Monday Briefing: Maria Howell Trial, Lakeside By the Sea Development, Literacy Week

A rather cool image tweeted by the Flagler Beach Police Department illustrating last week's cold blast through the county. — A rather cool image tweeted by the Flagler Beach Police Department illustrating last week’s cold blast through the county.

Today: Partly cloudy. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs in the mid 70s inland…in the lower 70s coast. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy in the evening, then mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of rain after midnight. Lows in the lower 60s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Details here.
Today’s document from the National Archives and the Astronomy Picture of the Day.
Today’s tides: at the beaches, at the Intracoastal Waterway.
Drought Index16
The OED’s Word of the Day: discumbent, n. and adj..
The Live Community Calendar
Today’s jail bookings.

Today’s Briefing: Quick Links

First Light
In Flagler and Palm Coast
Flagler Jail Bookings and Sheriff’s Crime Reports
Announcements
In State Government
In Coming Days in Flagler, Palm Coast and Beyond
The Day’s Best Reads
Editor’s Tweets
Fact-Checking the Knaves
Palm Coast Construction and Development
Local Road and Interstate Construction
Cultural Coda

“Dawn in Los Angeles, on the hills of Hollywood. One feels distinctly that the sun only skimmed over Europe to really rise here, on this plain geometry where its rays are still, so new, emerged from desert confines.”

–Jean Baudrillard, from “America” (1986)

Previously:

In Flagler and Palm Coast:

Note: all government meetings noticed below are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated. Many can be heard or seen live through each agency’s website.

The Sheriff’s daily incident reports and jail bookings are posted here.

In Court: A trial is scheduled in the case of Maria Rose Howell, 19, who is accused of molesting a 14-year-old girl she’d taken to Epic Theater and, later, to Port St. Lucie. Circuit Judge Dennis Craig twice refused to accept a plea agreement, deeming it too lenient. Jury selection begins at 9 a.m. in Craig’s Courtroom 401 at the Flagler County courthouse.

See:

George Wood in court today. (c FlaglerLive) — George Wood. (c FlaglerLive)

In Court: Several additional trials are scheduled this week, absent last-minute settlements, including in the case of George Wood, who is accused of escape, criminal mischief and other charges, Darrell Smith, who is accused of battery on a person 65 or older, and Joseph Hawk, accused of aggravated battery and battery by strangulation, all before Circuit Judge Dennis Craig.

Collective Bargaining Contract Negotiations between Flagler County Professional Firefighters Assoc., Inc and Flagler County Commission management representatives are scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Government Services Building, Bunnell, in the administrative conference room.

The Flagler County Purchasing Department Evaluation Committee meets to review proposals submitted in response to RFP# 18-028P, for Custodial Services for County Facilities, at the Government Services Building’s Financial Services Conference Room, 1769 E. Moody Blvd., Bldg 2, Bunnell, at 2 p.m.

The Flagler County Library Board of Trustees holds a special meeting at 3:30 p.m. at the Flagler County Library, 2500 Palm Coast Parkway NW, Palm Coast, to discuss its website.

The Flagler County Commission meets at 5 p.m. at the Government Services Building, Bunnell, in board chambers. A public hearing on a proposed housing development on either side of the Lakeside By the Sea development on State Road A1A, originally scheduled for November, is scheduled for this evening. A Jacksonville developer is proposing to build developments called Los Lagos (The Lakes) and Las Casitas (The Little Houses), one consisting of 88 single-family homes the other of 97 homes on a combined 48 acres. The Flagler County Planning Board unanimously approved a series of land-use applications related to the two developments at a contentious meeting in October–contentious, because the near-totality of residents in Lakeside oppose the development for fear that it would lead to flooding in their neighborhoods, among other concerns. In other business, commissioners are expected to approve a $225,000 expenditure to connect the county’s 911 dispatch center to fiberoptic cables. See the full background materials here.

The Bunnell City Commission meets in workshop at 6 p.m. to hear a presentation on community development, and at 7 p.m., when it is expected to approve, on second reading, a ban on medical marijuana dispensaries. At City Hall, 201 West Moody Boulevard, Bunnell.

Rymfire Elementary marks the kick-off of Literacy Week with an 8:30 a.m. breakfast with Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland, at the Rymfire Media Center. Fill out an invitation form here.

Blood Donations: The Big Red Bus will be at the following locations this week:

Wednesday: The Windsor of Palm Coast, 50 Town Court, from 1 to 6 p.m.
Friday: Walmart, 174 Cypress Point Parkway, Palm Coast, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday: Epic Theatre in Palm Coast’s Town Center, from 2 to 7 p.m.
Saturday: Epic Theatre in Palm Coast’s Town Center, from 2 to 7 p.m.

Announcements:

Flagler County Citizens Academy now taking applications for February 27 start: Flagler County government is accepting applications for its Spring 2018 Citizens Academy program, a free ten-week course introducing participants to the day-to-day operations of Flagler County government. Registration is free, but class size is limited to 30 and applications are accepted on a first come, first served basis. The spring classes will be held on consecutive Tuesday mornings, 9 a.m. to noon beginning February 27. Each week participants learn about responsibilities and operations of County departments, such as Land Management, Economic Development, and Fire Rescue. Locations include the 911 center at Emergency Operations, the control tower at the Executive Airport, and the Lodge at Princess Place Preserve. Citizens Academy is also an opportunity for attendees to interact with staff and ask questions on topics that range from code enforcement to senior day-care to the property assessment process. The final session – which includes a Q&A roundtable with the county commissioners – will be May 1, 2018. A graduation ceremony on Monday, May 7 at 5 p.m. will recognize the 14th Citizens Academy class, during a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of County Commissioners. Interested residents can find an application online at http://www.flaglercounty.org/citizens_academy or by contacting Rose Keirnan, PR & Marketing Specialist, at 386-313-4026 or [email protected]. Offered twice yearly, the next opportunity to participate in Citizens Academy will be a series of evening classes in Fall 2018.

The Florida Agricultural Museum’s inaugural newsletter issue has been published and can be viewed or downloaded here.

In Florida and in State Government:

Note: Some proceedings below can be followed live on the Florida Channel. Most legislative proceedings can be followed through the Senate or House websites.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING TARGETED: Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, Rep. Barrington Russell, D-Lauderdale Lakes, and Rep. Robert Asencio, D-Miami, will hold a news conference to address legislation aimed at combatting human trafficking. (Monday, 10 a.m., fourth floor, the Capitol.)

HATE CRIMES ADDRESSED: Sen. Kevin Rader, D-Delray Beach, Rep. Joe Geller, D-Aventura, and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., will hold a news conference about proposals that they say would strengthen state laws against hate crimes. (Monday, 10:30 a.m., Broward County Sheriff’s Office headquarters, 2601 West Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale.)

LAWMAKERS TAKE AIM AT OPIOID EPIDEMIC: The House Appropriations Committee will consider a bill (HB 21), filed by Rep. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, that would seek to curb the state’s opoid epidemic. In part, the bill would place three- or seven-day limits on prescriptions for painkillers and would require doctors to consult a statewide database known as the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. (Monday, 3 p.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

TAX CUTS EYED: The House Ways and Means Committee will discuss tax-reduction “concepts.” (Monday, 3 p.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

WORKFORCE TRAINING BACKED: The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee will take up a proposal (SB 1122), filed by Minority Leader Oscar Braynon, D-Miami Gardens, that would create the “Florida Business and Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund” to help steer money to workforce training. (Monday, 3:30 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

DIVERSION PROGRAMS PITCHED: The Senate Criminal Justice Committee will consider a bill (SB 1392), filed by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, that seeks to boost prearrest diversion programs in local communities. (Monday, 3:30 p.m., 37 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

‘HOPE SCHOLARSHIP’ PROGRAM WEIGHED: The Senate Education Committee will take up a proposal (SB 1172), filed by Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, that would make voucher-like scholarships available to students who have been bullied or suffered other types of attacks or intimidation in public schools. (Monday, 3:30 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

RALLY MARKS ROE V. WADE ANNIVERSARY: The Florida National Organization for Women will hold a rally outside the Old Capitol to mark the 45th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade abortion ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. (Monday, 5:30 p.m., Old Capitol, Tallahassee.)

—-Compiled by the News Service of Florida and FlaglerLive

In Coming Days in Palm Coast, Flagler and the Occasional Beyond:

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The Day’s Best Reads:

On Trump’s First Anniversary, a Government Shutdown https://t.co/qEevbVDufZ

— John Tepper Marlin (@CityEconomist) January 20, 2018

"This should be a public matter, given its import to the public sphere." https://t.co/oID7ri58CL

— Adrienne LaFrance (@AdrienneLaF) January 20, 2018

Chuck Schumer has led his party into a possibly risky government shutdown, because the Democratic base demands it https://t.co/AjdnRMu0MK

— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) January 20, 2018

The accomplishments of the last year have been reasonably impressive. https://t.co/yuVBF03G9G

— The Weekly Standard (@weeklystandard) January 20, 2018