Thursday Briefing: Irma's Mountain of Loss, Science Matters, A Community Garden in Flagler Beach, Flagpoles

At Flagler Beach's sanitation facility, a mound about 10 to 12 feet high has risen, a mass of residents' appliances ruined by Hurricane Irma flooding. Click on the image for larger view. (© FlaglerLive) — A mountain of loss: At Flagler Beach’s sanitation facility, a mound about 10 to 12 feet high has risen, a mass of residents’ appliances ruined by Hurricane Irma flooding. Click on the image for larger view. (© FlaglerLive)

Today: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 80s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers after midnight. Lows in the lower 70s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Details here.
Today’s document from the National Archives and the Astronomy Picture of the Day.
Today’s tides: at the beaches, at the Intracoastal Waterway.
Drought Index130
The OED’s Word of the Day: pauciloquent, adj..
The Live Community Calendar
Today’s jail bookings.

Today’s Briefing: Quick Links

First Light
In Flagler and Palm Coast
Flagler Jail Bookings and Sheriff’s Crime Reports
Announcements
In State Government
In Coming Days in Flagler, Palm Coast and Beyond
The Day’s Best Reads
Editor’s Tweets
Fact-Checking the Knaves
Palm Coast Construction and Development
Local Road and Interstate Construction
Cultural Coda

“Joseph Smith was a quintessentially American figure. Whether he was a heartfelt believer in his delusions or among the greatest confidence men ever, his extreme audacity—his mind-boggling balls—is the American character ad absurdum. America was created by people resistant to reality checks and convinced they had special access to the truth, a place founded to enact grand fantasies. No Joseph Smiths emerged elsewhere in the modern world. And if they had, where else would so many responsible people instantly abandon their previous beliefs and lives and risk everything on the say-so of such a man making such claims?”

–Kurt Andersen, from “Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History” (2017).

Previously:

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 Sheriff’s daily incident reports and jail bookings are posted here.

School Conference Week at all Flagler County elementary schools, all week.

The Flagler Beach City Commission meets at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. Commissioners will hear a request to provide city property for a community garden, and are expected to approve, on first reading, an ordinance opening the mainland portion of Flagler Beach, along its commercial strip, to medical marijuana dispensaries, but not beachside.

Science Matters (especially now): A bimonthly after school program for children ages 6 and older who like books and science. Have fun while learning-use the scientific method and hands on experiments to learn about the science behind children’s stories and the world around us. Limited to the first 24 children. Sign up begins 30 minutes before the program. 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Flagler County Public Library, 2500 Palm Coast Parkway NW.

Evenings at Whitney: David Nolan, regional historian, is the guest speaker for this Evenings at Whitney lecture. The talk title is “Adventures in History.”Lectures and parking are free and registration or reservations are not necessary. The event is at 7 p.m. at Center for Marine Studies, Lohman Auditorium, 9505 Ocean Shore Blvd., St. Augustine, Florida. For further details, call (904) 461-4000.

Cigar Tasting Event at the Humidor, European Village, Palm Coast, featuring La Aurora and Nestor Miranda Cigars. Willy from Miami Cigar & Co will join us to tell us about each cigar and socialize with the participants. You can drop by anytime between 5 pm and 8:30 pm on Thursday, October 12th to participate. No admission fee for Humidor members. For public, a $10 admission fee will get you in, plus a complimentary cigar, plus we’ll give you a $10 Gift Card for your next purchase. 386.445.2221.

Announcements:

From the Flagler County Supervisor of Elections to Veterans:

“Calling all Flagler County service members, active duty or retired: We need your photo to fill this Veteran’s Wall in time for Veteran’s Day! Help us honor veterans of Flagler County by covering this Veteran’s Wall with photos. Only one month until Veteran’s Day on November 11, 2017.” – Kaiti Lenhart, Flagler County Supervisor of Elections

Veteran’s Day is a month away and we hope to Cover The Wall at the Supervisor’s office in honor of Flagler County veterans. Any registered voter in Flagler County who has served in the US Armed Forces may provide a service photo for display on the Veteran’s Wall in the Elections Office lobby. The following information will accompany the photo:

Service Member Name
Dates of Service
Branch of Service

We need your photo to fill this wall by November 11, 2017. Contact the Elections Office for more information at (386) 313-4170 or visit www.FlaglerElections.com

Food Assistance, Oct. 11-15: The Department of Children and Families (DCF), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), will implement the Food for Florida Disaster Food Assistance Program in Flagler and St. Johns counties to assist individuals and families impacted by Hurricane Irma from October 11- October 15. To qualify for the Food for Florida Disaster Food Assistance program, applicants must have lived or worked in one of the counties declared for FEMA Individual Assistance on September 5, and not be receiving food assistance through the regular Food Assistance Program. Additionally, eligible individuals and families must have suffered a disaster-related loss, such as damage to their homes or self-employment property, loss of food, reduction or loss of income, or have incurred other disaster related expenses. DCF will provide or mail Electronic Benefits Transfer cards to eligible individuals and families to use at authorized USDA food retailers. The program counts only income and expenses from September 5 through October 4, 2017. Individuals are encouraged to fill out the initial application for assistance online no later than the day before visiting the Food for Florida site. The application is available on the Food for Florida website, myflfamilies.com/fff. The Food for Florida disaster food assistance program for Flagler and St. Johns counties will take place: AT THE ST. AUGUSTINE FAIRGROUNDS, 5840 STATE ROAD 207, ELKTON OPEN 8 AM- 7 PM.

In Florida and in State Government:

Note: Some proceedings below can be followed live on the Florida Channel. Most legislative proceedings can be followed through the Senate or House websites.

CORAL REEF PROTECTION SOUGHT: The House Natural Resources & Public Lands Subcommittee will take up a bill (HB 53), filed by Rep. Kristin Jacobs, D-Coconut Creek, that would create the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area. (Thursday, 8 a.m., 12 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

SCHOOL GRADES TALLIED: The House PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee will receive updates from the Department of Education about issues such as 2016-2017 school grades and “schools of hope” grants. (Thursday, 8 a.m., Reed Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

JUSTICE PANEL WEIGHS BUDGET REQUESTS: The House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee is expected to hear presentations about budget priorities from a series of agencies, including the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. (Thursday, 8:30 a.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building, the Capitol.)

PUTNAM SPEAKS TO SENATE COMMITTEE: Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam will speak to the Senate Agriculture Committee, which also will host a panel discussion about the impacts of Hurricane Irma on the agriculture industry. (Thursday, 10 a.m., 301 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

HOUSE INVESTIGATIONS DISCUSSED: The House Public Integrity & Ethics Committee will receive an update on House investigations. (Thursday, 10:30 a.m., 404 House Office Building, the Capitol.)

IRMA BUDGET IMPACT EYED: The Senate Appropriations Committee will take up a series of issues, including looking at the impact of Hurricane Irma on the state’s current budget and the upcoming 2018-2019 budget. (Thursday, 1 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

JUDGE HEARS AIR CONDITIONING RULES CHALLENGE: Administrative Law Judge G.W. Chisenhall is scheduled to start a two-day hearing in a challenge to emergency rules by Gov. Rick Scott’s administration that would require nursing homes and assisted living facilities to install generators within 60 days to power air-conditioning systems. Industry groups LeadingAge Florida, the Florida Assisted Living Association and Florida Argentum challenged the rules, which were issued after the deaths of Broward County nursing-home residents following Hurricane Irma. (Thursday, 9 a.m., DeSoto Building, 1230 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee.)

SUPREME COURT RELEASES OPINIONS: The Florida Supreme Court is expected to release weekly opinions. (Thursday, 11 a.m.)

NELSON, BITTEL IN JACKSON COUNTY: U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., and Florida Democratic Party Chairman Stephen Bittel are expected to take part in the Jackson County Democratic Party Blues & Boots BBQ and Dance. Also expected to attend are gubernatorial candidates Andrew Gillum, Gwen Graham and Chris King. (Thursday, 6 p.m., National Guard Armory, 3645 U.S. 90 West, Marianna.)

COULTER SPEAKS AT WALTON GOP EVENT: Political commentator and author Ann Coulter will speak during the Walton County Republican Party’s Lincoln Day Dinner. (Thursday, 7 p.m. Central time, Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, 4000 Sandestin Blvd. South, Miramar Beach.)

In Coming Days in Palm Coast, Flagler and the Occasional Beyond:

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The Day’s Best Reads:

Is the American idea doomed? Not yet—but it has precious few supporters on either the left or the right https://t.co/B3P1XA1Xjk pic.twitter.com/0k2WZLIYlZ

— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) October 11, 2017

US police killings undercounted by half, study using Guardian data finds https://t.co/TopKew2nYV

— Guardian news (@guardiannews) October 11, 2017

https://twitter.com/johncarlbaker/status/917892841715539968

In Gaza, Hamas is being outflanked by more violent, extremist terrorist organizations. https://t.co/daQGunWYU4

— Foreign Affairs (@ForeignAffairs) October 11, 2017

Why prostitution should never be legalised | Julie Bindel https://t.co/kiPaWxeQ4h

— The Guardian (@guardian) October 11, 2017

"There are ways in which Grant’s times eerily resemble our own." Janet Maslin on Ron Chernow's new biography. https://t.co/h7278FaWxX

— New York Times Books (@nytimesbooks) October 11, 2017

Editor’s Tweets

Editor’s Tweets by @PierreTristam

A Twitter List by PierreTristam

Palm Coast Construction and Development Progress Reports

Updates of ongoing permitting, construction and development projects in Palm Coast usually run here, along with a link to the city’s Week in Review. But the Week in Review, under the guise of being modernized, has become flashier and power-point like while becoming less substantive and dumbed down. We may or may not link to it in future.

Road and Interstate Construction: