The United States is experiencing one of the steepest declines in violent crime in modern history, including a murder rate at its lowest point in more than a century. Yet the Trump administration has yanked hundreds of millions of dollars from the programs that helped make those numbers possible.
All Else
Flagler Beach Planning to Install 30 Surveillance Cameras at 15 Locations Around Town for $158,000
The Flagler Beach City Commission votes Thursday on a $158,000 contract with a Jacksonville company to install 30 solar-powered surveillance cameras at 15 locations mostly south of State Road 100. The network requires a $109,859 start-up cost plus a $47,815 annual subscription. Local law enforcement will access the real-time feeds, as will city personnel. The proposal bypassed a formal bidding process and occurs as municipal governments are on their back heels over a proposed homestead tax cut.
Flagler Judge’s Forgetting Closing Arguments in Fatal DUI Hit-and-Run Case Triggers Unusual Appeal to Reconstruct Hearing
Flagler County Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols omitted closing arguments during the March sentencing to 10 years in prison of Melvin Adona for a double-fatal 2023 hit-and-run. Digital recording systems stopped before the oversight was realized, leaving no official record of subsequent arguments. The defense filed an unopposed motion requesting the appellate court return jurisdiction to the circuit court, intending to reconstruct the missing record.
Free Breakfast and Lunch Program for All Students in Flagler County Schools
Flagler Schools announces its policy for serving meals to students under the National School Lunch / School Breakfast Programs for the 2026-2027 school year. All students will be served lunch/breakfast at no charge at all nine traditional public schools.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Clay Jones on Trump’s dissimulations, the School Board holds a workshop in the afternoon and one of its pro forma meetings in the evening, an epidemic of machine-made insincerity, Weekly Chess Club for Teens, Ages 10-18, at the Flagler County Public Library.
How Fear and Loathing Pushes Americans to Vote for Scandalous Candidates
Democrats and Republicans are far away from each other on policy preferences, issue positions and culture. They are also distant in terms of where they live, whom they support, how they feel and even whom they love. Political science tells us that this polarized distance has increased feelings of personal animus between members of the two parties. Political psychology says the more different Americans are from each other, the easier it is for them to not just disagree with the other side but to dislike the other side to the point of viewing them as a threat.
Gas Prices Fall, But Pre-War Prices May Be Weeks or Months Away
As gas prices fell for a fourth consecutive week, analysts continue to caution that it could be weeks or months before returning to pre-war prices. On Monday, the auto club AAA reported the average gallon of gas in Florida was $3.62, down 20 cents from the previous week following the announcement of an agreement to end the war with Iran.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, June 22, 2026
The Bunnell City Commission meets, Fox’s second-class World Cup match-ups, France takes on Iraq, braving Disney on a hot summer day, Henry James on aging.
Trump’s Iran Deal Let’s Israel Screw Lebanon Again
President Donald Trump is framing the deal as a win for the U.S. and the closing of the latest chapter in Washington’s Middle East entanglement. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose country was reportedly shut out of the diplomatic process, may have other plans that would challenge Trump’s authority in the region.
Contrary to GOP Promises, More Than 770,000 Children Are No Longer Receiving SNAP Benefits After Trump Changes
Republican backers of Trump’s signature domestic policy bill repeatedly claimed that revisions to the food benefits program wouldn’t affect the most vulnerable. But nearly a year after the measure was signed into law, the number of children receiving food assistance has plummeted by at least 776,000. At least 12 states break down program participation by age, and of the 1,670,011 people who are no longer receiving benefits in those states, 776,134, or 46%, were children.
Skepticism About Florida’s Homestead Tax Amendment Is Growing
Several municipal leaders, including some county tax collectors and property appraisers, are concerned that if the referendum is approved the reduction in revenues could complicate the repayment of municipal bonds. The concerns about the future of the stability of municipal bonds in Florida are getting so intense, daily trade newspaper The Bond Buyer has increased coverage the Sunshine State situation.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, June 21, 2026
Story Time on the Farm at the Florida Agriculture, Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village, when Pat Buchanan blamed the AIDS epidemic on homosexuals, the media and the Democratic Party, remembering Howard Ashman.
Stop Celebrating Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ Goal
The “Hand of God” downgrades the competency by which players distinguish themselves. Additionally, it is an unambiguous case of cheating. Maradona intentionally and surreptitiously violated a rule of the sport to obtain an advantage that he would not have obtained otherwise – it distorts the sport, spoils the result and disrespects the opposing team.
Kash Patel Marks Bunnell Police Lt. Shane Groth’s FBI Academy Graduation
Bunnell Police Lt. Shane Groth graduated Thursday from the 298th Session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, marking a first for the small department. He is the first member of the agency to attend and graduate from the law enforcement leadership program. FBI Director Kash Patel in a remarkably non-controversial moment shook hands with Groth as he handed him his certificate.
No, Trump’s War on Migrants Isn’t Only Targeting ‘Illegals’
On the eve of its 250th anniversary, America is waging a sinister war against both legal and undocumented immigrants through hostile administrative rules. The federal government targets green card holders, students, and workers of color by restricting employment and speech with xenophobic policies that force self-deportations, empty out universities, and threaten economic survival, destroying the traditional American dream that once welcomed the downtrodden.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, June 20, 2026
The Saturday Flagler Beach Farmers Market, Chess Meet-Up At the Flagler Beach Public Library, Democratic Women’s Club of Flagler County meet, The Battle of Shallowford, a play at Limelight Theatre, traveling back to Etruscan tombs.
Clothless Emperor Trump’s Surrenders in the Iran Deal
The leaders of the United States and Iran have signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding to end the war between their countries, as well as Israel’s military assault on Hezbollah in Lebanon. From the US point of view, the deal leaves a lot to be desired. Washington is giving up a lot for very little in return. President Donald Trump’s claims of success make this feel like an “emperor has no clothes” moment.
Town Center Data Center Planned for 100,000 Square Feet, Triple Footprint Size Palm Coast Approved
A DC Blox executive revealed the ongoing construction of a data center in Palm Coast’s Town Center will eventually consist of two buildings totaling 100,000 square feet, not one building of 35,000 square feet, as approved by Palm Coast planners. The disclosure blindsided city officials. The expanded scope should have triggered public hearings before regulatory boards. Future construction phases will face strict city council scrutiny under impending local development code changes.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, June 19, 2026
The disappearance of jail bookings, Clay Jones on the president’s many loves, Free For All Fridays, The Flagler County Cultural Council (FC3) meets, The Battle of Shallowford, a play at Limelight Theatre, a few lines from Kafka’s Castle.
Juneteenth’s Reminders
The Biden administration declared Juneteenth a federal holiday in 2021. Today, Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. But the story for formerly enslaved people continued to unfold in complex ways well after Juneteenth, including when it came to their educational journeys. Juneteenth made clear that freedom was not just confined to someone’s physical enslavement, but mental enslavement as well, bound in the laws that barred enslaved people from receiving an education in Southern states.
Turtle Patrol’s ATV Is Stolen and Building Vandalized in Latest in Series of Criminal Mischief Incidents in Marineland
Thieves burglarized the Marineland Coastal Policy Center, vandalized the facility, and stole the Volusia-Flagler Turtle Patrol’s all-terrain vehicle kept there, alongside a data tablet, forcing Patrol volunteers to conduct morning nesting counts on foot during an especially busy nesting season. The nonprofit organization is offering a $1,000 reward for the return of their equipment. Local law enforcement officials are investigating.
Record-Breaking Walmart Supercenter on SR 100 Clears Palm Coast Planning Board; Nearly 20,000 Car Trips Projected
The Palm Coast Planning Board Wednesday evening unanimously recommended approval for a new Walmart Supercenter and shopping center on State Road 100, what would be the largest single-new commercial development in the city’s history. The project at build-out is expected to add nearly 20,000 daily car trips to State Road 100, which currently handles between 25,000 and 36,000 car trips per day. The site will feature a temporary wastewater facility to avoid stressing the infrastructure of the city, and to avoid getting delayed for lack of city capacity.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, June 18, 2026
Third Thursday Together in Flagler Beach, a monthly event for residents to interact with Flagler Beach city departments. Today: finance. Marineland Commission meeting, Sabah el-Ward, Cary McMullen on CBS’s devolution.
Violent Spectacles from Nero to Trump
Public combat spectacles from ancient Rome to modern mixed martial arts serve as powerful rituals that trigger identity fusion among spectators. This psychological process merges individual identities into a collective cause, driving a willingness to endure hardship. Political movements and leaders capitalize on these moral dramas to foster deep trust, reinforce civilizational narratives, and build immense solidarity under conditions that defy material logic.
Two Flagler School Board Members Dismiss Concerns Over UNF Deletion of ‘Sexual Orientation’ Protection in District Agreement
The Flagler County School Board will vote on an altered internship agreement after the University of North Florida removed “sexual orientation” from the nondiscrimination clause. School Board members Christy Chong and Will Furry dismissed the change because district policy lacks that explicit phrasing. Legal counsel noted federal law still applies, extending the protection regardless. The discussion surrounding the wording at last week’s workshop underscored the different ways members of the School Board interpret discrimination and how legally to protect students and others against it.
In Free State of Florida, DeSantis Moves To Target Muslim Groups and Critics Under Vaguely Defined Law
Florida is preparing to implement legislation granting top state officials broad authority to designate specific organizations and their supporters as domestic terrorists. Gov. DeSantis indicated law enforcement will target groups including CAIR, the Muslim civil rights organization, and antifa. Critics argue the vague statutes lack requirements for individual criminal convictions. The overreach threatens first amendment rights, inviting widespread state abuse to suppress political dissent and campus activism.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, June 17, 2026
The Palm Coast Planning and Land Development Board meets, Conversations in Democracy, contending with the American message to foreigners during the World Cup, Portugal, England, Ghana are all in action today.
Trump Iran Deal Returns Conflict to Costly Prewar Conditions
The preliminary United States and Iran peace agreement signed in Switzerland resolves immediate maritime blockades to open oil shipping lanes. The underlying causes of the war remain unaddressed. Deferring nuclear enrichment limits, ballistic missile curbs, and regional proxy restrictions for two months preserves the unstable prewar status quo. Decimated diplomatic credibility and unyielding sovereignty positions indicate this agreement functions as a brief pause before subsequent conflict.
Palm Coast Council’s Pontieri: Why I Reject Mayor Norris’s Flawed, AI-Generated Austerity Budget Proposal
Responding to a proposed “austerity resolution” Mayor Mike Norris submitted as a “shell” for the city manager and city attorney to develop, Palm Coast City Council member Theresa Pontieri rejects the proposal as flawed and reliant on artificial intelligence. It suggests redundancies, counterproductive schedule shifts, and harmful community cuts. Real governance, the vice mayor argues, requires human diligence and council deliberations.
Sheriff Staly Blasts Proposed Homestead Property Tax Amendment as ‘Politics’ That ‘Screw Around With the Cities and the County’
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly publicly criticized a proposed Florida constitutional amendment increasing homestead exemptions to $250,000. While local officials fear election-year backlash for opposing tax cuts, Staly characterized the legislation as reckless politics that defunds municipalities. Addressing the Palm Coast City Council this morning, he urged leaders to launch public education campaigns, warning that vague legislative language threatens critical local government operations despite exemptions for public safety services.
DSC Earns A+ Rating from National Council on Teacher Quality for Preparing Elementary Educators in Reading
Daytona State College’s undergraduate Elementary Education program has earned an A+ rating from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) for how well it prepares future teachers to teach children to read.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, June 16, 2026
The Palm Coast City Council ,meets at 9 a.m., Switzerland’s multilingual model in danger, Weekly Chess Club for Teens, Ages 10-18, at the Flagler County Public Library, John McPhee on “La Place de la Concorde Suisse.”
Was FIFA Wrong to Ban Haiti’s World Cup Jersey?
Ahead of its first match in the 2026 World Cup, the Haitian national soccer team was forced to make a last-minute change. FIFA, the sport’s global governing body, said the jersey design violated its rules, which ban political slogans or imagery. FIFA didn’t elaborate on which components of the jersey were problematic. But the issue almost certainly stemmed from the small image of a group of people holding the Haitian flag that appeared on the right hip of the jersey.
Efforts to Cancel Kanye West’s Tampa Concert Ramp Up
A bipartisan group of political leaders and Jewish residents are trying to block Kanye West from performing in Tampa. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Naples, labeled the hip-hop artist an “antisemite” and called for the Tampa Sports Authority to cancel his concerts at an event Monday at The Florida Holocaust Museum.
FDLE Says No ‘Quid Pro Quo’ From Raydient to Mayor Norris, Who’d Agreed to ‘Western Expansion’ in Private Meeting
Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris told state FDLE investigators that he falsely promised to support Raydient’s “western expansion” expansion plans during a 2025 meeting. He later accused the company of offering a quid pro quo for his mayoral tenure. An FDLE report concluded no crime occurred because no funds or services were exchanged.
Popular Food Truck Ragga Surf Café Plans Late Summer Return To Marineland on Dolphin Adventure’s Grounds
Ragga Surf Café plans to return to Marineland by the end of summer, setting up at the Dolphin Adventure. The expansion features a refurbished 39-foot bus and will create 30 new jobs. While local officials welcome the end of the area’s food desert, Mayor Buddy Pinder expressed concerns regarding traffic and potential parking issues on A1A. The company will continue its St. Augustine operations.
New College Takeover of USF Sarasota-Manatee: The Legislature at Its Worst
Florida legislators used private budget conference negotiations to strip the University of South Florida of its Sarasota-Manatee campus, transferring the property to New College, bypassing public debate through the state’s 72-hour budget review rule. Originally intended to promote legislative transparency, the rule now effectively prevents lawmakers from proposing spending amendments during the final days of the session.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, June 15, 2026
Clay Jones on Donald Trump’s hypocritical criticism of Graham Platner, the Mosquito Control District meets, the Flagler County Commission meets in the evening, walking out of an interview when challenged.
The Social Security Trust Fund on the Brink. Again.
A new financial report projects the Social Security trust fund will face depletion by 2032, when incoming revenue might cover only 78 percent of scheduled retirement benefits. Deeper structural challenges drive the crisis. Declining birth rates, lower net migration, and high national debt complicate potential solutions. Congress must secure a bipartisan compromise soon to protect workers and avoid a severe political emergency.
Flagler County Leadership Academy Graduates Historic Class
Thirteen executives, managers, and professionals graduated from the Flagler County Local Government Leadership Academy during a special ceremony Thursday. This graduating class marks a historic milestone for the academy as the first class to include representatives from every major local government organization in Flagler County.
World Cup Fever
Why do we watch the World Cup? This is a tournament of paradoxes, a too-big-to-fail quadrennial festival of corruption, cheating, profiteering, nationalist chauvinism and mostly crappy soccer. Yet it can hypnotize and transport to a utopia of competition as idealized and convincing as Pelé’s deification of the sport as “the beautiful game.” We watch not so much for the thrill–most games are snoozfests–but for the nostalgia of a game that never existed, but that we reimagine with every match.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, June 14, 2026
Four World Cup matches today, Country Highway’s “2026 Fifa World Cup Events By State,” Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village.
The Trouble with El Niño When Ocean Temperatures Are Already Near Record Highs
Global ocean temperatures are already near record highs, so El Niño-induced marine heat waves could push many sensitive fisheries to a breaking point. Warm water might not seem like a big deal, especially to surfers hoping to leave their wetsuits at home. But for many marine organisms that are highly adapted to specific water temperatures, marine heat waves can make living in the ocean feel like running a marathon.
Renner Bemoans Lack of Debates and State of Florida GOP
Former House Speaker Paul Renner says the Republican Party of Florida is cheating voters out of its opportunity to weigh the merits of candidate for Governor by refusing to stage a debate at the impending Sunshine Showdown event. He argues that the party is “tipping the scales” in favor of U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, the Donald Trump-endorsed front-runner in the race, after its assertion that only Donalds would have met criteria to qualify for a debate. The criteria: 10% support in the RPOF’s own poll; more than $10 million raised; and more than 10,000 donors
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, June 13, 2026
Second Saturday Plant Sale at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, Gamble Jam, Brazil v Morocco and Haiti v. Scotland, the idiotically parented third grader and the AR-15 hat, a little serenity from Bach.
A Statistical Look at Who Will Win at the World Cup
The result of each match in the World Cup can be simulated. We took into account the official tournament draw and all FIFA rules, including the possibility of overtime and penalty shootouts. We ran the simulation 100,000 times to determine the tournament’s most likely course. The results show that Spain is the favorite for the title with a winning probability of 14.5%, closely followed by England and France, each at 12.4%, and Germany at 11.2%.
Flagler County Inmates Welcome Homeless Puppies to Advance Mental Health and Addiction Recovery
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office expanded its SMART inmate recovery program by partnering with the Flagler Humane Society to house 11 puppies. Seven male inmates handle feeding, cleanup, and socialization duties at the detention facility. This initiative teaches participants responsibility and patience to aid their addiction recovery. The partnership simultaneously frees up shelter kennel space and prepares the animals for permanent adoption.
Flagler District Halts Plans For New Schools as Enrollment Shrinks While Private and Homeschool Numbers Surge
Flagler County has abandoned plans to build a middle school and a high school by decade’s end due to shrinking district enrollment. Total school-age children grew by 2,359 since 2018, but these students enrolled in private schools or homeschooling programs instead. Fueled by universal vouchers and lower birth rates, this shift leaves traditional schools under capacity. The district projects a 14 percent enrollment decline by 2035. But it is still collecting development impact fees to finance new schools, which may bring objections by builders.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, June 12, 2026
Food Truck Friday at the Farm, Florida Agriculture Museum, United States v. Paraguay, The Battle of Shallowford, a play at Limelight Theatre, Paraguay’s similarities with the United States but for the great Augustin Barrios Mangore.
Should You Feel Bad About Rooting Against the US in the World Cup?
The 2026 World Cup promises to be the planet’s most-watched sporting event. It’s also poised to generate its fair share of controversy. The Trump administration is historically unpopular, and its critics are already concerned about sportswashing: when governments use the spectacle of athletic competition to burnish their image and distract the public. It’s natural for fans who are critical of their country’s behavior sometimes feel ambivalent about rooting for their national sports teams.








