June 15 – Roving reporter

On the St. Johns River in Palatka on Sunday, boaters took to the water. It was both in support of Flag Day and of the nation’s president, Donald Trump. 

 Marches continued in St. Augustine, this one over removal of the Confederate monument. The march began at St. Paul A.M.E. Church, which is headed by the Rev. Ron Rawls of Gainesville, and headed up Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard on  the Plaza de la Constitucion. That’s where the monument bearing the names of men who died fighting for the Confederacy is located. Most have no other graves to their memory and their bodies were not brought back from where they died. St. Augustine officials almost two years ago put up new conceptualization signs to better explain the Civil War. Monuments to other wars are in the Plaza, as is a monument to Freedom Fighters, who marched in St. Augustine in the 1960s.

 St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a home invasion Sunday morning off Green Acres Road. Two people reportedly entered and stole drugs before taking off, chased by a number of people apparently at the house. Gunshots were exchanged. The chase ended on North Cornbrook Avenue and deputies began the interview that continued throughout the day. Charges and arrests are pending.

 Three occupants of a Lincoln Town Car ended up with only minor injuries after the car’s roof was sheared off and the front end ended up under a semi on Interstate 95 in Flagler County Friday evening. The Town Car was northbound on I-95 around 8:30 p.m. when the crash happened between State Road 100 and Palm Coast Parkway. Florida Highway Patrol worked the accident but details were not released.

 When deadline for qualifying ended Friday, three constitutional officers in Flagler County found themselves without opposition. That means Clerk of Court Tom Bexley, Tax Collector Suzanne Johnston, Property Appraiser Jay Gardner, and Elections Supervisor Kaiti Lenhart will be back in office. Sheriff Rick Staly did draw an opponent, Larry Jones. Jones, a former sheriff’s sergeant, four years ago campaigned for the post but Staly won.

Here in Putnam County several candidates will run unopposed in the November election

Supervisor of Elections Charles Overturf

Tax collector Linda Myers

County Commission Candidate Bill Pickens

County Court Judge Libby Morris

School Board District 2 David Buckles

School Board District 3 Sandra Gilyard

And Palatka City Commission Group One Tammy McCaskill

 Putnam County Commissioner Larry Harvey has been selected as a 2020 presidential advocate, according to the Florida Association of Counties. This special recognition is bestowed upon county commissioners who have shown exceptional leadership in serving on FAC’s Policy Committees, guiding the policy development process and advocating for FAC during the 2020 session to advance the counties’ legislative agenda.

 Putnam County is now at 10 new coronavirus cases counting figures released Friday through Sunday. Total is now at 190 cases in Putnam. As of Sunday Flagler County was at 207 cases, up four cases over the weekend. St. Johns County  as of Sunday was at 307 cases, showing a jump of 20 cases from Friday through Sunday.

 The Florida Department of Health in Putnam County has announced the newest cases:

 • 50 year old Palatka female.

•  6 year old Palatka female

• 53 year old East Palatka male. 

• 38 year old Palatka female.

• 64 year old Crescent City female.  

• 26 year old Palatka male

-41 year old man from Palatka.

-19 year old female from Palatka.

• 61 year old Palatka male who is hospitalized. 

 Putnam County maintains 6 virus related deaths.

 And after a rainy week last week, this week is looking sunny with very little chance of rain in the forecast.

Time to rev up that lawn mower.

This is Marcia Lane, your roving reporter.