(Pictured l to r): Dean Ledford (Fletcher High School Principal), April Carney (District 2 Duval School Board Representative), Maria Mark (Beaches Watch President), Dr. Christopher Bernier (Duval Schools Superintendent), Olivia Dolan (Fland Sharp Memorial Scholarship recipient) Beaches Watch is pleased to present the 2025 Fland Sharp Memorial Scholarship to Fletcher High School senior Olivia Dolan who plans to pursue a career in anesthesiology. While attending Fletcher, Olivia has been
Read more →The Beaches Watch Board of Directors is soliciting applications for the Fland Sharp Memorial Scholarship to support a deserving senior in their next steps after high school. This $1,000 scholarship recognizes and supports our future. Applicants need to have a minimum 3.0 GPA, be in good standing with the Dean’s Office, and submit the Fland Sharp Memorial Scholarship Application with a 500-word essay no later than 5pm, Friday March 14, 2025. For
Read more →Beaches Watch is proud to present its 2024 Give Back Award to Beaches Habitat for Humanity, who has been serving the beaches communities since 1990. Their mission is based on the belief that “everyone deserves a decent place to live. Seeking to put God’s love into action, Beaches Habitat brings people together to build homes, community, and hope.” Beaches Habitat serves a diverse population, which includes all the beaches communities
Read more →The Beaches Watch Board of Directors is requesting the submission of nominations for the 15th Annual Beaches Watch Give-Back donation. This $500 donation recognizes a nonprofit organization that helps enrich the lives of beaches residents. Nominated organizations must be a registered Florida nonprofit that primarily serves the beaches communities of Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach and/or Neptune Beach. Prior recipients are not eligible for consideration for 3 years after they received the
Read more →2024 ATLANTIC BEACH ELECTION RESULTS Congratulations to the Atlantic Beach candidates who were elected on November 5 to serve the citizens of Atlantic Beach! Mayor: Curtis Ford (re-elected without opposition) Commissioner Seat 3: Thomas Grant See Commissioner Seat 3 ELECTION RESULTS Special thanks to all the candidates who worked hard to earn the opportunity to serve the citizens of Atlantic Beach on the City Council. For those candidates who didn’t
Read more →2024 NEPTUNE BEACH ELECTION RESULTS Congratulations to the Neptune Beach candidates who were elected on November 5 to serve the citizens of Neptune Beach! Mayor: Cori Bylund See Mayor ELECTION RESULTS Councilor Seat 3: Brent Rogers See Councilor Seat 3 ELECTION RESULTS Special thanks to all the candidates who worked hard to earn the opportunity to serve the citizens of Neptune Beach on the City Council. For those candidates who didn’t
Read more →2024 JACKSONVILLE BEACH ELECTION RESULTS Congratulations to the Jacksonville Beach candidates who were elected on November 5 to serve the citizens of Jacksonville Beach! Mayor: Chris Hoffman See Mayor ELECTION RESULTS At-Large Seat 1: Bruce Wouters See At-Large Seat 1 ELECTION RESULTS At-Large Seat 2: Dan Janson See At-Large Seat 2 ELECTION RESULTS At-Large Seat 3: Greg Sutton See At-Large Seat 3 ELECTION RESULTS Special thanks to all the candidates who worked hard
Read more →The Beaches Watch Board of Directors is honored to select Kevin Brown as its “2024 Friend of the Beaches” award recipient, and he will be recognized at the Beaches Watch 20th Anniversary Celebration on March 6, 6-8pm at Beach Diner. Brown is a staple within the beach communities, serving inside and outside the classroom at Fletcher High School, where he retired in 2021. However, retirement is not in Brown’s vocabulary
Read more →20 YEARS OF BEACHES WATCH 1/28/2004 – 1/28/2024 On January 28, 2004, the first meeting of Beaches Watch was held at Fletcher High School with a small group of beaches citizens. This first meeting was initiated after the Jacksonville Beach City Council rejected the proposed development of Beach Marine with 550 condos. So, a small but mighty group of citizens gathered to create Beaches Watch to protect our beaches communities
Read more →On December 6, Beaches Watch presented its 2023 Give Back Award to Beaches Community Kitchen, which provides free, freshly made nutritious meals to homebound and elderly residents. The Beaches Watch Give Back Award recognizes a nonprofit organization that has a substantial impact on the Beaches community. Beaches Community Kitchen has been quietly serving the Beaches community since 1991, delivering meals throughout the Beaches three times a week within one hour
Read more →On Monday, September 18, the Jacksonville Beach City Council approved the FY24 budget of $212,809,512 and unchanged millage rate of 3.9947. To review the approved budget for FY2024: APPROVED JAX BEACH FY23-24 BUDGET Budget Highlights Include: The proposed budget has been prepared using an unchanged millage rate of 3.9947 per $1,000 of assessed taxable value, 18.9% lower than the statewide average of 4.9275. The City’s total proposed budget is $212,809,512. The
Read more →On Monday, September 18, the Neptune Beach City Council approved the FY23-24 budget based on the unchanged millage rate of 3.3656 mills (this is the same millage assessed in FY22-23). The Chief Financial Officer had recommended the City Council approve a slight millage increase of 3.3821 mills and as such, the proposed FY23-24 Budget was prepared based on the increased millage rate. The total proposed General Fund budget was $9,256,744
Read more →On Monday, September 25, the Atlantic Beach City Commission approved the roll-back rate of 2.8410 mills for the FY23-24 millage. This means property owners will not see an increase in the amount of property tax dollars that will go to the City of Atlantic Beach. Highlights of the approved budget are: The total assessed value of property in Atlantic Beach increased by $232,095,007 or 9.8% over last year. This includes
Read more →The Beaches Watch Board of Directors is requesting the submission of nominations for the 14th Annual Beaches Watch Give-Back donation. This $500 donation recognizes a nonprofit organization that helps enrich the lives of beaches residents. Nominated organizations must be a registered Florida nonprofit that primarily serves the beaches communities of Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach and/or Neptune Beach. Prior recipients are not eligible for consideration for 3 years after they received the Give-Back
Read more →Beaches Watch is pleased to present the 2023 Fland Sharp Memorial Scholarship to Fletcher High School senior Traci Schrock, a top First Coast scholar-athlete who is planning to attend the University of North Carolina-Wilmington this fall. Schrock, a National Honor Society member and an Outstanding Cambridge Learner Award winner, and she captained the Fletcher volleyball team and played beach volleyball. She plans to study coastal engineering. Beaches Watch awarded the
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