Beaches Watch News & Updates
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Upcoming Events & Important Dates
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3 at 7PM
*** JOIN US FOR IN-PERSON MEETING! ****
Topic: District 2 School Board Candidate Forum
Speakers: Elizabeth Andersen, April Carney
Location: Beaches Branch Library
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RENEW YOUR 2022 MEMBERSHIP!
Thank you for your continued support!
ATLANTIC BEACH MAYOR'S COUNCIL ON HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Wednesday, August 10 at Noon
Topic: Community Engagement and Purpose
Location: Atlantic Beach City Hall
800 Seminole Rd, Atlantic Beach
BACK TO SCHOOL SALES TAX HOLIDAY
July 25 - August 7
PRIMARY ELECTION DATES TO REMEMBER:
August 8 - 21: Early Voting
August 13: Deadline to request a ballot to be mailed
August 23: Election day
JACKSONVILLE BEACH BUDGET WORKSHOPS
August 2, 5-7pm: Police
August 8, 5-7pm: Public Works, Planning & Development, Redevelopment
August 9, 5-7pm: Beaches Energy Services, Parks & Recreation
SATURDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS, 10AM - 2PM
Beaches Green Market
Location: Penman Park, 321 Penman Rd, Jacksonville Beach
SUNDAYS, 10AM - 2PM
Atlantic Beach Farmer's Market
Location: Jack Russell Park, 850 Seminole Rd, Atlantic Beach
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District 2 School Board Candidate Forum
Wednesday, August 3
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Mark your calendars and plan to attend the District 2 School Board Candidate Forum on Wednesday, August 3 at 7pm at the Beaches Branch Library, 600 3rd St, Neptune Beach. Candidates for the District 2 School Board position are: Elizabeth Andersen and April Carney. Both candidates are confirmed to be participating in the forum.
Questions from the audience can be submitted in writing the night of the forum.
PLEASE NOTE: there is a maximum capacity permitted in the Library Community Room. In the event the turnout for the forum exceeds the maximum capacity of the Community Room, you will be able to watch the forum video that will be posted on the www.BeachesWatch.com website on Thursday, August 4.
We also encourage you to learn about the candidates by visiting their websites, following their social media and contacting them with any questions you may have.
Follow Elizabeth on FB, Twitter, Instagram @andersen4dcps
Instagram: @aprilarenacarney
Facebook: @april.a.carney
Gettr: @aprilarenacarney
Telegram: @AAC0134
ELECTION INFORMATION
Early voting: August 8, 2022 – August 21, 2022
Deadline to request a ballot to be mailed: August 13, 2022
Election day: August 23, 2022
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Back to School Sales Tax Holiday
July 25 - August 7
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From the Governor's Press Office:
As Florida families prepare for another school year, Governor Ron DeSantis is encouraging Floridians to save money on school supplies from July 25 - August 7. With the school year quickly approaching, the sales tax holiday is predicted to save Florida families more than $100 million this year.
During the 2022 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday qualifying items will be exempt from tax including:
- Learning aids selling for $30 or less per item, such as:
- Interactive Books,
- Jigsaw Puzzles, and
- Other toys that teach reading or math skills
- School supplies selling for $50 or less per item, such as:
- Binders,
- Calculators,
- Notebooks,
- Pens and pencils, and
- Lunch boxes.
- Clothing and footwear selling for $100 or less per item, such as:
- Backpacks,
- Pants,
- Shoes,
- Shirts, and
- Sweaters.
- Personal computers and related accessories purchased for noncommercial home or personal use selling for $1,500 or less per item, such as:
- Personal Computers,
- Flash drives,
- Computer batteries,
- Printers, and
- Headphones.
For more information and to view lists of qualifying items, visit the Department of Revenue's Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday website at floridarevenue.com/backtoschool. For answers to frequently asked questions, including a full list of items that qualify, click here.
In addition, families can continue saving during the 2022 Children’s Books Sales Tax Exemption, which began on Saturday, May 14, and extends through Sunday, August 14. Fiction or nonfiction books intended for children ages 12 and younger are tax free during the Children’s Books Sales Tax Exemption. For additional information regarding the Children’s Books Sales Tax Exemption, visit the Department of Revenue’s website at floridarevenue.com/childrensbooks.
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Jax Beach Citizen Police Academy Starts August 25
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WHEN: August 25, 2022 – November 17, 2022
HOW OFTEN: Every Thursday Night - 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
COST: Only $25 (cash, checks, or money orders accepted)
WHERE: Jacksonville Beach Police Department
101 Penman Road South
Jacksonville Beach, FL. 32250
The Jacksonville Beach Police Department is now accepting applications for the next Citizen Police Academy that starts on August 25. The academy is a great opportunity to get an in-depth look into the Jacksonville Beach Police Department:
- Do a ride-along with an officer
- Shoot a police officer's gun at the firearms range
- In-depth examination of a real-life homicide
- Hands-on crime scene processing
- Up-close look at a SWAT Team in operation
- And more!
Applications are being accepted until August 18.
CLICK HERE for more information and to submit an application.
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Police Chiefs Provide Annual Update on Public Safety
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On Wednesday, July 13, Atlantic Beach Police Chief Vic Gualillo, Jacksonville Beach Police Chief Gene Paul Smith, and Neptune Beach Commander Michael Key provided their annual update on public safety at the beaches. Issues they address included July 4th, successes and challenges of the 2022 summer season, involvement of the police departments with student and teacher safety, information on gun, gang, and drug activities at the beaches, and how citizens can support their police departments.
If you weren't able to attend the meeting, you can watch the meeting video here:
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Jacksonville Beach Budget Workshops & Meetings Scheduled
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The City of Jacksonville Beach will be hosting budget workshops to brief the City Council on the proposed budget for 2022-2023. Jacksonville Beach citizens are encouraged to attend the budget workshops to learn about where your tax dollars are proposed to be spent in the coming year.
All Budget Workshop meetings will be held in City Hall in either the Council Chambers or the Training Room next to the Council Chambers.
Friday, July 29, 2-4pm: Budget Showcase & Financial Condition Report
Monday, August 1, 4-6pm: Executive & Legislative, Finance, HR, and Information Services
Tuesday, August 2, 5-7pm: Police
Monday, August 8, 5-7pm: Public Works, Planning & Development, Redevelopment
Tuesday, August 9, 5-7pm: Beaches Energy Services, Parks & Recreation
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It's election time for all three beach communities, so Beaches Watch is dedicated to providing you with information about the candidates who will be on the November 8 ballot.
ATLANTIC BEACH
Three seats are up for election on November 8 for Atlantic Beach:
- Mayor Commissioner/Seat 1 (2 year term)
- Commissioner Seat 4 (4 year term)
- Commissioner Seat 5 (4 year term)
Qualifying dates for Atlantic Beach candidates: August 29 (Noon) through September 2 (Noon)
JACKSONVILLE BEACH
Qualifying ended Friday, July 17 with the candidates for the three district seats unopposed. As such, all three candidates are considered elected and will assume office after November 8.
District 1, Seat 4: Cory Nichols
District 2, Seat 5: Bill Horn
District 3, Seat 6: Sandy Golding
NEPTUNE BEACH
Qualifying ended Friday, July 17 with two candidates qualifying for Seat 4 and one candidate qualifying for Seat 5. The two candidates for Seat 4 will be on the November 8 ballot and the candidate for Seat 5 who was unopposed will take office after November 8.
Seat 4:
Christine Burke
Josh Messinger (incumbent)
Seat 5: Nia Livingston
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Serve on the Beaches Watch Board of Directors
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If you are interested in serving on the Beaches Watch board, we are currently seeking persons with any of the following experience:
- Finance/accounting
- Membership recruitment/retention
- Public relations/Marketing
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Membership Renewal:
Memberships are valid from January thru December and available to residents of Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Neptune Beach.
Your membership fees and donations will be used to support the following Beaches Watch programs for 2022:
- Costs for virtual Zoom meetings
- Friend of the Beaches Award
- Fland Sharp Memorial Scholarship awarded to a deserving Fletcher High senior
- Give Back Donation for a worthy beaches nonprofit
- Candidate forums so beaches citizens can learn about the candidates who will represent them in elected office
- Monthly meeting programs
Membership fees:
- $15 for individual
- $20 for family
- $5 for student
- $15 for non-resident supporter (for supporters who don't live in Atlantic Beach, Jax Beach or Neptune Beach)
PAY ONLINE
To make it easier, you can pay your membership securely online through Paypal. It only takes a few minutes and will help save money and be kind to the environment.
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DONATIONS
In addition to your membership fee, donations are also appreciated to support the programs Beaches Watch provides to enrich our quality of life at the beaches.
DONATE TO THE FLAND SHARP MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND:
A Jacksonville Beach native and graduate of Fletcher High School, Fland Sharp was a life-long resident of the beaches who loved his community and enriched the beaches quality of life through his community involvement and public service. The Beaches Watch Board of Directors believes the Fland Sharp Memorial Scholarship will serve to inspire a deserving Fletcher High School senior to follow in Fland's footsteps of dedicated community involvement.
Your donation will be used in its entirety to provide a monetary scholarship to a deserving Fletcher High School senior.
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MAIL YOUR MEMBERSHIP AND DONATION
If you would prefer to mail us your support, CLICK HERE to download the membership form.
With your support, you will help us continue our mission to promote and facilitate educated and productive citizen involvement in local and state decisions that affect the quality of life of our beaches communities in Duval County.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!
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Beaches Watch is a non-profit, non-partisan civic organization whose mission is to promote and facilitate educated and productive citizen involvement in local and state government decisions that affect the future of our northeast Florida beaches communities. We achieve this by raising, monitoring and researching issues; providing factual issue information to the general public and government officials; encouraging citizen participation in the solutions to beaches growth and quality of life issues and organizing citizens for action.
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BEACHES WATCH,INC. REGISTRATION # CH18582
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
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