The pending sale of Marineland Dolphin Adventure by for-profit Dolphin Discovery means the property, assessed at $5 million, would return $128,000 a year to Marineland, Flagler County and school board coffers.
Outdoors
Palm Coast Wins 1st Place in National Mayor’s Challenge as Residents Pledge to Save 33 Million Gallons of Water
Palm Coast won first place in the 8th Annual Wyland National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation for cities its size, with 8,022 Palm Coast residents pledging to cut water use by 33 million gallons over the next year.
Siding With Environmentalists, DeSantis Vetoes Bill Prohibiting Bans on Plastic Straws
In his first veto, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday rejected a bill that would have blocked local governments from banning plastic straws.
Latest 2 Proposals for Captain’s BBQ at Bing’s Landing Again Collapse as Sides Harden or Shift Positions
Captain’s BBQ says it won;t pay for a sewer extension even though the extension is needed only because Captain’s wants to expand, and the Hammock Community Association is no longer supportive of a new building site.
Florida Senate Passes Bill Prohibiting Local Governments From Regulating Plastic Straws
On a 24-15 vote, the Senate imposed a moratorium on plastic-straw bans, the latest example of the constant tug-of-war between the Legislature and cities and counties over local regulations.
Time is Running Out to Save Right Whales
The North Atlantic right whale is the most endangered whale in U.S. Atlantic waters, and entanglement in crab and lobster roping gear remains the biggest threat to the species’ survival.
10 Acres In, Wetlands Restoration Project Near Flagler Beach Is Still Kicking Up Turbid Opposition
Construction on the controversial $516,000 Flagler County Coastal Wetlands Restoration Project began on Feb. 13 on 100 acres of decades-old dragline ditches in the area of the Intracoastal Waterway, parallel to Gamble Rogers State Recreation Area and parts of Flagler Beach.
Seawalls and the Tyranny of Small Decisions
The seawall-construction project in Flagler Beach is problematic. Building living shorelines rather than concrete walls, is going to give us the best chance at ensuring a healthy beach for generations to come.
Divided Council Approves $5.6 Million Park Additions, Including ‘Splash Pad’ At Holland and Pickleball Courts at Ralph Carter
Residents criticized the Palm Coast City Council’s decision to forego pickleball courts at Holland Park in favor of a “splash pad” and six pickleball courts at Ralph Carter Park. Two council members found the costs too extravagant.
Rebuilding Captain’s BBQ in Place Is ‘Off the Table,’ But Decision On New Lease and Location Is Delayed
Flagler County government is not willing to repair the existing Captain’s BBQ restaurant at its own expense. Rather, it is favoring building a new structure at Captain’s expense, but not necessarily on Captain’s more expansive terms.
Flagler Sportfishing Club to Host 23rd Annual Spring Classic Fishing Tournament Fundraiser
Flagler Sportfishing Club will host its 23rdAnnual Spring Classic Tournament on April 26 and 27. Over 120 anglers will be vying for over $8,000 in cash prizes and merchandise to catch Redfish, Trout and Flounder. Proceeds from the Annual Tournament benefit the local chapter of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Chapter 86.
Palm Coast’s Disappearing Canopy
Development in Palm Coast is back at a pace not seen since before the Great Recession. Lots are getting leveled, canopies lost. New homes are great., but must 11,000 square foot lots be entirely leveled to make room for 2,000 square foot homes? It’s not either or.
Why Are Florida’s Softshell Turtles Dying Along the St. Johns River?
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and collaborators continue to investigate a die-off of freshwater turtles, and the FWC is asking the public to assist by providing information.
Palm Coast Poised To Make the Arts Central To Its Innovation District as New Sculpture Garden Redefines Central Park
The Gargiulo Arts Foundation is making possible a new sculpture garden in Palm Coast’s Central Park and helping to redefine the city’s innovation district, with the arts playing a central role. More funding may be next.
Bats Roosting In Your Attic? You Can’t Kill, Harm Or Relocate Them, But You May Exclude Them
Although it is illegal to harm or kill bats in Florida, rules have been developed stating that legal exclusion of bats has to occur outside of the maternity season. Bats cannot legally be captured or relocated.
Palm Coast Watering Restrictions for Daylight Saving Time
Watering restrictions during Daylight Saving Time begin March 10 and run through Nov. 2 in 2019. Here’s the landscape irrigation policy for Palm Coast, aligning with the restrictions issued by the St. Johns River Water Management District.
Facing Mounting Criticism, Flagler Scraps Exiling Palm Coast Homeless and Will Keep Them Near the Library
Averting what was turning into another embarrassing shamble, Flagler County government today scrapped plans to evict the homeless from the public library grounds in Palm Coast and exile some to an isolated camp at the far end of the county.
This Is Russell Landing: Flagler County’s Idea of a Homeless Camp
An examination of Russell Landing, the extremely isolated site Flagler County would move homeless people to, is not as healthy, safe or desirable a location as the county is making it out to be.
Silencing Home Rule: Sen. Travis Hutson’s Wrong Way On Single-Use Plastic Straws
The fact that the bill prohibits local governments from banning plastic straws will allow a serious and completely unnecessary pollutant to continue to injure sea life, litter beaches and infiltrate land and water.
DeSantis Pushes Hard Line Against Sanctuary Cities, Calling For Collaboration With ICE
DeSantis is urging Florida sheriffs to participate in a federal immigration enforcement program in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, deputizes local law officials.
Palm Coast Is Concerned: Not Enough Sports Fields For Tournaments, Local Teams and Growth
Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland wants broader planning for additional sports fields in the city that ensure local sports organizations and residents aren’t sidelined by money-generating tournaments.
Audubon Society’s David Ringer Is Keynote Speaker at Palm Coast’s Birds of a Feather Fest
National Audubon Society executive David Ringer, Audubon’s point man during the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, speaks at Birds of a Feather Fest on Feb. 8.
Democratic Leaders Fail Their First Test on Climate
Youth activists who occupied the offices of Democratic leaders to demand a special congressional committee to plan for a Green New Deal were appeased and brushed off.
Before Barbecue: How Flagler County Saved Bing’s From Development
Bing’s Landing before the current controversy over Captain’s BBQ’s proposed expansion could have been sold off to developers. It wasn’t, thanks to one woman’s vision. Her daughter tells the story.
Flagler’s Beach ‘Renourishment’ Is Exorbitant Futility
Whether it’s the Corps of Engineers’ plan for 2.6 miles of Flagler Beach sands or Flagler County’s ongoing dune-rebuilding over 12 miles, there’s no money to sustain either, yet officials are mortgaging the county’s future on a blank check.
Many Questions Remain as County and City Approve $100 Million, 50-Year Beach-Protection Plan in Flagler Beach
Flagler County will be on the hook for nearly half the almost $100-million cost of the project over its 50-year span, with the federal government responsible for the rest.
Hurricane Season Shakes Up Florida
For the Third Year In a Row
Michael didn’t affect as large of an area in Florida as Hurricane Matthew, which ran up the East Coast in 2016, or Irma, which traveled the state from the Keys to Jacksonville in 2017.
Barbecuing Bing’s
With even Captain’s BBQ owners willing to get “back to the drawing board,” there’s plenty of room for Flagler government to fix what remains a dirty deal that hurts all sides.
Protesters Gather at Bing’s Landing, But Captain’s BBQ Owner Willing To ‘Hit the Drawing Board Again’
The hastily-arranged protest outside Bing’s Landing Sunday drew between two and three dozen people looking to challenge Flagler County government’s new lease with Captain’s BBQ.
Rosy Disconnect Between District’s Wetlands Project and Opposition in Flagler Beach
St. Johns River Water Management District officials were largely self-congratulatory today as they discussed a wetlands restoration project that has drawn fierce opposition in Flagler Beach.
In Flagler Beach, Leery Opposition to St. Johns District’s Wetlands Restoration Is Unabated
Public opposition remains strong to a planned wetlands “restoration” project along the Intracoastal in south Flagler Beach, forcing the St. Johns Water Management District to decide whether to forego it or plow through.
Save Our Home: We Have 12 Years
There’s an urgent message of hope amid the latest climate report’s dire warning: We’ve got a little bit of time to save the only home planet we’ve got. And it’s going to take all of us to do it.
As Palm Coast Looks to Rewrite Feral Cat Rules, Advocates Plead For More Accommodation
The Palm Coast council is again wrestling with the often divisive matter of feral cats, with advocates asking for tolerance and opponents asking for more containment of what they consider nuisances.
Creekside Festival at Princess Place This Weekend, In Its 14th Year, Stages Rich Varieties
From live music to art shows, free kid zones, varieties of food and innumerable art and crafts vendors, the Creekside Music and Arts Festival is a tradition made of traditions.
Fruehan Is No-Show as Mosquito Control District Raises Tax Rate 10% Above Rollback (Don’t Panic)
Florence Fruehan, the physician facing criminal charges and a member of the Flagler Mosquito Control District, was a no-show at today’s budget hearing of the district, as his mother was ailing.
Environmentalists Call Scott’s Call for Red-Tide Research a Campaign Stunt
The state has documented 115 manatee and 318 sea turtle deaths this year in regions suspected to be related to red tide, which stretches 145 miles.
Hurricane Florence to Have Only Minor Effects in Flagler; Local Strike Team Heads North
With Hurricane Florence’s effects causing possible erosion locally, Flagler County officials are on the alert for any breaches along the coast, where the year-long dune-rebuilding project is still ongoing.
Days After Criticism From Sen. Nelson, Governor Declares Emergency Over Algae Outbreak
On Friday and over the weekend Democrats and Bill Nelson accused Scott of “going through the motions” in dealing with the algae blooms.
In Big Win For Flagler Beach, U.S. Army Corps Awards $17.5 Million, Reviving Dunes Project
The unexpected infusion of $17.5 million into Flagler’s beach-rebuilding projects revives a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plan that appeared dead in 2017.
Flagler Will Build $7.5 Million Bike and Foot Trail East of Old Kings Rd., and Bridge Over SR 100
The 1.6-mile, 12-foot-wide walking and biking trail through the forested greenery east of Old Kings Road will connect Graham Swamp and Lehigh Trail.
Black Bear Roaming Around Seminole Woods Catches Attention of Residents and FWC
The bear has been linked to areas around Ulaturn Trail, Ullian Trail and Selma Trail. FWC is canvassing the neighborhood and urging residents to eliminate outdoor food sources.
To Protect Public Use of Private Beachfronts, Flagler Calls on Memories of
Long-Timers’ Customs
To ward off a new state law potentially allowing private property owners to fence off beach sands, the Flagler County Commission is enacting an ordinance to preserve public use and forbid fencing.
Florida Angling Closer to More Restrictions On Shark-Fishing From Beaches and Piers
Calls to restrict or ban shark fishing from beaches, piers and bridges led the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to direct staff to craft new rules.
Court Rejects Curbs on “Deer Dog Hunting” in Florida Wildlife Management Area
Property owners sued the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission for not properly keeping hunters’ dogs away from their lands. They won, only for an appeals court to reverse the decision.
Three Flagler County Rotary Clubs Join to Plant 220 Long Leaf Pine Trees Together
The project is in response to a call by Rotary International President Ian Risley for the organization to plant 1.2 million trees, one for each member of the international organization.
New Law Gives Property Owners Right to Restrict Beach Access. Flagler Working On Protecting Public’s “Customary Use”
The new and unusual Florida law allows beachfront property owners the right to wall off or restrict dry-sand areas from public use, but Flagler government intends to protect that “customary use” despite the law.
The New Palm Coast Community Center: A Bounty of Spaces Welcoming Uses and Nature
The $8 million renovation more than triples the size of the old building to 18,000 square feet, with ample and handsome spaces inside and out, including a renovated public park.
Opponents of Drilling Not Convinced Florida Is Off the Table. Nor Proponents.
Participants in competing press conferences after an open house on off-shore drilling agreed on one thing: the federal government’s claimed stance on a Florida exemption isn’t final.
Dog Parks at Palm Coast’s Holland Park Closed Over Fears of Hookworm
A dog that recently used the parks was diagnosed with hookworm, which can affect pets and humans, prompting closure of the two dog parks and intervention by the health department.
Among Slew of Legislative Rules, A Proposal To Limit Local Authority on Environment
From fracking to tree-trimming to using close to $900 million from a voter-approved conservation fund, Florida lawmakers are lining up their wishes ahead of the 2018 session.
