DeSantis’ redrawn congressional maps sparked immediate threats of legal action from advocacy groups as critics argue the mid-decade changes violate the state’s Fair Districts Amendment. The governor claims a recent Supreme Court ruling justifies the move. Opponents describe the plan as a partisan power grab designed to dilute minority voting power and secure Republican seats before the 2026 elections.
All Else
Sheriff’s Deputy Bryan Jackson Who Fired AR-15 Shot that Struck 11-Year-Old Is Charged with Misdemeanor
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office charged Deputy Bryan Jackson with culpable negligence after a bullet from his daughter’s AR-15 grazed an 11-year-old boy in a neighboring house. Jackson currently performs administrative duties. The State Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case after the FBI reconstructed the shooting from Jackson’s makeshift backyard range.
Teachers and Students in Flagler Schools Are Now Using AI Extensively and Routinely. Here’s How.
Flagler County schools report nearly universal adoption of artificial intelligence among faculty and staff. Students in secondary grades frequently use digital tools for classroom assignments and independent research, and a version of AI is accessible for students in all grades. District leaders compare this technological shift to the early days of the internet. School board members remain focused on data privacy, academic integrity, and student safety.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, April 30, 2026
Satchel Walton, an imminent graduate in journalism from UNC, worries about his industry and the truth, “The Sound of Music” at Athens Theatre, John Oliver on journalism.
Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act Ruling Alters Landscape of Elections
The Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision striking down a Black-majority district in Louisiana reinterprets Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act to make racial discrimination harder to prove. Conservative justices argued the district was an unconstitutional gerrymander. Minority plaintiffs now face significant legal hurdles in challenging future maps. These changes carry major implications for partisan control in the 2026 midterm elections.
Florida House Approves DeSantis’ Congressional Redistricting Map in 90 Minutes
The Florida House of Representatives on Wednesday morning passed the congressional redistricting map presented to them by Gov. Ron DeSantis, which could give Republicans up to four new congressional districts. DeSantis’s legal team argues that federal law overrides state Fair District Amendments regarding minority representation. Democrats allege illegal partisan gerrymandering designed to aid 2026 midterm goals. The Florida Supreme Court will likely decide the constitutionality of this race-neutral approach.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Clay Jones on Kash Patel’s frat boy acts, Conversations in Democracy, noon to 1 p.m. at Pine Lakes Golf Club Clubhouse, 10 of Blaise Pascal’s Pensées if Trump were tweeting them.
MRNA Vaccine Misinformation Threatens Cancer Treatment Breakthroughs
Scientists are developing mRNA cancer vaccines to revolutionize tumor treatment through targeted immune system activation. This progress faces significant threats from the false turbo cancer narrative spreading across social media platforms. Such misinformation erodes public trust and influences critical patient decisions regarding therapy. Transparent communication and clinical engagement are necessary to ensure these medical innovations reach their full potential for saving lives globally.
Florida Capitol Protesters Denounce Special Session’s Secret Congressional Redistricting Maps
Approximately 150 protesters gathered outside the Florida Capitol Tuesday as the House of Representatives convened inside, chanting “Hey hey, ho ho, rigged maps have got to go.” The gathering of protesters countered the Florida House’s quick floor session on the first day of a special session called to debate congressional redistricting. (The Senate convened later in the day.)
Taxpayer Cost of Private School Vouchers in Flagler County Surges to $19 Million as District Enrollment Falls
Flagler County public schools lost $400,000 in funding and 100 students between fall and January financial and enrollment calculations as private school subsidies of vouchers surged 20 percent since last year. State voucher spending reached $19.2 million dollars this year. District enrollment remains stagnant despite significant population growth, and budget transparency issues persist because state calculations combine voucher funds with district allocations.
Missing Records and Financial Desperation Undermine Marineland’s Hope to Reopen Marina Contract
The Marineland Town Commission seeks to renegotiate its contract with Mobius Marine, manager of the town’s 20-slip marina, to increase stagnant revenue. Marina earnings grew 179 percent since 2014. The town receives only $18,000 annually, without inflation adjustments. Attorneys warn that missing records undermine the town’s legal standing. Procedural failures regarding the 2023 contract extension further complicate efforts to extract higher payments from the marina.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, April 28, 2026
It’s school board day, with the 1 p.m. workshop and 6 p.m. meeting, the Flagler County Affordable Housing Committee, the Flagler Beach Library Writers’ Group meets, a few thoughts about Pascal.
Divisive Rhetoric Fuels Rising Political Violence
The shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner underscores a dangerous escalation in American political violence fueled by intense polarization, dehumanizing rhetoric, and widespread disinformation. These factors erode trust in democratic institutions.
Florida’s Average Teacher Salary Is Lowest in the Nation
The national union’s annual rankings for teacher pay put Florida’s average starting salary of $49,435 at 19th in the nation. It’s overall average teacher salary of $56,663 ranks 50th among the 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Flagler Beach’s 6th Street Deli Among 1st Tenants as Promenade in Palm Coast’s Town Center Recruits
The $79 million mixed-use Promenade project in Palm Coast’s Town Center secured among its initial commercial tenants Flagler Beach’s 6th Street Deli and Fleet Feet as recruiting for the complex continues before late summer openings. Palm Coast is offering significant economic incentives to attract businesses there, though an attempt to attract a craft brewery fell flat. The Promenade includes 204 apartments and 68,000 square feet of retail space.
Their Answer to Florida’s Housing Crisis: Smaller Lot Sizes and Granny Flats
Although there’s no “silver bullet” to cure Florida’s affordable housing crisis, an argument is gaining ground that smaller lot sizes can be a significant part of the solution, as might be allowances for accessory dwelling units, sometimes called granny flats or in-law units, or ADUs.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, April 27, 2026
The Bunnell City Commission meets, John Darkow’s take on artificial intelligence, that creepy half-marathon with robots in Beijing, when Gary Kasparov won and lost to Deep Blue.
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s Eye on Dark Matter
Everything in space – from the Earth and Sun to black holes – accounts for just 15% of all matter in the universe. The rest of the cosmos seems to be made of an invisible material astronomers call dark matter. With the release of its first images this month, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory has begun a 10-year mission to help unravel the mystery of dark matter. The observatory will continue the legacy of its namesake, a trailblazing astronomer who advanced our understanding of the other 85% of the universe.
David Jolly and Jerry Demings Are Competitive with Byron Donalds, Stetson Poll Shows
The Stetson University’s Center for Public Opinion Research survey is the latest to show a potentially competitive General Election between Byron Donalds, David Jolly and Jerry Demings in a state national Democrats wrote off until recently.
Florida’s Bold Search For Terrorists Behind Every Bush
Environmentalists, religious groups, and even failing football programs could face state sanctions now that a new law giving Florida’s governor the authority to designate terrorist organizations is on the books. We can only conclude these organizations have been taken over by our enemies to sap our resolve.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, April 26, 2026
‘Line’ and ‘All In the Timing’ At City Rep Theatre, Dead Men Tell No Tales at the Palm Coast Community Center, deporting Afghan collaborators to Congo, David Ignatius on the Iran war.
Sorry, Tampa Bay, Mixed‑Use Districts Don’t Reverse the Dismal Economics Of Sports Venues
What do mixed-use projects around sports venues mean for host communities? Sports venues don’t generate a financial windfall for host cities. The overwhelming evidence regarding the limited economic benefits of stadiums has produced a strong consensus among economists that sports venues are not worthwhile public investments.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, April 25, 2026
‘Line’ and ‘All In the Timing’ At City Rep Theatre, Gamble Jam, Dead Men Tell No Tales…. Or Do They? Murder Mystery Dinner Show at the Palm Coast Community Center, “The Sound of Music” at Athens Theatre.
Trump’s Vote by Mail Ban: ‘A Solution Looking for a Problem’
Former federal judge John E. Jones III argues that the recent executive order regarding mail-in voting is unconstitutional. Article 1, Section 4 of the Constitution grants states authority over election procedures. The order relies on false premises of widespread fraud and inaccurate voter rolls. Twenty-three states are currently suing to block this federal overreach. Jones asserts that the mandate will likely fail judicial scrutiny.
Investigative Services Division Chief Agustin “Augie” Rodriguez Graduates Commanders Academy
Flagler County Sheriff’s Investigative Services Division Chief Agustin “Augie” Rodriguez graduated from Class 18 of the Florida Sheriffs Association’s Commanders Academy, the Sheriff’s Office reports.
Don’t Let Palm Coast’s Westward Invasion Sprawl Over Old Brick Road
Walden Pond serves as a grim cautionary tale for Flagler County preservationists as the colossal western expansion of Palm Coast threatens Old Brick Road. County commissioners are right to demand wide buffers and forbid at-grade crossings. Saving what remains of the historic Dixie Highway requires resisting developer logic that prioritizes proximity over true natural preservation.
Supreme Court Denies Coastal Church’s Emergency Request to Resume Services in Flagler Beach Shopping Center
The Florida Supreme Court denied Flagler Beach’s Coastal Family Church’s request to hold in-person services during ongoing litigation, leaving in place a lower court injunction based on restrictive shopping center covenants. The property owner argues that public assemblies at the Flagler Beach shopping center violate agreements. Pastor Roderick Palmer faces separate legal woes from a credit card debt lawsuit and a foreclosure action involving a local property.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, April 24, 2026
‘Line’ and ‘All In the Timing’ At City Rep Theatre, the Scenic A1A Pride Committee meets, Dead Men Tell No Tales…. Or Do They? Murder Mystery Dinner Show, at Palm Coast Community Center, bulldozing Walden Pond.
War on DEI’s Aim: Normalizing White Nationalism
The current backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives represent a dangerous normalization of authoritarian politics. By recasting equity as a threat to national order, political leaders use administrative measures to erase historical analysis of systemic racism. This process mirrors Hannah Arendt’s warnings regarding the banality of evil. Societies must recognize these erosions of rights to prevent cruelty from becoming a routine function of governance.
Developer Reveals Master Plan For 22,000-Home Western Expansion That’ll Remake Palm Coast
Raydient, the development arm of Rayonier, presented general plans for a 22,000-home development west of U.S. 1 that will nearly double the population of Palm Coast over 30 years. The proposal replaces previous agreements and shifts costs to taxpayers. Despite the scale of the project, its consequences on the city’s future and upcoming city annexation, the reveal at the Palm Coast Community Center lacked a presentation and offered very few specific details regarding infrastructure and funding.
City Repertory Theatre Revives Absurdist Classics With Multi Actor One-Act Plays for Season Finale
Palm Coast’s City Repertory Theatre concludes the current season with a trio of absurdist one-act plays featuring playwrights David Ives and Israel Horovitz. The production includes “The Universal Language,” “Sure Thing,” and “Line.” Local actor Danno Waddell brings his expertise in the fictional language of Unamunda to the stage as performances explore human connection and competition. Shows run from April 24 through May 3.
DeSantis Signs Bill Banning Local Governments from Implementing Diversity and Fairness Policies
Soon Florida cities and counties will be banned from funding or promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and enacting net zero policies that cut down on greenhouse gases. SB 1134 prohibits municipalities from funding or passing a resolution in support of programs deemed diverse or inclusive. It also bars cities and counties from having a DEI office or an inclusion officer and gives the governor the power to remove local officials who violate the law.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, April 23, 2026
The Flagler Beach City Commission meets, FPCHS Starlets Spring Dance at the Fitz, model yacht club races in Town Center, the dangerous, authoritarian slide of the Supreme Court’s “shadow docket.”
King Trump Meets King Pyrrhus
President Donald Trump has claimed victory in the war in Iran even before the conflict is over. But despite killing the country’s leader and seriously degrading its military, there is an argument being made that the Islamic Republic has emerged all the stronger for having simply survived. Indeed, a phrase that has repeatedly cropped up as the U.S. has sunk more and more military hardware and credibility into Operation Epic Fury is “Pyrrhic victory.”
Council Approves Shift to 244 Houses at Sawmill Development as Concerns Over Ruined Historic Site Surface
Palm Coast City Council members approved a plan converting 320 planned townhomes into 244 single-family houses within the Sawmill Branch development on US1. Council member Dave Sullivan cast the lone dissenting vote over irreparable destruction of the Revolutionary-era Hewitt Sawmill historic site due to recent construction drainage. The developer promised to investigate these preservation claims before the final vote scheduled next month.
Palm Coast Council Approves Tax Rebates of Up to 95% To Jumpstart Stalled Town Center Commercial Development
The Palm Coast City Council approved a construction and tax-incentive program to spark commercial construction in Town Center, offering property tax rebates of up to 90 percent or more for significant investments. Town Center has fallen far short of investment and revenue expectations as the special tax district expires in 2034. Leaders excluded residential projects from the deal, prioritizing vertical density and commercial growth over single-family homes.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Developer’s public meeting on western expansion, 6 p.m. at Palm Coast Community Center, the River to Sea Transportation Planning Organization meets, Conversations in Democracy, three arches to remind us that the triumphal kind are usually the ugliest, least necessary, and nowhere near the majesty of the real thing.
Spectrum Launches Virtual American Sign Language Interpretation Service At Palm Coast Store
Spectrum is bringing its virtual American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation service to Palm Coast. The service connects deaf customers and Spectrum store specialists through a live ASL interpreter, enabling real-time communication in store. the virtual ASL interpretation service is now available at Island Walk, 250 Palm Coast Parkway NE, Suite 408.
Why US Military Is Stuck Using $1 Million Missiles Against Iran’s $20,000 Drones
It may sound hard to believe, but the almost trillion-dollar U.S. military is struggling to fight cheap drones in its war with Iran. Iran has built a simple drone, the Shahed, with a motorcycle-type engine, loaded it with explosives and successfully targeted its neighbors’ cities and power plants.
Historic Old Brick Road Now a Battleground Between Flagler County Preservation and Palm Coast Expansion
Flagler County commissioners are stalling a proposed joint agreement with Palm Coast and Raydient, the developer of over 20,000 homes in the so-called “westward expansion” of Palm Coast, to ensure the preservation of historic Old Brick Road. They demand significant land buffers and flyover bridges instead of at-grade crossings. This firm stance aims to protect the World War I-era Dixie Highway remnant from development. The commission envisions the road as a vehicle-free linear park for nature-tourism.
Judge Denies Restoring Bond For Anne Mae Demegillo Following Murder Indictment In Newborn Death
Anne Mae Demegillo will remain at the Flagler County jail following a judge’s ruling against restoring a $250,000 bond, now that a grand jury indicted the 21 year old on first-degree murder charges related to her newborn’s death. The capital felony status removes her legal entitlement to pretrial release. Defense attorneys unsuccessfully argued for her freedom based on lack of flight risk. Defense attorney Aaron Delgado has replaced Michael Politis.
Former Flagler Beach Fire Chief and Historical Museum President Robbie Creal Dies at Age 75
Former Flagler Beach Fire Chief Robbie Creal died at his North 5th Street home this weekend at 75. Creal served as fire chief for 26 years before leading the Flagler Beach Historical Museum. Police discovered his body Monday during a welfare check requested by his sister. Authorities found no signs of foul play. The local community remembers him for his extensive civic and historical contributions.
DeSantis’s AI Bill of Rights Faces Steep Opposition From Republican Leaders as Special Session Nears
Gov. DeSantis seeks to pass his AI Bill of Rights during the Florida special session starting next week but faces significant resistance from House Speaker Danny Perez and federal Republican leaders who prefer almost nonexistent national standards. The proposed legislation restricts companion chatbots for minors and mandates parental consent in schools. High fines await non-compliant companies despite the growing national Republican trend toward deregulation of artificial intelligence.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, April 21, 2026
The Palm Coast City Council meets, Echoes of Earth: Flutes in Concert, a performance by the Daytona State College music program students, Community Preparedness Workshop, Chicago’s message to ICE.
Why Plastic Recycling Is Failing Catastrophically
Despite individual efforts, plastic recycling systems are failing globally, with rates as low as 9% in the U.S. and 15% in Europe. This failure stems from systemic issues including high production costs for recycled materials, technological limitations, and unrecyclable product designs. Addressing this crisis requires a collective shift away from individual responsibility toward a circular economy focused on reduction, reuse, and better eco-design.
AdventHealth Palm Coast Among Modern Healthcare’s 100 Top Hospitals
AdventHealth Fish Memorial and AdventHealth Palm Coast are among the nation’s 2026 Modern Healthcare’s 100 Top Hospitals, according to Premier, a national health care improvement organization.
Flagler County February Jobless Rate Drops To 5.8% and Labor Force Adds 500 Workers
Flagler County’s unemployment rate improved slightly to 5.8 percent in February, after a 6 percent showing in January. The local labor force grew by 500 workers. Local wages remain below state and national averages. Single-family home prices decreased from last year and cash buyers accounted for over 40 percent of recent home sales.
Calling Plan ‘Garbage,’ Theresa Pontieri Vows to Block Westward Development Unless Rayonier Pays More for Infrastructure
Palm Coast Council Member Theresa Pontieri rejected Rayonier’s Palm Coast westward expansion plan, labeling the document “absolute garbage” for adding 10,000 homes but eliminating previous developer commitments for roads and parks as taxpayers pick up the $126 million cost of a “Loop Road.” Pontieri demanded the landowner fund infrastructure improvements before a new development order is submitted to the council for approval.
Palm Coast Council Member Theresa Pontieri’s Statement on Westward Expansion Development Proposal
The full text of Palm Coast City Council member Theresa Pontieri’s statement opposing a proposed Master Planned Development order submitted by Rayonier, the Wildlight, Fla.-based company that owns the majority of the 20,000 acres slated for the western expansion.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, April 20, 2026
The Flagler County Commission meets, the East Flagler Mosquito Control District Board meets, reading Red Smith in a one-armed hash house, calming down with the Persian Santur.