President Trump is on track to throw away part of our national heritage, remove some national monument protections to make way for mining corporations and other extractive industries to operate there.
Parks
Holland Park Redemption: Palm Coast’s Storied Playground Readies to Re-Open
A year behind schedule, the reopening of Holland Park, now scheduled for June, will also mark the transformation of an eyesore into a crown jewel, as a visit to the park today suggests.
No New Street Lights in Palm Coast, But $547,000 For Field Lights and $1 Million For Toilets
Six new field lights at Indian Trails Complex will cost $547,000, not including operating costs, where current lights cost the city $108,000 a year in light bills. The bathrooms are paid for from a less flexible pot.
Palm Coast Approves $425,000 Parasols at 4 City Parks, But Council Members Grumble
Council members Nick Klufas and Steve Nobile, who are seeking more oversight of the city administration, had serious misgivings about cost and a bidding process that left them with little choice.
Commissioners Uneasy With Flagler’s Bail-Out of Agriculture Museum and New 400-Acre Park
Flagler County government would pay off an $185,000 museum mortgage and grant it $25,000 a year while acquiring more than 400 acres of the museum’s land, calling it an “extension” of Princess Place Preserve.
In Flagler Again, Gov. Scott Issues $15.8 Million For Beach Fix in 4 Counties, $5.4M for Flagler
The $15.8 million is not necessarily new money but includes at least $5.3 million Flagler County has been lobbying for to rebuild dunes. Gov. Scott made the announcement at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park’s beach.
Hikers, Campers, and the Limits of Leave No Trace
Leave No Trace seems to extend only to the easily visible: trash, toilet paper, bodily functions, and so forth. Anything you can’t see with the naked eye — like sweat, detergent, sunblock, mosquito repellent, pesticides, and other chemicals — seems to get a pass.
Costlier and Behind Schedule, Holland Park Renovation Swings For Another $50,000
Holland Park’s $4.7 million renovation was to be completed by now. Instead, completion is not expected until late June and the council said it would approve another $50,000 in unexpected expenses.
Flagler Reads Together:
In Search of Wilderness
Along the Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail reveals the limits and deceptions, but also the joys, of wilderness in urban America: An essay to accompany Flagler Reads Together’s focus on “Grandma Gatewood’s Walk.”
Flagler’s Sensitive Land Acquisition Panel Cool to 116-Acre Pitch Along Lake Disston
John A. Kern is proposing to sell the 116 acres along Lake Disston for $2.8 million (14 times the assessed value), but without an additional 20 acres the the Flagler county committee wants in the deal if it’s to keep pursuing the proposal.
Long Creek Preserve: For Palm Coast, a Chance to Restore a Vast, Lucrative History
Beyond the Long Creek Nature Preserve, Palm Coast has an opportunity to revive the state and national importance the area of the preserve played in the plantation system of the 18th and 19th centuries, says County Attorney Al Hadeed.
Federal Bureaucracy Is the Monster Killing the Florida Everglades
Federal regulations keep water from flowing south into Everglades National Park, where it could save a freshwater-dependent ecosystem dying of thirst, argues Nancy Smith.
Overselling Flagler: How County Tourism and Government Zeal Lost the Spartan Race Before It Started
An examination of the documents behind the Spartan Race proposed for Princess Place show tourism chief Matt Dunn repeatedly getting ahead of the process, showing little awareness of policy and protocols and virtually no appreciation for the political context that ultimately sank his biggest pet project to date.
Princess Place Saved Again: Flagler Pulls Extreme Race Out of Preserve and Looks Elsewhere
County Administrator Craig Coffey, conceding to the outpouring of opposition to holding such a race at the preserve—and to a majority of county commissioners’ categorical opposition to the event there—informed commissioners Sunday that the race would be pulled.
Princess Place Preserve Slated for Extreme-Sport-Type Endurance Race, and 6,000 Racers
The Spartan extreme-sport race in March will cover 8-10 miles and feature nearly 30 landscape-altering obstacles, with 6,000 racers and 2,000 spectators expected. The county is subsidizing the race.
Palm Coast’s Holland Park Closing For Rest of the Year For Major Reconstruction
the $4.28 million project will take 15 months and will result in better lit courts, a bigger playground, new restrooms, a refurbished dog park, a new loop road to exit the park and a perimeter trail, among other improvements.
In 4-1 Vote, County Seals Agreement to Build Tourist-Ready Cottages at Princess Preserve
An initial plan to build three cottages in partnership with a state conservation agency would expand to an additional 10 cottages at the River-to-Sea Preserve in the near future.
Wadsworth Dog Park Remains Open After Abandoned Puppy Found in Area Is Euthanized for Parvo Virus
A stray puppy that hung around Wadsworth Park in Flagler Beach was diagnosed with the virulent parvovirus virus and euthanized, but unlike last year, the county administration has no intention of closing the dog park at Wadsworth, in part because it’s not clear exactly where the stray dog was found.
Creekside Festival Celebrates 10th Year Saturday and Sunday at Princess Place Preserve
Drawing upwards of 15,000 guests each year, the Chamber of Commerce-managed two-day festival offers exhibits and activities to appeal to all tastes. This year’s event is set for Saturday, Oct. 11 and Sunday, Oct. 12.
Big Sugar Turns to Mass Development, Potentially Affecting Everglades Restoreation Efforts
Environmental groups around the state are alarmed at U.S. Sugar’s plans to change its business model and potentially develop huge tracts of land it owns in South Florida, which might affect Everglades restoration efforts.
Gamble Rogers Rec Area Will Keep Its Name as Flagler Beach Concedes: “Not Worth the Fight”
The Flagler Beach City Commission and the County Commission both retreated from a push to remove Gamble Rogers’s name from the Flagler Beach recreation area following a series of setbacks and a public backlash against the idea.
Flagler Beach’s Dishonorable Ploy: Don’t Remove Gamble Rogers’ Name From Rec Area
Flagler Beach is terribly misguided and short-sighted in its attempt to remove Gamble Rogers from the state recreation area’s name, a reflection of the tourism industry’s faddish obsession with “branding” at the expense of fostering more substantive cultural attractions.
Gamble Rogers State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach: The Lure of the Modest
Gamble Rogers State Park is a 145 acre expanse on the barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal in Flagler Beach, named for the Florida folk singer who drowned there in 1991 while trying to save another swimmer in distress.
Sex Offender Arrested For Exposure as Waterfront Park Picks Up Where Graham Swamp Left Off
Ashley Levern Mitchell, 49, of 12 Bridgehaven Drive in Palm Coast, a registered sex offender from exposing himself to a teen 12 years ago, was arrested at Waterfront Park for allegedly repeatedly exposing himself to a biker at various spots in the park.
On Again: Carver Center Auction Opens Bids for Safaris, Bowling, Pizza in a Commissioner’s Home (BYOB) and More
The popular Carver Center Online Auction is back for the fourth year, with some 67 items to bid on through the rest of the month as Bunnell’s Carver Center foundation hopes to yet again raise at least $5,000. It has done so quite successfully in previous years.
Raising Hope: Indian Trails Guardian Angels Lift Awareness of Teen Suicide and Depression
The Guardian Angels, one of two Indian Trails Middle School Service Learning groups doing projects in conjunction with Palm Coast’s annual Arbor Day celebration on May 3, are raising money to dedicate a walkway at the Children’s Memorial Garden in Waterfront Park.
Open Skateboard Rinks to Scooters and Bikes? County and Flagler Beach Propose More Permissive Rules at Wadsworth
The proposal is dividing officials and parents, some of whom like the broader allowance, some of whom consider it an invitation to accidents and lawsuits. The Flagler County Commission got in on the discussion earlier this week because the park belongs to the county, though it’s been run and policed by Flagler Beach for 10 years.
Flagler Favors Getting Into Cottage Business in County Parks, Starting at Princess Place
The twin proposals would result in three cottages at the Princess Place Preserve costing $390,000. and 10 cottages at River to Sea costing close to $1 million. Profits would be modest, but the county’s aim is to broaden the availability of nature tourism in Flagler.
Palm Coast Dedicates Third Bike Maintenance Station, This Time in Frank Celico’s Memory
It is Palm Coast’s third maintenance station. The Celico Foundation also donated one at the Lehigh Trail on Belle Terre Parkway and Royal Palms Parkway, near the fire station. The Palm Coast Observer and PC Bike donated the first one, located at Waterfront Park. The stations are part of Palm Coast’s emphasis on its trails.
Woody’s BBQ Owners Take On New Restaurant at Bull Creek Camp, With County as Landlord
The Flagler County Commission unanimously approved leasing the restaurant and bait shop at Bull Creek Campground for $1,000 a month to JMC Food Company, a consortium of three partners who run Woody’s B-B-Q in Palm Coast, including Matt Crews, Joe Rizzo and Chris Zwirn. The restaurant opens in spring.
Long Creek Nature Preserve Groundbreaking Postponed to Jan. 14
The Long Creek Nature Preserve project was made possible with money from Flagler County’s Environmentally Sensitive Lands program and Florida Forever dollars. Tuesday’s public groundbreaking ceremony planned for the $1.46 million construction is being postponed, due to cold weather, to Jan. 14 at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14. Construction was originally due to begin in October.
Your Ad Here: State Negotiating For Advertising Along Florida’s Prime Nature Trails
New York-based Bikepath Country has offered to give the state 30 percent of any revenue over 15 years in exchange for making signs and seeking corporate sponsors for the controversial program, which went into effect more than a year ago.
Palm Coast’s Ambitions for More Parks Soar, But Development Tax to Fund Them Declines
Palm Coast’s park impact fees levied on new construction are about to decline by a few hundred dollars, though the city’s ambitious plans for new parks and recreational facilities over the next few decades are unchanged.
County Sharpens Its Authority to Close Public Lands, But Not Without Commission Input
County Administrator Craig Coffey formalized authority to close certain public lands, including Bulow Woods, Pellicer Flats and the old hospital in Bunnell, either for safety reasons or as lands are undergoing construction or conservation. Trespassers may be arrested. Commissioners wanted to ensure that the administrator would not close lands without their knowledge.
Burnishing Green Creds Ahead of Election, Gov. Scott Wants To Give Everglades a Lift
Gov. Rick Scott is proposing $90 million to help lift a section of the Tamiami Trail, which groups such as the Everglades Foundation have called “one of the most prominent dams” blocking the natural flow of the River of Grass.
At Yellowstone, a Cathedral of Peace Glories to the Very Best of America
At Yellowstone National Park, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with children of immigrants from many lands, and alongside those whose greatest hope is to become a U.S. citizen and claim ownership of a small piece of this wondrous landscape, it is impossible to fathom anyone declaring “Take Back America.”
6-Mile Tour de Palm Coast Highlights New Sculptures and Trail Riches
A cycling tour, a discovery of the four new ‘Flight of Life’ sculptures of herons at Waterfront Park, and interactivity with the city’s new QR codes along its Waterfront trail highlight the annual Tour de Palm Coast Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m.
Paul Bouler, 49, Found Dead of Self-Inflicted Gunshot at Varn Park After an Argument
Paul Pete Bouler Jr., a 49-year-old lawyer, was found dead in his car at Varn Park Saturday night in an apparent suicide by firearm, about an hour and a half after he’d left his Palm Coast home after an argument with his wife.
Palm Coast’s Arbor Day Moves Back to Central Park on May 18
Palm Coast is bringing back its rescheduled Arbor Day celebration to Central Park (from Waterfront Park), on May 18. the event will be featuring a tree give-away, butterfly release, food drive, walk and run, exhibits and activities for children including a petting zoo, character visits and rock-climbing wall. Admission and parking are free.
Flagler Lands Its 1st Statewide Horseshoe Pitching Tournament at New Old Dixie Park
The Flagler County Horseshoe Pitching Club will host a Florida-wide horseshoe tournament at the 18-pit Old Dixie Park the county built last year. The tournament is another addition to a growing list of specialty sports tournaments bringing visitors the county.
Wadsworth Dog Park In Flagler Beach Will Remain Closed Through the Week Over Virus Scare
The dog park at Flagler Beach’s Wadsworth Park is closed until further notice as authorities try to determine whether a dog that contracted the virulent and infectious parvovirus may have been picked up at the dog park. The Palm Coast dog park remains open.
Growls Again Over Palm Coast’s Dog Park As the City Pleads Money and Other Woes
For the third time in six years, Palm Coast users of the dog park at Holland Park are complaining to the city council of dusty, dirty, grass-less and unhealthy conditions at the park, only to hear that improvements may be on the way–but not just yet.
Earth Day at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park April 20 and 21
The Friends of Washington Oaks Gardens State Park will welcome all visitors from 10 am until 4 pm. This two day event will include Live Entertainment, Living History re-enactors, Environmental Groups and Arts and Crafts.
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.
That New Year Resolution to Exercise? Your Local State Park Wants You.
Rangers at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park and Faver-Dykes State Park are organizing guided walking tours on New Year’s Day for those who have resolved to exercise more.
From Washington Oaks Gardens to Flagler Beach, a Drenching of Grayish Christmas Cheer
Flagler Beach’s parade packed A1A and ran for 75 minutes, while Washington Oaks Gardens’ Holiday in the Gardens drew more than 1,000 people who donated food and toys for the needy.
Florida Conservation Groups Mobilize for National Public Lands Day Saturday
A coalition of Northeast Florida’s leading conservation organizations are using this occasion to raise awareness about the importance of publicly-owned conservation lands and to encourage the community to explore, volunteer and advocate for the protection of these vital natural resources.
S.E. Cline Lands $216,000 Contract With Flagler, Hold the Controversy
S.E. Cline was one of two bidders to out improvements to the River to Sea Preserve park in northeast Flagler. County commissioners approved the contract unanimously.
Tired of Waiting, Florida Audubon Sues Management District Over Everglades Pollution
Florida Audubon Society on Friday filed legal petitions to force the South Florida Water Management District to enforce more-stringent laws put in place five years ago to reduce phosphorus levels in the Everglades.
Discover Your Treasures: Washington Oaks Gardens State Park
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park is the dean of Flagler County parks: a 476-acre spread on both sides of State Road A1A, rich in history and intimate paths for solitary walks or preludes to more than a kiss. A renewed look, with an image gallery, at a particular Flagler treasure.
