St. Johns Riverkeeper to speak at luncheon
Coastal Friends will hold their next monthly luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 4 at Marsh Landing Country Club, 25655 Marsh Landing Parkway, Ponte Vedra Beach. This month’s guest speaker will be Lisa Rinaman, St. Johns Riverkeeper. She serves as the chief advocate and public’s voice for the St. Johns River and will talk about all things regarding the river and the status and care of it.
The luncheon is open to members as well as the community; the cost to attend is $25. Reservations must be made in advance by contacting the luncheon chairman at bartshar@comcast.net. The deadline for checks to be received is Friday morning, Sept. 29.
For information on joining Coastal Friends, email brookemeister@msn.com.
Beach cleanup set for Saturday, Sept. 23
Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve is planning a beach cleanup from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23. Meet at the visitor center, 505 Guana River Road, Ponte Vedra Beach, where gloves and trash bags will be provided. Participants will be directed to a specific beach for cleanup. Hat, insect repellent, water and sunscreen are recommended. Email Candace.Killian@FloridaDEP.gov to take part.
Palm Valley Market every Tuesday
The Palm Valley Market is held from 10 a.m. to 2 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.
South Ponte Vedra Park temporarily closed
St. Johns County has temporarily closed South Ponte Vedra Park, 2993 S. Ponte Vedra Blvd., to complete a $306,000 restoration project. The closure is expected to last until Thursday, Sept. 28.
The restoration project will help restore the dune that protects the upland infrastructure of the park, which took substantial damage from both hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022.
The project is being funded by FEMA through Public Assistance Category G (Parks, Recreational Facilities, and Other Areas).
Summer Haven study subject of public meeting
St. Johns County will host a public meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, at Celebration Hall at St. Anastasia Catholic Church, 5205 A1A South, St. Augustine, to discuss the findings presented in the Summer Haven Feasibility Study draft report recently completed by the county’s contracted coastal engineering firm, INTERA-GEC. The purpose of the study is to develop environmentally and financially sustainable long-term solutions to maintain the flow of the Summer Haven River. Go to sjcfl.us/CoastalProjects/summerhaven.aspx to view the draft report and bit.ly/SHRstudyPublicComments until Sept. 21 to provide public comment on the draft report.
The public will have an opportunity to ask questions and discuss the findings of the draft report with representatives from St. Johns County Coastal Management and INTERA-GEC at the meeting.
— Compiled by Shaun Ryan
