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August 2022 Newsletter
Patricia Lee
From The Publisher:
As we all know, cost of housing and rent has skyrocketed in the Destin area over the past year or so. I am now hearing about more and more locals actually move away. Between rent increasing 2 to 500 a month and the power company doubling bills and homeowners insurance changing/increasing, it is just too much for the middle-income bracket. Also, business owners are complaining about lack of employees. Average income earners cannot afford to live here and do not want to drive 30 minutes to an hour or more to get to work. Some businesses have closed due to extreme rent increases and/or lack of employees. It is a serious issue and concern for the community. Below are some sentiments expressed by literally hundreds of locals over the past several months. I hope it finds its way to the ears of those who can create a solution and help take action.
"There needs to be a legal cap on how much a landlord can increase your rent for the next year."
"My opinion is that it is really on the employers. If they need people, they need to get creative on how to provide housing for them or pay them a wage where they are able to live in the area. We are in Ky part of the year, and I see higher wages in Ky than Destin, but the price of everything in Destin is much higher. I think what most businesses in Destin charge for their goods and services, they should be able to pay their people livable wages."
"As a business owner myself, it is next impossible to hire a skilled employee at all. If you are lucky enough to find that person, they will have at least a 1 hr. drive to and from work each day when it is not tourist season. When the traffic increases and their travel time's triple they will stop being reliable."
"More neighborhoods and areas need to ban short term rentals. It’s insane how the housing costs have risen in the 8 years I’ve been here. If you’re not able to buy, you’ve got to have 3 roommates to split rent on a house. Even apartments have gone up so high it’s insane."
"Very, very simple ban airbnb!!!! All the places' people used to be able to rent have turned into short term rentals. They are destroying our town."
"The county and city leadership need to realize their money will be also affected as their businesses continue to suffer with the shortages. A balancing will be forced on the tourist industry if this continues. Word of mouth is pretty powerful and bad experiences with traffic, lack of services, and the harsh reality of lack of space isn't so easy to cover up anymore.
Gentrification is happening, but in this case, it is forcing out those that are the backbone of the tourist industry. I agree there needs to be more housing, but I also feel the area needs better monitoring to stop the imbalance."
"The other issue is that they don’t let you add a small structure. Our home sits on 2 lots and we have enough room for a tiny home which would Be a cheap rental. But it’s so much of a battle to get approved to build something only 600-800 sq ft . They won’t even approve my shed that 200 ft. We have to take the county to court. I would love to build a small Second home and rent it for a fair price like 800$ a month. The city makes it impossible to do that. It will cost us 10 k in a court battle just to break ground."
"City allows building more & more hotels without the proper infrastructure, city could push for some “affordable” residential buildings."
"Is it a housing “cooperative” where many investors can create affordable housing privately? Building townhomes/apartments that the labor force can afford just not in the heart of the busy destinations (ie; Freeport, Ft. Walton, Niceville, PC, etc…) with an aim to keep rents below the average for individuals in specified industry or income level? Who has a few millionaire friends? Join forces."
Patricia Lee, Owner: www.Destinites.com - Creator: www.Facebook.com/groups/Destinites
[email protected]
As we all know, cost of housing and rent has skyrocketed in the Destin area over the past year or so. I am now hearing about more and more locals actually move away. Between rent increasing 2 to 500 a month and the power company doubling bills and homeowners insurance changing/increasing, it is just too much for the middle-income bracket. Also, business owners are complaining about lack of employees. Average income earners cannot afford to live here and do not want to drive 30 minutes to an hour or more to get to work. Some businesses have closed due to extreme rent increases and/or lack of employees. It is a serious issue and concern for the community. Below are some sentiments expressed by literally hundreds of locals over the past several months. I hope it finds its way to the ears of those who can create a solution and help take action.
"There needs to be a legal cap on how much a landlord can increase your rent for the next year."
"My opinion is that it is really on the employers. If they need people, they need to get creative on how to provide housing for them or pay them a wage where they are able to live in the area. We are in Ky part of the year, and I see higher wages in Ky than Destin, but the price of everything in Destin is much higher. I think what most businesses in Destin charge for their goods and services, they should be able to pay their people livable wages."
"As a business owner myself, it is next impossible to hire a skilled employee at all. If you are lucky enough to find that person, they will have at least a 1 hr. drive to and from work each day when it is not tourist season. When the traffic increases and their travel time's triple they will stop being reliable."
"More neighborhoods and areas need to ban short term rentals. It’s insane how the housing costs have risen in the 8 years I’ve been here. If you’re not able to buy, you’ve got to have 3 roommates to split rent on a house. Even apartments have gone up so high it’s insane."
"Very, very simple ban airbnb!!!! All the places' people used to be able to rent have turned into short term rentals. They are destroying our town."
"The county and city leadership need to realize their money will be also affected as their businesses continue to suffer with the shortages. A balancing will be forced on the tourist industry if this continues. Word of mouth is pretty powerful and bad experiences with traffic, lack of services, and the harsh reality of lack of space isn't so easy to cover up anymore.
Gentrification is happening, but in this case, it is forcing out those that are the backbone of the tourist industry. I agree there needs to be more housing, but I also feel the area needs better monitoring to stop the imbalance."
"The other issue is that they don’t let you add a small structure. Our home sits on 2 lots and we have enough room for a tiny home which would Be a cheap rental. But it’s so much of a battle to get approved to build something only 600-800 sq ft . They won’t even approve my shed that 200 ft. We have to take the county to court. I would love to build a small Second home and rent it for a fair price like 800$ a month. The city makes it impossible to do that. It will cost us 10 k in a court battle just to break ground."
"City allows building more & more hotels without the proper infrastructure, city could push for some “affordable” residential buildings."
"Is it a housing “cooperative” where many investors can create affordable housing privately? Building townhomes/apartments that the labor force can afford just not in the heart of the busy destinations (ie; Freeport, Ft. Walton, Niceville, PC, etc…) with an aim to keep rents below the average for individuals in specified industry or income level? Who has a few millionaire friends? Join forces."
Patricia Lee, Owner: www.Destinites.com - Creator: www.Facebook.com/groups/Destinites
[email protected]
*** If you are interested in being a sponsor or article contributor, contact Patricia Lee: [email protected]
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Lori Leath Smith
Moving Kids From Hunger To Hope: By Lori Leath Smith, Publisher - Life Media, Inc. Destin Life community newspaper
In April, local Destin business F45 hosted a “Playoff” event to raise money for the 4th Annual Hope for the Hungry Emerald Coast packing event taking place August 6. No small feat, on this day, community volunteers are planning to pack 300,000 meals at the Emerald Coast Convention Center in Fort Walton Beach.
Though local, the August 6th event has global impact; packed meals will go directly to Haiti to feed hungry children. Hope for the Hungry Emerald Coast partners with an organization called Mission of Hope to make it happen. Mission of Hope partners with several meal-packing organizations, which procure the bulk food, transport food to the event, provide all packing equipment and secure shipping to Haiti. Donations of any amount are donated to the Mission of Hope foundation.
The reality is that millions of kids in Haiti do not know where they will get their next meal.
Mission of Hope is currently feeding more than 100,000 kids a day through a network of schools and orphanages, but have about 73,000 more children on a wait list.
Last June, local volunteers packed 250,000 meals that ended up in Haiti right around the time of the August earthquake. The meals provided some relief for those impacted by the earthquake. “Our relatively small community also holds the record for the most meals packed on a single day in a single location in the U.S. (through Mission of Hope),” said Kim Bauman, a volunteer. On Saturday, August 6th, there will be over 800 volunteers at the Emerald Coast Convention Center who will pack a goal of over 300,000 meals for kids in Haiti. “Our community donated $100,000 over the past year to make this happen,” said Kim.
Mhari Turner and her son, Bryson, are the heartbeats behind this cause and head up the efforts in our community.
On January 12, 2010, a devastating earthquake hit Port-au-Prince Haiti. At just 3 years old at the time, Bryson spent the next year praying for Haiti daily. In 2014 and 2015, Bryson and his family were able to go on a mission trip with Mission of Hope to visit the country that had been on his heart for so many years. “It was amazing watching him with the kids in Haiti,” said Mhari. “We had no idea what God was planting in his heart and how it would turn into literally leading a community into packing hundreds of thousands of meals.”
The Hope for the Hungry event got started after young Bryson’s two trips. Only age 8 after the second trip, he and Mhari knew they had to do something about it. “Seeing Haiti, the poverty and everything about it, there’s just no way to not do anything about what you see,” said Bryson.
After that second trip, Bryson began continually asking about raising money to host a food packing event to help Mission of Hope to feed kids in Haiti. By 2019, through many fundraising efforts, Bryson raised $6,000 and packed 22,000 meals. In the fall of 2020, they packed another 40,000. In June of 2021, Bryson, his family, several local churches, and the greater Destin community came together to pack a full container of food which was 250,000 meals!
This August, volunteers will pack 300,000 meals with the help of the community and businesses such as F45. “This really is a local event that has a global effect,” said Bryson.
You can volunteer on August 6th to help pack meals: missionofhope.com/Hope-for-the-hungry.
For more information, visit the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/hopeforthehungryEC
In April, local Destin business F45 hosted a “Playoff” event to raise money for the 4th Annual Hope for the Hungry Emerald Coast packing event taking place August 6. No small feat, on this day, community volunteers are planning to pack 300,000 meals at the Emerald Coast Convention Center in Fort Walton Beach.
Though local, the August 6th event has global impact; packed meals will go directly to Haiti to feed hungry children. Hope for the Hungry Emerald Coast partners with an organization called Mission of Hope to make it happen. Mission of Hope partners with several meal-packing organizations, which procure the bulk food, transport food to the event, provide all packing equipment and secure shipping to Haiti. Donations of any amount are donated to the Mission of Hope foundation.
The reality is that millions of kids in Haiti do not know where they will get their next meal.
Mission of Hope is currently feeding more than 100,000 kids a day through a network of schools and orphanages, but have about 73,000 more children on a wait list.
Last June, local volunteers packed 250,000 meals that ended up in Haiti right around the time of the August earthquake. The meals provided some relief for those impacted by the earthquake. “Our relatively small community also holds the record for the most meals packed on a single day in a single location in the U.S. (through Mission of Hope),” said Kim Bauman, a volunteer. On Saturday, August 6th, there will be over 800 volunteers at the Emerald Coast Convention Center who will pack a goal of over 300,000 meals for kids in Haiti. “Our community donated $100,000 over the past year to make this happen,” said Kim.
Mhari Turner and her son, Bryson, are the heartbeats behind this cause and head up the efforts in our community.
On January 12, 2010, a devastating earthquake hit Port-au-Prince Haiti. At just 3 years old at the time, Bryson spent the next year praying for Haiti daily. In 2014 and 2015, Bryson and his family were able to go on a mission trip with Mission of Hope to visit the country that had been on his heart for so many years. “It was amazing watching him with the kids in Haiti,” said Mhari. “We had no idea what God was planting in his heart and how it would turn into literally leading a community into packing hundreds of thousands of meals.”
The Hope for the Hungry event got started after young Bryson’s two trips. Only age 8 after the second trip, he and Mhari knew they had to do something about it. “Seeing Haiti, the poverty and everything about it, there’s just no way to not do anything about what you see,” said Bryson.
After that second trip, Bryson began continually asking about raising money to host a food packing event to help Mission of Hope to feed kids in Haiti. By 2019, through many fundraising efforts, Bryson raised $6,000 and packed 22,000 meals. In the fall of 2020, they packed another 40,000. In June of 2021, Bryson, his family, several local churches, and the greater Destin community came together to pack a full container of food which was 250,000 meals!
This August, volunteers will pack 300,000 meals with the help of the community and businesses such as F45. “This really is a local event that has a global effect,” said Bryson.
You can volunteer on August 6th to help pack meals: missionofhope.com/Hope-for-the-hungry.
For more information, visit the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/hopeforthehungryEC
Events Calendar
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AREA EVENTS! <-- Please click the picture to view some of our local events for the Destin area. |
Rick Yohe - Owner
Destinite Spotlight On Rick Yohe: by Patricia Lee
Big shout-out for Rick Yohe and his company, Emerald Coast Move Pro. I have moved several times over the course of my 63 years and have never had a more pleasant experience than I did with this company. Rick walked in with a smile, shook my hand and reassured me they would take care of everything timely and efficiently and that is just exactly what they did. All the movers were smiling and friendly and even stopped a time or two just to ask me if I were ok. They knew my move was due to needing to help with my elderly father and that it was emotional for me to leave my home, much less under those circumstances. They were all kind and comforting to me throughout every aspect of the move. They took very good care of my belongings and the unloading of the truck when we reached our destination went just as smoothly. These guys will move you locally or out of state and I give them a 5-star review! It is rare these days to get good customer service. My hat is off to Rick and how he manages his business. It is greatly appreciated!
Big shout-out for Rick Yohe and his company, Emerald Coast Move Pro. I have moved several times over the course of my 63 years and have never had a more pleasant experience than I did with this company. Rick walked in with a smile, shook my hand and reassured me they would take care of everything timely and efficiently and that is just exactly what they did. All the movers were smiling and friendly and even stopped a time or two just to ask me if I were ok. They knew my move was due to needing to help with my elderly father and that it was emotional for me to leave my home, much less under those circumstances. They were all kind and comforting to me throughout every aspect of the move. They took very good care of my belongings and the unloading of the truck when we reached our destination went just as smoothly. These guys will move you locally or out of state and I give them a 5-star review! It is rare these days to get good customer service. My hat is off to Rick and how he manages his business. It is greatly appreciated!
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Dr. Ronald Johnston
Don't Be A Statistic For Skin Cancer: By: Dr. Ronald Johnston - Board-certified Dermatologist and Mohs Surgeon
1 in 5 Americans by age 70 will have a skin cancer. In the Emerald Coast area, it is easy to get sun damage, even with daily exposure. As I discuss with my patients, sun exposure while walking the dog or working in the yard is the same as sun at the beach. We have sun year round and it can add up to damage for the skin, which increases your risk for skin cancer.
The most common skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Both BCC and SCC are related to sun damage over the years, although I see a number of young patients in their 30’s and 40’s with skin cancer. Sunburns when young and tanning bed use can increase your cancer risk years later.
The best protections for skin cancer are surveillance and prevention. Once a month, try to look at your skin and look for any changing moles, lesions that do not heal, scaly spots that keep coming back or bleeding lesions. If you are over the age of 50, consider annual skin exams with a dermatologist or primary care provider. For prevention, daily sunscreen and sun protective clothing are good options.
In regards to sunscreen, I recommend a daily protection with a moisturizer with an SPF 15 or higher. Even if you do not get sun, you are using a moisturizer. If going out into the sun for 30 minutes or more, then put on a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a SPF 30 or higher. The two common mistakes with sunscreen are not applying enough and not reapplying. A nickel-size amount of sunscreen should treat your face, and about a shot-glass amount to treat the entire adult body. For reapplication, try to apply every 2 hours at least or after swimming. As far as sunscreen types, I recommend the “metal” sunscreens with zinc or titanium oxide for active ingredients. These sunscreens do not absorb into the skin, and work after application to block the sun’s ultraviolet rays. If using a spray sunscreen, try to apply it to skin and then spread with your hand; if covering the face, spray onto your hand and then apply to the face.
Remember, protect your skin today to avoid being a statistic!
1 in 5 Americans by age 70 will have a skin cancer. In the Emerald Coast area, it is easy to get sun damage, even with daily exposure. As I discuss with my patients, sun exposure while walking the dog or working in the yard is the same as sun at the beach. We have sun year round and it can add up to damage for the skin, which increases your risk for skin cancer.
The most common skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Both BCC and SCC are related to sun damage over the years, although I see a number of young patients in their 30’s and 40’s with skin cancer. Sunburns when young and tanning bed use can increase your cancer risk years later.
The best protections for skin cancer are surveillance and prevention. Once a month, try to look at your skin and look for any changing moles, lesions that do not heal, scaly spots that keep coming back or bleeding lesions. If you are over the age of 50, consider annual skin exams with a dermatologist or primary care provider. For prevention, daily sunscreen and sun protective clothing are good options.
In regards to sunscreen, I recommend a daily protection with a moisturizer with an SPF 15 or higher. Even if you do not get sun, you are using a moisturizer. If going out into the sun for 30 minutes or more, then put on a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a SPF 30 or higher. The two common mistakes with sunscreen are not applying enough and not reapplying. A nickel-size amount of sunscreen should treat your face, and about a shot-glass amount to treat the entire adult body. For reapplication, try to apply every 2 hours at least or after swimming. As far as sunscreen types, I recommend the “metal” sunscreens with zinc or titanium oxide for active ingredients. These sunscreens do not absorb into the skin, and work after application to block the sun’s ultraviolet rays. If using a spray sunscreen, try to apply it to skin and then spread with your hand; if covering the face, spray onto your hand and then apply to the face.
Remember, protect your skin today to avoid being a statistic!
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Tylor Kenall
Youth Sports Participation: A look at what the numbers are saying.
by Coach, Tylor Kendall, Owner - Foundations 850, Inc.
As a former athlete, and current parent, the influence that youth sports has over a household is enormous. Let's face it - washing uniforms, transportation to practice and weekend tournaments, expensive equipment and private training instruction overtaking the monthly budget, and many other sacrifices prevent us adults from sleeping in on the weekends or taking the boat out more. Not that it is all in vain, but with the everyday struggles living in a competitive society, is it truly beneficial to buy into your children's travel ball tournament schedule or are the better routes for an end-product with our youth?
So first off, who is playing youth sports? ESPN helped launch a study in 2016 which determined 56.6% of children played atleasts one sport. Boys have a higher rate than girls and percentages vary for multitudes of variables. Household income is a major determining factor in that as income levels increase, so does participation amongst youth in given households as a whole. A staggering statistic is that 80% of youth athletes will be finished with sports by the time they are 15!
Why play sports? This may be a loaded question but there are numerous reasons to take on athletics. The physical demands placed on the body will help with development for movement for the rest of their lives. Early physical development has been proven to be related to lifelong physical active lifestyles opposed to that of sedentary kids. The mental preparation and focus developed from sports has also been associated with a 40% increase in test scores! Not to mention youth athletes reportedly make an average of 15% more than those who do not compete on those stages.
Other intangibles that are without parallel include but are not limited to self-confidence, discipline, consistency, teamwork, coachability, trustworthiness, integrity, toughness, critical thinking, awareness, sense of duty, accountability, and so much more! At the youth level, we can develop and gain all these traits just by having fun and participating!
Project Play 2020 has been trying to tackle the issue of decline in numbers of participation in youth sports over the past few years. Factors such as online gaming and the digital world have taken interests away from sweating it out with peers under the sun competing. Household income, again, is listed as a major factor with participation. Also, the growing number of athletes choosing to specialize in one sport brings overall participation down in sports as a whole. In some cases, lack of coaches can be a deterrent.
What can we do? Whether your child is on their way to be an elite pro athlete or they are free spirited enjoying play with their peers, the science points to one thing - kids need more play! Children and youth need more physical activity and that should exceed an hour a day at least. Their development is crucial and it is not always incorporated into their lives as much as it was when we were growing up. I know you remember what it meant when the street lights came on - it meant get home! We were out riding our bicycles to the next town and playing tackle football without pads all while rehydrating from a water hose if we were that lucky! As parents, we sometimes have to create environments to produce desired outcomes and play is no different! Peer interaction is how they develop lifelong social skills and sports is an amazing avenue for this although it is not easy and is not for everyone.
As parents, we are the biggest influencers in our children when they are deciding to be physically active, dedicated to team/individual sports, or living a sedentary lifestyle. Our body is the only one we get for this lifetime so why not invest in it? You're going to take care of a newly purchased house or auto, but your body does not have a Kelley Blue Book value LOL! And your kids are observing your lifestyle choices in this area as every other aspect. Regardless if you are personally able to live a more physically active lifestyle or not, it would be wise to promote your children to do so.
by Coach, Tylor Kendall, Owner - Foundations 850, Inc.
As a former athlete, and current parent, the influence that youth sports has over a household is enormous. Let's face it - washing uniforms, transportation to practice and weekend tournaments, expensive equipment and private training instruction overtaking the monthly budget, and many other sacrifices prevent us adults from sleeping in on the weekends or taking the boat out more. Not that it is all in vain, but with the everyday struggles living in a competitive society, is it truly beneficial to buy into your children's travel ball tournament schedule or are the better routes for an end-product with our youth?
So first off, who is playing youth sports? ESPN helped launch a study in 2016 which determined 56.6% of children played atleasts one sport. Boys have a higher rate than girls and percentages vary for multitudes of variables. Household income is a major determining factor in that as income levels increase, so does participation amongst youth in given households as a whole. A staggering statistic is that 80% of youth athletes will be finished with sports by the time they are 15!
Why play sports? This may be a loaded question but there are numerous reasons to take on athletics. The physical demands placed on the body will help with development for movement for the rest of their lives. Early physical development has been proven to be related to lifelong physical active lifestyles opposed to that of sedentary kids. The mental preparation and focus developed from sports has also been associated with a 40% increase in test scores! Not to mention youth athletes reportedly make an average of 15% more than those who do not compete on those stages.
Other intangibles that are without parallel include but are not limited to self-confidence, discipline, consistency, teamwork, coachability, trustworthiness, integrity, toughness, critical thinking, awareness, sense of duty, accountability, and so much more! At the youth level, we can develop and gain all these traits just by having fun and participating!
Project Play 2020 has been trying to tackle the issue of decline in numbers of participation in youth sports over the past few years. Factors such as online gaming and the digital world have taken interests away from sweating it out with peers under the sun competing. Household income, again, is listed as a major factor with participation. Also, the growing number of athletes choosing to specialize in one sport brings overall participation down in sports as a whole. In some cases, lack of coaches can be a deterrent.
What can we do? Whether your child is on their way to be an elite pro athlete or they are free spirited enjoying play with their peers, the science points to one thing - kids need more play! Children and youth need more physical activity and that should exceed an hour a day at least. Their development is crucial and it is not always incorporated into their lives as much as it was when we were growing up. I know you remember what it meant when the street lights came on - it meant get home! We were out riding our bicycles to the next town and playing tackle football without pads all while rehydrating from a water hose if we were that lucky! As parents, we sometimes have to create environments to produce desired outcomes and play is no different! Peer interaction is how they develop lifelong social skills and sports is an amazing avenue for this although it is not easy and is not for everyone.
As parents, we are the biggest influencers in our children when they are deciding to be physically active, dedicated to team/individual sports, or living a sedentary lifestyle. Our body is the only one we get for this lifetime so why not invest in it? You're going to take care of a newly purchased house or auto, but your body does not have a Kelley Blue Book value LOL! And your kids are observing your lifestyle choices in this area as every other aspect. Regardless if you are personally able to live a more physically active lifestyle or not, it would be wise to promote your children to do so.
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Steven Craft, Jr.
Florida Homeowners Market: by Steven Craft, Jr. - Agent - Lucleon Insurance Company
The Florida homeowners market continues to narrow down regarding the options that the Florida
homeowner must choose from. It’s a dwindling market due to several key issues, of which I’ll briefly
mention a few.
1. Insurance companies are hitting their annual writing potential – In other words, they have
already written enough business for the year to meet their annual goal. This is due to #2 & #3.
2. Insurance companies have liquidated.
3. Insurance companies have left Florida (or parts of Florida) all together.
The rush from homeowners to find new insurance due to many insurance companies liquidating and
leaving Florida has maxed out the remaining Florida insurance companies writing ability. This leaves a
dwindling inventory of companies to choose from. However, there are still a select number of A-rated
companies that independent agents can offer the residence of Florida.
With this said, Lucleon and partners stand ready to help the Florida homeowners find these remaining
companies at an affordable premium. With both the real estate and insurance markets fluctuating
incredibly, Florida residence might be looking to remain with their current insurance rather than
shopping for a more affordable rate to wait until things settle. In many cases, the renewal offers might
even be lower than what other companies are offering. This is all dependent on the particular property,
owner, and will all be more determinable as the year progresses.
What is important to the Florida resident is knowing what insurance companies are available and are
still writing insurance, where to go for options, who can best serve their needs, and provide them with
trustable advice. All of this can be done through independent agencies like Lucleon Insurance out of
Destin, FL. Once the agent knows your situation and can assess what exactly it is you need, your
chances of getting the most affordable A-rated option that Florida insurance companies have to offer
increases and the opportunity to save money during this time of inflation increases as well.
The Florida homeowners market continues to narrow down regarding the options that the Florida
homeowner must choose from. It’s a dwindling market due to several key issues, of which I’ll briefly
mention a few.
1. Insurance companies are hitting their annual writing potential – In other words, they have
already written enough business for the year to meet their annual goal. This is due to #2 & #3.
2. Insurance companies have liquidated.
3. Insurance companies have left Florida (or parts of Florida) all together.
The rush from homeowners to find new insurance due to many insurance companies liquidating and
leaving Florida has maxed out the remaining Florida insurance companies writing ability. This leaves a
dwindling inventory of companies to choose from. However, there are still a select number of A-rated
companies that independent agents can offer the residence of Florida.
With this said, Lucleon and partners stand ready to help the Florida homeowners find these remaining
companies at an affordable premium. With both the real estate and insurance markets fluctuating
incredibly, Florida residence might be looking to remain with their current insurance rather than
shopping for a more affordable rate to wait until things settle. In many cases, the renewal offers might
even be lower than what other companies are offering. This is all dependent on the particular property,
owner, and will all be more determinable as the year progresses.
What is important to the Florida resident is knowing what insurance companies are available and are
still writing insurance, where to go for options, who can best serve their needs, and provide them with
trustable advice. All of this can be done through independent agencies like Lucleon Insurance out of
Destin, FL. Once the agent knows your situation and can assess what exactly it is you need, your
chances of getting the most affordable A-rated option that Florida insurance companies have to offer
increases and the opportunity to save money during this time of inflation increases as well.
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Mercedes Feris
The Right Cleaners On Hand - by Mercedes Feris Owner: Happy Planet Cleaners
For many of us, keeping our living spaces clean is a never-ending battle that often results in stocking a ton of cleaning products that are expensive, have many strange chemicals that is harmful to our beautiful aquatic marine life not to mention having strong smells that makes it hard to breathe or irritates your skin…above are some of my reasons why I decided to go green. I love our community and our beaches. Making same changes can help keep our Emerald Coast Green! However, alternatives to these expensive products do exist, and many are already in your kitchen. Certain foods have remarkably powerful cleaning effects and cost far less than chemical options. The next time you need to clean your home, consider grabbing that jug of vinegar or that bottle of vodka…. yes, I said it. Both are powerful disinfectants and clean better than the bottle of tile cleaner.
You may already have many ingredients. A basic natural cleaning toolkit includes white vinegar, baking soda, borax, citrus fruit, and empty spray bottles. You may also want hydrogen peroxide, cornstarch, castile soap, tea tree oil, and other essential oils for scent. Try using eucalyptus in your bathroom to help purify the air.
My go to cleaner is castile soap. It can be used as an all-purpose cleaner all around your home. From laundry detergent to dish soap, hand soap, floor cleaner and even shampoo, castile soap has got you covered.
I hope you try one of these or have us clean your home for a naturally clean home that is safe for everyone!
#KeepTheEmeraldCoastGreen #GreenClean
For many of us, keeping our living spaces clean is a never-ending battle that often results in stocking a ton of cleaning products that are expensive, have many strange chemicals that is harmful to our beautiful aquatic marine life not to mention having strong smells that makes it hard to breathe or irritates your skin…above are some of my reasons why I decided to go green. I love our community and our beaches. Making same changes can help keep our Emerald Coast Green! However, alternatives to these expensive products do exist, and many are already in your kitchen. Certain foods have remarkably powerful cleaning effects and cost far less than chemical options. The next time you need to clean your home, consider grabbing that jug of vinegar or that bottle of vodka…. yes, I said it. Both are powerful disinfectants and clean better than the bottle of tile cleaner.
You may already have many ingredients. A basic natural cleaning toolkit includes white vinegar, baking soda, borax, citrus fruit, and empty spray bottles. You may also want hydrogen peroxide, cornstarch, castile soap, tea tree oil, and other essential oils for scent. Try using eucalyptus in your bathroom to help purify the air.
My go to cleaner is castile soap. It can be used as an all-purpose cleaner all around your home. From laundry detergent to dish soap, hand soap, floor cleaner and even shampoo, castile soap has got you covered.
I hope you try one of these or have us clean your home for a naturally clean home that is safe for everyone!
#KeepTheEmeraldCoastGreen #GreenClean
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Andrea & Paul McArthur
For Goodness Sake, Clean Your AC Drain Line: By Paul McArthur - Owner: Agape Home Pro
This heat!! It’s been brutal. Know what makes it worse? Having your AC conk out or leak all over
your house! I’ve lost count of how many calls I’ve been on this month that we all caused by
failing to do the easiest home maintenance a homeowner can do. That easy task is keeping
your AC condensate drain line clean. Literally five minutes can save you hundreds – or even
thousands.
A clogged condensate drain line is one of the most common reasons homeowners need to call
in for professional repair for their AC system. However, many homeowners don’t realize the
problem is usually avoidable with regular care and DIY AC maintenance.
Because condensation collects in your air conditioner’s drain line, it provides the perfect
breeding grounds for mold and algae to thrive. Over time, sludge and buildup form in your
condensate drain line. This debris can include mold and mildew, algae, bacteria, fungus and
even small plants. Once enough buildup accrues, the blockage will become too large and create
a clog in the line, causing water to back up into the AC drain pan.
When that condensate drain pan fills, the excess water will overflow and leak into your house,
causing water damage issues that can quickly turn into costly home repairs. A clogged drain can
also shut down your AC! In addition, improper or neglected cleaning of your drain line can
cause elevated humidity, musty odors and potentially serious and costly problems with your
overall central air conditioning system.
What Does Your AC Condensate Drain Line Do?
The condensate drain line connected to your AC unit plays a vital role in the effective operation
of your entire system. Ultimately, your condensate line is responsible for removing
the condensation that’s produced by the evaporator coil, draining it from the air handler to the
outside of your house.
Keep your condensate drain line clean in six really easy steps.
You can prevent a clogged AC drain by performing routine cleaning. By pouring a ¼ cup of
vinegar into your AC’s drain line, you will kill any mold, algae, mildew, and other forms of
bacteria or fungi, preventing it from forming a buildup and causing a clog. Repeat this monthly
for the best results.
BTW… DO NOT USE BLEACH! Where that idea came from, who knows. But it’s a really bad idea!
It's going to corrode your system! The corrosive mixture will simply back up in your drain line
and flow into your drain pan, which in turn can damage your evaporator coil.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to clean your drain line with vinegar and keep everything
operating at peak performance.
Step 1. Turn off your air conditioner. Turn the system off at the thermostat as well as at the
breaker.
Step 2. Locate your condensate drain line. Your drain line is a PVC pipe located near your
outdoor unit and is attached to the wall of your house. Find the end of your drain line (located
outside of your home) and make sure it's not clogged. Use a small plastic drain snake and
attempt to clear away debris.
Step 3. Identify the access point on the drain line. Most drain lines will have a T-shaped vent tee
with a cover or cap. Remove the cap at the top of the drain and inspect for blockage.
Step 4. Flush with distilled vinegar. Add ¼ cup of distilled vinegar to the drain line through the
opening where the cap was removed. It’s recommended you use regular distilled white vinegar,
as the increased acidity boosts its cleaning properties. If you find the smell of vinegar foul, you
can also use peroxide or hot water and a dash of dish soap.
Step 5. Let the solution sit for 30 minutes. Flush the pipe out with water to ensure everything is
flowing freely and operating as it should.
Step 6. Repeat EVERY SINGLE month. The monthly killing any harmful bacteria or buildup makes
sure your system continues to operate at peak performance by keeping that drain line clear.
If you’ve gone through the above steps and are still having issues with the performance of your
air conditioning system, you’ll likely need to call a licensed AC tech. But, in most cases, common
sense maintenance will help you avoid that costly investment.
This heat!! It’s been brutal. Know what makes it worse? Having your AC conk out or leak all over
your house! I’ve lost count of how many calls I’ve been on this month that we all caused by
failing to do the easiest home maintenance a homeowner can do. That easy task is keeping
your AC condensate drain line clean. Literally five minutes can save you hundreds – or even
thousands.
A clogged condensate drain line is one of the most common reasons homeowners need to call
in for professional repair for their AC system. However, many homeowners don’t realize the
problem is usually avoidable with regular care and DIY AC maintenance.
Because condensation collects in your air conditioner’s drain line, it provides the perfect
breeding grounds for mold and algae to thrive. Over time, sludge and buildup form in your
condensate drain line. This debris can include mold and mildew, algae, bacteria, fungus and
even small plants. Once enough buildup accrues, the blockage will become too large and create
a clog in the line, causing water to back up into the AC drain pan.
When that condensate drain pan fills, the excess water will overflow and leak into your house,
causing water damage issues that can quickly turn into costly home repairs. A clogged drain can
also shut down your AC! In addition, improper or neglected cleaning of your drain line can
cause elevated humidity, musty odors and potentially serious and costly problems with your
overall central air conditioning system.
What Does Your AC Condensate Drain Line Do?
The condensate drain line connected to your AC unit plays a vital role in the effective operation
of your entire system. Ultimately, your condensate line is responsible for removing
the condensation that’s produced by the evaporator coil, draining it from the air handler to the
outside of your house.
Keep your condensate drain line clean in six really easy steps.
You can prevent a clogged AC drain by performing routine cleaning. By pouring a ¼ cup of
vinegar into your AC’s drain line, you will kill any mold, algae, mildew, and other forms of
bacteria or fungi, preventing it from forming a buildup and causing a clog. Repeat this monthly
for the best results.
BTW… DO NOT USE BLEACH! Where that idea came from, who knows. But it’s a really bad idea!
It's going to corrode your system! The corrosive mixture will simply back up in your drain line
and flow into your drain pan, which in turn can damage your evaporator coil.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to clean your drain line with vinegar and keep everything
operating at peak performance.
Step 1. Turn off your air conditioner. Turn the system off at the thermostat as well as at the
breaker.
Step 2. Locate your condensate drain line. Your drain line is a PVC pipe located near your
outdoor unit and is attached to the wall of your house. Find the end of your drain line (located
outside of your home) and make sure it's not clogged. Use a small plastic drain snake and
attempt to clear away debris.
Step 3. Identify the access point on the drain line. Most drain lines will have a T-shaped vent tee
with a cover or cap. Remove the cap at the top of the drain and inspect for blockage.
Step 4. Flush with distilled vinegar. Add ¼ cup of distilled vinegar to the drain line through the
opening where the cap was removed. It’s recommended you use regular distilled white vinegar,
as the increased acidity boosts its cleaning properties. If you find the smell of vinegar foul, you
can also use peroxide or hot water and a dash of dish soap.
Step 5. Let the solution sit for 30 minutes. Flush the pipe out with water to ensure everything is
flowing freely and operating as it should.
Step 6. Repeat EVERY SINGLE month. The monthly killing any harmful bacteria or buildup makes
sure your system continues to operate at peak performance by keeping that drain line clear.
If you’ve gone through the above steps and are still having issues with the performance of your
air conditioning system, you’ll likely need to call a licensed AC tech. But, in most cases, common
sense maintenance will help you avoid that costly investment.
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Wendi Townsend
Volunteering For Beach Clean Up: by Wendi Townsend, Agent - Sand Dunes Real Estate
What do your plans look like Wednesday morning at 7:30am (August 3rd)? For about an hour…. Y’all know how passionate I am about cleaning up the trash, this is a pic that some awesome like-minded friends did this morning. I want to follow up at crab trap on scenic 98 if you can join!
What do your plans look like Wednesday morning at 7:30am (August 3rd)? For about an hour…. Y’all know how passionate I am about cleaning up the trash, this is a pic that some awesome like-minded friends did this morning. I want to follow up at crab trap on scenic 98 if you can join!
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Travel & Day Trips Around Florida
There is a website you might enjoy called, Florida Back Roads Travel. Here is a link to one of their pages where you can find day trips by theme; for example: amusment parks. Check it out! https://www.florida-backroads-travel.com/florida-day-trips-by-theme.html
There is a website you might enjoy called, Florida Back Roads Travel. Here is a link to one of their pages where you can find day trips by theme; for example: amusment parks. Check it out! https://www.florida-backroads-travel.com/florida-day-trips-by-theme.html
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Okaloosa County Master Gardeners: Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OCMGA
If you want to know what to plant in May, check out this May Planting calendar on the OCMGA website. https://www.ocmga.org |
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August at the Destin Library: Click on the picture to be taken to the Library's calendar of events for the month of May. They have some exciting, fun things taking place! I think you just may be surprised at what all goes on there. There is a lot more than just books at that place. Check it out! |
Christian Corner: by Patricia Lee
Here are a few things the Bible has to say about greed.
Proverbs 14:31 - "Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God."
1 Timothy 6:9 & 10 - "Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
James 5:3 - "Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days."
If you had to meet your maker right now, would you be proud of how you have treated your fellow man/woman. Have your deeds been to serve the community in a positive and helpful way or are you more like Scrooge; selfishly turning a blind eye to the needs of others caring only about your own personal gain (financially or otherwise)?
Greed is not to be confused with prosperity. God does want everyone to prosper but greed is dangerous. Sometimes there is a fine line between the two, so you have to be careful. Make sure you don't find yourself making excuses for greedy actions.
And I'll leave you with this final thought from 1 Timothy 6:7 because this is really what it all comes down to.
"For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it." Try as we may folks, we can't take it with us!
Here are a few things the Bible has to say about greed.
Proverbs 14:31 - "Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God."
1 Timothy 6:9 & 10 - "Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
James 5:3 - "Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days."
If you had to meet your maker right now, would you be proud of how you have treated your fellow man/woman. Have your deeds been to serve the community in a positive and helpful way or are you more like Scrooge; selfishly turning a blind eye to the needs of others caring only about your own personal gain (financially or otherwise)?
Greed is not to be confused with prosperity. God does want everyone to prosper but greed is dangerous. Sometimes there is a fine line between the two, so you have to be careful. Make sure you don't find yourself making excuses for greedy actions.
And I'll leave you with this final thought from 1 Timothy 6:7 because this is really what it all comes down to.
"For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it." Try as we may folks, we can't take it with us!
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