Partly Cloudy 10% rain chance EXPRESS YOURSELF | Painting class encourages creativity. In CURRENTS 72 52 For details, see 2A www.mypdn.com PALATKA DAILY NEWS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2015 $1 Better Cold Snap Doesn’t Slow Bluegrass Place up CHRIS DEVITTO / Palatka Daily News Michael Zimny, left, a grant coordinator, talks to Michael for board Gagnon after a workshop for the Historic Preservation Board. hearing Palatka’s Tuesday downtown BY BRANDON D. OLIVER Palatka Daily News Local lawmakers on a historic Tuesday will undergo the final process to get a Better Place Plan extension referendum on this year’s special election bal- CHRIS DEVITTO / Palatka Daily News district? lot. Members of the bluegrass band The Boxcars perform Friday at the annual Palatka Bluegrass Festival at Rodeheaver The Boys Ranch. The festival concludes today after the scheduled 9:30 p.m. performance ends. Putnam City’s taking ‘baby County Board of steps’ toward that Commis- sioners meet- ‘Most ... left zero-degree weather to get here’ goal in the future ing begins at 9 a.m., but BY ASIA AIKINS there will be adjacent tent to watch The Spinney made the RV parking area muddy Palatka Daily News Leary BY BRANDON D. OLIVER a public hear- Palatka Daily News Brothers, VW Boys, Dailey & enough to require tractors tow some ing to pass Vincent and other popular blue- of the campers to their spots. Putnam County residents the referen- RODEHEAVER BOYS RANCH grass musicians perform. On Wednesday, the first day of learned more about historic dum ordinance at 11 a.m. espite the cold, the Spring “They’re fired up,” Jeff King, the the festival, a tree along State Road preservation Friday afternoon An infrastructure surtax Palatka Bluegrass Festival ranch’s development director, said 19 fell onto a power line, knocking at a workshop with state program, the Better Place continued without any com- about the performers and the out the power at the ranch. Certified Local Government Plan expires on Dec. 31, 2017, Dplications Friday as blue- crowd. “From what I can see, every- Everyone at the festival also had Coordinator Michael Zimny. so commissioners will review grass performers and fans enjoyed thing is running pretty smooth. All to deal with the 30- and 40-degree “Historic preservation is the program and decide the second day of the festival. the challenges have been met at temperatures, but King said that about preserving what makes whether to place it on the bal- Bundled in their winter clothes, this time.” for many people, the conditions your community special,” lot for the April 7 special elec- bluegrass enthusiasts gathered By challenges, King referenced Zimny said as he started his tion. under the ranch’s pole barn and the all-day rain on Tuesday that See BLUEGRASS, Page 6A presentation. “We’re going to have the Members of historic societ- ordinance, which is, for all ies and planning boards intents and purposes, going to throughout the county attend- be identical to the original ed the Palatka Historic ordinance,” County Preservation Board workshop, Administrator Rick Leary asking questions about how said, referencing the ordi- their communities can benefit nance from 2002 when This fair’s a hit with science-minded students from historic preservation Putnam voters first approved designations. the plan. BY PETE SKIBA According to Palatka “The board will look at that Palatka Daily News Planning Director Thad to see if they find that accept- Crowe, the city of Palatka able or want to make chang- FLORAHOME – Songwriter Thomas Dolby once earned its CLG status about a es,” he said. sang that a woman “Blinded me with science.” year and a half ago. Although If the ordinance is passed The students at Q.I. Roberts Junior-Senior High the title CLG doesn’t say any- and voters approve, the Better School entered into a science fair and opened their thing about preservation, Place Plan extension will eyes and minds to science. Zimny said the designation is begin Jan. 1, 2018 and last for “This is our first science and engineering fair,” a national initiative to help 15 years. said Richard Brown, science teacher. “There is no communities preserve historic Before the public hearing, countywide fair. We are hoping to expand this and buildings and landmarks. Better Place Plan Oversight have students enter the state science competition.” By maintaining a CLG sta- Committee Chairman Ron This year’s fair limited the students to grades tus, Zimny said the city of Jones will give an annual seven and eight. Plans call for more grades to be Palatka could benefit from report, which includes how added next year. training and technical assis- much money has been collect- All students in the school’s Cambridge program, tance, grant assistance and ed and spent, in regard to the which according to Education Week promotes criti- have a formal role in acquir- program. cal thinking, in-depth analysis and writing skills, ing National Register of During the hearing, Public just might blind the non-science visitor with their Historic Places designation. Works Director Don scientific ability. PETE SKIBA / Palatka Daily News “It would be good to get Jacobovitz will have a more According to the judging criteria, projects were Science teacher Lindy Rowe, left, and student Kylah McKibben showcased together with the other CLGs McKibben’s ice-cube science project Friday at Q.I. Roberts Junior-Senior See PUTNAM, Page 6A See SCIENCE, Page 6A High School. See PALATKA, Page 6A INDEX CONTROLLED BURN Advice ............................. 2B Hot chili at chilly Welaka Spring Fest Briefing ........................... 2A Classified/Legals .......... 10A BY ASIA AIKINS Comics ............................ 2B Palatka Daily News Horoscope ...................... 2B Lottery............................. 9A WELAKA – Putnam Obituaries ....................... 7A County officials joined Opinions ......................... 4A Welaka residents Friday, Sports ............................. 8A warming up for this week- Sudoku ..........................11A end’s Welaka Springfest with the festival’s annual The Voice of chili cook-off. Putnam County Putnam County commis- sioners Walton Pellicer, since 1885 Chip Laibl and Karl Flagg joined Putnam County VOL. 127 • NO. 38 Supervisor of Elections PALATKA, FLA. Charles Overturf III, CHRIS DEVITTO / Palatka Daily News Putnam County Sheriff’s Cherie Harth tastes a bowl of chili during the annual chili Public Notices Office executive Deputy cook-off during Welaka’s Springfest on Friday. Jared Guy, PCSO public CHRIS DEVITTO / Palatka Daily News on Page 10A service assistant Jacob A Florida Forest Service firefighter sets a controlled burn of about By mail, 2 sections Higginbotham, Redlands deciding the winner of this Welaka Mayor Gordon 25 acres Friday in property along County Road 309 near Christian Migrants year’s cook-off. Sands. “Probably the hotter Stegbones Fish Camp. The fire was set to clear out brush and pine Association teacher Lucille “We’ve been doing this needles near a conservation area. Cronk and Liz Laibl in for about 12 years,” said See WELAKA, Page 6A 022115a1.indd 1 2/20/15 7:42 PM 2A PALATKA DAILY NEWS • SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2015 One Book One Putnam Finale & art ShOw Putnam AM is re-creating her 111-mile swim from Cuba to Key West in a theater Local near the beach where she concluded WELAKA the record-setting athletic feat. “Onward! The Diana Nyad Story,” Bike rides, kayak trips a one-woman show written and per- formed live by Nyad, opened part of Spring Fest Thursday night at The Studios of Putnam Blueways and Trails will Key West. sponsor Welaka Spring Festival On Labor Day 2013, the 64-year- Bicycle Rides from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., old athlete walked ashore on Key today. Meet at Welaka Town Hall, West’s Smathers Beach, becoming 52 Sportsman Dr. There are 10 and the first person to swim across the 20 miles routes offered. Helmets are Florida Straits to the Florida Keys required for all Putnam Blueways & without a shark cage. Trails rides. The epic crossing took nearly 53 Following the bike rids, there will hours and was her fifth attempt be a Welaka Spring Festival Kayak after initially trying in 1978. Trip from 2-4 p.m. at the West end of Using special effects and storytell- Palmetto Street. Kayak Bear Creek ing, “Onward!” spotlights Nyad’s as part of the spring festival. For determination and even transports intermediate level paddlers – six audiences to the Florida Straits with TRISHA MURPHY / Palatka Daily News miles paddle. Whistles and PFDs are her during a nighttime encounter Putnam County Headquarters Library staffer Mara Carrion holds a copy of the book “The Creek” written by J.T. Glisson. mandatory. with jellyfish. Key West performanc- The book was this year’s selection for the One Book Putnam county-wide reading initiative that began in January. The One Book One Putnam Finale will be Tuesday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and will include “The Spirit of Cross Creek Art Details: 546-1668; putnambluewa- es continue through Sunday Show” at the GFWC Woman’s Club of Palatka at 600 South 13th St., Palatka. Glisson will be special guest during the ysandtrails.org. evening event. One Book One Putnam is presented each year by a dedicated group of volunteers. Its purpose is to tampA encourage people from all over Putnam County to gather together around one book and talk about it and enjoy INTERLACHEN experiences designed to bring life to the book in many different ways. OBOP receives no public funding and relies on Governors endorse donations from organizations and individuals who are interested in encouraging reading throughout Putnam County. Historical society to medical research center Artists planning to participate in the show should have their work at the Woman’s Club by 5 p.m.