Unlike in previous months, the bright jobs picture in June was the result of more people getting jobs and fewer people losing them–as opposed to more people dropping out of the labor force.
Economy
Bulldog Drive War Over: Palm Coast Settles With Ajram, Paying Him $215,000 More Than It Offered in 2011
Palm Coast agreed to pay GEA Auto owner Gus Ajram $1.15 million for his two properties on Bulldog Drive, $25,000 more than even he was asking three years ago, ending years of acrimony and clearing the way for the city to eventually (and again) widen Bulldog Drive unimpeded.
Lawsuit and Ethics Charge Cite Flagler Commissioner Revels Ties to Business Associate in County’s Old Hospital Buy
A group calling itself the Flagler Palm Coast Watchdogs filed a lawsuit against Flagler County, seeking to stop construction on the old Memorial Hospital property slated to be the sheriff’s headquarters, and alleging that Commissioner Barbara Revels did not disclose owning shares in the bank run by one of the men who sold the hospital to the county for $1.23 million last August.
Thank You EPA: Satellite Imagery Shows Dramatic Air Quality Improvements
An animated map created from NASA satellite data shows stunning improvements in air quality in U.S. cities between 2005 and 2011.
Palm Coast Council Has No Objection to 10% Rent Increase at City Marketplace Offices
The two sides this week have worked out a lease agreement that would raise Palm Coast’s rent by $2,000 a month, to $22,000, but also reduce Palm Coast’s space modestly, by 1,278 square feet, from a total of 22,200 square feet currently. The agreement will keep Palm Coast from having to look for new digs before its City Hall is ready next fall.
Despite Moratorium, 4 New Specialty Plates Added to Stack of 118, Hurting Sales
The new plates also come despite warnings from Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which oversees license plates, officials that the program may have reached a tipping point in terms of sales.
Hollingsworth Gallery Will Leave City Marketplace for Nature Scapes, Closing Curtain on Vibrant Arts and Theater Era
Hollingsworth Gallery and Nature Scapes in Bunnell are near a deal on the gallery taking over a 6,0000-square-foot building to develop new arts programs and a full arts community there, but leaving City Marketplace leaves City Repertory Theatre without a home, and a fourth season beginning in September.
Flagler Unemployment Ticks Up to 8.6% as Labor Force Surges By 2% And Jobs Increase
Flagler’s unemployment rate in May ticked up slightly to 8.6 percent, from 8.3, but the increase was largely due to a large influx of workers into the labor force, which grew by 727 people over the month, or 2 percent, to 36,068. Flagler County residents with jobs increased by 550, a 1.7 percent improvement over the previous month, for a total of 32,952 people with jobs.
City Markeplace Landlord Stuns Sheriff’s Palm Coast Precinct With 212% Fee Increase
While increasing rent a modest 3%, John C. Bills Properties told the Sheriff’s Office this month that its CAM fee would increase from $420 a month to $1,313 a month, and that the fee would be retroactive to January, adding another $5,400 charge, which a sheriff’s attorney finds inappropriate.
For Floridians, Affordable Care Act Lives Up To Its Name: Average Monthly Premium Is $68
The $68 a month average premium is considerably less than the national average of $82. The plans are subsidized through tax credits taken in advance. Ninety-one percent of those who enrolled in Florida received the financial help, averaging $278 a month.
That 1.3% Hurricane Charge on Your Property and Auto Insurance Is Ending 18 Months Early
Collected to help pay claims from the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons, an extra charge on homeowners- and auto-insurance policies will be removed 18 months earlier than previously expected.
Tracy Morgan, Truck Wrecks, and Politicians Willing To Make Our Roads More Dangerous
If you spend much time on the Interstate, you undoubtedly have seen the aftermath of horrific crashes like the one that occurred earlier this month on I-95 at the Flagler-St. Johns County line. That wreck was typical of the carnage that results from an 18-wheeler plowing into stopped cars, either because of the truck driver’s inattention or fatigue.
Domestic Spying: How Marketers’ Tracking of Your Web History Is Getting Creepier–Offline
Online marketers are increasingly seeking to track users offline, as well, by collecting data about people’s offline habits—such as recent purchases, where you live, how many kids you have, and what kind of car you drive.
GoToby: Palm Coast’s Microtel in Foreclosure Sale
As a result of a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered on June 5, 2014, Microtel Inns and Suites on Old Kings Road will be sold July 21.
Disney-Owned Marvel Comics in $1 Million Deal to Give Ailing Florida Citrus a Superhero
The Florida Department of Citrus is redirecting marketing dollars to help juice the industry’s sales as Florida orange juice production plummets 22 percent from a year ago, mostly because of an incurable disease called citrus greening.
Staving Off a Major Blow, Palm Coast Data Settles With German Publisher, Extending Relationship
Heinrich Bauer LLC, one Palm Coast Data’s major clients, released some claims on the company in exchange for more than 10 percent of the company’s stock and a pledge to stay with Palm Coast Data through 2018. The alternative would have represented a significant blow to Palm Coast Data, which has already been weakened by successive losses over the years.
Rescued from Surf in Flagler Beach and Revived, Sylvio Thibodeau, 88, Dies at Hospital
Sylvio Thibodeau, for two decades a resident of Palm Coast, was an avid swimmer and biker. On June 5 he was at the beach with his daughter when he swam too far and disappeared from view, was brought back to shore by a lifeguard and given CPR, but died later at Florida Hospital Flagler.
Palm Coast Council Looks to Regulate Potential Medical Pot, But in a Cloud of Misinformation
Saying he wants to be “pro-active,” Palm Coast Mayor Jon Netts wants to explore regulations of potential medical pot dispensaries, should medical marijuana be legalized by Amendment 2, similar to those Palm Coast imposed on pill mills and intenet cafes. But those regulations will be primarily in the Department of Health’s hands, possibly pre-empting cities from such regulatory powers.
Flagler Economic Development Department’s Job Fair Draws 400 Applicants and 36 Employers
Job seekers filled the parking lot and stood in a line that spilled out into the hallway of the Flagler County Emergency Operations Center Thursday as company representatives were busy at tables speaking with potential employees and accepting resumes.
Job Creation Exceeds 200,000 For 4th Straight Month Despite Slowdown in Economic Growth
Despite a first-quarter decline of 1 percent in economic growth, the economy added 217,000 jobs in May for a total of 1.05 million jobs so far this year, a robust, sustained growth not seen since the end of the Great Recession.
Lobbyists, Lawyers and Investors Line Up to Cash in on Florida’s Nascent Pot Industry
Lawmakers broadened eligibility for medical marijuana to include cancer patients as well as those suffering from severe muscle spasms or seizures, thereby opening up the market for potential sellers. The strain of marijuana is high in cannabidiol (CBD) and low in euphoria-inducing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
For $600,000, Bunnell Buys Former Heritage Charter School Campus For Its New City Hall
The decision was the result of ma 3-1 vote at a special meeting. Bunnell projects spending an additional $300,000 to prepare the three-building campus for its permanent offices, including the police department, all of which have been spread through three locations around Bunnell for the past five years.
With Revels Chairing, County Puts Its Imprint on Committee to Study Fate of Old Courthouse
The seven-member committee will to the commission recommend whether to sell, demolish or redevelop for local businesses the old county courthouse again saddling county taxpayers, after Bunnell rejected its ownership in April and the county angrily took it back in May.
Wings Over Flagler-Rockin the Runways Raises $16,000 in Scholarships and Eyes New Heights
Wings Over Flagler-Rockin the Runways, held the last week of April at the Flagler County Airport, had been organized in just 60 edays in a rapid partnership between county government, WNZF, and Bill Mills of TBD Partners, Mills Aviation Charities and Blue Sky Yakrobatics.
Florida Hospital Flagler Donates First Aid Supplies to Flagler Beach Lifeguards
Florida Hospital Flagler has donated an array of medical supplies to the City of Flagler Beach’s Ocean Rescue Services. Items donated include gloves, face masks, ammonia, alcohol pads, gauze, biohazard containment materials, and more.
Don’t Mind a Gap This Year: Flagler County’s Budget Prospects Brighten With Talk of Tax Cut
Countywide property values are expected to rise 5 percent this year and bring in an additional $2.3 million at today’s tax rates, reducing pressures on the budget and allowing the county commission to consider tax cuts and the expansion of services, including the addition of three firefighters.
Gouged, Palm Coast Calls City Market Place Lease Demands “Unacceptable” and Looks Elsewhere
City Market Place owner John Bills is asking for a 57 percent increase in rent from Palm Coast government, whose offices have been renting 22,000 square feet at City Market Place for five years. The city needs one more year before moving to City Hall in Town Center. It’s now shopping for other spaces for that year.
Flagler Beach Museum Taking Over Pier for “Jazz, Cheese & Cheer!” Fundraiser Saturday
The Flagler Beach Museum’s “Jazz, Cheese & Cheer!” fundraiser Saturday from 3 to 7 p.m. will feature Linda Cole & Co, enjoy small samples of wine, craft beer, cheese, sweets and food from numerous local eateries while gazing at the best ocean view in town.
Hiding Behind Barricades of Indifference as Income Disparities Corrode the Social Contract
The very rich, who are already less and less in touch with the lives of ordinary Americans, will further barricade themselves to avoid having to witness the decline of a country that is no longer about ensuring a decent standard of living for the greatest number of people.
From a New Branch Library to a West Side Fire Station, Flagler Commissioners Weigh Sales Tax-Funded Projects
Most of the $2-million-a-year sales tax revenue the county commission voted in almost two years ago is spoken for–a new jail, a new sheriff’s HQ–but a few million dollars remain spendable. The administration is proposing a long wish list that commissioners will now rank.
Charlie Crist on Ending the Cuba Embargo: Not Flip-Flopping, But Facing Reality
Crist wants to lift the 53-year-old U.S. trade embargo on Cuba. He hasn’t flipped soft on the Cuban government, which he calls “oppressive,” “totalitarian,” and “wrong.” He just says that the embargo hasn’t worked and that it’s insanity to keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result, argues Stephen L. Goldstein.
SunRail Begins Paid Commuter Service Between Volusia and Orange Counties
After providing free service to 135,000 riders for two weeks, SunRail, the commuter rail line in Central Florida, on Monday began paid service between DeBary and Sand Lake Road in Orlando. The free service days drew 11,237 riders a day, on average.
Flagler County’s Unemployment Rate Tumbles to 8.3% in Sharpest Single-Month Improvement of Recovery
Flagler County’s unemployment rate fell a full percentage point in April, to 8.3 percent, the sharpest single-month improvement of the last five years’ recovery, as the number of unemployed people in the county dropped by 375 and the number of employed people climbed by 111. A drop of 264 in the labor force, however, also helped reduce the unemployment figure.
As City Market Place Plays Hardball With Palm Coast, Gallery’s and Theater’s Future There Dims
The new owners of City Market Place want to jack up rent on Palm Coast city offices by 33 percent, and slam similar increases on Hollingsworth Gallery and other long-time anchors of the strip mall, making every one of those tenants question whether they will be there much longer–and placing a cloud on the future of some tenants, such as City Repertory Theatre.
Scott Signs Tax Cut Package Rolling Back Car Registration Fees and Offering 2 Tax Holidays
The hurricane sales-tax holiday runs from May 31 through June 8, the back-to-school holiday will run from Aug. 1 through Aug. 3, and vehicle registration fees have been scaled back to pre-2009 levels, among other measures Gov. Rick Scott signed into law.
AAA To Scott: Veto 75 MPH Speed Limit
AAA asked Scott more than a week ago for a sit-down to talk about the narrowly-approved measure that could see maximum speed limits hiked by 5 mph. The governor hasn’t made a decision on the bill. His aides are willing to discuss it.
Palm Coast Approves Zoning Changes to 749-Home Grand Landings Development on Seminole Woods
Grand Landings is a 749-home, 774-acre development in Seminole Woods, about two miles south of State Road 100 (and less than two miles from the Flagler County Airport), that had fallen into bankruptcy. Its new developers have spurred more new construction activity there than in most places in Palm Coast.
Palm Coast Will Expand Indian Trails Sports Complex Again to Capitalize on Tournament Growth
The Indian Trails Sports Complex is expanding for the second time in three years, a reflection of Palm Coast’s success in attracting quality sports tournaments that draw thousands of out-of-town visitors to the county, filling restaurants and hotels. The Palm Coast City Council Tuesday evening unanimously approved expanding the complex from eight fields to 10, just three years after the complex was expanded from four fields to eight.
TALKiT, the New Palm Coast-Based Social Media App, Is Introduced to Economic Advisory Council
TALKiT, the innovative, Palm Coast-based social media application whose developers say will revolutionize the way individuals and institutions communicate in real time, got its formal introduction to the Flagler County Economic Opportunity Advisory Council Wednesday morning.
Palm Coast Council May Consider Red-Light Camera Referendum, But Wants More Talk
There were no dramatic moves Tuesday evening among council members or from the city manager. A dozen members of the public addressed the issue, as did City Manager Jim Landon, as did most of the council members and the mayor. But in the end, the most conclusive action was that the council should talk the matter over more thoroughly at a workshop soon.
Joint Restaurant Experiment Ends as Palm Coast’s Red Lobster Closes and Olive Garden Grows Larger
Three years after Darden Restaurants opened a combined Red Lobster and Olive Garden restaurant at the Target shopping center, the company announced that it would close Red Lobster as it prepares to either sell or spin off the brand, which has been losing customers.
Palm Coast Calls on Local Contractors to Apply For City Hall Project
The Vendor Roundtables will be held Tuesday, May 13, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Tuesday, July 22, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Flagler-Palm Coast Campus of Daytona State College. Contractors will be given information on the scope of work for the new City Hall and the anticipated schedule of bidding and construction.
An Everlasting Horror Reenacted and Remembered as CRT Ends Season With 2 Holocaust Shows
Adam Fisher’s “An Everlasting Name” and Charlotte Raspanti “I Never Saw Another Butterfly” give voice to children and survivors of the Holocaust in a pair of productions ending City Repertory Theatre’s third season at City Market Place, starting this weekend.
Unemployment Falls Sharply to 6.3% as Economy Adds Nearly 300,000 Jobs, But Labor Pool Shrinks
People are reentering the workforce, they’re applying for work, they’re finding jobs, with an economy in April adding more net jobs for the 50th consecutive month–ironically, one of the longest peace-time recoveries on record, following the Great Recession of 2007-08. But a huge number of people are also leaving the workforce. That has resulted in an unemployment report for April that looks very bright at first, but that dims somewhat when analyzed more closely.
Flagler Seeks, Flagler Wins: Bill Restoring Vacation-Rental Regulation Authority Passes House and Heads for Scott’s Desk
The Flagler County Commission has been leading the fight to overturn a 2011 state law prohibiting the regulation of short-term rentals. Thursday morning, the Florida Senate voted 37-2 to give back some home-rule authority to local governments. The House approved the measure 90-27 on Wednesday, sealing a major victory for Flagler County.
75 MPH Speed Limit on Some Highways Nears Reality as Bill Goes to Gov. Scott
After a sometimes-emotional debate, a divided Florida House on Wednesday gave final approval to a proposal that could lead to 75 mph speed limits on some highways. The House voted 58-56 to pass the bill (SB 392), which was backed by the Senate last week.
Wings Over Flagler: Rockin’ the Runways Edition Flies In For Weekend of Roars
Some 30 plans and a half dozen musical acts will highlight the revived and renamed Wings Over Flagler event at Flagler County Airport Friday and Saturday. The event wasn’t held last year, but a new partnership between WNZF, the county and Wings organizers ensured that returned this spring.
Jacksonville Symphony Returns for Sunday Picnics and Pops Concert, With a Prayer to the Rain Gods
Last year’s Picnics and Pops concert in Palm Coast’s Central Park had to be cancelled because of rain. The Jacksonville Symphony is bringing essentially the same program that was rained out, under the direction of Morihiko Nakahara.
250-Mile, Coast-to-Coast Bike Trail
Across Central Florida Nears Reality
Sen. Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, thanked House members for supporting his Coast-to-Coast bike-trail connector, which was vetoed last year by Gov. Rick Scott when lawmakers backed the project as a $50 million item.
In Clearest Pro-Immigrant Shift Yet, Gov. Scott Demands a Senate Vote on In-State Tuition for Undocumented
The governor, who originally came to office threatening to crack down on undocumented immigrants, said Tuesday that his opinion on the issue was shaped by stories he’s heard from students who grew up in Florida and would benefit from being able to pay the cheaper, in-state tuition rates.