Flagler County’s labor force reached nearly 51,000 in August and October, falling back modestly to 50,676 in November, with an employed labor force of 49,000, out of a population of about 120,000, and 1,600 unemployed people.
Florida
Ten Big Issues in Florida’s Just-Enacted Insurance Overhaul
Florida lawmakers this week held a special session and passed a 105-page bill aimed at stabilizing the state’s troubled property-insurance system. The bill (SB 2-A) deals with numerous issues, including lawsuits, the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and critical reinsurance coverage. Here are 10 key issues that lawmakers addressed.
Perry Mitrano Elected Flagler’s REC Chair, Defeating Renner-Backed Jill Woolbright By Big Margin
Internal party elections are not ordinarily newsworthy. This one, however, reflects political dynamics that reverberate beyond the party and the county, especially as Republicans control all but a handful of Flagler’s elected seats, when Renner is House speaker, and in his last term, and when Republicans are cleaved by fierce divisions, in Flagler as elsewhere, over the direction of their party.
Florida GOP and Insurance Companies Won Big ‘Bailout’ in This Week’s Special Session
The Florida Legislature’s special session on insurance reform ended Thursday with final passage to a bill extending a $1 billion subsidy to insurance companies but doing little to decrease premiums any time soon or provide relief for ordinary homeowners.
Flagler Public Health Officials Reassert Efficacy of Covid Vaccines as DeSantis Intensifies Denialism
In a sharp escalation of Covid vaccine denialism by a sitting governor, Ron DeSantis on Tuesday called on the state Supreme Court to empanel a grand jury to investigate alleged “wrongdoing” related to the vaccine, as Flagler County’s architects of the response to the pandemic reasserted the efficacy of the vaccine and relied on the latest science.
Florida Senate Approves $100 Million in Beach Erosion Aid, Part of $750 Million Disaster Relief Bill
The bill includes $100 million for beach-erosion recovery, an amount certain to help boost Flagler County’s prospects for tapping many of those millions as it faces vast challenges on 18 miles of its eroded coast.
Jacob Oliva Warns Districts That Their LGBTQ Support Policies Don’t Align With Parental ‘Rights’
Jacob Oliva, senior chancellor for the education department–and a former superintendent in Flagler schools–wrote letters to school superintendents in 10 districts, warning them that LGBTQ support policies may run afoul of current law and state board rules. The state board will discuss the policies during a meeting Wednesday.
Water Management District Now Accepting Cost-Share Project Grant Applications
Through its cost-share programs, the District partners with communities on projects that stretch local dollars to support water resource protection. The application window is open through January 31, 2023.
Major DeSantis Donor and Board of Governors Member Kent Stermon, Under Investigation, Takes His Own Life
Kent Stermon, a Jacksonville-area businessman and member of the state university system’s Board of Governors, was found dead in an apparent suicide. Stermon was president and chief operating officer of Total Military Management.
Don’t Vote for Just One: Ranked Choice Voting Is Gaining Ground
Ranked choice voting has seen steady success in recent years. Proponents of the voting method argue it leads to better representation of voters’ viewpoints and more collegial campaigning while eliminating the need for costly runoff elections. Opponents say it’s too complicated for the average voter to understand.