Mostly Sunny 20% rain chance CHALK TALKS on SIDEWALKS | Palatka’s second annual Chalk Explosion. In APPLAUSE 82 62 For details, see 2A www.mypdn.com PALATKA DAILY NEWS THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2015 $1 PUTNAM COUNTIANS HIT THE TRAIL Sheriff: Body cameras unlikely at PCSO BY PETE SKIBA Palatka Daily News With a recent police-involved shoot- ing in Jacksonville, Gov. Rick Scott has said he would talk to sheriffs about their thoughts on body cameras for law enforcement personnel. Scott said, “We’re going to see what the results are there and rely on the chiefs and sheriffs (opinions.)” Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy said he stands firmly against requiring deputies to wear body cameras. “There are a lot of restrictions on police. None of the incidents Hardy CHRIS DEVITTO / Palatka Daily News would have hap- More than 40 city and county officials and other residents walked the new trail through the north side of Palatka Wednesday to celebrate National Walking Day. pened if the subjects had not resisted arrest,” Hardy said. “No one wants to hold the bad guys responsible. The majority of the offi- cers out there are doing the right thing. (Nationwide) it is a handful of Walkers express hopes for a healthier population people causing all the problems.” Hardy said there remain strong fis- cal and time-consumption reasons to BY ASIA AIKINS Garcia and a health department The almost-two-mile walk began point just before the walk began, as not equip deputies with body camer- Palatka Daily News team joined representatives from on the recently completed trail Hill said organizing officials worked as. Putnam Blueways and Trails, across from the Italian-Latin Grill to advertise the event on social More than 60 deputies would have Local officials took time Putnam County and the city of and ended at Palatka City Hall. media and the internet. to be outfitted with cameras, Hardy Wednesday to advocate for active Palatka, leading the walk along Walkers were greeted with refresh- “This is the perfect opportunity to said. Body Vision by L-3 Mobile lifestyles and healthy choices, walk- Palatka’s urban rail trail Wednesday ments at the end of the walk and advertise the trail we have here in Vision, a New Jersey company, offers ing with Palatka Mayor Terrill Hill afternoon. were offered a shuttle back to the Palatka, too,” Hill said. “It’s a per- personal law-enforcement cameras at in honor of National Walking Day. “We hope to inspire people in the starting location. fect opportunity for people to come $499 each. Multiply 60 times $499 State Department of Health in city to get out and take our health A large group of city and county and the cost is $29,940. Putnam County Administrator Mary more seriously,” Hill said. residents gathered at the starting See WALKERS, Page 10A Considering there is presently no IT, information technology, in place for storage, that would be an added expense. The Putnam County Commission would have to authorize the purchase. There would also be other expenses associated with data Torch Run for Special Olympics headed here Monday recovery and maintenance. “We are the poorest county in the BY ASIA AIKINS runs in the weeks leading up to the annual cially exciting to them,” she said. “They feel like state,” Hardy said. “I don’t see the Palatka Daily News state games each spring. they are their friends.” commissioners funding this.” “It has been done for numerous years,” Guy According to the Special Olympics website, Considering that Florida’s public Local residents will join a statewide effort said. “It’s a worth-while cause to bring aware- law enforcement from more than 300 agencies records laws make many records Monday bringing support to Putnam County’s ness to Special Olympics and Putnam County participate in the run each year. While the path available to residents at low cost, Special Olympics athletes through the annual athletes. We have athletes who participate in may change, Guy said a state coordinator for requests for video logs could slam the Law Enforcement Torch Run. the state games. We even had some go to the run connects each agency when it’s time to office staff. Putnam County Sheriff’s Department Det. nationals.” pass off the torch. Keeping up with public paperwork Jared Guy will pick up the torch from a neigh- Local coach Celeste Bass said athletes like Putnam County Special Olympics coordina- requests already takes time and effort boring county just before the Torch Run begins her son find the Torch Run exciting each year tor Carolyn Brantley said participation in from the main job of protecting the at 9 a.m. Monday at the track outside of as family, friends, local residents and law Putnam’s Special Olympics program had been public, said Capt. Gator Deloach. Moseley Elementary School in Palatka. The enforcement gather in their support. “We have so many public records torch is passed from county-to-county for torch “Having law enforcement involved is espe- See TORCH, Page 5A See CAMERAS, Page 5A INDEX Advice ............................. 5A Kids get their fi ll of wheels and more at annual Touch-a-Truck Briefing ........................... 2A Classified/Legals ............ 8A BY BRANDON D. OLIVER years, it also occurs during spring Comics ............................ 5A Palatka Daily News break. Horoscope ...................... 5A “All the kids are excited to honk the Lottery............................. 7A Dozens of emergency, sanitation, horns and jump in the vehicles,” Obituaries ..................... 10A parks and public works vehicles were Simpson said. “We shoot for (the Opinions ......................... 4A on display Wednesday as part of the event to be during) Spring Break. Sports ............................. 6A annual Touch-a-Truck event. April is National County Government Sudoku ........................... 9A Hosted by the Putnam County Month.” Parks and Recreation Department, Many of the agencies that were at The Voice of Touch-a-Truck is a way for local resi- the sports complex Wednesday have Putnam County dents to get a glimpse at the equip- attended the event before, but it was ment that many local agencies use to the first time in several years UF since 1885 carry out its services. Health had one of its helicopters at Hundreds of people attended the Touch-a-Truck. VOL. 127 • NO. 66 event, which was held at the John Katie Hodge took her 2-year-old PALATKA, FLA. Theobold Sports Complex in Palatka, son to his first Touch-a-Truck event to view and/or sit in the vehicles from so that he could get an up-close look 12 agencies, including the Palatka at his favorite vehicles. Public Notices Police Department, Putnam County Although he sees them from afar on Page 8A Sheriff’s Office, Fire & EMS and UF plenty when he’s at home, Hodge By mail, 2 sections Health in Gainesville. said, her son got even more joy being CHRIS DEVITTO / Palatka Daily News Recreation Manager Tess Simpson able to get on the motorcycle and in Brantley and Micah Moore got to sit in the seat of a Putnam County Public Works said that the event is meant to cele- bulldozer during the Touch-a-Truck event at the John Theobold Sports Complex brate local government, but like many See TRUCKS, Page 3A Wednesday morning. 040215a1.indd 1 4/1/15 7:52 PM 2a PALATKA DAILY NEWS • THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2015 Palatka Street turned Into CanvaS of Color Luke Taft creates a chalk art design on the street on St. Johns Avenue Putnam AM during a Third Friday event in Downtown Palatka recently. Taft is moving traffic violation. chairman of this Willie Charles Simmons, 38, San year’s Palatka Chalk Explosion’s Local News Mateo: moving traffic violation. third annual street Putnam County painting event March 31 planned Saturday, Seasonal manatee April 11, from 9 zones now in effect Nelle Michelle Ard, 39, Palatka: a.m. to 4 p.m. two counts possession of a controlled between the 300 Boaters can enjoy opportunities to substance. and 400 blocks of observe one of Florida’s unique spe- Joshua Douglas Dey, 25, St. Johns Avenue cies but to avoid colliding with mana- Interlachen: aggravated assault in Palatka. The tees, people on the water should take with a deadly weapon. competition is basic steps such as slowing down, open to everyone watching out for the animals and and will be divided complying with regulations in mana- in three categories tee zones. – inexperienced In effect from April 1 through Nov. State News artists, 15, seasonal manatee zones require professionals and boaters slow down in certain areas to oRLando youth. Chalk will prevent manatees from being struck be provided. by motorboats or personal water- Formerofficer sentenced Registration craft. For more information on man- deadline for the atee zones and maps, go to MyFWC. for aiding drug dealer competition is April com/Manatee and select “Protection A former Titusville police officer has 9. For related Zones,” where there are links to been sentenced to 10 years in federal story and more county maps. prison for participating in a drug deal. photos, see today’s Applause. Because manatees are large, slow- U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron moving and difficult to detect when sentenced 46-year-old Richard Submitted photo underwater, operators of boats and Irizarry on Tuesday. The sentence, personal watercraft need to take for attempting to aid and abet the basic steps to avoid causing injury to distribution of cocaine, also includes the marine mammals: Wear polar- four years of supervised released. ized sunglasses to help spot mana- Irizarry was found guilty by a feder- tees; Look for the large circles on the al jury in January.