April 29, 2021 The Roving Reporter

This is Marcia Lane, your roving reporter.

A free concert tonight in front of George C. Miller Jr. Middle School in Crescent City will be bittersweet. It’s the last band concert for the school, which is among those on the District School Board’s closing list. The school is being closed at the end of this year as the district consolidates and then builds new schools. Miller Middle students are being combined next year with those at Crescent City High School. Both Miller Middle and Crescent City High bands will perform. Social distancing will be in effect at the concert and those coming should bring lawn chairs, says band director Jolene Jones. The concert begins at 5:30 p.m. 

Speaking of music, the Romanza Festivale of Music & The Arts is returning to St. Augustine beginning Saturday. Last year’s two-week festival was canceled due to coronavirus shutdowns. The group that puts on Romanza also oversees the Celtic Festival, which provides some of the funding for Romanza’s mostly free events. The Celtic Festival didn’t happen this year but the organizers hope to be back next year. Still not happening this year is the Gamble Rogers Music Festival, which normally would have been this weekend.

And still speaking of music, Palm Coast Songwriters Festival opens tonight at the European Village courtyard in Palm Coast with singer and songwriter Paul Overstreet. He’s written hits including “Same Ole Me,”  Forever and Ever, Amen” and “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.” On Friday the festival is at Daytona State College Amphitheater on Palm Coast Parkway SE beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. it’s the Bloody Mary Brunch Bash at Oceanside Bar and Grill in Flagler Beach. At 5 p.m. the festival moves back to Daytona State College Amphitheater. On Sunday the festival opens at 1 p.m. at the Amphitheater. European Village and the Brunch Bash are free, the other events have a $20 general admission. 

Some Crescent City residents have complained about excessive speeding and possible racing in their town. Now the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, which was hired by the city after shutting down their police department, is warning increased patrols will be targeting speeders. Marked and unmarked cars will be used.

The Bank of America building on South Ocean Shore Boulevard in Flagler Beach is about to get a new lease on life. The Flagler Beach City Commission has approved plans to make over the building with efficiency apartment-style vacation rentals upstairs and clothing and gift boutiques down. The building will be called the Ocean Club. Pinchas Mamane of Ormond Beach and Larry Robinson of Daytona Beach are developing the project. 

Death total entries for Florida Department of Health in Flagler County changed again Wednesday with the total dropping one person to 108. That’s the second day in a row the number has been changed. In addition 10 new coronavirus cases were reported Wednesday, bringing the Flagler total to 7,074. The state site reported one new coronavirus-related death in Putnam County bringing the total to 145. Seventeen new cases were reported for a total of 6,413. St. Johns County reported 29 new cases for a total of 22,323 since counting began in March a year ago.

Palatka City Commissioner Rufus Borum holds a town hall meeting tonight at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting reportedly for North Historic District and Central Business District owners is to discuss concerns and issues.

For the 36th consecutive year the Putnam County Clerk of Courts Office has earned top marks from the Government Finance Officers Association. Matt Reynolds, Clerk of Courts, notified county commissioners the office once again received a certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting from GFOA. The certificate for 2019 is for time Tim Smith was still clerk.

It’s opening night for Matilda the Musical presented by Palatka High School’s Musical Theatre Department. The musical, based on Roald Dahl’s award-winning novel Matilda, is on stage at C.L. Overturf Jr. Sixth Grade Center Auditorium in Palatka. Tickets are available at the door or call Ralph’s House of Flowers 386-325-4734. The musical is today through Sunday and next week May 6-9. Word is the show is a treat for children and adults.