The bill would have afforded a measure of relief for Floridians already beset by bankruptcy, by giving them a little credit for equity in their primary vehicle. DeSantis voted no, claiming, ridiculously, that it would “incentivize” people to file for bankruptcy. But no one wants to file personal bankruptcy.
Economy
Hundreds Turn Up For Flagler Beach’s 1st ‘Hang 8’ Dog-Surfing Contest, Putting Event on Map
Flagler Beach’s inaugural Hang 8 dog-surfing competition drew close to 1,000 people over the five-hour event, giving the city what its organizers say will be an established annual draw.
Flagler County’s Unemployment Rate Falls to Record Low of 2.6%, Beating Housing and Pre-Pandemic Booms
In the two previous booms on record, Flagler’s unemployment rate had fallen to a low of 3.6 percent in December 2005, at the crest of the housing boom, before starting to rise the following year. In the late 1990s boom, the county’s unemployment hit 2.7 percent in September 1999 (when 486 people were unemployed), until now the lowest rate recorded.
Costco Opening Wholesale Club on International Speedway Boulevard in Daytona Beach in 2024
Costco Wholesale is opening a 150,000-square-foot store in Daytona Beach in 2024, bringing the members-only wholesale club retailer within 30 miles or less of most Palm Coast and Flagler County residents–just as a BJ’s wholesaler is planning a store on State Road 100 in Palm Coast.
Rezoning Would Clear the Way for 243 Apartments on Old Kings Road, Against Public Opposition
The Palm Coast Planning Board recommended approval to rezone acreage off Old Kings Road north of Town Center Boulevard for a 243-unit apartment complex. The proposal drew mis-statements by opponents of the project. A cover letter with a 100-name petition opposing falsely claims apartment dwellers do not “contribute anything to a community.”
Several Road Projects and Lane Closures planned Along Sesame Boulevard in Coming Days and Weeks
There will be periodic lane closures at the intersection of Sesame Boulevard at the eastern Smith Trail starting today (May 18), and on May 31 a portion of Sesame Boulevard near Sedgwick Trail will be closed as Stormwater Crews replace a pipe that has become faulty.
95-Home Subdivision in R-Section Draws Concerns Over Smaller Lot Sizes, But Council Approves
The Palm Coast City Council on Tuesday voted 4-0 to approve a gated subdivision of 95 homes, most on 6,000-square foot lots, on Ryan Drive in Palm Coast’s R-Section, against objections by residents that the development is built of smaller lots, would generate more traffic and could impact children’s safety at a bus stop.
Damaging Trust with Unions, Flagler School Board Rejects a Rebate to Employees that Its Own Teams Had Agreed To
The Flagler County school district’s teacher and service employee unions have suspended collective bargaining negotiations with the district following what both unions say is a breaking of a pledge by the district to award one-time health insurance premium rebates to employees. The unions consider that “bad faith,” breaking trust in the district, damaging what for many years had been cordial relations between the two sides, and raising the possibility of more formal measures.
Gas Prices Set a New Record in Palm Coast, Reaching $4.49 After 30-Cent Rise Over the Week
In Palm Coast, gas today was selling at $4.49 a gallon at Wawa and both RaceTrac stations on State Road 100. It was selling at $4.51 at the Shell closer to Flagler Beach, and $4.49 almost everywhere else in the city as $5-a-gallon gas is now a possibility.
Setting Aside Transparency Concerns, Flagler Beach Commission Reaffirms Support for $420,000 Dumpster Project
The $420,000 reconstruction and expansion of the dumpster pad outside the Funky Pelican in Flagler Beach–$450,000, including architectural drawings–will go forward, the Flagler Beach City Commission decided last week, despite questions by two commissioners and the mayor.
A Record 36 Million Tourists Visit Florida in First 3 Months of the Year, Beating Pre-Covid Numbers
Visit Florida, the state’s tourism-marketing agency, posted information Friday showing that 35.982 million people traveled to the state between the start of January and the end of March.
A Leery Flagler Beach Commission Votes for Diminished July 4 Fireworks Despite Provider’s ‘Bait and Switch’
Don’t expect the kind of fireworks show you’ve been used to this July 4 in Flagler Beach now that “the residents have been betrayed,” in the words of the chairman of the city’s former July 4 committee. The commission’s vote followed on the heels of a series of embarrassing missteps, poor vetting on the city’s part, and documentation provided only hours before commission meetings.
Fireworks Producer Bills Flagler Beach 150% More Than Agreed Price for July 4 and Drafts Yet Another Company
The latest fireworks producer, Ryan Allen, today sent a $60,000 invoice to City Manager William Whitson for the July 4 fireworks show, a 150 percent increase from the $24,000 the city commission agreed to, while the show would now be a co-production with yet another company the city commission knew nothing about.
Flagler Beach Commission Reels from Stink Behind Blind Vote on $420,000 Repair Job at Funky Pelican
Last month the Flagler Beach City Commission approved a $420,500 bid to rebuild the garbage-dumpster pad adjacent to the Funky Pelican. Four of the five commissioners and the mayor did not know that the project was not merely to repair the pad, but to double the space, further blocking the public’s view of the ocean on the north side of the restaurant–and doubling what had originally been planned as a $200,000 job.
77-Year-Old Patient Beaten and Choked to Death at Assisted Living Facility in Palm Coast
A 77-year-old woman who’d been a patient at Gold Choice Assisted Living and Memory Care in Palm Coast was beaten and choked to death by another patient overnight, and was only discovered by a staffer during rounds early this morning.
Flagler Beach Commission Clears Crafting Contract With Fledgling Fireworks Provider for July 4
In an attempt to bail itself out of a jam, the Flagler Beach City commission at a special meeting this afternoon directed its city manager to draft a contract with a new, young, largely untested company to provide a 20-minute fireworks show on July 4.
Florida Gas Prices at Highest Level in 5 Weeks, with Flagler Average at $4.23
In Flagler County, the average gas price for regular unleaded was at $4.23 a gallon this morning, compared to $4.21 in St. Johns and $4.14 in Volusia. Regular at Wawa on State Road 100 in palm Coast was selling at $4.179 and $4.15 at the Shell station at Flagler Plaza in Flagler Beach. Both RaceTrac stations on State Road 100 were selling at $4.29, and $4.18 at the RaceTrac on Palm Coast Parkway.
Marineland Dolphin Adventure Earns American Humane Recognition Exceptional Animal Welfare
American Humane, the country’s first national humane organization and the world’s largest certifier of animal welfare practices, today announced that Marineland Dolphin Adventure earned the American Humane Certified seal, demonstrating the exceptional welfare and treatment provided to animals in its care.
18th Orbital Launch of the Year from Cape Canaveral, with 40 More Slated for This Year
Space Coast residents had a chance to wake up Thursday to the 18th orbital launch of the year from Cape Canaveral, as a SpaceX Falcon 9 topped with 53 Starlink internet satellites lifted off just before sunrise. Launch facilities might handle more than 40 additional launches before the end of 2022 from private companies, NASA and U.S. Space Force.
July 4 Fireworks in Flagler Beach Appear Back On as City Seeks to Lock In Producer, But Questions Persist
In a special meeting called for Monday, the Flagler beach City Commission will consider approving a $24,000 agreement with a Green Cove Springs company to produce the July 4 fireworks, resolving the risk of a dark July 4 created when the city failed to contact its previous fireworks producer in time.
Palm Coast Council Looks for ‘Break-Even Point’ in Lease With Green Lion Café at Palm Harbor Golf
The city conceded that it has–and continues–to lose money through its current lease, which requires the Green Lion to pay only $600 a month in rent and no utility costs. The aim of the new lease is to bring the city to a break-even point, but how utility payments are figured in–as part of, or in addition to, rent–remains to be decided.
Palm Coast Council Tries Again With Green Lion Café, Almost Tripling Rent, But Differences Remain
The Palm Coast City Council this evening will consider approving a new lease or an amended lease with the Green Lion Café at the city-owned Palm Harbor Golf Club, raising the popular restaurant’s rent from $600 to $1,665 and ending subsidies for utilities. But key differences remain between the Green Lion and the city.
A Recession Ahead Is Likelier Than a Soft Landing
By raising interest rates, the Fed is hoping to achieve a “soft landing” for the U.S. economy, taming inflation without causing unemployment to rise or triggering a recession. Research suggests that engineering a soft landing is highly improbable and that there is a significant likelihood of a recession in the not too distant future.
Local Attorney Delgado Accepts Sanction for ‘Inappropriate’ Call with Client
Delgado admitted the communications “had the appearance of impropriety and not becoming of a lawyer,” according to a consent judgment he reached with the Florida Bar. He entered a conditional guilty plea for consent judgment, was reprimanded by publication and placed on probation for two years.
Florida Gas Prices, Averaging $4.18 a Gallon, at Their Highest in Four Weeks
In Palm Coast and Flagler County, prices this morning were at $4.15 a gallon for regular at the 7-Eleven on East Moody Boulevard in Flagler Beach, and at $4.17 at the two RaceTracs on State Road 100, and $4.18 at the RaceTrac on Palm Coast Parkway.
Flagler Beach Could Have Had Its July 4 Fireworks Had It Not Waited Until April 24 to Book the Show
Several things were said by officials at the Flagler Beach City Commission meeting that were either inaccurate or incomplete, and a key point of information was left out: the commission was not aware that it was not until April 24 that the city contacted Santore to book the show, or that Santore was prepared to do the show had it been contacted earlier.
July 4 Fireworks in Flagler Beach May Not Happen as Long-Time Pyro Supplier Santore Is Booked Elsewhere
Fireworks by Santore, the fireworks manufacturer, cannot produce Flagler Beach’s Independence Day show on July 4 for only $25,000. The city may have another option with a much smaller provider, but that may not pan out, leaving the city without a fireworks show on that day.
Tourism Bureau Would Have Paid No More than $727,500 for Visitor Center Land on A1A, But Loses Out
Flagler County’s tourism bureau would have paid the appraised price of $727,500 for a choice parcel at the corner of State Road A1A and South 9th Street in Flagler Beach, listed at $1.5 million, but the parcel is now going to a buyer offering much more, returning the tourism bureau to its hunt for land for a future visitor center.
DeSantis Vetoes Controversial Rooftop Solar Bill, Handing Victory to Environmental Groups
The bill (HB 741) dealt with a somewhat-wonky issue known as “net metering.” But it drew a fierce debate during this year’s legislative session, as supporters said the state needed to end subsidies for people with rooftop-solar systems and opponents contended the measure would cripple the rooftop-solar industry.
Smoke and Ash from Development’s Burn Pile Near FPC Clouds School’s Hosting of District Track Championship
On Monday and Tuesday, the burning of cleared woods on State Road 100 near Wawa, for a future self-storage facility and a shopping mall, produced enough smoke and ash to cause concern on the nearby campus of Flagler Palm Coast High School as track athletes on Monday trained through the smoke, and on Tuesday had to compete through it as FPC hosted nine schools in the district track and field championships. The conditions produced a poorer image of of Palm Coast to visiting athletes and families than the district wished.
DeSantis Signs Disney-Punishing Bill, Would Shift Nearly $1 Billion in Debt to Taxpayers
If the special taxing district is dissolved, Disney’s nearly $1 billion debt obligations, revenues and responsibilities would be transferred to Osceola and Orange counties’ taxpayers and those of the small cities of Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake.
City of Flagler Beach and Golf Course Company Duel with Lawsuit and Eviction Notice
Flagler Golf Management, the company running Ocean Palms Golf Club in Flagler Beach since 2015, has sued the city just as the city has filed an eviction notice in circuit court, and six weeks since the Flagler Beach City Commission voted to end its 35-year lease with the company.
Gas Prices Averaging $4.10/gal. in Florida as Oil Execs Rake In $45 Million More in Compensation
Florida gas prices are gradually moving lower after rising 10 cents last week. Florida’s state average rose from $4.01 to $4.11 per gallon. Drivers are now paying an average price of $4.10 per gallon.
GOLA in Flagler Beach Dons ‘The Face of Ukraine’ for Benefit Art Show
The Gallery of Local Arts’ “Face of Ukraine” show will benefit World Central Kitchen, an aid organization whose website, wck.org, says it is “first to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate and community crises.” The show will be accepting monetary donations from patrons who do not wish to purchase art.
Flagler Youth Orchestra’s 17th-Year Roller Coaster Ride in Season-Ending Concert Monday, and Away from the Stage
The Flagler Youth Orchestra’s 200 performers are on stage at the Flagler Auditorium Monday evening for the 47th all-ensembles concert in the organization’s 17-year history, with surprise solo performances in the season-ending event, and a wide range of musical offerings.
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried Sues Feds Over Gun Restrictions for Medical Pot Users
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried on Wednesday filed a lawsuit challenging federal restrictions that can prevent people from buying and possessing guns if they obtain medical marijuana in Florida.
Flagler Beach’s ‘Big Blue’ In Business as Glass-Crushed Recyclables Will Decrease Dumping and Increase Uses
Scores turned up Wednesday morning at Flagler Beach’s aromatically breezed sewer plant to see the sanitation department’s new, $200,000 glass-crushing, glass-recycling machine that will turn tons of glass into re-usable sand for public works, drainage or home uses, at $2 a pound.
Between Missing Toes and Blood Spatter, the Play’s the Thing at AdventHealth Palm Coast’s $1 Million Simulation Center
The $1 million simulation center at AdventHealth Palm Coast’s campus on State Road 100 uses high-tech, interactive, realistic mannequins, flesh-and-blood actors, makeup artists whose creations rival anything concocted by Hollywood splatter films, sophisticated computer equipment, and seasoned medical personnel to simulate a variety of health conditions and scenarios. The center provides realistic training for AdventHealth nurses of all skill levels, as well as nursing students from the University of North Florida and Jacksonville University studying in Palm Coast.
DeSantis Opens Special Session with Retaliatory Salvo Against Disney Over ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Stance
Ratcheting up a fight with Walt Disney Co., Gov. Ron DeSantis expanded a special legislative session to consider eliminating a decades-old governing district set up for Disney World and nearby properties.
At Twice the Cost a Year Later, $6.5 Million T-Hangar Project Advances at County Airport as Terminal Lags
Delaying the construction of a new terminal building at the county airport, the County Commission today approved building 42 T-hangars at the airport at a cost double its original projection just a year ago, with the county picking up 29 percent of the cost for now, and hoping that state dollars will shoulder a larger share in coming months.
‘Every Day Feels Unsettled’: Educators Decry Staffing Shortage
A shortage of teaching staff affects every student. One principal explained that learning stalls when “students in classes with revolving subs may spend the hour playing video games with no structure or learning happening.” Administrators describe waking up with dread knowing they’ll have to scramble to find coverage for absent staff.
With Median Rent Now at $1,760 a Month, Tenants Across Florida Are Struggling to Afford Housing Costs
Florida’s rental market has become problematic for many families and workers battling to afford surging rent prices over the past two years, with median rent prices jumping from $1,340 in February 2020 (right before the pandemic) to just over $1,760 in February 2022, a 31.4 percent increase over two years, according to a new report by Florida TaxWatch.
A Year After Giving Up on It, Flagler Beach Is Crushing Back Into Glass Recycling with $200,000 Machine
The glass-crushing machine, nicknamed “Big Blue” by the city, will transform residents’ recycled glass into useable products, but it’s also the reason residents are paying an additional $2 recycling fee. The machine will help reduce the city’s glass-garbage volume and turn pulverized glass to numerous other uses.
Proposed Self-Storage Facility in Hunter’s Ridge Draws Sharp Opposition as It Heads to County Commission
The proposal for a 102,000 square foot facility, to which the planning board recommended approval on a 6-1 vote, drew the sort of public opposition that now routinely shadows new self-storage facilities in Flagler and Palm Coast. But the assistant county attorney cautioned residents that the project is vested, with little to no legal wiggle room for opposition.
Flagler Pines RV Storage Will Soon Be History to Make Way for BJ’s Wholesale Club Shopping Center
The Flagler County Planning Board on Tuesday approved the next step–the first with significant construction–in the development of the 31-acre site that will be home to BJ’s just west of the RaceTrac gas station along State Road 100 in Palm Coast. The shopping center is to be called Cornerstone at Seminole Woods.
Waste Pro Offering $2,000 Bonus for New Drivers at Hiring Drive Saturday
Waste Pro, the garbage hauler that’s provided trash and recycling services in Palm Coast and unincorporated Flagler County since 2007, is holding a hiring drive Saturday (April 16) at its Bunnell plant and offering $2,000 signing bonuses to new drivers. The bonus is paid out in installment over the first year of employment.
Splash Pad Boondoggle at Holland Park: Council Considers Suing Builders and Scrapping $5.1 Million Amenity
Palm Coast’s much-vaunted $5.1 million splash pad at Holland Park It opened for barely a few weeks before failing twice, closing the second time in July and soon closing for good. The failure is causing the city to threaten a lawsuit against the contractor and designer of the splash pad and consider scraping off the whole thing and replacing it with more traditional, less breakdown-prone amenities.
Florida’s Latest Orange Crop Is On Track To Be Lowest Since World War II
With the latest sign of trouble for the industry attributed to a recent cold snap, the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday dropped its Florida orange forecast by more than 7 percent from the March update, pushing the decline since the first forecast was issued in October to nearly 19 percent.
DeSantis on Defensive After New York City Mayor Launches Campaign Against Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law
Adams, a Democrat, invited Floridians to move to New York if they are in opposition to the recently signed legislation that critics say threatens LGBTQ people by prohibiting discussions on gender identity and sexual orientation in public school classrooms.
Amazon, Starbucks and the Sparking of a New Union Movement
Inspired by pro-union sentiment in political movements, such as Bernie Sanders’ presidential bids, Black Lives Matter and the Democratic Socialists of America, young workers are spearheading the efforts for workplace reform rather than professional union organizers. Indeed, one would be hard pressed to find many experienced organizers among the recent successful campaigns.