The consultant Flagler County hired to shepherd local governments through their political and financial obstacles related to economic development has a long record of bracing cheerleading. Dividends are less clear.
Local Business
Economic Development Summit: Diagnostic Kumbayas Drown Out Harder Questions
Day one of the summit produced generous and optimistic self-evaluations from some 60 elected and had-picked representatives of local governments, but no breakthrough on fundamental differences on economic development financing or leadership.
Obstacles Cleared: Flagler Beach’s Iconic Pier Restaurant Will Have a New Owner
Every previous deal-breaker dissolved as prospective owner Raymond Barshay and city commissioners relented in turn on various issues. Neither side was an outright victor. But the city’s iconic restaurant will have new life.
Flagler Beach Commission To Noisy Restaurants and Irritable Residents: Cooperate
Flagler Beach city commissioners turned up the volume on the status quo Wednesday as they analyzed noise levels first-hand and agreed to document and analyze noise complaints for a while before changing the noise ordinance.
Lifeguard Tower Rises Again in Flagler Beach, Pier Restaurant Lease Falters
The commission reversed itself and voted to build the tower. The decision displeased the prospective owner of the Pier Restaurant. Several other deal-breakers hardened in those negotiations, leaving the restaurant deal in doubt.
Florida to Jobless: Tough Luck.
Benefits To be Cut. Businesses To Get a Bye.
Driven by Florida businesses, the Legislature is preparing to cut eligibility for the jobless and making it harder to claim benefits. Flagler’s unemployment rate is hovering around 16%, Florida’s around 12%.
Fearful of Obstructing Pier Restaurant Deal, Flagler Beach Kills Lifeguard Tower
After eight years of trying, winning an $80,000 federal grant, and spending $51,600 on construction, commissioners reversed course on a lifeguard tower to satisfy the Pier Restaurant’s potential new owner, who worried about blocked view.
Unemployment Lines: Throngs Turn Up for 220 Jobs at Red Lobster and Olive Garden
More than 1,000 applicants–about a fifth of the county’s total unemployed–were expected on Wednesday alone, the first day of hiring at the two new restaurants, in an sign of enduring economic hardship.
Flagler Beach and Willing Investor Still Not Moored to New Pier Restaurant Lease
Raymond Barshay and Flagler Beach Commissioners are at odds over the fate of the bait and tackle shop, which has been attached to the Pier Restaurant. They’re at odds over several other issues. But they’re still talking.
Local Governments Agree To a Therapist To Cut Through Economic Dysfunction
After a meeting lasting two hours and 17 minutes Monday, local governments conceded they have no agreement on economic development, except to meet again and let a “facilitator” help them find some.
Challenging Jon Netts, Charlie Ericksen Runs for Palm Coast Mayor on a Pro-Business Agenda
Charlie Ericksen is critical of a city council that rubber-stamps too many decisions without debating or explaining them, and a city that he says hasn’t given local business a fair shake. Netts has been on the council since 2001.
Economic Development Summit: Can Flagler’s 33 Elected Get It Up?
Many plans, little agreement, no concerted action: Monday evening’s economic development summit between Flagler County’s seven local governments is unlikely to yield substantive results beyond a meet-and-greet of powerpoints.
Flagler Beach Commission vs. Hurricane Patty’s: A Lot of Noise Over a Few Complaints
Hurricane Patty’s opened as a popular restaurant and bar on Flagler Beach’s side of the Intracoastal in December. A few noise complaints are causing the city to rethink its noise ordinance. Patrons are unhappy.
Video: Ghost Opposition to Cold-Weather Shelter Draws Out Advocates in Bunnell
Unseen and unheard opponents of the cold-weather shelter in Bunnell have complained to that city’s mayor. Shelter advocates made their case at a city commission meeting this week.
Blank Check: City and County Bankrolling Enterprise Flagler Without a Contract
Since 2006, Enterprise Flagler, the public-private economic development partnership, has received more than $1 million in taxpayer dollars from Palm Coast and Flagler County. Elected officials are just discovering there was no contract.
Bunnell’s Central Commerce Park Finally Breaks Ground, With an Order of Wendy’s
A new Wendy’s restaurant in April will be the first business at Flagler Central Commerce Park in Bunnell, a 1 million square foot commercial development seven years in the works. So far, no other business has signed up.
Doctors Are Coming, Loads of Them, But Should Public Dollars Defray Conference Costs?
The 5th Annual Primary Care Spring Conference will bring some 300 physicians to Hammock Beach Resort in April. Flagler County’s Tourist Development Council is ready to approve a $10,000 public-dollar subsidy.
Palm Coast Data Lays Off 31 More As Another Major Customer Plans to End Its Contract
A principal shareholder of Palm Coast Data parent Amrep Corp. and customer of Palm Coast Data is ending its association with both. The company is nowhere near its 2008 pledge to hire 700 more employees locally.
News-Journal Circulation Plummets 10% in First 6 Months Under New Ownership
The News-Journal circulation has fallen by more than 41,000 copies, or 39 percent since 2005 though its recent, accelerating decline is far steeper than losses the newspaper industry is experiencing across the country.
Negotiations Over New Pier Restaurant Lease Crawl Between Nods and Deal-Breakers
A marathon negotiating session over a new Pier Restaurant lease between the Flagler Beach City Commission and restaurateur Raymond Barshay left several issues unsettled.
Greasy Spoon No More? Flagler Beach Ready to Negotiate New Lease for Pier Restaurant
A year of indecision later, Flagler Beach city commissioners will discuss a 31-year lease with Ormond Beach restaurant owner Raymond Barshay at a special meeting of the commission on Dec. 22.
Palm Coast Data Parent’s Headaches: Diving Revenue and $22.5 Million Loan Due
At Palm Coast Data, revenue declined $10.9 million in the six months ending Oct. 31, a 22 percent decline from the same period last year. Palm Coast Data parent AMREP Corp.’s Southwest subsidiary owes a $22.5 million loan to be repaid on Dec. 16.
Former School Board Candidate Raven Sword Joins Livingston & Wolverton Law Firm
In her first political campaign, Sword lost to John Fischer. By joining Jay Livingston and Jim Wolverton, the trio is now one of the larger law firms on Flagler County.
Flagler’s Poverty Gap: Boosting Food Stamps Enrollment–and More Accurate Numbers
While the Mobile Benefits Program is well-meaning and necessary–a few million dollars in food assistance are going unclaimed in Flagler–the inaccurate numbers backing up the initiative undermine the program’s credibility.
Palm Coast’s Secret Deal With Solar Company: Long Tax Holiday and Other Perks for 180 Jobs
Dubbed “Project Iceman,” the deal calls for at least a $49 million investment and average wages of $34,500, though the fine print reveals exclusive perks and secrecy provisions that prevent public scrutiny of the deal’s implementation.
The Anti-Black Friday: In Flagler Beach, Small Business Saturday Rings Up Authenticity
Carol Fisher isn’t interested in the madness of Black Friday. In a column, she invites you to experience the more authentically American tradition of small, heartbeat businesses that are the life transfusions of local economies.
Why Flagler Beach Blocked Disabled Veterans’ Request For a Penny-Ante Gambling Hall
Unless they were willing to risk changing the character of the town, city commissioners had little choice but to block an attempt to open what would have been a penny-ante gambling hall at the DAV property.
Flagler Unemployment Falls to 15.5%, But County Labor Force Shrinks By 1.5%
Flagler County’s unemployment fell only because the labor force is shrinking faster than jobs. But the county still lost jobs in September, and Palm Coast still tops the state’s metropolitan unemployment rates.
Dueling Seafoods and Surfers: Video and Photo Gallery
The dueling festivals are over and the images are in: a video report from the 2010 Tommy Tant Classic and a photo gallery from Tommy Tant and Palm Coast’s Seafood Festival.
Time to Get Involved: Feed Flagler Challenges County’s Thanksgiving Compassion and Beyond
Led by Commissioner Milissa Holland and the county administration, Feed Flagler aims to provide meals for 2,000 people at Thanksgiving, raise thousands of dollars and stock up food pantries and family pantries for many weeks’ worth.
Cultural Development Richer Than Economic: How to Grow Palm Coast Into a City With Soul
There’s more to a city than commerce, argues Hollingsworth Gallery’s JJ Graham in a column. Without cultural development and the youthful force that makes it possible, Palm Coast would be a city without soul.
Builders on Amendment 4: Bad for Jobs, Economic Growth and Democracy
Charles Rinek, president of the Flagler Home Builders Association, outlines the many reasons why Amendment 4 — the so-called “Hometown Democracy” amendment — will undermine the state’s economy and democratic process.
It’s Drescher’s Tower Now: Year-Long Quest Ends With Town’s Name in Its Place
The job was finished Sunday, but it took Stan Drescher, a newcomer to Flagler Beach, almost a year and perseverance through slamming doors to have the town’s water tower named after it.
“They Don’t Give a Damn”: Flagler Beach Wants Pier Restaurant Owners Who Do
A consultant’s report was as if tailor-made for Raymond Barshay, owner of River Grille on the Tomoka in Ormond Beach, to take over and remake the dilapidated Flagler Beach Pier Restaurant.
Palm Coast Data’s Invitation-Only Picnic: Hot Dogs, Flattery and Suspended Disbelief
Half Palm Coast and the county’s elected officials and top administrators were invited to Palm Coast Data’s picnic. The public wasn’t. That’s not the main problem.
“Economic Development” Tax Dies: Enterprise Flagler Wants It Removed from the Ballot
Enterprise Flagler will ask the county commission to ensure that the voting on the troubled tax not be counted. Plan B: a sales tax proposal.
Census: Flagler’s Population Stalls at 91,600; 28% of Housing Units Vacant; Poverty Rising
The 2009 population figures mean that Flagler will almost certainly not cross into six-figure territory when decennial census figures are announced. Figures on housing, income, poverty and insurance were also released.
Income, Employment and Labor Data for Flagler County and Palm Coast, 2009 Census Bureau Community Survey
Detailed, charted table of the Census Bureau’s employment, income and labor data for Flagler County and Palm Coast, 2009 American Community Survey.
From Beirut to Bulldog Drive: Palm Coast’s Uncivil War Over Gus Ajram’s Property Rights
From escaping Lebanon’s civil war to building automotive businesses in New York and Edgewater, Gus Ajram never expected his biggest battle to be over his property rights in Palm Coast.
Palm Coast Consistently Beating Florida As Taxable Sales Indicators Continue to Improve
Tourism and retail sales, and fewer people traveling elsewhere to buy goods, are keeping Palm Coast’s taxable sales among the most-improved in the state, compared with 2009.
Pastor Jim Raley to Strip Club: Not In Our Midst
“Cheaters”‘ presence would be “a moral and ethical blow” to the region and should not be allowed to prosper locally, argues Jim Raley, senior pastor at Calvary Christian Center in Ormond Beach.
A Wedding Made in Deli: How Aquarius Conquered Cancer
He’s 60. She’s 65. They’ve each been married twice before. She was just diagnosed with terminal cancer. They’re getting married at Strathmore’s Deli, with Mayor Netts officiating.
