Thursday Briefing: Anger Management at the County Jail, Renewed Debate on Police Tactics

Today’s weather: sunny, high of 80, low of 65. Details here.
Today’s fire danger is Moderate. Flagler County’s Drought Index is at 256
The weather in Gwangju, South Korea: High of 67, low of 40. Details.
The OED’s Word of the Day: misterioso, adv., n., and adj..
The Live Community Calendar
Today’s jail bookings.

 

Today’s Briefing: Quick Links

• In Flagler and Palm Coast
• In Court
• In State Government
• Beyond
• In the Press
• Local Road and Interstate Construction
• PR Releases
• Blood Donations Needed
• In Coming Days in Flagler and Palm Coast

In Flagler and Palm Coast:

Note: all meetings noticed below are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated.

The Flagler Beach City Commission meets tonight for an unusually light agenda: a few proclamations, and discussion on a draft ordinance that would regulate pier rental for special events. The full agenda and back-up is here. (5:30 p.m., City Hall commission chambers, 105 South Second Street, Flagler Beach.)

The Flagler County Airport Advisory Board meets a 4 p.m. on the third floor of the Airport Corporate Center building at 120 Airport Road, on the compound of the county airport. The agenda is here.

Online Auction for George Washington Carver Foundation: The annual auction, raising money for the Carver Center in Bunnell, is on through April 27. Make your bids here.

Upcoming Saturday: Flagler Beach’s 90th Birthday Bash and Cheer at the Pier, presented by the Flagler Beach Museum. A celebration of Flagler Beach’s 90th anniversary with food and drink sponsored by several of Flagler Beach’s finest restaurants. The event stretches to Veterans Park, where food vendors, a kid zone and various displays will begin at 11 a.m. There’s a doggie parade on South 2nd and Central Avenue, also at 11 a.m. Mayor Linda Provencher will deliver a speech at 1 p.m. Poet Laureate Stanley Drescher will offer up a poem at 3 p.m. Cheer at the Pier from 3 to 6 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance, or $25 the day of the event. Tickets can be purchased at the museum or online.

In Court:

Circuit Judge J. David Walsh holds Drug Court for 16 cases at 9:30 a.m. and probation hearings in early afternoon. One sentencing is scheduled at 2:45 p.m., for Earl R. Hughes, found guilty of felony DUI and driving on a suspended license. (Courtroom 401.) Judge Michewl Orfinger holds foreclosure hearings in 12 cases at 9 a.m. and injunction hearings in six cases at 5 p.m. (Coutroom 101.) County Judge Melissa Moore Stens is in mediation hearings throughout the day. (Courtroom 404.)

The Florida Supreme Court releases opinions at 11 a.m.

In State Government:

The Florida House holds a floor session at 1 p.m.

Nine House and Senate committees are in session throughout the day.

–Compiled by the News Service of Florida

Beyond:

President Obama is in the Caribbean today. Tornadoes are predicted in the Midwest from Little Rock to Chicago. Tiger Woods returns to action at the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. Louis C.K. returns for season 5 of “Louie,” 10:30 p.m. on FX.

In the Press:

Video of Walter Scott Shooting Reignites Debate on Police Tactics: “Nothing has done more to fuel the national debate over police tactics than the dramatic, sometimes grisly videos: A man gasping “I can’t breathe” through a police chokehold on Staten Island, a 12-year-old boy shot dead in a park in Cleveland. And now, perhaps the starkest video yet, showing a South Carolina police officer shooting a fleeing man in the back. The videos have spurred calls from statehouses to the White House for more officers to attach cameras to their uniforms. While cameras frequently exonerate officers in shootings, the recent spate of videos has raised uncomfortable questions about how much the American criminal justice system can rely on the accounts of police officers when the cameras are not rolling. […] Many cities have installed cameras in their police cruisers for years, and some — an estimated 25 percent of departments that responded to a 2013 survey — require so-called body cameras. Those numbers are dwarfed by the millions of Americans who carry camera-equipped cellphones. As cameras become ubiquitous, the digital video is likely to become a go-to source of impartial evidence in much the same way that DNA did in the 1990s. […] But cellphone videos taken by bystanders tend to make many police officers uncomfortable, because they have no control over the setting and often are not even aware they are being filmed until later. Though the courts have held that people have a constitutional right to record the police, those who do are frequently challenged by officers.” From The Times. Watch:

‘Fresh Off the Boat’ writer Eddie Huang slams ABC comedy hit set in Orlando: Eddie Huang, “the celebrity chef whose memoir forms the basis for ABC’s comedy “Fresh Off the Boat,” went off on a Twitter rant this week about the show, which mines laughs from a Taiwanese American family struggling to adapt to U.S. suburbia in the mid-1990s. Huang tweeted that he “stood by” the show initially but that “it got so far from the truth that I don’t recognize my own life.” He slammed the show as “artificial.” “I’m happy people of color are able to see a reflection of themselves” on the series. “But I don’t recognize it,” he wrote. […] The producers have finished making the 13 episodes ordered for the first season, and the show is not currently in production. “Fresh Off the Boat” started strong, with nearly 8 million viewers for the February premiere, according to Nielsen. But ratings have since tumbled, and it’s unclear whether ABC will renew it. The network will announce its fall lineup next month in New York.” From the Orlando Sentinel.

White House condemns therapy to ‘cure’ gay youth: “The Obama administration late Wednesday called for a ban on so-called “conversion” therapies that promise to cure gay and transgender people. The statement was issued in response to a White House petition signed by more than 120,000 people after the suicide of 17-year-old Leelah Alcorn, a transgender teen from Ohio whose suicide note condemning the society’s treatment of transgender people went viral after her death. In the note, she indicated she had been subjected to such therapies. […] The White House statement, issued by President Obama’s senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, condemned “conversion” therapy, also known as “reparative” therapy, which she defined as any treatment aimed at changing a person’s sexual identity. This type of therapy has been condemned by a number of health organizations, including the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy for Pediatrics. Exodus International, a group that had championed such therapies, shut down in 2013 and apologized to gays for the harm it had done. But some conservative Christian groups have defended the ability to change a person’s sexual orientation.” From the Washington Post.

Looks like they made it: Barry Manilow wes his manager Gary Kief in secret: “According to an unnamed friend of the couple cited in People magazine, the wedding was “a surprise” to guests, who had only been told they were attending a lunch. Manilow, 71, and Mr Kief, 66, did not sign official paperwork, but both wear wedding rings to symbolise their commitment, according to the reports. Same-sex marriage was legalised in California in 2008, and the US Supreme Court overturned a subsequent ban on gay marriage in the state in 2013. […] In an interview with the Telegraph in 2012, Manilow described himself as “happily single”, but said he was a “private guy” who was “not interested in talking about” his personal life with the press.” From the Daily Telegraph.

Road and Interstate Construction:

Flagler County: County Road 305 between CR 2006 and Tangerine. IMPACTS: Closure in force 3/17/2015 for the 2nd box culvert replacement. Detours detour via CR 110 to CR 95 to CR 2006. Truck Detour via Bunnell (SR 100 – SR 11)

Palm Coast: Palm Coast Parkway between Cypress Point Parkway and Florida Park Drive. IMPACTS: Lane shifts and closures will occur and this may cause traffic congestion on this already busy roadway. Most construction work will occur between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. though weather and unforeseen issues may adjust the schedules. This project will be complete by December 2015.

Volusia: I-4 Widening from SR 44 to east of I-95, Monday and Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Eastbound/Westbound shoulder closing. Monday through Friday, Eastbound and Westbound lane closures from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Motorists should be aware of traffic shifts near Canal St./SR 44.

• Palm Coast Parkway Project Website
• Florida Department of Transportation Road Project List
• County Road 304 Project Map and Description

PR Releases:

Anger Management: The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office county jail offers an in-house, voluntary anger management course for incarcerated men. This Christian-based class began in March 2014 and approximately 12 men have successfully completed the 12 week program. Sheriff James L. Manfre presented inmates John Speer and Ronald Mitchell with a certificate of completion Monday, April 6 as they are the third class to graduate from the program. “I congratulate these individuals for completing this important program. Faith and family is what’s important in life,” said Sheriff James L. Manfre. The program is taught by volunteer Chaplin Edward Reistetter who has a background in clinical mental health and has participated in mentoring programs at other inmate facilities. “In order to change your behavior, you have to change the way you think. God has a plan and a purpose for these men and incarceration is not it,” said Chaplin Edward Reistetter. “The ultimate goal is to stop the violent behavior in order for the men to be safe and for others around them to be safe,” he added. The class focuses on four major aspects of anger management; emotional, behavioral, physical and cognitive cues. The men selected have serious charges such as domestic violence, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault and kidnapping. At the conclusion of the program, the participant receives a certificate of completion.

Park to protect Indian River Lagoon nearing completion: Construction of a large stormwater park in southern Brevard County that will capture pollutants from a 21,000-acre watershed before they reach the Indian River Lagoon is nearly complete. Through a St. Johns River Water Management District partnership with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) and Brevard County, a series of stormwater ponds and restored wetlands known as the Wheeler Stormwater Park is being constructed. The District acquired the 300-acre, former farmland site to reduce pollutant loads from the Sottile Canal watershed. The Sottile Canal runs through the middle of the property, receiving stormwater runoff from agricultural lands and the Barefoot Bay mobile home community, and discharging into the north prong of the St. Sebastian River at the property’s southern boundary. The St. Sebastian River is a major tributary of the Indian River Lagoon. “This is an excellent opportunity to provide additional treatment of surface water flowing into the Indian River Lagoon,” said Bill Tredik, leader of the District’s Indian River Lagoon Protection Initiative. “It is a positive step in reducing nutrients and sediment inputs to the lagoon.” The project includes construction of two settling ponds (one 23 acres and another 7 acres), the Herndon Swamp restoration area and additional wetland restoration areas adjacent to the Sottile Canal, and the planting of hundreds of wetland trees. The last portion of the project — the creation of the 23-acre pond — is under way and scheduled to be completed in December. Funding partners for the $3.57 million project are DEP ($1.5 million), DOT ($1.5 million in mitigation funds) and Brevard County ($570,000). The District is managing the project.

In Coming Days:

Culture and the Arts:A traveling, interactive sculpture was installed Monday at the Flagler County Library in Palm Coast. “IMAG NE” comes to Palm Coast through the efforts of and co-sponsorship of the Gargiulo Arts Foundation and Friends of the Library, with a $1,500 grant from Palm Coast. The sculpture will remain at the Library for a month and will then be moved to a site to be determined at Town Center. Its creator, Emma Ann, says her goal “is for the viewer to interact with the sculpture.” She encourages people to snap pictures of themselves interacting with the work and post it on social media.

Lunch ‘n Lecture With Palm Coast City Manager Jim Landon, April 15: Landon will update the public on the new City Hall, Holland Park renovations, road projects, what the City is seeing in private development and more. Landon’s talk is titled, “Making Our Future Together,” and will focus on Palm Coast’s future in terms of the economy, growth, projects and progress. The Lunch n’ Lecture will be 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Palm Coast Community Center, 305 Palm Coast Parkway NE. The Lunch n’ Lecture is free, but pre-registration is required by 11 a.m. April 13 (while space is available). Landon has been Palm Coast’s City Manager for eight years. In 2013, he received the Florida City/County Management Association’s Award for Career Excellence. Sign up online here or call the Community Center at 386-986-2323 for more information on registering.

Traffic Ticket Collections Free Amnesty on Friday, April 17: Operation Green Light is a one-day amnesty giving drivers the chance to pay overdue fines, without having to pay the 40 percent collection feel. Hours at the Flagler County Courthouse will be extended for the occasion, stretching between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Clerk of Court Gail Wadsworth says her office has tabulated 7,793 cases that have gone to a collection agency. Of those, 4,507 are civil traffic cases. The total amount in collections for Flagler County is—to be precise–$1,872,973.91. Most people with such cases are driving on suspended driver’s licenses. You may get your driver’s license restored if you pay the overdue fine. (April 17)

April 23: Sheriff Jim Manfre will be the guest speaker for the Flagler County Chamber upcoming Eggs & Issues breakfast at 8 a.m. at the Grand Haven Golf Club, 500 Riverfront Drive in Palm Coast. The chamber hosts Eggs & Issues breakfasts five times a year to bring local and business-related issues and topics to light. Guest speakers include elected officials, thought leaders and high profile executives/business professionals. Cost to attend is $15 with advance payment for members or $20 at the door. Future members pay $20 with advance reservations or $25 the day of the event. Seating is limited; reservations are requested by Friday, April 17 at 5 PM.

Flagler County Job Fair on April 24: A limited number of spaces are still open for businesses interested in reserving a free booth at the second annual Flagler County Job Fair. The event will take place on Friday, April 24, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Palm Coast Campus of Daytona State College, 3000 Palm Coast Pkwy SE, Building 3. Last year nearly 400 jobseekers attended the inaugural fair, which was hosted by the Flagler County Department of Economic Opportunity and CareerSource Flagler Volusia. This year Daytona State College and the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce joined the effort to positively impact Flagler County’s economic vitality. Among the businesses that have already registered are CoastalCloud, Edwards Jones Financial Service, Beutlich Pharmaceuticals and Target. A complete list of attending companies is available here. Businesses wishing to secure a place at the fair and job seekers interested in registering for preparation workshops should visit the job fair website. For additional information about the fair, please contact Casey Scott at 386-313-4098 or by email here.

Matanzas Inlet Beach Clean-up: In celebration of Earth Day, Fort Matanzas National Monument is hosting a beach clean-up on Saturday, April 25, from 9am to 12pm. Join us in removing not only man-made trash but invasive plant life. The event will begin with a safety briefing and an introduction to the park at the ocean-side parking lot on the east side of A1A, just north of the Inlet bridge. Trash bags, gloves, and water will be provided. Please bring sunscreen, appropriate beach wear (including a hat), and your own reusable water bottle. If you would like to participate, please call 904-829-6506 ext. 233 or email [email protected] by April 23.

Arbor Day 5K Root Run/Walk and Free Fun Run May 2 in Palm Coast’s Town Center: Register now for the Arbor Day 5K Root Run/Walk, which starts at 8 a.m. May 2, followed by the Free Fun Run at 9 a.m. The run/walks will start and finish on Lake Avenue in Central Park at Town Center, 975 Central Ave. in Palm Coast. Awards will be given out at Central Park Main Stage after the race. This race will close out the 2014-2015 season in the Palm Coast Running Series. Register for the 5K Root Run/Walk at www.palmcoastgov.com/ArborDay. (Pre-registration is not required for the children’s Fun Run.) Participants of the 5K Root Run/Walk are guaranteed a race T-shirt and goody bag if they register by April 24. Entry fees and pre-registration deadlines are as follows:

· $25 Online registration closes at 5 p.m. April 30 at www.palmcoastgov.com/ArborDay.
· $25 Mail-in registration closes April 24 (Mail-in registration is available through April 24. Mail registration form available online with check or money order made out to City of Palm Coast to: City of Palm Coast, c/o Arbor Day Race Pre-registration, Attn: Carol Mini, 160 Cypress Point Parkway Suite B106, Palm Coast, FL 32164.)
· $25 In-person registration closes May 1. Register in-person 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays at the Palm Coast Community Center, 305 Palm Coast Parkway, NE. Checks, money orders, cash and credit cards accepted.
· $30 Race day entry fee – cash or checks only – at Central Park (along Lake Avenue).
· Veterans with military ID receive free entry

Packet Pick Up will be held at the Community Center from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 1, or at 7 a.m. on race day at Central Park (on Lake Avenue). Prizes will be awarded to the overall male and female runners, as well as the top three men and women in 15 age groups. The race will be chip-timed. Children participating in the Fun Run will receive a ribbon. A ceremony honoring the overall winners for the Palm Coast Running Series will immediately follow the 5K Root Run awards. After the races, enjoy the free Arbor Day celebration from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Central Park. Bring canned food or pet food items and exchange them for a three-gallon native hardwood tree (while supplies last). Feed a Mouth, Get a Tree, Grow a Community is the theme. The event will also feature a butterfly tent, zoo exhibits, green vendors, a fire prevention activity, entertainment and kite flying/building. The popular Native Butterfly release is set for 11 a.m. Complete details are available here. For more information, contact City of Palm Coast Urban Forester Carol Mini at 386-986-3722.

Blood Donations Needed

Blood donations are urgently needed. Patients in our local hospitals are in need of blood transfusions, and the need for blood does not take a holiday. That’s why OneBlood is asking people to donate immediately.

Big Red Bus schedule in Flagler-Palm Coast:

Thursday April 9th 9:00AM -2:00PM Florida Hospital Flagler, 60 Memorial Medial Parkway
Friday April 10th 12:00PM – 5:00PM McDonald’s Restaurant, 5190 East Highway 100, Palm Coast
Saturday April 11th 12:00PM -5:00PM Walmart Supercenter, 174 Cypress Point Pkwy Palm Coast
Monday April 13th 2:00PM – 6:00PM CVS Pharmacy, 5151 Belle Terre Parkway, Palm Coast
Thursday April 16th 10:30AM -2:00PM Kangaroo Express, 890 Palm Coast Parkway SW, Palm Coast
Friday April 17th 1:00PM – 6:00PM Epic Theatre, 1185 Central Ave, Palm Coast
Saturday April 18th 8:00AM – 1:00PM St Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church Heath Fair
Monday April 20th & Tuesday April 21st 9:00AM -2:00PM Daytona State College- Flagler/Palm Coast Campus, 3000 Palm Coast Parkway, Palm Coast
Saturday April 25th 1:00PM – 6:00PM Epic Theatre, 1185 Central Ave, Palm Coast
Monday April 27th 11:30AM – 4:00PM Flagler County Public Library, 2500 Palm Coast Parkway
Tuesday April 28th 11:00AM – 3:00PM Knights of Columbus Council 7845, 51 Old Kings Road North, Palm Coast
Wednesday April 29th 1:00PM – 5:30PM CVS Pharmacy, 1 Old Kings Road South, Palm Coast