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Weather: Mostly sunny. Showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 90s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90 percent. Heat index values up to 110. Monday Night: Mostly cloudy. Showers and thunderstorms, mainly in the evening. Lows in the mid 70s. Southwest winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 90 percent.
- Daily weather briefing from the National Weather Service in Jacksonville here.
- Drought conditions here. (What is the Keetch-Byram drought index?).
- Check today’s tides in Flagler Beach here.
- tropical cyclone activity here, and even more details here.
Today at a Glance:
The Flagler County Library Board of Trustees meets at 4:30 p.m. at the Flagler County Public Library, 2500 Palm Coast Pkwy NW, Palm Coast. The meeting of the seven-member board is open to the public.
Nar-Anon Family Groups offers hope and help for families and friends of addicts through a 12-step program, 6 p.m. at St. Mark by the Sea Lutheran Church, 303 Palm Coast Pkwy NE, Palm Coast, Fellowship Hall Entrance. See the website, www.nar-anon.org, or call (800) 477-6291. Find virtual meetings here.
The Bunnell City Commission meets at 7 p.m. at the Government Services Building, 1769 East Moody Boulevard, Bunnell, where the City Commission is holding its meetings until it is able to occupy its own City Hall on Commerce Parkway in 2025. To access meeting agendas, materials and minutes, go here.
Notebook: I admit it without shame: I wept with my French friends as we texted–wept with joy–when news came Sunday at 2 p.m. our time, 8 p.m. in Paris, that the Rassemblement National, Marine LePen’s neo-fascist party, was decisively rejected at the polls in the legislative elections. Emmanuel Macron called the snap election after RN’s more successful results in last month’s European Parliament elections, daring the French: if that’s what you want, prove it, he told them. They told him that they don;t want him or his party, but they don;t want the Rassemblement National, either. RN had hoped to win an outright majority in parliament, winning it the prime ministership. It looked like a very strong possibility. The results were a surprise, a great surprise, thanks to the Socialists, who pulled ahead of everyone else. It took some work. Even Francois Hollande, the former president, came out for an Assembly seat, which he won. Nevertheless, there’s no absolute majority: Macron says the centrists are the winner (not exactly, but maybe politically) and for now there’s no clarity on who will be the prime minister. Only that France will have a divided government, but a division between traditional parties as opposed to with Vichy’s descendants. And it remains true that the Rassemblement National got its best result of any extreme right party since Vichy. The RN’s Jordan Bardella called it the “dishonorable alliance” (“l’alliance du desohnneur”) that enables the left to form its coalition to keep his party out of the leadership. Of course there’s nothing more dishonorable than the RN’s anti-immigration, neo-fascist, Putin-appeasing platform. Maybe it’s a matter of time before the RN attains power. The next legislative elections could be caled in a year, and Macron’s term is up in 2027. But for now, the dam holds, and fingers are crossed for our own election on Nov. 5, where the United States will need the same sort of re-unified coalition to keep out Trump, starting with a Lazarus moment for Biden.
—P.T.
Now this: Video: Watch Melanchon’s pos-election speech by following the link:
https://f24.my/ASSO
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Rotary’s Fantasy Lights Festival in Palm Coast’s Town Center
Rotary’s Fantasy Lights Festival in Palm Coast’s Town Center
For the full calendar, go here.
“And it is a pleasant land. No word describes it so felicitously as that one. They say there is no word for “home” in the French language. Well, considering that they have the article itself in such an attractive aspect, they ought to manage to get along without the word. Let us not waste too much pity on “homeless” France. I have observed that Frenchmen abroad seldom wholly give up the idea of going back to France some time or other. I am not surprised at it now.”
–From Mark Twain’s The Innocents Abroad.
MAGA says
Shame shame on you spreading propaganda! I really detest what you stand for and it’s nothing about democracy buddy!
FlaglerLive says
It’s about letting you speak your mind.
Sherry says
@maga. . . To the contrary. . . political cartoons are all about the democratic “freedom of speech”. Ever hear of the “First Amendment” to our constitution?
The First Amendment provides that Congress make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting its free exercise. It protects freedom of speech, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
It seems the fascistic maga cult members like you are the ones who want to throw out our constitution and destroy our democracy!
Laurel says
MAGA mentality: Up is down and down is up.
Pogo says
@Happy for France
But where we live:
“New laws make DeSantis’ simmering Florida meaner and more dangerous
Nate Monroe
Jacksonville Florida Times-Union
The 2024 Florida legislative session reached its bleak denouement this week, when nearly 180 new laws took effect, many with sweeping, pernicious and — with enduring right-wing majorities locked in place — virtually irreversible changes to the state’s quality of life. The upshot is a Florida less safe for workers, less culturally rich, more corrupt, and less free, a sunbaked place where kids can work long hours and local governments can’t protect workers from record-setting heat, where the cops get to police their own conduct, where the sea reclaims cities while the state airbrushes “climate change” out of its statutes. And, for reasons known only to the hayseed legislator who proposed it, residents can now shoot black bears on impulse…”
https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/columns/nate-monroe/2024/07/03/new-laws-make-desantis-simmering-florida-meaner-and-more-dangerous-commentary/74287602007/
Jim says
The United States if far from perfect but never in my 60+ years here would I ever believe the country would swing so far right as it appears now. Until Trump was elected and – together with Mitch McConnell – put three right-wing justices on the Supreme Court and moved it so far to the right that I can no longer have faith in the Judiciary as a branch of government who will keep the USA as a land of laws. The current ruling giving Trump (or any President) “immunity” on any level may well have moved this country so far right that there will be no recovery. If Trump is indeed elected, there can be no one in this country who can honestly say or believe that Trump will use this new power to attack anyone and everyone who he perceives as an enemy. He might declare all Democrats as enemies of the state. I do not consider that last statement an exaggeration of his capabilities.
I am so mad at Joe Biden right now over his just disastrous performance in that debate that I’m just sick. But, that said, if Biden is the Democratic candidate in November, I will vote for him as long as he’s breathing. I’m willing to risk Biden in decline to Trump.
I hope the Democrats win the House, Senate and Presidency and I hope that – if they do – they move to fix the foundations of our government for posterity.
Sherry says
Excellent comment, Jim. . . Ditto! Anyone who votes for trump. . . a racist, rapist, lying, convicted felon is a victim of a FOX brainwashing cult!
Ray k. says
Well said !!
Laurel says
Well, President Biden could possibly, now, fire the far, far right, activist, ideological, self regulating, paid for Supreme Court Judges, or have them shot, with his new immunity. Be careful what you wish for Trumplicans.
But, know now that if any of us look to the justice system, and actually make our way to the Supreme Court, for any reason, if it doesn’t suit the idealism of the six, there will be no justice for us. Justice is no longer blind, it just turns its head.
If the Democrats could just shut up about one day, and move on, they could win. Looks as if a small minority of Democrats are complicit in Trump’s renomination, with their demands while getting all the headlines, and I’m sure Trump is happy as hell for once to keep his mouth shut.
Sherry says
@Laurel. . . As usual, you are right on! The Democrats need to get a grip and star leading! Make up your @#$%^ mind, pull together, save our democracy, and get rid of donald and his brainwashed maga cult!
Look, I’m a big Democrat. . . but, that political party, for too many years, has been too consensus driven. Their lack of leadership is appalling! If you try to be all things to all people all the time, you end up being nothing to no one! Your opponent is a “convicted felon” for Christ sake! He’s also been found guilty of sexual abuse and fraud! You can’t pull together and smack him down? Cowards!
Laurel says
Sherry: I totally agree with you. Trump and the Republicans are keeping their mouth shut, while working in the background, while the Democrats are doing their job for them on the networks and social media, and they just won’t shut the fuck up! That’s why I believe the Democratic politicians are complicit in the reelection of Trump. They are actually working at it. They must fear Trump like the Republican politicians do.
You are right when you ask “You can’t pull together and smack him down?” Yes, they can, but they won’t. Never, in the history of our country, well, with the exception of slavery, has our country been so dark and badly intended. People keep blaming seniors, but those generations have kept us safe, whereas now, the seniors are portrayed as the problem. We are all being manipulated by those with bad intentions.
When you see it come on TV, turn it off. When you see it pop up on social media, shut it off. The only reason I’m still here is FL allows me to write. If not, I’d shut this off too.