Flagler Pride Fest, celebrating National pride Month, at Palm Coast’s Central Park in Town Center, celebrating Saul Bellow’s birthday, Gamble Jam.
All Else
Trump’s Charge Under The Espionage Act Explained
The Espionage Act has historically been employed most often by law-and-order conservatives. But the biggest uptick in its use occurred during the Obama administration, which used it as the hammer of choice for national security leakers and whistleblowers.
Trump Indictment: 37 Felony Counts in Classified Documents Probe
According to the indictment, Trump schemed with an aide to keep possession of top secret and other sensitive national security documents from his presidency and concealed those documents even from his own lawyers, who sought to comply with a federal order to return them.
Flagler Sheriff’s Chief Welker Graduates from Prestigious FBI National Academy
FCSO Community Policing Division Chief Jonathan Welker graduated from the 286th session of the FBI National Academy (FBINA) in Quantico, Virginia on June 8th.
Palm Coast and County Snub Role in EV Charging Stations In Shocking Rebuff to a Green Energy Grant
Partisanship, misinformation, false assumptions and free-market ideology all played a role in Palm Coast and county government rejecting a partnership in what would have been a potential $15 million federal grant to build electric vehicle charging stations at various public locations in cities and the county.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, June 9, 2023
Burlesque and drag night at Coquina Brewery in Flagler Beach, Christian Boyd, is sentenced, Flagler Pride’s Erica Rivera on Free for All Fridays, the surprising Justice Roberts.
Why a Federal Judge Found Tennessee’s Anti-Drag Law Unconstitutional
On June 2, Judge Thomas Parker, a Trump-appointed federal district court judge in western Tennessee, ruled that Tennessee’s anti-drag “Adult Entertainment Act” violated the First Amendment’s free speech protection.
No, Flagler Beach Isn’t Asking for Money. It’s Asking for Cooperation from County and Cities.
Flagler Beach is quickly becoming “maxed out” with visitors, Flagler Beach City Commission Chairman Eric Cooley says, and is looking for help from the county and its other cities to devise a balancing strategy and spread out tourists and day-trippers more manageably. He refutes the claim that the city is looking for more money.
In Surprise Victory for Voting Rights, Supreme Court Rejects Redistricting Map Diluting Black Vote
By a vote of 5-4, the justices issued a major voting rights decision, ruling that Alabama’s new congressional map likely violates the Voting Rights Act. Even more significantly, the court declined an invitation to adopt an interpretation of the act that would have made it much more difficult to challenge redistricting plans.
The Hung Jury Got It Right in the Monserrate Teron Trial
Raymond Warren, a retired assistant public defender who practiced in Flagler County and the rest of the Seventh Judicial Circuit for decades, reviews the reaction to the hung jury in the Monserrate Terron case and argues why the jury got it right.
Appeals Court Will Decide Whether DeSantis Violated Public Records Law in Migrant Flights Case
A state appeals court Tuesday will hear arguments in a dispute about whether Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration violated Florida’s public-records law by not properly providing documents about a controversial plan to fly migrants from Texas to Massachusetts last year.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, June 8, 2023
Drug Court, the Flagler Beach City Commission meets, Library Director Holly Albanese speaks to the The Palm Coast Democratic Club on the ongoing assaults against the freedom to read, Canada’s horrific C-18 bill.
Canada Wants Google and Facebook to Pay for News Content. The Effort Is Misguided.
There is no evidence that shows news outlets are worse off because of Google, Facebook and other aggregators. If anything, evidence (and lots of it) shows that, overall, news outlets would be in worse shape without these digital platforms.
Flagler Sportfishing Club Donates $5,000 to Disabled American Veterans
The Flagler Sportfishing Club is proud to announce its recent donation of $5000 to Disabled American Veterans (DAV), a renowned organization dedicated to assisting veterans in accessing the benefits they deserve.
Man Points a Gun at Another Driver on SR100, Now Faces Felony and Car Forfeiture
Bryant E. Stanley, 50, was booked at the Flagler County jail overnight on a felony aggravated assault charge stemming from an apparent road rage incident on State Road 100, where he is alleged to have pointed a gun at another driver on Tuesday.
Flagler Pride Fest Is On Despite Hostile Climate, Drag Show Included, With a Few Cautionary Tucks
While some other communities have cancelled their celebrations because of state hostility, the fourth annual Flagler Pride Fest will be a three-day celebration this weekend, starting with drag night at Coquina Brewery, a day-long festival at Palm Coast’s Town Center, and the Pulse commemoration at veterans Park in Flagler Beach Sunday.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, June 7, 2023
The Palm Coast Code Enforcement Board meets, Separation Chat, Weekly Chess Club for Teens, Schubert’s 13th piano sonata, Henry Adams has contempt.
Hernando Superintendent Bill Goes to DeSantis Amid Calls for Ouster
Amid calls by some Republican lawmakers to remove the Hernando County superintendent of schools, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday received a bill that could lead to the superintendent’s job becoming an elected post.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, June 6, 2023
The Palm Coast City Council, the Bunnell Planning Board and the school board all meet, the Boys of Pointe du Hoc on the commemoration of the Normandy invasion.
Don’t Buy the Cynical Claim that Students Are Shutting Down Speech on Campus
The claim that college students censor viewpoints with which they disagree is now common. Such cynical distortions dominate discussions of higher education today, misinform the public and threaten both democracy and higher education.
AdventHealth Names Clifton Scott COO for Both Hospitals in Palm Coast
AdventHealth has named Clifton Scott as chief operating officer (COO) at AdventHealth Palm Coast and AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway, effective June 18.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, June 5, 2023
The County Commission starts its budget discussions, The Astronomy Club of Palm Coast meets, Ron DeSantis is all in on creating an autocracy, Roth’s “Dying Animal” on film.
The Better Way to Disagreements
At home, at work and in civic spaces, it’s not uncommon to have conversations that make you question the intelligence and benevolence of your fellow human beings. When that argument fails to have the intended persuasive impact, people often grow frustrated, and disagreement becomes conflict. There’s a better way.
Palm Coast’s Annual Photo Contest Is Accepting Submissions
Capture the people, the landscape, and the lifestyle of Palm Coast in the City’s annual photo contest. The six categories are: Pets, Recreation, Wildlife, Landscapes, Events and Residents.
Take Pride
This Pride Month, there’s not much to be proud of in people who to this day would rather burn than raise the Pride Flag. It’s about time it replaced all those MIA flags in school yards and at courthouses. LGBTQ victims, unlike the mythical missing, are real, and they’re piling up.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, June 4, 2023
Cecile Robilliard on flute, Palm Coast Farmers’ Market, what makes you a conspiracy theorist, and 2023 on pace for a record-breaking year of mass killings in the United States.
Drag Queen Story Hour Is Not What You Think
Contrary to misconceptions, exposing children to diverse gender identities and expressions supports their natural development. Further, it fosters inclusive and accepting communities and school environments, which is fundamental for developing well-adjusted adults.
To Survive Poverty, Prayer Helped. But So Did Government.
In Florida, I worked three jobs — not enough to make ends meet, but enough to disqualify me from food stamps and cash assistance. Politicians who cut our safety net say these strict rules encourage work, but for me it was the opposite.
Five Florida Law Enforcement Officers Inducted Into Hall of Fame
Five former law enforcement officers from throughout Florida were honored this morning at the Florida Law Enforcement Officers’ Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. They are: John E. Brooks, Gary W. Hester, Douglas F. Muldoon, Anthony L. Peterson and Dorene E. Thomas.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, June 3, 2023
Sunshine and Sandals Social at Cornerstone, The First Saturday Creative Bazaar Arts and Craft Market, Nate Persily on Alex Jones type conspiracists.
Palm Coast Fire Department Dedicates Fire Engine to Raheen Tyson Heighter
The Palm Coast Fire Department hosted a Gold Star Dedication ceremony in which they dedicated a Fire Engine 24 in memory of Army Corporal Raheen Tyson Heighter this past weekend.
Debt Deal a Rare Triumph for Political Center
The House vote on GOP Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s deal with Democratic President Joe Biden to suspend the debt ceiling through Jan. 1, 2025, successful passage was undoubtedly carried by centrists. The middle may be shrinking, but it still exists, and it is critical in a closely divided Congress.
Drunk Driver Allegedly Goes Nuts on Deputy After Crashing Into Hydrant
Frank Clement Jr. of Palm Coast, who was drunk, faces a first-degree felony charge after allegedly assaulting a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy by grabbing the deputy’s crotch and twisting his testicles, causing the deputy great pain.
AdventHealth Dedicates New Medical Office Building on Palm Coast Parkway, Ahead of Hospital
AdventHealth Palm Coast hosted a prelude-like opening this afternoon as the medical office building next to the hospital was blessed and dedicated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by physicians, hospital executives and others.
At FPC, Misplaced ‘Man Cave’ Culture and Improprieties Cause Demise of Girls’ Basketball Coach
A Flagler County school district investigation of now-former Flagler Palm Coast high School basketball coach Anthony Wagner found that he had committed various improprieties and acted unprofessionally, resulting in his second written reprimand and his removal from that role. He is also not being recommended for reappointment as a teacher.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, June 2, 2023
Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord on Free For All Fridays, First Friday in Flagler Beach, the irony of Student Safety Month, Edward Gibbon on Christianity’s effect on progress.
LGBTQ Rights Under Assault Even in Israel
Many Israelis fear that hard-line conservative ministers will roll back LGBTQ rights. And LGBTQ issues are a potent symbol of a chasm fueling debate over the judicial overhaul: secular and religious Israeli Jews’ very different visions of the Jewish state.
Behind the Divorce, a Bitter, Threat-Ridden Clash Between Waste Pro and Palm Coast Over Recycling Bins
An examination of the communications between Waste Pro and Palm Coast illustrates the scope and depth of the two sides’ dispute over recycling bins, with Palm Coast essentially considering their removal a form of theft, and Waste Pro standing by its decision to take back thousands of them. The two sides may be heading to court.
Mom Arrested After Witnesses Report her Brutalizing Her 7-Year-Old Child on A1A
Amanda Hopkins, a 33-year-old Smith Trail resident of Palm Coast, was arrested on a felony child abuse charge late Wednesday night in Flagler Beach after witnesses reported she brutalized her 7-year-old daughter by the side of State Road A1A, near South 6th Street, in what appears to have been a drunken rage.
FCC Environmental Begins Trash Pick-Up in Palm Coast
FCC Environmental Services Inc. begins providing trash and recycling services to the City of Palm Coast today, June 1, 2023. Residents should have received a mailer from FCC with more information about services, pickup dates, and more.
Its Streets Degrading, Palm Coast Looks for Electric Vehicles to Pay Their Fair Share of Road Taxes
Neither Florida nor Palm Coast tax electric vehicles’ energy consumption, though EVs drive and damage local roads just as other vehicles do. The Palm Coast City Council, faced with a $52 million road-repair bill over the next five years, is looking for new revenue, and targeting EVs. But they may not be a lucrative source just yet.
(Redirected) Its Streets Degrading, Palm Coast Looks for Electric Vehicles to Pay Their Fair Share of Road Taxes
Neither Florida nor Palm Coast tax electric vehicles’ energy consumption, though EVs drive and damage local roads just as other vehicles do. The Palm Coast City Council, faced with a $52 million road-repair bill over the next five years, is looking for new revenue, and targeting EVs. But they may not be a lucrative source just yet.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, June 1, 2023
Two Florida medical boards look to curtail transgender treatment, the New College of Florida board meets, on the verb “rootle,” a Knausgaard bit.
AI May Be an ‘Extinction Risk,’ But How?
This week a group of well-known and reputable AI researchers signed a statement comparing the risk posed by artificial intelligence to pandemics and nuclear war. But its authors should probably be more specific and clarify their concerns.
Two-Week Sales Tax ‘Holiday’ for Disaster Preparedness
The State of Florida is offering disaster preparedness financial assistance through two programs: the 2023 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday and the UNITE Florida Sheltering at Home for Recovery Continuation (SHRC) Program.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Weekly Chess Club for Teens at the county library, Separation Chat by the Atlantic Chapter of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, where has Clint Eastwood been, when Keith Jarrett trashed Wynton Marsalis.
A Former Nun’s Account of Abuse and Brainwashing
“Any thoughts of escaping to a more natural life was regarded as being sinful. The idea of being unfaithful to your vocation was a step on the way to hell. It would be a mortal sin.” So spoke the author’s mother, 15 when she entered a convent in Ireland in 1950 and 34 by the time she finally managed to leave.
Fishing on Florida’s Historic Coast Heats Up This Summer
From fishing piers and kayak fishing to deep sea charters, fly fishing, and everything in between, there is never a shortage of fishing opportunities when you visit St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, and The Beaches – making it a top destination for anglers from around the world.
Flagler Replaces Confusing Letter-Based Evacuation Zones With Neighborhood Names as Hurricane Season Begins
As the 2023 hurricane season begins–with a forecast of 12 to 17 named storms–Flagler County’s Evacuation Zones A and B and C are a thing of the past, replaced by a more intuitive, neighborhood-named system. Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord previewed the season and a few changes ahead.
Upside of Unrequited Survives Book Ban at FPC, But 57% of Challenged Titles Were Removed From Flagler Schools This Year
A Flagler Palm Coast High School committee of faculty and residents voted 7-0 to keep Becky Albertalli’s The Upside of Unrequited on high school library shelves. It was the last challenge of the year by just three individuals, who had filed 44 challenges to 22 titles, succeeding in having 12 of them removed.