Holocaust Memorial for Capitol, a "Martyr" in Oregon

men's futures tennis tournament palm coast — The Palm Coast Tennis Center gets busy today and tomorrow with qualifiers for the annual Men’s Futures Tennis Tournament. (© FlaglerLive)

Today: Showers likely and slight chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 60s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent. Tonight: Showers likely. Lows in the upper 50s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.Details here.
Today’s fire danger is moderate. Flagler County’s Drought Index is at 201.
Today’s tides: at the beaches, at the Intracoastal Waterway.
Today’s document from the National Archives.
The OED’s Word of the Day: rime, n.1.
The Live Community Calendar
Today’s jail bookings.

Today’s Briefing: Quick Links

In Flagler and Palm Coast
Local News Recap
Flagler Jail Bookings and Sheriff’s Crime Reports
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

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 County Economic Opportunity Advisory Council meets at 10 a.m. The council will hear presentations from Thomas Hellman, president of SCORE, the small business support agency, and from Jerry Mallot of JaxUSA, the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce affiliate.

The Flagler County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meets at 10 a.m. in the first-floor conference room of the Government Services Building. No agenda was posted.

The Friends of A1A Scenic and Historical Byway meet at 2 p.m. at the Coastal Policy Center in marineland. The agenda is here.

Men’s Futures Tennis Tournament: qualifiers and wild card, at the Palm Coast Tennis Center, today and Thursday. But Palm Coast’s Reilly Opelka, feted last year for winning the Wimbledon Juniors championship, will not be participating. The main draw tournament is scheduled for Feb. 2-7. 1290 Belle Terre Parkway.

Ribbon Cutting: At A Plus Pharmacy, 4750 E Moody Blvd, Ste 107, Bunnell, at 4 p.m.

Local News Recap:

Updated jail bookings and day and night shift incident summary reports are available here.

Radical Change Ahead for Palm Coast Council as McGuire Won’t Run, DeLorenzo Opts for County and Netts Is Term-Limited: DeLorenzo’s decision will have two significant consequences: on the commission side, it sets up a serious challenge to Ericksen and opens the possibility of a return of a Democratic majority to the county commission, though Democratic incumbents George Hanns and Barbara Revels also face Republican opposition. The more significant–because certain–consequence of DeLorenzo’s decision is on the council side: his departure means that three (that is, a majority) of council seats will be open seats and will turn over to new members, resulting in a complete turn-over of the council in two years. That has never happened before. Just as strangely: Heidi Shipley and Steven Nobile, elected in 2014 and still the council’s rookies, will essentially become its senior members.

Palm Coast Council Members Favor Giving Themselves Automatic Raises Tied to Inflation: They will be choosing between four options: raising their base annual pay (currently $11,400 for the mayor, $9,600 for council members), tying their pay to periodic raises indexed to inflation or the city’s population or to city employees’ pay, increasing their compensation for mileage and communication devices (they each get an extra $2,100 a year for that), or adding health benefits.

Unfounded Threat Briefly Lifts Flagler Schools’ Status to Yellow, Increasing Cop Presence: An unfounded threat reported third-hand to school officials this morning prompted the district to raise its security status to yellow as sheriff’s deputies were dispersed to each of the district’s 11 schools. Students in some schools noticed the increased presence and chatted through social media about bomb threats, but that chatter, too, was unfounded.

Authorities Seek Help Finding Missing and Endangered 3-Year-Old Palm Coast Boy: The mother is Natasha Quigley, 24. She allegedly joined Gary Bullock, 24, after he removed his ankle monitor and left his job in Daytona Beach. He was serving an eight-year prison sentence for various felonies, including grand theft, robbery and burglary at a work-release center operated by Tomoka Correctional Institution.

In State Government:

Note: Most proceedings below can be followed live on the Florida Channel.

Student testing: The Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee will consider a proposal (SB 1360), filed by Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, that would allow school districts to administer tests such as the SAT and ACT instead of using the controversial Florida Standards Assessments to measure student learning. (9 a.m.)

Fish and Wildlife public record exemption: The Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee will take up a bill (SB 1364), filed by Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, that would provide a public-records exemption for information that people submit to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission when applying for such things as hunting and fishing licenses. (9 a.m.)

Fantasy sports regulations: The Senate Regulated Industries Committee will consider a proposal (SB 832), filed by Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, that would place regulations on the fantasy sports industry — but would make clear that fantasy games are not subject to the state’s gambling laws. (9 a.m.)

Holocaust memorial proposed: The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee will consider a series of bills, including a proposal (SBÂ 716), filed by Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, that calls for creating a Holocaust Memorial in the Capitol Complex. (1 p.m.)

Confederate statue: The Senate Rules Committee will take up a bill (SB 310), filed by Sen. John Legg, R-Trinity, that would remove a statue of a Confederate general born in Florida from the U.S. Capitol. Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith is one of two Floridians represented in the National Statuary Hall at the Capitol, and the bill would lead to replacing the statue with the likeness of another Floridian. (1 p.m.)

Death penalty: The Senate Criminal Justice Subcommittee will hold a workshop about a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this month that found Florida’s death-penalty sentencing system is unconstitutional. The workshop will include discussion about possible changes lawmakers can approve to comply with the ruling. (3:30 p.m.)

–Compiled by the News Service of Florida and FlaglerLive

In Coming Days in Palm Coast and Flagler:

Click on the links for more details:

Jan. 28: Flagler County Commissioner Nate McLaughlin holds a town hall meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the Hidden Trails Community Center in western Flagler County.
Jan. 29: Live From Nashville, at the Flagler Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.: Twelve musicians, singers, and dancers will take you on an extraordinary trip through America’s greatest music – from the roots of the Country genre all the way to the hits of the present, including Bluegrass, Gospel, and Country Rock. Click here for tickets or call the box office at 386-437-7547.
Jan. 30: The City of Palm Coast’s Town Center Park will host the Color Vibe 5K – the first-ever “colorful” walk-run in Palm Coast. The Palm Coast Color Vibe 5K will be held Saturday, Jan. 30, at Central Park in Town Center, 975 Central Ave.
Feb. 13: Winter Scholastic Series Chess Tournament (K-12) and Winter Open (G/45;d5), Jacksonville Chess Club, at San Jose Church of Christ, 6233 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, registration onsite starts at 9 a.m. Click on the link for more details.

PR Releases:

Click on the link for more details.

In the Press, In the News:

The Oregon fiasco is not over—they have a martyr now: https://t.co/oflho5SiAK pic.twitter.com/XDBpbUsdd8

— Esquire (@esquire) January 27, 2016

What's gotten into the NY Daily News? What's up with those in-your-face proudly left covers? https://t.co/N78CieB4Gt pic.twitter.com/mLZ9xT0qo3

— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) January 27, 2016

It is still 3 minutes to midnight. Read the Doomsday Clock Statement: https://t.co/U34P85k0Mb pic.twitter.com/3YSEI6Gai7

— Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (@BulletinAtomic) January 26, 2016

Richard Dawkins, delete your account: The prominent atheist implodes on Twitter (again) https://t.co/1JehgbJ6z4 pic.twitter.com/6Gd29Ka7dJ

— Salon (@Salon) January 27, 2016

These are the best inventions of the 21st century, apparently https://t.co/4MWjAtRL5Q pic.twitter.com/HeTqHhweyE

— The Independent (@Independent) January 27, 2016

Fact-Checking the Knaves:

Palm Coast Construction and Development Progress Reports

The following is an update of ongoing construction and development projects in Palm Coast, through Jan. 15:

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, 49 percent done: Grading and installation of sidewalks continues. Restroom permit issued. Plumbing and Electrical underground inspections. Electrical conduit installation continues. Pavilion lighting being installed. Stormwater installation begun in Playground area.

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. 15 update.)

Palm Harbor Parkway Roadway Extension, 38 percent done: The headwall for the double barrel stormwater pipe has been installed and tied in. The water main and reuse main have been extended towards Forest Grove Drive waiting on the
closure of the road next week to make the road crossing.

Colechester Bridge, 94 percent done: Sea walls have been completed and forming of the western abutment almost complete.

Palm Harbor Extension, 45 percent done: Met on site with contractor to discuss water and sewer testing and construction meter placement.

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.)

Old Kings Road Force Main 90 percent done:: The contractor has tied the 8″ force main to the 16″ force main in front of the new Master Pump Station on South Old Kings Road. On January 13, 2016 the contractor installed a 16″ X 8″ wye and an 8″ valve in front of the existing lift station on Old Kings Road South. An 8″ wye and an 8″ 45 elbow fitting was installed to complete the connection from the existing 8″ force main to the new 16″ future force main.

Heartland Dental at 782 Belle Terre Pkwy, 99 percent done: Project nearing completion a utility substantial was scheduled for January 14.

Island Walk Shopping Center Phase 2, 11 percent done: Stormwater piping being placed and pond excavations
continue. Pressure test on new 8″ water main was completed January 12.

Road and Interstate Construction:

Forest Grove Drive connection to Palm Harbor Parkway to be closed starting Dec. 18: Effective Friday, Dec. 18, the City of Palm Coast will be closing the Forest Grove Drive connection to Palm Harbor Parkway. This road closure is required as part of construction operations for the Palm Harbor Parkway extension, which is currently under construction. Palm Harbor is being realigned and extended to connect directly with Matanzas Woods Parkway where it intersects with Old Kings Road. Message boards will be placed to advise motorists and other travelers of the upcoming change, and a public meeting has already been held for residents living in that area. Both the Palm Harbor extension and a separate extension of Old Kings Road are being built in preparation for the new Interstate 95 interchange to open next June at Matanzas Woods Parkway. As part of the projects, traffic patterns around Matanzas High School will be changing. One goal is to turn Forest Grove Drive back into a residential street as it was originally intended to be. The upcoming road closure of the Forest Grove Drive connection to Palm Harbor Parkway is part of that project. Forest Grove will be turned into a cul de sac on that end. Once the separate Old Kings Road extension is completed, in June 2016, the Forest Grove Drive access to the high school will be closed because it will no longer be needed. Instead, motorists and other travelers will get to Matanzas High School via the new signalized intersection at Matanzas Woods, Palm Harbor and Old Kings. For more information, please contact Palm Coast Communications Manager Cindi Lane at 386-986-3708 or [email protected].