Feb. 19 – 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 School District officials will appoint a citizens committee to address ongoing safety issues in schools. Thomas Bolling, the district’s associate superintendent of support services, will head the committee, School Superintendent Rick Surrency told board members at Tuesday’s meeting. Parents were on hand questioning safety measures. That comes after two incidents involving students coming to school with weapons. The latest incident involved a Jenkins Middle School who brought two 9 mm handguns and several knives in his backpack. He faces a felony charge. Two videos also have surfaced featuring fights between students.

Florida Forest Service conducted a prescribed burn Tuesday on the Manning Tract at Etoniah Creek State Forest in Putnam County. The burn, in part to cut back on underbrush, was on 215 acres.

Palm Coast, Bunnell and Flagler Beach governments are looking at joining with Flagler County to underwrite a shelter for the homeless on cold nights in Flagler County. The money would provide for transportation for the homeless and security at the shelter. Plans call for moving the cold weather shelter from Bunnell’s First United Methodist Church to Church on the Rock on U.S. 1 in Bunnell. The Sheltering Tree that oversees helping the homeless would still continue weekly Tuesday outreach operations at First United.

The chair of the Flagler County Airport Advisory Board has resigned. Daryl Hickman has been critical of the airport director and at times the Flagler County Commission in part because he thinks not enough weight is given to advisory board recommendations. Recent issues included noise complaints and a new terminal. After Hickman’s resignation, the board went ahead with spending $250,000 for an additional 15 acres for the airport. That’s where the new terminal will go.

St. Johns County Animal Control has released records showing two Rottweilers that attacked a Hastings woman last week sending her to the hospital have caused problems in the past. Both had reportedly bitten children in the past year and one man reported the dogs chased his grandson two days before the attack on Tammy Degolyer. Four citations have been issued to the dogs’ owner for violations of the county’s leash law and two citations for damages. During the latest attack incident a deputy shot both dogs, killing one.

A fire early this morning in St. Augustine badly damaged a family’s  mobile home, camper and car, according to St. Augustine authorities. Neighbors heard dogs barking around 2:30 this morning and saw fires on the property on Gordo Bella Avenue near U.S. 1. The family including three adult sons lives in another house next to the mobile home. Officials said no one was hurt.

This Sunday St. Johns River State College’s former Vikings and the public are urged to gather for a reunion featuring legendary coach John Tindall at the Vikings’ baseball field in Palatka. Tindall will be on the field at 12:30 to present the annual endowed scholarship given in his name. At 1 p.m. SJR State plays East Coast State.

St. Augustine’s idea to celebrate 200th anniversary of Florida becoming a U.S. territory is beginning to bear fruit. Mayor Tracy Upchurch says he’s gotten responses from Doyle Conner Jr., chair of the Great Florida Cattle Drive of 21, and Nancy Birchall, co-chair of the Trinity Church Bicentennial celebration. Conner notes five of America’s 10 largest cow herds are in the Sunshine State. It was Ponce de Leon who brought cattle and horses to the shores of the nation in 1521. Trinity Episcopal was the first Anglican church founded in Florida.

This is Marcia Lane, your roving reporter.