County Commissioner Donald O’Brien today was willing to raise the county’s tourism tax to 5 percent, but to further increase revenue for beach restoration, and, for a year, lower revenue for promotions.
Flagler
Homeless Shelter Event Draws Twice As Many People as Expected, Raising $4,500
A over-capacity crowd jammed the Santa Maria Del Mar Catholic Church in Flagler Beach Sunday evening to raise money for The Sheltering Tree, Flagler’s only cold-weather homeless shelter, in Bunnell.
From Inside Charred Aftermath of Last Week’s 435-Acre Fire, A Cautionary Warning of Season Ahead
In a tour of the forest partly charred in last week’s fire south of Bunnell, Florida Forest Service officials cautioned of a fire season ahead they expect will be more active because of drought and higher temperatures.
Council Endorses Raising Flagler’s Tourism Tax to 5% to Pay For Beach Repairs
The tourist sales surtax tax is applied to hotels, motels and short-term rentals, and would increase beach-restoration revenue to $2.25 million over the next three years.
County Seeking Photo Contest Participants to Mark Flagler’s Centennial
Prizes include $200 for Best of Show, as well as first-, second- and third place prizes by division of $150 – $100 – and $50, respectively. The deadline for submission is Monday, April 10.
Palm Coast Community Center’s Walls Crash As Shovels Ordain Much Bigger Successor Building
Work crews put destruction on display at the old Palm Coast Community Center today, just after the city council marked the $7.8 million rebuilding and tripling of the site with a groundbreaking ceremony.
In Flagler Beach, Scott Attacks Renner Over Tourism and Economic Development Programs
Gov. Rick Scott was in campaign mode in a visit to Flagler Beach Monday as he criticized Flagler’s Rep. Paul Renner, a fellow-Republican, for introducing a bill that would eliminate Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida.
Renner Is Right: Kill Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida, Twin Kleptos of Public Troth
Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida are two tax-supported state agencies that act more like slush funds, wasting money behind secretive veils and returns on investment that have never lived up to the promise.
Transportation Secretary Pledges Possible Traffic Light or Other Fixes at Dangerous US 1 Intersection
The Florida Department of Transportation is considering a traffic light, speed limit reduction, rumble strips or even a roundabout at the intersection of US1 and Old Dixie Highway.
Flagler County May Be Out $2 Million as FEMA and State Deny Hurricane Reimbursements
FEMA denied $1.1 million in Flagler claims for debris pick-up, the state is not providing a match the county expected, and the county has yet to hear on millions more in claims to FEMA.
Never Gone, Barbara Revels Reemerges in Appointment to Economic Advisory Board She Launched
The County Commission appointed Ex-County Commissioner Barbara Revels to the Economic Opportunity Advisory Board on a 4-1 vote, with her opponent, Dave Sullivan, casting a vote for Jason DeLorenzo.
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.
County Breaks Ground on 5,500-ft Runway at Airport to Accommodate Larger Corporate Jets
The $12.1 million project will be carried out over the next 350 days at Flagler County Executive Airport. It will also create new space at the north end of the airport for more building construction.
Prosecution Puts Kim Weeks’s Lawyers on Defensive After Arguing She Must Testify
The prosecution today questioned whether Kimberle Weeks had standing to challenge the validity of the search warrant that uncovered all the evidence against her. Her defense was shaken up by the ploy.
Kim Weeks’s Lawyers Seek to End Case Against Ex-Supervisor In Double-Barreled Attack
Lawyers for ex-Supervisor of Elections Kimberle Weeks spent much of today arguing before a judge two motions that would, if successful, end the nearly two-year-old felony case. Weeks is accused of making illegal recordings.
Different Kind of Home Intrusion in Hammock: Intruder Apologizes (But Is Arrested)
Benjamin Wytiaz, a man with a long arrest record in three other counties, startled a Hammock woman in her home as she was getting out of the bathroom, and was later arrested. He said he was looking for a place to sleep.
Ethics Panel Ratifies $4,500 Fine Against Barbara Revels in Closing Blur on Distinguished Service
The fine and public censure bookend Barbara Revels’s eight years of public service as a member of the Flagler County Commission, where she had been its most effective member and most skillful parliamentarian.
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.
County Commission Chairman Nate McLaughlin Apologizes to Flagler Beach Officials Over Interference
Commissioner Nate McLaughlin apologized in person to Flagler Beach City Manager Larry Newsom and City Commissioners Jane Mealy and Marshall Shupe over comments he claimed were misconstrued.
Gov. Scott Visiting With Flagler Commissioners Friday But County Keeps Meeting Veiled
As has been the case with previous such visits, the Flagler County administration did not send out notices about the governor’s visit to the county Friday, morning, his fourth since Hurricane Matthew struck.
Why Is the County Chairman Meddling in Flagler Beach’s Business, and Why Was Flagler Beach’s Manager Job-Hunting in Bunnell?
Flagler Beach officials were perplexed and angered by County Commission Chairman Nate McLaughlin’s apparent interference in their city manager’s–and their city’s–business at a time when county and city are trying to work out difficult issues.
Rift Opens Between County and Flagler Beach Over Dunes Fix; County Depletes TDC Fund
Flagler County commissioners agreed today to deplete a $1.5 million fund for beach management as part of a match to draw down state dollars, but none of the money would benefit Flagler Beach, angering officials there.
Greg Hansen Sworn-In, Completing Historic Republican Sweep of County Commission
Greg Hansen will fill the 22 months remaining on the term of the late Frank Meeker, a Republican who was often at war with the brand of local Republicans Hansen sympathizes with.
Short-Listed For High-Tech Finance Company’s 250 Jobs, Flagler Seeks $500,000 in Incentives
Flagler County government is making its most expensive pitch to attract 250 jobs, a high-tech finance company based in the Northeast and looking to expand either in Florida or Georgia.
Maxine Kronick, Fierce Doyenne of Local Arts and Children’s Theater, Dies On Approach of 80
Maxine Kronick, actress, special events coordinator and arts champion, had co-founder Theaterrific in the late 1980s in Palm Coast, a theater program for poorer children, and remained involved in local theater at Buddy Taylor Middle School and elsewhere.
Explosion and Fire Flare in J.T.’s Seafood Shack’s Kitchen in Hammock Injure Two Employees
The incident at J.T.’s Seafood Shack is believed to have been caused by a fire flare in the kitchen. Patrons were in the restaurant but were not affected.
Gov. Scott Appoints Greg Hansen, Local GOP Activist, to Frank Meeker’s County Commission Seat
Greg Hansen, 70, will fill the remaining year and a half on the late Frank Meeker’s term. He outflanked other local favorites who had included Palm Coast Mayor Jon Netts and Larry Jones, an ally of County Administrator Craig Coffey.
If You Still Have Damaged Property, You Could Knock Hundreds of Dollars Off 2017 Tax Bill
Property owners anywhere in Flagler and its cities who still have lost or damaged assets as of Jan. 1, such as lost screened-in areas, are eligible for re-assessments that could bring down their property tax bills.
Two Suicides in 24 Hours in Flagler as County Officials Seek Renewed Focus on Mental Health
Steven J. Fortier, 27, of Bunnell, was found dead in the Mondex Tuesday, and 73-year-old William Dessing took his own life Wednesday morning at his Flagler Beach home.
Pier Repairs, 52 Dune Walkovers, A1A: Flagler Beach Manager Newsom’s Post-Hurricane Status Report
Among other plans, Flagler Beach City Manager Larry Newsom wants the city to have the longest pier in Florida, but getting there will take a while yet as he updates all repair plans.
School Board’s Trevor Tucker Mulls Run for Tax Collector, Nate McLaughlin Eyes House Seat
School Board member Trevor Tucker confirmed he was considering a run for tax collector in four years, and if so would not run for school board again in 2018, while Commissioner Nate McLaughlin has his eyes on Paul Renner’s House seat in 2022.
Numerous Concerns, Elusive Certainties as Flagler Beach and County Governments Talk Beach Renovation
Assurances Flagler Beach was looking for–that there would be no sea walls anywhere, that the city’s beaches would have priority–proved elusive in a joint meeting with county government.
Call Him Sheriff Staly: At Swearing-In, Veteran Cop Stresses Roots, Toughness and 2nd Chances
Sheriff Rick Staly was sworn-in this morning before a crowd of hundreds and makes pledges of toughness on “dirtbags” but also pledges of giving offenders better chances at self-improvement while focusing greater attention on juvenile-crime prevention.
Some Demotions and New Faces as Sheriff-Elect Rick Staly Outlines Agency Changes, But Greater Focus on Policing
Incoming Sheriff Rick Staly announced an agency-wide reorganization this morning, with some demotions but no firings, and an attempt to adapt an existing organization to his vision rather than to reinvent the law enforcement wheel.
Where Flagler’s Democrats Go From Here: A Roadmap to Reclaiming Relevance
It’s time now to turn anger and disappointment into resolve, into commitment, into action, argues Mike Cocchiola, whose five-point plan proposes a way forward for Flagler County Democrats.
3 Flagler Death Sentences Among More Than 200 Invalidated By Florida Supreme Court
The invalidation of 55% of death sentences affect those of two Flagler double-murderers–William Gregory, of Flagler Beach, David Snelgrove of Palm Coast–and Cornelius Baker, who killed a woman in Flagler.
Help With Beach Recovery and an Additional County Judge Dominate Requests to Flagler’s Lawmakers
Post-Hurricane Matthew recovery occupied almost half the requests at the annual legislative delegation meeting Wednesday, when Flagler’s governments, non-profits, private associations and citizens submit wish lists to state lawmakers.
Flagler Seeks to Raise County’s Tourism Sales Surtax to 5% to Help Pay for Beach Restoration
The 4 percent surtax currently generates $2 million a year. An extra penny would add $500,000, but there are differences over whether all the added revenue should go to beach restoration or whether some should go to marketing the county.
Sheriff Manfre Talks Up Good of Body Cameras and Bad of Emergency Communications in Adieus
Sheriff Manfre described Flagler’s emergency communications system in dismal terms but spoke highly of other achievements in appearances before local governments.
County Tallies Up Almost $60 Million Cost of Repairing Beaches But Lacks Comprehensive Plan
Flagler County commissioners heard sobering costs of repairing 18 miles of beaches but a “unified” plan local cities, state and federal agencies can agree to is entirely lacking.
Single-Engine Plane Crashes in Hunter’s Ridge, Pilot Survives With Severe Injuries
A single-engine plane crashed in Hunter’s Ridge, at the south end of Flagler County, at 4 p.m. today. The pilot survived with serious injuries, authorities are reporting.
Gail Wadsworth Holds Court A Final Time as Flagler’s Political World Pays Tribute to Legacy
Almost a dozen judges, innumerable elected officials, most of the courthouse staff and many others gathered today to bid farewell to Clerk of Court Gail Wadsworth, who retires after four terms and lifetimes of local politics.
Hurricanes Matthew and Hermine Damages Reach $1.59 Billion, A1A a Big Bite
By comparison the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research has placed damages from the 2004 hurricane season, in which four hurricanes hit the state, at $45 billion.
Flagler Unemployment Rate Ticks Up for 4th Month in a Row, to 5.7%, Florida’s Up to 4.9%
The streak in increasing unemployment is echoed by an equally suggestive streak: five straight declines in the number of house sales closing in Flagler County, going back to May’s post-recession peak of 259 sales.
New A1A Options Include Moving It to Central and Daytona Avenues, and 5.2-Mile Sea Wall
Six options for the future A1A in Flagler Beach were unveiled by the stat Transportation Department Thursday, three of them including a huge (but buried) sea wall, and three shifting traffic to Central and Daytona Avenues.
Company Would Get $90,000 in County Subsidies to Build New Palm Coast Plant in Novel Incentive Approach
Manufacturer Gioia Sales employs 42 on Palm Coast’s Hargrove Grade and would build a larger facility on Commerce Boulevard, with 10 years of subsidies from Flagler County.
Ex-Commissioner Barbara Revels Faces $4,500 Fine in Ethics Violations Over Transparency
Barbara revels, the former Flagler County commissioner, agreed to settle the ethics case against her, admitting to numerous errors in three years of required financial disclosure forms.
SBA Approves $50 Million in Disaster Loans For Post-Hurricane Recovery; Dec. 16 Deadline Looms
Some 1,510 disaster loans have been approved so far, totaling $51,5 million, for affected residents and business owners, with interest rates ranging from 1.5 to 4 percent.
In Flagler Beach Again, Sen. Nelson Conveys Feds’ Message on Beach Fix: No Seawalls
Sen. Bill Nelson was back in Flagler Beach to tout the passage of a water bill that includes authorization for $15.6 million in federal beach renourishment dollars for Flagler County. But it’s conditional on the state not building sea walls.
Crime in Flagler and Palm Coast Continued Decline in 2016, But Violence Is Up Again
Overall crime declined in the first six months of the year but violent crime was on the rise again, with increases in murders (there were two in 2015), rapes, and aggravated assault.