler County School Board Candidate: The Live Interview
First-term incumbent Will Furry is one of two candidates for Flagler County School Board, District 2, running against Rob Wood. Furry has declined to answer the Live Interview’s questions. All registered voters are eligible to vote in this non-partisan race in the Aug. 18 primary. The winner will be sworn-in in November.
Former Flagler Beach Mayor Alice Baker, ‘The Gal Who Did It All’ with Kindly Resolve, Dies at 95
Former Flagler Beach Mayor Alice Baker died at age 95 in Clarkesville, Georgia. Baker spent nearly two decades as a city employee before serving as interim manager and mayor. Colleagues remembered her as a fiercely strong-willed leader who dedicated her life to protecting the community’s small-town charm, supporting local animal welfare initiatives, and listening carefully to local residents.
Florida Disaster Fund Spent More on Immigration than All 2025 Missions Combined
The DeSantis administration spent nearly two-thirds of Florida’s emergency fund last fiscal year on fighting illegal immigration, dwarfing spending for severe weather, international rescues, and other emergency missions for which the fund was created.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, July 21, 2026
The first day of the penalty phase of Jermaine Williams’s trial begins, the Palm Coast City Council meets, a World Cup recap with a bow to that halftime show.
Fox News, Home of Conspiracy Theories
Research shows that white Americans who identified as Republican, who are conservatives and who have negative views of people from other racial backgrounds are all more likely to express support for key tenets of the racist great replacement theory. Clear evidence shows that white Americans who watch Fox News are also more likely to agree with the conspiracy theory.
Sheriff’s Techno-Sleuthing Leads to Arrest of Man Who Hid Behind Thousands of Harassing Calls
A five-month Flagler County Sheriff’s Office investigation has led to the arrest of a Port Orange man who spent months harassing a Flagler County woman with thousands of phone calls and even filed a false child abuse report against her. Detectives ultimately traced the calls back to him despite his attempts to hide behind blocked and internet-based phone numbers.
Palm Coast Dog Trainer Arrested After Two Labrador Retrievers Die Inside Hot Storage Unit
Palm Coast’s Alexia V. Barquet, 21, owner of Rapidfire Retrievers LLC, a dog-training and grooming company, faces two felony aggravated animal cruelty charges after two labrador retrievers died inside a hot Bunnell storage unit she lists as the business’ address. Authorities warned Barquet in March against keeping animals inside the facility. Police officers discovered the deceased dogs following complaints of severe odors.
Will Furry Abruptly Silences School Board Members Ruddy and Ramirez, Declaring Policy Discussion Over
Flagler County School Board Vice Chair Will Furry ended a policy workshop discussion abruptly, overruling requests from board members Janie Ruddy and Lauren Ramirez to continue deliberating proposed insurance requirements for school support organizations. Despite board attorney Ryan Hudak suggesting a five-minute extension, Furry forced the board to move on. Ruddy and Ramirez expressed sharp concerns over Furry’s manner.
Cathy Moon, Flagler County School Board Candidate: The Live Interview
Cathy Moon is one of two candidates for the Flagler County School Board, District 1, running against Jill Woolbright, who has declined to participate in the Live Interview. It is a non-partisan race: all registered voters regardless of party affiliation or non-party status may vote in the Aug. 18 primary, which will decide the winner, who will be sworn-in in November.
Jill Woolbright, Flagler County School Board Candidate: The Live Interview
Jill Woolbright is one of two candidates for Flagler County School Board, District 1, running against Cathy Moon. Woolbright, a former School Board member defeated in 2022, declined to participate, as she did in 2022. It is a non-partisan race: all registered voters regardless of party affiliation or non-party status may vote in the Aug. 18 primary, which will decide the winner, who will be sworn-in in November.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, July 20, 2026
The three-member East Flagler Mosquito Control District Board meets, Republicans’ identity crises through the ages, Robert Ingersoll on Democrats, Saint levant’s Sabah el Ward.
Franco’s Fascist Regime’s Lessons for Today’s America
Comparisons between Trump’s and Hitler’s fascist regime are becoming common, but it may be even more fitting to compare the present moment to a less-remembered but longer-lasting fascist regime: that of Francisco Franco, dictator of Spain from 1936 until his death in 1975.
The Wild West of Unregulated Private Schools in Florida and Elsewhere That Collect Taxpayer Dollars
An average of 100 new private schools have launched in Florida each of the last five school years. Florida and other states are taking a hands-off approach to regulating private schools that receive public money. School founders — in one case, a Florida woman prosecuted for sexual abuse who lost her license — often aren’t screened. Some states can’t even say how many of these schools exist.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, July 19, 2026
Story Time on the Farm at the Florida Agriculture, a happy 75th for Bob Cuff–or as happy as the torturing gods allow–and a few words from Thomas Mann’s story time about those condemned to buy the farm.
The Demise of Experimental Liberal Colleges
Hampshire College announced its upcoming closure in December 2026 due to insurmountable debt and declining enrollment numbers. The decision reflects a broader trend of consolidation in higher education where wealthy, traditional institutions thrive. Experimental schools focused on student-led learning struggle against a growing preference for transactional, vocational degrees. The loss of such institutions diminishes the diversity of creative educational paths available to students.
Compass Hotel Is Flagler Beach’s Inaugural Winner of Monthly Downtown Beauty Contest
Flagler Beach government named the Compass Hotel by Margaritaville as the first recipient of a monthly beauty contest for its downtown district, an initiative cooked up by the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board to pat local businesses and residents on the back for keeping up appearances. The hotel, whose owner sits on the advisory board, is the July 2026 recipient.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, July 18, 2026
Chess Meet-Up At the Flagler Beach Public Library, Democratic Women’s Club meeting, the Saturday Flagler Beach Farmers Market, wrapping up a grim week.
DeSantis’ Latest Death Warrants Slate Two Executions on the Same Day, a First For Florida in 62 Years
James Aren Duckett, 68, and Dominick Anthony Occhicone, 80, are scheduled to be executed on June 28. Occhicone will be the oldest inmate killed by the state since modern records of executions have been kept starting in 1924. The last time Florida executed two inmates on the same day was on May 12, 1964.
Trump Seesaws Strait Back to War
Renewed warfare between the United States and Iran threatens global energy corridors after a fragile ceasefire collapsed over waterway management disputes. Trump proposed shipping levies to counter Tehran’s unilateral transit tolls in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump’s uncertainties and political divisions in both nations prevent diplomatic progress, risking global economic recession and a prolonged war of attrition that neither side can easily win.
Jeani Duarte, Palm Coast City Council Candidate: The Live Interview
Jeani Duarte is one of three candidates for the Palm Coast City Council, District 2, an open seat. She faces Tony Amaral Jr. and Jimmy Hengy. This is a non-partisan race. All registered voters in Palm Coast may cast a ballot in the Aug. 18 primary.
Jury Finds Jermaine Williams Guilty of Wife’s Premeditated Murder in 22 Minutes; He Now Faces Death Penalty Phase
A Flagler County jury convicted 54-year-old Jermaine Williams Sr. of first-degree premeditated murder today for the August 2, 2024, stabbing death of his 50-year-old wife, Yolonda Williams, in Bunnell. The prosecution successfully leveraged explicit home surveillance footage to prove premeditation. The trial now moves into the penalty phase on Monday, where prosecutors intend to pursue a death sentence for the defendant.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, July 17, 2026
Jermaine Williams Sr. trial Day Five, trial notes on witnessing one’s own murder act, the Flagler County Cultural Council meets, “Let those who wish to do so withdraw from the world,” writes Camus.