The Flagler Beach City Commission emphatically rejected a proposal by Commissioner John Cunningham to end the automatic annual contract renewal for City Manager Dale Martin and reaffirmed the board’s confidence in the manager. Tensions surfaced later when Commissioner Scott Spradley suggested Cunningham meet directly with Martin to resolve their differences. Cunningham flatly dismissed the recommendation and told Spradley to mind his own business, signaling that Cunningham may not be understanding the scope and responsibilities of the job.
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Daily Cartoon and Briefing
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, May 29, 2026
Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local
Flagler Deputies Arrest Virginia Murder Suspect Accused Of Faking Wife’s Suicide in 2021
Ross Butler was arrested in Flagler County on a Virginia warrant for the 2021 murder of his wife Ashlee Butler-Davis. Authorities allege the 56-year-old man strangled the 36-year-old woman in Chesterfield County and staged the scene as a suicide. A Virginia grand jury two weeks ago indicted him on a first-degree murder charge. Flagler deputies detained him outside AdventHealth Palm Coast and he now awaits extradition back to Virginia.
In Flagler Beach, a Bogus Petition Calling for Accountability Echoes ‘Isolated’ Cabal Against City Manager Dale Martin
Flagler Beach City Commissioner John Cunningham is pushing for the suspension of City Manager Dale Martin’s automatic contract renewal, citing an alleged lack of confidence in Martin. But the claim is undocumented. A recent online petition demanding Martin’s removal appears entirely fabricated by a fictitious user, and has drawn just 39 invisible signatures. Most commissioners dismiss the petition and continue to support Martin against what has amounted to an isolated but continuing cabal.
Chick-fil-A, Ellianos, Now Taco Bell: Palm Coast Appears to Have a Fast-Food Solo Fetish on Its Hands
A 28-year-old man was jailed this morning on a $5,000 bond following his arrest for public indecent exposure at the door of the Taco Bell on State Road 100 in Palm Coast after a witness spotted him in a recognizably solo act just past midnight. The incident marks the third public masturbation or exposure arrest in Palm Coast in less than a month.
More Flagler, Palm Coast & Other Local
DeSantis Plan to Eliminate Homesteaded Property Tax Would Hit Public Safety, Schools, Health and Local Governance
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday announced his plan for a homestead property tax exemption that could crimp local governments’ ability to fund schools, health care, and public safety. Simultaneously, he called for lawmakers to return to Tallahassee and address his plan in a three-day special session starting Monday.
Flagler County Urges Vulnerable Seniors To Apply For Emergency Home Cooling Financial Assistance
Dangerous summer heat poses severe health risks to older residents throughout Florida. Flagler County Senior Services partnered with ElderSource to promote the Emergency Home Energy Assistance Program. Qualified households with residents 60 or older can obtain up to $2,000 for utility bills or critical cooling repairs.
‘I Lied Under Oath to Protect Government Secrets’: The Thin Line Between Mental Illness And Criminal Prosecution
Appearing before Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols Tuesday, David J. Pettit of Bunnell wanted to withdraw the plea that sent him to prison for three years, claiming he was incompetent when he pleaded–that he was lying to protect NSA secrets about telepathic communications. The judge denied the motion. The case illustrates the little extent to which mental illness gets in the way of criminal prosecutions no matter how absurdly an individual behaves, no matter how outlandishly he speaks, no matter how paranoid and violent his past behavior.
Two Hospitalized Following Violent Road Rage Argument and Shooting at Palm Coast McDonald’s Drive-Thru
A road rage dispute originating on Belle Terre Parkway escalated into a shooting late Tuesday night at a Palm Coast McDonald’s drive-thru. Three individuals exited their vehicles during a secondary argument as a 50-year-old man shot a 61-year-old multiple times with a small-caliber weapon. Flagler County Sheriff’s detectives impounded two vehicles to gather evidence. The investigation remains active without immediate arrests.
Missing Documents and Unsigned Grievances Prompt Flagler Beach to Seek Dismissal of Whistleblower Lawsuit
Flagler Beach filed a motion to dismiss a whistleblower lawsuit by former Facilities Director Bryan Moisao. The city defines his claims as routine personnel friction rather than protected disclosures. Procedural errors plague the complaint as Moisao failed to attach required documents or sign the allegations. The complaint echoes grievances made by a current and former commissioner against the city manager.
Last in Teacher Pay, Florida Continues to Dismantle Public Education, Alienate Teachers and Fund Scandal-Ridden Vouchers
Florida ranks last nationwide in teacher pay, forcing educators to take multiple jobs or leave the state entirely. Instead of addressing the crisis, lawmakers suppress public unions, enforces restrictive curriculum laws, and redirects vital taxpayer funds to unaccountable private voucher programs. Systematic political attacks are damaging classroom morale, lowering local school enrollment, and threatening the survival of the public education system. That, of course, is the end game.
Flagler Cares Achieves National COA Accreditation With Flawless Ratings Across All Areas
Flagler Cares achieved national accreditation through COA Accreditation after a nine-month evaluation process. The human services nonprofit received zero negative findings and earned top marks across all evaluated programs. This prestigious validation enhances the agency’s standing among grant funders in a competitive environment and coincides with the organization celebrating 10 years of serving individuals throughout Flagler and 25 in Volusia county.
Two Years in Prison for Woman, 31, Who Molested 12-Year-Old Stepsister with Vibrator
Kateland Gent, the 31-year-old woman arrested last June for molesting her stepsister when she was around 12, was sentenced this morning to two years in prison followed by 10 years on sex-offender probation and a lifetime designation as a sex offender. She had initially faced a charge that could have sent her to prison for life.
Flagler County Unemployment Rate Climbs to 5.5% As Florida’s Exceeds Nation’s for First Time Since 2020
Flagler County unemployment rose to 5.5 percent in April, matching a statewide upward trend as Florida’s unemployment rate hit 4.8 percent, surpassing the national average for the first time since 2020. Rising inflation, high interest rates, and the Iran war appears to have ended an era of historic low unemployment. Florida consumer confidence fell for a second consecutive month.
‘You’re Damn Right We Remember,’ Mayor Norris Says of Long Line of Warriors’ Sacrifice at Memorial Day Ceremony
The City of Palm Coast hosted its annual Memorial Day Ceremony at Heroes Memorial Park to honor fallen American service members. Mayor Mike Norris led the solemn event, which featured an emotional White Rose Tribute and allowed attendees to speak the names of lost loved ones. Local officials, veterans, and Gold Star Families participated in wreath presentations, a 21-gun salute, and an concluding honor walk.
How Botched FHP Investigation Led To False Arrest In Deadly I-4 Crash Before State Attorney Stopped Miscarriage of Justice
Court and investigative documents show that the Florida Highway Patrol wrongly arrested 23-year-old Lindsey Brooke Isaacs for the triple-fatality crash on I-4 that claimed the life of former Deputy County Administrator Jorge Salinas based on a deeply flawed and sloppy investigation. Investigators ignored a vital 911 call describing a maroon Durango with matching plate numbers belonging to Alisa Lee Montalvo. The State Attorney’s Office discovered the discrepancies, prompting a specialized reconstruction team to clear Isaacs and charge Montalvo with the fatal hit-and-run.
The Live Calendar: Today in Flagler
May 2026
May 29 2026
Friday Blue Forum
Flagler County Democratic Party HQ
May 30 2026
Flagler Beach Farmers Market
In Front of Flagler Beach City Hall
May 30 2026
Coffee With Flagler Beach Commission Chair Scott Spradley
Law Office of Scott Spradley
May 30 2026
Grace Community Food Pantry on Education Way
Flagler School District Bus Depot
May 31 2026
ESL Bible Studies for Intermediate and Advanced Students
Grace Presbyterian Church
May 31 2026
Grace Community Food Pantry on Education Way
Flagler School District Bus Depot
May 31 2026
Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village
European Village
May 31 2026
FPC and Matanzas High School Graduations at Ocean Center
Ocean Center
May 31 2026
Al-Anon Family Groups
Bridges United Methodist Fellowship
June 2026
Jun 01 2026
Flagler County Commission Morning Meeting
Government Services Building
Jun 01 2026
Beverly Beach Town Commission meeting
Beverly Beach Town Hall
Jun 01 2026
Nar-Anon Family Group
St. Mark by the Sea Lutheran Church
No event found!
The Conversation
Inflation Is Spreading Throughout the US Economy
Fresh price data shows United States inflation is expanding beyond energy into housing, utilities, and recreation. This trend presents a severe challenge for newly sworn Fed Chair Kevin Warsh. Higher oil prices reduce consumer spending power and simultaneously accelerate underlying costs. Consequently, the central bank faces a divided economy where artificial intelligence investments support market optimism but everyday citizens encounter persistent, damaging price increases.
Florida and Beyond
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, May 28, 2026
Spotlight on Flagler Youth Talent Show this evening, the Flagler Beach City Commission meets, an Israeli colonists beats a Palestinian family’s dog almost to death, Model Yacht Club Races at the Pond in Palm Coast’s Central Park.
Pope Leo’s AI Warning
Pope Leo XIV has just declared artificial intelligence one of the defining moral challenges of our time, in his first encyclical: a formal letter intended to guide moral, social and theological thought. Titled Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity), it argues technology must serve humanity, rather than concentrate power or weaken human dignity.
U.S. Supreme Court Blocks Florida Attorney General Uthmeier from Suing Over Undocumented Truck Driver
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s attempt to sue California and Washington for licensing an undocumented truck driver accused of killing three Floridians in a traffic accident. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, nominated by George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, respectively, dissented, arguing the court should reconsider its longstanding reluctance to hear disputes between states.
More Florida and Beyond
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, May 27, 2026
The meaning of and indifference to Eid el Adha, one of Islam’s two high holidays, Conversations in Democracy, reflections on Abraham’s sacrifice, Marian Kamensky on the alleged end of the war with Iran.
Bigoted Interpretation Of Crusader History Is Radicalizing Far Right Terrorists Against Muslims
The deadly May 2026 assault on the Islamic Center of San Diego highlights a dangerous global trend of far-right extremists weaponizing distorted European history. Assailants draw violent inspiration from the Crusades, Nazi iconography, and white nationalist myths to justify Islamophobic and antisemitic atrocities. But authentic Muslim and Arab history is in short supply in schools.
Florida Legislative Leaders Strike Final Deal On $115 Billion State Budget, Ignoring Mismanagement of School Vouchers
House and Senate leaders reached a final deal on the state budget late Sunday night, the last step in an extended process that required a special session to complete for the second year in a row. The spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1 will be nearly $115 billion, less than the Senate’s preferred budget but not the $113.6 billion plan preferred by the House.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Artificial intelligence’s problems, the Flagler County Affordable Housing Committee meets this afternoon, the NAACP Flagler Branch’s General Membership meeting, Weekly Chess Club for Teens, Ages 10-18, at the Flagler County Public Library.
Trump Isn’t Just Lying. He’s Doing Something Worse.
Donald Trump is speaking falsely as a way of demeaning or taunting his detractors. By resolutely asserting unbelievable falsehoods, Trump is expressing contempt. He is deriding facts, truth and journalism and indirectly controlling the news cycle. For a political movement rooted in the idea that U.S. politics is a swamp in need of draining, Trump’s defiant style has been successful. But here’s the catch. It appears that Trump’s supporters are now beginning to feel that they, too, are on the receiving end of his contempt.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, May 25, 2026
Palm Coast’s Memorial Day commemoration is at 8 a.m. at Heroes Park, Flagler County’s is at 10 a.m. at the Government Services Building., Riccardo Muti loses it at the Chicago Symphony, Casanova on temper, Saint-Georges’ Overture to L’amant anonyme.
Politically Stressed Out? Blame Social Media.
Research by political scientist Stephen Neely reveals that social media is a primary driver of chronic political stress in America. Surveys from 2024 show over 100 million adults experience significant stress reactions, including sleep loss and fractured relationships. Algorithmic platforms prioritize outrage and engagement, making active participants especially vulnerable. This generational shift in news consumption has left younger cohorts particularly susceptible to psychological exhaustion.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, May 24, 2026
Ed Wexler on insurrectionists’ payday, Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village, “Once on This Island,” a musical, at Limelight Theatre in St. Augustine, the tales an ash tray tells, memories of Tell Zaatar.
Global Warming and Swimming in the Seine
River bathing was widely practised over the last few centuries, and in the Seine, it has survived to the present day despite bans on swimming. The practice does not only include recreational or sporting dimensions – it is also climate-related, at a time when rising temperatures suggest that compliance with the Paris Agreement will be a difficult, if not impossible task.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, May 23, 2026
West of the Tracks: A Story of the Past Before Palm Coast: A Palm Coast Historical Society Lecture, Fire Station 26 Grand Opening and Hose Uncoupling Ceremony, the end of Stephen Colbert and the limits of satire.
Why Is Columbus Back at the White House?
Trump reinstalled a replica Christopher Columbus statue on White House grounds following an executive order aimed at restoring traditional–that is, white–American history. The original monument was toppled by protesters in 2020. Other Confederate memorials are also returning to prominent locations, reigniting debates over national identity and provoking a symbolic shift in the public landscape.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, May 22, 2026
Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson and City Commissioner John Rogers on Free For All on WNZF, the Friday Blue Forum, Acoustic Jam Circle At The Community Center In The Hammock, “Once on This Island,” a musical, at Limelight Theatre, Camus and Olivia Rodrigo.
AI-Written Police Reports Raise Concerns
Police are getting a boost from artificial intelligence, with algorithms now able to draft police reports in minutes. The technology promises to make police reports more accurate and comprehensive, as well as save officers time. The catch is that instead of writing the first draft of your college English paper, this document can determine someone’s liberty in court. An error, omission or hallucination can risk the integrity of a prosecution or, worse, justify a false arrest. While police officers must sign off on the final version, the bulk of the text, structure and formatting is AI-generated.
Commentary
Why You Need Good Friends to Truly Understand Yourself and Achieve a Good Life
Aristotle argued that living well requires both self-knowledge and virtuous friendships. Friends serve as mirrors, offering perspectives that personal reflection misses. Deep connections foster character development and moral virtue, so the quest for happiness is a social endeavor rather than a solitary pursuit within a vacuum.
Surviving Ebola
Compared to the widespread media coverage of the 2016 Ebola epidemic when it started, news reports on its aftermath were limited. As a result, very few people know that Ebola survivors have struggled to continue with their lives since the end of the epidemic. These survivors include widows, orphans who are now homeless, and thousands of people who are now blind or have permanent vision problems.
International Booker Prize 2026: Heartbreak, Brutality, Shapeshifting
This year’s International Booker Prize shortlist presents a diverse and intriguing array of books that all demonstrate the highly creative imagination and inventiveness of their authors. Across these novels, we meet the unreliable narrator of a meta-fiction, a failed modern witch, a family of Iranian émigrés, a filmmaker compromised by the Nazis, a brutal prison warden, and a gender-traversing figure who seeks to save their own skin by shapeshifting. Six literary experts guide you through the nominations.
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How to Pair Wine Like a Sommelier: Beginner-Friendly Tips
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