Transportation Survey, Victoria Acierno's Incarceration

lebanon civil war bus — The bus that, on this date in 1975, was the target of Christian militiamen’s fire as they massacred its riders–Palestinian men, women and children returning from a rally. The incident sparked the beginning of Lebanon’s 15-year civil war, which claimed some 150,000 lives. See details. (© Wael Hamzeh/European Pressphoto Agency)

Today: Mostly cloudy. A 40 percent chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 70s. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Gusts up to 30 mph in the afternoon. Tonight: Cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers. Lows in the mid 60s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Details here.
Today’s fire danger is moderate. Flagler County’s Drought Index is at 207.
Today’s tides: at the beaches, at the Intracoastal Waterway.
Today’s document from the National Archives.
The OED’s Word of the Day: Drake equation, 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
The Day’s Best Reads
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 Public Safety Coordinating Council meets at 8:45 a.m., Emergency Operations Center, Bunnell.

Community Alliance-Department of Children and Families meeting, 2:30 p.m., Government Services Building, Bunnell.

Ribbon-cutting: Remembering VETS Inc, Flagler County Chamber of Commerce, 20 Airport Rd., Palm Coast, at 4 p.m.

Survey Request: The River to Sea Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), which includes Palm Coast, is seeking input from residents of Palm Coast as it plans transportation improvements for the Metropolitan Planning Area (MPA) that includes Volusia County and portions of Flagler County. The TPO has launched a “Tell the TPO” campaign to survey people who live or work in Volusia and/or Flagler counties, as well as visitors. The 11-question survey can be accessed here. All responses received by May 31, 2016, will be placed in a drawing for a chance to win a free iPad Mini.

Moody Boat Launch to close April 6 through May 20 for improvements. Click for details.

Local News Recap:

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

Costlier and Behind Schedule, Holland Park Renovation Swings For Another $50,000: Holland Park closed 16 months ago—in January 2015—for what was projected to be an 18-month, $4.28 million renovation of the 26.8-acre park ($4.7 million when a 10 percent contingency is included). The council in December 2014 had approved the contract with Contractor Tumbleson White Construction Inc. of Gainesville, and the engineering firm of Arcadis US Inc. The contract was to extend 420 days to “substantial completion,” or about 14 months, and 30 additional days “from substantial to final completion.”

Flagler County woman who crashed into school in 2001 will remain in mental facility: Victoria Acierno drove her Pontiac Grand Prix through a brick wall at Indian Trails K-8 in Palm Coast on Jan. 25, 2001. She was suicidal at the time, the News-Journal reports. “Florida Highway Patrol troopers determined she started driving toward the wall from 408 feet away and the vehicle reached speeds up to 55 mph before impact, according to a crash investigation.” (Story paywall-protected.)

Hear Us Roar, Older Residents Tell Palm Coast Council as They Clamor for a Senior Center: The Palm Coast City Council is hearing clamors for one, two or nine new senior centers in town. But it doesn’t appear interested in moving in that direction: after hearing from half a dozen advocates for such a center at a meeting this morning, some of them passionately resolved not to let age define their commitment, the council merely deflected the agitation toward its planned expansion of the Palm Coast Community Center, which is due to start next year.

Flagler tree honors crime victims, reminder of victims’ rights: Tuesday, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office held a ceremony for victim’s rights, planting a tree as a symbol of honor and hope for victims, News 13 reports.

demolition corp one itt building palm coast — Down it goes. The demolition will take about five to six weeks. Click on the image for larger view. (© FlaglerLive)

Demolition Devours Another Chunk of Old Palm Coast as Backhoes Blitz ITT Building: The Flagler County School Board, ending a year-long grind of its own as it debated what to do with the useless structure, awarded Environmental Site Services the $165,000 demolition contract in February.

New Partnership Will Expand Grand Haven Realty Beyond the Gates: Grand Haven Realty announced a new partnership between company president Jim Cullis and Lindsay Dolamore, the 2016 President of the Flagler County Association of Realtors. The two are teaming up to expand residential real estate service beyond the gated community of Grand Haven. They’ll be launching a new real estate company brand.

In Florida and in State Government:

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

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will start two days of meetings in Palm Beach County. (8:30 a.m., Wyndham Grand Jupiter at Harbourside Place, 122 Soundings Ave., Jupiter.)

–Compiled by the News Service of Florida and FlaglerLive

In Coming Days in Palm Coast and Flagler:

Click on the links for more details:

♦ April 14: Flagler Beach Citizens Academy 2016 Graduation Ceremony, at Flagler Beach City Hall, 5 p.m., Commission chambers. Presentation of Certificates of Completion, cake and coffee to follow.
♦ April 15: The Florida Ethics Commission will take up an administrative law judge’s recommendation in the ethics case against Flagler County Sheriff Jim Manfre. 9 a.m.
♦ April 16: Flagler Beach will hold a victims’ rights memorial at sunrise. The memorial ceremony honors victims and their advocates. It will be held at the end of the iconic pier. Please contact Victim Advocate Donna Kearney with any questions about the memorial at 517-2020.
♦ April 19: Palm Coast Fire Department offers free Car Seat Check : From 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, April 19, at Fire Station 25, 1250 Belle Terre Parkway, Palm Coast. The checks will be done in the Fire Department’s drive-through bays to assure everyone is out of the sun. Firefighters from the Palm Coast Fire Department who have been trained as car seat technicians will check to make sure car seats are installed properly and will also show parents/guardians how to properly install their car seat according to manufacturer and vehicle specifications. Additional information on keeping children safe will also be provided. People who attend the event are asked to bring their car seat manual and the vehicles owner’s manual with them, if possible. For more information, call the Palm Coast Fire Department at 386-986-2300.
♦ April 20: Flagler Department of Juvenile Justice Council meeting, 9 a.m. at the Government Service Building room 3.
♦ April 25: It’s the next edition of “Doughnuts with Doughney,” that is, coffey and doughnuts with Flagler Beach Police Captain Matthew Doughney, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the Flagler Beach 7-ELEVEN convenience store, 408 South Oceanshore Boulevard. Questions, please contact Captain Doughney at (386) 517-2024.
♦ April 26: Sentencing of Waldemar Rivera at 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom 401, Flagler County Courthouse, before Judge Matthew Foxman. Rivera was found guilty on March 23 after a two-day trial of raping his then-13-year-old step-daughter two years ago. He faces up to 30 years in prison. He had declined a plea that would have netted him 10 years, and declined a judge’s advice, after the first day of trial, to consider taking a plea.
♦ April 26: ElderSource is holding a public hearing at 10 a.m. at the Flagler County Public Library. The goal is to provide a listening session for anyone interested to share opinions about aging needs that impact you personally as well as your neighbors. Elder Source is a private, not for profit agency designated by the state as the Area Agency on Aging and Aging & Disability Resource Center for Northeast Florida. See the event flier here.
♦ April 30: Prescription Drug Take Back Day: The front lobby of the Flagler Beach Police Department will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 204 South Flagler Avenue, one block south of SR100 on the east side of the Moody/SR100 Bridge. This one day event will provide residents and visitors with a no cost, anonymous collection of unwanted or expired medicines.

The Day’s Best Reads:

Paul Ryan as speaker makes much more sense than Paul Ryan as GOP presidential nominee. https://t.co/QGfWI3ueAy pic.twitter.com/hDMT4uG1hH

— The New Republic (@newrepublic) April 13, 2016

FBI offers reward in Missouri theft of Warhol soup prints https://t.co/iC9YrDC8cC pic.twitter.com/OB3KAdfZ1a

— Newser (@Newser) April 12, 2016

Foreigners charged with plotting to re-kidnap kids in Beirut, complete with a getaway yacht: https://t.co/r1xrcyt5d9 pic.twitter.com/hmo2Qb3gcx

— New York Times World (@nytimesworld) April 12, 2016

Company that gave Rush Limbaugh a $400 million dollar contract is on the edge of bankruptcy: https://t.co/XU7UT2F5ks pic.twitter.com/VvpGzKsXRK

— Media Matters (@mmfa) April 13, 2016

Bono suggests sending Amy Schumer to help crush ISIS: https://t.co/jzm8TwAxsc pic.twitter.com/WHdWQ5K3Vk

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) April 12, 2016

Fact-Checking the Knaves:

Palm Coast Construction and Development Progress Reports

The following is an update of ongoing permitting, construction and development projects in Palm Coast, through March 30:

Click to access developments-april-2015.pdf

Road and Interstate Construction:

Moody Boat Launch to close April 6 through May 20 for improvements: Flagler County’s Moody Boat Launch will be closed April 6 through May 20 for improvements. “The scheduled upgrade will enhance the launch’s usability in a number of ways,” said Heidi Petito, Director of General Services. “The new system provides for ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance, minimizes docking difficulties caused by fluctuating tides, and new lighting will promote boater safety and security.” The closure includes the Moody Boat Launch– located at 825 Moody Lane in Flagler Beach– the parking area, restroom, and dockage on the Matanzas River. It does not affect Betty Steflik Preserve and boardwalk. The scope of work includes dredging 1,650 yards of silt from the launch basin, thus improving navigability. The adjacent wooden docks will be replaced with an aluminum floating dock and gangway system. Additionally, the existing restroom will be replaced with an ADA compliant facility. Moody Boat Launch provides public access to the Intracoastal on the east shore, just south of SR100. The closest alternative boat launches are located at Herschel King Park on the west side of the river at 1000 Grady Prather Jr. Cove, Palm Coast, and Bing’s Landing on the east shore at 5862 N. Oceanshore Blvd. in Palm Coast.

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].