Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida has recognized Marc E. Dwyer as the recipient of the 2021 Flagler County Pro Bono Attorney of the Year. This award was given to attorney Dwyer recognizing his contributions to providing pro bono services to the community and championing the cause of creating access to the courts for the disenfranchised.
Local Business
Flagler Unemployment Hits Post-Covid Low of 3.8% as County Exceeds Pre-Pandemic Job Totals
Flagler County’s unemployment rate in December fell to a 12-month low of 3.8 percent, matching the rate in December 2020. Flagler has now made up the jobs lost during the pandemic, and exceeded the pre-pandemic level, even though for all of 2021, unemployment in the county averaged 4.9 percent.
Palm Coast Clears Way for 2nd Self-Storage Facility in 24 Hours on Old Kings Road, Near Toscana
The Palm Coast Planning Board Wednesday approved a 155,000 square-foot self-storage facility on Old Kings Road, a short distance north of a facility the Palm Coast City Council approved on Tuesday. The two would be the 10th and 11th self-storage facilities in the city.
City Approves Self-Storage Facility on Old Kings Road, Near Hidden Lakes, Against Public Opposition
The rezoning for a 23-acre site for a future self-storage facility–another one–between I-95 and Old Kings Road, and not far from the Hidden Lakes and Toscana subdivisions, drew some pointed opposition from nearby residents and people with family at a neighboring assisted living facility. The self-storage grounds would also accommodate RV’s and boats, neither of which may be parked in Palm Coast driveways.
‘Boxer’ Targets Kay Jewelers for Theft, and is Taken Down Minutes Later on FPC Campus
Dominic Conte, 20, told authorities he targeted Kay Jewelers in the Target shopping center in Palm Coast because he figured it would have fewer customers and stays open later. He may have been right. But he did not figure on 24-hour policing.
Sen. Travis Hutson’s Bill Giving Business Power to Suspend Ordinances Through Suits Worries Local Officials
The Republican-controlled Senate Community Affairs Committee voted 7-2 along party lines to approve the proposal (SB 280), which would require counties and cities to produce a “business impact statement” before passing ordinances and to suspend enforcement of the ordinances amid legal challenges.
David Ayres Is Named President of Flagler Broadcasting and Its 6 Radio Stations
Jim Martin has named David Ayres president of Flagler Broadcasting. Ayres had been its vice president and general manager since 2008. He’ll fill a role previously filled by Martin, who is taking a step back from day to day operations at the network. Martin will be chairman of the company’s board.
Flagler Access Center for Mental Health and Substance Disorders Opens as Glimmer of Help in Crisis
Flagler Access will provide guidance and services to people with mental health or substance disorders through a partnership involving SMA Healthcare and Flagler Health+, and mostly state funds, operating from the building that used to house the Bunnell Branch Library and Sally’s Safe Haven on State Road 100 and U.S. 1.
Prosecution Drops Felony Fraud Case Against Terry McManus of Flagler Beach’s Ocean Palms Golf Club
Terry McManus, whose company runs the Flagler Beach city-owned Ocean Palms Golf Course, was convicted on a DUI charge and sentenced to four years in prison last fall. He was scheduled to go on trial on a felony fraud charge this morning. The prosecution dropped it in exchange for his plea to a misdemeanor charge. He claimed the state did not have the evidence to convict him on the fraud charge.
Why We Are Appealing Flagler Court’s Decision Clearing the Way for Development of The Gardens on John Anderson
John Tanner, the lawyer representing Preserve Flagler Beach and Bulow Creek, the organization opposing the 335-home Gardens development on John Anderson Highway, explains why the organization appealed a circuit judge’s decision clearing the way for the development. The appeal is pending at the Fifth District Court of Appeal.