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Community Briefs 4/27/17

Clay Today
Posted 4/26/17

Mail ballot request deadlineGREEN COVE SPRINGS – Orange Park voters planning to cast ballots in the May 9 Municipal Super Tuesday Run-Off Election have until May 3 to request a ballot be mailed …

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Community Briefs 4/27/17


Posted

Mail ballot request deadline
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Orange Park voters planning to cast ballots in the May 9 Municipal Super Tuesday Run-Off Election have until May 3 to request a ballot be mailed to them for voting.
Voters are advised to allow at least five days for their ballot to be returned by mail to the Supervisor of Elections office. However, voters can drop off their completed ballots 24 hours a day by delivering their ballots to the Mail Ballot Drop Box located at the front entrance of the Supervisor of Elections Office in Green Cove Springs. Voted mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Meanwhile, the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Orange Park Town Hall at 2042 Park Ave.
Voters will choose between Larry Nichols and Ron Raymond for Council Seat 1 as neither candidate received 50 percent of the vote plus one vote to win the race outright on April 11.
Raymond received 463 votes, 49.26 percent, while Nichols received 311 votes for 33.09 percent.
For more information, go towww.ClayElections.com or call (904) 269-6350 for assistance.

Asdot named acting police chief
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – The City of Green Cove Springs has appointed Derek S. Asdot as its Acting Police Chief.
The move comes nine weeks after former chief of police Robert Musco retired suddenly after an investigation revealed he had made racially-charged comments to a black officer in January while planning for the city’s Rev. Martin Luther King Day celebration.
Asdot began his career with the Green Cove Springs Police Department as a patrolman in 2002. During his tenure here, he has also served in the department’s Street Crimes Unit, a Clay County and DEA Task Force Narcotics detective, a patrol sergeant and lieutenant before taking the new position. Prior to entering law enforcement, Asdot also served as an airborne infantryman in the U.S. Army where he attained the rank of specialist upon his honorable discharge in 1996.
Asdot will serve as acting police chief through the end of this fiscal year and is scheduled to attend the FBI National Academy for further training, according to a news release from the city.

Canterfield of Clay County names executive director
ATLANTA – Medical Development Corp., developer and owner of Canterfield Senior Living Communities, has named D. Brent Montgomery executive director of Canterfield of Clay County.
A graduate of Mississippi State University, Montgomery has a bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing. He has been a licensed nursing home administrator since 1993.
Prior to joining Canterfield, Montgomery served in numerous administrator positions, including skilled nursing and assisted living facilities as well as home health care agencies.
“Brent Montgomery brings a wealth of knowledge to our Executive Director position,” said Winston A. Porter, president of Atlanta-based Medical Development Corp. “Not only does he have a deep understanding of the elder care field, but he also exhibits a strong personal passion for its inherent mission. These traits, coupled with his in-depth working knowledge of the business aspects of his position in addition to his robust team building and leadership skills, made Brent our logical choice to fill the critical position of executive director at Canterfield of Clay County, our newest Canterfield campus.”
Canterfield enables residents to age in place with Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care services.

Land Trust to hold 6th Annual Fish Fry
JACKSONVILLE – North Florida Land Trust is hosting its 6th Annual Fish Fry at Big Talbot Island on May 20. The family-friendly event will be from noon until 5 p.m. at Talbot House on Big Talbot Island, 12134 Houston Ave. in Jacksonville. There will be live music, marsh views, food, local beers, lawn games and more.
“This fundraising event is so much fun for all ages,” said Jim McCarthy, executive director of North Florida Land Trust. “It is a great opportunity for everyone to spend some time out at Big Talbot Island, partake in a nature hike and learn more about why Big Talbot Island is such a special place. It is a great example of why we at North Florida Land Trust do what we do.”
A Florida Master Naturalist will be there to take people on a free guided nature hike. The hike is 1.5 miles and hikers will learn about all the natural plants and wildlife that can be seen on Big Talbot Island. The hikes will leave at 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Space is limited and guests can sign up for the preferred time when purchasing tickets.
Guests are encouraged to BYOC or bring your own chair, sit on the lawn and enjoy live music from some local favorites. Junco Royals will be playing traditional old time jazz and LPT will perform their Afro-Cuban beats. Bold City Brewery will bring the beer and Beer 30: San Marco is providing cider. Safe Harbor and Indulge Food Truck will be serving up the food for the fish fry. Vegan and gluten-free options will also be available.
Tickets are $30 in advance or $40 at the door and include entry and a meal. Kids under 12 are $10 in advance or $20 at the door and students with ID are $15 in advance and $25 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at www.northfloridalandtrust.org/events/fishfry/. For more information, contact gfletcher@northfloridalandtrust.org or call (904) 479-1962. Tickets are rain or shine. No refunds.
Founded in 1999, North Florida Land Trust is a nonprofit organization who serves as a champion of land conservation primarily in Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns counties.

Landscaping database saves homeowners time, money and water
PALATKA – An online resource is saving time, money and water for homeowners who are looking for landscaping ideas. The St. Johns River Water Management District’s waterwise plant database can help landscapers and do-it-yourselfers research the right plants for their yards’ specific growing conditions.
“Among the district’s greatest priorities is promoting water conservation,” said Ann Shortelle, SJRWMD executive director. “Because one of the biggest uses of water is lawn and landscape irrigation at our homes and businesses, using water wisely in our landscapes is an important personal responsibility. Florida-friendly landscaping is easy – plus, saving water saves homeowners money!”
To date, rainfall during 2017 has been below average with future predictions for similar rainfall trends. If a landscape’s sunlight and soil conditions are assessed correctly, well-chosen plants will need little to no supplemental irrigation once established.
The district’s waterwise landscaping webpages provide information on how to design a water-conserving landscape and how to group plants according to their needs, such as planting region, sunlight and soil conditions.
The database, which is found at www.sjrwmd.com/waterwiselandscapes, is searchable by scientific name, common name, size, color of flowers, hardiness zone, soil moisture needs, light and shade requirements, salt tolerance, and more. It also offers information on hundreds of plant species and allows users to compare information about different plants to determine if they are suitable to plant together and to help the user better plan planting areas. The database works on smartphones and other mobile devices, so can conveniently be taken along when shopping at a garden center.
April is Water Conservation Month, a designation intended to heighten public awareness about the variety of ways to reduce our water use. For additional water conservation tips to help you save money around the home, visit www.sjrwmd.com/waterconservation.