Today at the Editor’s glance: Drug court convenes before Circuit Judge Terence Perkins at 10 a.m. in Courtroom 401 at the county courthouse. An otherwise unevcentful day in local government. Florida’s minimum wage increases today from $8.65 an hour to $10 an hour, the first annual increase that will result in a $15 minimum wage on Sept. 30, 2026, thanks to a constitutional amendment voters approved in 2020. The University of Florida is conducting an on-line survey on behalf of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to learn more about the use of disposable plastic bags, auxiliary materials and wrappings by Florida residents. The study’s principal investigator is Dr. Tim Townsend from UF and the Sustainable Materials Management Research Laboratory. The survey will be administered on-line using Qualtrics from mid-September 2021 until October 31st, 2021. If you are able to participate in this very important, please visit this link below. Survey link: https://faculty.eng.ufl.edu/timothy-townsend/survey/ … This survey is available to all Florida residents and if you have any questions, please contact Ms. Ashley Ricketts via e-mail at [email protected].
Health Department’s Covid Testing and Vaccination Schedule and Information through Sept. 25:
Priority will be given to any students, faculty and school staff of public or private schools in Flagler County, followed by the general public, who should schedule testing appointments by calling 386-437-7350 ext. 0.
Thursday, September 30 8AM to 10AM
Friday, October 1 8AM to 10AM
Please consider the following when testing with DOH-Flagler.
* Testing should take place at least 3 to 5 days after exposure. Testing sooner than this may result in false negatives.
* This is NOT a drive-through test site. You will park and walk into the Cattleman’s Hall where testing takes place.
* Wear a mask inside the testing facility. Should you test positive, you may be asked to exit the facility and wait for the rest of your party outside to avoid transmission.
* DOH staff continue to work extended hours to keep up with the contact tracing and case investigation. We appreciate your ongoing patience. It may take time for DOH to reach individuals who test positive for COVID-19. Take initiative to isolate for at least ten days and encourage close contacts to watch for symptoms.
* If you are identified as a close contact to someone who tests positive, you may not hear from the health department if resources are not available.
* If you have been vaccinated (two weeks after your final dose) you will not need to quarantine if you do not have symptoms.
* If you have symptoms, get tested as soon as possible.
* Students will need to quarantine at least four days after the date of exposure.
Monoclonal Antibody Treatments are now available in Flagler County at Daytona State College’s Palm Coast Campus. Monoclonal Antibody Treatments (MAB) for COVID-19 can prevent severe illness, hospitalization and death among high-risk individuals. Individuals 12 years and older who are high-risk, that have contracted or been exposed to COVID-19, are eligible for this treatment. Treatment is free.
Vaccinations continue to be offered at 301 Dr. Carter Blvd on Mondays from 3:30 to 6:00PM. Appointments are preferred; Walk-ins are welcome. The health department is awaiting guidance for the administration of booster doses. CVS, Walgreens, Publix and Walmart are offering boosters to immunocompromised individuals.
The Live Calendar is a compendium of local and regional political, civic and cultural events. You can input your own calendar events directly onto the site as you wish them to appear (pending approval of course). To include your event in the Live Calendar, please fill out this form.
April 2026
Flagler Beach Farmers Market
Coffee With Flagler Beach Commission Chair Scott Spradley
Democratic Women’s Club
Grace Community Food Pantry on Education Way
Flagler Schools Jon Fair for Teachers
Chess Meet-Up At the Flagler Beach Public Library
“The Sound of Music,” at Athens Theatre
“Godspell,” at the Limelight Theatre
“The Sound of Music,” at Athens Theatre
Random Acts of Insanity’s Roundup of Standups from Around Central Florida
ESL Bible Studies for Intermediate and Advanced Students
Grace Community Food Pantry on Education Way
Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village
The Gallery of Local Art’s Bloom and Sip English Tea Party
Al-Anon Family Groups
For the full calendar, go here.
“It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from regard to their own interest.”
–Adam Smith, “The Wealth of Nations” (1776).
Ray W. says
One of the advantages of communal life is the possibility that belonging to a community will improve one’s chances of expecting dinner. We are, after all, not islands. I suppose it can be argued that Adam Smith captured the essence of human economic behavior in his 1776 book: An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. We, the assorted butchers, brewers and bakers, act in our own selfish perceived economic best interest. But perceptions of what is in our own selfish economic best interest can be distorted or perverted by others or, indeed, by ourselves. To paraphrase Wittgenstein, one of the most difficult things in life is to not fool ourselves. Some even act in their selfish perceived economic best interest by saying that exposing others to a virus will improve the community’s chances of survival by attaining natural herd immunity, in the belief that they will not be the one’s affected because they have been vaccinated. Others actually believe them and refuse to be vaccinated, thinking they, too, will not be affected, only others, including other people’s children. As some of them become infected, they reportedly reflect on their approaching deaths and convert, saying they wish and wish, so very hard, that they hadn’t listened to the distortions or perversions of others.
Sherry says
Thanks, Ray W, for yet another well reasoned comment. I would love to believe that your words have moved the needle towards even one person acting in the “common good” by getting vaccinated/wearing a mask.
Sherry says
I love this cartoon in that it spells out the complete Republican hypocrisy of now completely obstructing the payment for the massive debt they piled up for trump’s “billionaire” tax cut and reckless spending. . . all the while “planning” to defeat spending for VITAL things like “Climate Crisis” projects.