Stewart Jones at Ocean Art, Polar Bear Plunge, Birding Palm Coast

palm coast birding — Time to make birdie in Palm Coast this weekend. (dawn Ashley)

Weekend: Cool, clear, highs in the 50s or low 60s, lows in the 40s. Details here.
Today’s fire danger is moderate. Flagler County’s Drought Index is at 87.
Today’s tides: at the beaches, at the Intracoastal Waterway.
Today’s document from the National Archives.
The OED’s Word of the Day: dream world, n..
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.

Friday: The Flagler County Land Acquisition Committee will take a field trip to Lake Disston to evaluate a parcel being considered for acquisition. The visit is scheduled for 10 a.m.

It’s First Friday in Flagler Beach, from 6 to 9 p.m., with Highway 1 providing entertainment, at Veterans Park, downtown.

Friday: Stewart Jones at Ocean Art Gallery in Flagler Beach: Orlando’s Stewart Jones will be the first artist featured at the new home of Ocean Art Gallery in Flagler Beach. His one-person show “Documental Environments – From Shore to Shore” will run from February 5 to 29, with the Artist’s Opening Reception on February 5. The gallery moved to 206 Moody Blvd. (SR 100) in early January as part of its 2016 plan to present artists in a more artistic environment than its former location. More details here.

Friday: An open house for 5th and 6th graders only at the Flagler County Youth Center, from 6 to 9 p.m. Dance, play games, get refreshed. For information, call 437-7540, ext. 5101.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday: Palm Coast’s Birds of a Feather Festival. Do you love wildlife and being outdoors? Have you considered taking up birding as a hobby? The City of Palm Coast’s Birds of a Feather Fest is a great place to get started for beginners and families with children. Birds of a Feather is set up like a conference with a buffet of birding field trips, classes and a keynote dinner from which to choose all three days. Saturday has the most to offer beginners and families, and many of the activities are free. www.birdingfest.com.

Friday and Saturday: Flagler Palm Coast Drama’s Dinner Theater, 7 p.m. at the Bistro at FPC (and 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday): FPC Thespian Troupe 5023 presents two one-act comedies: “AP Theatre” by Ed Monk and “The Least Offensive Play in the Whole Darn World” by Jonathan Rand. “AP Theatre” will debut the talents of student directors Michael Williams, Justin Iuteri, and Bayley Steinwehr. $10 for adult, $5 for student. Tickets will be available at the door of the bistro. Cash or check to FPC Drama. The Thespians are under the direction of Kelly Rivera.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday: The USTA’s Men’s Futures Tennis Tournament at the Palm Coast Tennis Center, running through Sunday. 1290 Belle Terre Parkway.

Saturday: Polar Bear Plunge in Flagler Beach: Everyone’s invited to the second law enforcement Polar Plunge, featuring a dip in refreshingly cool water, costume contests, music and refreshments, to benefit Special Olympics. This family-friendly event is set for 10 a.m. at Veterans Park in Flagler Beach on Saturday, Feb. 6. It is sponsored by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, the Flagler Sheriff’s Police Athletic League, and the Bunnell and Flagler Beach police departments. All proceeds from this event help to raise money for the Flagler County Special Olympics Athletes. Special Olympics Florida helps provide year-round sports training and competition for more than 31,000 people with intellectual disabilities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. Individuals or teams can participate. Registration is $12 for individuals or $50 for a team of five. Registration is from 10-11 a.m. Saturday. You must register to participate. If you don’t want to get wet, you can still buy a T-shirt that says “I’m Too Chicken to Take the Plunge.’’ For more information, call 386-586-2655 or visit flaglersheriffspal.org online.

Saturday: Astronomy at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park: Join Park Ranger Joe Woodbury to see the mysteries of the stars unfold before you. Observe stars, planets and satellites from Washington Oaks beachside. Look at the stars through the eyes of ancient people while enjoying age old mythological tales regarding constellations. Bring your own binoculars for a better look, but no telescopes needed. Meet at the beachside parking lot. Regular park entrance fees apply. 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Local News Recap:

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

Measure Forbidding Local Governments From Using Red-Light Cameras Advances: Palm Coast installed cameras–illegally–in 2007, when state law did not permit their installation locally. A Florida Supreme Court decision in 2014 ruled those installations illegal, clearing the way for motorists who’d been ticketed under the old scheme to get reimbursements. But the court did not address the constitutionality of red-light cameras, deferring to the 2010 state law. That’s the law Sen. Jeff Brandes and others have been attempting to repeal.

Officials working to address concerns in Flagler Estates: “Nearly four weeks after a wreck in Flagler Estates killed two young women, officials are working to rein in behavior that many feel contributed to the crash,” the St. Augustine Record reports. “Shortly after the Jan. 9 wreck at the corner of Palatka Boulevard and Isaacson Avenue that killed 19-year-old Katherine Stecker, of St. Augustine, and Victoria Sutton, 20, of Tennessee, community members met with representatives from three sheriff’s offices, Florida Highway Patrol, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at the Flagler Estates Road and Water Control District’s Board of Supervisors meeting to discuss what might be done to prevent another accident.” (Story paywall-protected)

See Also:

poverty inc. skripko — ‘Poverty Inc.’ was released in 2014 and has since been touring the nation in special showings.

Bringing “Poverty Inc.” to Palm Coast’s Epic Theater, a Compassionate Entrepreneur’s Goal: The screening is planned for Palm Coast at Epic Theater in Town Center on Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m.—provided the organizers get a pledge of 87 tickets sold by Feb. 16. They’re more than two-thirds of the way there: as of today (Feb. 4), 61 tickets have been sold (at $12 apiece). For “Poverty Inc.,” the Palm Coast showing would be a rare Florida showing (in the state, it’s only been screened once in Hollywood.)

Sheriff’s Sgt. Van Buren Announces Retirement 7 Weeks After He’s Named Deputy of the Year: He described his experience as the equivalent of having 10 successive jobs, considering the various assignments and responsibilities he took on, from “Deputy, Field Training Officer, Shift Supervisor, Dive Team Member, Computer System Administrator, Project Manager on so, so many technology projects, and of course my favorite position, Motor Sergeant.”

Plea Lessens Palm Coast Child Rapist’s Sentence to 10 Years in Prison, 20 on Probation: Andrew S. Wilson, the 56-year-old Palm Coast resident accused of raping his step-daughter when she was younger than 12 some two decades ago, pleaded guilty to a rape charge and will serve 10 years in prison. He gets about half a year’s credit, which he served at the Flagler County jail. His bond had been set at $500,000.

In State Government:

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

No notable meetings today.

–Compiled by the News Service of Florida and FlaglerLive

In Coming Days in Palm Coast and Flagler:

Click on the links for more details:

Feb. 10: The Friends of the Library hosts the first of two two concerts in recognition of Valentine’s Day. At 2:00 p.m., autoharpist and folksinger, Adam Miller will present a sing along program of Folksongs of Sweethearts and Spouses, at the Flagler County Public Library, 2500 Palm Coast Pkwy NW. Refreshments will be served. Call 386-446-6763. The second concert is on Feb. 13.
Feb. 11, 4 p.m., the Palm Coast Arts Foundation has a ground-breaking for Phase I of its multi-phased cultural arts center in Town Center, on Central Avenue just east of Epic Theaters. The project will consist of an outdoors entertainment venue that will accommodate, among other events, the annual Picnics and Pops concert of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. Anyone interested in helping PCAF accelerate the project is asked to contact Nancy Crouch, Executive Director, at 386/263.2991 or [email protected].
February 13: At 2:00 pm, The Friends of the Library will be hosting our annual Valentine’s Concert featuring the music of Linda Cole. Both concerts will be held at the Flagler County Public Library, 2500 Palm Coast Pkwy NW. Refreshments will be served. Call 386-446-6763.
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.
Feb. 15: Florida Hospital Flagler holds a groundbreaking on a 23-bed, $15-million expansion scheduled for completion at the end of 2016. The groundbreaking takes place outside the Emergency Room entrance at 4 p.m.
Feb. 29: Flagler Youth Orchestra’s Strings Around the World Concert, 7 p.m. at the Flagler Auditorium. Adult tickets, $6 and children 17 and under are $1. Visit the website.
April 2: Cheer at the Pier, a fund-raiser for the Flagler Beach Historical Museum, from 3 to 6 p.m. Call Virginia Giaramita for information at 386/299-8892.

PR Releases:

Click on the link for more details.

In the Press, In the News:

#DemDebate https://t.co/U8xhaamhVO pic.twitter.com/0rDrRMq6Sc

— FiveThirtyEight (@FiveThirtyEight) February 5, 2016

65% of US adults learned about 2016 election in past wk from digital source types #DemDebate https://t.co/EdRaEJIsri pic.twitter.com/r2hosq6DZc

— Pew Research Center (@pewresearch) February 5, 2016

A record number of wrongfully convicted people were exonerated in 2015 https://t.co/slrxptJ5Th pic.twitter.com/n3oIrXLa8d

— Mother Jones (@MotherJones) February 5, 2016

How one of the nation’s most promising basketball players became homeless https://t.co/FYrV20n3pJ Well-written story

— Matt Bruce (@Matt_BruceDBNJ) February 5, 2016

Secrets of ancient Venetian glassmaking revealed https://t.co/huB109dPch pic.twitter.com/BiztPY6nBd

— The Christian Science Monitor (@csmonitor) February 5, 2016

The best reason for Amazon to create a bookstore chain might be the simplest: People still love shopping in stores. https://t.co/eJOfNB6Qxt

— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) February 4, 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. 27:

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, 50 percent done: Grading and installation of sidewalks continues. Rough grading of Playground area. Restroom slab has been poured. Electrical conduit installation continues. Pavilion lighting being installed. Stormwater piping installation continues 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, 47 percent done: January 25, 2016 the new 10″ water main and 6″ force main
on the east end between the Conservatory and Old Kings Road were tied into existing mains on Forest Grove.

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.

Island Walk Shopping Center Phase 2, 25 percent done: A substantial walk thru for punch list was done January 22,
2016. Chlorination of new section of water main in Phase 2 was completed January 27, 2016.

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].