Today’s weather: milder, sunny, high of 79, overnight low of 66. Details here.
Today’s jail bookings here.
Flagler County’s Tourist Development Council meets this morning. Borrowing a page from Palm Coast’s recently trademarked tag-line (“Find Your Florida”) the county’s tourism division is going for its own tag-line: “Find Your Local Soul” as it discusses its strategy, with a focus on leisure, luxury, eco-tourism and sports.
January revenue from the 4 percent sales surtax, levied on short-term rentals and hotel and motel accommodations, again breaks a record for the month, coming ion at $115,326, which appears to be the fourth successive record-breaking figure (in each of the last four months). The money is awarded to local organizations through various grants that fuel more tourism. Today, the tourism council will hear grant requests from a half dozen organizations, including Friends of Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, three soccer organizations, the Florida Horseshoe association and United States of Lifesaving Association, the beach lifeguard organization, which is holding its southeast regional tournament in the county from July 15 to July 17. (10 a.m. at the Government Services Building, and broadcast live here.)
Palm Coast’s Planning Board meeting, scheduled for today, has been cancelled.
Flagler County’s Technical Review Committee meets at 9 a.m. in the Government Services Building’s first-floor conference room. The agenda is here.
In court: A pre-trial hearing before Judge Walsh for Robert Revels, accused of lewd and lascivious conduct and exhibition, is scheduled for 9 a.m. A plea hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. in the case of James Simmons III, an inmate accused of masturbating in front of a teacher at the Flagler County jail, during a GED class. Both hearings are in Courtroom 401.
At the Legislature:
The House Higher Education & Workforce Subcommittee takes up HB 4005, which would allow people with concealed-carry permits to carry firearms on campuses of colleges and universities in Florida. (9 a.m., Reed Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)
The House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee will consider a proposal (PCB JUAS 15-01) that addresses the dispute between the state and counties regarding what portion of juvenile justice costs each should pay. (9 a.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)
The Senate Appropriations Committee takes up a series of bill dealing with how Amendment 1 money–from real estate transactions, money earmarked for land and water conservation–is to be doled out. (1:30 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)
In the press:
Netanyahu wins again: After running a campaign that in its last days included race-baiting (he warned of Arabs voting “in droves” Tuesday in hopes of bringing out more Jews to the polls) and the end of 22 years of Israeli work toward a two-state solution (he pledged on Monday never to allow a Palestinian state), Benjamin Netanyahu was the decisive victor in Israel’s elections, clearing the way for an unprecedented fourth term as prime minister. From Haaretz: “In some ways it was very reminiscent of the same hour 19 years ago, when we realized that those who had gone to sleep with Prime Minister Shimon Peres were about to wake up to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Only then, the shift was by a fraction of a decimal point. Last night, huge chunks of votes moved from column to column, as the dead heat between Likud and the Zionist Union – as surprising and near-unimaginable it had been earlier in the evening – was developing into a rout of almost landslide dimensions. […] No one in his immediate circle – and certainly none of the senior Likud figures who yesterday were planning their moves in a post-Bibi era – expected anything near this result. The most that any of them had dared to hope for was a closing of the gap which had opened the previous week between Zionist Union and Likud.” The analysis. The Times writes: “But along the way he angered the president of the United States with a speech to Congress and infuriated European leaders eager to see the peace process move ahead to create a Palestinian state. David Axelrod, President Obama’s former senior adviser, said Tuesday evening on Twitter that Mr. Netanyahu’s last-minute stand against a Palestinian state might have helped ensure him another victory. “Tightness of exits in Israel suggests Bibi’s shameful 11th-hour demagoguery may have swayed enough votes to save him. But at what cost?” he wrote.”
Florida ranks 2nd in the nation in the rate of uninsured: “U.S. Census Bureau figures released on Tuesday show that Florida had an uninsured rate of 24.3 percent in 2013. Only Texas had a higher rate at 24.8 percent. The lowest rate was 4.3 percent in Massachusetts. Despite the high ranking, Florida’s uninsured rate has declined since 2010 when it was 25.3 percent. Federal figures released last month show that Florida is the state with the highest number of consumers buying health coverage through new insurance markets under the Affordable Care Act. Florida’s roughly 1.6 million enrollees include both first time enrollees and some of the nearly 1 million Floridians who enrolled last year.” The 2013 figures pre-date trhe large enrollment surge in 2014 and 2015.
Rich Mikola says
Ben for president!
Jon Hardison says
Hate is the Benjamin of political capitol.
I suppose it has always been this way.
We should probably consider cashing it in
for a little change.
David S. says
I was hoping that he could have booted out of office.
wishful thnking says
FlaglerLive, Reading your words is always so very informative and interesting but as a Jew who believes that Bibi won a fourth term because the Israelis wanted him to is all that matters. Israel is his country, the US is ours.
When we have a President who bows to a foreign king but refuses to hear the words of another world leader – right in his back yard – not a 15 hour plane trip away from the White House… it is a dsgusting display of putting his personal feelings above his obligation to be as up to date and as knowledgable as possible about what is going on in the real world – not just HIS world.!!
Bibi’s command of the English language and his comportment are so far superior to the ego maniac in the white house .. In fact he spent his formative years in the states which is more than the Pres did.!!
We need Israel more than we need Obama
German Chocolate says
Maybe one day America can elect a “REAL” leader like BiBi !!!!
JimBob says
Bibi just channeled his inner George Wallace and the Republicans now control both houses of Congress and the Knesset. Israel will be sucking even more from America’s teats. Racism pays!
Ken Dodge says
“…a campaign that in its last days included race-baiting (he warned of Arabs voting “in droves” Tuesday in hopes of bringing out more Jews to the polls)”
So, reporting what actually happened on the ground is … racism?
“…and the end of 22 years of Israeli work toward a two-state solution (he pledged on Monday never to allow a Palestinian state)…”
There will never be a ‘two-state solution’, only a one-state: either all Palestinian, or all Israel.
“Benjamin Netanyahu was the decisive victor in Israel’s elections…”
And the decisive loser in Israel’s elections was Barack Obama.
Sherry Epley says
Netanyahu a great reason for term limits! He was clearly “out of bounds” when he addressed our Congress. . . while intentionally disrespecting the office of our President. That war monger is now creating more problems in the Middle East, while he’s playing politics and spreading fear!
Israel is unfortunately taking the example of the United States and becoming divided against itself!
Lin says
Racism? George Wallace ? Republicans?
George Wallace was the Democrat governor of Alabama.
All the Power and purse of the O admin couldn’t defeat Netanyahu, you can’t win them all with a stroke of the pen and appearance on Kimmel.
What Netanyahu showed is that he takes the safety of his people seriously.
9/11 was only a few years ago
People here have forgotten already
Every time someone speaks out in favor of anything not towing the progressive line they are accused of racism. At least get the party right.
Outsider says
It’s not Israel that is holding up the so-called “peace process.” It’s the Palestinians who just can’t prevent themselves from launching biennial rocket attacks, thus proving what they would do with their second “state.” What is it they say about doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result?
FFS says
Those damn Palestinians should stop being so pissed off about being herded up and run off their land!! I can’t believe they have the audacity to fight back!!
Anonymous says
FFS–People love to tell Jews to “get over” six million of their number being slaughtered systematically because it happened SO LONG AGO…so, stop playing the victim already and using it as an excuse for everything, blahblahblah…However, Israel was created out of a world-wide voted mandate by countries all over the world in a UN vote and Palestinians were offered their own territory in recompense. If they had accepted the two-state solution offered to them at that time, from the beginning, they would have finally had an opportunity to rule themselves on land they could call their own, instead of being ruled by the British on land that Jews had been promised previously and which the British took away to create “Palestine” for Trans-Jordanians. The Palestinians refused their two-state option and elected to make war instead–repeatedly–at the urging of their Arab neighbors (like Egypt, under Nasser) who, after they were defeated in those efforts, interred the Palestinians in refugee camps which their Arab brethren could not seem to improve conditions in, despite all their oil-wealth. So, FFS, when you state that the Palestinians were “herded up and run off their land”, I would call that “revisionist history.” And that’s the kindest thing I can call it. PS–Israel was created in by that world-wide vote in 1948. Like many like to advise the Jews…It was a long time ago. Get over it. Use the tons of Aid that you have received since 1948 in ever-increasing amounts from all over the place to improve the situation in your background and stop wasting it in graft, corruption and military hardware for terror groups like the PLO (in the old days), Hezbollah and Hamas.