Keep cool today. Weather officials are calling for a heat index of 111 degrees for the area. That heat advisory continues through Tuesday. Putnam County Emergency Management advises limiting outdoor activity, drinking plenty of water, wearing loose clothing and making sure outdoor pets have shade and water. Since it is National Paperback Book Day, this might be a good day to stay indoors and read a book.
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office often advises people to ’’see something, say something‘’ when it comes to possible criminal activities. That advice may have saved the lives of a truckful of dogs and cats Wednesday. A woman at a shopping center in Palm Coast spotted puppies, dogs and cats in a U-haul truck when a woman identified as Shana Doud, opened the back of the closed vehicle and began spraying the dogs in an attempt to cool them down. Deputies were called and found four cats and 13 dogs in the truck with no water or food. Temperatures were well above 90 degrees. Deputies immediately began putting the animals in patrol cars in an effort to cool them down. They arrested Doud and truck driver Jason Sparks on animal cruelty charges. Sparks said they left Tennessee Tuesday with their dogs. Animal Control took the animals to a local veterinarian.
Palatka City Commissioners have said they will be offering $15 an hour for employees by 2026 and increasing wages along the way. At their first budget meeting for 2021-22 on Thursday, they began to get an idea of what that and other measures to attract and retain employees will cost. Consultants Reward Advisory Group, hired out of Jacksonville by the city, presented a study on wages and jobs including how Palatka compares to other cities such DeLand, Flagler Beach and South Daytona Beach. The next meeting is scheduled for Aug. 9.
Friends of Bostwick Library Saturday host a 100-year-anniversary celebration of the old school that is now the community library. Kids and maybe a few adults can play marbles and jacks – once popular schoolyard games during the Back to School Bash. Free school supplies and food will be given out. A book about the building, built in 1921, is for sale with profits going to the Friends for projects. Activities begin at 10 a.m. Be sure and say hi to Claudia Wilkinson, for many years a volunteer and the first branch manager for the library. She’s among the people of Bostwick who saved the building on Tillman Street and secured grants to restore it.
Head to Welaka in Putnam County Saturday for the C-GypSea Art and Welaka Woman’s Club Art & Craft Fair at the clubhouse on County Road 309. Admission is free and more than 35 vendors will be on hand. Baked goods and hotdog lunches will be for sale. Kids will love Reptile Encounters, a mobile reptile educational zoo.
A fundraiser for Mike Fishburn who is battling cancer is Saturday at Sykes Family Farm off State Road 207 in Elkton. Three bands, chicken dinners, food, drawings and a silent auction are part of the event that start at 3 p.m.
In Melrose you can help Sage Pridemore who needs a heart transplant by turning out for a Saturday fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Heritage Park in Melrose. Bands, food, a poker run, drawings and face painting are set.
In St. Augustine the annual Florida Water Warriors Family Fun Summer Bash is Saturday at Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor beginning at 4 pm. The Marlin Club puts on the free event.
Limelight Theatre in St. Augustine offers The Odd Couple by Neil Simon today through Sunday at their theater on Old Mission Avenue.
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