Feb.4 – 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).

Putnam County’s top speller and runner-up will be recognized at tonight’s Putnam School Board meeting. The meeting is at 6 p.m., a response to a push to have meetings at a more convenient time for the public. The Putnam County Commission also has been experimenting with more evening meetings.

An electrical issue may have caused a fire Sunday at St. Augustine Beach that left a man dead. Neighbors returning from the grocery store saw smoke coming from the house on Winward Way, between Mizell Road and State Road A1A and went to the house trying to rouse someone. They also called 9-1-1 and deputies and firefighters responded. They broke a door to get in and pulled out a man and a large dog, but couldn’t revive either. The man has been identified as Vernon Savage, who owned the house along with his wife.

A citizens advisory committee for the Flagler County school superintendent search meets tonight at 6 p.m. at the Government Complex in Bunnell to go through 29 applications. They’ll provide a list of candidates to the school board on Feb. 19 and the board will choose candidates to interview. The committee’s work isn’t binding and the final say is left up to the school board. School board members each appointed four individuals to the committee, but four of those won’t be seated. They were appointed by board member Colleen Conklin, who has since announced she’s running for the superintendent’s job.

Flagler County commissioners have a building for sale – the former Sheriff’s Operations Center in Bunnell. A year-and-a-half ago the sheriff pulled out his people who were complaining of working in what they believed was a sick building. That led to a controversy with the county and repeated environmental testing; they’re still waiting for results from the Centers for Disease Control. County administrator Jerry Cameron Monday offered three options to commissioners – tear down the building, sell it as is or repair it. Four of the commissioners went with selling it as is. They’re hoping to do so in the next 90 days.

St. Johns County Emergency Management is urging people to sign up for their new emergency alert system. The new system replaces Code Red, which many signed up for as a means of staying on top of emergencies including hurricanes. To receive alerts, people must sign up themselves online. The current contact lists can’t be transferred from the old system to the new.

Two Putnam County residents who made a difference in the county have died. Ed MacClellan, the former executive director of  Rodeheaver Boys Ranch, died Sunday after a brief illness. He spent a lifetime helping children including founding and directing Florida Horsemen’s Children’s Home. Services are Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Christ Independent Methodist Church in Palatka. Melvin Register Jr. died Friday. A lifelong Palatka resident, he was known as Mr. H20, a tribute to his 30 plus years with the City of Palatka and his major role at the water department. He was recently honored by the city for his many years on the city’s Pension Board. Mel also loved music and songwriting, including being part of the bands BloodShot and later Scathe. A memorial services is Thursday at 6 p.m. at Masters Funeral Home in Palatka.

It’s a theatrical weekend coming up in Palatka. On Wednesday River City Players in Palatka opens with the comedy “37 Postcards.” That’s at the Scarlett-Hill Theatre in the Larimer Arts Center on Reid Street. For more, call 904-377-5044. The play is on this week and next. In Crescent City The Purple Plum Players perform the comedy “A Night in the Theatre” on Friday and Saturday. The curtain goes up at 6 p.m. at the Howe Memorial UMC Community Hall. Call 386-503-8768.

This is Marcia Lane, your roving reporter.