Tuesday Briefing: Heat Index to 104, Perry Mitrano Retires, Florida Park Drive, Opioid Task Force, Entrepreneur Night

Perry Mitrano, the long-time solid waste director at the city of Bunnell, retires. He is being recognized tonight by the Bunnell City Commission. He is seen here with his wife, Diana. (© FlaglerLive)

Today: Mostly sunny in the morning, then partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 90s. Southwest winds 5 mph shifting to the east in the afternoon. Heat index readings 100 to 104. Tonight: Clear. Lows in the lower 70s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.
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: 330
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day: commemorate.
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

“The quadrennial inflation of political problems to catastrophic status is a form of historical narcissism, according to which the era in which we live is always grave, earth-shattering, consequential. This raises Lincoln’s question: Who benefits from the claim that these are end times for the Republic? The answer is messianic politicians, especially presidents, to whom we give additional power to rescue us. It is therefore no surprise that those who seek the office tend to speak in grandiose terms.”

–From “It’s Not Always the End of the World,” a column by Greg Weiner in the May 22 New York Times.

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.

The Palm Coast City Council meets in workshop at 9 a.m. at City Hall in Town Center. The council will hear yet another presentation on Florida Park Drive, with recommendations to narrow the scope of work previously discussed. The council will also discuss its innovation district.

The Bunnell City Commission meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 201 West Moody Boulevard, Bunnell. Solid Waste Director Perry Mitrano retires.

The Flagler County Opioid Task Force meets at 6 p.m. at the Flagler County Public Library, 2500 Palm Coast Parkway. (note the venue change: it had previously been scheduled at the Government Services Building). The task force will meet the fourth Tuesday of every month at the library through November.

Entrepreneur Night, 5:30 to 7 p.m., this month at Bull Creek Fish Camp, Dead Lake in Flagler County. Entrepreneur Night is always held at venues that best exemplify local entrepreneurship and small business ownership. Since 2011, we’ve never held this event at a National Chain establishment. You are invited to join fellow Flagler, Volusia and St. John’s County startup founders, entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, business people, investors and those folks who stand behind entrepreneurs at this event. You will enjoy complimentary appetizers, and an optional cash bar. You are guaranteed to make some new connections, meet interesting people, and have meaningful conversations with Entrepreneurs, Investors, and folks who provide support and services to entrepreneurs. Free to attend, but RSVP 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):

Tuesday: Walmart, 174 Cypress Point Parkway, Palm Coast, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
No other Flagler locations scheduled this week.

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


Jail Bookings, June 19-22 Sheriff's night shift incident reports, June 21 Sheriff's day shift incident reports, June 21 Flagler Beach's night shift incident reports, June 21 Flagler Beach's day shift incident reports, June 21 Bunnell police's night shift incident reports, June 21 Bunnell police's day shift incident reports, June 21
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.

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.

Last Updated: May 20

Protecting Turtles

Now that turtle nesting season has started in the Flagler Beach area, local Turtle Patrol volunteers are checking the beach within the project limits every day to locate any new nests. In Segment 3, north of North 18th Street, work cannot begin until the beach is checked. If a nest is discovered, the nest will be marked, and work will not be allowed within 10 feet of the nest, as specified in the environmental permits issued for this project.

The Turtle Patrol also is monitoring the beach in the project limits of Segment 1, from South 25th Street to South 22nd Street, where plans call for dune revetment involving additional sand and plants.

Segment 1 South 25th Street to South 22nd Street):

Work will be starting on this segment within the next two weeks. This segment involves dune revetment with additional sand and vegetation. Motorists can expect potential short-term lane closures with flagging operations to accommodate the trucks hauling in the new sand and plant material.

Segment 2 (South 22nd Street to South 9th Street):

The contractor continues to work on installing the new water main between South 18th Street and South 16th Street. Within the next few weeks, crews will begin installing water main beginning at South 13th Street and working south toward South 16th Street.

The contractor also continues to install French drain system. Over the next few weeks, the contractor will be constructing some sidewalk transitions to side streets on the south end of the segment, and installing curb mats in compliance with requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Segment 3 (North 18th Street to Osprey Drive) Project Update:

The contractor is expecting to finish drilling the concrete piles for the buried seawall by early July. Work continues on contouring the sand to create the desired dune where wall construction is completed. The first dune plants are expected to be installed within the next few weeks.

Work on this segment also includes the relocation of some utility poles on the north end of the segment. That work has begun and may require short-term lane closures with flagging operations.

Caution! Flagler Beach police and and Sheriff’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:

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) — 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:

I-95 Construction, Repaving: Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m., single lane closures on NB I-95 from north of Palm Coast Parkway to the St. Johns County line. Monday – Friday, 9 p.m. – 7 a.m., double lane closures on NB I-95 from north of Palm Coast Parkway to the St. Johns County line.

See this week’s full Interstate Construction Report for Flagler, Volusia and St. Johns here.

Announcements/Press Releases:

Animal Control Officer Certification: The School of Emergency Services at Daytona State College announces a 40-hour certification course beginning June 3 for people who love animals and want to become animal control officers. The course, approved by the Florida Animal Control Association, emphasizes protection, care and humane law enforcement, and promotes the peaceful co-existence between animals and Florida residents. Classes meet daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, June 3, through Friday, June 7 at Daytona State’s Advanced Technology College, 1770 N. Technology Blvd. The course fee is $475 and includes all class materials and books, as well as a state licensing examination fee. To register or for more information, contact Robin Davis, (386) 506-4141 or [email protected].

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.

OKALOOSA SUPERINTENDENT CASE HEARD: Senate Special Master Dudley Goodlette will hold a final hearing in the battle over Gov. Ron DeSantis’ decision to suspend Okaloosa County Superintendent of Schools Mary Beth Jackson. The Florida Constitution gives the Senate the power to reinstate or remove elected officials from office. Jackson appealed to the Senate after DeSantis stripped her of the superintendent job. DeSantis accused Jackson of “dereliction of duty.” Jackson’s suspension was based, in part, on allegations that a teacher abused developmentally challenged pre-kindergarten students at an elementary school during the 2015-2016 school year. The hearing could continue Wednesday if needed. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., 401 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

CANNABIS CHIEF SPEAKS TO BUSINESS GROUP: Holly Bell, director of cannabis in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is scheduled to speak to the Network of Entrepreneurs and Business Advocates. (Tuesday, noon, Capital City Country Club, 1601 Golf Terrace Dr., 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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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 May 24, 2019, with a link to the full week in review here.

Click to access week-in-review-may-24-2019-developments.pdf

Cultural Coda

HAYDN – Piano Trio No. 39 in G major Hob. XV/25 (“Gypsy”)