Today: high in the low 70s, lows in the mid 50s. Details here.
Today’s fire danger is moderate. Flagler County’s Drought Index is at 364.
Today’s tides: at the beaches, at the Intracoastal Waterway.
Today’s document from the National Archives.
The OED’s Word of the Day: grind house, n..
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 Affordable Housing Advisory committee meets at 8:30 a.m. in the Financial Services Conference Room, third floor, Government Services Building.
The Palm Coast City Council meets in workshop at 9 a.m. at City Hall on Lake Avenue: The workshop will include an update on the widening of the north portion of Old Kings Road. The council will also consider allowing City Manager Jim landon to participate in the employees’ sick-leave conversion program, which states: “The City of Palm Coast will allow City employees eligible for sick leave accruals, who meet certain requirements, to use up to 40 hours of accrued sick leave per fiscal year to buy technology and/or wellness equipment from an authorized list approved by the City Manager or his/her designee.” See the full policy here. And the council will consider approving $75,000 in incentives for Designs for Health, the company relocating from Hargrove Grade to Commerce Boulevard. The incentives are a combination of tax rebates ($50,000) and rebates on use of the city’s Fibernet network for high-speed internet.
The St. Johns River Water Management District Governing Board will meet after holding committee meetings. (Committee meetings start at 9 a.m., district headquarters, 4049 Reid St., Palatka.)
The Flagler County Planning Board, scheduled to meet this evening, cancelled its December meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 12.
Women of Ireland: Celtic Angels’ Christmas, at the Flagler Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. From the program notes: “Produced in Ireland, Women of Ireland – Celtic Angels’ Christmas will enrapture you with the magic of Christmas in an awe inspiring show which encompasses vocal and instrumental seasonal favorites alongside Irish, contemporary, and original Christmas themes – all with a Celtic twist. This, together with stunning dance routines performed by the show’s tantalizing world-champion dancers, will create and unforgettable evening’s entertainment for those who get the chance to see this captivating holiday program.”
Is Flagler is headed in the right direction? The Chamber of Commerce wants to hear from you: “Please take the Chamber’s Economic Development survey and share the link with family, friends and colleagues. It’s important for everyone who lives and works here to weigh in on this important topic,” the Chamber says. “You might even win a prize for your effort. We are trying to get 1,000 responses before the end of the year. Click here to access the survey.
Ex-Clerk Dan Davis Is Appointed City Manager in Bunnell in 3-2 Vote, Ending Swift Course: Dan Davis, the Bunnell city clerk who two and a half years ago resigned in a fit of public anger and disagreement with then-manager Armando Martinez, was appointed Bunnell’s city manager in a 3-2 vote, ending a search that lasted less than a month.
Deputies Looking for Man Who Shot Up a Car With an AK-47 in the Mondex in a Dispute: A dispute over car parts led a man to shoot up a car with what’s believed to be an AK-47 in Daytona North, also known as the Mondex, in mid-afternoon today. No one was hurt. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has been searching for the man since, though it has not been an active pursuit.
County’s Coffey Calls Some of Palm Coast’s EMS Claims “Garbage” In Broad Rebuke:County Administrator Craig Coffey responded to Palm Coast Fire Chief Mike Beadle’s and the city’s claims that EMS service could be more efficient in a broad and strongly-worded presentation of his own on ambulance services in the county and the city. The presentation was as much information as rebuke to Palm Coast. Coffey’s bottom line: the city is inventing standards of its own that don’t necessarily correspond to accepted standards of first-responder responses. And if the city want a more efficient system, it’s up to its fire departments to be come less “fire-centric” while paying more attention to EMS calls, which account for 84 percent of all calls in the city.
Flagler County recovers sheriff’s lost computer files: The $20,000 forensic recovery enabled the system to be fully restored ion Dec. 2, with jail records and investigation records, among others, back in the system, a News-Journal report states. (Story paywall-protected.)
County Approves $25,000 Public Subsidy for Spartan Race on Private Land Next Year: Though it wasn’t reviewed by its own Tourist Development Council, the Flagler County Commission Monday unanimously approved a $25,000 subsidy for the a previously controversial Spartan Race event in the county, though this time the November 2016 race will take place on private land as opposed to the Princess Place Preserve, where it had been originally scheduled to take place.
Parent says Palm Coast VPK teacher made boy clean toilet: “We take these allegations seriously and as soon as our director of the Early Childhood Education department learned of them, an investigation was immediately launched,” the school district’s statement reads, as reported by the News-Journal. (Paywall-protected.)
Note: Most proceedings below can be followed live on the Florida Channel.
The Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments in two cases, including a battle about Florida Power & Light’s investment in a natural-gas drilling operation in Oklahoma. Critics argue that the Florida Public Service Commission last December improperly approved FPL’s plan to invest in the operation and pass along costs to customers. The commission and FPL contend the project will help shield customers from future price swings for natural gas. (9 a.m.)
Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet will meet and take up issues from several state agencies. (9 a.m.)
Children’s medical services: The Florida Department of Health will hold a hearing about a proposed rule addressing eligibility screening for the Children’s Medical Services program, which includes children with special health-care needs. (9 a.m.)
Campus carry bill: State Rep. Dave Kerner, D-Lake Worth, is expected to speak to the Democratic Club of Boca Raton & Delray Beach and discuss legislation such as a bill that would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to carry guns on college campuses. (7:30 p.m., South County Civic Center, 16700 Jog Road, Delray Beach.)
–Compiled by the News Service of Florida and FlaglerLive
In Coming Days in Palm Coast and Flagler:
Click on the links for more details:
- Dec. 9: The Flagler Youth Orchestra is in concert at the Flagler Auditorium at 7 p.m. $6 for adults, children younger than 18 get in free.
- Dec. 12: Palm Coast Starlight Parade in Town Center.
- Dec. 13: Worldwide Candle Lighting at the BeachHouse Beanery Flagler Beach at at 1112 South Oceanshore Blvd., 6:30 p.m.
- Dec. 16: The Bulow Parks Historic Alliance members and friends will meet at 6 p.m. in the Annex of the Flagler County Historical Society, 204 East Moody Boulevard, Bunnell. For information call 386-437-5338.
- Dec. 19 and 20: Performance of Handel’s Messiah at First Church of Palm Coast, 91 Old Kings Road North, 4 p.m. each day: The Edward Waters Alumni Choir, along with the First Church Choir, will give performances of the oratorio, and feature Nathaniel Shropshire, III, bass; Francesca Scott, alto; Irma Marria Adams, soprano; and Drickus Horne, tenor. Tickets are $20 per person. To order call the church at 386-446-5759.
- Dec. 19: Starlight Half Marathon and 5K, Central Park in Town Center, Palm Coast.
Click on the link for more details.
Worldwide Candle Lighting at the BeachHouse Beanery Flagler Beach at at 1112 South Oceanshore Blvd., 6:30 p.m.
Bank of America Donates $5,000 to Family Life Center
Kumon Math & Reading Center of Palm Coast Donates 443 Children’s books to Kiwanis Book Program
.@realDonaldTrump: Block all Muslims from entering the United States https://t.co/URYnteUV5k pic.twitter.com/MHoYbnACu5
— CNN International (@cnni) December 7, 2015
Experts: Trump’s Muslim entry ban idea is "ridiculous" and "unconstitutional" https://t.co/OBkGXHbqZK
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 8, 2015
GOP candidates REALLY didn't like Obama's Oval Office speech: https://t.co/2M9GSkvZzZ pic.twitter.com/klttzXfV03
— Slate (@Slate) December 7, 2015
France may be going fascist: The extreme-right National Front is now its most popular party https://t.co/tbr5QUm8hY pic.twitter.com/wDADhVO5yI
— Salon (@Salon) December 8, 2015
Svetlana Alexievich's @NobelPrize lecture "On the Battle Lost" now available to read https://t.co/HAxPhQwSYg
— Michael Orthofer (@MAOrthofer) December 7, 2015
21% of Americans now report that they go online “almost constantly” https://t.co/NMNCXe9mcO pic.twitter.com/uNXxWwca0B
— Pew Research Center (@pewresearch) December 8, 2015
Palm Coast Construction and Development Progress Reports
The following is an update of ongoing construction and development projects in Palm Coast, through Dec. 4:
Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church and School, 1 percent done: Located at 5625 North US Highway 1, the school received a Development Order for a new 13,794 sq. ft. early learning center to be located on the south side of their 8.6-acre site. The architecture of the new one-story building will be very similar to the existing church and school facilities that are located just north of the proposed new building.
Holland Park, 38 percent done: The new 8″ water main was flushed and pressure tested. Installation of fiber inner duct. Conversion was made from well irrigation to reuse irrigation. Irrigation installation continues. Surveying for roadway, sidewalks, and basketball court continues.
County’s I-95 Interchange Matanzas Woods Reclaim Water, 76 percent done: Retention ponds are being excavated and fill continues for the ramps. (Not in the Dec. 4 update.)
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. (Not in the Dec. 4 update.)
Colechester Bridge, 92 percent done: The new 6″ water main is now in service and the old water main on the bridge is being removed.
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. (Not in the Dec. 4 update.)
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. (Not in the Dec. 4 update.)
Old Kings Road Force Main 83 percent done:: Contractor has completed the Force main up to the pig launch points and restored the site and trail. The area for the pig flush was completed and flushing has started.
Road and Interstate Construction:
Leon Boellmann (1862-1897), Sonata For Cello and Piano Op. 40 in A minor, movements two and three.
Nalla C says
There’s a point where Americans have to realize the difference between “race” and “religion” in this country.
There is also a point where you realize that the television news can tell some people that “Donald Trump is no Fascist because he’s just like FDR in this regard” without them actually grasping that FDR’s segregation of the Japanese during WWII was just as fascist as what Hitler did.
Here’s the one difference–FDR put them in camps and treated them humanely until the end of the War (where they were either absorbed into our population or chose to return to Japan). Adolf Hitler put them in camps, starved them and then gassed them with poison until they were dead.
All of that misses the point of The Donald and American media’s furious spinning away from his declaration that “Americans should carry ID identifying them by religion”, because it’s finally dawned on them that he’s an out-of-control egomaniac that is clearly intending to institute fascism in America. If you really, seriously believe that you will *ever* Take Back Your Country by voting for a fascist, you’ll be in for a rude surprise next year.
Dave says
Anyone know when they are going to widen and resurface South Old Kings Road. That has got to be the worst road in town.
Outsider says
Politifact rates his claim that 25% of American Muslims are in favor of jihad in the U.S. is “mostly false.” Now, they say that there is a problem with the methodology of that poll, then go on to cite Pew as the so-called gold standard of polling. The Pew poll found that “only” half of their respondents, or 13% favored jihad to some degree. I hope this makes everyone feel better now, as there are currently three to seven million Muslims in the U.S., making only 390,000 to 910,000 who favor jihad against civilians. The poll cited by Trump also states that 51% of American Muslims believe shariah law should be instituted here. Well, I guess Pew would tell us only 25% is the real number; quite comforting indeed. Finally, consider the tenet of Islam which states it is perfectly acceptable to lie if it furthers the Islamic cause, then ask yourself, in light of the Number who actually answered truthfully, what are the real numbers? While digesting all of this, remember that 70% of Muslim-Americans are Democrat or Democratic leaning, favoring big government and aid programs, versus only 15% who are Republicans or Republicsn leaning. This may help explain why 99% of the refugees admitted so far Muslims, with less than 1% Christians.
Lancer says
What’s missing from the Trump/ Muslim statements???
“For right now, until we can figure out what the hell is going on…”
Lancer says
Salon.com, a question???
If France is going “Extreme-Right”….why is there never a “extreme-left” when speaking of socialist Hollande?? Or, “extreme-left” when referring to the likes of Bernie Sanders?
This is so blatantly biased it’s pathetic.