Thursday Briefing: Matanzas Showcase, Miss Florida at Belle Terre, Lance Blanchette, Sea Turtle Hospital

FlaglerLive | March 22, 2018

Former Daytona B each Police Capt. Lance Blanchette, who just retired from there, was sworn in as a Flagler County deputy sheriff on March 12, but only because Blanchette on March 5 started as the the second in command at the Flagler Beach Police Department, whose chief, Matthew Doughney, will introduce him to the Flagler Beach City Commission at tonight’s meeting. See below. (FBPD)

Today: Sunny. Highs in the mid 60s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Tonight: Clear. Lows in the lower 40s. Northwest 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 Index177
The OED’s Word of the Day: purga, n..
The Live Community Calendar
Today’s jail bookings.

Today’s Briefing: Quick Links

First Light
In Flagler and Palm Coast
Flagler Jail Bookings and Last 24 Hours of Incident 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

“In my view, Fox has degenerated from providing a legitimate and much-needed outlet for conservative voices to a mere propaganda machine for a destructive and ethically ruinous administration. When prime-time hosts–who have never served our country in any capacity–dismiss facts and empirical reality to launch profoundly dishonest assaults on the FBI, the Justice Department, the courts, the intelligence community (in which I served) and, not least, a model public servant and genuine war hero such as Robert Mueller–all the while scaremongering with lurid warnings of “deep-state” machinations– I cannot be part of the same organization, even at a remove. To me, Fox News is now wittingly harming our system of government for profit.”

–From Fox News ex-analyst Ralph Peters’s farewell message to Fox staff this month.

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: Paul Miller, 70, serving a life sentence for the second-degree murder of Dana Mulhall in Flagler Beach in 2012, appears before Circuit Judge Dennis Craig for the continuation of a hearing =in which he’s claiming that Doug Williams provided insufficient counsel in his defense at trial. 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom 401 at the Flagler County courthouse.

Common Ground Breakfast hosted by the Flagler Chamber of Commerce, featuring a trio of county government directors talking about development: Matt Dunn on tourism, Helga van Eckert on economic development, Roy Sieger on the county airport, starting at 8 a.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn. $25 with pre-registration for chamber members, $30 at the door, $35 for everyone else.

The Flagler Beach City Commission meets as the Community Redevelopment Agency board at 4:30 p.m. at City Hall to get an update on CRA projects, then at 5:30 p.m. for a regularly scheduled meeting of the commission. Lieutenant Lance Blanchette, second in command at the Flagler Beach Police Department, will be sworn in by Chief Matthew Doughney. Blanchette and Doughney had worked together previously at the Daytona Beach Police Department, where Doughney, in fact, hired Blanchette many years ago. Commissioners will also consider approving a final site plan application for the Flagler Fish Company’s expansion, as well as the site plan for Moonlight Beach Villas on State Road A1A.

Indivisible postcard writing session, at 11 a.m., Fair Trade Cafe, 160 Cypress Pt Pkwy, Bldg D, Unit 103, Palm Coast. Meet with your fellow Indivisible members to write postcards to Get Out The Vote for Progressive candidates across the Country or to our Representatives. Postcards and stamps provided. (Donations are encouraged to help pay for stamps). If you have plain postcards and postcard stamps-feel free to bring, but not necessary. Coffee, tea, smoothies, pastries and limited lunch items are available for purchase from Fair Trade. They are giving this space to us free so we strongly encourage you purchasing items from them. This is a non profit business-all employees are volunteers, everything they make-even tips go to their mission fund.

The Palm Coast Beautification and Environmental Advisory Committee meeting scheduled for today has been cancelled.

Matanzas High School showcase for incoming 9th graders (students who are currently in 8th grade), at 6 p.m. at Matanzas High.

Sea Turtle Hospital Tour, Whitney Laboratory Sea Turtle Hospital, 9505 N Ocean Shore Blvd., St. Augustine. The Sea Turtle Hospital at Whitney Lab is now offering tours on the second and fourth Thursday of the month and second Saturday of the month at 10 a.m. Cost is $15 per person. There is a limit of 10 people per tour. Reservations are required. To make a reservation, email turtletours@whitney.ufl.edu. Event Website: https://www.whitney.ufl.edu/sea-turtle-hospital/tours-of-the-sea-turtle-hospital/ Event Contact: 904-461-4000.

Stetson Great Guitarists Extravaganza: Andrew Zohn, guitar, and the 220 Duo (Adam Larison and Andrew Stroud, guitars). Andrew Zohn is recognized internationally for his work as a performer, instructor, and composer. Zohn’s program will include Manuel Ponce’s Quatro Piezas, Radames Gnattali’s Toccate em ritmo de samba and his arrangements of four classic rock songs. His be followed by Duo 220, hailed for their extraordinary technique and musicianship. They will perform a mixture of standards and lesser-known works in the guitar duo repertoire. 7:30 p.m. Lee Chapel in Elizabeth Hall, 421 N. Woodland Blvd, DeLand. Contact: 386-822-8950. This is a free concert.

The Florida Agricultural Museum‘s Farm Swap and Music Jam, from 8 a.m. and 1 p.m., with farm fresh fruits and veggie arts, crafts, ready to eat stuff and local musicians.

Adult Open Gym Basketball, two sessions offered: you have a choice of Tuesdays or Thursdays, through May 3, 7-9:30 p.m., at Indian Trails Middle School, 5505 N. Belle Terre Pkwy., Palm Coast. This is an adult, co-ed, non-competitive recreation program offered by Palm Coast Parks & Recreation. $22 for either session. Register at www.palmcoastgov.com/register. More info: 386-986-2323.

Miss Florida presents to Belle Terre Elementary 4th graders at 9:45 a.m., and to 5th graders at 2:45 p.m., both times at the school cafeteria.

The Daytona State College Board of Trustees is scheduled to hold a workshop and a regular meeting. Workshop at 1 p.m., meeting at 2 p.m., Daytona State College, Building 100, 1200 West International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach.

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

Saturday: Chick Fil A, 1000 Palm Coast Parkway, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday: Aldi, 5095 State Road 100, Palm Coast, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Jail Bookings and Last 24 Hours' Incidents in Flagler, Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, Bunnell


Jail Bookings, July 8-9 Sheriff's night shift incident reports, July 8 Sheriff's day shift incident reports, July 8 Flagler Beach's night shift incident reports, July 8 Flagler Beach's day shift incident reports, July 8 Bunnell police's night shift incident reports, July 8 Bunnell police's day shift incident reports, July 8
Previous and archived reports

Sources: Flagler County Sheriff's Office, Flagler Beach Police Department, Bunnell Police Department. This is Flagler County's only comprehensive, one-stop compilation of all local law enforcement's daily day and night shift commanders' reports.

Announcements:

None.

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.

CONSTITUTION REVISION COMMISSION MEETS: The Florida Constitution Revision Commission will meet as it considers proposed constitutional amendments that could go on the November general-election ballot. The 37-member commission meets every 20 years and has the authority to put issues directly on the ballot. (Thursday, 9 a.m., Senate chamber, the Capitol.)

UCF TRUSTEES MEET: The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees will meet after holding committee meetings. Among the topics will be an update on the 2018 legislative session. (Thursday, committees start at 9:30 a.m., with full board at 1 p.m., University of Central Florida, Fairwinds Alumni Center, Orlando.)

SUPREME COURT RELEASES OPINIONS: The Florida Supreme Court is scheduled to release its weekly opinions. (Thursday, 11 a.m.)

DIESEL EMISSIONS DISCUSSED: The Florida Department of Environmental Protection will hold one in a series of meetings about a diesel-emissions mitigation program, which stems from a federal settlement with Volkswagen about violations of the Clean Air Act. (Thursday, 3 p.m., Department of Environmental Protection, Bob Martinez Center, 2600 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee.)

—-Compiled by the News Service of Florida and FlaglerLive

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

To include your event in this section, please fill out this form.

♦ July 17: The Flagler County Technical Review Committee meets at 9 a.m. in the First Floor Conference Room of the Government Services Building, Bunnell. The committee hears a land use amendment for The Gardens, the planned development straddling John Anderson Highway that would bring 3,966 homes and apartment units to the area over a generation. The proposal is generating controversy. See the developer's perspective here, and the account of a town meeting on the development here.
♦ July 17: The Tourist Development Council meets at 10 a.m. in board chambers at Government Services Building, Bunnell.
♦ July 17: The Palm Coast Planning and Land Development Board meets at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall in Town Center.
♦ July 17: The Flagler Beach Economic Development Task Force meets at 4 p.m. at City Hall, 105 S 2nd St.
♦ July 18: 2019 Beach Bash on the Pier, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm at the Flagler Beach Fishing Pier. Join the Flagler County Chamber and the Flagler Beach Area Council for the 6th Annual Beach Bash on the Pier (formerly known as Peers on the Pier)! This awesome summertime event will offer food, fun, door prize drawings, an amazing view, beach vibe music provided by Surf 97.3FM and great company on the historic Flagler Beach pier. Guests will be given passports to visit all vendors on the pier and are encouraged to learn more about the local businesses that set up shop to showcase the services they offer. Guests turn in their completed passports for prize drawings that will occur.
♦ July 18:

The Inspired Mic, Palm Coast’s most daring and unpredictable open mic event, is scheduled for its monthly edition at its new venue at the Hidden Treasures Restaurant, 820 Moody Ln, Flagler Beach. Each month some of the most creative, innovative performances a person could ever hope to experience take place at The Inspired Mic. 14 presenters each month pull out slices of talent and genius to entertain the audience. Each presenter gets 7 minutes to present on a very eclectic blend of their genius. Hidden Treasures Restaurant, 820 Moody Ln, Flagler Beach (under the bridge). Doors open at 6 p.m. and presenters begin at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $12.50 advance, available at theinspiredmicus.com, or $15 at the door. The ticket includes one drink and entry into a drawing with a prize of $25 cash or a $50 gift certificate to The Hidden Treasures.
♦ July 19: Urban Surf 4 Kids Surf Camp, 9 to 1 p.m. at South 6th Street on the Beach in Flagler Beach.
♦ July 19: The Flagler Beach Charter Review Commission meets at 9 a.m. at City Hall, 105 S 2nd St.
♦ July 19: Dive-in Movies, 8 p.m. at Palm Coast Aquatics Center, 339 Parkview Drive. Just bring your swimsuit and enjoy the show! Dive-in movie nights at the Palm Coast Aquatics Center provides a unique outdoor movie viewing experience for the entire family. Be sure to grab your favorite snack, sit back and enjoy the show! Food and snacks will be available for purchase. This month features “Incredibles 2” (PG). More info: 386-986-4741 and www.palmcoastgov.com/movies.
♦ July 20: Flagler Pier Fishing Tournament, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., Flagler Beach Fishing Pier. For any questions, please contact the Pier bait shop at 386-517-2436.
♦ July 20: Youth Fishing Derby, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at Waterfront Park, 150 Waterfront Park Road, Palm Coast. Come out to Waterfront Park for a day of family fun, food, and catch-and-release fishing. Youth will be eligible for various prizes based on different categories such as longest fish, heaviest fish, most fish, smallest fish and others. Youth must be accompanied by an adult. Any adult actively assisting a youth must have a fishing license. For ages 15 and under. Free and registration is encouraged but not required at www.parksandrec.fun/events. More info: 386-986-2323.
♦ July 20: Meet with your local Fire Rescue personnel, while you tour your community’s Fire Station and equipment, at Flagler County Fire Station 92 at the county airport, 130 Airport Rd., Palm Coast, from 9 a.m. to noon. Additionally, personnel from Florida Forest Service and Flagler County Emergency Management will be available to explain and assist residents in signing up for the ALERTFlagler emergency notifications, and Special Needs Sheltering programs. For more information please contact Chief Fire Marshall (386) 313-4258
♦ July 20-21: Jr. Lifeguard Camp, 8 a.m-12p.m. at Palm Coast Aquatics Center, 339 Parkview Drive. The Junior Lifeguard Camp offers step-by-step lifeguarding skill development. Learn water safety, lifeguard rescues, and First Aid CPR/AED in a weekend camp. Class attendees will receive a CPR mask, Red Cross whistle and T-shirt. For ages 11-15 years. $70/session. Registration required at www.parksandrec.fun/camps. More info: 386-986-2323.
♦ July 20-21: "Sleeping Beauty," at the Daytona Playhouse, Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m., Adults $13, Seniors 55 and up, $18, Youths 18 and under $7. Address: 100 Jessamine Blvd., Daytona Beach, or see directions here. Buy tickets online here. Box office: 386-255-2431.
♦ July 22:

The Flagler County Stamp and Coin Club meets at 4:30 p.m. at the VFW Post 8696 47 N. Old Kings Road. From 4:30 - 6 p.m. the time is used for buying, selling and trading stamps and coins. The club meeting starts at 6 p.m. and ends at 7:30. There is a live auction of stamps and coins at the end of the meeting. The club is open for members, the general public, and all who are interested in stamp and coin collecting and investing. Free stamps and coin evaluations at all our meetings. The club is the only non-profit Stamp and Coin Club in Flagler County. For more information please visit the club's web site.
♦ July 22: Nar-Anon offers hope and help for families and friends of addicts. Every Monday, 6 p.m., St. Mark by the Sea Lutheran Church, 303 Palm Coast Pkwy NE, Palm Coast, Fellowship Hall Entrance. See the website, www.nar-anon.org, or call (800) 477-6291.
♦ July 23: Flagler County is hosting a ceremonial signing of its beach renourishment agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers at 2 p.m. in the Commission Chambers of the Government Services Building. Commission Chair Donald O’Brien and Jacksonville District Commander Colonel Andrew Kelly will make a few opening comments about the 2.6 mile 10-foot dune and beach profile extension in Flagler Beach. They, along with County Attorney Al Hadeed, will sign four copies of the final agreement. The 50-year, $100 million project is largely unfunded but will depend on Flagler County to secure half the money. The federal government would assume the other half. It applies to only 2.6 miles of beach in Flagler Beach. See: "Flagler About To Sign 50-Year, $100 Million Deal to Rebuild 2.6 Miles of Dunes in Flagler Beach. It Has Only a Fraction of the Money."
♦ July 23: The Flagler County Opioid Task Force meets at 6 p.m. at the Flagler County Public Library, 2500 Palm Coast Parkway. The task force will meet the fourth Tuesday of every month at the library through November.
♦ July 24: A meeting of Facing Grief Together, formerly known as Compassionate Friends, is scheduled at the Vitas Office at 4 North Old Kings Road (across from Kentucky Fried Chicken) in Palm Coast. The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. Facing Grief Together, a nonprofit self-help bereavement support organization for families that have experienced the death of a child. The meeting is open to all parents, grandparents, and siblings over age 18 who has suffered the loss of a child of any age. For more information, call John Brady at 610-428-3139. To learn more about Facing Grief Together, visit their national website at www.compassionatefriends.org.
♦ July 25:

Carolyn Gosselin, Vice President of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, is the featured speaker at the Flagler Chamber's Common Ground breakfast, 8 a.m. at the Palm Coast Hilton Garden Inn, 50 Town Court. Registration is required by July 19. Members can preregister for $25, Guests and future members can attend for $35. No walk-ups.
♦ July 27: Tour de Palm Coast: Ride along the scenic route of St. Joe Walkway on this free tour. The tour will begin leaving promptly at 8 a.m. from the Palm Coast Community Center. Riders are encouraged to bring water, and all riders must wear a helmet.
♦ July 27: First Aid and CPR/AED, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Fire Station 25, 1250 Belle Terre Pkwy., Palm Coast. This class is a seven-hour course (one hour for lunch) designed to meet OSHA regulations and teach administering CPR to children and adults, using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), using a mask or barrier device, assisting with bleeding, broken bones. $50/person with registration required by 9 a.m. June 27. Register at www.parksandrec.fun/adults. More info: 386-986-2300 and cprcertification@palmcoastgov.com.
♦ July 27: The Flagler County Chamber of Commerce and the Palm Coast Area Council invites you to a small business development workshop. With Thaddeus Hammond, Economic Development Director of the SBA North Florida District, a leading expert in developing small businesses as guest speaker. 5 to 7 p.m., The Windsor of Palm Coast, 50 Town Ct, Palm Coast. Chamber Member: $15 per person, Guest and Future Chamber Member: $25 per person. Contact Melinda Rivera at 386-437-0106 or send her an email at melinda@flaglerchamber.org.
♦ July 29-Aug. 2: Monday-Friday, July 29-Aug. 2, 8 a.m-5 p.m. at Palm Coast Aquatics Center, 339 Parkview Drive. Love art? Come enjoy a week where you can let your creative side take flight. Campers will spend their days creating, drawing, sketching, painting and more! Of course, we’ll go to the pool and play some games, too. Lunch is provided at no extra charge by the Flagler County School District. For grades 6-8 (grade just completed). $80/entire week. Registration required at www.parksandrec.fun/camps. More info: 386-986-2323.
♦ July 29: Nar-Anon offers hope and help for families and friends of addicts. Every Monday, 6 p.m., St. Mark by the Sea Lutheran Church, 303 Palm Coast Pkwy NE, Palm Coast, Fellowship Hall Entrance. See the website, www.nar-anon.org, or call (800) 477-6291.
♦ July 31:

An evidentiary hearing twice postponed is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in the case of James McDevitt, who is serving a 40-year prison sentence in the 2015 rape of a woman in Flagler Beach, has been postponed to July 31. McDevitt pleaded guilty to the rape charge, but is now claiming ineffective counsel by two successive lawyers and is seeking to have the conviction and sentence vacated. The hearing is before Circuit Judge Terence Perkins in Courtroom 401 at the Flagler County courthouse. Perkins has reserved one hour for the hearing. The hearing had originally been scheduled for early April. McDevitt's lawyer asked for it to be rescheduled because of an emergency family issue (regarding the lawyer's family). It was again postponed to May 17. McDevitt has been at the Flagler County jail since April 4, awaiting the proceeding. He is normally incarcerated at Taylor prison in Perry, in Florida's Big Bend area. See details here.

For events beyond this date, see the fuller Coming Days here.

To include your event in this section, please email the details, including date, time, a brief description of the event, contact information, and, if you wish, an image, please use this form.

The Day’s Best Reads:

New York considers plan to ban smoking while walking https://t.co/VJXbjO1Vyz

— Telegraph News (@TelegraphNews) March 21, 2018

"[National Geographic] stood for science," Catherine Lutz says. "It stood for education … It also stood, though, for a kind of white view of the world." https://t.co/RYhFAAWGAS

— NPR (@NPR) March 21, 2018

The American cockroach has the second largest genome ever sequenced, larger than the human genome https://t.co/UaUani21ot

— NYT Science (@NYTScience) March 22, 2018

The UK's longest running LGBTQ+ film festival opens in London https://t.co/3DZMTkf2GE #BFIFlare pic.twitter.com/SJcddDDPQP

— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) March 21, 2018

You want to break up with Facebook? It might be harder than it looks: https://t.co/cVx4W3ybHw pic.twitter.com/zzR4eKO1Y2

— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 21, 2018

Editor’s Tweets

Editor’s Tweets by @PierreTristam

A Twitter List by PierreTristam

Keep Up with Donald Trump’s attacks on the press through the ACLU’s running tab here.

Keep Up with mass shootings in a running database here.

Palm Coast Construction and Development Progress Reports

Here’s a summary of the latest city developments as of March 9, 2018, with a link to the full week in review here.

Road and Interstate Construction:

Florida Department of Transportation Road Project List

Cultural Coda

Glenn Gould talks about J S Bach

As March is Johann Sebastian Bach Month, or ought to be (he was born the first day of spring in 1685), we’re celebrating the great German composer all months with videos about him, his music and his life.