Wednesday Briefing: Whiteview Parkway Narrowing, Skywarn Class, False Fat Facts

Matanzas High School students and Mrs. Keen got to spend time with former Superintendent and current Vice Chancellor Jacob Oliva, at the Future Educators of America conference in Orlando last week. (MHS)

Today: Partly cloudy. Highs in the lower 60s. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 40s. East winds 5 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 Index3
The OED’s Word of the Day: desh, 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 Sheriff’s Crime 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 the pathetic inertness of their sprawling bodies, they somehow, perhaps because of their surroundings, looked more like inanimate objects than bodies that once were living men, and in the growing darkness their faces began to resemble those of mummies. If war robs death of its majesty, nature compensates by covering up some of the gruesomeness, enabling active men to keep sane.”

–Otto D. Tolischus in a New York Time story, Sept. 29, 1939, from “Reporting World War II, Part One” (2001)

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 Rymfire Elementary School Advisory Council meets at 8 a.m. in the school’s media center.

Whiteview Parkway Narrowing: The Palm Coast government administration holds a public meeting to share details about proposed alterations to Whiteview Parkway, which would be reduced from four lanes to two, from U.S. 1 to Pritchard Drive. City staff recently conducted an analysis of the entire Whiteview Parkway corridor and identified potential projects to improve safety and efficiency on the City’s roadway system. These objective of these projects is to benefit motorists and bicyclists and pedestrians. The meeting is at 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the African-American Cultural Center, 4422 N. U.S. 1, Bunnell. The public is invited to attend, and residents and property owners are encouraged to attend.

Skywarn: Flagler County Emergency Services and the National Weather Service hosts a free Skywarn Storm Spotter class at the Emergency Operations Center at 6 p.m. Angie Enyedi, assistant warning and coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service, will teach the class. It will cover everything from cloud formations to thunderstorm development to visual predictions. Participants are eligible to become volunteer storm spotters and assist Emergency Services and the National Weather Service by reporting potentially hazardous weather events. Registration is required, and can be done by calling Bob Pickering at 386-313-4250, or by email at pickering@flaglercounty.org.

An F/A-18C Super Hornet like the ones used in bombing runs on a range in the Ocala National Forest. (Shawn J. Stewart/US Navy) — An F/A-18C Super Hornet like the ones used in bombing runs on a range in the Ocala National Forest. Click on the image for larger view. (Shawn J. Stewart/US Navy)

Live and inert Navy bombing training this week: Navy training schedules indicate that live and inert bombing will take place at the Pinecastle Range Complex located in the Ocala National Forest. When the winds blow this way, windows may rattle. Bombing is scheduled as follows:

Wednesday: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Live
Wednesday: 2 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. – Inert
Thursday: 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.- Inert

During bombing periods wildlife may be temporarily displaced. Use extra caution when driving through the Ocala National forest and surrounding areas. Secure any items around your residence that could attract wildlife. Always be mindful of larger animals including black bears and practice bearwise measures.
The telephone number for noise complaints is 1-800-874-5059, Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility, Jacksonville.

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

Wednesday: Walmart, 174 Cypress Point Parkway, Palm Coast, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursday: Fantastic Sams, Target Shopping Center, 5200 State Road 100 Suite 103B, Palm Coast, 110 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Thursday: CVS Pharmacy 1 Old Kings Road South, Palm Coast, 1:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Saturday: Walmart, 174 Cypress Point Parkway, Palm Coast, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday: Palm Coast Farmer’s Market at European Village, 101 Palm Harbor Parkway, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Announcements:

Leadership Flagler Class 25: Application Deadline is Wednesday at 5 p.m.: Leadership Flagler, a program of the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce, develops leaders to maximize their ability and desire to become involved and help Flagler County thrive. The three-month program focuses on several aspects of the community including: business, government, health & human services, art & culture, agriculture and growth management. Through education and networking, Leadership Flagler provides tools and experiences necessary to the development of well-rounded community leaders. $385 for members, $535 for non-members. Contact the Chamber’s Heather Edwards by email here. See the application here.

Prescribed Burn in Putnam County: The Florida Highway Patrol continues to monitor a controlled burn in the area of SR 19 near CR 310 in Putnam County. Motorists are encouraged to use caution when traveling in these areas. Visibility may deteriorate quickly due to smoke/fog type conditions, especially during the night time and early morning hours. Motorists are reminded to reduce their speed as necessary to avoid a collision and utilize their low beam headlights in order to adapt to changing weather conditions.

Bunnell Street Paving: Bunnell will be resurfacing a few streets during the hours of 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM beginning Monday, February 5, 2018 through Saturday, February 10, 2018 (weather permitting). The following streets will be impacted by paving crews:

N. Chapel St (from E. Woodland St. to E. Howe St.)
N. Orange St (from E. Howe St to E. Moody Blvd.)
N. Lemon St. (from Howe St. to E. Moody Blvd.)
N. Fig St. (from Howe St. to E. Moody Blvd.)
N. Peach St. (from E. Lambert St. to E. Moody Blvd.)
E. Woodland St. from US 1 to SR 100 W

Access to the roads being worked on will be limited during the vendor’s regular working hours of 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. Residents along scheduled streets are asked; to ensure no vehicles, boats, trailers, etc. are left in the roadway during these hours. Prior to the resurfacing, please refrain from placing debris in the roadway for City pickup. Also make sure your sprinklers are turned off from 2:00 am to 7:00 pm. The day after the road is surfaced, these items can return to normal. Questions about this project or the schedule should be directed to the City of Bunnell Public Works Department at 386-437-7515.

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.

HOUSE BUDGET CONSIDERED: The House Appropriations Committee is expected to consider a proposed budget and related bills for the fiscal year that starts July 1. After the budget is approved by the Appropriations Committee, it will go to the full House. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., 212 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

SENATE HOLDS FLOOR SESSION: The Senate could pass a bill that would set aside $100 million a year for the Florida Forever program and a proposal that would place a statue of civil-rights leader and educator Mary McLeod Bethune in the U.S. Capitol. Senate Appropriations Chairman Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, is sponsoring the Florida Forever bill (SB 370), which would use money that voters approved in 2014 for land and water conservation. The Bethune-related bill (SB 472), sponsored by Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, stems from a 2016 decision by the Legislature to replace a likeness of Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith as a representative of Florida in the National Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol. Bethune, who founded what became known as Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, would become one of two Florida representatives in the hall, along with John Gorrie, widely considered the father of air conditioning. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., Senate chamber, the Capitol.)

FRACKING BAN SOUGHT: Rep. Kathleen Peters, R-Treasure Island, and Rep. Ben Diamond, D-St. Petersburg, are expected to be among the speakers during a rally calling for a ban on the oil- and gas-drilling technique known as fracking. (Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Waller Park, the Capitol.)

SENATORS RETURN FOR REUNION: The Senate will hold an annual reunion event for current and former senators. (Wednesday, 11 a.m., Senate chamber, the Capitol.)

SENATE BUDGET ADDRESSED: The Senate Appropriations Committee will take up a proposed budget (SPB 2500) and related bills for the fiscal year that starts July 1. After approval by the Appropriations Committee, the budget will go to the full Senate for consideration. (Wednesday, 1 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

HOUSE HOLDS FLOOR SESSION: The House could take up more than 30 bills during a floor session, including a proposal (HB 619), filed by Rep. Jeanette Nunez, R-Miami, and Rep. Holly Raschein, R-Key Largo, that would rename Florida Keys Community College and North Florida Community College. Among the other measures is a bill (HB 317), filed by Rep. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, that would require local sales-tax referendums to be held at the time of general elections and a bill (HB 7045), filed by Nunez, that calls for starting the 2020 session in January instead of the more-customary March. (Wednesday, 3:30 p.m., House chamber, the Capitol.)

ANNUAL ‘RED MASS’ HELD: An annual “Red Mass,” including state leaders and the Catholic bishops of Florida will be held. Among the speakers will be Rep. Colleen Burton, R-Lakeland. (Wednesday, 6 p.m., Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More, 900 West Tennessee St., Tallahassee.)

PAROLE CASES HEARD: The Florida Commission on Offender Review will take up numerous parole cases. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Betty Easley Conference Center, 4075 Esplanade Way, 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.

[ai1ec view="agenda"]

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:

In 2016, $28.6 billion in remittances flowed to Mexico (up 9.3% from the previous year) – a total that accounted for over a third of remittances to all of Latin America and the Caribbean. https://t.co/DTVMil26mY pic.twitter.com/CUN5hgljAe

— Pew Research Global (@pewglobal) January 24, 2018

It seems almost everything we have been told about fat is probably wrong https://t.co/JiUVFzmRSm

— The Economist (@TheEconomist) January 24, 2018

These ideas are not only in Saudi Textbooks, they are part of the core beliefs of many people who see themselves are true Muslims. At least now more and more people are taking a critical look at them:
https://t.co/1Ws9SZ9EKG

— Mustapha Hamoui (@Beirutspring) January 24, 2018