MIDWEEK EDITION
County takes on helicopter businesses, see page A5 Vol. 39 Issue 49
‘A home away from home’ Churches reach out to Destin’s foreign student workforce By JORDAN SWANSON 654-8442 | @DestinLogJordan
[email protected] Churches are shining a light on Destin’s sometimes underground economy by helping international student workers in the area find housing, transportation — and friendship. On Sunday, June 24 at 8 p.m., a Southern Style Snack Dinner event will be held at Destin United Methodist Church Life Center at 200 Beach Drive to welcome the area’s international students who are guests in Destin for summer. The
dress is casual. “The dinner, first off, is a way to get acquainted with them and to hear their needs,” said lead pastor at DUMC, Dr. Barry Carpenter. Every year, exchange students with J-1 visas from the State Department flock to the Destin area during tourism season to find work and delve into our culture. They often arrive in America and are forced to immediately begin searching for transportation, housing and even food.
Super f ly Flyboard bursts onto the scene in Destin “It’s the coolest thing that you’ve ever ridden, and you get to be a rockstar while you’re on it.” By JORDAN SWANSON 654-8442 | @DestinLogJordan
[email protected] Hovering over the water as high as 20 feet is the latest thrill in Destin. Mantas Kakliauskas and the Merrell family are introducing the Flyboard to Destin. The two are not affiliated with each other, but both got the idea to buy one and rent it out after seeing it on the news. Kakliauskas rents his Flyboard out with Destin Powerboats and the Merrells with their new company, Power Up Watersports. Customers must be 18 years or older to ride the board. Kakliauskas ordered his $10,000 Flyboard from a dealer in Navarre, but the distributor is located in Orlando. The Flyboard weighs about 45 to 50 pounds, and Kakliauskas said that it can easily propel someone weighing 280 pounds. The Flyboard is powered by a 35-foot hose attached to a WaveRunner. The Flyboard rider straps their feet in like it’s a wakeboard, wearing a provided life jacket and helmet. Riders start out floating on their stomachs in the water, then they begin their ascent into the air, leaning slightly forward on their toes while standing straight up, and being carried upward by water propelling out from under their feet and hands, and back into the water below. Experts can climb to as high as 30 feet up, but operators keep beginners closer to the water at about 5 to 15 feet. For those users who are not certified Flyboarders, the throttles for the board are controlled by the WaveRunner operator.
See CHURCHES A6
Special to The Log
On Aug. 15, 2008, 19-year-old Russian student worker Pavel Perekhodnov was struck and killed at 11:40 p.m. on U.S. 98 in front of Big Kahuna’s. On May 21 of this year, Bulgarian J-1 Galina Bumbalova was killed after a car struck her bicycle as she rode to work in Miramar Beach.
Local hotels sheltering students Jordan Swanson For many foreign student workers, a hotel is home. It is not uncommon to hear about 50 to 60 students staying in a hotel in Destin as they search for more permanent housing. Stephanie Pittman has been the general manager of Motel 6 on Harbor Boulevard in Destin for eight years. Pittman said that she’s had students in 15 rooms in her motel over the past two months. “We know that they’re all basically trying to work,” said Pittman. “We’re giving them our lowest one-person rate.” Pittman said that after the students’ first week’s
stay, they get to stay daily at Motel 6 at the weekly rate. “It was nice learning about their country,” she said. “They were a very nice group of kids.” Ronnie Sullivan has been working at Village Inn Hotel on Highway 98 in Destin for 13 years. And said it’s not out of the ordinary for dozens of students to call the hotel home during their stay. Sullivan said that the hotel currently has about 50 J-1 students from countries like China, Bulgaria and Macedonia staying in it. “They’ve come and asked where this is and where that is … ” said Sullivan. “We’ll call them cabs and tell them
See HOTELS A6
See FLYBOARD A6
KATHY HARRISON | The Log
Tiffany Merrell, with Power Up Watersports, is a natural when it comes to Flyboarding. She’s only been up a handful of times and is already prepared to take the test to become a certified instructor.
ON THE WEB: Fore more photos and video of the Flyboard, visit thedestinlog.com.
WHAT TO DO
INSIDE Events A2 Police Blotter A5 Opinion A8 D
BANK OWNE
50 Cents
JUNE 20-22, 2012
Classifieds Crossword Sports
B3 B7 B8
Boardwalk ribbon cutting The City of Destin and its partners along Destin Harbor will cut the ribbon on the new boardwalk at 9 a.m. June 20 on the city’s parcel on the harbor at 206 Harbor Blvd. between the Fisherman’s Wharf and Dewey Destin’s.
Surfside Fantastic Gulf Views from Almost Every Room. This 3BR/3BA Fully Furnished Condo, Can Be Rented as a One, Two or Three Bedroom Unit. Features Include Large Balcony, Tile Floors, Corian & Tile Countertops, Bank Owned. $360,000
The Susie Kirkland Team Award Winning Real Estate Professionals 850.837.3115 or 800.266.7879
www.susiekirkland.com 3029047
