This is Marcia Lane, your roving reporter.
The U.S. Navy came to the aid of a pilot who crashed in water off of Bardin Road in Putnam County Monday. The pilot was approaching Palatka Municipal Airport off State Road 100 in a single engine plane when he sent an emergency signal and radioed a Mayday. Turned out to be the pilot’s lucky day — a Navy MH-60 Seahawk was in the area and headed for the crash site. A Navy flight crew found the downed plane and loaded the pilot on a rescue basket as Putnam County Sheriff’s deputies arrived. The Seahawk flew the pilot to the airport and no injuries were reported.
In what will be a shock for football fans, Palatka Jr.-Sr. High School and St. Augustine High School apparently won’t meet for their annual end-of-the-season football game in 2023. The game is the second oldest rivalry in the state of Florida. The two schools reportedly agreed to stop playing during the regular season although for the next two years they will take part in the preseason Kickoff Classic. Competition — or lack of it — reportedly is the reason. For the last eight years, St. Augustine, which has more than 1,000 more students, has won. The rivalry may return in the future. The first game between the two was played in 1922. Another change in Putnam County football will see Interlachen Junior-Senior High dropping out of District 6-2S and going independent. They too are facing larger and larger schools, reducing competition equality.
The Players Championship ended Monday with Cameron Smith winning. The Australian who lives in the Jacksonville Beach area took home $3.6 million of the $20 million purse, the richest on the tour. His win came after TPC stretched over five days due to bad weather. An extra bonus for Smith, his mother and sister were on hand. He hasn’t seen the two in two years due to COVID-19 restrictions.
A 27-year-old St. Augustine teacher is facing federal prison if he’s found guilt of attempting to entice a 14-year-old to meet him for sexual activity. Turned out the “child” Matthew Christopher Yates was corresponding with on a social media application was a FBI agent. Yates has taught at Veritas Classical School in St. Augustine. The school is part of a private Christian classical school private education network.
Cloudy skies moved in today. Showers and a possible thunderstorm will be moving in tonight with chance of precipitation at 80 percent today and Wednesday.
A Palm Coast man is facing felony charges after a Monday incident where he allegedly crashed into a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy patrol car. Brandan Ingram, 24, reportedly was racing recklessly on U.S. 1 through Bunnell evening when he crashed into the patrol car, slightly injuring a deputy. He then sped off but was tracked down in part because his bumper with the tag fell off during the crash.
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