U.S. Health spending will grow by an average of 5.8 percent a year through 2020, compared to 5.7 percent without the health overhaul. With that growth, the nation is expected to spend $4.6 trillion on health care in 2020, nearly double the $2.6 trillion spent last year.
Economy
Flagler Fish Company’s Pet-Friendly Patio Expands Outdoor Dining
The Flagler Fish Company in Flagler Beach completed an expansion of their pet-friendly outdoor dining area.
Attorney General Bondi’s Motive Questioned in Firing of Mortgage Fraud Investigators
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi fired two assistant attorneys general who were heavily involved in investigating alleged mortgage fraud, including focusing on one firm that had contributed to Bondi’s campaign. Bondi says they had “shortcomings.”
Gov. Rick Scott on Impending Federal Government Shutdown: What, Me, Worry?
Rick Scott is unconcerned about the federal shut-down, saying its impact on Florida will be “minimal.” Much of the evidence says otherwise as millions of Floridians’ including Social Security and food stamps recipients, may be affected.
Palm Coast Sets Intial Tax Rate 14% Higher With Goal of Whittling It Down By September
Palm Coast City Council members are trying desperately to hold the line on property tax increases, but will likely not succeed entirely. The final tax rate will still not translate into a tax increase for most.
Slow-Cooked Success: Palm Coast’s Woody’s Bar•B•Q Marks 13th Year
Owned by Flagler County natives, Woody’s BarBQ on State Road 100 in Palm Coast has, like any business, weathered its share of difficulties in the past three years. “We’re not going anywhere,” its owner says.
Flagler County Tax Rates Will Go Up 12%, But Tax Bills Are More Likely to Go Down
Flagler County’s tax rate is going up for the fourth year in a row to make up for collapsing valuations, but the rise will still not translate into a tax increase for most. The contrary may be true.
Sbordone’s Next Act: Ex-Playhouse Director Opens New Theater With Poetry Clash
Palm Coast’s theater scene is about to get much richer as John Sbordone launches his City Repertory Theatre with a “poetry clash” at Hollingsworth Gallery, where the theater will have its home for the coming season.
Florida Hospital Flagler One of Just 3 Hospitals in the State to Achieve IT Milestone
Florida Hospital Flagler won HIMSS Analytics’s Stage 6 designation, on a scale of eight IT-related stages, signaling advantages over competitors for patient safety, clinician support, clinician recruitment and competitive marketing.
Unemployment Again Rises in Flagler, To 14.6%, and Stalls in Florida at 10.6%
The number of unemployed people in Flagler County jumped from 4,526 in May to 4,779 in June, a 5.3 percent increase, while the county workforce has decline by 2.3 percent over the year.
Palm Coast Data Revenue Drops 20% in 2011; Parent Company Posts $7.6 Million Loss
Revenue at Palm Coast’s largest private-sector employer declined to $73.6 million, from $92 million the previous year. The company’s revenue has dropped 40 percent in four years.
Bunnell Commission Says Nyet To Reducing $1 Million Police Force, Whatever the Savings
Bunnell City Commissioner Elbert Tucker proposed reducing the police department’s ranks to cut back its $1 million burden on a $4 million general fund budget. The rest of the commission smacked him down.
Citing Deception, Council Rejects Reinke’s $10,000 Request for Palm Coast Half-Marathon
Adding to the Reinke Sports Group’s troubled history, it is the third time in two years that the Flagler Tourist Development Council rejects a request for subsidies for the Palm half-marathon. The Flagler Auditorium had an easier time with its $10,000 request.
Flagler Property Tax Bills Set to Drop Markedly As School Board Keeps 2012 Levy Flat
Contrasting with public perceptions that taxes are going up, a typical house may see a $150 drop from school taxes alone next year, giving Palm Coast and the county more room to maneuver for higher tax rates.
Is Flagler County’s Real Estate Industry Finally Brightening? Depends Whom You Ask.
Sales are increasing somewhat by volume but more than half the transactions are for cash, prices keep falling, foreclosures are increasing, and the overall economy shows little sign of improvement.
Debt Ceiling Fallacies: How to Pay Down The Deficit Without Really Trying
The debt limit debate could have some catastrophic consequences for the economy, writes Kyle Russell, but politicians aren’t telling the whole story, and the fix isn’t nearly as bad as it may sound.
Coalition of Cities Meets, Its Mission As Fuzzy as Its Place in Flagler’s Economic Bog
The Coalition of Cities is Flagler’s smaller cities’ answer to being snubbed at a larger economic-development table. But the snub is over. The coalition remains. It’s not exactly clear why, and it underscores the frayed political landscape behind facades of unity.
DEP Forbids Deck on Flagler Pier Restaurant–Unless It’s Called a “Pier Extension”
The regulatory word game unsettled several members of the Flagler Beach City Commission, which nevertheless went for it in a 4-1 vote, clearing the way for a permit application to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Economic Development Summit Cancelled Again as “Coalition of Cities” Revs Up
Cancelled once on June, the county-wide economic development summit set for July 27 was cancelled again as Bunnell and Flagler Beach’s break-away “coalition of cities” meets for the first time Friday.
They Feel Your Pain: Florida Legislature Home to 51 Millionaires
Millionaires make up almost half of the 40-member Florida Senate and nearly one-third of the 120-member Florida House. Legislators are paid $29,697 a year, with presiding officers making $41,181 a year.
Water Management District Tax Rate Cut 26%, Reducing Revenue and Gutting Services
The tax bill on a $200,000 house will be $50, down from $62, but the district is laying off employees and reducing conservation, management and partnership projects in line with a new law approved by Gov. Rick Scott.
Tax Fears and $2 Million Gap Have Palm Coast Talking Firehouse Layoffs or End to EMS
The Palm Coast City Council clearly favored more cuts in services than tax increases during its first serious budget discussion of the year Monday, with the city’s fire department appearing to be the likeliest target.
Cell Phone and Texting While Driving Bans: Laws in the 50 States
Texting while driving bans, hand held cell phone while driving bans: laws state by state with age breakdowns, school zones, teens and novices.
A Quartet’s Steely Encore at Hollingsworth, a Summer Sale at the Flagler County Art League
Joe Thompson’s balancing acts of whimsy and rule-breaking anchor Hollingsworth Gallery’s encore with Jean Banas, Betty Parker and Karin Stover, while the Flagler County Art League holds a two-month art sale of 120 works at very reasonable prices.
BP Calls Gulf Recovered and Looks To Quit Payments to Businesses Over Economic Losses
BP paid more than $4.6 billion to private citizens and businesses since the Deepwater Horizon spill. The Gulf economy is on the mend, the oil company claims, justifying a cut-off, though it still faces billions in civil and criminal penalties.
City Marketplace in Receivership; Public Sale of the Palm Coast Development Set for August
City Market Place, where Palm Coast has its municipal offices, has been mired in foreclosure proceedings since 2009. The changes aren’t expected to affect tenants except, perhaps, for the better.
Flagler Beach Bids Last Shuttle a Wistful Farewell as It Soars Invisibly Beyond Clouds
Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off on schedule, but no one could see it on Flagler’s beaches or at the pier, though imagination was enough to sense the end of a 30-year journey.
Space Shuttle Launch Schedule: Atlantis’s Last Voyage
Space Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral’s Kennedy Space Center at 11:26 Eastern Daylight Time on Friday, July 8. Weather may delay it. Watch video of the countdown.
Unemployment Rises Again, to 9.2%, as Job Creation Disappears and Recession Looms
More bad news for the Obama administration as job creation in June fell to a statistically insignificant 18,000 and the unemployment rate rose again, raising fears of another recession ahead.
Liquor Store in Town Center, Near Publix, Is Robbed
Suggesting he had a gun, the young robber took $200 in cash from the owner of Star Liquor Wednesday evening, after the owner wouldn’t let him buy liquor without an ID.
“Colors of the Sea,” A New Cannizzaro Show, Opening at Ocean Publishing July 14
Rick Cannizzaro, Ocean Publishing’s commissioned artist, exhibits paintings of loggerhead turtles while the publishing house showcases a new book on the Southeast National Marine Sanctuaries and Jean-Michel Cousteau.
Involuntary Tows: Flagler’s Wreckers Get 25% Rate Increase, Their First in 8 Years
The county’s three wrecking companies–John’s Towing, Roger’s Towing and Saxon’s Wrecker–are significantly regulated, in this case by the Flagler County Commission, which raised the base rate 25 percent for most tows.
Bunnell’s Challenges: Lawsuits, Layoffs, Deficits, and That $900,000 Police Department
Bunnell entered this year’s budget season facing a $900,000 deficit (about the cost of its police department) and the potential loss of a $1.3 million state contract, among other steep challenges.
Why Help at Your Nursing Home Will Be More Scarce, and Other Elderly Care Retreats
Florida just rejected a federal grant that would have allowed elderly patients to get care at home instead of in nursing homes, where staffing levels may begin to drop this month, thanks to a new Florida law.
Fireworks Blaze Over Flagler Beach In a Thundering Display of Color and Pomp
Anticipation gave way to an explosive display of colors and sounds as Flagler Beach’s July 4th celebration culminated with its traditional fireworks show.
Parades of Radiance From Heroes Park To Flagler Beach on America’s 235th
Solemnity and celebration at Heroes Park was followed by Flagler Beach’s July 4th parade at the start of a day and evening of revelry. A full image gallery of the celebrations.
Drawing Widespread Criticism, Rick Scott Discovers the Joys of SunRail, and CSX
Gov. Rick Scott’s approval of SunRail triggered criticism from Republicans and Scott’s tea party base while sharpening a contrast with his earlier rejection of a federally funded high-speed rail initiative.
They’re On: County Repeals Ban On Flagler Beach Fireworks in 4-1 Vote
Eleven days after cancelling the county’s Independence Day fireworks shows, the Flagler County Commission this afternoon voted to allow the Flagler Beach show to go on.
Unveiling “Flagler Beach First!”: A Common Market for an Uncommon Island City
The idea of Flagler Beach First!, its founders say, is to enable Flagler Beach businesses to promote each other and educate residents and visitors about the importance of buying products and services from Flagler Beach businesses.
First Fridays in Flagler Beach: The Halifax Country Band
This month’s edition of Flagler Beach’s First Fridays also features tie-dye t-shirt making, corn hole game face painting and balloon sculptures.
County Likely to Reverse Fireworks Ban in Flagler Beach In Special Meeting Friday
A majority of county commissioners are now in favor of overturning the ban on Flagler Beach’s Independence Day fireworks. They’ll decide at a special meeting 4 p.m. Friday.
Hospital Donation Helps Campers Find Adventure at Palm Coast Summer Camp
Palm Coast summer camp for elementary and middle school children runs through August 12, at $75 a week. Scholarships are available. Children may attend as many (or as few) weeks as they choose.
Shrinking Flagler Health Department Looks to Community Care As Neediest Alternative
The $700,000-a-year federal grant would open a community health center focused on the uninsured and providing the sort of care people seek out more expensively in emergency rooms.
$460,000 And Counting: With Federal Aid Unlikely, Flagler Will Bear Fires’ Entire Costs
The still-rising costs don’t help the county’s budget, which is acing a $5.5 million revenue loss from dropping property values. Gov. Scott could have minimized the impact, but he refused to ask for a federal emergency declaration, though previous, lesser fires had gotten such a declaration.
“You Smirked, Mr. Chairman”: Tea Party Puts County Commission On Notice
A tea party throng of close to 100 people jammed a county commission budget workshop Monday, cheering a promise that any tax increase would result in commissioners being voted out. The math on display was less reliable.
Miss Junior 2011 Flagler County Contestants, Ages 12-15
A complete, click-through chart and photo galleries of the Miss Flagler County Junior 2010 Contestants, Ages 12-15.
Miss Flagler County Pageant 2011 Contestants, Ages 16-23
A complete, click-through chart and photo gallery of the 2011 Miss Flagler County Scholarship Pageant contestants, Ages 16-23.
Little Miss Flagler County 2011 Contestants, Ages 5-7
A complete, click-through chart and photo gallery of the 15 Little Miss Flagler County 2011 Contestants, Ages 5-7.
Little Miss Flagler County 2011 Contestants, Ages 8-11
A complete, click-through chart and photo gallery of the 19 Little Miss Flagler County 2011 Contestants, Ages 8-11.
54 Girls (and Women), 4 Trophies, One Miss Flagler County Title in Sunday’s Pageant
It must be summer: it’s time for the Flagler County Scholarship Pageants. Meet them all, the 54 contestants in each category, as they vie for the crowns in Sunday’s pageants at the Flagler Auditorium.