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Last modified 7/1/2008 - 3:06 pm
Originally created 070208
  
Illegal fireworks and public drunkenness or unruly behavior won't be tolerated.

By DREW DIXON, Shorelines

Beaches police from Duval and St. Johns counties are preparing to crack down on firecrackers and other explosives during Fourth of July celebrations on Friday.

Photo by: Craig ONeal

Creating artwork out of a photo is fun and easy when using post processing software such as Picnik or Photoshop.

This photo of a saltwater marsh was taken just off of the purple trail in the Guana Reserve.Using HDR (high dynamic resolution) software and a slight double exposure creates a much different look than the original photo.

Last modified 6/27/2008 - 3:29 pm
Originally created 062808

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Group of park users is forming, seeking people who want to 'join and take action.'

By DREW DIXON, Shorelines

A new group, Friends of Huguenot Memorial Park, is forming to serve as park stewards in the face of changing regulations at the last Duval County beach that allows vehicles.

Last modified 6/27/2008 - 3:30 pm
Originally created 062808
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The city is vowing to clean up the corridor and reduce crime in the area.

By DREW DIXON, Shorelines

ATLANTIC BEACH - With a dilapidated shack just west of her home and drugs and prostitution in the apartments to her east, Sarah Thomas has seen crime waves come and crime waves go.

Once again  we open the pages to a new era, one that started out with good intentions, but later turned out to become a misuse of power while in office to enforce the will of a select few upon the many family and business owners. Some may say it was needed to clean up mayport road,while others cry foul. Has the Mayor over stepped his authority to use another agency to declare marshal law upon mayport business owners Mayor meserves  plan to bully not only business but homeowners as well. 150 violations thus far for which only a police officer who writes traffic tickets can attest to. If the mayor tried this in the up scale communities along seminole road he may have been tar and feathered out of office. Mayor meserve has already violated his aggreement not to use the back gate of fleet landing as a drive through in residental area yet he continues to ignore selva marina requests.

Last modified 6/23/2008 - 9:53 pm
Originally created 062508
  

By DREW DIXON, Shorelines

After holding two tumultuous public meetings through the past year, trying to mediate debates between beach access advocates and conservationists and rewriting a management plan three times for Huguenot Memorial Park, Jacksonville officials are basically starting the process over.

When was the last time you went to the beach and actually felt the cool sand in your toes or heard the waves washing up or the gulls doing what they do? Oh too often I see many travellers sit at the edge of the dunes or the boardwalk, looking, but never venturing out. The beach was meant to be experienced, not just observed. So, kick off those flipflops (but be mindful where you leave them- I'll save that for a different blog)and head on down to the waters edge. Dip your feet in, breath in the air, listen to the sounds and look at the sights. You will walk away a different person...

Photo by: Craig ONeal

The Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is listed on the Florida “endanger species” list and categorized as a “threatened species” and I was lucky to find this guy grazing on broadleaf grass in the northern flatwood section of the Guana Reserve over the weekend. 

I was careful in my approach since it’s unlawful to harass endangered or threatened species, so I captured an “eye level” photo stream from about 30ft using my long lens set at 400mm. He obviously has had little or no human contact before, showing no concern over my presents. 

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