BRICKBATS & BOUQUETS

BOUQUETS TO JEFFREY SMITH Last week, when the Director of Arts for
Duval County Schools decided the District Arts Office – located on the campus of Hogan-Spring Glen Elementary in a nondescript portable in desperate
need of a good pressure washing – needed to reflect the mission of the department and inspire the kids on campus, he put out a clarion call to artists to come spruce the place up. If interested in contributing, contact Smith at smithj1@duvalshools.org (he’s offered to pay for supplies).

BRICKBATS TO THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY FIRE RESCUE News 4 Jax reported that an investigation into the handling of the fire at the Belleza condos in Ponte Vedra Beach revealed that three calls were placed to the SJCFR dispatcher before any personnel from SJCFR arrived – and actually exited their vehicle – on the scene. The report also showed the first fire engine to pass through left the scene when the driver didn’t see or smell smoke. The method of driving through a scene with the vehicle window down is OK for, say, forest fires, but it’s not proper procedure for residential blazes. An entire building – 20 units – were damaged. 

BOUQUETS TO GROUNDWORK JACKSONVILLE’S GREEN TEAM The local chapter of the national nonprofit Groundwork USA held its Green Team Leadership Camp this summer, in which nine teens from the Historic Springfield area participated in cleanups, planting and other community projects, while soaking up knowledge from environmental experts.

BOUQUETS AND CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF ELEANOR ASHBY The executive director of Leadership Jacksonville, a nonprofit that provides leadership training (with some highly influential alumna), died in late July. Ashby lent her time and vision to many important institutions in Northeast Florida, including the Women’s Giving Alliance and PACE Center for Girls. She served on the boards of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and Planned Parenthood of Northeast Florida, and was a member of the Jacksonville Women’s Network.