On WNZF’s annual year in review show with local media in January host David Ayres asked me if I liked Palm Coast. I replied with a mix of sarcasm and sourness. It was more of a show-offy attempt to sound clever than an honest reflection of how I felt. For all its many flaws, there are good reasons to appreciate Palm Coast down to its irradiating redness, even for a Bolshevik like me.
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Daily Cartoon and Briefing
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, February 14, 2025
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local
Jury Finds Stephen Monroe, 26, Guilty of Murder in Killing of Noah Smith, 16, and Is Sentenced to Life in Prison
It took less than 20 minutes for a 12-member jury to find Stephen Monroe guilty as charged, just before noon today: first degree murder for the killing of 16-year-old Noah Smith on a Bunnell street in January 2022. It was not a surprise.
In Murder Trial, Stephen Monroe Takes Stand in His Own Defense Only to Face an Inquisition Into His Rap of Lies
Stephen Monroe gambled today and testified in his own defense in his jury trial on a charge of murdering 16-year-old Noah Smith in Bunnell three years ago. He did so by going up against Assistant State Attorney Jason Lewis, a merciless cross-examiner who had Monroe grimacing, snorting, eye-rolling, huffing, gesturing, interrupting and talking over Lewis and so many times that he drew several rebukes from the judge, apologizing every time. It did not go well for Monroe, who at no point in the hour-long inquisition figured out that dueling with Lewis might not be a good idea.
Flagler County Seeks to Protect Old Brick Road, a Historic Treasure, from Logging Trucks and Palm Coast Development
Flagler County is exploring ways to protect the eight miles of historic Old Brick Road in the soon-to-be-developed portion of west Palm Coast. The more than 100-year-old road, built of bricks, is used by logging trucks and will be rimmed by housing developments. The county sees the best course of action as working with Palm Coast and Rayonier, the logging company, to craft protections.
More Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local
Palm Coast Council Journeys from Dubious ‘Forensic Audit’ to Mystifying Citywide ‘Risk Assessment’ as It Approves RFP
More than a year and a half after it first entertained then backtracked from conducting a “forensic audit” on its own government in response to a handful of residents’ undocumented claims that the administration was corrupt, the Palm Coast City Council late Tuesday night agreed to issue a request for proposal for a “risk assessment,” something quite different from what would have been a prohibitively expensive forensic audit.
Palm Coast’s Kristopher Henriqson, 47, a Federal Felon, Charged with Raping Child in His Custody; Could Face Death Penalty
Kristopher Henriqson, a 47-year-old resident of Lindsay Drive in Palm Coast and a federal felon, was arrested late Monday night and booked at the Flagler County jail on two capital felony counts of raping a child younger than 12, a child he was caring for. The charges, relatively a new law the Florida Legislature passed in 2023, makes him eligible for the death penalty if the State Attorney decides to seek capital punishment, and if Henriqson is convicted at trial.
In Sequence Devastating to Defense, Prosecution Shows Jury 26 Minutes That Led Up to Noah Smith’s Murder
The next-to-last clip in a sequence of 10 brief surveillance videos the prosecution showed the jury in Stephen Monroe’s trial on a first-degree murder charge today showed a white Cadillac driving on a dark Bunnell street, toward Palm Coast. It was the father of 16-year-old Noah Smith driving his dead or dying son to the hospital on Jan. 12, 2022. Monroe had fired one of the two guns that killed him. It may have been the most impactful two or three seconds of the trial so far as a riveted jury watched.
33 Palm Coast Streets Are Getting “Micro-Surfaced,” a Granular Sealant and Life-Extender Cheaper Than Regular Paving
More than 30 residential streets in Palm Coast–23 lane miles, or 11.5 miles of roadway out of the city’s network of 542 miles of roads–are getting a life extension with a coating of micro-surfacing, a form of asphalt treatment for roads in relatively good condition that can prevent decay and delay by five to seven years the need to mill and resurface the road with traditional paving methods.
County Crafting New Airport Rules Regulating Surrounding Land, But Noise and Touch-and-Go Foes Shouldn’t Get Excited
The Flagler County Commission is moving toward adopting a long-required ordinance regulating the county airport’s flight-zones approaches. The ordinance applies to land use around the airport, restricting or prohibiting certain structures or vegetation, to minimize risks to and enhance the safe operation of planes. Some residents surrounding the airport who have been objecting to the seemingly perpetual touch-and-go flights of a flight school at the airport, and complaining about the noise, will be disappointed. The ordinance does nothing to address flights or airport use.
In Murder Trial’s Openings, Stephen Monroe’s Attorney Argues Self-Defense in Shooting that Killed Noah Smith, 16
Self-defense: That’s what Terence Lenamon, Stephen Monroe’s attorney, argued to a jury this afternoon in Monroe’s trial on a first-degree murder charge, after the prosecution argued that Monroe and his friends had been looking for a fight for two days and had ample opportunity to drive back to Palm Coast to avoid a deadly shooting. Instead, they exchanged fire with another man on a Bunnell street, killing Noah Smith, 16, a by-stander in January 2022.
County Acknowledges Poor Pitch to Cities for Beach Aid Even as Cryptic Talk of ‘Plan’ Continues
County commissioners were critical of the vagueness request by their own county for help from local cities in financing a beach-protection plan at a joint local-government meeting last week. The county left the cities with no reason to contribute. But the county administrator repeatedly and cryptically referred to a plan that has not been made public and not been discussed with county commissioners.
CJ Nelson Jr. Pleads Out in Manslaughter Shooting Death of 18-Month-Old Child
CJ Nelson Jr., the 23-year-old Palm Coast resident facing a manslaughter charge in the shooting death of 18-month-old Ja’Liyah Allen on Ranwood Lane in September 2023, pleaded to the charge on Wednesday and will be sentenced on April 3. He faces up to 30 years in prison, but is unlikely to get that maximum.
Flagler County’s Leadership Academy Graduates 13 ‘Emerging Leaders for Future Roles’
Thirteen executives, managers, and professionals graduated from the Flagler County Local Government Leadership Academy at a special ceremony at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Operations Center on Thursday. Students master the subjects, skills, and expertise needed to effectively lead and deliver exceptional service to the citizens of Flagler County. It is an intensive four-month executive education program which meets weekly for two-hour classes at the Tax Collector’s Office.
Trump Proposes a Crime Against Humanity in Gaza
Trump’s proposal to ethnic-cleanse Gaza of Palestinians, transfer them to Jordan, Egypt and other Arab countries, and apparently annex Gaza’s 141 square miles (about the size of Palm Coast and the barrier island combined) to the United States, or at least rezone it as the “Riviera of the Middle East,” would be a crime against humanity on the scale of Stalin’s internal deportations and land expropriations of the 1930s and 40s.
Palm Coast Physician Christine Garrett Arrested on Felony Child Abuse Charge
Christine Elizabeth Garrett, a 55-year-old physician who runs her own practice in Palm Coast with her husband, was arrested on Sunday (Feb. 2) on a felony charge of child abuse when her adopted son called 911. The boy was locked in the bathroom when Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies arrived. When he heard then saw law enforcement officers, “he exited the bathroom crying and ran, grabbing onto Deputy Bishop, saying he needed help,” according to the sheriff’s report.
The Conversation
Federal Courts Are Unlikely to Save Democracy from Ongoing Assault
The problem with relying on the courts for help goes beyond ideology and right-leaning justices going along with a right-leaning president. One challenge is speed: The current administration is moving much faster than courts do, or even can. The other is authority: The courts’ ability to compel government action is limited, and also slow.
Florida and Beyond
Selfish or Selfless? When Going Childless Is an Ethical Choice.
Plenty of childless people want children but can’t have them. Other people may not want kids for personal or economic reasons. But advocates for “anti-natalism,” a relatively new social movement, argue giving birth is immoral. They push back against the idea that childlessness is selfishness. They believe they are protecting their unborn children, not neglecting them: that childlessness is the ethical choice.
Florida Court Clears Way for Trump Lawsuit Against Pulitzer Board Over Russian Interference Articles
A Florida appeals court Wednesday cleared the way for President Donald Trump to pursue a defamation lawsuit against Pulitzer Prize board members in a dispute rooted in the organization awarding a prize to The New York Times and The Washington Post for reporting about alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, February 13, 2025
Stephen Monroe’s trial continues, the Flagler Beach City Commission meets, Dr. Carlos Lois takes on “The Illusion of Reliable Brain Function” in Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series, recalling Decision, the journal, before Decision, the magazine.
More Florida and Beyond
The Gaza Ceasefire May Not Hold
Interviews with over 1,400 respondents in a demographically matched online panel of the Jewish Israeli population, and as part of an in-person survey in Gaza, show why 16 months of extreme violence and suffering have created psychological barriers to peace. The interviews also suggest ways to achieve a more positive future.
Florida Lawmakers May Ban Hotels, Golf Courses and Pickle Ball Courts in State Parks
After a bipartisan uproar last year about a proposal dubbed the “Great Outdoors Initiative,” the Florida Senate on Tuesday began moving forward with a bill that would prevent building such things as golf courses, pickleball courts and hotel-style lodges in state parks. The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee unanimously approved the bill (SB 80), sponsored by Sen. Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, February 12, 2025
The Atlantic Chapter of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State holds its weekly meeting, the difference between intelligence and cleverness, a few moments with Andre Gide.
How Big Oil Made Climate Change a Partisan Issue
Working behind the scenes since the 1950s, researchers working for companies such as Exxon, Shell and Chevron had made their leaders well aware that the widespread use of their product was already causing climate change. They then started making large donations to national and state-level candidates and politicians they viewed as friendly to the interests of the industry.
Florida Senator Files Bill to Americanize El Golfo de México in State Laws
Sen. Nick DiCeglie, the Republican who sponsored last year’s ill-fated bill to eliminate local control over vacation rentals, filed a bill that combs through state laws and would replace references to the “Gulf of Mexico” with the “Gulf of America” after President Donald Trump issued an executive order to rename the gulf.
Spat with DeSantis Resolved, Legislature Begins Third Special Session on Immigration Today
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican leaders of the Legislature announced Monday evening their agreement on the state’s immigration enforcement response under the Trump administration after a month-long public dispute.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, February 11, 2025
The Palm Coast City Council talks utility rate increases, the murder trial of Stephen Monroe, the Community Traffic Safety Team meets, the changing face of Town Center, how to build the perfect city, on the cult of open space.
What If Fema Didn’t Exist?
Imagine a world in which a hurricane devastates the Gulf Coast, and the U.S. has no federal agency prepared to quickly send supplies, financial aid and temporary housing assistance. Could the states manage this catastrophic event on their own?
Federal Judge Blocks ‘Catastrophic’ Cut to NIH Grants
A federal judge on Monday blocked the National Institutes of Health from changing the percentage that universities and medical schools pay in facilities and administrative costs, blocking a decision that was rebuked by academic institutions throughout the country and members of Congress. Judge Angel Kelley of the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts entered the brief, two-page order, which “shall remain in effect until further order of this Court.” Kelley set an in-person hearing date for Feb. 21.
Teresa ‘Teri’ Ryan, 1947-2025
Teresa “Teri” Ryan (née Pizzarelle), 77, passed away peacefully on January 30, 2025, in La Plata, Maryland. Born on December 8, 1947, in Washington, D.C., she was the beloved daughter of the late Harry and Betty Pizzarelle, sister Melissa Shreve (Phoenix, AZ), and half-brother John Parks.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, February 10, 2025
Trans lives matter, the County Commission meets, the Flagler County Library Board of Trustees meets, a few words on “self-elected saints with gloomy brows.”
Reading Alice Munro Now That Secrets Have Been Revealed
For months readers have been learning about the enormity of Andrea Skinner’s suffering, following sexual abuse by her stepfather, and her mother Alice Munro’s decision to stay with and protect him. As scholars re-read Munro with a knowledge of the secrets she kept and the pain she caused, we have an opportunity — if not an obligation — to use our re-readings to reckon with sexual abuse of children and the silence that so often surrounds it.
A History of Birthright Citizenship at the Supreme Court
Birthright citizenship was explicitly added to the Constitution in 1868 when the 14th Amendment was adopted following the Civil War. The United States is one of roughly 30 countries, including neighboring Canada and Mexico, that offer automatic citizenship to everyone born there. There is a “strong likelihood” that the challengers of a presidential executive order ending birthright citizenship “will succeed on the merits of their claims that the Executive Order violates the Fourteenth Amendment” to the Constitution.
Commentary
Tallahassee Goes Looney Tunes Over Immigration
Ron DeSantis is spittle-spouting, white boot-stamping, holding-his breath-till-he’s-blue, screaming-till-he’s-sick mad. He’s toddler mad, Elmer Fudd mad: like, vewy, vewy angwy. The Florida Legislature has defied him; dissed him; insulted him on immigration. Whatever his future, these days DeSantis is becoming shrill, declaring he’ll veto the Legislature’s bill, flying around the state (at taxpayer expense, naturally), telling Floridians to get up in their lawmakers’ faces and demand complete capitulation: “You have your marching orders.”
Kendrick Lamar’s Big Super Bowl Moment
As a world-renowned Grammy- and Pulitzer Prize-winning artist, Kendrick Lamar stands in a league of his own. His unflinching critiques of racial injustice, systemic inequality and the exploitation of Black culture have made him a boundary-pushing artist and cultural visionary.
Five of the Worst Super Bowl Ads Ever
A true advertising face-plant is a commercial that’s both tone-deaf and completely forgettable – so dull, off-putting or confusing that when a brand completely switches up its strategy, you almost don’t remember the massive blunder that compelled it to change course in the first place. Almost. Here are five of the biggest Super Bowl advertising flops.