The Palm Coast council will hear a somewhat contentious rezoning application for a 28-acre property called Ryan’s Landing, the school board meets, Food Truck Tuesday, Brown v. Board of Education.
All Else
Mass Shootings Are Increasing, Becoming Deadlier, and 13% Are Targeting Minorities
Mass public shootings in which four or more people are killed have become more frequent, and deadly, in the last decade. And the tragedy in Buffalo is the latest in a recent trend of mass public shootings taking place in retail establishments, similar to an August 2019 shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas. On that occasion, the 21-year-old white suspect posted a racist rant on social media before allegedly driving some distance to intentionally target racial and ethnic minority shoppers.
Vietnam War Veteran Cecil Hengeveld Speaks at Flagler County’s Memorial Day Service
Join Flagler County at its Memorial Day Ceremony at 10 a.m. Monday, May 30, featuring special guest speaker Cecil Hengeveld, Colonel, U.S. Army (retired), a Vietnam War veteran, whose decorations include Legion of Merit, Air Medal with “V” device and 30 oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal, and the Pennsylvania Commendation Medal.
Gas Prices Set a New Record in Palm Coast, Reaching $4.49 After 30-Cent Rise Over the Week
In Palm Coast, gas today was selling at $4.49 a gallon at Wawa and both RaceTrac stations on State Road 100. It was selling at $4.51 at the Shell closer to Flagler Beach, and $4.49 almost everywhere else in the city as $5-a-gallon gas is now a possibility.
Setting Aside Transparency Concerns, Flagler Beach Commission Reaffirms Support for $420,000 Dumpster Project
The $420,000 reconstruction and expansion of the dumpster pad outside the Funky Pelican in Flagler Beach–$450,000, including architectural drawings–will go forward, the Flagler Beach City Commission decided last week, despite questions by two commissioners and the mayor.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, June 16, 2022
The Flagler County Commission considers spending $1.2 million for two fire engines, The trial of Ian Davis is scheduled to begin with jury selection, Lise de la Salle plays Bach.
Video Games May Boost Your Child’s Intelligence
Many parents feel guilty when their children play video games for hours on end. But a new study points to evidence of a beneficial, causal effect of video games on intelligence. For example, a child who was in the top 17% in terms of hours spent gaming increased their IQ about 2.5 points more than the average child over two years.
DeSantis Signs Records Expungement Bill
After the measure received unanimous approval in the House and Senate, Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 12 signed a bill that will expand minors’ ability to have arrest records expunged if they have completed diversion programs.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, May 15, 2022
The killing of journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh, one Million Covid Deaths, Grace Community Food Pantry, Antonin Scalia and Stephen Breyer in conversation, reclaiming the night sky.
The Ethics of ‘Personhood’ in the Abortion Debate
Current constitutional law grants a right to have an abortion until a fetus becomes viable – in other words, until there is a reasonable probability it could survive outside the womb with care. Today, this typically occurs between the 22nd and 24th weeks of pregnancy. But “what is a person?” How people answer this question shapes how they think about a developing human being.
Why I Took Part in The National Women’s March in Flagler Beach
“I was born in 1968 in a Catholic home for unwed mothers in Philadelphia,” the author, a long-time Hammock resident, writes of pre-Roe America. “My biological mother was 15 when she became pregnant. She was forever scarred for life by her experience in one of these homes. She was 16 when she gave birth and had no say whatsoever in what happened to me. Let that sink in: my mother was completely powerless over what happened to her and to her child.”
Flagler’s Inimitable Bob Pickering Earns Distinguished Service Award at Governor’s Hurricane Conference
Emergency Management Specialist Bob Pickering received the Distinguished Service Award Thursday at the Governor’s Hurricane Conference in south Florida for being a jack of all trades within his department.
The First Organized Women’s Basketball League Comes to Palm Coast
The Palm Coast Parks and Recreation Department is organizing its first-ever women’s basketball league this summer, beginning June 8 and continuing through July 27.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, May 14, 2022
Dedication of a mural in memory of former Mayor Jon Netts at the Palm Coast Historical Society, National Women’s March to preserve the right to an abortion, Flagler Palm Coast High School Thespians’ production of “Singing in the Rain,” Lewis and Clark set off.
A Fraction of Crops Goes to Feed the Hungry as Most Are Used for Nonfood Purposes
Rising competition for many of the world’s important crops is sending increasing amounts toward uses other than directly feeding people. These competing uses include making biofuels; converting crops into processing ingredients, such as livestock meal, hydrogenated oils and starches; and selling them on global markets to countries that can afford to pay for them.
Looking Past Shock to Continuity, Flagler Education Foundation Appoints Teresa Rizzo Its Next Director
The Flagler Education Foundation, the school district’s non-profit support arm, appears to be making the same bet on Teresa Rizzo that it made on her late husband Joe, who had no fund-raising experience when he took over the organization, but vastly improved its its local impact between 2017 and 2022.
Texas Supreme Court Allows Child Abuse Investigations Into Families of Transgender Teens to Continue
Though it overturned the injunction on procedural grounds, the high court raised questions about why the Department of Family and Protective Services opened these investigations in the first place.
Felon and Alleged Gang Member Earnest Watson Arrested in Connection With Monday Shooting in Bunnell
Earnest Lee Watson III, a 26-year-old resident of 200 Knox Jones Road in Bunnell, was arrested on Thursday and charged in connection with a shooting on East Booe Street in Bunnell on Monday, and a gang link noted.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, May 13, 2022
The Garden Club holds its Arbor Day Memorial Tree Planting, Cooking Series with Chef Warren, “Singing in the Rain” at the Auditorium, Free Concert at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Theodore Dreiser on “her fleshy solidity.”
Tucker Carlson’s Masculinity Crisis
Tucker Carlson’s central premise is that modern society has devitalized American men. Strength, drive and aggression are no longer in vogue, and Americans, as a result, are become weaker. Carlson’s claims as part of a rich heritage of skeptics shouting from the rooftops that American men are becoming devitalized, lazy and effeminate.
Nikki Fried Says Charlie Crist ‘Is Refusing to Debate’ in Primary
With less than four months away from the 2022 gubernatorial primary, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is pushing for a televised debate among Democratic candidates, claiming U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist “is refusing to debate” her and she has accepted several invitations from broadcast media outlets across Florida.
Fireworks Producer Bills Flagler Beach 150% More Than Agreed Price for July 4 and Drafts Yet Another Company
The latest fireworks producer, Ryan Allen, today sent a $60,000 invoice to City Manager William Whitson for the July 4 fireworks show, a 150 percent increase from the $24,000 the city commission agreed to, while the show would now be a co-production with yet another company the city commission knew nothing about.
Key West Pride to Feature Parties, Performances and a Parade June 1-5
The subtropical island of Key West is to welcome revelers to its annual Pride celebrations Wednesday through Sunday, June 1-5. Scheduled festivities showcase the diversity and equality that help make the continental United States’ southernmost city a top vacation destination for LGBTQ visitors worldwide.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, May 12, 2022
The Flagler Beach City Commission tries to get clarity on a dumpster of a vote, “Singin’ in the Rain'” launches at the Flagler Auditorium, drug court today, and from David Hume to Yogi Berra.
‘White Privilege’? The Accusation Is Not Constructive.
Though these words are commonly used, use of “white privilege” can decrease support for racially progressive policies, increase online political polarization and lead to lower quality conversations on social media. In particular, the term drives some whites who would otherwise support efforts toward racial equality away from online conversations.
Flagler Beach Commission Reels from Stink Behind Blind Vote on $420,000 Repair Job at Funky Pelican
Last month the Flagler Beach City Commission approved a $420,500 bid to rebuild the garbage-dumpster pad adjacent to the Funky Pelican. Four of the five commissioners and the mayor did not know that the project was not merely to repair the pad, but to double the space, further blocking the public’s view of the ocean on the north side of the restaurant–and doubling what had originally been planned as a $200,000 job.
77-Year-Old Patient Beaten and Choked to Death at Assisted Living Facility in Palm Coast
A 77-year-old woman who’d been a patient at Gold Choice Assisted Living and Memory Care in Palm Coast was beaten and choked to death by another patient overnight, and was only discovered by a staffer during rounds early this morning.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, May 11, 2022
Summer coed volleyball camp registration open, bombing in the Ocala forest, Drive and Surprise, Irving berlin’s and Jacob Oliva’s birthday, be kind to your receptionist, not just today.
Fentanyl: What is It, and Why Buying Any Street Drug Is Now Russian Roulette
Buying drugs on the street is a game of Russian roulette. From Xanax to cocaine, drugs or counterfeit pills purchased in nonmedical settings may contain life-threatening amounts of fentanyl.
Dueling With Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott, Biden Says ‘the Man has a Problem’
Sen. Rick Scott earlier in the day called on Biden to resign because, he said, the chief executive is “unwell, unfit for office, incoherent, incapacitated and confused.” “I think the man has a problem,” Biden retorted after told by a reporter about Scott’s broadside.
Free WaterSafe Event Set for May 21 at belle Terre Swim Club
Flagler County Fire Rescue is partnering with agencies and businesses throughout the county to provide an educational yet fun day of water safety instruction for families and children. WaterSafe will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 21, at the Belle Terre Swim & Racquet Club, 73 Patricia Lane, Palm Coast.
A Voluntary Pledge on Ethical Campaigning? Danko Convinces Palm Coast Council Not to Sign On.
A majority of the Palm Coast City Council was prepared to approve a statement on ethical campaigning that would have candidates voluntarily sign a pledge to that effect, until Council member Ed Danko, calling it a “slippery slope” of government intrusion, convinced the council against it. The council will adopt a mere statement issued to candidates, without a signature line.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, May 10, 2022
The Palm Coast City Council will consider a resolution approving a statement of ethical campaign practices for future candidates, the Flagler County Planning Board again takes up a controversial comprehensive plan issue.
Disney Confronts the Sort of Trouble It Last Knew in 1941
In April, officials at Disney objected to a Florida law prohibiting instruction in sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis responded by signing a bill revoking Disney’s self-governing status, a unique arrangement in which the company operated like an independent fiefdom within the state.
600-Day Retirement Clock Ticking for Judges Terence Perkins, Raul Zambrano and James Clayton
Circuit Judge Terence Perkins has been the senior judge in Flagler County since 2018, taking over a courthouse in slight turmoil and returning it to a no-drama zone of docket workhorses. He will retire at the end of 2023, along with Judge Raul Zambrano, who had been a felony judge in Flagler previously, and James Clayton, currently the circuit’s chief judge.
Florida Gas Prices at Highest Level in 5 Weeks, with Flagler Average at $4.23
In Flagler County, the average gas price for regular unleaded was at $4.23 a gallon this morning, compared to $4.21 in St. Johns and $4.14 in Volusia. Regular at Wawa on State Road 100 in palm Coast was selling at $4.179 and $4.15 at the Shell station at Flagler Plaza in Flagler Beach. Both RaceTrac stations on State Road 100 were selling at $4.29, and $4.18 at the RaceTrac on Palm Coast Parkway.
Marineland Dolphin Adventure Earns American Humane Recognition Exceptional Animal Welfare
American Humane, the country’s first national humane organization and the world’s largest certifier of animal welfare practices, today announced that Marineland Dolphin Adventure earned the American Humane Certified seal, demonstrating the exceptional welfare and treatment provided to animals in its care.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, May 9, 2022
Live Navy bombings in the Ocala National Forest today, The Flagler Beach City Commission meets in special session to discuss fireworks, the school board meets in secret session, how the Koch brothers bought Mason University’s Mercatus Center.
The Cleveland Indians Changed Their Name. Should the Atlanta Braves?
It wasn’t until 2018 that the Indians officially removed their logo, a cartoonish Native American named Chief Wahoo, from merchandise, and in 2020 that they changed their name. The Atlanta Braves’ owners, however, have dug in their heels, refusing to replace a name that many Americans – including Native Americans – find offensive and derogatory.
Free “Storm Spotters” Class On May 20 At Emergency Operations Center
Participants are eligible to become volunteer storm spotters and assist Emergency Services and the National Weather Service by reporting potentially hazardous weather events.
Abortion’s Last Stand: A Post-Roe Future Is Already Happening in Florida
Reports of harassment, disturbance and violence outside the state’s clinics are skyrocketing, while the federal law meant to protect clinics doesn’t cover the kind of tactics common today.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, May 8, 2022
Eddie Murphy on his fearsome mother, City Repertory Theatre stages “Waiting for Godot,” Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Grace Community Food Pantry, and Dostoevsky on a mother’s memory on this Mother’s Day.
The Southwest is on Fire: 3 Reasons the 2022 Fire Season Is So Early and Intense
New Mexico and Arizona are facing a dangerously early fire season, with 600 fires leaving neighborhoods in ashes and triggering a federal disaster declaration. A scientist explains why the unusual intensity and timing.
Daytona State College Marks Opening of First-Ever Student Residency Hall
Located on the Daytona Beach Campus, the four story, 252-bed facility opens its doors to DSC’s first-ever on-campus residents this summer. The residence hall was designed to be an affordable option within reach for all students, including those on financial aid and scholarships.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, May 7, 2022
Drag Bingo with Gabbi Haze: It’s LGBTQ Night at Moonrise Brewery, City Repertory Theatre stages “Waiting for Godot,” Sunshine & Sandals Social, Rise Above the Violence’s Mindfulness Event at Washington Oaks Garden State Park, Garden of Faith Village’s community food pantry.
Where the Notion of a Wrathful God and Eternal Damnation Appeals to Millions
The Ark Encounter, an evangelical theme park located near Williamstown, Kentucky, has welcomed between 4 million and 5 million visitors since its opening in July 2016. Ark Encounter is a tourist site devoted to emphasizing the wrathful nature of God and the eternal damnation that awaits unrepentant sinners.
Sheriff Connects Smith and Hall Shootings as Man Linked to 1st Is Arrested and $15,000 Reward Offered
Sheriff Rick Staly today said the January killing of 16-year-old Noah Smith and this week’s killing of 16-year-old Keymarion Hall are related, and that Terrell Anthony Sampson, 18, of 404 Church Street in Bunnell, was arrested in connection with Smith’s killing. Sampson faces an unrelated charge of possessing a weapon as a delinquent. CrimeStoppers is offering a $15,000 reward in information leading to an arrest in the Smith killing.
Philip Martin Is Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Massaging Young Girl as Judge Notes Excess
Circuit Judge Terence Perkins sentenced former Palm Coast resident 56-year-old Philip Martin to 25 years in prison for rubbing, caressing and massaging various body parts of a girl who’d been in his trust when she was 9, 10 and 11. But the judge acknowledged that he would have imposed a lesser sentence had he not been bound by minimum-mandatory requirements.
Palm Coast Fire Department’s Battalion Chief Sean Major Retires After 31 years
In 1991, Sean Major was working at a Lawn & Landscape with then-Lieutenant Mike Beadle. He was encouraged to check out the fire department as a volunteer. Lieutenant Beadle’s encouragement would lead to a 31 year career of service to the citizens of Palm Coast.
Sheriff’s Office Hosts 2022 Fallen Officers Memorial Ceremony
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) hosted the 2022 Fallen Officer Memorial and Candlelight Vigil just outside of the Flagler County Courthouse Thursday. Supporters and participants were able to observe the service and help us honor our fallen brothers and sisters.