Pictured from left are KNB Board Member Margo Story, KNB Secretary Kelley McCarter, KNB Executive Director Lynda Bell, Amelia Island Brewing Company Brew Maestro Jay Mack, and Amelia Tavern Del Matthews.
Keep Nassau Beautiful
Lynda Bell, Executive Director [email protected]
November 7, 2019
Keep Nassau Beautiful receives a $750.00 donation towards its tree planting project, Planting Nassau’s Future.
Amelia Tavern recently presented to Keep Nassau Beautiful a donation in support of its tree planting project, which will plant 300 trees in Nassau County during a 5-month period beginning Dec. 1.
Keep Nassau Beautiful, Inc. is working to inspire, educate, and equip individuals, groups, businesses and governments to take action to make Nassau County a place where residents, visitors and wildlife can thrive and experience the beauty of Nassau County.
This Veterans Day weekend, I look forward to reflecting on the sacrifice of the men and women who selflessly served our country at home and abroad. Florida is currently home to an estimated 1.5 million veterans and approximately 65,000 active-duty military personnel and I could not be prouder that these heroes reside in Florida. While we can never repay the sacrifices made by these extraordinary individuals and their families, I’m fully committed to ensuring that Florida is the most veteran-friendly state in the nation.
In honor of Veterans Day, I’m highlighting ‘Operation Return the Valor’, my statewide initiative to further honor those who serve in our armed forces. The initiative’s first mission is to find owners or heirs of nearly 40 medals of veterans left in forgotten safety deposit boxes and sent to the state’s unclaimed property program. The medals include decorations such as Purple Hearts, Bronze Stars, and Distinguished Flying Crosses. I need your help to find these veterans and their families, so they can be reunited with the honors they received during service. For more information on Operation Return the Valor, click here.
Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis today announced one of his 2020 legislative priorities, the Florida Veterans Protection Act. Sponsored by Senator Tom Wright and Representative Bobby Payne, this legislation will help protect veterans by adding the victimization of 10 or more veterans as an aggravated white-collar crime.
Patronis said, “Veterans are twice as likely to be targeted for scams than you or me. We must do all we can to protect the estimated 1.5 million veterans in our state, and that includes doing everything possible to guard veterans from identity theft and scams. This year, with the leadership of Chair Wright and Chair Payne, we will crack down on criminals who scam our veterans. The brave men and women who serve our nation in our armed forces deserve to be honored and protected.”
Senator Tom Wright said, “I’m proud to be working with CFO Patronis to protect Florida’s veterans from fraud. These men and women served our country and we must do everything we can to ensure they are not victimized by scam artists looking to make a quick buck. I look forward to working on this important legislation to protect these heroes.”
Representative Bobby Payne said, “With CFO Patronis’ support, we will ensure that Florida remains the best state in the nation for veterans to call home and we’ll send a clear message that there is zero tolerance for scam artists who target veterans. We are committed to serving our state’s veterans just as they selflessly served to protect us at home and abroad.”
Jeff Gray Campaign Candidate for Nassau County Commissioner District 3 November 8, 2019
Jeff Gray (R), candidate for Nassau County Commisioner, District 3
Recently, Jeff Gray filed with the Nassau County Supervisor of Elections to begin his campaign for Nassau County Commissioner District 3. The position of County Commissioner requires steadfast leadership and the foresight to identify and plan for the upcoming challenges and opportunities of the 2020s.
Jeff & his wife Diana fell in love with Nassau County years ago and decided to move here and raise a family. When asked specifically what drew him to Nassau County, Jeff gladly tells anyone, “The people of this county are so friendly and welcoming! The natural beauty that can be seen from any part of the county…like the beaches of Fernandina, the marshes of Yulee, to the wide open lands of Callahan, Bryceville, and Hilliard…it’s just hard to beat! And Diana and I both believed it would be the best place to raise our children Jeffrie & Brooke.” Beyond the friendly people and natural beauty Jeff points out, “There is a great opportunity to improve the quality of life for everyone who calls Nassau County home. By attracting and managing the right type of economic growth, we can create new jobs and keep more money right here in the county.”
Jeff’s strong background in business and community involvement make him uniquely qualified to take a leadership role in promoting smart-growth, while preserving personal property rights. Jeff has worked for 32 years for one of the world’s largest and most diversified corporations, AB Volvo Group / Mack Trucks, Inc. Working his way through the ranks, Jeff became a business manager for this company…a position that demands attention to detail, planning, and dedication to meet complicated goals and exacting deadlines. In our community, Jeff has served in various leadership roles.
On the Nassau County Code Enforcement Board, Jeff served as a board member and as Chairperson, ensuring that the highest standards were upheld in construction projects to keep our citizens safe. “People ask me, ‘what does code enforcement actually do?’” Jeff says, “The best way I can answer that is to let people know that our job is to promote the uniform application of ordinances, laws, and code to ensure corners are never cut that would affect the safety or accessibility of a building, road, sidewalk, or other infrastructure project. Without this enforcement, the quality of our infrastructure would be low and pose a real safety hazard, which would significantly diminish our quality of life.” In addition to serving on the Code Enforcement Board, Jeff has served on the Nassau County Economic Opportunity Board as well as the Planning & Zoning Board. After the retirement of Chairperson Thomas Ford, Jeff was named the first new Chairperson of the Economic Opportunity Board in nearly two decades.
Away from planning and working to promote economic opportunity, Jeff has also served as a little league coach, umpire, and community services volunteer and has participated in Angel Food Ministries and Gracie’s Kitchen of Nassau County. Jeff and his family are members of Bridge Family Worship Center in Yulee.
Jeff is running for Nassau County Commissioner District 3 because he understands that decisive, forward-thinking leadership will be required to take Nassau County into the next decade. Jeff is committed to promoting growth projects that will not only enhance the quality of life for our current citizens but will also lay the foundation for a stronger, more prosperous future. To accomplish this, Jeff believes that we need to be proactive about growth. Attracting the right type of growth will lead to job creation, new avenues for recreation, and the ability to keep more money in the county. Further, Jeff believes that the tax base must be diversified. “We cannot continue to rely on residential properties to generate the vast majority of tax revenue. Nassau County must take the steps necessary to not only attract commercial and industrial entities to the county, but also ensure they pay their fair share in property taxes,” Jeff says, “This will help keep our residential property taxes among the lowest in the state, while still allowing for much needed investments in the county.”
To get all this done, Jeff will engage the public & all stakeholders during critical phases of planning, so all voices of Nassau County can be heard…only then can we truly move forward as a county. Jeff will continue to build upon his reputation as a relationship builder to work with individuals, business, industry, and government to develop common-sense plans that will benefit everyone who calls Nassau County home. And with the help of friends like you, we can shape a brighter future for everyone in Nassau County. To learn more about Jeff Gray and his campaign, visit www.VoteJeffGray.com or call Jeff at 904-302-0137.
Friends of the Library
Press Release Jody Mackle Communications Chair November 8, 2019
Brenda Eubanks Burnette
Friends of the Library is pleased to announce that Brenda Eubanks Burnette will speak at the Fernandina Beach Library on November 18th, 6pm on the history of the Florida citrus industry in conjunction with the current art exhibit, “Historic Florida Citrus Labels”, on display in the Fernandina Beach Library Community Room. This exhibit shows the colorful historic advertising art used in Florida between the late 1800s and the 1960s.
Brenda is the current secretary of the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame in Bartow, Florida and coauthor of a new book “Florida’s Citrus Crate Labels, Florida’s First Billboards”, which will available for purchase at the talk.
Many native Floridians here in Fernandina Beach have family ties that connect them to Florida’s citrus history and industry. Come for an entertaining evening about Florida’s history. Refreshments will be served. No reservations are needed.
For further information regarding this event, on joining the Friends of the Library, or Continue reading →
Location: Jacksonville Public Library, Main Branch, 303 N. Laura Street 32202
When: Saturday, November 09 2:00pm – 3:30pm
Frank B. Goodin
Award-winning filmmaker, documentarian, UNF Professor of Video Production, Frank Goodin will screen clips from egregiously racist films such as Birth of a Nation to punctuate why Race Film had to be invented. Using the new genre of films produced by innovators Oscar Micheaux and Richard Norman, Frank will demonstrate the power and impact of America’s Race Films.
A Jacksonville native, Goodin has written, produced and directed several independent films. His first narrative feature film, LOVE TRAP, was a 4x Best Feature Film winner, screened on Showtime for 18 months, and offered on Netflix. THE 904, Goodin’s first feature length documentary, in conjunction with Melissa Ross Bernardo Santana and won an Emmy award in 2011.. Teaching several video production courses at the University of North Florida enables Frank to influence the next generation of Jacksonville filmmakers.
For more information on this program and the Speaker Series, contact Rita Reagan.
