Wednesday Briefing: Heat Index to 104, McDevitt Back in Court, Glenn Davis, Bombing Runs, DSC Tours

Old Man Walks alone in Sommières, France, 2018. (x1klima)

Today: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning, then chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 90s. East winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent. Heat index readings 100 to 104. Tonight: Partly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening. Lows in the lower 70s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.
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 Index: 89
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day: phalanx.
The Live Community Calendar
Today’s jail bookings.

Today’s Briefing: Quick Links

First Light
In Flagler and Palm Coast
Flagler Jail Bookings and Last 24 Hours of Incident Reports
2019 Hurricane Preparedness Guide
Flagler Beach A1A Construction Updates
US 1-Old Dixie Highway Roundabout Construction Updates
Announcements
In State Government
In Coming Days in Flagler, Palm Coast and Beyond
Fact-Checking the Knaves
Palm Coast Construction and Development
Cultural Coda

“She had never been kissed before and she was pleased to discover that it was an unexceptional experience and all a manner of the mind’s control. Some people might enjoy drain water if they were told it was vodka.”

–From Flannery O’Connor’s “Good Country People” in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” (1953).

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.

In Court: An evidentiary hearing twice postponed is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in the case of James McDevitt, who is serving a 40-year prison sentence in the 2015 rape of a woman in Flagler Beach, has been postponed to July 31. McDevitt pleaded guilty to the rape charge, but is now claiming ineffective counsel by two successive lawyers and is seeking to have the conviction and sentence vacated. The hearing is before Circuit Judge Terence Perkins in Courtroom 401 at the Flagler County courthouse. Perkins has reserved one hour for the hearing. The hearing had originally been scheduled for early April. McDevitt’s lawyer asked for it to be rescheduled because of an emergency family issue (regarding the lawyer’s family). It was again postponed to May 17. McDevitt has been at the Flagler County jail since April 4, awaiting the proceeding. He is normally incarcerated at Taylor prison in Perry, in Florida’s Big Bend area. See details here.

I-95 Resurfacing from Old Dixie Highway to the St. Johns County line: Sunday – Thursday, 4 p.m. – 9 p.m., single lane closures, and 9 p.m. – 7 a.m. double lane closures, on NB I-95 north of Palm Coast Parkway to the St. Johns County line.

Daytona State College Daily Walking/Orientation Tours This Week: The tours, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., are led by a Daytona State College Admissions staff as well as student ambassadors. The purpose is to introduce prospective students and their families to the Daytona Beach Campus and to explore academic and student life on campus. Tours include traveling between indoor and outdoor locations, and the occasional flight of stairs to explore buildings with multiple levels. (Elevators are an option if needed). The Daytona Beach Campus is the largest of Daytona State’s 7 instructional locations and is home to an abundance of courses that meet general education (university transfer) requirements. Please notify the college in advance if you will be needing any special accommodations on this tour. If you would like to request special accommodations, please email [email protected]. The Welcome Team staff will follow up with you.

An F/A-18C Super Hornet like the ones used in bombing runs on a range in the Ocala National Forest. (Shawn J. Stewart/US Navy) — An F/A-18C Super Hornet like the ones used in bombing runs on a range in the Ocala National Forest. Click on the image for larger view. (Shawn J. Stewart/US Navy)

Navy Bombing in the Ocala National Forest: Navy training schedules indicate that inert and live bombing will take place at the Pinecastle Range Complex located in the Ocala National Forest this week. Bombings at times can be heard in Flagler-Palm Coast. The bombings are scheduled as follows:

Wednesday: 9 a.m. to noon – Inert
2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Live
3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. – Inert
Thursday: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Live
7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. – Inert

During bombing periods wildlife may be temporarily displaced. Use extra caution when driving through the Ocala National forest and surrounding areas. Secure any items around your residence that could attract wildlife. Always be mindful of larger animals including black bears and practice bearwise measures. The telephone number for noise complaints is 1-800-874-5059, Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility, Jacksonville, Fla. For additional information, call (904) 542-5588.

Blood Donations: The Big Red Bus will be at the following locations this week (schedule your donation by going to the website and entering a Palm Coast zip code, then locating one of the venues below):

Tuesday: Coastal Cloud, One Hammock Beach parkway, Palm Coast, noon to 5 p.m.
Tuesday: Moe’s Southwest Grill, Island Walk, 250 Palm Coast Parkway, noon to 6 p.m.
Thursday: Walmart, 174 Cypress Point Parkway, Palm Coast, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday: Walmart, 174 Cypress Point Parkway, Palm Coast, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday: Flagler Schools’ Back to School Jam , Flagler Palm Coast High School, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Jail Bookings and Last 24 Hours' Incidents in Flagler, Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, Bunnell


Jail Bookings, June 19-22 Sheriff's night shift incident reports, June 21 Sheriff's day shift incident reports, June 21 Flagler Beach's night shift incident reports, June 21 Flagler Beach's day shift incident reports, June 21 Bunnell police's night shift incident reports, June 21 Bunnell police's day shift incident reports, June 21
Previous and archived reports

Sources: Flagler County Sheriff's Office, Flagler Beach Police Department, Bunnell Police Department. This is Flagler County's only comprehensive, one-stop compilation of all local law enforcement's daily day and night shift commanders' reports.

2019 Hurricane Preparedness

Download your 2019 Hurricane Preparedness Guide here, or see below:

Sign-up for our ALERTFlagler emergency notification system at www.FlaglerCounty.org/ALERTFlagler.

Click to access 2019-Hurricane-Preparedness-Guide.pdf

Flagler Beach Is Open For Business: A1A Construction Update:

FlaglerLive is providing weekly updates to year-long construction on and near State Road A1A in Flagler Beach as the Florida Department of Transportation rebuilds a 1.5-mile segment from South 9th Street to South 22nd Street, and builds a sea wall at the north end of town. These updates are provided through DOT or local officials. If you have any relevant information or images, you’re welcome to email them to the editor here.

IMPORTANT: Safety in the Work Zone: Drivers are reminded to obey all posted speed limits, and to be alert to vehicles turning onto northbound S.R. A1A from side streets or businesses. Pedestrians and bicyclists are asked to remain aware as construction activities continue and designated pathways are moved. Please use extra caution walking, bicycling or driving through the area. Remember, safety is everyone’s responsibility.

Last Updated: July 29

Protecting Turtles

Now that turtle nesting season has started in the Flagler Beach area, local Turtle Patrol volunteers are checking the beach within the project limits every day to locate any new nests. In Segment 3, north of North 18th Street, work cannot begin until the beach is checked. If a nest is discovered, the nest will be marked, and work will not be allowed within 10 feet of the nest, as specified in the environmental permits issued for this project.

The Turtle Patrol also is monitoring the beach in the project limits of Segment 1, from South 25th Street to South 22nd Street, where plans call for dune revetment involving additional sand and plants.

Segment 1 South 25th Street to South 22nd Street):

Work is completed on Segment 1 from South 25th Street to South 23rd Street.

Segment 2 (South 22nd Street to South 9th Street):

The contractor has brought in a second crew to work on installing the new French drain system and expects to have the drain completed within a month. The contractor has finished installing the new water main and is finishing up the required testing and certification for transferring service to the new line. On the southern end of the segment, the contractor has been constructing the curb that will form the center median, and is building the foundation for the new southbound lanes. Sidewalk installation is nearly complete. Remaining sections will be poured once utility work is complete.

Segment 3 (North 18th Street to Osprey Drive) Project Update:

Wall construction is expected to finish late this week or early next week as crews pour the final concrete for the cap. The contractor continues to place some additional sand over the wall, form the dune and install plants. According to the local Turtle Patrol volunteers, there are about 80 turtle nests on the north side of Flagler Beach. Some of the nests fall within the project and require the contractor to work around those areas until the nests hatch.

See Also:

The proposed roundabout at the intersection of Old Dixie Highway and U.S. 1 is intended to drastically reduce the number of severe crashes at one of the county's most dangerous intersections. Two other such roundabouts are proposed for other dangerous intersections in Flagler. Click on the image for larger view. (DOT) — The proposed roundabout at the intersection of Old Dixie Highway and U.S. 1 is intended to drastically reduce the number of severe crashes at one of the county’s most dangerous intersections. Two other such roundabouts are proposed for other dangerous intersections in Flagler. Click on the image for larger view.
(DOT)

U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway Roundabout Construction Updates:

FlaglerLive is providing weekly updates to the planned 15-month, $4.1 million construction of a roundabout at U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway. The project started in late January and is scheduled for completion by spring 2020.

The Florida Department of Transportation will be closing Old Dixie Highway and C.R. 325 at U.S. 1 on Monday night, March 4, from about 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. The closure is needed to allow the contractor to make improvements to the crossover at the temporary intersection. U.S. 1 will remain open in both directions.

More details here.

See Also:

I-95 Construction, Repaving: Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m., single lane closures on NB I-95 from north of Palm Coast Parkway to the St. Johns County line. Monday – Friday, 9 p.m. – 7 a.m., double lane closures on NB I-95 from north of Palm Coast Parkway to the St. Johns County line.

See this week’s full Interstate Construction Report for Flagler, Volusia and St. Johns here.

Announcements/Press Releases:

Commander Glenn Davis of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office graduated from the 9th Class of the Florida Sheriffs Association’s prestigious Commanders Academy. “Commander Davis is a leader in the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility and this graduation will allow him to use this training as a new tool with the detention staff and within the jail,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “On behalf of our agency, we all wish to congratulate him on this achievement.” The Florida Sheriff’s Association Commanders Academy provides a comprehensive curriculum and offers programs on leadership skills, business and personal ethics, management training and other topics that relate to the law enforcement profession. The Commanders Academy is an exceptionally
informative and educational experience that is vital for public safety leaders of the next generation. Sheriff Staly also presented his thoughts on leadership at the academy.

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.

COMMUNICATIONS TAX CONSIDERED: The Revenue Estimating Conference will analyze the communications services tax and the gross receipts tax. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

PAROLE CASES ON TABLE: The Florida Commission on Offender Review will meet. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Betty Easley Conference Center, 4075 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee.)

KIDCARE COSTS DISCUSSED: The Social Services Estimating Conference will analyze expenditures in the KidCare subsidized health-insurance program. (Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., 117 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

—-Compiled by the News Service of Florida and FlaglerLive

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

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A Twitter List by PierreTristam

Keep Up with Donald Trump’s attacks on the press through the ACLU’s running tab here.

Keep Up with mass shootings in a running database here.

Palm Coast Construction and Development Progress Reports

Here’s a summary of the latest city developments as of July 26, 2019, with a link to the full week in review here.

Click to access week-in-review-july-26-2019-development.pdf

Cultural Coda

Hélène Grimaud Plays Busoni’s Transcription of Bach’s Chaconne in D minor BWV 1004

From the comments, by John Tate: “Beautiful performance of a technically demanding and well thought out transcription of Bach’s masterpiece. Use of dynamics and tempi – brilliant. Too romantic? The 19th century happened – get over it. We can never hear 18th century music in the way it was heard at the time. We are no longer naive to large orchestras, advanced chromaticism, progressive tonality etc. We hear with 21st century ears. In-period performances have a role – we can understand the original intentions more. But music isn’t about being a train spotter. It cannot be wrong to bring out the beauty of a piece this effectively.”