FPC graduate to be featured on Shark Week sawfish episode

Also in Your Town: Find Your Florida photography winners, Rotary Club of Palm Coast and more.


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  • | 4:48 p.m. July 25, 2017
Rachel Scharer studies sawfish with Florida Fish & Wildlife. Photo courtesy of Rachel Scharer
Rachel Scharer studies sawfish with Florida Fish & Wildlife. Photo courtesy of Rachel Scharer
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Rachel Scharer holds up a sawfish. Photo courtesy of Rachel Scharer
Rachel Scharer holds up a sawfish. Photo courtesy of Rachel Scharer

Rachel Scharer, who grew up in Palm Coast, will be featured with her work as a Florida Fish & Wildlife employee during Discovery’s Shark Week. The “Lair of the Sawfish” will be shown Friday, July 28 at 10 p.m.

Scharer knew she wanted to work with marine animals after taking a marine biology course at Flagler Palm Coast High School, which she graduated in 2005. After earning a bachelor’s degree in marine biology and master’s degree by studying smalltooth sawfish, she is now living out that dream by working with Florida Fish & Wildlife in Port Charlotte.

“We were actually dissecting sharks, and I just thought it was the coolest thing,” she said about her class at FPC.

Growing up in Palm Coast, Scharer was always by the water. Her family had a boat and lived on the Intracostal.

“I’ve always loved sharks, but I guess I never considered it as a career until I took marine biology at FPC,” she said.

Christmas in July

The Rotary Club of Palm Coast's annual charity poker run benefits Christmas Come True. Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Palm Coast
The Rotary Club of Palm Coast's annual charity poker run benefits Christmas Come True. Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Palm Coast

The Rotary Club of Palm Coast raised over $3,000 at its annual charity poker run, which was held on July 15. The money will benefit Christmas Come True, an organization that provides services and support to local families in need. The 40 participants collected beads that were exchanged for poker hands at the end of the run.

Capturing Palm Coast’s beauty

First place:
First place: "Dawn at the Marina" Photo by Vicki Payne

The winners for the Palm Coast Find Your Florida 2017 Photography Contest were awarded gift certificates to local businesses. The photographers captured scenes of sailboats at the marina, an aerial view of the water tower, sunlight streaming through the oak trees and more.

To see the winning photos, click here.

First Place: “Dawn at the Marina” by Vicki Payne

Second Place: “Cute Woodkern” by Nikolay Vsevolodov

Third Place: “Palm Coast Riverwalk” by Cynde Baumann

Best Bird: “Beautiful Buccaneer” by Nikolay Vsevolodov

Best Youth: “Flower View” by Zelia Burnett

Second place: “Cute Woodkern” Photo by Nikolay Vsevolodov
Second place: “Cute Woodkern” Photo by Nikolay Vsevolodov

Overall Honorable Mentions:

  • “Our Iconic Palm Coast Water Tower” by William Clark
  • “There’s Always Time for Fun Here” by Sharon Behl
  • “Sailboat Sunrise at Palm Coast Marina” by Cynde Baumann
  • “Boating” by Teresa Johns
  • “Bobcat” by Charles Corsitto
  • “Surprise” by Joan Twing
  • “Compact World” by Nikolay Vsevolodov

 Best Bird Honorable Mentions:

  • “Early Morning Visitor” by Kelly Hay
  • “Osprey Flying High” by Sally Crawford

 Best Youth Honorable Mention:

  • “Lake” by Garret Hunter

Giving Back

Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings, Flagler County Sheriff Staly and Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper present a check to benefit Florida Sheriff's Youth Ranches Board of Directors. Photo courtesy of Palm Coast
Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings, Flagler County Sheriff Staly and Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper present a check to benefit Florida Sheriff's Youth Ranches Board of Directors. Photo courtesy of Palm Coast

Sheriff Rick Staly and members of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office presented a check for $9,081 to Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranches on July 24.

When Staly took office in January, he gave employees the option to donate to the charity each pay period in return for being allowed to have a goatee or dress down on Fridays. The amount represents what Flagler Sheriff’s employees have donated since the start of the year. Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches provides residential care for troubled youth.

Florida Purple Heart Day

The state of Florida has designated August 7 as Florida Purple Heart Day to honor the Purple Heart recipients in the sunshine state.

In a written proclamation, Florida Governor Rick Scott said “I, Rick Scott, Governor of the State of Florida, do hereby extend greetings and best wishes to all observing August 7, 2017, as Florida Purple Heart Day.”

The Purple Heart was established by General George Washington during the Revolution War and is a combat decoration awarded to members of the U.S. armed forces who have been wounded or killed.

‘Depth’ opening reception

Artist Krystyna Spisak-Madejczyk poses in front of
Artist Krystyna Spisak-Madejczyk poses in front of "Depth" at Blue Art Gallery in Bunnell. Photo by Paige Wilson

“Depth” by Krystyna Spisak-Madejczyk had its opening reception at Blue Art Gallery on July 22. Locals perused the gallery, which is  located at 4601 East Moody Blvd. K-11, Bunnell, to see Spisak-Madejczyk’s digital art paintings and sculptures.

Spisak-Madejczyk was born in Krakow, Poland and has lived and worked in the U.S. since 1981 after graduating from the National School of Fine Arts in Poznan, Poland. One of her creations is on display as a creative design for a subway station in Kew Gardens, New York City. Four of her large-scale sculptures are on permanent display in Poland, as well.

Water Plant 3 wins award

The Palm Coast Utility’s Department Water Treatment Plant 3 has been awarded the 2017 “Outstanding Membrane Plant Award” by Southeast Desalting Association. Photo courtesy of Palm Coast
The Palm Coast Utility’s Department Water Treatment Plant 3 has been awarded the 2017 “Outstanding Membrane Plant Award” by Southeast Desalting Association. Photo courtesy of Palm Coast

The Palm Coast Utility’s Department Water Treatment Plant 3 has been awarded the 2017 “Outstanding Membrane Plant Award” by Southeast Desalting Association.

Plant 3, which opened in July 2008, is the city’s newest water treatment plant. It was designed and built as a low-pressure brackish water membrane plant to allow for future use of upper-Floridian Aquifer brackish source water. It currently produces about 2.5 million gallons of drinking water per day.

 

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