The Palm Coast-Flagler Family YMCA was losing $50,000 a year for the past three years despite a membership of 900. The location was constraining. Local organizers hope to launch plans for a stand-alone Y in the future.
Economy
Happy Anniversary: News-Journal Owner Wants News Crew Selling Subscriptions & Ads
At the 1-year mark of his ownership, News-Journal publisher Michael Redding is offering $25 to staffers who secure a 3-month subscription, $40 to those who get 6-month deal, and $50 to those who land $100 in advertising. Newsroom staffers are “insulted.”
Timely Boost: Feed Flagler Nets 2 Pantries $7,680, Enough to Buy 40 Tons of Food
The money is what’s left, after expenses, of Feed Flagler’s fund-raising that provided 2,000 free meals at 10 locations the day before Thanksgiving. It’s timely help as pantries begin to run dry.
July 4th Twice Over Again As Flagler Beach And Palm Coast Will Each Launch Fireworks
The Tourist Development Council would grant each city $15,000. Flagler Beach will have the July 4 display this time, while Palm Coast will launch on July 3rd, at Town Center. Last year, they did it in reverse.
For Palm Coast, Community Centers Are “Pie in the Sky” But City Hall Hovers Closer
The city council says there’s no money for ambitious, long-range plans for community centers it discussed on Tuesday, although at previous meetings it never disputed the availability of $10 million for a new city hall.
Wings Over Flagler: Warbirds, Yakrobatics and Tributes This Weekend at the County Airport
Wings Over Flagler, the second annual fly-in at the Flagler County Airport, features several dozen vintage warbirds, choppers and other attractions. Visitors can chat with pilots and mingle with history. With a photo gallery.
Flagler Unemployment Drops to 14.9%, Lowest Since May 2009; Florida Improves to 11.5%
While Flagler County is still at the top of the unemployment chart in the state, improvements suggest that job creation is finally reaching Florida, which added 22,000 net jobs. Flagler’s employed grew by 360.
FPL, Progress Energy, Florida’s Nuclear Fraud
Florida taxpayers and ratepayers are footing the bill of Florida Power & Light’s and Progress Energy’s risk-free, $40-billion plan to build nuclear reactors, a fraud enabled by the Legislature and Congress.
Flagler Beach Dog Lovers: “If We Wanted More Rules We’d Go To Palm Coast”
More enforcement of existing rules and more self-policing, but no change in Flagler Beach’s dogs-on-the-beach ordinance, city commissioners decided after hearing from 38 people over 90 minutes Thursday evening.
Gov. Scott Orders Florida’s 33 Public Hospitals Reviewed for Possible Privatization
As the former CEO of a private hospital chain, Scott was opposed to publicly-run hospitals, which he considers to have an unfair competitive advantage over the privately run sort. The commission is a first step toward privatization.
Pay for Play: How Flagler’s Tourist Council Bribes Journalists, Who Happily Hack Along
Beginning today, Flagler’s tourist council will host four “journalists” for four days, touring the county’s attractions and restaurants, all expenses paid, with $3,500 in public money, in exchange for presumably “positive” press.
How Grim Are State School Spending Cuts? Try 7 to 10% Per Student, Layoffs to Follow
Florida House and Senate proposals would cut from $447 to $473 per student, or close to 7 percent, a little less than Gov. Rick Scott’s proposal to slash per-student spending by $680 in addition to recent reductions.
Their Battle Already Won, Flagler Beach Dog Owners Still Mobilizing to Ward Off Ban
Flagler Beach resident Vicky Mulvaney kicked off a firestorm of opposition to her proposal to ban dogs altogether from the city’s beaches. The city commission, unlikely to go along, hears from Mulvaney and her opponents Thursday.
Trailer Trap: Flagler Beach Commission Still Circling Around Changes to RV Ordinance
Changes to the ordinance would make it difficult for some to park their RVs by their home. The city commission decided to further analyze the matter until May, when it may produce yet another version of the ordinance.
Mystery Scarring Unsolved, Malacompra Trail Policing Is Turned Over to Biking Group
The Malacompra mountain bike trail, for years a somewhat anarchic free-for-all recently torn up by bikers, will now, in an unusual arrangement, be policed by a mountain biking group and supervised by county authorities in cooperation with Hammock conservationists.
Latest Irish Migration: St. Patrick’s Day in Flagler Beach
Flagler Beach held its first St. Patrick’s Day Parade Saturday, after Palm Coast’s Irish Social Club could no longer hold its parade down Old Kings Road. A few pictures from the event.
Pier Restaurant Lease Hobbling Again As DEP Rejects Permitting a New Deck
Flagler Beach was going to pay for and build the $50,000 deck as a concession to potential restaurant owner Ray Barshay. Until DEP’s decision, Barshay and the city were very close to a long-term, deal.
Economic Development Set Punts Again to More Meetings, Postponing Hard Questions
The same five “strategic goals” were hashed over again in the third day of an economic development summit, and a fourth was scheduled in May, for yet another $7,000 for “facilitator” Don Upton, bringing his tax-funded total to $30,000.
Census 2010: Flagler’s Population Climbs to 95,696, Florida’s to 18.8 Million
Flagler County’s population increased 92 percent since 2000. Florida’s population is 18.8 million, up 17.7 percent from a population of 16 million a decade ago.
Cancel This Subscription: Palm Coast Data Revenue Plummets Another 21% in 3Q
Palm Coast Data revenue fell $15.7 million in the last nine months, compared with the same period a year earlier as trouble for the company and its parent, Amrep, continue.
Reversing Bad Run, Flagler Auditorium Scores $5,000 Grant from Tourist Council
After losing out on at least $15,000 for various reasons, the Flagler Auditorium managed to eke out $5,000 from the Tourist Development Council, a small but significant financial boost to a budget of over half a million dollars.
Florida Abortion Public Funding Ban Would Extend to Reform’s Health Insurance Exchange
Measures that would bar public money from subsidizing abortion coverage in Florida in nearly all cases passed a Senate panel on Monday. The ban would extend to the health-insurance exchange that will be set up by 2014 as part of health care reform.
“In the Mood” Tonight at the Auditorium: 1940s’ Swing, Romance and a Simpler Age
String of Pearls brings its swing, jazz and other big band sounds and dance of the 1940s to the Flagler Auditorium for one performance March 14, recalling what Woody Allen called “a more charming time and a better time.”
Humane Safari: Alms for the Paw Opening At the Flagler County Art League
The Flagler County Art League’s “Alms for the Paw” show, featuring 40 artists and 60 works, is part fund-raiser for the Flagler County Humane Society, part showcase for animal art: it’s not as easy as you may think.
Inspired By Chagall: The Art of Whimsy Reinvented, at Hollingsworth Gallery
Every square inch an inspiration, Marc Chagall is the point of departure for a couple of dozen artists at the Hollingsworth Gallery’s latest show, an adventure in rediscovery and reinterpretation of one of the 20th century’s greatest artists.
New Flagler Beach Commission Is Seated–and Pier Restaurant Deal Almost Unravels
Unexpected discussion about breaking the bait and tackle shop at the pier out of the restaurant lease, and inviting others to bid for running it, almost demolished months of negotiations over the restaurant lease.
More Questions Than Answers As Palm Coast Desalination Project Scouts Locations
The public got its first chance to weigh in on Palm Coast’s $200 million seawater desalination project. Opinions were not friendly, and concerns over environmental issues specific.
Flagler and US Diverge as Unemployment Here Climbs Again to 16%
Flagler County’s January unemployment rate in January rose again to 16% percent, remaining in the same high range it’s been stuck in for a year and a half and bucking the national trend. Florida’s rate is 11.9%.
Despite 4 Million Uninsured, Florida Senate Approves Opt-Out Amendment on Health Law
Senators voted 29-10 to approve the proposed constitutional amendment, which would allow people to opt out of the “individual mandate” requirement that they buy health insurance or face financial penalties.
How Palm Coast Lost Out on 400 Potential Jobs (Caution: Don’t Jump to Conclusions)
Australian company Rapid Nutrition is looking for a home for its US headquarters. It chose Fort Myers over Palm Coast. Fort Myers was willing to write the company a blank check at taxpayers’ expense. Palm Coast was not.
All Business All the Time as Gov. Scott
Tells Lawmakers: “Don’t Blink”
Scott mentioned the word “job” or “jobs” 31 times in the 27-minute State of the State speech, lauded privatization, vouchers for private and parochial schools and the needs and virtues of business.
State of the State Tonight: Scott and Legislature’s GOP Keep Their War Civil–So Far
Don’t expect Gov. Rick Scott to deviate much from his frequent message as he delivers his first State of the State speech Tuesday night before a joint session of the Legislature: Budget cuts, tax cuts, potshots at Washington rather than his own dissenting GOP.
In Your Backyard: Public Discussion on Where to Plunk Desalination Plant Wednesday
The $200 million, Palm Coast-led desalination project is holding an open house and public comment period on the project’s location beginning at 6 p.m. at the Whitney Laboratory in Marineland on March 9.
Flagler Schools Prepare to ‘Awake the State’ As Night of Long Budget Knives Falls on Florida
As school employees prepared to demonstrate against massive state budget cuts on Tuesday, the Flagler School Board got closer to proposing cuts of its own that would eliminate classes and up to four dozen teachers.
St. Johns Raises Impact Fees on Residential Construction, Decreases Them on Commercial
St. John’s decision to raise impact fees on residential construction contrasts sharply with discussions in Flagler, where developers and some elected officials want a moratorium on fees. Flagler’s fees are considerably lower than St. John’s.
Enough Nickel and Diming: How to Cut $1.5 Trillion From the Budget Without Really Trying
Voodoo economics is back, this time with Obama sprinkling the wrong salts. His plan to reduce the deficit is irresponsible. Here’s one way to do it now, with everyone contributing. The alternative is French status in 10 years.
Familiar Slogans and More Familiar Questions as 2-Day Economic Development Summit Ends
It was left up to Palm Coast City Manager Jim Landon to remind the assembled that slogans don’t make economic development policy, and unity of message is still far from a given in a county with diverse interests and constituencies.
Marriage Encounters: Can This Man Bring Flagler Together for $1,100 an Hour?
The consultant Flagler County hired to shepherd local governments through their political and financial obstacles related to economic development has a long record of bracing cheerleading. Dividends are less clear.
Economic Development Summit: Diagnostic Kumbayas Drown Out Harder Questions
Day one of the summit produced generous and optimistic self-evaluations from some 60 elected and had-picked representatives of local governments, but no breakthrough on fundamental differences on economic development financing or leadership.
Economy Adds 192,000 Jobs, Unemployment Dips to 8.9%, Best in 2 Years
The U.S. economy added 192,000 jobs in February, the strongest private-sector job gain in two years, and the unemployment rate fell below 9 percent for the first time since April 2009, when it was at 8.9 percent and rising.
Obstacles Cleared: Flagler Beach’s Iconic Pier Restaurant Will Have a New Owner
Every previous deal-breaker dissolved as prospective owner Raymond Barshay and city commissioners relented in turn on various issues. Neither side was an outright victor. But the city’s iconic restaurant will have new life.
Flagler Beach Commission To Noisy Restaurants and Irritable Residents: Cooperate
Flagler Beach city commissioners turned up the volume on the status quo Wednesday as they analyzed noise levels first-hand and agreed to document and analyze noise complaints for a while before changing the noise ordinance.
Win Jones, Watercolorist of the Elusive and The Impish, at the Flagler County Art League
The retrospective of Win Jones’s watercolors trace his evolution from the social commentator of the 1960s to the time-traveling experimenter of the 1990s and the present. At the Flagler County Art League gallery.
Florida Department of Health Would Cut 1,600 Jobs and Move Out of Primary Care
The plan doubles the original estimate of job losses at the department. Of those jobs, almost 1,050 would be outsourced or privatized, for budget reductions of $185 million.
School Board Reminds County and Cities of Its Own 1/2 Penny Sales Tax Renewal Ahead
The county is angling for a new half-penny sales tax for economic development. That tax could hurt the school district’s renewal of its own half-penny tax, in effect since 2002.
Mississippi’s F. Gray Swoope Jr. Is Scott’s Pick for Enterprise Florida
Gray Swoope has been the head of the Mississippi Development Authority under Gov. Haley Barbour. He replaces John Adams, whom Gov. Rick Scott fired last month as Enterprise Florida president.
Memory for Cause: Flagler Youth Orchestra In Concert For Founder and The Sheltering Tree
Members of the Flagler Youth Orchestra and Caren and Paul Umbarger’s Island Duet will perform Sunday, Feb. 27, at 3 p.m. at Bunnell’s Methodist Church in memory of Jobnathan May and to benefit the Sheltering Tree, Flagler County’s cold-weather shelter.
Florida’s Drug Database Targeted for Destruction as Lawmakers Swallow Pill Mills
Florida’s drug database, even if caopable of fighting pill mills, is “Big Brother” to Rob Schenck, Republican House Health and Human Services Chairman. Others are joining him to do away with the drug database.
Lifeguard Tower Rises Again in Flagler Beach, Pier Restaurant Lease Falters
The commission reversed itself and voted to build the tower. The decision displeased the prospective owner of the Pier Restaurant. Several other deal-breakers hardened in those negotiations, leaving the restaurant deal in doubt.
Marineland’s Future: Dividends in Waiting After Acquisition by Georgia Aquarium
David Kimmel, President of the Georgia Aquarium, the new owner of Marineland’s dolphin attraction, and others assess the future of the marriage between town and attraction.