With the YMCA, Palm Coast and the county uninterested in supporting it, the days of the Belle Terre Swim Club as a public facility will end this fall if no bidder is found by early October.
Local Business
Princess Place Preserve Slated for Extreme-Sport-Type Endurance Race, and 6,000 Racers
The Spartan extreme-sport race in March will cover 8-10 miles and feature nearly 30 landscape-altering obstacles, with 6,000 racers and 2,000 spectators expected. The county is subsidizing the race.
County Government Will Take Over Flagler Tourism Office From Chamber in Latest Expansion
The tourism office’s four employees have been under contract through the Flagler chamber of commerce. By next fall, they’ll be county employees, but their budget will still be underwritten by the 4 percent surtax on short-term rentals.
Economy Adds 215,000 Jobs, Keeping Unemployment Rate at 5.3%, But Wages Lag
The national economy added 215,000 jobs in July and has averaged 235,000 new jobs each of the last three months, while the unemployment rate held steady at 5.3 percent for the second month, the Labor Department announced Friday morning.
In Setback for Sea Ray, Flagler Beach Votes 3-2 to Challenge Land Use Change Over Parking lot
A divided Flagler Beach City Commission voted 3-2 Thursday to take a challenge to the state of a county land use amendment enabling Sea Ray Boats to build a parking lot on 24 acres south of its property off Colbert Lane in Palm Coast.
Sea Ray Issues Open Letter to Flagler Beach Ahead of Thursday’s Special Meeting
The Flagler Beach City Commission meets in special session Thursday to consider taking its opposition to a Sea Ray plan for a parking lot to the state. Sea Ray offers its side.
County Seals Final Approval for Sea Ray Parking Plan, This Time With a Caution
The County Commission gave final approval today for Sea Ray Boats’s planned 24-acre parking lot south of its plant off Colbert Lane, but not without words of caution from several commissioners.
Flagler Chamber Launches School For Business-Minded Political Candidates, But Behind Closed Doors
The two-day school, held in private, will train a dozen potential candidates chosen by a secret chamber committee for their business focus. The sessions are scheduled for September.
Within 5 Hours, Two Shoplifting Incidents at Walmart Escalate Into Felonies With Assaults
Walmart in Palm Coast was the scene of two separate and apparently unrelated incidents that started as shoplifting and turned into aggravated assault in one case, and grand theft auto, reckless driving and fleeing cops in another. Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies made an arrest in the first case. They are still searching for the suspect in the second case.
Walmart And Other Big Energy Users Want Out of Florida’s Conservation Program, Claiming They Can Do Better
Opponents say such a one-sided proposal would shift costs to small businesses and residential customers and jeopardize the viability of the 35-year-old conservation program.
Flagler-Palm Coast Score Most “Fantastic” Month of Home Sales Since Recession
The 247 homes sold in June reduced the county’s supply to just five months’ worth, tilting the market to sellers’ advantage, while prices saw a healthy rise as well.
Service Specter: Rick Scott’s Job-Growth Puffery Masks Florida’s Low-Wage Future
About two of three of those new jobs is a low-paying service-sector one, mirroring years of Florida job growth in low-pay, no-benefits, dead-end jobs in Team Scott’s tourism-driven economy.
Affordable Care Act Becoming Less Affordable as Florida Insurers Prepare Big Rate Hikes
If 1.6 million more Floridians have insurance thanks to Obamacare, sticker shocks keep coming as insurers have submitted 14 rate-hike requests to state regulators.
Florida Loses 47,000 Jobs, Flagler 190, But Shrinking Labor Force Lowers Unemployment
Florida’s labor force shrank by a significant 79,000 and Flagler’s by 325, bringing down their unemployment rates to 5.5 and 6.3 percent respectively.
Palm Coast’s Sign Regulations May Be Forced to Loosen, City Attorney Warns
The changes, which would likely relax Palm Coast’s rules, would be required to comply with a new U.S. Supreme Court ruling making the regulation of temporary signs on private property much more difficult.
One More Hurdle for Sea Ray as Planned Parking Lot Must First Pave Through Rezoning
Sea Ray Boats Tuesday evening again will appear before the Flagler planning board as the luxury boat manufacturer’s plan to expand its footprint south of its plant off Colbert Lane in Palm Coast seeks to advance.
In Flagler Beach, Lighter Rules for Farmers’ Market and 2-Week Limit on Golf Course Buy
The Flagler Beach City Commission voted to apply only a light regulatory hand on the city’s famed farmer’s market, and to start negotiations on buying the last remaining enclave in private hands at the former Ocean Palm Golf Club at the south end of town.
Flagler Chamber Membership Director Thompson Is Fired, Then Insurrection Breaks Out
In 24 hours of feverish developments after Heather Thompson’s firing, a chamber member’s web page in support of Thompson drew 50 testimonies before it was taken down.
Another Strong Growth Month Adds 223,000 Jobs, Lowering Unemployment to 5.3%
For all the economy’s overall improvements, when it comes to the majority of workers, there are no improvements where it matters: in families’ standards of living.
Palm Coast’s “D.J. Chris” and Owner of Kids’ Bounce House Co. Charged With Soliciting Minor for Sex
Christopher Pintek, known as “D.J. Chris,” a P-Section resident, was arrested on charges of luring a 14-year-old boy for sex through a phone app. He is the owner of Surround Sound DJ and Party Bounces.
Palm Coast Dead Zones: City Proposing Less Restrictive Cell-Tower Rules, But Council Demurs
The proposal is being made ahead of a deal between the city and a cell tower company to put a 150-foot tower near Heroes Park, behind Palm Coast Parkway, on land where Palm Coast’s Water Plan No. 1 sits.
With 11 Jobs and Life Skills for 85 Disabled Adults at Stake, School Board Scrambles for Lost Money
The Flagler school board lost $535,000 for two essential programs for adults with disabilities when the Legislature slashed $10 million from its budget for that program. On Tuesday, board members will look for a patch on the way to a solution to keep the program from closing.
Explosion at Santore Fireworks Causes Small Fire, Panic But No Injuries
The fire was restricted to a 12-by-12 area at Santore Fireworks’s manufacturing plant on County Road 305 in western Flagler. Two employees had minor injuries.
Supreme Court Upholds Obamacare Subsidies, 6-3, Protecting Benefits For 1.3 Million Floridians
Some 1.3 million Floridians and millions more across the country will not lose their health insurance subsidies as the U.S. Supreme Court this morning ruled decisively, by a 6-3 vote, that the subsidies are legal and must remain in place, even in states that have not established their own health insurance exchanges.
Flagler Chamber Seeks Applicants for Leadership Flagler’s Next Class
The Flagler County Chamber of Commerce is currently accepting applications for Leadership Flagler, a program that nurtures and engages the leadership skills of potential and current community leaders.
Unemployment in May Ticks Up in Flagler and Florida, But Overall Trends Remain Solid
In Flagler unemployment went up to 6.6 percent, from 6.2 percent the month before, despite a net gain of 220 people holding jobs. Again, the reason the unemployment rate went up is because of the growing workforce.
Flagler County’s Dust-Bowl Era Soil and Water Conservation Board Is Dissolved For Inaction
Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner ordered the 5-member elected board, established in 1937, dissolved for not complying with reporting requirements. It had not met in years.
County Rips Into Palm Coast Government Over Shackled Airport Water Deal
County frustration boiled into outright criticism of Palm Coast’s administration Monday as the city has yet to sign a deal both sides agreed to seven months ago, controlling water service at the county airport.
Flagler Government Embraces Socialized Medicine in Striking Drug Deal with Canadian Rx Company
The Flagler County Commission voted 4-0 Monday to contract with CanaRx to provide prescription drugs to county employees at 50 percent of their U.S. cost.
Imprisoned for Burglarizing Joe’s Pizza in 2009, He Targets Oriental Garden Tuesday
Hugh W. McIntyre,a resident of Palm Coast’s B-Section, was arrested Tuesday shortly after burglarizing Oriental Garden. He was sentenced to two years in prison for burglarizing Joe’s New York Pizza to support a drug habit in 2009.
Citing “Competition,” Lawmakers Want Hospitals Deregulated. Hospitals Disagree.
The measure would eliminate what is known as the hospital “certificate of need” process in Florida, which requires state review and approval of building new hospitals, replacing hospitals and offering certain complex, costly medical services such as organ transplants.
Economy Surges With 280,000 Jobs, But Unemployment Remains at 5.5%
The new jobs bring the total to 12.6 million private-sector jobs created over the last 63 months, one of the better performances of extended growth since World War II.
At Sea Ray Boats, a $10,000 Gift Marks Millions of Working Hours Without an Accident
Brunswick Corp. CEO Dustan McCoy marked Sea Ray’s safety record while tracing the Flagler Beach plant’s success through the Great Recession, and linking its safety record to its continuing operations.
Tomoka Eye Foundation Donates $10,000 to the Center for the Visually Impaired
The donation is a result of the foundation’s first annual Tea and Biscuits fundraiser held last month. Funds from the event also went to guide dog support for the visually impaired. The check was presented to the Center for the Visually Impaired at CVI’s Legacy of Light luncheon on May 13.
Judge Rules Mostly in Favor of Flagler County Authority to Regulate Vacation Rentals
Judge Orfinger denied an attempt by short-term vacation-rental owners and managers to stop county regulations from taking effect, though on one count he ruled that the ordinance may not apply to contracts signed before mid-February, when the ordinance was passed.
Flagler Beach Doesn’t Have a Parking Problem. It Has a Big Government Problem.
If Flagler Beach adopts paid parking, it’ll invite a problem as onerous as Palm Coast’s red-light cameras, damaging its reputation, needlessly hurting its businesses and alienating its closest and most loyal visitors.
Island Grille Restaurant Opens in Flagler Beach, Resurrecting Blue in Silver Mist
The Island Grille opened May 27 where Blue Restaurant used to be, with chef Gary Maresca back in the kitchen and a team of four co-owners promising gastronomy and success.
The Fundamentalists Next Door
It is up to the citizens of Flagler County–no matter your political persuasion or your party affiliation, your social views and religious beliefs–not to allow the voices of ignorance and intolerance decide what information you are permitted to consume.
Flagler Unemployment, Down to 6.1%, Continues Sharp Recovery Over Last 12 Months
There were in fact 87 fewer Flagler residents with jobs in April than in March, though the number of Flagler residents on the unemployment rolls also declined, by 219, to 2,616.
At Rymfire Elementary, A Medical Lab Radiates School’s Health, Fitness and Science Flagship
Rymfire Elemetary teamed up with Florida Hospital Flagler and the Education Foundation to develop a student-centered medical lab as part of the school’s health-centered flagship program, and showcased it to acclaim Tuesday evening.
Two Months Late, Salamander Makes $250,000 Payment That Induced Hammock Beach Hotel Agreement
The payment is part of the $500,000 Salamander agreed to pay for better public beach access in exchange for county approval of a 198-room beachfront hotel at Hammock Beach Resort.
Economy Resumes Climb With Healthy 223,000 Jobs, Unemployment Ticks Down to 5.4%
The 5.4 percent unemployment rate is another new low since the Great Recession: the rate was last this low exactly seven years ago, in May 2008, when it was beginning to rise rapidly.
Marketing 2 Go Celebrates 5 Years in New Digs at City Place in Palm Coast
Marketing 2 Go owner Cindy Dalecki took her new-media company from one employee to six and celebrated with a ribbon-cutting attended by some 200 people at City Place.
662 Spaces Would Convert to Paid Parking in Flagler Beach in Panel’s Vast, Costly Proposal
Flagler Beach’s Ad Hoc Parking Committee, at work two years, will submit its recommendations Thursday to a special meeting of the city commission, with a focus on two options that call for paid parking either in city lots or throughout premium areas of the city, including A1A.
As Palm Coast Groans Over Its Anemic Golf Course, Flagler Beach Wants One Of Its Own
the Flagler Beach City Commission will look to buy the last 3 acres within the old Ocean Palm Golf Club at the south end of town and look to return the whole parcel to a golf operation through a lease with a private company, assuming one can shoulder the task.
Flagler-Palm Coast Added 12,300 Jobs in Last 5 Years, Powering Unemployment Down to 6.5%
Unemployment figures released Friday show the solid, continued improvement of Flagler-Palm Coast’s economy, especially when compared to where the county was five years ago.
Candor, Humor and a Few Sharp Jabs from Jim Landon in a State of the City Overview
Addressing Walmart’s renewed interest in its potential second store in Palm Coast, golf courses, construction and economic activity, Palm Coast City Manager spoke for almost two hours Monday morning to some 90 residents about the state of the city and its near future.
Bunnell Joins County in Big-Debt Refinancing Trend, Saving Large Amounts
By cutting its financing costs by almost half, Bunnell will save $600,000 on two loans dating back to the 1990s. County government similarly saved millions by refinancing loans for the courthouse and the Government Services Building.
For Palm Coast’s Money-Losing Golf Course, Grass Is Always Greener On Other Side of Promises
An update on the city’s golf course did not go well this morning at city council. Instead of projecting when the golf course and tennis center would stop losing money, City Manager Jim Landon directed the company managing the operations to simply stop making projections to the city council.
Florida Lawmakers Float Measure to Regulate Drones Amid Buzz of Privacy Concerns
The proposals prohibit the use of aerial drones to capture images that could infringe on the privacy of property owners or occupants but also give police some authority to use drones.