Horns & Halos

May 2012

Mark Middlebrook is the executive director of the St. Johns River Alliance, an organization representing residents, businesses and political office holders in 13 counties along the River. Our first repeat winner, we recognize Mark because the River had such a good week recently...within a few days: #1 -- Governor Scott approved $5.6 million in the budget to help clean up the St. Johns. This is a definite improvement over last year when the Governor vetoed $10 million which had been approved by the legislature for our River.

#2 -- The St. Johns River was designated as a member of the "America's Great Waters Coalition," which puts our River into a select group targeted as an important waterway deserving of restoration and protection.   The Coalition supports the Clean Water Act against proposals by some Congressman to decimate the law and undercut the EPA.

Public Trust is hopeful that the money in the state budget will help make a dent in controlling nitrogen and phosphorous levels which have led to horrific algae break-outs and fish kills in the River.  PT also hopes membership in the Great Waters will place the proper value and perspective on the St. Johns River. Middlebrook states, "The St. Johns River is honored to be a part of the Great Waters Coalition. The Great Waters are the back bone of the nation. They are integral to the communities they serve both economically and ecologically. Yet  they are constantly under assault by interest that do not understand how important the Great Waters are the vitality of the nation. Dr. Quint White said it best: no corporate headquarters are going to relocate to Jacksonville if its waterways are polluted."

Mark worked hard on both of these issues.  He gives Jacksonville native (and DEP Secretary) Herschel Vinyard credit for keeping the funds in the budget this year.

Horns ~ Richard Clark

During a Spring and Summer when time is of the essence for our Mayport Ferry, City Council member Richard Clark has missed four city council or committee meetings in order to campaign.  Clark is currently running for the newly drawn 6th Congressional District, which includes Flagler, St. Johns, Putnam, and Volusia counties.   On March 27th Clark missed a city council meeting in order to fundraise in South Florida, posting on his twitter account, "Great day of fundraising events in S. Florida ... Our state is filled with some of the most dedicated republicans in the country."  On April 17th he missed a Finance and Tax Committee meeting and instead visited a Republican Club of West Volusia County event.  At the beginning of April he campaigned in Flagler County and missed another city council meeting.

Clark has admitted to fundraising for his congressional bid while others on the council have been working to accomplish city business, saying "I'm making a forced effort not to do it." Councilmembers like Bill Gulliford on the other hand have volunteered to work overtime for the ferry these last few months, creating and running a brand new ad hoc committee meeting dedicated to saving the ferry.

Perhaps if Councilmember Clark focused on those he currently represents, the citizens of Jacksonville, and worked to save the ferry, he would secure the votes he needs for his new job in the best possible way, by earning them.

(This story was inspired by the 4/18/12 article by Matt Dixon.)

April 2012

These three fellows truly deserve halos. Plus they are just really cool guys.

When John Delaney's Preservation Project got off the ground in 1999, one of the early crown jewels of those acquisitions was the Julington - Durbin Creek Peninsula.  Over 2000 acres -- this is pristine "Old Florida" -- winding waterways through moss-draped oaks and grand cypress trees, wildlife everywhere -- ideal for a kayaking adventure. But over the years, Durbin Creek had not been maintained. Idiots dumped trash where folks used to put in their kayaks. Trees fell into the creek and made it impassable. Duck weed (water hyacinth) grew so thick a canoer would not even attempt the paddle.

This did not sit well with our heroes.  Approximately a year ago Eric Bersinger and Josh Woods launched the rehabilitation of the Bratram Canoe Trail, covering Durbin Creek. As a result, they established the Durbin Creek Wilderness Society. It has been extremely hard work, but they have succeeded beyond all expectations in bringing back the glory to this incredibly beautiful natural area.

In 2012 Firefighter Chris Naff joined the effort -- Chris has expertise in "extractions" and other technical procedures which he has used to clear Durbin Creek.  Together Eric, Josh and Chris have given presentations to various organizations, including the Sierra Club, inspiring their audiences.  Listening to the enthusiasm and ambition of these guys reminds us of the famous Margaret Mead quote: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Indeed, Public Trust recently asked the guys what their "long-term" goals are for our Northeast Florida community.  Eric did not hesitate in his response:

"What our efforts long term are pointing toward is the notion that frankly all local creeks need stewards to look after them and citizens need to stand up and make the kind of "eternal" commitment we have. We have the leadership skills and vision to help make this happen..."  Eric, Josh, Chris and Joe Crespi (see "Paddler's Corner" in this newsletter) are working hard on the City's premier kayak event -- the River City Challenge --  to be held May 5 -- launch site:  River City Brewery.  After that, they plan to change the world.

Horns ~ Cliff Stearns

March 2012

Halos ~ Ray Hetchka

Ray lives the life many of us dream about. His "job" -- taking kayakers out into the beautiful Timucuan National Preserve -- usually starts at his quaint outfitter's shop, Kayak Amelia, nestled in the middle of the preserve. Ray is a nationally certified interpretive guide and a master naturalist. He regals his tourists with entertaining historical narratives, in pointing out wildlife of the area while they paddle, and surprising everyone at the half way break during the paddle with the best cookies since Grandma's. By night, Ray plays electric, acoustic, and stand-up bass in a band called "Hupp and Ray" -- performing jazz & country. How is that for living "the good life?"

Ray and his wife, Jody, co-owner of Kayak Amelia, have been active politically in efforts to protect the preserve and the Talbot Islands, in working on the popular "Wild Amelia Festival," and in other various eco-tourism projects.As hard as Ray works on political issues that affect the natural world, our "halo" goes to Ray because of the many times he has offered his kayak tours to help environmental non-profits both publicize their efforts and raise needed funds to stay in operation. Some of the non-profits Ray has provided a helping hand include the North Florida Land Trust, Sierra Club, Riverkeeper, The Nature Conservancy and Public Trust. He says:  "We don't have much money to give but we have boats and time." Ray firmly believes that someone who has kayaked out into the preserve, heard the stories of the native Timucua, and seen, first hand, dolphins frolicking and ospreys diving for fish --  will care enough about our special places to make an effort to protect them. Ray and Kayak Amelia's mission statement: "To create a wake, whose ripples provide our guests with a sense of wonder about the natural world, while minimizing our impact on the daily lives of the non-human neighbors whose home we share."

Horns ~ Rick Santorum's Phony Theology

Republican Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum sparked controversy recently when he stated President Obama's policies were based on "some phony theology. Oh, not a theology based on the Bible. A different theology." When asked by CBS Bob Schieffer: "What in the world were you talking about?" Santorum explained:"I was talking about the radical environmentalists. I think that is a phony ideal. I don't believe that's what we're here to do. We're not here to serve earth. That is not the objective, man is the objective."So, Santorum says MAN IS THE OBJECTIVE -- let's see what some of the "radical environmentalists" say about that.

Pope John Paul II repeatedly addressed ecocrisis, calling it a moral issue. Pope Paul proclaimed there was "an integrity to creation" and lamented that "Modern society will find no solution to the ecological problem unless it takes a serious look at its lifestyle. In many parts of the world, society is given to instant gratification and consumerism while remaining indifferent to the damage which these cause...the human person, endowed with the capability of choosing freely, has a grave responsibility to preserve this order for the well-being of future generations," (from Pope John Paul II's World Day of Peace Message, January 1990).

 

On the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website Reverend Graham is quoted: "We know that God created the world, and it belongs to Him, not us. Because of this, we are only stewards or trustees or God's creation and we are not to abuse or neglect it. The Bible says, 'The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it' (Psalm 24:1). When we fail to see the world as God's creation, we will end up abusing it. Selfishness and greed take over, and we end up not caring about the environment or the problems we're creating for future generations. It's not surprising that some of the world's worst environmental damage was done by the old atheistic regimes of Eastern Europe."

 

Senator Santorum needs to spend more time doing some serious reading before he denounces the faith of others as phony. Go on Santorum's website -- in the energy policy section he says he will remove bans on drilling -- both onshore and offshore; repeal the EPA greenhouse gas regulations; repeal the reclassification of coal ash; restructure the priorities of the Department of Energy which "spends an exorbitant amount of money on technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and alternative-energy vehicles." Santorum says that he "refers to global warming as not climate science, but political science."

 

Rick Santorum a serious candidate to be the leader of the free world? Lord help us.

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February 2012

 

Horns ~ Jacksonville Port Authority

When the Jacksonville Port Authority (JPA) proclaimed, back in 2007, that it was going to "save" the ferry by taking it over from the City, a number of folks from Mayport Village were suspicious.  Through their investigation the Villagers determined that as a condition of taking over the ferry JPA quietly insisted on being "given" a number of properties appraised at over a million dollars inside Mayport Village that belonged to the City but had absolutely nothing to do with running the ferry.  Villagers found intra-agency emails among JPA officials which showed they were not being open and transparent about this "land grab" that would enable them to quietly acquire valuable property to later locate a cruise terminal in Mayport Village.  Even though the JPA now wants to drop the ferry like a hot potato the JPA maintains it is allowed to keep the properties it acquired in the land grab of 2007 -- a "gift" from the City for the JPA taking over the ferry.

Of course, the JPA -- buying up riverfront property from VestCorp and from other Villagers -- and then surrounding its river front acquisitions with ugly, intimidating barbed wire fences -- has almost choked the life out of Mayport Village.  What business would invest now in Mayport with the Port just stubbornly sitting on its property, and now throwing the ferry onto the trash heap?

 

One of our favorite writers, Ron Littlepage, recently surveyed the situation and pronounced the ferry "dead."  We are more optimistic than Ron on this issue.  Fortunately, a lot of good people are trying to find a long- term solution to the ferry issue.  Elaine Brown, (see our halo) has asked the JPA to fund the ferry for the full calendar year.  If other governmental entities are convinced to partner in this project it will take time for those entities to get budget approval to provide help.

 

The Port must give us all more time to rescue what it failed so miserably "saving." Plus, it needs to give back to the City all the Mayport Village land it grabbed back in 2007.