Forecasters added $153 million in tax revenues in the budget year that ends June 30, and $106.5 million for the year that begins July 1. Even taking into account likely policy decisions and budget increases, the state could have a surplus of $1.1 billion.
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Drawing the Line on Big Beer
AB InBev is truly a beverage behemoth, owning 200 beer brands, including Budweiser, Becks, Stella, Michelob, and St. Pauli Girl. It wants to take over Mexico’s Grupo Modelo, which owns the Corona brands and others. Consolidation is raising prices and narrowing consumer choice.
For Helen Reddy, No More “Stupid Pop Songs” as She Takes Over the Auditorium Sunday
Helen Reddy, the woman responsible for the mega 1971 hit “I Am Woman,” that second-wave feminist anthem, doesn’t dance to anyone’s drum. At 71, she takes on stages and audiences as if it were still Seneca Falls.
Small Businesses Self-Insure, Evading Obamacare Requirements, and Threatening It
As more small employers avoid the health act’s requirements through self-coverage, small-business marketplaces intended to cover millions of Americans could break down and become unaffordable.
18-Year-Old Faces First-Degree Felony Battery Charge Over Grandmother’s Accusations
Mary Lee, 80, claims her 18-year-old granddaughter, Jestina, pushed her over a chair, a claim Jestina denies, though the 18-year-old is in jail on $1,000 bond.
Steve Settle Is Named Chairman of the Flagler Beach City Commission on 5-0 Vote
Steve Settle is the new chairman of the Flagler Beach City Commission. He was elected unanimously Thursday evening by his fellow-commissioners (and himself). He replaces Jane Mealy, who’d served one year in the post.
Responding to ACLU, Manfre Restores His Own More Permissive Jail Mail Policy
Flagler County Sheriff Jim Manfre has rescinded a policy that for the last two years, under Sheriff Don Fleming, prohibited inmates at the county jail from receiving letters at all, or writing letters longer than two pages.
With 1 in 5 Floridian Uninsured, Backers of Broader Coverage Want Lawmakers to Act
Although Florida lawmakers have made it known they have no intention of going along with an expansion of Medicaid under the federal health care law, legislative leaders say they’re open to crafting an alternative that would find some way to expand health care coverage to many more uninsured as the law envisions.
Back from a Limb, Ray Stevens “Distances” Himself from November’s Manfre Endorsement
Republican Ray Stevens says he would not have endorsed Democrat Jim Manfre in November had he known that firings were on the way. Manfre himself defended his actions as necessary, while thanking Stevens for his opinions.
Proposed Law to End Red-Light Camera Ticketing of Right Turns Advances
If they become law, the restrictions would seriously crimp the use of red-light cameras as revenue generators, as is the case in Palm Coast, where up to 52 such cameras are in place–at least for the companies operating the cameras, since Palm Coast is guaranteed revenue regardless of the number of tickets issued.
Instructor-Pilot Lands Stalled Single Engine Plane Safely on Palm Coast Parkway
A single-engine Cessna carrying two people that developed engine trouble landed safely at 6:45 p.m. on Palm Coast Parkway, just west of Belle Terre. The plane is sitting on the road at the moment, as authorities investigate. No one was hurt.
Flagler School District Is Glowingly Re-Accredited, a Timely Validation Ahead of Levy Push
The Flagler County school district was re-accredited for the next five years by the nation’s leading accreditation agency, a boon to the district as it makes the case to voters that they should approve a levy raising property taxes modestly to preserve programs and improve security.
Sen. Thrasher Calls for Outright Shut-Down Of Internet Cafes in Wake of Scandal
Sen. John Thrasher, an influential senator who represents Flagler County, and who has sought to place a moratorium on new Internet cafes, said Wednesday that criminal allegations of racketeering and other wrongdoing in the industry should spur lawmakers to close the storefront businesses.
Argentina’s Jorge Mario Bergoglio is Francis I, Church’s First Non-European Pope, Post-Columbus
76-year-old Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires is the first-ever South American pope, the first non-European pope in a millennium, and the first-ever pope to name himself Francis (Francis I), after St. Francis, patron saint of the poor.
Lt. Gov. Carroll Resigns as Internet Cafe Scandal Sweeps Florida–and Palm Coast
As Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies were serving a search warrant on the Internet Cafe in the Home Depot shopping center, Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll was resigning in connection with the scandal, which has led to Allied officials’ arrests.
Gary Pearson, 54-Year-Old Motorcyclist, Killed in Collision at Matanzas Woods and U.S. 1
Gary Pearson, 54, of Jacksonville, was killed as he rode his motorcycle north on U.S. 1, before 8 a.m. Wednesday, when a car pulled out of Matanzas Woods to take U.S. 1 south, and failed to see the motorcyclist.
Booze Up: Palm Coast Government Is Your New Special-Events Bartender
After some reservations two weeks ago, the Palm Coast City Council Tuesday agreed to have the city acquire a liquor license and itself sell booze at the city’s special events, generating more cash the city says it will reinvest at those events.
Florida Senate Kills Obamacare’s Medicaid Expansion, But 3rd-Way Alternative Remains
Florida lawmakers say they want to pursue an alternative plan, possibly expanding Healthy Kids, that would use federal money to help uninsured low-income people get coverage through private insurers. Democrats are not entirely opposed.
Flagler County’s “Ulympic Games,” Set for April, Are Crying for Participants
Flagler’s “Ulympic Games” feature 10 sports over a week, April 6-13, open to anyone employed by any local government, but as a March 15 deadline approaches, only a few dozen people had registered.
Abuse of Dispatch: When Calling 911 (Five Times) Lands You at the Flagler County Jail
Palm Coast’s Wesley Jackson, 26, called 911 to report property damage Saturday night, but allegedly kept calling, cussing out the dispatcher and the cop who showed up, and ended up arrested on a charge of abusing 911, a misdemeanor.
Obamacare’s 10-Year Cost to Florida: $5.2 Billion, a Fraction of Planned Expansion
The state’s share would only be a fraction of the $55 billion overall expansion cost, with the federal government paying the rest. Under the law better known as Obamacare, Washington would pay 100 percent of the expansion costs during the first three years and gradually reduce that share to 90 percent in 2020.
Tourist Draw: Special Driving Permit Rule for Canadians in Florida May Be Repealed
State lawmakers are speeding toward repealing a new law that says international visitors need special permits to drive in Florida. The law, which took effect Jan. 1, has caused a brouhaha, particularly for Canadian snowbirds who pile into the Sunshine State each winter to take a break from the cold.
Flagler’s Taste of the Arts Festival Captions Mix of Unity and Rivalries Between Organizations
The Palm Coast Arts Foundation, the Flagler County Art League, the Flagler Playhouse, and Flagler Youth Orchestra open their second Taste of the Arts festival today, but county arts organizations have a way to go before calling themselves truly, communally unified.
From Green to Red: With Golf Course Buy, Flagler Beach Fears Going Palm Coast’s Way
Flagler Beach officials are looking into whether the city should bid on the failed the Ocean Palm Golf Club course at a foreclosure sale, but they don;t want to repeat Palm Coast’s money-pit experience after that city bought the Palm Harbor golf course.
Sheriff’s Ex-PIO Files Sex Discrimination Grievance Over 35% Pay Cut and Demotion
Sheriff Manfre had hired Debra Johnson as his public information officer in 2001, only to demote her to assistant PIO and cut her pay in January, triggering one in a series of grievances in a mounting backlash against the new sheriff’s aggressive remaking of the agency.
Sea Ray Boats in Palm Coast Benefits from Plant Closures Elsewhere, With Cautions
Consolidation will likely add to the payroll in Flagler County, and do so with well-paying manufacturing jobs. It also puts to rest, at least for now, worries that Sea Ray’s local plant would either close. But the company is facing tough economic headwinds even as it stock soars to seven-year highs.
Lawmakers File Bill to Require Background Checks on All Gun Buys, Closing Loophole
Rep. Lori Berman said Wednesday that about 40 percent of gun sales are at gun shows or done on the Internet, allowing the buyer to complete the purchase without going through any background screening as would be required at a storefront gun dealership.
Sheriff Manfre Fires David O’Brien 2 Months After Short-Listing Him for Undersheriff
The latest of numerous shocks to roil the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office in the last two months was also a stunning turnaround for O’Brien, 49, who was appointed Manfre’s chief deputy during Manfre’s first tenure as Flagler County Sheriff a decade ago.
Lawmakers Want to Speed Up Executions of Florida’s 404 Death Row Inmates
The proposed constitutional amendment would shift power from the courts system to lawmakers to set rules about what are known as “post-conviction” appeals in death-penalty cases.
Flagler School District Will Propose New Tax, Citing Costly Security Needs and Programs
The school board voted 4-1 to ask voters to approve doubling an existing critical-needs levy, to 50 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value–a decision Board Chairman Andy Dance opposed for being too large, citing “school-funding fatigue” among voters.
Sea Change on Bunnell Commission as Tucker and Baxley Are Elected and Henry Loses
Bunnell’s three-way election for the city commission was expected to be close as incumbent Daisy Henry drove in many of her voters herself, while incumbent Elbert Tucker and challenger Bill Baxley looked on from across the road.
Still Unpopular as Election Approaches, Scott Slouches Left in 3rd State of the State
As Gov. Rick Scott stepped to the podium Tuesday morning for his third State of the State address — a sort of unofficial midpoint in his term — he embarked on a very different path than the ultraconservative businessman who spent his first two years trying to shake up Tallahassee.
Bill Would Require Warrant for Now-Routine Cell Phone Searches and Electronic Tracking
Currently, police can search the possessions – including the contents of a personal electronic device – of someone who is arrested. The bill would require a warrant except under certain circumstances, including scenarios related to national security and missing children.
Sequestering Florida’s Children And Their Schools
The across-the-board federal budget cuts, known as sequestration, will slow our economic recovery and cost upwards of a million jobs nationally. But here in Florida, the sequestration knife cuts especially deep, particularly in the already underfunded field of public education, writes Katie Hansen.
Snubbing Scott and Billions in Federal Aid, Florida House GOP Reject Medicaid Expansion
Only a few hours after Florida’s chief economist said the state can’t afford to leave billions of federal dollars sitting on the table, the House committee on the Affordable Care Act voted to do exactly that.
Bunnell’s City Election Tuesday: From the Revealing to the Embarrassing
Incumbents Daisy Henry and Elbert Tucker are in a three-way race with challenger Bill Baxley for two seats on the Bunnell City Commission, but, to incumbents’ advantage, few people are paying attention.
Give the Post Office a Break
If the Postal Service were run like Congress, postal workers would only show up on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays — except when they were on vacation, which would be a lot, argues Donald Kaul.
Lawmakers Considering Arming Teachers and Adding Warning Shots to Stand Your Ground
Florida’s self defense law would say people can fire warning shots to fend off attackers without fear of prosecution and teachers would be able to pack heat on campus under bills now before legislators.
How Mom’s Death Changed My Thinking About End-of-Life Care
None of his years of reporting had prepared Charles Ornstein for this moment, this decision–whether, and when, to let his mother die. In fact, he began to question some of his assumptions about the health-care system.
For Flagler County Students, a New Tech Academy Without Borders, or Traditional Walls
Instead, the academy will be on the Flagler Palm Coast High School campus and students will also be enrolled at the high school. Dual enrollment will also be offered, which offers students a chance to earn college credits at Daytona State College while in high school.
Appeal Court Rejects Taxing Online Travel Bookings, a Blow to Flagler and Other Counties
The 1st District Court of Appeal, in a 2-1 ruling, said companies such as Expedia and Orbitz cannot be forced to pay local tourist-development taxes on part of the money they collect from customers. The majority found that the disputed amounts relate to reservation charges — not to the actual amounts paid to rent hotel rooms — and described the companies as “conduits.”
Proposed Law Would Curtail Palm Coast’s Ability to Convict Red-Light Camera Violators
The proposed law, by Sen. Joseph Abruzzo, would shift the burden of proof of a red-light violation to the government imposing the fine, it would eliminate citations for right-turns on red, and it would require a live, government representative at hearings to prove that a violation took place.
Not a Word on Fire Department’s Unraveling or Future As Flagler Beach Commission Meets
Business droned on as usual at the Flagler Beach City Commission meeting on February 28, with near total silence about an alcohol scandal that gutted this quaint oceanside city’s Fire Department. Neither city staff, nor elected officials talked about the firing of five Fire Department personnel after an independent investigation.
Jamesine Fischer Pleads Guilty in Hit-and-Run, Will Serve 21 to 36 Months in State Prison
Jamesine Fischer Thursday morning pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident with a death, in the hit-and-run killing of 76-year-old Francoise Pecqueur in Palm Coast in November 2011.
Between Firings and Wrist-Slaps: How the Flagler Beach Fire Department Was Gutted
Flagler Beach City Manager Bruce Campbell fired the fire chief and four others while retaining Acting Fire Chief Bobby Pace, who falsified records, after a three-day suspension. Volunteer firefighters were hired in the others’ place to ensure that the city remains protected.
Repeat Folly: Florida Prepares to Boom Again By Busting Local Environmental Authority
Bills in the Florida Legislature would take away Flagler’s and other counties’ authority to ensure that development doesn’t sprawl without required infrastructure, and would virtually demolish environmental land acquisition programs. Milissa Holland argues that such bills make a mockery of local control.
From Bankruptcy to Granny Nannies: Navigating the Shoals of Long-Term Care
Long-term care insurance is expensive, but the costs of long-term care are far more so. The experiences of local residents and businesses contending ding with reality almost everyone will eventually face illustrate the dilemmas of aging in a society with a meager safety net. A special report.
Gov. Scott Loses Welfare Drug-Testing Case Again, But Vows to Fight On to Supreme Court
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta said the state had not shown a “special need” for drug testing applicants to the program known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. It upheld a preliminary injunction issued in 2011 by U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven.
Tipsy on Daytona Beach’s Example, Palm Coast Considers Getting Its Own Liquor License
The Palm Coast City Council is now considering applying for its own liquor license and, in an even more remarkable move, designating Central Park as a civic center where vendors could sell booze at special events under the city’s umbrella.
Picking on Poorer Parents, Florida Targets Early-Learning “Fraud” That Doesn’t Exist
Allegations of “potential” fraud in Florida’s early learning programs have served as the basis for repeated attempts at a legislative cure – including this year – but are melting away under scrutiny by investigators.