Hurricane Dorian has monopolized lives in Palm Coast and Flagler County. Here’s a rough visual draft of the emergency as it has unfolded over the past few days in various parts of Flagler.
Economy
Appeals Judges Punt on State Medical Pot Controls and Ask Florida Supreme Court to Decide
The 1st District Court of Appeal asked the Florida Supreme Court to decide whether the state’s “vertical integration” system of requiring licensed operators to grow, process and distribute cannabis and derivative products runs afoul of a constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana in Florida.
Affordable Housing Push
Challenges Single-Family Zoning
Cities and states facing rising rents, stagnant household incomes and a tight housing supply are beginning to rethink, restrict and in places end zoning that favors single-family homes.
Hammock Harbor Re-Developer Seeks to Reassure Skeptical Neighbors of Project’s Scope
Hammock Harbor is a former boat yard slated for redevelopment as a 240 boat-storage facility and restaurant just south of Bings Landing in the Hammock. Neighbors are worried about the intensity of the development.
5 Ways The Economy Is Stacked Against Young People
Stagnant wages, out of control student debt, rising costs of necessities, unaffordable housing: they’re all among the reasons why the rules are rigged against young people trying to make it on their own.
Flagler Unemployment at 4% as Labor Force Continues Steady Growth
The Flagler-Palm Coast labor force grew by more than 200 people in July, to 48,631, while the number of people with jobs grew by about 250, to 46,701, a growth of more than 2,000 jobs compared to a year ago.
State Economists Warn of Slowing Economy, as DeSantis Says State Is Prepared for Recession
DeSantis’ outlook was more restrained than that of White House officials, when they were asked about the national economy while making the rounds on Sunday morning news programs.
Disciplined Twice, Sued For Defamation, Trespassed, Arrested 5 Times, Builder Now Wants to Be on Contractor Review Board
Dan Priotti, a general contractor in Palm Coast, is seeking an appointment to the Contractor Review Board months after his licenses were suspended (and stayed) and he was fined $10,000 for violating contracting laws.
Fruehan Pleads to a Felony and is Sentenced to 24 Months of Probation, With Mandatory Mental Health Evaluation
Former Palm Coast physician Florence Fruehan pleaded to a felony battery count admitting guilt in groping a female patient, the culmination of a case that resulted in several women making similar accusations.
‘Hammock Harbor’ Redevelopment Proposing Shops and Boat Storage off A1A Riles New Opposition
A proposed redevelopment of the old Newcastle Marine boat manufacturing site in the Hammock, with a boat-storage facility for 240 boats and a half dozen businesses, is turning into that region’s latest battle between a developer and residents represented by the Hammock Community Association.
Ex-Dr. Fruehan Set to Plea to Felony Count in Patient-Groping Cases and Face 2 Years Probation
Florence Fruehan, the former Palm Coast physician, is set to plea to a felony count of battery on a woman 65 or older at a court hearing Friday, the result of allegations that he sexually groped patients in his office.
In Defeat for Home Rule, Appeals Court Rejects Florida City’s Ban on Styrofoam Containers
Siding with the Florida Retail Federation and upholding the constitutionality of state laws, an appeals court Wednesday rejected a 2016 move by the city of Coral Gables to ban the use of Styrofoam food containers.
For 2nd Time in 10 Months a Construction Worker Is Electrocuted By Concrete Boom in Palm Coast
Israel Hernandez, 40, was electrocuted by a “falling electrical wire” at a construction site at 31 Richmond Drive in circumstances almost identical to an incident that killed two workers on Sebastian Court last October.
Palm Coast Approves Grand Landings’ Growth to 890 Homes and Possible Future Apartments
The 774-acre subdivision off Seminole Woods Boulevard will grow to 890 homes and include 26 acres of commercial space, some of it possibly used for condos or apartments in the distant future.
Texas Roadhouse Breaks Ground in Winn-Dixie Shopping Center off Palm Coast Parkway
Palm Coast’s Texas Roadhouse will be a dinner-only 369-seat restaurant in a 7,163 square foot building. The restaurants typically generate $5.2 million in annual sales, or $364,000 in state and local sales tax.
County Awards $76,000 in Tourism Grants to 24 Organizations But Rejects 8, Raising Questions
The Flagler County Commission on Monday approved 24 grants totaling $76,000 for mostly local organizations’ cultural and sports events, festivals and professional meetings, money to be drawn from the county’s tourist tax revenue.
Wall Collapse at Construction Site in Hammock Sends 3 to Hospitals, One With Severe Injuries
Three workers were injured, one of them severely, after a wall collapsed on the workers at the site of a house under construction at 51 Calle Del Sur in the Hammock Saturday afternoon.
Fund-Raiser for Teens-in-Flight, the Flagler Non-Profit That Keeps Churning Out Young Pilots
Teens-In-Flight, the flight school created by Col. Jack Howell, holds its second annual “Hangar Party” fund-raiser Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Palm Coast Elks Lodge, hoping to draw 165 people and raise $35,000.
Curtain Rises on Flagler Auditorium’s New Director and Renovations With Ribbon-Cutting Tonight
The public can meet new Auditorium Director Amy Fulmer and tour the venue on the FPC campus during a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the renovations at 5:30 this evening. The event will feature live music and food for guests.
The Lose-Lose of Trump’s Proposal to Cut 3 Million People Off Food Stamps
The Trump administration’s move to cut low-income people who are eligible for food stamps and school lunch off of those programs isn’t just immoral, it’s short-sighted, argues Jill Richardson.
School Supplies Sales Tax Holiday Through Tuesday, Back To School Jam Saturday at FPC
The 2019 back-to-school sales tax suspension, or holiday, began at a minute after midnight today (Aug. 2) and runs through Tuesday, Aug. 6. The Flagler County district’s annual Back to School Jam is on Saturday at Flagler Palm Coast High School, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Congressman Mike Waltz, Again in Flagler, Gets a Primer on Coastal Reconstruction and Talks Climate Change
U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz was in Flagler County for the second time this week, touring Flagler Beach’s road reconstruction and sea wall projects along A1A and speaking at length in an interview of his views on climate change.
No Medicare For All, But Biden’s ‘Incremental’ Health Plan Still Would Be A Heavy Lift
The former vice president has specifically repudiated many of his Democratic rivals’ calls for a “Medicare for All” system and instead sought to build his plan on the ACA’s framework.
Florida’s Hemp Industry Is Born Again As Perception of CBD as Cure-All Turns Manic
The nationwide craze for products containing CBD is evident at supermarkets, gas stations and big-box stores, where lotions, tinctures and bath “bombs” are among the items flying off the shelves as consumers seek to quell anxiety, aches and pains and a host of other ailments.
Flagler’s 4 Mayors and a Commission Chairman Boast of Renewed Energy and Problem-Solving
Mayors and the county commission chairman speak as if clouds have lifted and new sources of energy are driving their organizations–resolving chronic controversies and problems, reinvigorating economic plans, even cleaning house, especially in Palm Coast’s administration.
Florida Population Growing by 900 a Day, Equivalent to a City the Size of Orlando Every Year
In Flagler, the population is projected at 112,000 in 2020, rising to 124,000 in 2025, then 134,000 in 2030, and 152,000 by 2040. The figures are significantly lower than those the bureau projected right after the Great Recession.
Roma Court Academy Teacher Faces Child Abuse Charge in One of 3 Investigations at Palm Coast Child Care Facility
Roma Court Academy in palm Coast was the subject of two DCF and Flagler Sheriff’s Office investigations in 48 hours, one of them leading to a felony child abuse charge filed against a 51-year-old teacher.
Palm Coast Wawa Re-Files Permit Application to Build at State Road 100 Site, Resuming Process
Weeks after cancelling its permit applications, Wawa, the much-anticipated convenience store planning at site at Bulldog Drive and State Road 100, on Monday re-filed a permit application with Palm Coast government.
Flagler’s Unemployment Rises to 4.1%, Florida’s Keeps Hovering in 3.4% Range for 12th Month
The June unemployment figures for Flagler and Florida suggest both the state and the county have bottomed out in a job market at the closest to full employment they may see in this economic cycle.
A Routine Staff Meeting Turns Town Hall on The Gardens Development, Revealing Coming Strategies
A routine meeting of Flagler County’s Technical Review Committee drew almost 100 people and turned into a quasi-public town hall session, revealing opponents’ legal strategy and the county’s own various concerns about the controversial proposed Gardens Development on John Anderson Highway.
The Scam Behind McDonald’s ‘McTeacher’s Nights’
The fast food giant pioneered methods of attracting school children to its stores — from Happy Meals to marketing schemes like McTeacher’s Nights, an exploitative fund-raiser that takes advantage of teachers for very little in return.
County Agrees To $680,000 Tax Rebate Over 10 Years For an Unnamed Furniture Company
The unanimous vote capped a brief presentation followed by a nearly hour-long stream of public support and commissioners’ applause, though most elements of the package remain hidden, and, enthusiasm aside, many of the statements were speculative, exaggerated or inaccurate.
Appeals Court Rules Florida Marijuana Law’s Restrictions Violate Amendment Legalizing Medical Pot
Florida’s law requiring pot operators to grow, process and distribute cannabis and related products created an “oligopoly” and runs afoul of a constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana in the Sunshine State, an appellate court ruled Tuesday.
Benefits of a $15 Minimum Wage: The Non-Partisan Evidence
The report from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office finds that a $15 minimum wage would increase the wages of millions of low wage workers, increase the average incomes of low and lower-middle-income families, reduce poverty, shift money from corporate profits to the wages of low-wage workers, and reduce inequality.
Palm Coast Proposal Would Raise Property Taxes 9%; Sheriff’s Request for 6 New Deputies Not in the Budget
Though Palm Coast government is proposing to keep its property tax rate flat, a valuation increase of 9 percent will equate to a tax increase, though homesteaded property owners won’t feel it.
Permits Cancelled For Palm Coast Wawa, But City Insists “All Indications” Store Still a Go. Just Not Yet.
The permitting process for a planned Wawa at the corner of State Road 100 and Bulldog Drive was cancelled last week, ostensibly so the developer could switch contractors, when plans would be resubmitted.
Flagler Property Values Rise Nearly 9%, Higher in Cities, Providing Windfall For Local Budgets
Property values are a driver of local government budgets. Generally, as values increase, local property tax revenue rises, assuming governments don’t proportionately reduce their tax rates.
Flagler Beach Fireworks and “Fabulous Fourth” Parade on July 4
Flagler Beach this year hosts its traditional July 4 celebration, with its Fabulous Fourth parade at 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. fireworks. In Palm Coast, fireworks are on July 3 in Town Center. Both events will feature kid zones and games.
Marina del Palma Yacht Club
Marina del Palma Yacht Club residents will enjoy all the best that Florida offers – a naturally beautiful coastal city with small town charm, plus easy access to all the amenities of nearby towns and metropolitan areas.
A New Hospital For Flagler? Credibility Gap Yawns Between Commissioner Joe Mullins’s Pledges and County Administration’s Caution
The stories told by Mullins’s hyper-optimism and the county administration’s more cautious and deliberate approach illustrate a recurring gulf between the politician’s wishes and promises and what the government administration is in fact delivering (or not).
Boos, Jeers and Defiance as Flagler Beach Voices Its Opposition to The Gardens Development on John Anderson
Some 300 to 400 people turned out at a Palm Coast meeting hosted Monday by the developers of a planned 3,966-unit project on John Anderson Highway, the crowd promising staunch opposition.
Barbara Petersen, Fierce Open Government Advocate for 25 Years, Is Stepping Down From First Amendment Foundation
Barbara Petersen’s retirement from the First Amendment Foundation, after 25 years, takes place as legislators have piled up 1,122 exemptions to Florida’s open government laws.
Vaping, School Vouchers, Texting While Driving: New Florida Laws Take Effect Monday
A new ban on texting while driving and a ban on vaping, adding toll roads and preventing local governments from uprooting vegetable gardens are among the new laws that take effect in Florida Monday.
The Gardens Project Off John Anderson Highway: The View From the Developers’ Perspective
The Gardens is an 825-acre, 3,966-unit mixed-use development proposed off John Anderson Highway by SunBelt Land Management as a successor to a Ginn proposal a decade ago. Ken Belshe, a member of the development group, describes the scope and intent of the project.
Palm Coast Cell Tower Update: 2 of 3 Monopoles Are Up, With Carriers On The Way
AT&T Wireless will be the first to have service on a new tower behind Palm Coast Parkway, with a tower also up in Palm Harbor and the tallest of the three going up near the tennis center.
How Palm Coast’s Rugrat Group and The Ned Brought a ‘Do It Together’ Vibe to the Local Music Scene
Palm Coast’s Rugrat Music Group began small as The Ned, a band, and turned into “full-service music community for the independent artist” that lists 21 area music makers under the “Rugrat Family” roster who continue to influence the the local music scene.
County Prepares to Give One Company $680,000 Subsidy Over 10 Years, Dwarfing All Previous Incentive Packages Combined
A furniture distribution company would build the largest structure in Flagler, a 250,000 square foot building, off U.S. 1 and provide 50 jobs in exchange for the $680,000 in direct subsidies over the next 10 years, an amount extrapolated from a largely speculative guess of how much the company would be taxed.
State and Utilities Gang Up Against Proposed Amendment Deregulating Electricity
The proposal, backed by Citizens for Energy Choices, calls for creating “competitive” electricity markets in which customers would have the right to choose electricity providers or to produce their own power.
In Proxy War Over Homeless Shelter, Bunnell Shuts Down Church’s Other Relief Works
The Bunnell commission voted 5-0 to deny First United Methodist Church on Pine Street so much as new showers or new bathrooms, in essence preventing the church from operating as an overnight relief center for volunteer emergency crews during natural emergencies.
Bunnell’s Mean Streak
The city that calls itself the crossroads of Flagler County is losing its bearings, its heart, and sometimes its mind–over the homeless, over panhandlers, over the sheriff’s office. It is becoming petty. It is becoming mean and resentful, and discriminatory.