Thursday Briefing: “Meshuggah Nuns,” $1.4 Million Water and Sewer Improvements, Charter Review

Taking root on Flagler Beach's new buried sea wall. (c FlaglerLive) — Taking root on Flagler Beach’s new buried sea wall. (c FlaglerLive)

Today: Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 70s. Northeast winds 10 to 15 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: 141
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day: pell-mell.
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
2019 Hurricane Preparedness Guide
Flagler Beach A1A 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

“‘If you had to choose another job, in journalism or not, what would it be?’ I probably would have tried to be a classical musician. I didn’t find journalism until after college. Before that I played the viola. It was kind of a religion for me during those years, and very much the opposite of what I do today. Reporting takes you out among so many people in the world, but classical music keeps you largely alone for many hours in your own mind, where your company is enigmatic and beautiful music written by someone who died hundreds of years ago. You don’t talk much. There’s a wonderful side to that life that I miss. I stopped playing the viola after becoming a journalist because I really think you can only truly devote yourself to one thing at a time.”

—Nicholas Casey, the New York Times’s Andes bureau chief.

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 Flagler Beach City Commission meets at 5:01 p.m. at City Hall, 105 South 2nd Street for the first of two budget hearings, when it is expected to adopt the property tax rate for the 2019-20 fiscal year starting Oct. 1. The proposed rate the commission would vote for, $5.571 per $1,000 in taxable value, would represent a 13.5 percent increase over the rolled-back rate–in effect, a 13.5 percent tax increase, though homesteaded property owners will not see such an increase sin ce their tax assessments are capped at 3 percent.

The Flagler Beach City Commission meets at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 105 South 2nd Street. The commission will consider awarding bids totaling $1.4 million for the city’s sewer plant improvements, and will get the recommendations for charter amendments to be placed on next year’s election ballot. The recommendations are from the city’s charter review commission. Full agendas and minutes are accessible here.

Palm Coast Development Division Open Forum: City government is seeking feedback from the Palm Coast community regarding the city’s approach to building and development-related permitting, process, and customer service. The guidance you provide will help chart a path forward and lead to new innovative approaches to move the city forward as a partner and resource for the community. The primary objective is to listen to resident’s concerns and ideas. The Development meeting is scheduled for 4-7 p.m. at the Community Center, 305 Palm Coast Parkway, N.E., room 112. If you are unable to participate in these meetings, you can forward you comments to [email protected] or 386-986-3736.

“Meshuggah Nuns” at the Daytona Playhouse. In this nonsense Nunsense sequel, the Sisters are on an all-expense paid cruise. When all but one of the Fiddler on the Roof cast gets seasick, the Sisters help Tevye put on the show. Hilarity reigns supreme. You don’t have to be Catholic or Jewish. This is a show for anyone who loves a good laugh. Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m., Adults $20, Seniors 55 and up, $18, Youths 18 and under $8. Address: 100 Jessamine Blvd., Daytona Beach, or see directions here. Buy tickets online here. Box office: 386-255-2431.

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):

Thursday: Bealls, 9 Old Kings Road, from 2:15 to 5:30 p.m.

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.

2019 Hurricane Preparedness

Download your 2019 Hurricane Preparedness Guide here, or see below:

Sign-up for our ALERTFlagler emergency notification system at www.FlaglerCounty.org/ALERTFlagler.

Click to access 2019-Hurricane-Preparedness-Guide.pdf

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.

IMPORTANT: Safety in the Work Zone: Drivers are reminded to obey all posted speed limits, and to be alert to vehicles turning onto northbound S.R. A1A from side streets or businesses. Pedestrians and bicyclists are asked to remain aware as construction activities continue and designated pathways are moved. Please use extra caution walking, bicycling or driving through the area. Remember, safety is everyone’s responsibility.

Last Updated: Aug. 12 (the Department of Transportation has not updated since then despite our requests.)

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 is substantially completed on Segment 1 from South 25th Street to South 23rd Street.

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

The contractor expects to finish installation of the French drain within the next three weeks. The contractor is forming and pouring the concrete curbing for the median, and building the new southbound roadway.

Residents can expect to see increased truck traffic as the contractor brings in base materials for the roadway and concrete trucks for the curbing. The curbing is constructed in two phases. The foundation is poured first, followed by the vertical face of the curb. This type of curb will add extra stability for the roadway.

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

Wall construction is complete. Remaining work includes placing sand over the wall and planting new vegetation. The contractor also is excavating a small swale along the east side of the roadway.

Announcements/Press Releases:

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.

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

LAWMAKERS EYE STATE FINANCES: A joint House and Senate panel will meet and consider a detailed report about the state’s finances and budget picture. The Joint Legislative Budget Commission will receive a presentation about an annual report known as the Long-Range Financial Outlook. The report details issues such as projected tax dollars and amounts that lawmakers are likely to spend on various categories of programs, including education and health care. The report presents estimated costs for “critical” and “high priority” state needs. Taking those needs into consideration, a draft version of the report projects the state would have a relatively small general-revenue surplus of $289.3 million for the upcoming 2020-2021 fiscal year. Lawmakers on Sept. 16 will start holding a series of regular committee meetings to prepare for the 2020 session, which will begin in January. A key part of the session will be negotiating a budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, which begins July 1. (Thursday, 1 p.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

HEALTH ‘SUMMIT’ HELD: The advocacy group Florida Voices for Health will start a two-day “summit,” with speakers expected to include Health News Florida founder Carol Gentry. (Thursday, 1 p.m., Space Coast Health Foundation Center for Collaboration, 1100 Rockledge Blvd., Rockledge.)

—-Compiled by the News Service of Florida and FlaglerLive

Coming Days:
[ai1ec view=”agenda”]

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 Aug. 16, 2019, with a link to the full week in review here.

Click to access 190816-week-review-development.pdf

Cultural Coda

Antal Dorati: Five Pieces for oboe solo (1980)