Sept. 17 – 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 FM).

Ponte Vedra Beach resident, 63-year-old Robert H Hendricks, has been indicted on 12 counts of wire fraud, according to a report received by Historic City News this morning.

United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez unsealed the indictment today adding that, if convicted, Hendricks faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison – on each count. The indictment also notifies Hendricks that the United States is seeking a money judgment of at least $2,638,924.34, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.

A deputy’s alertness might have been the difference between life and death for a bundle of kittens found early Monday in St. Johns County.

According to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy 

Misamore was driving along County Road 13A about 4:30 a.m. when she noticed the kittens huddled together near the roadway.

Even though the kittens tried to flee when approached, Misamore managed to corral them long enough to place them inside her patrol car. She later dropped them off at animal control.

Images posted on Facebook by the Sheriff’s Office show the trio of adorable kittens perched on the deputy’s shoulder and exploring the interior of the patrol car.

It’s unclear when they will be ready for adoption, but the agency recommend that people interested in giving them a home contact the county’s animal control staff.

A 14-year-old student at Buddy Taylor Middle School was hospitalized Friday morning after showing signs of a drug overdose and telling a school psychologist she had ingested 10 pills, according to a Flagler County Sheriff’s incident report.

The incident was reported to a school resource deputy at about 8:40 Friday morning. By then school officials had tended to the student and an ambulance was called in. The investigation was turned over to detectives at the sheriff’s office, and is ongoing.

St. Augustine Police Department officers were dispatched to Scarlett O’Hara’s, located at 70 Hypolita St., on Sunday after reports of a stabbing, SAPD says.

When they arrived, officers were led to the intersection of Hypolita and Spanish streets where they found a stabbing victim who was bleeding.

Officers begin to search the area for the suspect, who they later located and have identified as Richard Palmer.

Palmer was searched and officers found a black pocket knife in his front pocket. They also found 13 counterfeit $100 bills in his wallet, according to police.

Palmer was then arrested without incident and transported the St. Johns County Jail.

The victim was transported to Flagler Hospital, and then transported to the Orange Park Medical Center for treatment of his wounds.

The victim is listed in stable condition, and police say it is unclear at this time what sparked the confrontation.

GATORS? Deputy Rodney Erdman and Deputy Brandon Cologne received an animal complaint Monday evening at Bealls Outlet located at 316 SR 312. They arrived to find this little guy terrorizing the customers (and maybe demanding a few discounts?)

The baby gator was safely secured and relocated by SJSO Deputies to a place that was a better fit for the little guy.

Monday, the carousel in Davenport Park, in St. Augustine was dismantled and taken away.

Marianne Turner told Action News Jax, “It’s just, it’s very special. It’s a great landmark.”

Family members of the owner, who passed away on Thursday, Sept. 5, were there as the carousel was being dismantled.

The owner’s sisters Kathleen Nasrey and Colleen Anderson said her brother’s last wish was to have it moved to Port Charlotte.

Locals said they’d like to see a tribute to the ride’s owner.

Turner explained, “This is a lot of memories for visitors and residents alike.”

According Nasrey the carousel will spend 6 months to a year being refurbished and then set up in a currently unknown public location.

Putnam County inmate crews helped paint and build the new space for the Bread of Life nonprofit, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.

The work needing to be done required a closure of the building, and Bread of Life has been working out of a temporary home at First Presbyterian.

Bread Of Life is a nonprofit in our community that feeds lunch to the homeless and indigent population six days a week. 

Inmates who are on work crews volunteer for the work.

Bells rang out from the gazebo in the Plaza de la Constitution at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, as the Maria Jefferson Chapter of the DAR observes Constitution Day 2019. In doing so, the local DAR joined with organizations around the country recognizing the date that the delegation to the Constitutional Convention met for the final time to sign the document they had created.

The event is open to the public.

Crews and marine units on Monday continued the search for a man who disappeared after going for a swim in the ocean off St. Augustine Beach.

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office identified the missing beachgoer as 22-year-old Jacob Turner from Tampa. News4Jax learned he was visiting for the weekend with two friends.

According to St. Johns County Fire-Rescue, the young man was last seen in the water about 4 p.m. Sunday. That’s when Fire-Rescue responded, along with the Sheriff’s Office and the St. Augustine Beach Police Department.

There were strong rip currents Monday as Hurricane Humberto churned away from the Atlantic coast, leaving behind high surf and dangerous rip currents.

This is Marcia Lane, your roving reporter.