March 9 – 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).

Look to the sky tonight to see biggest and brightest moon of the year. It’s a Worm Moon. Native Americans gave it the name because of the earthworm casts – think of it as fertilizer produced by the worms – that show up as the ground thaws as Spring approaches. When those casts appear the robins and other birds show up to feed. The moon will be large for the next few days.

Weather will be cooperating this week with clear skies. That’s good news in St. Johns County where golf pros from around the world are gathering for The Players Championship at Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra this week. Tiger Woods had been expected, but he’s now cancelled.

In Hawthorne, two people were reported shot during a “block party style celebration” early Sunday morning. Alachua County Sheriff’s Office responded to noise complaints in the area of 225th Way late Saturday. At 12:25 a.m. Sunday deputies heard multiple gunshots and found an adult male with a gunshot wound in the neck. He was taken to an area hospital for treatment of the non-life threatening wound. To secure the crime scene and look for other possible victims, more Alachua deputies and finally the SWAT team were called in. No other victims found in Hawthorne, but deputies discovered a juvenile male with a gunshot wound to the chest was taken to another hospital where he underwent surgery. No suspects have been identified.

A heightened awareness about the coronavirus has people paying attention to health concerns. On Friday a possible coronavirus case at the Cancer Center at AdventHealth Palm Coast in Flagler County turned out to be a false alarm. The patient reportedly was at a physician’s office that rents space at the Center. A 66-year-old woman in Volusia County has identified as presumptive positive for coronavirus and is in isolation. Best advice to staying healthy, say health care specialists, wash your hands.

Putnam County authorities have identified the body of a man who jumped off Palatka Memorial Bridge Thursday. The man was seen jumping off the bridge on the Palatka side shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday into the St. Johns River. The body of Wail Ardab, 26, was found about four hours later after an extensive search by Palatka Police, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Sonar helped find the body.

U.S. Navy flyers will be training in the Ocala National Forest this week using inert and live bombs at the Pinecastle Range. On Tuesday live bombing will be from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., inert from 2 to 6 p.m. Bombing runs are also scheduled Wednesday and Thursday.

People are groggily going to work today for the first work day after the beginning of Daylight Savings returning on Sunday. For those who question the wisdom of Daylight Savings, a study by the University of Colorado suggest more fatal car crashes happen when the nation spring’s forward. The study looked at more than 732,000 crashes between 1996 and 2017. A 6 percent increase in deadly crashes happens the week following time change. The percentage goes up to 9 percent when looking at crashes before noon. That’s when it’s darker and drivers tend to be more tired. Good news is today is National Nap day.

This is Marcia Lane, your roving reporter.