March 13 – Marcia Lane, roving reporter

This news bulletin is brought to you in conjunction with NATKIM Radio. Listen to WPLK (800 AM), WIYD (1260 AM) and WPLK FM (98.3

Someone is in the Palatka area secretly filming women, teenagers and children mostly showing backsides and including the word “sexy” when they post the videos on Facebook and other social media. Putnam County Sheriff’s Office says it isn’t illegal but they are warning people about the videos. Quote “While we do not agree with the videos or condone the behavior of the person(s) posting these, unfortunately the videos do not break any laws or meet criminal statutes.” However, they say people can report to social media sites if they find the videos offensive and with enough complaints the user will be blocked. The Sheriff’s Office says they will continue to monitor and “if/when they meet state statutes to fill criminal charges, we will pursue them.”

Palatka city commissioners are holding a special called meeting Thursday to consider candidates for the job of Palatka city manager. The meeting is at 5 p.m. at City Hall and is followed by the regularly scheduled meeting at 6 p.m. Reportedly a couple of candidates on the final list have pulled out.

Palm Coast City Council has chosen Matthew Morton as their new city manager. The 3-2 vote Tuesday morning came as a surprise to some who thought interim manager Beau Falgout would be the choice. Morton is a former city manager in Washington state.

School times will change next year in St. Johns County following a vote Tuesday by the school board which is trying to cope with increasing numbers of students and bus use. Middle schoolers will see the biggest change with school starting for them 20 minutes earlier at 7:30 a.m. and ending at 1:50 p.m. Other grade levels will see a five-minute change. The district is now up to about 42,000 students.

St. Johns County School Board has rejected a proposal by the developers of a massive subdivision to have a required high school outside the community. Silverleaf on 8,500 acres of land along County Roads 210 and 16A had planned to put two k-8 schools and a high school inside their property. Now they want to put the high school outside and put in a thruway so students have access. The board Tuesday had question and eventually denied the proposal saying the high school must be in the community. The matter now goes to the county. Silverleaf plans to have 11,000 homes in the subdivision and that could mean as many as 5,000 students.

The public’s help is sought to find a missing endangered woman last seen Friday in St. Augustine. Putnam County Sheriff’s Office says Jessica Schmutz, 34, of Palatka, was seen walking away from Flagler Hospital in St. Augustine. Schmutz has a history of mental health issues and requires medication. If you have information, call the sheriff’s office at 386-329-0800.

A wildfire in St. Johns County is reported 95 percent contained. The fire was spotted in a wooded area off I-95 between State Road 206 and State Road 207 Tuesday. Florida Forestry Service crews came in to fight the fire which has burned a little over 30 acres.

Take a step into adventure tonight as the James A. Long Elementary School drama students present Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS. The show is tonight and Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of the Palatka school. Admission is $5.

This is Marcia Lane, your roving reporter.