Musings, opinions, observations, questions, and random thoughts on island life, Fernandina Beach and more

Musings, opinions, observations, questions, and random thoughts on island life, Fernandina Beach and more

National Media Reports Feds Are Dumping Illegal Aliens Here While Our Pathetic Local Media Continue To Ignore The Story

The New York Post, Townhall Weekly, Fox News and more media outlets this week finally reported what I wrote here August 27, six weeks ago — that the Biden administration has been transporting illegals around the U.S. in the dead of night with the Jacksonville Airport playing a key role. What took them so long?

The Post photo here shows illegals disembarking at the Jacksonville Airport.

The local media hereabouts including the Jacksonville-based Times-Union, area TV outlets, the News Leader and the totally worthless online Fernandina Observer ignored the story despite the fact I reported it here and nationally on Biz Pac Review more than six weeks ago. Take a look at  http://www.davescottblog.com/jax-airport-a-hub-for-illegals-riding-the-biden-express-while-americans-are-running-for-their-lives-in-afghanistan/.

Jacksonville’s Channel 4, WJXT, finally reported the story this week. As far as I know that’s the only area media outlet that has mentioned it.

You can access my national Biz Pac Review column at https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/08/26/while-americans-in-afghanistan-languish-biden-shuttles-migrants-in-us-quietly-across-county-in-luxury-1124843/ 

Republican Congressman John Rutherford personally answered my inquiry confirming to me that the dead-of-night flights through Jacksonville were indeed taking place and that he doesn’t approve. He also highlighted it at a personal appearance here August 25. With the exception of me and News Leader columnist, Steve Nicklaus, all other area media totally ignored the story and didn’t print a word about it. With the exception of Channel 4 they still haven’t despite the national media attention. Why not? Here’s what I wrote then about Rep. Rutherford’s remarks: http://www.davescottblog.com/rep-john-rutherford-warns-locals-about-illegals-inside-source-says-fernandina-bureaucrats-bungled-budget/

Biz Pac Review reported Wednesday, October 20, that an analysis of online flight-tracking data suggested that about 2,000 illegal immigrants arrived at the airport outside of White Plains, NY on 21 flights since August 8  with some of the flights coming in between midnight and 6:30 am. Similar charter flights have landed in Jacksonville it reported adding: “Later Saturday, a similar scene began playing out in Jacksonville, Fla., where many of the flights from Texas have touched down before continuing on to Westchester — and where The Post saw a Boeing 737-700 land shortly after 10 p.m. at Jacksonville International Airport.”

This is not new news!

According to this week’s Townhall Weekly article The New York Post did some digging around  and reported what I printed here and on Biz Pac Review. But where are the local media? Why other than Channel 4 aren’t they saying a word about this outrage that is taking place right in their backyard? Credibility? They don’t have any.

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis expressed outrage over the secretive flights, with his spokeswoman saying: “If the Biden Administration is so confident that their open-border policy is good for our country, why the secrecy?”

Where are these illegal immigrants being dropped off at the Jacksonville Airport being housed? According to border patrol officials a great many of them either have Covid and most have not been vaccinated. None have been tested they say.

Why aren’t the local media reporting any of this?

***

Speaking Of Local Media: A full-page ad that cost almost $4,000 appeared in the Wednesday, October 20 issue of the local News Leader headlined: “Stephan R. Leimberg: SELF-INFLICTED!”

The headline was more than appropriate as those that read the claptrap this leftwing fanatic paid to have printed there can testify. His screed is definitely a “self-inflicted” wound and folks that were able to wade through all of it, have more endurance than most. He spent $3,981.40 to shoot himself in the foot. Public relations lesson number one: Don’t abuse and insult the audience you’re trying to persuade.

This guy is not a physician or a virologist, he’s a retired attorney and an amateur photographer. Yet, he ferociously assaults News Leader readers with his full-page paid screed demanding they all be vaccinated and calls those that ignore his advice: “unscrupulous bad-faith information miscreants (that) are literally, if not directly, maliciously murdering people.” It got even more bizarre after that sentence as he rambled on incoherently for another two-thirds of his paid page.

How many in his target audience did he convince by calling them “murderers, crackpots, charlatans, misguided, delusional, morally-challenged, unscrupulous,” etc.?  After that litany of name calling I’m sure his target audience saw the light and flocked to vaccination locations, thanking Leimberg for his guidance. A better question is how many organizations and individuals did he alienate? Just what was this guy’s objective?

“He called me what?”

Mr. Leimberg should hang out at the Jacksonville Airport and demand vaccinations for all those unvaccinated illegal aliens the federal government is dumping into our community. Or even better why doesn’t he demand that the Biden administration stop the flow of the lethal Fentanyl drug these illegals are smuggling across the border that is killing as many Americans as Covid if not more?

Following one of this fanatic’s most recent “Letters to the Editor ” I sent a response to the News Leader. It has yet to be printed and I doubt it ever will be. Why would the financially struggling News Leader print a letter critical of one of their most lucrative advertisers no matter the codswallop he’s advocating in his paid screeds?

It wouldn’t surprise me to see Leimberg joining Publix, Harris-Teeter, Aldi, and Winn Dixie, and purchasing a multi-page insert in the Wednesday News Leader promoting his latest far left-wing specials.

Mr. Leimberg failed to mention anywhere in his October 20 expensive lengthy tirade that more people died of Covid in the nine months of Joe Biden’s presidency than during the last year and more of Donald Trump’s time in office.

The News Leader is no longer qualifies as a newspaper, it’s become a newsletter, not much better than the dismal online Observer. It reports items from the crime blotter, runs obituaries, dates of quilting bees and American Legion events, pictures of kids’ sports teams, dogs and cats for adoption, “grip and grin” photos and articles about companies, and others that pay to advertise in it. It’s like the city’s former “You gotta pay to play” city utilities director enforcer’s mandate. It does what it’s told by its few remaining advertisers and it certainly isn’t going to upset a fellow who buys full-page chunks of space, no matter how looney and irrational the content.

***

Hey Kid! The next time grandma or grandpa gives you a few bucks for a birthday, bar mitzvah, Christmas, etc. don’t rush out and buy a pair of jeans with holes in them, pricy sneakers, or a sack of greasy burgers. Instead buy the companies that make and sell that junk.

Local businessman Pat Keogh’s new book, “Hey Kid! Wanna Own Great American Businesses?” explains how kids can happily transfer their instant gratification from the mall to the stock exchange and become fledgling securities tycoons.

Dad and mom can read “Hey Kid!” to their children then tuck them into bed, leaving them to dream about running the C Suite at McDonalds corporate headquarters someday.

Pat explains to kids in language they can easily understand that buying shares in corporations ranging from Walmart and McDonalds to Target and Pepsi Cola can make them rich. “It’s good to be rich” Pat tells the kids and then explains why and how to do it by gradually buying shares of companies.

As I was reading through Pat’s slim 60-page primer I learned a lot more than I ever did from the slick talking brokers who attempted to peddle me annuities so they could increase their commissions.

Pat wrote another book last year titled: “Make Your Family Rich” another straight forward easy to read financial primer geared toward adults.

Both of Pat’s books are available through Amazon.

You can hear from Pat and ask him questions Monday, November 8, from 5-8 pm when he will appear at Shuckers with three other local authors to discuss their latest books. The event is put on by the local “We The People” group. The other authors are Ken Timmerman, author of “The Election Heist”, mercenary Bill Craun, who wrote “Working the Kill Zone”, and Deb Boelkes author of  Women on Top: What’s Keeping You From Executive Leadership? Reservations can be made by contacting Ms. Boelkes at 904-310-9602 or Deb.Boelkes@BWRising.com.

 ***

“Put up or shut up!”

“Shut Up!” They Explained: There are a handful of readers here that comment regularly suggesting that I shut up. Instead of my challenging and questioning our elected and appointed officials they demand that I run for office or put a sock in it.

Two of my most recent vocal critics are locals Eric Corbett and Coleman Langshaw.

Mr. Corbett is a pleasant fellow, who as far as I know has never run for office. He apparently thinks that I, and members of the watchdog Common Sense group have no right to criticize elected officials unless we seek office.

I’m an enthusiastic supporter of the local watchdog Common Sense crowd and believe they are getting under the skin of the folks in city hall, which is a good thing. Despite what Mr. Corbett may think local government is accountable to the people of Fernandina Beach they serve, to the people who elected them. Folks in Common Sense are stake holders hereabouts. They out educate and outclass the city hall crowd by a long shot. Corbett and Langshaw maintain they should put up or shut up.

Mr. Corbett hasn’t done his research. Common Sense invites candidates for local office to their sessions offering them an opportunity to explain their positions and answer questions from the group of highly motivated and concerned voters. This watchdog group also encourages its members to get involved and run for office if they are so inclined. It will also provide endorsements to those it deems worthy. Mr. Corbett might consider joining them to voice his opinion and persuade the group to endorse candidates and issues he feels deserve it.

Common Sense shines the spotlight on the contrast between city and county government. Their actions even awakened the moribund local Chamber of Commerce to wage a successful campaign that led to the resignation of Steve Beckman, the more than aggressive and abrasive City Building Director. Common Sense and its members pointed out how the city and county do the same things on opposite sides of the street; with the county doing it well and the city doing it at times unlawfully and always sloppily and more costly. I simply report the ineptitude and outright corruption (e.g. impact fees, etc.) of the elected and appointed stumble bums.

The shrill Mr. Langshaw is far more extreme than Mr. Corbett. He has run for office, the last time conducting a failed campaign to secure a position on the Ocean Highway & Port Commission. He is also a former government employee at one time serving as Fernandina Marina manager, until he was sacked by the city a few years ago. He’s currently a member of the Marina Advisory Board.

“you’re a radical right-wing, mean-spirited, all-talk, no-action, etc,”, he explains

Langshaw wants to squelch the free speech of anyone holding contrary viewpoints and loathes anyone who has been more successful on terms other than his. He throws shrieking spittle-speckled fits when denied the righteousness that he believes he is due. Following is a portion of Langshaw’s comment to me here three weeks ago: “I say its time you pony up, along with your like-minded cronies and run for office. Let’s see what the TRUE voters of Fernandina think of you, your ilk and your radical right-wing, mean-spirited, all-talk, no-action, ad nauseum agenda.”

These two are not my only critics here, far from it. I personally know both of these folks. They are not stupid people. However, they are leftists and therein lies the problem. Leftists demand that public policy assert what ordinary people know is false. The left has never believed in free speech and always attempts to suppress dissent.

Leftists aren’t bothered by exorbitant taxes, environmental extremism, rising energy costs, inflation, outrageous permitting and building fees, open borders, powerful unions, defunded police forces, gun control laws, arbitrary over-regulation, men on women’s sports teams and in girls bathrooms, rioting by Black Lives Matter and Antifa radicals, on-demand abortion, critical race theory, or any other extremist or socialist cause, all issues that negatively impact local communities. Leftists enthusiastically endorse this claptrap.

Leftists like Corbett and Langshaw regard government as a solution, not a problem. They want more of it. They argue that anyone disagreeing with them should stifle it. By demanding that Common Sense and I sit down and shut up they display their misconceptions and ignorance about democracy, government, public policy, and the U.S. Constitution.

They forget or don’t care that freedom of expression is a touchstone of self-government and that the forceful expression of our views sustains democratic self-government. They blissfully ignore the people’s constitutional rights to petition their government and exercise their right to free speech.

These folks are the mini swamp. They reward each other for team behavior. They know it’s wrong, have no idea how to change it, nor do they want to.

Reasonable individuals would approach the issues with robust debate, providing documented facts to support their position. Not this crowd. They deal with dissention by attempting to shout their opponents down and ignoring facts.

It may surprise these two that I have been involved in grass roots politics, not as a candidate, but as a volunteer campaign manager, speech writer, press agent and office staffer over the years.

In the early 1970s I founded the Prince William County (VA) Young Republicans, that became one of the fastest growing Young Republican organizations in the U.S. at that time. We worked on a variety of House and Senate campaigns, a presidential campaign and local city (Manassas) and county elections. I was approached by the state Republican organization and asked if I would consider running for the Virginia legislature as a House of Delegates candidate. I declined that flattering offer to accept a promotion with IBM to Dallas as its public relations representative for the southwestern U.S.

I have also volunteered on campaigns here in Nassau County including writing campaign platforms and preparing press releases and presentations. One of those candidates was Eric Corbett’s uncle who ran for City Commission and won. Some candidates I assisted won and didn’t turn out well. Some lost. To tell me to shut up or put up is disingenuous and insulting.

As a resident of Fernandina Beach, I have as much right as any other resident to express myself by demanding control over how the city spends my money and how it handles the assets that my tax dollars pay for, to push back and question our elected officials. I’ll continue to forcefully do so. And I’ll continue to use this forum and others to do it.

What I do find inexplicable is that there isn’t a single media outlet hereabouts that is willing to take a stand. News Leader columnist Steve Nicklas is a lone voice tucked off into a small corner of that paper. Meanwhile the News Leader provides admitted socialist Ron “Get Off My Lawn You Little Bastards” Sapp all the ink he wants, while habitual letter writer Steve Leimberg plasters the paper with incoherent and tedious leftist word jumbles in letters and buys full-page ads.

The online Fernandina Observer is nothing more than the city’s official newsletter, publishing such tripe as profiles welcoming new city employees, insomnia curing city-issued press releases and opinion pieces cranked out by City Manager Dale “Big Spender” Martin and Commissioner Chip “The Blowhard Bully” Ross.

Things are changing. Recent opinion polls indicate that Americans locally and nationally are beginning to pay attention, certainly parents. They know what’s good for their children and are no longer shrugging and saying: “It’s just politics.” They are confronting their local school boards and running for school board seats. They don’t want critical race theory, the 1619 project, white supremacy, or any other anti-American garbage taught to their children.

More and more folks locally are waking up to the nonsense taking place at our city hall by questioning budgets, imminent domain, a possible $23 million bond issue, waterfront development, contradictory noise ordinances, unnecessary conservation purchases, outrageous permitting fees, and more. Groups like Common Sense and individuals are demanding that political and civic officials demonstrate high standards of public behavior and honesty. They are also calling out a dishonest and silent news media.

The Common Sense/Chamber of Commerce confrontation of the city’s Building Department is a recent example. Common Sense’s membership is growing, and more locals are making their voices heard, much to the chagrin of  Mr. Corbett and Mr. Langshaw, and  a mute local news media.

To learn more about Common Sense or join it go to: Common Sense on Facebook  or go to their web site by clicking here: Common Sense Fernandina Beach Web site. Request to be on their email list  by going to: comments@commonsensefb.org

***

News In Brief: Last Saturday Linda and I joined 12 friends to attend the second annual Midget Wrestling event held in a ring behind the infamous Hammerhead Bar at Fletcher and Sadler. We enjoyed the outrageously silly event as much this year as last but noticed that there were fewer wrestlers this year. Is there a shortage of midgets? During my annual physical exam this past Monday, my doctor verified to me that his organization, Millennium Physician Group, is going to eventually move into the space now occupied by the B&B Movie Theater on South 14th Street. So where is the movie theater going or is it just going to be gone?

 ***

Things I Wish I’d Said: “A real woman is a man’s best friend. She will never stand him up or let him down. She will reassure him when he’s insecure and comfort him when he’s down. She will inspire him to do things he never thought he could; to live without fear or regret. She will make sure he always feels as though he’s the handsomest, sexiest, man in the room. She will make him feel invincible. No, wait…sorry.  I’m thinking of whiskey.  Never mind.” – anonymous.

***

They Said What? The NBC reporter interviewing NASCAR champion Brandon Brown at Alabama’s Talladega Superspeedway pretending that a crowd chanting “F–k Joe Biden” was actually chanting “Let’s go, Brandon” is so dim that she must be convinced that even Helen Keller wouldn’t believe Democrat clown Joe Biden’s nonsense. Expanding on the new chant, a recent hysterically funny story in the satirical Babylon Bee was headlined: Liberal Parent Trying To Figure Out How To Cheer For His Son Brandon

 

  • Comment (18)
  • Thank you Dave for addressing the liberal ramblings of our favorite whipping boys on here. Please let them continue to dig their holes (graves?) deeper!

  • As Oscar Wilde once said, “Criticism is the only reliable form of autobiography.” It tells you more about the psychology of the critic than the people he or she criticizes. I have little doubt that Mr. Scott’s first thought upon reading this is to assume I’m referring to Mr. Langshaw and Mr. Corbett.

  • While I have not read Pat’s new book, getting younger folks to be aware of wealth, stocks, and the stock market is an excellent idea.

    I’m sure the following is mentioned in Pat’s book:

    “ While minors can’t usually own securities in their own names, you can buy stock for your child in a custodial account. Parents can purchase stocks for their adult children as well as their minor children.”

  • For the record, I was not sacked by the City, the City privatized the marina while I was still Marina Director, but since facts are apparently not that important, just keep spinning away. As a far as me wanting to squelch opposing views, that too is pure horse manure, and to make the case, I suggested that all of your like-minded ilk step up and actually throw their hats into the ring, instead of barking from behind a fence. In MY opinion, that is asking people of opposing points of view to step up and express them in forums where many sides can be heard…so, quite the opposite to what you, yet again erroneously allege. I will also take the compliments, both that I am not stupid AND am a liberal. Lastly, I always appreciate you letting me express my, often “shrill” (haha) opposing point of view, and that’s what I like best about you and your blog, Dave!

  • What the News Leader, Mr. Leimberg, et. al don’t realize is that very few people are paying heed to their comments. I copied the following from BestPlaces.net: “ In the last Presidential election, Nassau county remained overwhelmingly Republican, 72.2% to 26.4%.
    Nassau county voted Republican in every Presidential election since 2000”. And, of course, everyone has the right to respectfully express their opinions.

  • When Hillary Clinton was running against President Donald Trump I responded to Mr. Langshaw’s attack on Christians. That did it for me. He will never change his left wing, liberal views, no matter how much proof is presented to prove him wrong. Hopefully, he and his constituents will become irrelevant soon.

  • Dear Dave:
    An extraordinary event took place here in FB yesterday. I’d like to tell you about it if you will contact me.
    It’s worthy of your time, I promise
    Duke

  • Dave – you have done us all a public service once again. How is it that an independent blogger can Commit News and expose the Biden administration’s corrupt and dishonest policy of shipping illegals into JAX airport in the dead of night, and none of the paid corporate media can seem to discover it – even after it has been exposed here?

    So, good work, Dave. And to your liberal friends, let them know that we will never never never never never never give up. See if any of them know who famously said that?

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