April 2004.pdfcity of atlantic beach newsletter
VOL.3 NO.4APRIL 2004
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www.coab.us
ACOUSTIC MUSIC AT
ADELE GRAGE
Do you have an old guitar in
your closet? Would you like to
sing a song for your beach
neighbors?
Then circle Sunday, April 18 on
your calendar. From 4:00 p.m.
to 6:00 p.m. the Cultural Arts
and Recreation Advisory
Committee will host an acoustic
night of music on the lawn of
the Adele Grage Community
Center (inside the center if the
weather does not cooperate).
"We held our first open mike
acoustic night in June 2003
and the response was
absolutely great!" said Steve
Piscitelli, event organizer.
"About 75 friends, families and
neighbors spread their blankets
and listened to a wide variety
of good talent." During the
remainder of the 2003 season,
the crowds averaged between
125-150 for each of the
monthly events.
Veteran song writer and enter-
tainer Mike Shackelford will be
the host. Shackelford will
open and close the two-hour
event with his own brand of
music. In between, up to nine
beach residents will have the
chance to perform for the
audience with six or seven
minutes of music. You can do
an original song or an oldie
goldie. A simple phone call will
get your name on the
evening's lineup.
This is a low-key acoustic
event. No electric guitars,
electric keyboards, drums, or
bands please. No karaoke. It is
first come, first served. "We
want as many people as
possible to have fun with this,"
explained Piscitelli.
So don’t hesitate. Find that
guitar, register for the lineup,
grab the lawn chair and
blankets, and walk or ride to
a family afternoon on the
community center lawn.
When: Sunday, April 18 from
4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Where: Adele Grage
Community Center
on the corner of 7th Street
between East Coast Drive and
Ocean Blvd.
Who:Families and friends.
How to get on the Lineup:
Call Steve Piscitelli (247-9139)
to get your name on the list.
First come, first served.
Preference is given to Atlantic
Beach residents, but all are
welcomed.
This is a non-alcoholic event.
As always, please be
respectful of our neighbors
and the wonderful facility.
Songwriters’ Concert Night
On Tuesday, April 20th from
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Atlantic
Beach will sponsor its monthly
Songwriter’s Concert Night in
the theater of the Adele Grage
Community Center. Performers
will share their insights into the
craft of songwriting as they per-
form their original compositions.
This event has four goals:
1.Provide the community with
an entertaining and cultural
family event.
2.Provide a forum to hear and
learn from accomplished song
writers.
3.Provide a venue for local
song writers to network with like-
minded individuals.
4.Provide an opportunity for
showcasing material.
There is no advanced sign up
for this event. Whether you are
a performer or just appreciate
original material, bring your fami-
ly and enjoy the evening as we
turn the theater into a coffee
house for a couple of hours.
This is a free, non-alcoholic
event.
For Sale, Rental or Open
House!
Real estate signs are regulated
by City Code.
What about size, quantity, and
location of real estate signs?
• You are limited to one real
estate sign which must be
placed solely on your property
• No off-site advertising is per-
mitted. Real estate signs are
not permitted on the city rights of
ways, medians, trees or utility
poles
• Real estate signs cannot
exceed six square feet in size
and five feet in height.
For addition information regard-
ing real estate signs or to report
a violation of City Code, contact
the Code Enforcement
Department at (904) 247-5855.
Yard Sale, Garage Sale,
Moving Sale, Estate Sale
• You are allowed to have three
sales a year, for a total of three
days.
• You may have up to two sale
signs, no larger then four square
feet in size.
• Signs can only be placed on
your property; they may be post-
ed the day before a sale, but
must be removed at the end of
the sale.
Atlantic Beach is a great place to live or visit for both people and endangered species of sea turtles.
It is just a little tougher to find a good place to “nest” if you are an endangered sea turtle. Turtle
nesting takes place from May 1st through October 31st. However, their safety depends on you!
Hatchlings find their way to the sea by light clues such as brightness. They instinctively crawl
towards the brightest light and can become disoriented by artificial lights. Artificial light from
beachfront homes, streetlights or even flashlights can attract the hatchlings away from the safety of
the water and lead them to their deaths.
How can you help? By simply keeping our beaches as dark as possible from May 1st through
October 31st. Consider the following suggestions:
Another potential danger to sea turtle nests is dogs. Dogs that are allowed to run loose on the
beach are a real menace to protected nests. Please be a responsible pet owner and help protect
the sea turtle nests by keeping your dogs leashed while on the beach.
The turtles have been here for over 150 million years and are on the endangered species list.
Let’s all do our part to help protect them and ensure that they remain a part of life in Florida.
For more information, check out the Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol website at
http://members.aol.com/wilmay/seaturtl/
If you sight an unmarked nest, hatchlings or a stranded turtle, please call the Beaches Sea Turtle
Patrol at 241-7631.
HELP PROTECT OUR SEA TURTLES!
•Turn off all unnecessary lights
•Reposition the source of light or
reflective surface of the light fixture so
it is not visible from the beach
•Use motion detectors on outside lights
for security purposes
•Replace high elevation lights with low
elevation lights
•Place timers on lights so that they are
off by 10:00 pm
•Plant or improve vegetation buffers
between a light source and the beach
The ocean beaches are the most significant fea-
ture that makes us special and protects us from
ocean storms. We were scheduled to have our
sand replenished last year by the Army Corps of
Engineers with Federal Government, State, and
County funds. For background, our beaches
naturally erode over time with new sand migrating,
generally from north to south. That migration was
interrupted when the jetties were constructed to protect the channel
of the St Johns River. That barrier largely prevents the normal sand
migration and as a result every few years dredged sand is pumped
onto the beach. Last year the Corps tried using sand being dredged
from the river (part of deepening the channel) that contained shell
material and was unsuitable for the beach. The project was
delayed, and meanwhile the beaches continue to erode. While
finding good quality sand is not a problem, Federal funding for the
project is in jeopardy. Currently we have an adequate beach profile
to protect us and provide recreation, but it is only a matter of
time before the ongoing erosion will leave us in jeopardy. The
Commission is working hard to ensure funding of beach renourish-
ment, but I urge everyone to remain aware of
the situation and do all in our power to make
our congressional representative understand
the need to put those renourishment dollars in
the Federal budget.
Presort Standard
US Postage Paid
Jacksonville FL
Permit No. 1645
City of Atlantic Beach
800 Seminole Road
Atlantic Beach, FL 32233
April Calendar
SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT
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*Teen Council Meeting
7:00 p.m.
Community
Development Board
Meeting 7:00 p.m.
*Teen Council Meeting
7:00 p.m.
*Songwriters Concert
7:00 p.m.
Easter Egg Hunt at
Jordan Park 11:00 a.m.
Teen Council Garage
Sale at 716 Ocean Blvd.
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
City Commission
Meeting
7:15 p.m.
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*Acoustic Night
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
City Commission
Meeting
7:15 p.m.
*Cultural Arts &
Recreation Adv.
Committee Meeting
7:00 p.m.
26 2925
CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH
John S. Meserve
MAYOR
Richard M. Beaver
MAYOR PRO TEM
J. Dezmond
Waters, III
COMMISSIONER
Sylvia Simmons
COMMISSIONER
Paul B. Parsons
COMMISSIONER
James Hanson
CITY MANAGER
Alan Jensen
CITY ATTORNEY
Maureen King
CITY CLERK
John S. Meserve
Mayor
LETTER
FROM THE MAYOR
30
Meetings are held in the Commission
Chambers unless otherwise indicated
*These events will be held at Adele Grage
Cultural Center, 716 Ocean Boulevard
242120
13
The kickoff for the Atlantic Beach Skate Park was a
huge success. More than two hundred people attended
the opening of the campaign and enjoyed a skateboard
exhibition in Jack Russell Park on February 7. Since
the kickoff more than twenty five donors have given
almost $10,000 towards the Rotary Campaign Skate
Into the Future. With more than $50,000 needed to
begin construction, the community is invited to send in
a gift. Just clip the coupon and mail to Oceanside
Rotary Club P.O. Box 51587, Jacksonville Beach,
FL 32250.
Skate Into the Future t-shirts are available for sale in
the Adele Grage Community Center for $10 each. All
proceeds go to the skate park fund. For additional
information, please call Carolyn Ettlinger during the
day at 398-4424.
Thank you!
A copy of our official registration and financial information may be obtained from
the Division of Consumer Services by calling toll free 1-800-435-7352 within
the State of Florida. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval or
recommendation by the state CH 4735. 100% of each contribution is retained
by our organization.
Donor Name________________________Phone____________
Address ____________________________________________
___________________________________________________
City, State __________________________ Zip _____________
Personal Contribution
$5 $10 $25 $50 $100 Other $ ___
In honor In memory
of: _________________________________________________
Address ____________________________________________
___________________________________________________
My check payable to Oceanside Rotary Club is enclosed.
*Public Art Fact
Finding Committee
Meeting
7:00 p.m.
*Tree Board Meeting
7:15 p.m.
*Tree Board Meeting
7:15 p.m.
SKATE INTO THE FUTURE – SKATE PARK UPDATE