March 8 – Marcia Lane, roving reporter

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St. Johns County has given the go-ahead to another subdivision on State Road 207. This one is 581 acres with 116 of those in wetlands. D.B. Horton plans to build nearly 1,000 homes in the Entrada development on 207 near Wildwood Drive. It’s made up of three previously approved Planned Unit Developments combined into one. PUDs give builders more flexibility and less stringent county regulations. An upscale RV park is trying to come in on SR 207 and two other housing projects are underway.

An ex-Bunnell policeman is in jail without bond following more charges regarding setting up a false Facebook account. Michael Stavris was on probation after three years in jail following setting up a false account claiming to be a teen girl and seeking images from male teens of their private parts.

Released from jail Feb. 11, he was on probation with requirements including not to use Facebook. A probation check Feb. 22 showed he was using Facebook and after a search warrant was gotten for his cell phone March 7 detectives found he had allegedly created a fictional account, using a real juvenile girl’s information to contract various men. The Flagler Sheriff’s Office said they also found Stavris had searched for police officers and their spouses’ social media accounts, child erotica and other pornography.  He is also charged with stalking. Stavris is back in jail with no bond and the investigation continues.

Thursday night in Palatka it was the 21st annual Eddie Mooney Benefit Dinner for the ARC of Putnam County. Mooney was a client with the agency that serves people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Money raised helps provide extras for clients. The dinner was the brainchild of the late Milton Speaks, a former professor at St. Johns River State College.

Monday Tracy Upchurch will be sworn in again as the new mayor of St. Augustine just before the 5 p.m. city commission meeting. The official oath of office was held Thursday and that met the 10 day deadline to appoint a new mayor following the resignation of Nancy Shaver due to health reasons.

A proposal for an elective Bible course focusing on the historic and cultural implications to the Western world came up at Tuesday’s Putnam County School Board meeting. It’s an idea also on the minds of the Florida Legislature where a House panel backed a proposal that would require public high schools to offer elective classes on religion and the Bible.

Feel like going to the movies? In Flagler County tonight Movies in the Park is back at Central Park in Town Center. Despicable Me will be shown for free at 7:45 p.m. On Saturday the Palm Coast Historical Society showcases Patrick Smith Jr., in a free talk at 10 a.m. at the Palm Coast Community Center. He’ll be talking about his father’s two years of research to write A Land Remembered.

In St. Augustine it’s all things Celtic this weekend with a massive St. Patrick’s Day parade Saturday at 10 a.m. starting off two days of celebration. The St. Augustine Celtic Music & Heritage Festival features eight major Celtic music headliners plus two stages of performers, Highland games, a gathering of the clans, special kids entertainment and Celtic artisans and food at Francis Field. First St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in St. Augustine in 1601 although the tradition didn’t continue.

Don’t forget to change your clock at 2 a.m. Sunday as Daylight Savings Time returns. It’s also a good time to change batteries in fire and smoke alarms.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today adopt a new best friend as the Putnam County Animal Control offers free adoptions of dogs and cats. The kennels are full and the animals need some loving homes. The event is at 6th and Reid streets. You can enjoy lunch as well as Chip Laibl and Putnam Commissioner Larry Harvey cook up hot dogs to enjoy with the dogs.

This is Marcia Lane, your roving reporter.