Sunny Viewer’s Choice 0% rain chance Quilter Barbara Vollmer wins 71 | 48 Putnam Library Award. In CURRENTS For details, see 2A PALATKA DAILY NEWS SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 2014 www.mypdn.com $1 Federal ST. JOHNS CELEBRATES LATEST LAUNCH Man wants fugitive to warn captured Putnam in Palatka of rise in Suspect taken into custody Friday sea levels without incident He’ll bring BY PETE SKIBA presentation Palatka Daily News to commission A federal fugitive described as armed and threatening, not to be easily taken back to pris- on Tuesday on, was booked into Putnam County Jail Friday, stated a Photos by CHRIS DEVITTO / Palatka Daily News BY BRANDON D. OLIVER Putnam County Sheriff’s Sheila Echols smashes a bottle of champagne on the bow of St. Johns Shipbuilding’s newest ship, Sea Service, just Palatka Daily News Office report. before its launch Friday at the Putnam County shipyard. Lenny Demillionare Grice, A Putnam County resident 32, surrendered to the SWAT will make a presentation team without incident in about the threat of rising sea Palatka, said Sheriff’s Maj. levels during Tuesday’s Board Johnny $7 million vessel will service offshore oil rigs of County Commissioners Greenwood. meeting. According BY PETE SKIBA The commission will have to Green- Palatka Daily News its first March meeting at 9 wood, Grice a.m. on Tuesday at the gov- is a six-time he workers at a Putnam ernment complex in Palatka. convicted County shipbuilding opera- Robert Virnstein is sched- felon with a tion could serve as an exam- uled to speak to the board lengthy his- Tple for Matthew B. Crawford’s about the projected rise in sea tory includ- book “Shop Class as Soulcraft,” level and the impact it could ing drug Grice showing “that productive labor is have on the county, both in charges, the foundation of all prosperity.” the coastal areas and along resisting law In his book, Crawford extolled the the shore of the rivers and enforcement, possession of a virtue of the hard work that the lakes. firearm by a felon, armed rob- welders, assemblers known as fit- During his PowerPoint pre- bery, aggravated assault with ters and supervisors at St. Johns sentation, Virnstein will show a weapon and shooting into an Ship Building Inc. exhibited to build the board graphs and photos occupied vehicle. its newest product. to demonstrate that sea level “Grice is a very dangerous The company rolled out a 157- rise is real and scary, accord- and violent individual with a foot, 590-long-ton cargo hauling off- ing to county documents. lengthy criminal history dat- shore service boat in a traditional “The rate of sea level rise is ing back to when he was a champagne-soaked launch just after increasing,” Virnstein said in teenager,” said Sheriff Jeff 10 a.m. Friday. The Sea Service, a $7 million, 157-foot service boat, was launched Friday Hardy. “I am glad he was cap- And talk about tradition. Steve morning at St. Johns Shipbuilding Inc. Its final destination is Trinidad. See COUNTY, Page 5A tured without anyone being Ganoe, company president, said, hurt.” “This is a good start. The launch is According to reports, this is to bless all that sail on the vessel. pink hardhat, said. “I got it on one and remain stationary in all but the how Grice was apprehended: May they have fair winds and fol- swing.” roughest of seas as supplies are Wanted on a federal warrant lowing seas.” When the boat slid down the loaded to the rig. Pomona for violating probation on drug Swinging the champagne bottle wooden rails sideways into the The boat’s size allows smaller charges, Grice was reported against the steel hull, Sheila, wife water, workers, their families and operators to be competitive with the armed with a handgun. of Bo Echols, a boat-building crew friends let out cheers and applause. bigger operations at different rigs. Grice threatened violence supervisor, knew she had only one Steve Torok, project engineer, The shipbuilding company Park’s new against law enforcement to shot. She smashed the bottle with a said that the boat, named Sea remains a viable competitor in the avoid capture. swing like Mickey Mantle. Service, carries the latest in high- global market, said Ganoe. The Developing information, “I only had one hit, otherwise it tech computer and satellite recep- deputies and the Palatka was bad luck,” Sheila Echols, in a tion gear. It can approach an oil rig See LAUNCH, Page 5A comp plan See ARREST, Page 5A ready to roll INDEX BY ASIA AIKINS High bid amountsMore postpone policies.drainage projects Palatka Daily News Advice ............................. 6A Briefing ........................... 2A Pomona Park’s new compre- Classified/Legals ............ 3B BY ASIA AIKINS were budgeted by FEMA five hensive plan returned with Comics ............................ 6A Palatka Daily News years ago, providing more the state’s stamp of approval Horoscope ...................... 6A More savings.than $22,000 for each. Griffith Friday morning, Town Clerk Lottery............................. 9A Drainage improvement said last fall after various Cindy Hair said. Obituaries ....................... 7A projects on St. Johns Avenue delays that he expected con- “We’ve been working on our Opinions ......................... 4A have been pushed back again, struction to finally begin at comp plan for a while now,” Sports ............................. 8A after bids came back higher the beginning of 2014. Hair said. “(State officials) Sudoku ........................... 3B than the amounts budgetedMore by policies.More “Jonathanpolicies. told me in found no items of concern. So Federal Emergency October or November that it should go into effect 31 days The Voice of Management Agency grants. work would start in January,” from now.” Putnam County According to Jonathan Murtagh said. “I was wonder- The town council began Griffith, grant administrator, ing what was going on.” working on amending the since 1885 the city has requestedMore more savings.More Griffithsavings. said bids for the comprehensive plan last year. grant money from FEMA to project ®near Angela’s came “Our comprehensive plan VOL. 126 • NO. 49 fund the long-awaited drain- Bundle auto, home and life for big Stateback Farm a couple discounts. of weeks ago hasn’t been updated since the age improvement projects near CHRIS DEVITTO / Palatka Daily News and the bids for the 15th early 1990s,” Hair said earlier PALATKA, FLA. So let us show you how State Farm can help protect all the things that matter most – the intersections near South Angela’s Bridal Wear and Boutique near the corner of Eighth Street project came back on this year. “It was terribly out Street and St. Johnsfor a lot Avenue less than is youone think. business that will benefit Eight Street and South 15th ® Thursday. of date. We did a complete Public Notices Street on St. Johns Avenue. from drainage repairsGET TO plannedA BETTER by STATE. Palatka CONTACT officials. AN AGENT TODAY. “The bids for both projects overhaul.” on Page 3B “That project needed to be came back over budget,” he Mayor John Bergquist Jr. By mail, 3 sections done five years ago,” said said. said the biggest change officials Angela Murtagh, owner of Johns Ave. “Five minutes of get in the door.” Angela’s Boutique at 726 St. torrential rain, you can’t even Griffith said the projects See DRAINAGE, Page 5A See POMONA, Page 5A Bundle auto, home and life for big StateBundle Farm auto,® discounts. home and life for big State Farm® discounts. So let us show you how State Farm can help protect all theSo thingslet us thatshow matter you how most State – Farm can help protect all the things that matter most – Edith Aldrich Ins Agcy Inc Susan G Helwig Ins Agcy Inc for a lot less than you think. Edith Aldrich ChFC CLU,for a Agent lot less than you think.Susan® Helwig CLU, Agent Bundle auto,® home and life for big State Farm® discounts. GET TO A BETTERSo let us STATE. show you CONTACT how State AN FarmAGENT1721 can TODAY.Reid help StGET protect TO A allBETTER the things STATE. that 836CONTACT matter S Moody most AN Road -AGENT TODAY. for a lot less than you think. Palatka, FL 32177 Palatka, FL 32177 Bus: 386-328-0610 Bus: 386-312-1002 GET TO A BETTER STATE®. CONTACT AN AGENT TODAY. statefarm.com® Build a bundle. Edith Aldrich ChFC CLU, Agent Ken Henley CLU ChFC, Agent Susan Helwig CLU, Agent 1721 Reid Street 119 North 4th Street 836 S. Moody Rd Palatka FL 32177 Palatka, FL 32177 Palatka FL 32177 Save a bundle. 386-328-0610 386-328-1523 386-312-1002 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Edith1203024 Aldrich Ins Agcy Inc Susan GKen Helwig Henley EdithIns AgcyCLU Aldrich ChFC,Inc Ins Agent Agcy Inc Susan G Helwig Ins Agcy Inc State Farm, Bloomington, IL Edith Aldrich ChFC CLU, Agent Susan Helwig119Edith CLU, North Aldrich Agent 4th StreetChFC CLU, Agent Susan Helwig CLU, Agent 1721 Reid St 836 S MoodyPalatka, Road FL1721 32177 Reid St 836 S Moody Road Palatka, FL 32177 Palatka, Bus:FL 32177 386-328-1523Palatka, FL 32177 Palatka, FL 32177 Bus: 386-328-0610 Bus:[email protected] 386-312-1002Bus: 386-328-0610 Bus: 386-312-1002 030814a1.indd 1 3/7/14 7:54 PM statefarm.com® Ken Henley CLU ChFC, Agent Ken Henley CLU ChFC, Agent 119 North 4th Street 119 North 4th Street Palatka, FL 32177 Palatka, FL 32177 1203027 Bus: 386-328-1523 State Farm, Bloomington, IL Bus: 386-328-1523 [email protected] [email protected] statefarm.com® statefarm.com® 1203027 State Farm, Bloomington, IL 1203027 State Farm, Bloomington, IL 2A PALATKA DAILY NEWS • SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 2014 AmericAnism night PresentAtion Putnam AM ation of the West Putnam Arts Committee using both Jenkins Park Local and Interlachen Town Hall.