Monday Briefing: Girls and Boys State Delegates, Community Health Fair, Health Survey Extended, Fracking, Plastics and Drones

Congratulations to the FPC juniors that were selected to attend the Girls State conference in Tallahassee this summer. The girls were selected by the ladies auxiliary that interviewed them on Wednesday Feb 27. Seated left to right, Auxiliary members Mary Beck, treasurer, Rosemarie Delbene, Vice President, Bina Leahy, member, Judy Hennenlotter, secretary. Standing, Karen Smith, President, Michelle Bereznyak, delegate, Diana Cuervas-Tovar, applicant, and Alyssa Santore Alternate. The American Legion, Flagler Post 115, interviewed boys on Feb 19, choosing delegates Nicholas Anane and Dylan Otte, with alternate Christian Mosey from Flagler Palm Coast High School.

Today:: showers likely and slight chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 70s. Chance of rain 70 percent. Tonight: Cooler. Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers. Lows in the lower 50s. 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 Index: 184
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day: billion.
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
• Flagler Beach A1A Construction Updates
• US 1-Old Dixie Highway Roundabout Construction Updates
• Announcements
• In State Government
• In Coming Days in Flagler, Palm Coast and Beyond
• Fact-Checking the Knaves
• Palm Coast Construction and Development
• Cultural Coda

“Between the end of the cold war and the beginning of the global war on terror, Americans dragged themselves, bloody and bruised, from one political skirmish to the next. They fought over guns, abortion, religion, gay rights, and the environment. They fought in the schools, the courts, the press, and the university. They fought with words, and they fought over words. They fought by tooth and by nail and by hook and by crook and they believed they were fighting for the meaning of America, but, really, they were fighting for raw political power.”

–Jill Lepore, from “These Truths: A History of the United States” (2018).

Previously:

Vietnam | Love, literature, morals | Getting old | Nixonland | Cocaine | Call to Greatness | Baldwin on Reading | Marry | Writers’ scaffolding | Nationalism | Interiors | Aversion to truth-telling | Golf and pot | Old men, young women | Messy house and DCF | Set opinions | The legal system | Journalism dying | Newspapermen | LBJ’s idea of the press | Cell towers | Dishes and stars | The wall Trump hates | Typing | Robert Caro’s hurry

 

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.

The Flagler County Commission meets at 9 a.m. at the Government Services Building, Bunnell. The board will consider taking out a $2.1 million loan to pay for a controversial new software for its bookkeeping services.

Road closure: The Florida Department of Transportation will be closing Old Dixie Highway and County Road 325 at U.S. 1 on Monday night from about 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. The closure is needed to allow the contractor to make improvements to the crossover at the temporary intersection. U.S. 1 will remain open in both directions.

A Community Health Fair is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. at Hidden Trails Community Center, 6108 Mahogany Blvd. Bunnell. Flagler County Fire Rescue, in partnership with Flagler County Social Services, Florida Health in Flagler County, and Flagler County Emergency Management will be available to share information on a variety of community services. Additionally, we will be providing no cost: Flu Shots, Diabetic Screenings (glucose and A1C), Registration for ALERTFlagler, Emergency Notifications, Registration for the Emergency/Disaster Special Needs Sheltering Program.

COMMUNITY INPUT SOUGHT ON HEALTH ISSUES (closes March 15): Flagler county residents are being asked to speak up and voice their opinion on a variety of health-related topics through an online survey. The input from the community will be used to create health improvement plans to address community concerns and improve quality of life. The survey is online here countyhealthsurvey.com and is available in English and Spanish. Results of the survey provide the foundation of Community Health Needs Assessments, which are a collection of data used to inform communities and develop goals to improve health outcomes. Once the assessments are complete, they will be used to create three-year Community Health Improvement Plans for both Volusia and Flagler counties. The assessments are being conducted in collaboration with the Florida Department of Health in Flagler and Volusia counties, Flagler Cares, local hospitals and Volusia and Flagler county government. Residents, employers and community partners are encouraged to share this link and ask others to take the survey as well. The survey will close February 28, 2019. Please take the survey here.

Blood Donations: The Big Red Bus will be at the following locations this week (schedule your donation by going to the website and entering a Palm Coast zip code, then locating one of the venues below):

• Monday: Plantation Bay Golf and Country Club, 200 Plantation Bay Drive, Ormond Beach, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Tuesday: AT&T Store at Target Shopping Center on SR100, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Tuesday: Aldi, 5095 SR100, Palm Coast, 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
• Wednesday: Palm Coast Data Building 3, 2 Commerce Boulevard, Palm Coast, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Building 1 from 12:30 to 3 p.m.
• Thursday: Portuguese Club, 1200 Palm Harbor Parkway, Palm Coast, 1 to 6 p.m.
• Sunday: Two Camino Office Complex, Hammock Dunes, 85 Avenue de la Mer, Palm Coast, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Sunday: Epic Theaters, 1185 Central Avenue, Palm Coast, 1 to 6 p.m.

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

Jail Bookings, March 14-15 Sheriff's night shift incident reports, March 14 Sheriff's day shift incident reports, March 14 Flagler Beach's night shift incident reports, March 14 Flagler Beach's day shift incident reports, March 14 Bunnell police's night shift incident reports, March 14 Bunnell police's day shift incident reports, March 14
Previous and archived reports

Flagler Beach Is Open For Business: A1A Construction Update:

FlaglerLive is providing weekly updates to year-long construction on and near State Road A1A in Flagler Beach as the Florida Department of Transportation rebuilds a 1.5-mile segment from South 9th Street to South 22nd Street, and builds a sea wall at the north end of town. These updates are provided through DOT or local officials. If you have any relevant information or images, you’re welcome to email them to the editor here.

Segment 2: South 22nd to South 9th Street: A significant detour on State Road (S.R.) A1A in Flagler Beach is set to start Tuesday, Feb 26, as construction continues on a project to protect the road from erosion and future storm events. The work is part of a Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) project to construct improvements along three sections of S.R. A1A in Flagler County. A temporary traffic repair has been in place since the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew in late 2016.

 Fast Facts:

• Southbound traffic on S.R. A1A will be detoured onto a local road, South Central Avenue, between South 7^th Street and South 23^rd Street.
• Northbound traffic will remain on S.R. A1A.
• The detour will be in place throughout the reconstruction.
• Access to all businesses and homes will be maintained.
• Access will also be available using side streets.
• For those with driveways only on S.R. A1A, access will be available from northbound S.R. A1A.

Since this is a popular destination for tourists and visitors, drivers are asked to obey the posted speed limits on both S.R. A1A and Central Avenue, and to be alert for pedestrians and bicyclists in the area. Due to safety concerns, bicyclists and foot traffic are urged to stay in designated, safe areas throughout the project.

Segment 3: North 18th Street to Osprey Drive: The contractor continues to bring in sand and prepare for installation of the new buried seawall. Residents may have noticed the contractor installing forms near North 18th Street. This is not the seawall itself. These forms will be used to guide the drill and form the new concrete shafts of the wall. These shafts will be about 36 feet deep. The contractor is expected to move its drilling equipment onto the work site this week. This movement is likely to require short stoppages of traffic using flagging operations along A1A.

Dune Walkovers:

The contractor will continue to remove dune walkovers as needed to accommodate construction of the buried seawall. The affected dune walkovers include both public and private walkovers between North 18^th Street and Osprey Drive. By contract, all affected dune walkovers will be reconstructed once work is complete to their pre-construction condition. The contractor is carefully removing and storing separately the existing materials for each walkover. Photographs also are being taken to document existing conditions and will be used to assist with reconstruction.

 Please note that the walkovers must remain closed during construction for safety reasons.

The project team has announced that reconstruction of the walkovers is tentatively scheduled to begin in fall 2019. This timeframe is based on the current work schedule. Please note the schedule may be affected by weather or unforeseen circumstances.

The contractor has 300 days to complete the work.

Caution! Flagler Beach police and and Sherriff’s deputies are actively monitoring speed and writing tickets. “I got a warning on north section of A1A before construction actually began so I keep to the 25 limit, but still getting tailgated by cars wanting to go faster,” a reader tells us. 

See Also:

• In Flagler Beach, A1A Shops and Restaurants Hope Their ‘Open For Business’ Signs Are Louder Than Road Construction
• $22.4 Million A1A Rebuilding and Sea Wall Construction in Flagler Beach Starts in January
• A New, Not Much Improved A1A in Flagler Beach: Median, 30MPH, Drainage, But No Added Protection
• Council Endorses Raising Flagler’s Tourism Tax to 5% to Pay For Beach Repairs
• FDOT’s Regional Construction Page

The proposed roundabout at the intersection of Old Dixie Highway and U.S. 1 is intended to drastically reduce the number of severe crashes at one of the county’s most dangerous intersections. Two other such roundabouts are proposed for other dangerous intersections in Flagler. Click on the image for larger view.
(DOT)

U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway Roundabout Construction Updates:

FlaglerLive is providing weekly updates to the planned 15-month, $4.1 million construction of a roundabout at U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway. The project started in late January and is scheduled for completion by spring 2020.

The Florida Department of Transportation will be closing Old Dixie Highway and C.R. 325 at U.S. 1 on Monday night, March 4, from about 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. The closure is needed to allow the contractor to make improvements to the crossover at the temporary intersection. U.S. 1 will remain open in both directions.

More details here.

See Also:

• Roundabout Construction on US1 and Old Dixie Begins: Be Prepared For Traffic Shifts and Single Lanes
• Roundabout Construction at U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Begins in Weeks; Expect Detours
• Strident Opposition to Roundabout at US1 and Old Dixie Even As Another Crash Results In Critical Injury
• FDOT’s Project Page

Announcements:

Sheriff Hosts Ceremony of Appreciation for all Involved in Missing Person Rickey Wheeler’s Recovery: Last week Sheriff Rick Staly recognized over 130 first responders and volunteers who spent five days and nights in September 2018 searching for missing and endangered child Rickey Wheeler. Seventeen-year-old Rickey Wheeler was reported missing on Friday, September 21st . Members of the FCSO were joined by neighboring agencies to search tirelessly to find Rickey for five days. The search was successful and Rickey was reunited with his family. Members of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office were in attendance at the awards ceremony on Thursday morning along with Putnam County Sheriff Gator DeLoach, St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar, and their command staff. Bloodhound K9s involved in the search, from St. Johns and Putnam Counties, were also present. K9 Putnam, who located Rickey, was gifted a bone from Sheriff Staly. “We can count on the agencies here today anytime we need them and we appreciate their partnership,” Sheriff Staly said at the awards ceremony. “The support from our neighboring Sheriff’s Offices, local Fire Departments and so many volunteers played an integral role in finding Rickey alive. Without the help and support of our fellow first responders, this story could have had a different outcome.” Also recognized during the ceremony were members of the Flagler County CERT and REACT teams, Palm Coast Fire Department, Flagler County Fire Rescue and Fire Police, Flagler County Department of Children and Families, FCSO C.O.P.s, the FCSO Mounted Posse, Flagler County Emergency Management, and Flagler County Fire Flight.

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.

‘FRACKING’ BAN CONSIDERED: The Senate Agriculture Committee will take up a bill (SPB 7064) aimed at prohibiting the controversial oil- and gas-drilling technique known as “fracking.” (Monday, 1 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

PLASTIC STRAWS DEBATED: The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee will consider a proposal (SB 588), filed by Sen. Travis Hutson, R-St. Augustine, that would prevent cities and counties from regulating how restaurants and other establishments distribute plastic straws to customers. (Monday, 1 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

DRONE USE CONSIDERED: The Senate Criminal Justice Committee will take up a bill (SB 766), filed by Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, that would expand the circumstances in which law-enforcement agencies can use aerial drones. The bill would allow drones for such things as assisting in crowd control or traffic management. (Monday, 1 p.m., 37 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

PREEXISTING CONDITIONS TARGETED: The Senate Health Policy Committee will consider a proposal (SB 322), filed by Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, that would seek to ensure patients with preexisting conditions would have access to health coverage. The bill would create a contingency in case the federal Affordable Care Act is struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court or is repealed by Congress. In such a circumstance, the bill would require each health insurer in Florida to offer at least one major-medical insurance policy that could not limit or deny coverage based on patients’ preexisting conditions. (Monday, 1 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

‘AOB’ BACK AT SENATE COMMITTEE: The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee will take up a bill (SB 122), filed by Chairman Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, that would address the controversial insurance practice known as assignment of benefits. In assignment of benefits, homeowners in need of repairs sign over benefits to contractors, who ultimately pursue payments from insurance companies. Insurers contend that the practice has become riddled with fraud and litigation, while plaintiffs’ attorneys and other groups say it helps make sure claims are properly paid. (Monday, 3:30 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN DISCUSSED: The Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee will receive a presentation about violence against women. (Monday, 3:30 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

OVERDOSE PROSECUTIONS AT ISSUE: The Senate Judiciary Committee will consider a proposal (SB 530), filed by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, that would make a series of changes related to prosecutions when people overdose on drugs or alcohol. For example, it would provide immunity for some offenses to people who give alcohol to underage drinkers and then seek medical assistance when those drinkers experience an alcohol overdose. (Monday, 3:30 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

—-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. ♦ March 25: 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. ♦ March 25: The "L" Word Identity Group, 6 p.m. at UNF-Jacksonville's John A. Delaney Student Union, Building 58E Room 1111. The L Word is a peer-led discussion group that allows female/feminine and lesbian spectrum identified individuals to meet and discuss a wide range of topics on coming out, relationships, labels, family dynamics, etc. The discussion group is open to all individuals falling on the female/feminine spectrum, including but not limited to: nonbinary, gender nonconforming and trans, bisexual women, queer folks, and questioning. ♦ March 26: The Gargiulo Art Foundation and Palm Coast government unveil the inaugural sculpture of what will be a sculpture garden in Palm Coast's Central Park in Town Center, near City Hall, at 9 a.m. See details here. ♦ March 26: FlaglerCares, the county-wide initiative to expand the safety net for citizens in need, meets at 1 p.m. in training room 3 on the third floor of the Government Services Building, Bunnell. ♦ March 26: Great Organists at Stetson series, Boyd Jones, Stetson University Price Professor of Organ and University Organist. 7:30 p.m. Lee Chapel in Elizabeth Hall, 421 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand. All concerts are free and open to the public. Call 386/822-8950. ♦ March 26: The Daytona State College Foundation’s Wisdom in Senior Education (WISE) program: Advanced Technology College (ATC), 1770 Technology Blvd, Daytona Beach, Multipurpose Room (Rm. 109), All About the Embry-Riddle Research Park. Dr. Stephanie Miller is executive director of Technology Transfer and Research Park Initiatives at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The research park is home to the John Mica Engineering and Aerospace Innovation Complex, (the MicaPlex), the Wind Tunnel Laboratory and coming in 2019, the Applied Aviation and Engineering Research Hanger. The MicaPlex houses Embry-Riddle’s Tech Business Incubator, tenant flex space, collaborative workspaces, cutting-edge laboratories and business support services, co-located to ensure that technology-focused startups will have every advantage for success. The Foundation created the WISE program to provide continuing education and cultural enrichment activities to senior members of the community. WISE is open to anyone age 50 or older, for $30 for an individual or $50 per couple per year. Find a complete list of spring presenters at DaytonaState.edu/wise. For more information, contact Suzette Cameron (386) 506-4506, or Suzette.Cameron@DaytonaState.edu. ♦ March 26: NuMIX Ensemble Concert, Dr. Erin Bodnar and Dr. Andrea Venet, directors. 7:30 p.m., UNF's Fine Arts Center, Building 45, Room 1200. Free admission. ♦ March 26: Coffee and Conversation: Talking Religion with Civility. Join the Interfaith Center to discuss the challenges of talking religion with each other, and learn skills to navigate conflict and disagreement. Coffee and tea served. At UNF's Founders Hall, Building 2, Room 1400. Contact Matt Hartley m.hartley@unf.edu (904) 620-5715. ♦ March 26: Trans Talks, 4 p.m. at UNF's LGBT Resource Center Building, 1 UNF Drive, 58 East, Room 1111. Trans Talks is a peer led discussion group that allows transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming individuals to meet and discuss a wide range of topics associated with being transgender. This group is open to all individuals under the Transgender Spectrum including but not limited to: Transgender, Genderqueer, Genderfluid, and Agender. Please note that Trans Talks is a peer discussion group and that there is no mental health counselor or other accredited professional available at these events. ♦ March 27: A final hearing is scheduled before a judge of workers compensation claims in the more than two dozen cases of Flagler County Sheriff's employees' claims related to what they believe to be the sick building, or Sheriff's Operations Center, evacuated last June. The 10 a.m. hearing is before Judge Wilbur Anderson at the Daytona Beach Office of the Judges of Compensations Claims, 444 Seabreeze Boulevard, Suite 450, Daytona Beach. ♦ March 27: The Flagler Humane Society hosts a happy hour fundraiser at Uncaged on Oceanshore, 3468 Oceanshore Blvd, Flagler Beach, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10, available here. ♦ March 27: A meeting of the 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. The Compassionate Friends, 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 The Compassionate Friends, visit their national website at www.compassionatefriends.org. ♦ March 27: The Cummer Family Foundation Chamber Music Series presents Hagihara Violin & Piano Duo, 7:30 p.m. at UNF's Fine Arts Center, Building 45, Room 1200. ♦ March 28: Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson is the keynote speaker at the 34th Drug Court graduation ceremony at 10 a.m. in Courtroom 401 at the Flagler County Courthouse, before Circuit Judge Terence Perkins. ♦ March 29: Rockin’ Dolphin Spring Concert Series. Come out and enjoy live music at Marineland There will be live bands playing from noon to 3 p.m. Local food trucks will be onsite with great food for purchase. ♦ March 29-31: "Man of La Mancha," at the Daytona Playhouse, a musical directed by Rip Pellaton and Musical Director Melissa Cargile. The classic tale by Miguel de Cervantes about Don Quixote and the ever faithful servant Sancho as they dream the impossible dream, tilt at windmills and champion the beautiful harlot Aldonza. Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $14 to $23. Book here. Daytona Playhouse, 100 Jessamine Blvd., Daytona Beach. (386) 255-2431. ♦ March 31: Daytona Solisti's Concert Series features "Mozartiana," an all-Mozart program with Michael Rickman, piano, Sue Cryan, violin, and Joe Corporon, cello. On the program: Mozart's Piano Sonata Nr. 9 in D Major K 311, Church Sonatas K 245 and K328, and the Piano Trio in G Major, K 496. 3:30 p.m. At First Presbyterian Church, 620 South Grandview Avenue, Daytona Beach. A $15 contribution is requested. ♦ March 31: Lawson Ensemble Concert featuring music by Bach and Dohnanyi, Dr. Nick Curry, cello; Clinton Dewing, violin and viola; Aurica Duca, violin with guest Ellen Olson, viola. free admission, 3 p.m. at UNF's Fine Arts Center, Building 45, Room 1200. For events beyond this date, see the fuller Coming Days here.

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 1, 2019, with a link to the full week in review here.

Cultural Coda

Mozart: Symphony No. 29 in A major, K.201, Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra

Previous Codas:

• Nina Simone: Good Bait
• Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody
• FPC Jazz Band, 2019 District MPA, Love is Here to Stay
• Johann Sebastian Bach: Triosonata in C Minor BWV 526, Katja Sager, organ
• J.S. Bach: Trio Sonata in E-Flat Major, BWV 525, Doug Marshall, Organ
• Willie Nelson and His Sons Discuss Growing up on Tour and Performing as a Family
• Sulkhan Tsintsadze: Miniatures for String Quartet
• Joseph Marx: Trio-Phantasie (1914)
• George Antheil: Violin Sonata Nr. 2
• Elgar’s Serenade for Strings, Op. 20
• Vaughan Williams: Rhosymedre (US Marine Band)
• Maurice Ravel: La Valse
• George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue, Maja Babyszka, piano
• Abel Carlevaro: Tamboriles
• Leonora Spangenberger (13) plays Heitor Villa Lobos’s Etude No 9
• Michel Sardou: Le France
• Smetana: Má Vlast / Kubelík Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
• Leontyne Price: the Interview
• Florence Price’s Fantaisie Negre, Performed by Elijah Stevens
• Jean Sibelius, Tapiola: Schlosstheater Schönbrunn, Orchestra of the Slovak Philharmony