Today: high in mid 80s, low in low 70s. Details here.
Today’s fire danger is moderate. Flagler County’s Drought Index is at 310.
Today’s tides: at the beaches, at the Intracoastal Waterway.
Today’s document from the National Archives.
The OED’s Word of the Day: ad hominem, adv. and adj..
The Live Community Calendar
Today’s jail bookings.
Today’s Briefing: Quick Links
- In Flagler and Palm Coast
- Local News Recap
- In State Government
- In Coming Days in Flagler and Palm Coast
- PR Releases
- In the Press, In the News
- Fact-Checking the Knaves
- Palm Coast Construction and Development Progress Reports
- Local Road and Interstate Construction
- Cultural Coda
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 County Technical Review Committee meets at 9 a.m. in the first-floor conference room of the Government Services Building to review one site development plan: Flagler county government’s planned construction of cottages on 5 acres at Princess Place Preserve.
The Flagler County Tourist Development Council meets at 10 a.m. in board chambers at the Government Services Building. This will be the last meeting Commissioner Nate McLaughlin chairs. He has announced his intention to give way to another commissioner to take the helm after three years. The council will review and likely recommend approval of threed grants–$10,000 for a PDA soccer event, $1,500 for the Native American Festival in February, and $1,500 for a Flagler County Historical Society event at the Flagler Beach pier in April.
The Flagler Juvenile Justice advisory council meets at 9 a.m. in the third-floor training room at the Government Services Building.
The Palm Coast Planning and Land Development Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. at Palm Coast City Hall on Lake Avenue in Town Center. The board will consider a proposed ordinance that would impose a 120-day moratorium on so-called bottle clubs, where patrons meet up and serve drinks from their own beer, wine or liquor bottles.
The Bunnell City Commission meets in special session at 5 p.m. to discuss its direction on searching for a new city manager. See the background here.
Flagler County commissioners are attending the 2015-2016 Florida Association of Counties Legislative Conference Wednesday through Friday at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort, 39 Beach Lagoon, Amelia Island.
The Contractor Review Board meets at 5 p.m. in board chambers at the Government Services Building in Bunnell. No agenda was posted.
School Board Member’s Home Among 4 Targeted for Burglaries in Central Palm Coast: One of the homes burglarized was that of Janet McDonald, the school board member. It’s the same pattern in every case, and it mirrors similar burglary patterns in Volusia, S t. Johns and Sumter counties: Suspects consistently described as two black men driving a higher-end SUV park in the driveway, knock on the door and wait. If someone answers, they ask for directions or ask about neighbors. If not, they get to work, burglarizing the house.
Sheriff Rethinks Joint IT Operations With County Amid Discord Over Computer Failure: Sheriff Jim Manfre is strongly suggesting that he is no longer interested in continuing joint operations with the county that began less than two years ago as a cost-saving and efficiency measure.
Evidence error sparks inquiry at Flagler Sheriff’s Office: Christopher Demon Lang is in prison, but he’s serving one decade instead of two because of errors made by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office during evidence collection, the News-Journal’s Tony Holt reports. “Following a search of Lang’s Bunnell home in late 2014, he was arrested on suspicion of possessing 57 grams, or about 2 ounces, of powdered cocaine. But he actually had significantly less than that amount,” his attorney said, according to the paper. 9Story paywall-protected.)
Not All Speech Is Free: County Slams McDonald for Legal Fees Over “Knowingly False” Claims: The wording and intimations of the petition is remarkable for a tone that mirrors political rather than legal rejoinders, which may well be the county’s intent: it is sending a signal to the Reagan assemblies or its current and former acolytes that it is no longer taking gratuitous criticism even within the usual and very broad bounds of public and government discourse, where the threshold for injurious speech is almost invisible.
In Rare Defeat for NRA in Florida, Lawmakers Kill Broader Stand Your Ground Measure: A lobbyist for the NRA said after the meeting that the proposal will be back, though it is likely dead for the upcoming 2016 legislative session.
Note: Most proceedings below can be followed live on the Florida Channel.
Burden of proof: The Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Subcommittee will consider a proposal (SB 344), filed by Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, that would shift the burden of proof to the state in cases involving the “stand your ground” self-defense law. The measure was filed after the Florida Supreme Court ruled that people who use the controversial defense have the burden of showing they should be shielded from prosecution. (10 a.m.)
Lottery terminals: The Senate General Government Appropriations Subcommittee will take up a bill (SB 402), filed by Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples, that would allow the sale of lottery tickets through terminals that would accept credit and debit cards. (10 a.m.)
Kidcare for children of immigrants: The Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee will take up a proposal (SB 248), filed by Chairman Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah, that would help children of legal immigrants get coverage through the KidCare subsidized health-insurance program. The proposal would eliminate a five-year waiting period for “lawfully residing” immigrant children to receive KidCare coverage. (10 a.m.)
Open Carry: The House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee will consider a proposal (HB 163), filed by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, that would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to openly carry firearms. (1 p.m.)
School principals’ power: The Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee will take up a bill (SB 434), filed by Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah, that would create a pilot program aimed at giving principals more autonomy in running public schools. (2 p.m.)
New water policy: The House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee will take up bill (HB 7005), sponsored by Rep. Matt Caldwell, R-North Fort Myers, that would set new water policies for the state. The bill addresses a wide range of issues including natural springs, Central Florida water supplies and issues related to Lake Okeechobee, the Caloosahatchee Estuary and the St. Lucie River and Estuary. (3:30 p.m.)
Alimony revamp: The House Civil Justice Subcommittee will consider a proposal (HB 455), filed by Rep. Colleen Burton, R-Lakeland, that would revamp the state’s alimony laws. In part, the proposal would establish a formula to determine the amounts of alimony payments. (3:30 p.m.)
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will start a two-day meeting. The first day is slated to include a number of fishery issues and a report about restoration activities related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. (8:30 a.m., Majestic Beach Resort, 10901 Front Beach Road, Panama City Beach.)
Prisons and mass incarceration summit: About 300 people, including Florida mayors and White House officials, are expected to take part in a two-day summit about trying to reduce mass incarceration and reduce recidivism among former prisoners. (1 p.m., Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, 225 East Coastline Dr., Jacksonville.)
–Compiled by the News Service of Florida and FlaglerLive
In Coming Days in Palm Coast and Flagler:
Click on the links for more details:
- Nov. 20: Astronomy Open House hosted by the Embry-Riddle Amateur Astronomy Club and the Embry-Riddle Observatory:: The new College of Arts & Sciences building is home to the newest additions to the university’s Physical Sciences department, the 1-meter (40 inches) Ritchey-Chrétien reflecting telescope – the largest university-based research telescope in Florida – and six rooftop-observing stations for smaller telescopes. An out of this world presentation Friday, Nov. 20 begins at 7 p.m. in the Willie Miller Instructional Center, Lemerand Auditorium, featuring “An Astronomer’s Trash is an Aeronomer’s Treasure: The Nighttime Glow of Our Dynamic Atmosphere,” by Dr. Jonathan Snively. The observatory will open at 8 p.m. in the College of Arts & Sciences building. For more information, call (386) 226-6010. This event is free and open to the public.
- Nov. 24: Join Palm Coast United Methodist Church for a Thanksgiving meal and service with the Honorable Hubert L. Grimes. Free to all.
- Nov. 26: Thanksgiving Feet to Feast, 15K, 5K run and walk, at Indian Trails Middle School, 7:45 a.m.
- Nov. 30: 5th Annual Tree-Lighting Ceremony in Palm Coast’s Town Center, 6 p.m.
- Dec. 1: ERAU’s Honors Series welcomes Dr. Bruce Jakosky, presenting Water, Climate, and the Potential for Life on Mars.
Click on the link for more details.
Florida Forest Service Set to Begin Prescribed Burning
Astronomy Open House at Embry-Riddle
The Honors Series welcomes Dr. Bruce Jakosky, presenting Water, Climate, and the Potential for Life on Mars
Join Palm Coast United Methodist Church for meal, service with the Honorable Hubert L. Grimes
Flagler County Adult Care partners with TRAIL
Rotary Club of Flagler Beach Seeks Volunteers to Pack 10,000 meals again for Stop Hunger Now
Florida Forest Service Set to Begin Prescribed Burning: The Bunnell District will begin prescribed burning in the coming weeks in predetermined areas of St. Johns, Flagler and Volusia County’s. If you have questions or would like more information on prescribed burning, please contact Julie Maddux with the Florida Forest Service at [email protected]. Anthony Petellat, Bunnell District Manager, wants to reiterate to the community is that weather plays a significant role in prescribed burning. “Prescribed fire is only conducted when weather parameters are suitable. If a prescribed burn is planned and weather conditions become unstable, then we will not burn.” Petellat stated. In 2015, 49,000 wildfires burned more than 9 million acres of Federal, State and private lands nationwide. Florida communities can mitigate or reduce wildfire risk in several ways such as prescribed burning, becoming a Firewise Community and/or adopting a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). These wildfire mitigation measures can help reduce the potential for injury or loss of life and can help protect homes, businesses or public infrastructure from the devastating effects of wildfire. Prescribed fire is a safe way to apply a natural process, ensure ecosystem health and reduce wildfire risk. We use prescribed fire to reduce buildup of flammable plants and debris and, in turn, provide increased protection to people, their homes and natural resources. Other uses include disease control in young pines, wildlife habitat improvement, range management, preservation of endangered plant and animal species and the maintenance of fire-dependent ecosystems. Florida set a record for prescribed fire last year burning 246,000 acres of Florida state forests. 12,620 acres of prescribed fire has been completed in the Bunnell District alone over the last two years. As we transition into a cooler time of the year, the Bunnell District has identified areas to be burned during prescribed fire season. Good fires, like prescribed fire, play an essential role in shaping ecosystems by serving as an agent of renewal and change. Prescribed fire reintroduces the favorable effects of fire into an ecosystem and reduces the hazards of catastrophic wildfire caused by excessive buildup of flammable plants and debris.
The Honors Series welcomes Dr. Bruce Jakosky, presenting Water, Climate, and the Potential for Life on Mars: Mars is in the news, with recent discoveries about intermittent liquid water and with the movie “The Martian”. Water and climate are of particular interest because of what they tell us about the potential for life to exist on Mars. Spacecraft observations tell us that water was abundant at the surface early in Martian history, but the climate changed to the cold, dry desert planet we see today. Dr. Bruce Jakosky, a professor of geology and Associate Director for Science in the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, will discuss these issues, up through the most recent MAVEN mission, which is just completing its one-year primary mission in orbit around Mars. He will also speak about the future exploration of Mars, including the potential for human missions to the planet. Dr. Jakosky is the principal investigator for the NASA Mars MAVEN exploration program. The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission is exploring the Red Planet’s upper atmosphere, ionosphere and interactions with the sun and solar wind to determine the history of Mars’ atmosphere and climate, liquid water, and planetary habitability. He has been involved with the Viking, Solar Mesosphere Explorer, Clementine, Mars Observer, Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey and Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft missions, and is involved in planning future spacecraft missions. He heads up the University of Colorado’s team in the NASA Astrobiology Institute and is the author of The Search for Life on Other Planets, and Science, Society and the Search for Life in the Universe. Willie Miller Instructional Center, Lemerand Auditorium, 600 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach, Fla. For more information, call (386) 226-6683 or (386) 226-6650. MEDIA CONTACT: James Roddey, Communications and Media Relations Manager, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.; (386) 226-6198; [email protected]
Military action can only be one part of a broader strategy against the Islamic State. https://t.co/r0y2vUqRqV pic.twitter.com/Mby6AS8eet
— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) November 18, 2015
Obama calls GOP rhetoric on Syrian refugees a "potent recruitment tool for ISIL" https://t.co/OnrLBWqWir
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) November 18, 2015
When it comes to preventing terrorism, mass surveillance is not the answer. https://t.co/ITy5Nw66NH pic.twitter.com/L0SPPXtN6d
— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) November 18, 2015
https://twitter.com/TheEconomist/status/666977562657210369
Study finds happiest people have sex once a week – and make it count https://t.co/Qk8EOzpZcc
— The Guardian (@guardian) November 18, 2015
Palm Coast Construction and Development Progress Reports
The following is an update of ongoing construction and development projects in Palm Coast, through Nov. 5:
Palm Coast Parkway Six-Laning is 97 percent done: (Not updated this week.)
Holland Park, 37 percent done: Perimeter sidewalk continues to be formed and poured. The new 8″ water main was installed across Florida Park Drive and the water tap was made. Electrical trenching and conduit installation continues. 8″ water main and 2 hydrants being re-installed per plan. New irrigation system installation continues.
County’s I-95 Interchange Matanzas Woods Reclaim Water, 76 percent done: Retention ponds are being excavated and fill continues for the ramps.
Palm Harbor Parkway Roadway Extension, 32 percent done: The City Fiber Optic cable was removed to allow the demucking to continue north on Forest Grove. The Fiber Optic cable will be replaced when the new force main is installed. Installation of stormwater pipe continues.
Colechester Bridge, 90 percent done: Bridge Deck has been paved and striped and has been reopened. Pedestrian railings are installed, demolition of slope pavement continues. Directional bore of water main almost complete.
North Old Kings Road Extension to Matanzas Woods Parkway, 19 percent done: Asphalt was installed on the new section of roadway adjacent to the old roadway at the intersection of Old Kings Road and Forest Grove.
Island Walk Shopping Center Phase 1, 93 percent done: Water mains behind the Island Doctor and Bealls have been chlorinated for 2nd day bacteriological samples.
Old Kings Road Force Main 50 percent done:: Contractor is working on Force main at the entrance north of spray field.
Road and Interstate Construction:
Alfred Hill: String Quartet No. 1, First Movement
Rich Mikola says
Just what Palm Coast needs ‘a bottle club’. If they can’t stop it, the sheriff should park a patrol car there and conduct DUI checks nightly. The DUI fines would probably pay for the new town hall. If not, change the town name to ‘Daytona North’. Just what we need ‘more sleaze’. Why haven’t the names of those requesting to open this ‘sleaze ball hangout’ been published?