Hopes for a desalination plant are down to whether Palm Coast can bear the burden of mounting costs mostly by itself as other governments drop out of the colossally expensive consortium.
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$75 Billion Mortgage Modification Program Is $74.76 Billion Behind
The Obama administration committed to spend up to $75 billion on its foreclosure-prevention program. More than a year later, only about $242 million had actually been paid out.
Hell Freezes Over: Flagler Chamber Wants To Hike Your Taxes
The Flagler Chamber of Commerce is pushing for a property tax increase to pay for business infrastructure and economic development.
Crime Reports May 10-16
A resident wakes to find an intruder in his bedroom, a stabbing in Bunnell, bungled auto theft attempt and more.
Florida’s Small-Business Health Insurance Exchange a 2-Year Bust
Two years after GOP lawmakers launched it as a way to deregulate the health-care market for small businesses, Florida Health Choices still offers no coverage and faces an uncertain future.
Flagler Beach Man Arrested in Two Burglaries
Gary Haney is accused of stealing beer and cigarettes from two Flagler County convenience stores in April.
Rap Sheet Six Years Long Books
Flagler County Lay-Over
Matthew William Freeman faces charges of kidnapping, roberry and aggravated assault from a March 3 incident near Bunnell.
Palm Coast Hops on Bunnell Train Station Bandwagon
Palm Coast was absent from the May 1 Amtrak attention-grabber in Bunnell, but the city council is making amends with a resolution of support.
County Employees’ New Health Plan: Higher Premiums, Lower Out-of-Pocket
County government is edging toward opening an in-house clinic for employees and dependents, but premiums would rise.
DOT Bypass “A Stake Right Through Bunnell’s Heart”
The bypass would accommodate a traffic surge from a Palm Coast development but might also accelerate Bunnell’s decline.
Construction Update: What’s Going Up, Where, When
From the movie theater in Town Center to Wal Mart to Red Lobster, Olive Garden and ABC liquors, a summary of visible and planned construction around Palm Coast.
Wildfire Spares Homes on Esperanto Dr.; Expect More Smoke
A wildfire on Esperanto Drive in Palm Coast broke out at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, forcing the evacuation of eight homes. None were charred.
Socialism, Capitalism, and Other Fallen Stock
We can rail about socialism’s evil and worship capitalism all we like. It won’t get us out of the hole we spent the last 30 years digging. History and Adam Smith are better guides.
Florida Regulators Stop Admissions to Troubled Youth Facility
Officials cut off admissions to Manatee Palms Youth Services, a 60-bed facility that serves 6 to 17 year olds when the facility failed to address violations.
Whip This: Roller Derby Jams Up Palm Coast
Palm Coast’s Derby Beaches are raising elbows, skirts and eyebrows as they storm their way into the nation’s naughtiest league sport.
Boners for Business
The Pat Rice era began at the $218-a-year News-Journal in late April. That’ll buy you a whole lot of Twinkies.
Palm Coast Man Accused of Abusing Girls for Almost a Decade
Two sisters, now young adults, claim Phillip Maida abused them from the time they were 12 until as recently as this year.
Palm Coast Group Nails Historic Marker on Church-State Wall
The first-ever Day of Inclusivity was held at Palm Coast’s Heroes Park under the umbrella of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Job Creation Soars by 290,000,
Unemployment at 9.9%
Job creation improved by the largest margin in four years in May, solidifying gains of 559,000 jobs in the past three months.
Heather Beaven’s WTF Campaign
Democrat Beaven’s congressional campaign against John Mica so far is shoddy, vague, and lacking transparency.
Union Bid Fails Among Flagler Beach City Employees
Thirty of 39 eligible employees cast ballots. The unionization bid failed by two votes.
In Blow to Palm Coast, St. Johns Latest to Retreat from Desalination
With St. Johns’ role and money minimized, Palm Coast taxpayers must assume a far larger share of the $1.2 billion project.
Two Children Die in Dental Chair. Why?
Does parents’ desire to spare their children the anxiety of dental care lead them into taking unnecessary risks?
Liability Flops Color-Coded Safety Flags on Flagler Beaches
Adding warning flags to county beaches wouldn’t be costly, but exposing taxpayers to liability risks might be, so county commissioners are cool to the idea.
City Walk, Home of Palm Coast Government, in Foreclosure
City government officials have kept mum for a year since foreclosure proceedings began on much of the 167,000-square-foot development.
How a Boating Guru Turned Manatee Advocate
Ed Caroe applied for a manatee-protection rules committee as a boating advocate. At the last minute, he switched to manatee advocate. Here’s how.
“Day of Inclusivity” Answers National Day of Prayer May 6
Americans United for Separation of Church and State’s Day of inclusivity is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Heroes Park in Palm Coast, with speakers including Merrill Shapiro and the ACLU’s George Griffin.
10 Named to Flagler’s Manatee Rules Panel
A county-appointed rules committee has 60 days to recommend whether manatee speed zones are needed in Flagler’s waterways.
We Need Drilling. Just Not Where You Think.
The BP rig disaster will spill more oil in the Gulf of Mexico than the Exxon Valdez did in Prince William Sound. Time to cap the follies of cheering for more offshore oil-drilling in Florida.
Obama-Leno: No Correspondence
How even Barack Obama is funnier than Jay Leno. Then again, it’s no contest. Tales from the Correspondents dinner.
Bunnell and Flagler Whistle-Stop Amtrak
Bunnell and Flagler County put on a show for Amtrak’s 60-second slice through Bunnell as it considers resuming passenger service on the old Florida East Coast Railway tracks.
Photo Gallery:
Flagler’s Hopes Shimmer to the Glint of a Train
A photo gallery of Saturday’s turnout of some 150 people at Bunnell’s and Flagler’s plea to Amtrak to reestablish a stop in Bunnell.
Old Kings Road Reopens, Speeding Past History
Old Kings Road in Palm Coast reopens wider and newer, but also more distant from the history and intimacy that gave it its name.
Arts Foundation’s Music in the Air All Weekend
It’s went on all weekend at Central Park: live performances, small-town and big-name musicians, pop, jazz, soul, and plenty of food.
The Uses of Poetry
Reading poetry, Dave Riegel argues in his latest column, has a practical value in the board room, on the campaign trail, in advertising, and anywhere popular art is consumed.
Palm Coast Opens Fiber Optic Network To Local Companies
In a first for Florida, Palm Coast is opening its fiber optic network to business use beginning in hopes of spurring commerce.
In Forceful Terms, Flagler Beach Knocks KKK
In contrast with county and Palm coast statements, Flagler Beach explicitly slams KKK drive as “a hate message.”
The Liberation of Charlie Crist
Charlie Crist, never foreign to transgression, transgressed what’s left of the Republican Party, which has no room for moderates.
Bunnell Bails from Billion-$ Desalination Band
Bunnell joins Flagler County, and possibly Flagler Beach soon, in dropping out of the $1 billion project.
In Alabama, They Speak Ass
Alabama Republican candidate Tim James pledge to ban non-English driving tests, in a campaign video, is xenophobic mob appeal.
Two-Car Wreck at Belle Terre & Rymfire Sends 2 to Hospital
Not quite worth the news splash, the wreck was more light show and twisted metal than injuries worth blessing-counts.
FPC’s Problem Solvers Make History
Flagler Palm Coast High School will send three teams, a national organization record, to the international problem solving competition this summer.
3-Year-Old Nathaniel Ordered Back to Flagler from NYC
The boy is in the middle of a custody battle as his parents sit in jail in Flagler and Pasco.
Bunnell Begs Amtrak With $1,000 Spree: Please Stop Here
Bunnell city commissioners are spending up to $1,000 to catch Amtrak’s attention for 20 seconds Saturday.
Palm Coast Glows Red:
2010 Revenue $4 Million Below Budget
The city’s money pots face severe revenue shortfalls that are, for now, being offset by dips into reserves and severe spending cuts.
When God and Politics
Take Over Public School Buildings
The Flagler School Board revisits its policy on community uses of school buildings in light of a growing controversy over Tea Party activists using Flagler Palm Coast High School.
Cash for Clunkers:
The Mica-Beaven Money Race
Complete charts, graphs and analysis of campaign finance for incumbent John Mica and challenger Heather Beaven in their 7th Congressional District race.
Of People’s Parks and Parked Reporters
When Catholic priests boff young boys, turf wars and fire engines, the editorial page brings out Ed Meese from his crypt, and the local page discovers “scenic” Palm Coast.
US To Florida: Health Care Opt-Out Is Not an Option
Hours after the Legislature voted on party lines to “opt out” of the new federal health law, the Obama administration said that will not be permitted.
Brian McMillan’s Stick Figures
The Palm Coast Observer’s managing editor has a new blog full of tiny jewels of witty wisdom from our most precious philosophers.