To include your event in the Briefing and Live Calendar, please fill out this form.
Weather: Areas of frost before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 58. Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 39.
- 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 Daytona Beach (a few minutes off from Flagler Beach) here.
- Tropical cyclone activity here, and even more details here.
Today at a Glance:
The Cold-Weather Shelter known as the Sheltering Tree will open tonight: The shelter opens at Church on the Rock at 2200 North State Street in Bunnell as the overnight temperature is expected to fall to 40 or below. It will open from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. The shelter is open to the homeless and to the nearly-homeless: anyone who is struggling to pay a utility bill or lacks heat or shelter and needs a safe, secure place for the night. The shelter will serve dinner and breakfast. Call 386-437-3258, extension 105 for more information. Flagler County Transportation offers free bus rides from pick up points in the county, starting at 3 p.m., at the following locations and times:
- Dollar General at Publix Town Center, 3:30 p.m.
- Near the McDonald’s at Old Kings Road South and State Road 100, 4 p.m.
- Dollar Tree by Carrabba’s and Walmart, 4:30 p.m.
- Palm Coast Main Branch Library, 4:45 p.m.
Also: - Dollar General at County Road 305 and Canal Avenue in Daytona North, 4 p.m.
- Bunnell Free Clinic, 4:30 p.m.
- First United Methodist Church in Bunnell, 4:30 p.m.
The shelter is run by volunteers of the Sheltering Tree, a non-profit under the umbrella of the Flagler County Family Assistance Center, is a non-denominational civic organization. The Sheltering Tree is in need of donations. See the most needed items here, and to contribute cash, donate here or go to the Donate button at this page.
Joint Workshop Between County Commission and Palm Coast Council, 9 a.m. at the Government Services Building, 1769 East Moody Boulevard, Bunnell. The two governments will discuss building a new animal control receiving facility and potentially operating joint animal control services.
Drug Court convenes before Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols 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.
Flagler Beach United Methodist Church Food Pantry: Flagler Beach United Methodist Church‘s food pantry is open today from 9:30 a.m. to noon at 1500 S. Daytona Ave, Flagler Beach. The church’s mission is to provide nourishment and support in a welcoming, respectful environment. To find us, please turn at the corner of 15 Street and S. Daytona Ave, pull into the grass parking area and enter the green door.
Notably: Pamela Hemphill, convicted for her role in the Jan. 6 insurrection–one count of demonstrating, picketing or parading in a Capitol building–the refused Trump’s pardon. She appeared at a House hearing to explain. A heroic act, even if she is not a hero. There are few heroes, if they exist at all. But we all have it in us to do heroic things, and that’s all it takes to keep us decent as a society (or to be true to ourselves despite our flaws). See below.
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 Woman’s Club Charity Golf Tournament
Flagler Beach Farmers Market
Coffee With Flagler Beach Commission Chair Scott Spradley
Grace Community Food Pantry on Education Way
Gamble Jam at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area
Dead Men Tell No Tales…. Or Do They? Murder Mystery Dinner Show
“The Sound of Music,” at Athens Theatre
‘Line’ and ‘All In the Timing’ At City Rep Theatre
ESL Bible Studies for Intermediate and Advanced Students
Grace Community Food Pantry on Education Way
Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village
Dead Men Tell No Tales…. Or Do They? Murder Mystery Dinner Show
“The Sound of Music,” at Athens Theatre
Al-Anon Family Groups
‘Line’ and ‘All In the Timing’ At City Rep Theatre
For the full calendar, go here.
If people bring so much courage to this world the world has to kill them to break them, so of course it kills them. The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry.
–From Hemingway’s A Farewell To Arms (1929).
Pogo says
Amen.
Ray W. says
Hello Pogo.
On March 5, 1946, Churchill gave to the world his still-famous “Iron Curtain” speech at Fulton, Missouri.
One theme he explored in the speech was the”two giant marauders, war and tyranny”, and the need to protect the masses.
He continued:
“When the designs of wicked men or the aggressive urge of mighty States dissolve over large areas the frame of civilized society, humble folk are confronted with difficulties with which they cannot cope. For them, all is distorted, all is broken, even ground to a pulp.
“When I stand here this quiet afternoon, I shudder to visualize what is actually happening to millions now and what is going to happen in this period when famine stalks the earth. None can compute what has been called ‘the unestimated sum of human pain’. Our supreme task and duty is to guard the homes of the common people from the horrors and miseries of another war. We are all agreed on that.”
Make of this what you will.
Laurel says
Do y’all now see why we keep referring to George Orwell’s “1984”? Is it yet sinking in?
Jim says
I just want to point out the current Trump moves to deflect….
Goes on a rant about Iceland (or Greenland?). Disparages our allies contributions to the war on terror (failing to mention his own bravery in avoiding the draft during Vietnam – i.e., General Bone-Spurs). Threatens military action. Threatens to destroy NATO. Then, when the temperature got too hot for him, he suddenly declared a “deal” with the leader of NATO (who has no authority over Iceland), declares victory and runs away. No details. Nothing. Anyone heard any more about it since then???
Moves on to Minnesota. Declares it a haven for illegals who are the worst of the worst. Sends in five times the number of police that Minneapolis has and proceeds to establish a rein of terror over the city claiming to be enforcing our immigration laws. ICE abuses an innumerable number of American citizens. Finally, two shootings that if you’re willing to look, are clearly unnecessary and unlawful. As the “cartoon” shows, Pretti was shot point blank in the back or neck or head with the first shot. But since Pretti is apparently super-human, they shot him 9 more times even though the video’s show him down and not moving. And Good was shot three times as she drove away (in the side of the head so tell me she aimed her car at the shooter) by an ICE agent who called her a “bitch” after killing her. And in neither case was first aide offered by the ICE agents. Stephen Miller, Noem, Vance and Trump all say they were both “domestic terrorists” who “assaulted agents” and were shot in self-defense. But, again, if you can see (and are willing to see), neither event tracks with the government line. So, as the public (and even some Republicans) start calling these lies out, Trump “TACO’s” again. Out comes Greg Bovino. Noem gets chastised by Trump. Trump says the government is going to tone it down.
But we’re not done! Trump now announces he is sending an “armada” to Iran. He’s threatening Iran for abusing and shooting protesters! How brave. How tone deaf!
But why? I notice that the Epstein files are not making front page news with all this going on. I’ve noticed that, while the DOJ claims to have hundreds of agents going through the files, not a single file has been released since December. Now, I can’t speak for the DOJ but I have some experience with reviewing documents that are going to be released. I found that if you have thousands (or millions) of documents, you review them as expected and then you start releasing those reviewed as they become available. But the DOJ isn’t doing that. Apparently, they’ve decided they all have to be released at once! And, further, in this day and age of AI and the capability to scan documents for words and phases, seems common sense to me that a substantial number of documents could be released quite often – why, even daily!
So, why all the drama and slight of hand? MAGA, get ready for a shock… If these files ever do come out, I fear that the Donald is not going to look very good to the clan. But, then again, will that matter? We can officially add pedophile to his resume, along with traitor, thief, con man, rapist, liar and narcissist. Another thought, when he builds his “Arc de Trump” in DC, we can put all these accomplishments on the wall of the structure. Let’s even put them in gold….
Skibum says
So… cut to a “new” day in ICE occupied Minneapolis, Minn. Gregory Bovino exits stage left while Tom Homan enters stage right.
My optimistic side wants me to believe that administration officials have heard the loud cries of the citizens and other politicians, have decided to backtrack on the aggressive thuggish and unprofessional behavior exhibited by so many ICE and border patrol agents, and that the situation on the ground will improve under now that Tom Homan is the on-scene commander, with more restraint and an emphasis on de-escalation instead of over the top aggressiveness as the new strategy in Minn.
My pessimistic side tell me that all the change in on-scene leadership amounts to is a different shade of lipstick on a pig.
America is closely watching, and Minn. citizens continue to use their cell phones to record the TRUTH of what is actually happening, to counteract the lies from this corrupt, extremist federal administration and their unjustified occupation of the state of Minnesota while much more populace states with much higher numbers of undocumented immigrants remain untouched simply because they have maga supporting GOP governors with very brown noses.
Ray W. says
The German term , zeitenweide, means an “epochal turning point.” I suppose a synonym for zeitenweide is epiphany. If this is so, perhaps I experienced a zeitenweide when in January 2021 I read of a Flagler County elected self-proclaimed and no longer conservative Republican official taking to the radio to ask listeners just when would it be time to begin beheading Democrats.
Yes, I had over 30 years experience prosecuting and defending people. Yes, I had handled dozens and dozens of homicide cases of all types. But, the exhibition of vile thinking by the politician stunned me. His casual manner of delivery, as if the idea of executing political opponents was acceptable, stunned me. The fact that no local Republican rebuked their fellow Republican repulsed me.
So I began a journey of commenting on the FlaglerLive site against the vengeful and hateful, the murderous and vile, among us.
At the time, I knew of Mr. Tristam, having first met him in 1996, to my recollection. Over time, I grew to respect his editorial skill, not that I agreed with all he espoused.
I began my intermittent reading of FlaglerLive when I moved to the Flagler office of the Public Defender in January 2010. Office staff reads FlaglerLive every day to save articles to client files so that the attorneys might pluck at some moment something of relevance, if possible, so I read his coverage of several of my murder cases.
But I didn’t comment to the FlaglerLive community until on or shortly after the day of the beheading zeitenweide.
Right now, perhaps, a turning point on the issue of immigration may have arrived. Whether it comes to be a zeitenweide, or an epochal turning point, awaits measure. A government cannot sponsor a snuff film without provoking censure. It has become clear to many Independents and true conservatives that the current administration has been hiring many of the worst among us to deport many of the best among us.
As an aside, this is for Pierre:
On a November day in 1951, a number of friends and family lunched at Chequers, Winston Churchill’s country home. Among them that day was Australia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Richard Casey. Mr. Churchill had just been selected Prime Minister for the second time.
A diarist preserved snippets of luncheon conversation centered on the probability of a coming third world war, writing:
“The Prime Minister said that he did not believe total war was likely. If it came, it would be on one of two accounts. Either the Americans, unable or unwilling any longer to pay for the maintenance of Europe, would say to the Russians you must by certain dates withdraw from certain points and meet us on certain requirements: otherwise we shall attack you. Or, the Russians, realizing that safety did not come from being strong, but only from being the strongest, might for carefully calculated and not for emotional reasons, decide they must attack before it was too late. If they did so their first target would be the British Isles, which is the aircraft carrier.
“It was for that reason that Mr Churchill was anxious to convert this country from its present status of a rabbit into that of a hedgehog.
“Mr Casey said that there was an ancient Lebanese proverb to the effect that one did not cut a man’s throat when one had already poisoned his soup. Mr Churchill’s said he agreed: it was a matter of supererogation. Mr Casey thought that until the sores of Malaya, Indochina and the Middle East had been cured, the Russians might consider that the soup was poisoned.”
Make of this what you will.
Ed P says
Minnesota/Minneapolis has been a complete kerfuffle that metastasized into a a tragic loss of life. It could have been prevented and certainly could have been handled quite differently. 20/20 hindsight always exposes the obvious.
The shootings will be investigated, justice may be served but will there ever be agreement? Probably not.
Neither Renee Good nor Alex Pretti should have been killed. I will not dispute that fact. Their description/status ranges from Hero to terrorist. Why are we so far divided. The explanation that those 2 things can be true is absurd. Their descriptive disconnect is astounding. They were both victims and pawns. It was inevitable and maybe they were just unlucky.
My only observation from real world experience is that during any conflict, one’s adrenaline, elevated state, fear, and anger alters everyone’s response or actions.
It is easily possible to fire a semi automatic pistol 3-5 times in a single second under stress. That also means a 11-15 round clip can be emptied in well under 3 seconds. Expert shooters have been recorded firing 8 rounds from a semi automatic handgun in 1 second. We speak 2.3-2.7 words a second. A pistol can fire three times as many bullets in that same second.
I’m guessing anyone who has ever been pulled over for a traffic infraction, falls prey to stress with an elevated heart beat and defensive posture. Protesters and law enforcement are no different and experience the same stressors.
Anyone attempting to vilify one single entity is simply wrong. Just blaming the open borders, or Biden, Democrats, Trump, Republicans Noem, ICE, the agents, Renee or Alex, Frey, Walz or sanctuary policies is overly simplistic. It was an interconnected series of events that collectively share some responsibility. There’s adequate blame to go around.
Pierre Tristam says
Ed P now tries his hand at standup comedy: “The shootings will be investigated, justice may be served.” It would be funny if it weren’t so inappropriately misplaced.
Callmeishmael says
EdP, it’s not so much what they are doing, it’s how they are doing it. These ICE bums shouldn’t even be on the street in the United States of America. To call them enforcers of the law is an insult to law enforcement officers EVERYWHERE! They’re paid over $100,000 on average, including signing bonuses and benefits. You, too, can make this taxpayer grab with just 8 weeks or less of training. I’ll be you’d do it for free.
How much does your local cop make?
Ed P says
Call me,
Would the ICE head count at these levels be needed if not for sanctuary politics?
1 officer needed at jail/prison to pick up the criminal. Sanctuary releases of criminals necessitated 5 agents to do 1 man’s job. The order for LEO to stand down and not support ICE for any crowd control leaves untrained crowd control ICE agents to do a job they are supposed to perform.
Your personal opinion of my willingness to “do it for free” is wrong on so many levels. First, I never worked a career position for anywhere as low as $100,000. Second, in full retirement I still make multiple times that amount. Thanks bitcoin!
Callmeishmael says
Well, aren’t you a Yankee doodle dandy emblem of success and personal wealth. . . where ignorance, bigotry and lack of critical thinking skills are no obstacle to grabbing one’s pot of gold. All it takes is immeasurable greed and the willingness to see others as less than you.
Chump. Wealthy people don’t brag about how much money they have.
Ed P says
Call me,
Jealousy is a terrible thing.
Remember, money will never bring anyone happiness, but it does provide a better seat at any venue.
And, once again your “intelligence “ beams. I’m a midwesterner, from Cleveland/Parma Ohio.
I wonder, did you spend 50 years working 12-18 hour days in high profile, high stress positions. Have you ever had other families relying on you to perform to keep their employment smooth? Have you ever had fiduciary responsibilities?
I won’t apologize for working like a mule, business traveling 4 days per week, missing my kids functions and numerous family events.
But I’m proud my wife and I raised 6 successful, all college educated, productive children who have all eclipsed my personal accomplishments.
How’s that for a chump?
Ps I’m first generation born on U.S. soil too.
Yep that’s the background of the person you commented and profess to know.
Callmeishmael says
Well, I’m glad you shared these details of your personal life with all of us on FlaglerLive. Your cup of self-esteem runneth over. You’re a legend in your own mind. . . . and still a chump to most others. A bigoted one, too.
BillC says
Really wealthy people don’t know how much money they have :)
Sherry says
Thank you . . . Callmeishmael !!!
My granddaddy taught me to never argue with Cowards and Fools. That is why I try to choose those I engage with carefully. While I strive to have compassion for those who lost their moral compass during childhood, my time is much too precious to help them find it.
You are absolutely correct when you say that truly “wealthy” people have enough class not to “brag” about the $$$ in their (non tax paying?) portfolio.
The true measure of a person is based on the “value” they bring to others during their lifetimes. Certainly, many who comment here are unaware that they are actually “poor”. . . just like their Lord and Master trump:
* Poor in Character and Principles
* Poor in Mental and Emotional Health
* Poor in Honor
* Poor in Seeking Truth and Creating Trust
* Poor in Building Loving Relationships
* Poor in Wisdom
* Poor in Caring for the Disadvantaged
* Poor in Caring for the Planet We Share With Others
* Poor in Self Esteem
All of these things are much more valuable than “GOLD”!
Ed P says
Growing up poor with an immigrant father in the 50s and 60s who spoke broken English, I found it difficult to experience any nobility in poverty.
Not a fool, or lacking a moral compass but rather grabbed the American Dream by the short hairs and “earned” and “built” the foundation for my family insuring them a better life than mine.
That’s a simple concept lacking with many Americans.
Bill C,
Only an idiot doesn’t know exactly how much money they have.
Ps. How poor growing up? Born left handed, but changed to playing sports right handed. Never had a left handed baseball mitt. Never had any new bike, clothes, or expensive toys. But we were never hungry nor homeless and never ever were on any government welfare and always loved.
Call me- did you ever wash dishes at 12 years old in a Chinese restaurant for 35 cents an hour?
Those are my childhood memories.
Callmeishamel says
You post as if you’re so much different than anyone else, as if your hard work throughout life gives you an extra merit badge to judge others you deem less than.
Did your parents have bombs dropped in their fields? How about drunken Blackshirts banging on their doors in the middle of the night looking for family members? Were you and your family discriminated against while you were making your way up the golden ladder?
No, you don’t get to justify your bigotry just because you worked hard and made money doing so (allegedly). You’ve revealed yourself to everyone for the chump you truly are, just another MAGA sucker.
I’m done with you.
Sherry says
Wise move Callmeishmale! It’s been years and no introspection has been accomplished although many, many have tried.
Some stones you really want to leave in place. What’s underneath is putrid and stinks to high heaven.
BillC says
If you don’t know what that means you’re a small change chump. Why are you always telling everyone what a big shot you are? Wishful thinking!
Ed P says
Bill C and Call me,
Your play books are hackneyed.
Name calling, outlandish accusations and little if any logic inserted into a debate.
Your opinions are not more valid than the next. They are just opinions.
Instead of presenting any logical alternate ideas or rationale, you took the low road with name calling and negative criticism.
Your posts reveal much more about yourselves than you each realize.
I have nothing to gain from lying.
I see America through a different lense, one of gratitude, opportunity, and goodness. I’m proud of my Country. It may not always be perfect but it’s the best the human race has to offer.
Ray W. says
I accept that I cannot prove that government-sponsored ICE violence is infecting the more gullibly stupid who wander among us. Perhaps no one can. But a new Raw Story article might be illuminating.
Patrons of the Hanover, Pennsylvania, Eagles Lodge stopped an attack by 61-year-old Richard Willis Mitchell, Jr., and 51-year-old Sara Tresnak on a female bar patron.
Initially, the couple demanded from the woman her ethnic heritage. The woman self-identified as, paternally, Black and Puerto Rican, and, maternally, Italian.
At some point during the confrontation, Mitchell declared that Hanover was a MAGA town and that the woman needed to go back to “pig town.” (her home town of Baltimore).
The couple beat the woman to the floor and kicked her before others intervened. The “N” word was hurled.
Multiple patrons corroborated the woman’s account to the police. None corroborated the couple’s claim that the woman had attacked them first and that they had acted only in self-defense.
Make of this what you will.
Me?
There is a sickness upon the land. To some of the more gullibly stupid who wander among us, hatred is normal and violence a virtue.
Just curious. says
I guess I missed the news videos of ICE agents under attack when Obama was having illegals arrested and deported when he was in office. Just an observation.
Pierre Tristam says
Obama’s ICE deported. It did not brutalize or kill, not being stocked with bigoted amateurs just off the weekend milita camp, though even then it was heavyhanded.
Sherry says
@ just curious. . . you do realize that others commenting here have already “copied and pasted” that worn out FOX BS “talking point”, right? Those of us still living in factual reality have already pointed out the “falesy” of the President Obama comparison.
NEXT! Yawn. . . what “non-factual” garbage is FOX publishing today?
Ray W. says
Yesterday, the 12 voting Fed members split 10-2 in favor of holding lending rates steady, at least until the next FOMC meeting. Concern over continuing evidence of inflation well above the targeted 2% is said to be the reason behind the majority decision.
The two dissenters voted for a 25 basis point reduction, or o.25%.
Make of this what you will.
Me?
FOMC lending rate decisions are “one person-one vote” affairs. Forcing Fed Chair Powell out, at most, leads to at most a 9-3 vote to hold the rates steady. Nothing changes.
Is the ouster effort a political chimera, given that it involves only one of the 12 voters? Is our president just talking to hear his head roar?
Every FlaglerLive reader ought to know that the Fed board has seven members, plus the presidents of each of the 12 regional Fed branches. All 19 economists and policymakers meet to discuss the latest and best economic data. Only twelve of them get to vote. Every board member has a vote. Regional presidents rotate from voting members to non-voting members, except for the New York regional Fed President, who is a permanent voting member.
Ray W. says
Public News Services wrote of two sides to the discussion about Texas grid performance during winter storm Fern.
The proponents of fossil fuel electricity generation argue that CCGT plants displayed “grit” during the storm, implying that they didn’t fail this time as they did during 2021’s winter storm Uri.
The proponents of renewable power generation argue that so much wind, solar and battery storage capacity was added after Uri that the grid suffered far fewer overload outages.
The reporter concluded:
“No matter which side of the energy debate you fall on, analysts emphasize storms such as Fern are underscoring the need for a diverse, resilient grid, one that draw on multiple power sources when temperatures plunge.”
Make of this what you will.
Me?
Too many commenters pose the electricity issue in terms of individual power plants.
Numerous studies point to archaic grids as the stumbling block, holding back customers from much lower electricity rates. Some portions of our three national grids are as much as 60-years-old. Stronger and more efficient transmission lines are not being used. Gigawatts of electricity generation capacity has been built but not yet added to our grids.
More on this later.
Ray W. says
A research group calling itself Conservative Texans for Energy published on January 14, 2026 a study titled “How Renewables and Batteries Saved the Texas Grid in 2025”
According to the release, not once during the summer of 2025 did ERCOT, the regulatory body of the Texas grid, issue energy conservation requests to consumers during peak-load summer conditions, unlike what it had had to do in previous years.
Plus, overall electricity demand had increased by 5% in 2025 compared to 2024 demand levels.
According to the report, one reason for the improved reliability of the summer grid was the doubling of solar power capacity in Texas between 2023 and 2025, from 12 GW of solar capacity to 24 GW. During those same two years, 4 GW of battery storage capacity was added to the grid.
On the other side, compared to 2024, power outages of so-called “reliable” gas-fired power plants surged by between 50 to 100 percent during the energy-critical summer months, meaning gas turbines that should not have failed during peak demand months failed at significant rates anyway.
Since 2010, according to a University of Texas study, renewable power plants have saved Texas electricity consumers $30 billion. Private investors have surged $90 billion into renewable Texas power plants.
ERCOT projects that between 2026 and 2030, based on power plants already in the permitting pipeline, new natural gas and diesel power plants will add 3.309 GW to the grid. Over the same time, ERCOT projects that new solar and wind farms and new battery storage plants will add 57.147 GW to the Texas grid, 19 times the rate of fossil fuel generation.
Make of this what you will.
Me?
Some months ago, I posted a comment to the FlaglerLive community, derived from a Texas newspaper article, about how the Texas legislature had voted on two funding bills to make available to potential natural gas plant owners nearly $10 billion in financial incentives. Suddenly, some 130 entities had lined up at the public trough for a share of the pot.
The idea that entities planning to build natural gas power plants might be having difficulty obtaining non-governmental financing says a lot about the current state of the electricity generation industry.
Can it be argued that not only is coal power dead, but natural gas power might be ill? On the other hand, renewables appear to be financially healthy.
Laurel says
So whatever happened with Tom Homan and his fast food bag of $50,000, Kash Patel’s FBI caught him with? Nothing? Oh, okay. No big deal, when you compare it to a $4,000,000,000 jet.
How are the Trump coins coming along?
So much money; so little time to spend it all.
Hey maga, are you invited to the ball? Trump’s throwing y’all some of your own peanuts this April. That’s worth celebrating.