St. Johns County addresses North Beach flooding
St. Johns County hosted a community forum, a boat tour with elected officials and a press conference on Friday, June 21, to share options that will address stormwater flooding in North Beach area neighborhoods due to outfalls from the Intracoastal Waterway.
The activities included participation from Joy Andrews, St. Johns County administrator; Scott Beaver, St. Johns County Sheriff's Office director of patrol; Greg Caldwell, St. Johns County public works director; Henry Dean, St. Johns County District 5 commissioner; Rep. Cyndi Stevenson, Florida House of Representatives, District 17; and U.S. Congressman John H. Rutherford, U.S. House of Representatives, District 5.
Significant storms that have impacted North Beach since 2016 include hurricanes Matthew (2016), Irma (2017), Ian (2022) and Nicole (2022). During the community forum, the county's Public Works Department discussed several options to construct a bulkhead along the ICW from Euclid Avenue to 23rd Street.
“What a wonderful morning we had taking a hard look at that area north of here, which is under a substantial risk of flooding even during summer storms, not to mention nor'easters and hurricanes,” Dean said.
“FEMA has potentially two programs that I think we are going to be able to tap into to assist with some of the funding that’s going to be required to protect these properties,” Rutherford said.
The county's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs will seek state and federal funds later this year to complete the project.
Blood donations needed
Blood donations have declined and blood usage at local hospitals has increased, which has led to a summer blood shortage. Without an adequate blood supply, patient care will be affected. LifeSouth Community Blood Centers is urging the community to donate now.
At this time, all LifeSouth donors will receive a $20 e-gift card, and double red cell and platelet donors receive a $40 e-gift card.
To find a blood drive near you, call LifeSouth toll-free at 888-795-2707, go to lifesouth.org or download the LifeSouth app. Appointments can also be made online.
Nature journaling event is July 11
Join nature journaling instructor Elaine Bergstrom at the Guana Tolomato Matanzas (GTM) National Estuarine Research Reserve to explore the wonders at the reserve on July 11. Each month focuses on different topics using words, pictures and numbers to learn more about what we observe.
The event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon. Meet at the GTM Research Reserve Trailhead Pavilion, 505 Guana River Road, Ponte Vedra Beach.
Wear comfortable closed-toe shoes. Hat, insect repellent, water, sunscreen and binoculars are recommended. The event is free but online registration is required.
To register, go to gtmnerr.org/visit/events.
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.
— Compiled by Shaun Ryan
