Applications accepted for beach toll attendants
St. Johns County Beach Services will begin accepting beach toll attendant applications from Jan. 8 to 10, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Pay for attendants starts at $12.90 hourly but goes as high as $15.05 based on experience and the level of responsibility an attendant is willing to take on. Shifts will be around five hours long, depending on the weather.
The season will begin mid-February and end the last weekend in September. Toll attendants will be responsible for selling vehicle beach access passes and providing customer service for St. Johns County beach visitors. In 2025, attendants will begin using handheld card readers and scanning vehicle barcodes.
In 2024, Beach Services’ nine booths sold more than 78,000 daily and annual beach passes, with proceeds funding local law enforcement, marine rescue operations and maintenance of beach parks and beach access points. Some attendants will work from newly constructed booths during the 2025 beach season.
Those interested in this seasonal position are encouraged to visit the St. Johns County Beach Services Office at 901 Pope Road to obtain and complete an application on Jan. 8, 9 or 10. For more information, email jwalker@sjcfl.us or call 904-209-0383.
Palm Valley Market every Tuesday
The Palm Valley Market is held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Tuesday inside the Palm Valley Community Center, 148 Canal Road. The market offers fresh produce, baked goods, local honey, tea, seasonal treats, soap, jewelry, plants and more.
Explore the beach at GTM Research Reserve
Join volunteers at the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTM) for a beach exploration 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 21. Collect seashells, search for shark teeth and learn about coastal wildlife. Meet at GTM Research Reserve Visitor Center, 505 Guana River Road, Ponte Vedra Beach.
Wear comfortable closed-toe shoes. Hat, insect repellent, water and sunscreen are recommended. The event is free but online registration is required. To register, go to gtmnerr.org/visit/events.
Crowley honored for Environmental Achievement
The Chamber of Shipping of America (CSA) recently honored 101 Crowley-operated vessels and their crews with Environmental Achievement Awards, recognizing the company and its people for its safe environmental operations.
The CSA's award honors vessels that maintain an exemplary safety record, free from reportable spills, U.S. Coast Guard environmental citations or other pollution incidents. The recognition reinforces Crowley's dedication to environmental stewardship throughout its operations.
The 101 vessels, which include tugboats, containerships, tank vessels and managed ships for the government, combine to have 864 cumulative years of environmentally safe performance.
“Sustainability and safety are at the heart of everything we do at Crowley, and we’re honored to be recognized yet again for our commitment,” said Capt. Boren Chambers, director of fleet operations, Crowley Shipping. “These awards are a testament to the hard work that our team puts in to be industry-leaders in environmental stewardship.”
— Compiled by Shaun Ryan
