Share Your Christmas - First Aired November 16, 2011

We’re at that time of year when attention turns the many who don’t have much food, or clothing or anything to give the kids for Christmas.  A lot of worthwhile efforts are underway to meet those needs.  At Goliath, we’re supporting our television partner WESH-TV in its 26th year of urging you to Share Your Christmas.  From now until December 9 we invite you to drop non-perishable goods off at the Dog House on Nova Road, less than a mile south of Grenada, from 9 to 4 weekdays.  We’ll see that it all gets delivered to Channel Two’s Claire Metz as she presides over the Volusia collection Monday morning, December 12.  WESH works with the Salvation Army and Second Harvest Food Bank to see that everything collected here goes to meet needs in our area.  And Goliath asked that I mention that if you have a little extra for our four legged friends, drop that off, too, and we’ll get it the Halifax Humane Society.

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

How Did We Get So Lost - First aired November 16, 2011

There’s a lot of lamenting in the wake of the college football scandals that we’ve lost our moral compass, but it seems to me that’s just the tip of the iceberg.  We’re pretty lost when we fixate on Joe Paterno; overpaid basketball players; greedy owners; forgetful politicians; supersexed beach patrollers and millionaire racers with the self control of  four year olds while Jefferson County, Alabama goes into bankruptcy and Flint, Michigan offers the keys to City Hall to the state because its gone broke.   Why aren’t we trying to find out why, of all Volusia and Flagler’s cities, only Port Orange and New Smyrna Beach had an employee pension plan that got an A rating in a new Collins Institute study,  Or better yet, why they also got a D and an Fs for companion plans. The issues that impact our pocketbooks, affect the number and kind of jobs available, and let us judge the performance of public employees are lost in the shuffle.  How did we get so lost?.  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

When you shoot from the lip . . . - First Aired November 4, 2011

When you shoot from the lip, you’re in danger of getting hit in the hip, where your wallet resides.  The suit former Daytona Beach City Commissioner Mike Shallow has filed to restore his good name from by the shadow cast on it despite dismissal of charges stemming from a mall restroom arrest four years ago will test that adage.  The part of  Shallow’s 28-page complaint that will get the most coverage is the claim of defamation based on Police Chief Mike Chitwood’s branding Shallow and others arrested in a stall sting as “scumbags. . .that erode the quality of life we have here” and suggesting he was part of “a bunch of sick, degenerate, vile perverts,”  which pretty much took care of any presumption of innocence until proven guilty.  It’s entertaining to all but those involved when  Mike’s mighty mouth brands the homeless, drunks, deadbeat parents and drug abusers scumbags and worse, but whether it’s fair or proper hasn’t been tested……until now. 

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Drilling in ouir own back yard - First Aired Octobed 31, 2011

How excited we get about environmental threats seems to depend on what special interest is involved.  For example, we’ve been bombarded with promotion material on a November 9th program at UCF to assure us all that the Tsunami damage to a Japanese plant shouldn’t slow our movement toward more nuclear power.  But how come nobody’s raising the alarm that, by the first of the year, an oil rig will be setting up within 60 miles or so of the Florida Keys, on the edge of the Gulf Stream that could cause spills to tar our entire east coast?  There’s been too little said about Cuba and the Bahamas having signed exploration agreements with companies in Norway, Spain, India, China, Russia and Brazil to drill south of Key West and in the Cay Sal area of the Bahamas within the next two years.  This ought to be a major political issue for the presidential and senatorial candidates whenever they speak in Florida, but it hasn’t been so far and won’t be unless a lot of us get concerned about drilling in our own back yard

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Abbreviations - First Aired October 17, 2011

The Occupation people seem to be willing to throw most anything they don’t like into their mix of protests, so let me add a pet peeve that’s growing stronger as I listen to the news on area TV stations.  It’s the habit some reporters and anchors have fallen into of using the abbreviation of the word “avenue” as a spoken word.  The otherwise charming Amanda Ober of WESH first started driving me up the wall with her references to accidents, fires and murders, which are the main things the stations cover these days, as occurring on such-and-such Ave.  Now I’m hearing it used on Channel 9 news programs and suspect I’d hear it on the others if I listened to them more.  It wasn’t so many years ago the late Herb Sussman, a local merchant and civic leader, used to call the TV stations and complain when Daytona Beach was shortened to Daytona.  Now we’re on the verge of moving from Volusia Ave to Beach St and International Speedway Blvd.  Herb wouldn’t be happy at the way we’re Twitterising the language, and neither am I. 

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Biker Events - First Aired October 17, 2011

Our friends at the News-Journal rhetorically asked the other day why “some prominent people in Volusia County seem to want to make Biketoberfest and Bike Week go away?”  The editorial went on to make the point that while these events are a “little rough around the edges” there’s no reason they can’t fit into a balanced tourism economy.  It’s a good argument and one that’s been made for years, but brings us to the management of the event by local merchants as much as officials.  While the Bike events bring 500 million a year to our economy, how much do they cost when on October 5th an outfit called the Porn Stars Road Trip used twitter and Facebook to put out a call for a venue to showcase themselves at Biketoberfest and shortly thereafter announced a Main Street saloon had offered  a prime spot from which they fed the social media through the weekend with  posts that don’t paint the picture of the community we seek.  We’ve done a lot to clean up Bike events over the years, but we need to keep trying.  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

SunRailroaded - First Aired September 26, 2011

The folks who voice opinons around here got a lot of mileage out of SunRail, the 1.3 Billion dollar commuter line that, starting in 2013 or 14, will carry an estimated 4300 commuters on a line from southwest Volusia to Osceola County. Now there’s opportunity for some real discussion: why not extend SunRail to Daytona Beach?   According to the Orlando Business Journal, Eustis wants an expansion along the Orange Blossom Trail to downtown Orlando; Seminole State College wants a spur to its Altamonte Springs campus, and there’s a plan to link it to Orlando International Airport.  The state, Seminole County and cities in Orange County are funding a 3.4 million dollar study on the feasibility of part of this expansion and our regional transportation agency is offering further study for another 425 thousand.  Expect to hear Volusia interests calling soon for expanding the studies to bring the whole works from west to east in Volusia, and a lot of talk to follow.   

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

History Book - First Aired September 23, 2011

Somebody tossed a history book into my yard the other day…..and I’ll bet you got one, too.  You might not have thought of it as a history book -- probably called it just the new phone book -- but it’s history 101 all the same.  At a full five eights of an inch narrower than the book it replaced, it reflects several significant changes taking place in our society and communities.  First, that the growth we’ve thrived on for years has slowed, in some cases reversed.  Second, that the economy is so sour at this point that many advertisers are pulling back and diverting dollars from the yellow pages to the promise of the new social media where more and more of us spent time.  And third, that the land line phones catalogued by the book are losing out to the convenience and portability of cell phones and the other tools of cyber communication. That phone book we take for granted is history in the making, and a signpost of the changes that are reshaping our lives.  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Where We Stand - First Aired August 17, 2011

As a tug of war for control of tourism marketing involves both industry and political leaders, occupancy and daily room rates suggest our promoters and policy makers are doing us neither much harm nor much good.  For example, according to Smith Travel Research, rooms rates for the nation were up 3.3% in June, Ours were up 3.  Our average daily rate was $97.25, favorable when compared with the stronger economy of Tampa-St. Petersburg, whose average rate was just $99.38.  Compared to a market that in June was directly competitive, Norfolk-Virginia Beach, Virginia, we looked great – their average rate fell a percent to $80.92.  There are lots of ways to interpret tourism data, but one conclusion is that there’s not much wrong with either our pricing or promotion, and that we ought to be looking harder at what we offer visitors and how we treat them, since getting them here is one thing and their wanting to come back a very different one.  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

The New Image - First Aired July 22, 2011

The age of the ambulance chasing lawyer is supposed to be gone, but I can’t help but take some pleasure in noting that some attorneys are having to chase business and bucks as hard as the rest of us.  For example, within 10 days of the time a foreclosure suit was filed against an acquaintance of ours, he’d received nearly a dozen letters from lawyers ranging from Altamonte Springs to Palm Coast assuring him they could “fight or stop” his foreclosure.  They ranged from one page epistles that looked like form letters to four or more page dissertations on the fine points of foreclosure and benefits of bankruptcy.  They underscored how foreclosure has become a massively muddled affair that provides loopholes a creative counsel can milk for months, often being compensated by the very lenders who initiated the action.  Reading these sales pitches left me with two thoughts.  One, if threatened with foreclosure, seeing a lawyer is a good idea no matter your circumstances, and two, if worse comes to worse, you can always call Charlie Crist.

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

The Lost Art - First Aired July 13, 2011

We recognize John Hancock’s name a lot more often than we do Caesar Rodney’s, although both were early patriots and signers of the Declaration of Independence.  And that’s probably because of Hancock’s flamboyant signature, his use of handwriting to project his personality.  I thought about that the other day as I read in a business magazine about an entrepreneur who claims to have closed many deals by creating a relationship with customers through short hand written notes, and then picking up the Wall Street Journal to see a story that Indiana public schools will no longer require that longhand be taught, so kids can concentrate on typing.  The writer suggested that “those who learn to write only on a screen will have more difficulty in distinguishing themselves from each other and, since the need to do so will remain, they will adopt more extreme ways of doing so.”   In 2006 Florida made legible handwriting a standard to be achieved in grades 3 through 5.  Should it stay that way?  Let us know what you think.  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Honor Bert Reames - First Aired July 13, 2011

One of the frustrating things about fund raising for good causes is that the media covers the event either just as it happens or afterwards, which is nice but doesn't help sell tickets or raise funds.  That's why now, well in advance of the September 22nd Championship Gala the Daytona State College Foundation is throwing to honor Bert Reames, we hope you'll check out their web site and, if you can afford it, sign up to help the College and to honor Gator Bert.  He's the long-time insurance innovator and civic leader who has been a terrific team player in bringing success to organizations of every ilk in our area, mostly behind the scenes and without accepting the credit he's due.  Donna Sue Sanders at the DSC Foundation is looking for sponsors and selling tickets.  Check it out at www.daytonastate.edu/foundation and let's show new President Carol Eaton we're a community that cares.

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Dancing around the issues.  - First Aired June 27, 2011

The continuing saga of what Daytona Beach wants to be when, or if, it grows up, added another chapter recently when city and county leaders got together to agree there are opportunities that ought to be addressed for what it now known as the “E Zone.”   Sadly, they proved again that when all is said and done, the odds are more will be said than done.  Nobody seems to want to come out and say that if Daytona Beach wants to create an ocean to Intercoastal tourism centerpiece, long-established residential areas and business properties far passed their prime need to be replaced.   There’s a political pining for a daring developer to come in and underwrite some of the big ideas consultants have envisioned, and a seeming willingness to sit back and wait “until the economy turns around.”  The profound change needed to bring entrepreneurial investment has to be laid out by local leaders and it ought to be now.  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Does it take a crisis to motivate us? - First Aired June 27, 2011

Efforts to control the recent rash of wildfires underscored how much artificial boundaries and turf protection holds us back.  In recent weeks more than 300 fire fighters from 31 agencies worked as one to combat the more a hundred Volusia and Flagler fires while maintaining full coverage in Volusia and Flagler communities.  If we can do this when we’re threatened, why can’t we do it across the board to save taxpayer money and increase the productivity of public employees at many levels?  You don’t have to take away a community’s name and unique qualities to save money fixing its potholes, treating its water or doing away with duplication in safety services.  Functional consolidation is working in many areas of Florida and around the nation.  As we look to elect local and state leaders in the months ahead we need to find candidates with the courage to talk about the kind of basic change in the system such moves would represent.  It ought not to take a crisis to do it.  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

What we don't know CAN hurt us. - First Aired June 24, 2011

I was embarrassed recently moderating a discussion by legislators on the how government impacts us all by the small crowd.  But they were delighted that even a few showed for a civil discussion without protests, insults and the collective ignorance that mark many such gatherings these days.  Current stories on how  students are failing in civic awareness and reports that Florida ranked 47th in the nation in overall civic health, while a Florida Bar survey showed 40% of citizens couldn’t identify the three branches of government or what checks and balances are all about explain why.  Thanks to the leadership of former Congressman Lou Frye and former Governor and Senator Bob Graham, we now have mandated in Florida that every student must have at least a semester of civics in seventh grade, but we all need to express some interest in what and how is taught if we’re ever to have input on how we’re all affected by government.  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Welcome Carol Eaton - First Aired June 24, 2011

Daytona State College is embarking on a new era with the selection of Carol Eaton as the first female president in its 54 year history.  But her sex is less important that her ability to reunite a campus and community split by overly ambitious growth and personal agendas.  A good way to welcome President Eaton would be if civic organizations throughout the two county area served by the College and individual citizens were to take a minute or two and write her a word of welcome, which might include a view of what we hope the college will be under her leadership. What it should do to help create jobs, or preserve PBS or expand programs.  Even a few letters will be impressive, a few good ideas invaluable as she starts getting the feel of our area and what of its many needs the college can fill.  A simple note addressed to Dr. Carol Eaton, Daytona State College, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach 32114 will make a difference.  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Let's use It - First Aired May 26, 21011

The Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida has put on line a helpful tool that shows at a glance a number of indicators that reflect community well-being.  And, like other information out there, it will only be as valuable as we make it.  With schools closing down for the summer, for example, I took a look at Volusia’s graduation rate which comes close to a national goal at 82 percent graduating high school within four years of 9th grade enrollment.  But instead of bragging shouldn’t we use this information to worry about what happened and is going to happen to the 12 percent that didn’t make the grade?  Are they among the more than 31 out of every thousand Volusia students who are homeless?  Or do they come from some of the 60% of rental homes where rent is 30% or more of the total household income? The dashboard points up a lot we ought to care about..  Go the link on our website to see for yourself.  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Missing Out - First Aired May 26, 2011

Once again we’re on our way to being on the outside looking in when it comes to Central Florida.  When Orlando’s public broadcaster, citing funding shortfalls, sold its TV station to a religious group, WDSC, the public station of Daytona State College, had a chance to expand both its audience and support by helping to fill the regional void.  Instead, it’s plead poverty and threatened to close up shop.  As a one- time chair of its Board, that makes me sick.  As part of a regional combine it stands a good chance filling in some of its funding gaps.  The initial concept of public television here was to extend classrooms into homes and workspace. It would be worth a look at how much the college could make and save if put more classes on the air for modest fees and sought to serve the needs of the growing number of Volusia/Flagler’s homeschooled students. The station is an asset that can fit the college’s mission, and the regions needs.  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Our Best to Angie - First Aired May 9, 2011

Angie’s Travel and Shop, the program that restored integrity to Fun Coast  radio shopping, has left Goliath, at least for while. Angie is putting family needs ahead of the work she loves and the business she was building, and we salute her for that.  Dr. Joy Browne will temporarily fill in for Angie’s show and we’ll soon be announcing a new line up we think you’ll like.  In the meantime, it’s important you know that orders placed through Angie’s show will be fulfilled and that she’ll provide support in dealing with any problems you may have if you contact her through www.angie’s travel and shop.com on the web.  And we’ll end this Evans Essay with a word from Angie: (Angie speaks - "Hi, it’s Angie.  Unfortunately we’re not able to come back right now as planned.  We love you, take care of yourselves and each other until we’re back together again.  God bless you!" )  And Angie, we wish for you the very best.

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Credit Where Credit Is Due - First Aired April 22, 2011

If you’re quick to criticize, you need to be as quick to praise. Local newspapers everywhere are sitting ducks for those who don’t like what or how they cover that elusive commodity called news.  The Daytona Beach News-Journal received – and earned –accusations of incomplete, inadequate and or even biased coverage during the days it had lost its focus.  But when even Big John acknowledges on his Big Talk program that he may have to reconsider calling it the “No-News Journal”, you know there’s a difference.  Publisher Michael Redding, Editor Pat Rice and Editorial Page Editor Mac Thrower are giving us local news, and in most cases both sides of it.  The focus in sports on our high schools and colleges makes a difference in the community and that certain people and issues are no longer off-limits for balanced coverage means taxpayers and voters have a better perspective to make their voices heard and votes count.  We hope it’s an ongoing effort and wish our friends on Sixth Street well.

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Volunteer Week 2011 -  First Aired April 11, 2011

This is National Volunteer Week, which is kind of a misnomer, since volunteers are vital every week in many more ways than I can name or we can count.  Volunteerism has kind of come full circle in the lifetimes of many of us who’ve been around a while.  Communities were built by people helping each other – from raising a barn to providing care when illness struck.  And then, for while we all seemed to become strangers, ceding to Big Brother with the tax dollars the tasks that united us. Now that Big Brother has run out of money and proven not to be all that caring, we’re getting back involved, little by little.  Habitat for Humanity volunteers are building houses, volunteers are vital to the caring touch of hospice services, and the examples are endless.  It’s one way we learn about the problems of our society and the best way we solve them.  If you’re a volunteer, thank you.  If you’re not, try it……you’ll like it.  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

An opportunity - First Aired April 5, 2011

Central Florida’s oldest and only independent public television station, WMFE – Channel 24 – is being abandoned for lack of funding so that its Orlando-based parent can focus on making  their radio station of the same call letters “more robust”, which means economically viable.  It’s a loss for those who enjoy PBS programming, but if WMFE’s sale to a religious broadcaster is approved by the FCC, which is not a sure thing, it offers opportunities for Daytona State College’s WDSC.  If the rumors that the college is exploring selling WDSC are so, this would be a great time to work for creation of a Central Florida consortium to take over its operation with a truly regional focus.  Such an approach could not only solidify the financial support that hasn’t been enough to provide backing and growth for two stations, but create a force make the region stronger that would bring real benefit to Volusia.  The College Trustees should look into it.  Now. 

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

He's in the fight - Aired April 1, 2011

Paul Carpenella today celebrates 40 years as a Daytona Beach businessman. Unfortunately it’s April Fools Day, that leads to a lot of bad jokes about his civic involvement that goes back longer most of us can remember.   The fact is that Paul, who became Daytona Beach mayor after a dozen or so tries and surprised many by generally constructive community leadership, has something that relatively few of us can claim.  He cares about our community and region, and is willing to put himself out of the limb of public opinion without worrying about whether it will bring more or fewer diners to Chez Paul or whether he’ll anger some incumbent or political financier.   Paul says what he thinks; he’s willing to listen to others and has been known to change his mind if shown he’s off base. In doing both he makes the rest of us stop and think, and for that alone Goliath’s glad to provide him a soap box and hopes he continues to use it well.

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Look back to go forwaard - First Aired April 4, 2011

The easy answer to nearly every problem these days seems to be “Let’s do a study.”  There are plans afoot now for the county and cities to spend tax dollars to study issues that have been around a long while.  Take for example the river-to-ocean mid section of Daytona’s beachside. There was a 1946 Master Plan; a new Master Plan in 1954; marketing plans through the 60s and 70s, a blight study in 1981; a redevelopment plan in 1982; establishment of historic districts in the 90s and a new redevelopment plan in 2005, and that’s pretty typical of how we’ve nearly planned ourselves to death.  Here’s a modest suggestion:  Let’s adopt rules that require an evaluation of all old plans before new ones are authorized.  Find out why recommendations did or didn’t work and what recommendations are still gathering dust may still be viable and are already paid for.  It just might save time and money.  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Heritage Lost - First Aired March 31, 2011

Mike Shallow is a former and sometimes controversial Daytona Beach City Commissioner whose  passion for our area is reflected in his visits on Big Talk..  Working with community activist Gary Libby and now City Commissioner Pam Woods, he years ago chaired a redevelopment plan for the Main Street area that balanced our fixation on tourism with the potential of preservation of early development and the rich history it reflects.  Their plan, developed over nearly 50 meetings and workshops, would have created viable neighborhoods with renovated original housing, small parks, bike and walking paths and other amenities.  Mike notes with sadness that over 50% of the properties that plan sought to save have been demolished.  He’s put some of the history and information on what’s left into a website found at www.floridafamilycampground.com.  It’s worth a visit, and some thought on how our unique seaside history may be as marketable as tourism.  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Who is your Mayor? - First Aired March 31, 2011

For a long time Big John wouldn’t let callers participate on his program until he had asked them to name the mayor of their city.  Many of them couldn’t, or even be sure what city they lived in.  Today he just asks callers to give their first name, which stumps some of them. That lack of awareness was underscored recently when Newsweek posed questions from the U. S. Citizenship Test to a thousand Americans. 38 percent failed; 73 percent couldn’t say why we fought the cold war; 48 percent were unable to define the Bill of Rights, and 29 percent had no idea who the current vice president is.  The magazine focused on global issues, like the way many more Europeans could identify the Taliban than could Americans.  And that’s probably important, but we ought to be scared for our future when we don’t know who represents us, or where our tax money goes or have views shaped more by extremists of both the right and left when facts are readily available.  So, who IS you mayor?  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

So What Are The Alternatives - First Aired March 1, 2011

On March 8 our local firefighter’s union is going to join with other public employee unions around the state in holding a rally to oppose many of the cuts the legislature will be considering as it moves through its annual session.  All the stories of astronomical pensions for early retirees and focus on the relatively rewarding pay scales of the public sector are making it hard for the organizers to drum up a lot of sympathy.  And what makes it even harder for all of us is that, while there is general agreement that spending has to be cut, there’s almost no leadership calling for better ways to meet our needs for less money.  If you don’t want your pension wings clipped, or to have to pay more into your health care plan, fine, but what responsibly should be done?   The Governor and Legislators at least have laid out the reductions they think make sense.  We know the bottom line by law has to be a balanced budget.  We all share a responsibility to find the best way to get there.  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

What Do We Want to Be When (If) We Grow Up - First Aired March 1, 2011

The County has created a web site on its plans to hire a consultant to study and make recommendations on tourism, hoping especially to impact the Ocean Center and surrounding area.  Our Prince of Pontification, Paul Carpenella, has been discussing a chronology prepared by his pal Mike Forest of the way in which our Main Street beachside gateway has gone from bustling to broke, coming to life for only a few special events.  That it once was home to dentists, doctors, attorneys, a blood bank and a bakery, to name but a few, underscores that its roots, like those of the surrounding area, are residential, yet we’ve tried to make it a tourist destination.   It doesn’t take a costly consultant to point up that the two don’t mix.  Just look at the residential unrest when Bike Week comes to town.  A starting point of any study should be what we want to be when, and if, we grow up.  A tourist destination or a quaint beachside community. It’s not for lack of trying that we’ve proved we can’t have it both ways.  

Volusia County Tourism and Marketing Study Web Site: 

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Better Ways - First Aired February 10, 2011

Our County Council is moving forward toward an expensive study on why our Ocean Center isn’t filled with conventions or profitable entertainment events.  Area businesses have ignored that conventions want quality rooms at reasonable rates and that private sector management has a greater likelihood of success than the bureaucracy.   Tourism interests have backed the search for easy answers with such wonderful mixed metaphors as “Our tug boat is taking on water and if we don’t figure out a way to get the tide to rise, all out boats will sink.”   If we’re talking tugs, most skippers will tell you that local knowledge is the best aid to navigation going, and we’ve got it in hospitality industry programs at Daytona State, Bethune Cookman or the nationally acclaimed Rosen School of Hospitality Management at UCF.  Each of these institutions and their people have been used by successful destinations as solid sources of useful guidance and just because they’re in our back yard and might save us money,  shouldn’t be overlooked.

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Up the Ocean CENTER Ante – First Aired January 14, 2011

There’s an old saying that when all is said and done, more will have been said than done, and that seems to be the case with the issue of upping the ante from the Ocean Center, a first class facility that’s falling far short of expectations as an image builder and revenue producer for the area.  It’s no secret that the current economy is a killer for such facilities.  Likewise it’s no surprise that politicians are talking about throwing more money at marketing in hopes of turning the tide.  And with tourist tax dollars for that purpose having shrunk, neither is it a surprise that the Hotel and Lodging Association has come up with a White Paper pointing out that they can find no other Florida county dedicating more than 50% of its total tourist tax collections to promote a public building..  They aren’t crazy about the fact that County Council voted to hire a costly consultant to study tourism marketing with public monies.  Their concerns and their firsthand knowledge are worth listening to.

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Our Homeless Neighbors – First Aired January 14, 2011

The other day a message came in on our new Big 1380.com web site inviting Big to attend a meeting of a recently-formed group called H.O.M.E.  It stands for Homeless and Others for a Meaningful Exchange that meets each Thursday at 4:45 at City Island Library.  You may not get to one of the meetings, but you ought, if you care about the people we share our community with, to take a look at their well-done web site,   It will tell you about the impact of homelessness, the myths that surround it and ugly realities of the problems faced by Volusia’s more than 2,000 homeless who are served by about 200 shelter beds and limited support.  It’s worth reading about encounters with cops; what organizations like HUM, DOC and Bridge of Hope are doing right under our noses.  Go to Big1380.com and click on essays to go the text of this one where there’ll be a link to HOME.  And check out Big John’s upcoming guests for a discussion you can join on homelessness and our community. The Link to H.O.M.E. is www.wix.com/celee1/road-dog-2 

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Will you have fries with that - First Aired December 28, 2010

Now a good burger is a wonderful thing, and when a company that has made burgers its mainstay comes to town there ought to be applause for its contributions to both our economy and our appetites. But just up the road in Hastings, the potato capital of Florida, most of the 960 million pounds of potatoes produced in the state are grown on about 21,000 acres.  

So when Jerry Murrell, who with his sons founded the growing FIVE GUYS BURGERS AND FRIES, is quoted in a national magazine saying Florida potatoes are inferior to those from Idaho, we see a problem.  After all, Florida’s potato business is resurging with the creation of the Sunlite variety which has 30 percent less carbs and 25% fewer calories than those Idaho spuds used by FIVE GUYS.   

Don’t deny yourself a good burger, but if you visit FIVE GUYS locations on ISB or at the Port Orange Pavilion, tell them to take a look at Hastings potatoes for their fries.  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio

Support  A Hidden Treasure - First Aired December 18, 2010

Folks, we need to get excited about Sugar Mill Gardens, tucked away on a side street in Port Orange, owned, but largely ignored by the County and little supported by its host city.

The Gardens are a botanical wonderland where volunteers sell plants and provide advice related to our climate and soils. Its sugar mill ruins go back to our Civil War history that is richer than many realize, and it was the site of a once popular tourist attraction called Bongoland, whose concrete dinosaurs lend more than a touch of whimsy.  Sugar Mill Gardens is operated and maintained by the non-profit Botanical Gardens of Volusia which needs help fending off vandals who’ve knocked down historic walls, and  for upkeep.

It’s a great place to visit during holidays and special events, but hard to find because it can’t afford signage.  Send us a message at Big1380.com and we’ll send you information.  

-- This is an Evans Essay for Goliath Radio