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Weather: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 80s. South winds around 5 mph. Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy in the evening, then clearing. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the upper 50s. Southeast winds around 5 mph, becoming west around 5 mph after midnight.See the daily weather briefing from the National Weather Service in Jacksonville here.
Today at a Glance:
Presidential Primary Early Voting is available today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at four locations. Any registered and qualified voter who is eligible to vote in a county-wide election may vote in person at the early voting site. According to Florida law, every voter must present a Florida driver’s license, a Florida identification card or another form of acceptable picture and signature identification in order to vote. If you do not present the required identification or if your eligibility cannot be determined, you will only be permitted to vote a provisional ballot. Don’t forget your ID. A couple of secure drop boxes that Ron DeSantis and the GOP legislature haven’t yet banned (also known as Secure Ballot Intake Stations) are available at the entrance of the Elections Office and at any early voting site during voting hours. The locations are as follows:
- Flagler County Elections Supervisor’s Office, Government Services Building, 1769 East Moody Boulevard, Bunnell.
- Flagler County Public Library, 2500 Palm Coast Pkwy NW, Palm Coast.
- Palm Coast Community Center, 305 Palm Coast Parkway NE.
- Flagler Beach United Methodist Church, 1520 South Daytona Avenue, Flagler Beach.
Drug Court convenes before Circuit Judge Terence Perkins at 10 a.m. in Courtroom 401 at the Flagler County courthouse, Kim C. Hammond Justice Center 1769 E Moody Blvd, Bldg 1, Bunnell. Drug Court is open to the public. See the Drug Court handbook here and the participation agreement here.
The Palm Coast Democratic Club holds its monthly meeting at noon at the Palm Coast Hotel and Suites, 120 Garden Street North in Palm Coast. (Note the recent change of venue.) The “Gathering,” as the club prefers to call it, is open to all like-minded people, so please join in. If you like what you hear, become a dues paying member. The gathering begins with a brief business meeting, followed by a discussion or a guest speaker. For further information, please contact Palm Coast Democratic Club’s President Donna Harkins at (561) 235-2065, visit our website at http://palmcoastdemocraticclub.org/ or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/palmcoastdemclub/permalink
The Flagler Beach City Commission meets at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 105 South 2nd Street in Flagler Beach. Watch the meeting at the city’s YouTube channel here. Access meeting agenda and materials here. See a list of commission members and their email addresses here.
Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series hosted by the University of Florida Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience at 6 p.m. (Note the new time.) This free lecture will be presented in person at the UF Whitney Laboratory Lohman Auditorium, 9505 Ocean Shore Boulevard, in St. Augustine. The program is titled “Fish Ecology in a Rapidly Changing World.” Robert Lamb, Ph.D., Marine Ecologist, Research Assistant Professor at the UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station, will be the speaker. Robert will be sharing his research on fish ecology and the response of marine fishes to anthropogenic impacts such as climate change. Using the Galapagos Islands as a model system for short and long-term ocean warming, Robert will explore hypotheses regarding how climate change will alter population trajectories, food webs, wildlife disease outbreaks, and habitat use patterns. Reflecting on global efforts to mitigate human impacts on coastal ecosystems, Robert will draw from his experiences creating and managing marine protected areas in the US and abroad to discuss opportunities for stewardship of marine resources in a changing world. Those interested also have the option of registering to watch via Zoom live the night of the lecture. Go here to register for this month’s lecture.
Navy Bombing in the Ocala National Forest: Navy training schedules indicate that inert and live bombing will take place at the Pinecastle Range Complex located in the Ocala National Forest today. Bombings at times can be heard in Flagler-Palm Coast, especially on the west side. The bombings are scheduled as follows:
9:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Inert)
3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Inert)
During bombing periods wildlife may be temporarily displaced. Use extra caution when driving through the Ocala National forest and surrounding areas. Secure any items around your residence that could attract wildlife. Always be mindful of larger animals including black bears and practice bearwise measures. The telephone number for noise complaints is 1-800-874-5059, Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility, Jacksonville, Fla. For additional information, call (904) 542-5588.
| In Coming Days: December 14: Palm Coast's Starlight Parade in Town Center is scheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 14 in Central Park, this year capping off the city's 25th anniversary celebrations. This festive parade will be a celebration of community traditions, featuring numerous community partners. Enjoy a delightful evening with food, entertainment, and fun for all ages. Don’t miss this opportunity to come together and honor the vibrant spirit of Palm Coast. Be part of this magical event and celebrate our community in style! Santa will arrive on a Palm Coast Fire Engine! There will be food trucks, Letters to Santa station, face painting, and kids crafts. |
Notably: Is anybody really voting in this presidential primary anymore? Already Biden, choosing not to follow in LBJ’s path in 1968, took that fun away from Democrats–though who their choices might have been is just as worrisome as who their only choice is–and the strange Trump trance that’s had a hold of a third of this nation since 2016 did the same on the other side. The notice of early voting is running every day in this Briefing, but frankly, it’s embarrassing. The Canvassing Board is meeting a dozen times, taking everyone involved, including judges, away from their more serious work. Turnout could not possibly be more than a few percentage points. At least we have the March 19 Flagler Beach election to look forward to, though even there the new mayor was elected without opposition, and the contest between Eric Cooley and Bob Cunningham has lacked even so much as a forum (Cunningham begged off, citing health). It’s supposed to be an intolerable election year: it has certainly been that, and will continue to be, though eight months more of this seems unnecessary, especially when we all know the outcome.
—P.T.
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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.
Flagler Beach Farmers Market
Coffee With Flagler Beach Commission Chair Scott Spradley
Grace Community Food Pantry on Education Way
Second Saturday Plant Sale at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park
American Association of University Women (AAUW) Meeting
Gamble Jam at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area
Rotary’s Fantasy Lights Festival in Palm Coast’s Town Center
Palm Coast’s Starlight Parade in Town Center
A Christmas Carol at Athens Theatre
ESL Bible Studies for Intermediate and Advanced Students
Grace Community Food Pantry on Education Way
Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village
Al-Anon Family Groups
Palm Coast Holiday Boat Parade
Rotary’s Fantasy Lights Festival in Palm Coast’s Town Center
For the full calendar, go here.
November 9. Laus Deo! The crisis has been past and the most momentous popular election ever held since ballots were invented has decided against treason and disunion. My contempt for democracy and extended suffrage is mitigated. The American people can be trusted to take care of the national honor.”
—George Templeton Strong in his diary, Nov. 9, 1864. See the full diary here.
