Bruce Page, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, today announced the promotion of Tara Gugliara to Assistant Vice President/Assistant Manager, Volusia Banking Center for the Bank. Last week, Page announced the appointment of John Aguiar as Vice President/Business Relationship Manager for the Bank.
Local Business
NASCAR’s Hailie Deegan and AdventHealth Partner to Mark Women’s History Month
AdventHealth is launching a platform in March during Women’s History Month to celebrate the women working in NASCAR, including women drivers and the business professionals who serve as the backbone of race teams, tracks, agencies and media organizations.
Belle Terre Swim Club’s Finances Are Not as Dire as Projected, Club Advocate Says
Doug Courtney, a member of the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club’s advisory committee, questions the school district’s claims that closing the club to public use would be a financial benefit.
Fashion Show Fundraiser Raises $1,260 for Women United Flagler
Chez Jacqueline Boutique in Palm Coast hosted a charity fashion show on March 10 to benefit women and children in Flagler County via the Women United Flagler group. The sold-out event raised $1,260 for Women United Flagler.
Ky Ekinci, Champion of Small Businesses and Office Divvy Co-Owner, Dies at 53
Kayhan Ekinci, the co-owner of Office Divvy and former co-owner of the Humidor, who was known to most as Ky, died on Sunday afternoon after he collapsed while jogging near Water Tower Road in the Cypress Edge area of Palm Coast. He was 53.
How Cupcake Café’s TikTok of Mr Keith’s Surgical Cake Order Went Viral in Whirls of Good Wishes
TikTok clips by Theresa Tazewell, owner of Cupcake Cafe in Palm Coast, went viral as she documented customer Keith’s wish to pay for his wife’s birthday cake in advance for fear that he might die during surgery. He survived, and was lavished with millions of good wishes from a round the globe through Tazewell’s TikToks.
Palm Coast’s Curley Tail Design Celebrates 25 Years in Business
Since 1998 Curleytail Design’s Kim Fizgeraldand has created branding, logo design, business cards, brochures, direct mail campaigns and more for thousands of local businesses. The company is pleased to be celebrating 25 years in business this month.
Battle Over Vacation Rentals Resumes as Flagler Resists Lesser Regulation for 9th Year
For nine years, vacation-rental regulations in Flagler County have survived unscathed even as the short-term rental industry continues to grow in popularity and clout. Each year, local officials fear that era of local control may be over, as lawmakers attempt to pass de-regulation bills. This year is no different.
City Approves Two Developments Totaling 382 Homes, in Town Center and Off U.S. 1
As home sales in Flagler hit a four-year low in January, Spring Lake at Palm Coast, now Reverie, got the go-ahead for 272 homes off U.S. 1 north of Palm Coast Parkway, and Palm Coast Seascape in Town Center was cleared for 110 luxury homes.
Palm Coast Council Embraces Idea of $73 Million Events Venue in Town Center’s Arts District
The consultant Palm Coast government hired to map out how best to develop the city’s Arts District in Town Center is recommending building a $73 million (not including debt interest), 76,000 square foot multipurpose entertainment and conference center not focused exclusively on arts and culture. The venue would by far be the most expensive city facility ever built.
‘Now Is the Time’: Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin Looks West in State of the City Address
This evening’s State of the City Address by Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin highlights the challenges the city experienced in 2022, such as the hurricanes, celebrates various accomplishments and looks to 2023 with eyes on a westward expansion. as provided by the city. Here’s the full prepared text.
Palm Coast Council Surrenders Key Demands in 3-2 Approval of Controversial Harborside Development
Ending a six-month wrangle over the proposed Harborside redevelopment around the Palm Coast marina, the City Council Tuesday in a 3-2 vote surrendered on key demands, overriding some staff recommendations, and approved the addition of 300 apartments and town houses, a project that will remake the character of one of Palm Coast’s original neighborhoods.
Future BJ’s Wholesale Club Raises Traffic Concerns as Palm Coast Mulls Annexation
As it considers annexing the land where a BJ’s Wholesale Club will rise on State Road 100, the Palm Coast City Council is concerned about the amount of additional cars thronging an already busy road, and may condition annexation on the a analysis.
‘Absolutely No Excuse’: County Blasts Old Dixie Motel Owners and Will Again Seek Demolition
After trying for six years to have the derelict motel on Old Dixie Highway rehabilitated, Flagler County officials today again said they will seek to demolish the property as the latest owners have failed to live up to an agreement with the local government.
After Demise of Bull Creek Camp’s Restaurant, Commission’s Pennington Calls for Replacement Amenity
Saying Flagler County’s west side is losing its amenities, Flagler County Commissioner Leann Pennington implored her colleagues and the administration to focus on getting some form of replacement, even if not a restaurant, at Bull Creek Fishcamp, where the county will demolish the existing restaurant.
Ending Speculation, Flagler Health+ and UF Health Announce Plans to Merge
Ending months of speculation, Flagler Health+ and UF Health, the University of Florida’s academic health center, announced plans to merge, potentially changing the health care landscape in Flagler and surrounding counties.
AdventHealth Daytona Beach Breaks Ground on Medical Office Building and Surgery Center
The 3-floor, 60,000-square-foot AdventHealth medical building will contain four operating rooms and two catheterization labs, and will be the medical office home to the Cardiology Physicians Group and North Florida Surgeons specialty group. It is slated to open in January 2024.
‘We Have a Deal’: Dune Hold-Out in Flagler Beach Concedes, Clearing Path to Renourishment
A property owner’s three-year stand-off with Flagler County that has delayed a long-promised beach renourishment in Flagler Beach is over. Cynthia d’Angiolini through her lawyer today agreed to sign a pair of easements, clearing the way for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ dune-rebuilding project–and ensuring that the south side of the city will finally get a major new protective buffer against rising seas.
Visitor Center Location Shifting from A1A to SR100; Flagler Tourism Posts Strong Year
After two and a half years of hunting for a visitor center location on State Road A1A in Flagler Beach, Flagler County’s tourism bureau is shifting its focus for an eventual visitor center to State Road 100, on county land near the new pedestrian bridge.
Renner Proposal Would Allow Floridians to Carry Guns Without a Permit or Safety Class
Calling the proposal an effort to “remove the government permission slip,” House Speaker Paul Renner on Monday announced legislation that would allow people to carry concealed weapons without licenses or currently-required gun-safety classes.
Bull Creek Fish Camp Will Be Torn Down Against Lease-Holder’s Wishes, With No Plans for Rebuild
To the dismay of the current lease holder, County Administrator Heidi Petito said the 2,500 square foot restaurant building at Bull Creek Fish Camp will be torn down next month, after suffering what the county describes as irreparable damage from hurricane-related floods.
Palm Coast Approves New Self-Storage Facility Across from Sawmill Creek on US1
The Palm Coast Planning Board approved Horizon Self-Storage, a 98,400 square foot facility on 7 acres off U.S. 1, immediately across from the rapidly sprawling Sawmill Creek development.
Flagler Beach Rejects Realtor’s Odd Bid to Run City Information Website Only He Would Own
Increasingly troubled by a perceived if amorphous failure of communication between the city and residents, the Flagler Beach City Commission considered then rejected the possibility of contracting with a local Realtor to run a city-related website, then opted to develop a new Facebook page and launch a new app on Monday.
Palm Coast Council Very Conditionally Approves Controversial Harborside Development
The Palm Coast City Council is looking for a compromise on the controversial 17-acre Harborside proposal that would total 432 apartments and housing units, mostly in a massive, U-shaped tower by the Palm Coast Marina. The number includes 72 units in an existing tower.
Florida Press Club Names FlaglerLive State’s Best Independent News Site, Among 3 Awards
FlaglerLive won the Florida Press Club’s top award as Florida’s best online independent news site in all divisions. FlaglerLive also won first place in education reporting, and FlaglerLive Editor Pierre Tristam won second place in commentary.
Jersey Mike’s Opens at Palm Coast’s Island Walk, Near Brass Tap, on Wednesday
Jersey Mike’s Subs will open its first location in Palm Coast or Flagler County on Wednesday at Island Walk, where it’ll be sandwiched between Brass Tap and Tropical Cafe on one side and Metro Diner on the other.
As Green Lion Closes and Loopers Winds Up, Food Trucks Will Fill Cravings’ Gap
Two food trucks will rotate service over the next few weeks at Palm Harbor Golf Club as the Green Lion Cafe ends operations on Sunday and Loopers, the new restaurant and bar taking its place, ramps up operations, first with a significant amount of renovations.
Bunnell’s Sizemore Welding Will Buy Former Sheriff’s Operations Building Ahead of Expansion
Duane Sizemore of Sizemore Welding–Bunnell’s largest manufacturer–confirmed that his company will be buying the former Sheriff’s Operation Center off State Road 100, for just over $3 million. The 36,000 square foot facility will be expanded by 15,000 square feet, and will receive a $96,000 incentive from the city.
Planned Hospital on US 1 All But Dead, Mayor Says, as Advent, Baptist and Halifax Vie to Buy Flagler Health
Flagler Health+’s plans to build a hospital on a 70-acre parcel west of U.S. 1 and Palm Coast Parkway appear to have died. And the St. Augustine-based company is on the market, with AdventHealth, Halifax Health and Jacksonville-based Baptist Health competing to buy it, according to Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin.
April Groundbreaking for 100-Room Margaritaville Hotel in Flagler Beach, With Opening in Fall of 2024
Large-scale construction for Flagler Beach’s 100-room Margaritaville Hotel in place of the former grounds of the farmer’s market will take place at the same time as the construction of a new pier and the dune-rebuilding project on 2.6 miles of beach.
2,000 Articles, 2 Million Words, Countless Revelations in ’22: Help FlaglerLive Keep You Richly Informed in ’23
If you are reading these words right now, consider yourself very fortunate: You are NOT a resident of one of the hundreds of U.S. cities, towns and counties that have no local, reliable print or online source of news. But it takes your help to keep your community from becoming a news desert.
Ending Green Lion Era, Palm Coast Readies to Sign 5-Year Lease With Loopers at Palm Harbor Golf Course
The Palm Coast City Council at a meeting Tuesday is set to approve a five-year lease with Loopers at Palm Harbor Golf Club, replacing the Green Lion after five years. Loopers is owned by Jamie Bourdeau, who has owned Beach Front Grille in Flagler Beach since 2014.
Wawa Will Rise in Place of Paul Katz Building on Palm Coast Parkway and Florida Park Drive
A second Wawa is coming to Palm Coast. It’ll be built in place of the Paul Katz Professional Building at 1 Florida Park Drive South, on Palm Coast Parkway, next year. The three-level, 35,000-square-foot Katz office building, one of the oldest and more architecturally eye-catching structures in the city will be demolished.
Be Local Buy Local with the Holiday Gift Guide and Small Business Saturday
Just like last year, the City of Palm Coast has partnered with several local businesses to offer special promotions in the Holiday Gift Guide and on the City’s social media channels valid from November 25 through December 31. Residents may view the Holiday Gift Guide by clicking here.
Local Scout Troops Open Inaugural Christmas Tree Lot in Palm Coast
Parents and scouts from Boy Scout Troop 281 and Scouts BSA Troop 4281 have set up a massive Christmas tree operation at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 156 Florida Park Drive North in Palm Coast. Trees start at $80.
Some Circle K Stores Will Pair Up With Medical Pot Dispensaries, But Don’t Celebrate Just Yet
Green Thumb Industries announced today it will begin selling medical marijuana at certain Circle K gas stations and convenience stores in Florida starting next year. But the pilot program is limited to just 10 of the 600 Circle K locations in the state. The locations of what the company calls a “test and learn” approach have not yet been announced.
Palm Coast’s First Fall Arts Festival in Central Park Saturday, With Spotlight on Local Artists
Palm Coast government and the Palm Coast Arts Foundation are hosting the first Fall Arts Festival in Central Park in Town center Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It’s free. And the focus will be on local artists.
Beach Front Grille of Flagler Beach, as ‘Loopers,’ Wins Former Green Lion Lease at Palm Harbor Golf
A proposal by Jamie Bourdeau and Dudley Shaw, co-owners of Beach Front Grille in Flagler Beach, is the Palm Coast city administration’s top choice to replace the Green Lion Cafe at Palm Harbor Golf Club. The city today announced its intent to award the new lease for the concession at the club to Loopers, the name Bourdeau is giving to the new enterprise.
Karen Barchowski Sells Storied Sally’s Ice Cream in Flagler Beach as She Plots Her Next Revolution
Karen Barchowski has owned Sally’s Ice Cream on A1A in Flagler Beach for 10 years. She is selling the business and moving to Vermont, after her embracing outlook fostered through Sally’s a powerful hub of acceptance and diversity. “We found invincible love,” Barchowski says of her years in Flagler Beach.
2 Men Syphoning Off Cooking Oil at Woody’s BBQ Charged with Felony Burglary
Two men face felony burglary charges after being caught allegedly syphoning gallons of used oil from Woody’s BBQ’s supplies in back on the business early Thursday morning. Used cooking oil theft is frequent, feeding a $6 billion global business that recycles the product into diesel fuel.
After Extension, Just 2 Bidders Apply to Take Over Green Lion Restaurant Lease at Palm Harbor Golf
The low response was likely disappointing to the city. At least two local restaurant owners have shown interest by downloading the bid packages: Thai and I in Bunnell, and the Turtle Shack in Flagler Beach. That doesn’t mean they are among the bidders–only that they downloaded all bidding documents.
In Flagler Beach, ‘We Got Hit the Hardest’ in the County, Manager Says at Emergency Meeting, Calling for Patience
The Flagler Beach City Commission took stock of Hurricane Ian’s impact on the city at a hastily arranged emergency meeting at noon today, balancing the fact that the hurricane largely spared Flagler County of severe impacts but still left Flagler Beach with the most damage locally.
Rep. Paul Renner Headlines Flagler Humane Society’s 40th Anniversary as Hanneke Frederick’s Name Looms
There was a constellation of stars at Sunday afternoon’s 40th anniversary celebration of the Flagler Humane Society at the Florida Agricultural Museum in Palm Coast, not least among the Paul Renner, the soon-to-be Speaker of the Florida House and Palm Coast resident.
Flagler Recovery Roundup: Curfew Lifted, Latest Power Update, Storm Numbers, Schools’ Reopening Plans
Here’s a roundup of the latest conditions in Flagler County and its cities, status of closures and openings, where to seek help for repairs, when to expect schools and colleges to reopen, and what the latest power cut numbers are.
County Approves BJ’s Wholesale Club Despite Unresolved Jam of Traffic Problems Ahead
A traffic nightmare may be developing on State Road 100 and on Seminole Woods Boulevard as several new commercial developments are crunching their way through the county’s regulatory steps. But the biggest development, a BJ’s Club and five satellite businesses, is moving along despite lacking a full analysis of traffic issues ahead.
Flagler Beach Historical Museum Celebrates 21st Anniversary with Moondance Fundraiser
Celebrate the Flagler Beach Museum’s 21st Anniversary at their ‘Moondance’ fundraiser on October 6 from 5:30 p.m. until 8:30.p.m. The event will be held at Beachfront Grille, located at 2444 S Ocean Shore Blvd., Flagler Beach.
Huey Magoo’s Opens on Nova Road in Ormond Beach
Huey Magoo’s celebrated the grand opening of its newest restaurant in Ormond Beach today. This is the second Huey Magoo’s in the area for owner Buck Harris.
Building Plans for BJ’s Wholesale Club, Gas Station and Several Stores on SR100 Clear County Board
It’s almost all over but the permitting before Palm Coast’s BJ’s Wholesale Club, a big gas station and a half dozen satellite stores begin going up on a 31.5-acre site of State Road 100, just west of Seminole Woods Boulevard.
Distant Recession Signs Flash Even as Flagler Unemployment Remains at 3.2% and Labor Force Grows
If a national recession is looming–by one traditional measure, it is already happening–the signs are mostly not apparent in Flagler County and in Florida. But there are glimmers of warnings.
Only One Bid Filed Near Deadline for Green Lion Restaurant Replacement, so City Extends Window
Palm Coast government issued a request for proposals on Aug. 24 to replace the Green Lion Cafe at Palm Harbor Golf Club. It did not receive a single bid. So it is extending the bidding window to September 29, based at least on some interest shown by two parties.