Monday Briefing: Teen Spot Dedication, Tonda Royal Trial, Homeless Shelter, Airport Land Buy

apod — From Nasa’s Astronomy Picture of the Day: “To some, this huge nebula resembles a person’s head surrounded by a parka hood. In 1787, astronomer William Herschel discovered this unusual planetary nebula: NGC 2392. More recently, the Hubble Space Telescope imaged the nebula in visible light, while the nebula was also imaged in X-rays by the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The featured combined visible-X ray image, shows X-rays emitted by central hot gas in pink. The nebula displays gas clouds so complex they are not fully understood. NGC 2392 is a double-shelled planetary nebula, with the more distant gas having composed the outer layers of a Sun-like star only 10,000 years ago. The outer shell contains unusual light-year long orange filaments. The inner filaments visible are being ejected by strong wind of particles from the central star. The NGC 2392 Nebula spans about 1/3 of a light year and lies in our Milky Way Galaxy, about 3,000 light years distant, toward the constellation of the Twins (Gemini).”

Today: Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. Patchy fog in the morning. A 20 percent chance of showers. Highs in the mid 70s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 50s. East winds 5 mph. See the latest National Weather Service-Jacksonville Briefing here.
Today’s document from the National Archives and the Astronomy Picture of the Day.
Today’s National Commemorations.
Today’s tides: at the beaches, at the Intracoastal Waterway.
Drought Index: 220
Global Warming: The daily carbon count.
A.Word.A.Day from Wordsmith.org. Today’s word: cummingtonite.
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
In State Government
Statista’s Chart of the Day
Announcements
In Coming Days in Flagler, Palm Coast and Beyond
Fact-Checking the Knaves
Palm Coast Construction and Development

“Washington’s mistakes were always proclaimed with the sort of finality that made one feel any criticism was to deface a tablet newly brought down from Sinai.”

–From Gore Vidal’s “Burr” (1973).

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.

Today is Presidents’ Day: Flagler County schools are closed, but most government offices and courts are open.

In Court: Tonda Royal, 53, who is accused of unlawful sex with a 16-year-old girl in Bunnell in 2018, and also accused of assaulting an inmate at the county jail, is scheduled to go on trial before Circuit Judge Terence Perkins at 8:30 a.m. in Courtroom 401 at the Flagler County courthouse, with jury selection.

The East Flagler Mosquito Control District board meets at 10 a.m. at the district’s offices, 210 Airport Executive Drive (off Belle Terre Boulevard), Palm Coast.

Teen Spot Dedication at Flagler County Public Library: Expansion construction is complete and the Flagler County Commission along with the Teen Advisory Board at the Flagler County Public Library will dedicate a new space for teens at 2 p.m. Flagler County teens will now have more room and technology to enjoy the library with a recently completed Teen Spot that triples a room set aside for teens. The Friends of the Library provided $36,000 to expand the Teen Spot, from 250 square feet to 800 square feet. Flagler County’s General Services Department did the construction. Teens will be able to connect their laptops to two TV screens in the room and enjoy a large 75 inch TV behind a glass enclosed structure on the west side of the library. The space also has work tables for the teens to do homework or just sit and read this summer. Twelve teens serve on the library’s Teen Advisory Board and planned the dedication. Light refreshments will be served.

The Flagler County Commission meets at 5 p.m. at the Government Services Building, 1769 E Moody Blvd., Bunnell. Commissioners will consider approving an agreement with the county’s cities to contribute $6,000 each (Palm Coast, Bunnell, Flagler Beach and the county) for a total of $24,000, providing for a cold-weather homeless shelter at Church on the Rock in Bunnell, thus moving the Sheltering Tree’s long-running operation from the Methodist church in Bunnell to Church on the Rock. The county would bus in homeless individuals on cold nights. Commissioners will consider approving a 15-acre, $250,000 land buy for the Flagler County airport. See the agendas and background materials for meetings here, and watch or listen to meetings here.

Palm Coast Alateen Sereniteen and Al-Anon meetings: Alateen, part of Al-Anon Family Groups, is for teens bothered by someone else’s drinking. The group meets at 8 p.m. every Monday at Advent Health, 60 Memorial Medical Parkway, Palm Coast, at the south entrance, in meeting room D. Al-Anon meets at the same time. For more information about Alateen or Al-Anon, call toll free 1-888-4AL-ANON, or visit www.al-anon.org. Note: All Aalteen meetings are only open to teenagers who have been affected by another person’s drinking. For AA and NA meetings in Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and Bunnell, go here.

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):

Monday: Planet Fitness, 7 Old Kings Road North, Palm Coast, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Monday: Walmart, 174 Cypress Point Parkway, Palm Coast, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday: AdventHealth Palm Coast, 60 Memorial Medical Parkway, Palm Coast, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Thursday: Chick Fil A, 1000 Palm Coast Parkway, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday: Florida Health Care Plans, 309 Palm Coast Parkway NE, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Friday: Lowe’s, 315 Cypress Edge Drive, Palm Coast, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday: Lowe’s, 315 Cypress Edge Drive, Palm Coast, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday: Metro Diner, Island Walk, 250 Palm Coast Parkway, 10 a.m. to 3 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.

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.

PARENTAL RIGHTS AT ISSUE: The Senate Education Committee will consider a proposal (SB 1634), filed by Sen. Kelli Stargel, D-Lakeland, that would create a “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” which would seek to provide more control to parents over issues such as their children’s education and health care. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

EXEMPTION SOUGHT FOR PRESIDENTIAL SEARCHES: The Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee will take up a bill (SB 774), filed by Sen. Manny Diaz Jr., R-Hialeah, that would create a public-records and public-meetings exemption for information related to presidential searches at state universities and colleges. The proposal would prevent the release of information about applicants during presidential searches, but identifying information about finalists would be made public. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

ATHLETE COMPENSATION ON TABLE: The Senate Innovation, Industry and Technology Committee will consider a bill (SB 646), filed by Sen. Debbie Mayfield, R-Rockledge, that would allow Florida college athletes to market themselves off the field and get paid for the use of their names, images and likenesses. (Monday, 1:30 p.m., 110 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

AIRPORT REQUIREMENTS ON AGENDA: The Senate Community Affairs Committee will take up a proposal (SB 1258), filed by Sen. Manny Diaz Jr., R-Hialeah, that would place new requirements on commercial airports. The proposal includes requiring audits by the state auditor general of “large-hub” commercial airports. (Monday, 4 p.m., 301 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

LAND CHANGES EYED: The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee will consider a bill (SB 1284), filed by Sen. Manny Diaz Jr., R-Hialeah, that would establish a partnership between the state Department of Environmental Protection and Florida International University to study issues such as land subsidence and sinkholes and their effects on sea-level rise. Also involved would be Florida State University, the University of Florida, the University of North Florida and the University of South Florida. (Monday, 4 p.m., 37 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

GROUPS TARGET PARENTAL RIGHTS BILL: Groups including the Florida Coalition for Trans Liberation and the Florida National Organization for Women will hold a news conference to criticize a bill (SB 1634) that seeks to create a “Parents’ Bill of Rights.” (Monday, 1 p.m., outside 412 Knott Building, the Capitol.)

–Compiled by the News Service of Florida and FlaglerLive

U.S. Experiences Worst Flu Season in Years: “The share of influenza samples tested positive – an indicator of how the flu season is progressing – has reached 27.7 percent in the U.S. in calendar week 4. While this means that the virus got off to a quick and drastic start this winter and showed the highest levels of positive samples in at least 5 years, relief might be on the horizon.”

Announcements/Press Releases:

Flagler Beach Citizens’ Academy: Eight consecutive Wednesdays beginning on March 4, 2020, running through April 22, 2020, from 2:00—5:00 PM. Learn all there is to know about the history of your city, how your government works and is financed, and the responsibilities of staff and elected officials. Tour your city’s recreational, first responder, library, and public works facilities. Discover plans for the city’s future and opportunities for resident involvement. These sessions are open to anyone residing within the City of Flagler Beach. There will be a limit of 20 participants. Registration applications are available at City Hall, Building Department, Library, Police Department, Fire Department and on our City’s website (www.cityofflaglerbeach.com). All applications must be received by February 21, 2020.

Jane Mealy, Commissioner
City of Flagler Beach
PO Box 70
Flagler Beach, FL 32136

You will then receive a detailed schedule of the sessions and where each will be held. If you have any questions, contact Jane Mealy at: 439-4811 or
[email protected]

Through April 4, Palm Coast Mayor’s 90/90 Challenge: Get outdoors and get active – join us for the Mayor’s 90/90 Challenge! The challenge is to move at least a mile a day for the 90 days from Jan. 6 to April 4. You can choose your own form of exercise. Log in to Palm Coast Connect and record your progress throughout the month. Everyone who completes the Challenge will receive a prize. Share your progress along the way on social media using #Mayors9090 and #ConnectToFitness. More info: www.palmcoastconnect.com and 386-986-2323.

Coming Days:

The Live Calendar is Flagler County’s and Palm Coast’s most complete, detailed and searchable community calendar of events, including culture, the performing arts, theater, government, the courts and justice system and a lot more. If you’re not listed here, you’re not getting the visibility you deserve. To include your event, please fill out this form. Any other issues, email the editor.

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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 Dec. 16 2019:

Click to access development.pdf

See the full Week in Review here.