News

Living on rocky ground

Friday, March 8th, 2013, 12:49am

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A Middleberg woman has a sinking feeling the groove in her backyard is a sinkhole.

Pam Coates noticed the dip that she says extends about 20-feet long back in January, but didn't think anything of it until a few days ago when she noticed another hole.

"I don't want to sink in the hole I don't want to be in the house as it sinks because the whole main water line is exposed," said Coates.

She's referring to the water line of the pump house which she said is now damaged after more than a month of continued growth.

So, we looked into it and had Rob Martin, a geology professor at Florida State College take a look at the video, which in his opinion doesn't have all the circular hallmarks of a sinkhole but something is changing the landscape.

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Gov. Scott, Cabinet to discuss land purchase near Camp Blanding

Submitted by FirstCoastNews Web Staff

Thursday, March 7th, 2013, 7:41am

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Gov. Rick Scott and members of the Florida Cabinet will meet Thursday in Tallahassee.

They are expected to discuss and approve a number of land purchases. They include nearly 2,000 acres near Camp Blanding in Clay County and hundreds of acres around Wakulla Springs in Wakulla County.

The Cabinet includes Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater.

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Family wants USDA to repair damaged roof

Submitted by Ken Amaro, Ken Amaro, Community Reporter

Tuesday, February 26th, 2013, 7:46pm

BALDWIN, Fla. -- Two days of rain and the Swenson family's Baldwin home is not the same.

"Back in December, this tree fell on the house," said Virginia Sapp.

Sapp lives with her aging parents and said for months, they've been trying to get resolution to a roof problem.

"My mom and dad still have a mortgage on the house," said Sapp.

Sapp said when a tree limb crashed into the roof, it left two gaping holes and the recent rains are making it worse.

"My mom started crying," said Sapp, "when the roof caved in yesterday."

The family has several tarps covering the damaged area but it is not enough. Now, the ceilings in both of their bedrooms have caved in.

"It is starting to leak in the windows," she said.

They're now using pots, pans, a toy chest, whatever is available to avoid water damage from the leaking roof to their carpet-covered floors.

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Civil Rights activist remembers meeting with King in St. Augustine

Submitted by Jessica Clark, Reporter

Wednesday, February 20th, 2013, 8:15pm

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- Maude Burroughs Jackson holds community meetings her in Middleburg home and she keeps Christmas decorations up all year long.

"If people were so good at Christmas time, why don't we keep that spirit all year," she said.

In 1960, she started college at Florida Memorial College in St. Augustine, just as the Civil Rights Movement was heating up.

"If it had been a violent movement I would not have been a part of it," she recalled.

But Jackson remembers the night marches she walked in were dangerous.

"It was so violent there. The atmosphere was so evil," she shook her head. "There were people on top of the buildings throwing bricks and bottles and anything they could find at you."

"That was the clans and the people who were fighting against what we were fighting for."

Jackson recalls meeting in homes and offices with Dr. Martin Luther King and other marchers.

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Cyber security expert says JEA not alone for 'Denial of Service' attack

Submitted by Ken Amaro, Ken Amaro, Community Reporter

Tuesday, February 19th, 2013, 8:19pm

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- At the JEA downtown payment center, customers were surprised to learn the utility's website was the target of a cyber attack.

"I wasn't aware of that," said Lacrecia Anderson. "It is scary."

The JEA computer network was hit with a "denial of service" attack; the FBI has been notified.

"We are making sure that none of our customers' information is jeopardized or compromised," said JEA spokeswoman Gerri Boyce.

Dr. Walter Eaton of Florida State College at Jacksonville is a cyber security expert.

"A denial of service on JEA could be nothing more than a test," said Eaton, "a test to see if we could have a 'denial of service' to all utilities in the United States."

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Resident worries about 'dangerous' Mallard Road

Submitted by Ken Amaro, Ken Amaro, Community Reporter

Monday, February 11th, 2013, 8:23pm

MIDDLEBURG, Fla. -- James Gill, 70, a retired railroad worker and longtime resident of Clay County, is concerned about the condition of Mallard Road.

"You can see where the erosion is washing the bank on the side of the road," said Gill.

It is a two-lane road used by all types of vehicles, including school buses and the road shoulders, in some areas, are extremely narrow.

"There's no side rails there, no banks, no shoulders," said Gill.

Gill said his concern are the buses and their precious cargo.

"I don't want to see a bus load of kids dead in that creek. It is just waiting to happen," said Gill. "It is just an accident waiting to happen."

Gill has lived in the community 35 years. He said he's not trying to be an alarmist. He said he's looking out for the other guy.

"I just don't want to see something happen," he said.

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VA wants veteran to pay back his benefits

Submitted by Ken Amaro, Ken Amaro, Community Reporter

Wednesday, January 30th, 2013, 12:55am

ORANGE PARK, Fla. -- Heather Levesque has been Jamie Levesque's wife, friend and companion for years and now she is fighting for his military benefits.

"We got a letter on January 22 that said in a month we are going to lose our benefits," she said.

Jamie Levesque receives $1,000 a month in disability income.

Veterans Affairs is threatening to withhold it for a year to reimburse Uncle Sam for what was given to Levesque in 2008.

"We will lose our home because this is the only income that Jamie has," said Heather. "He has been unemployed for approximately two years."

In 2008, Levesque was given an honorable discharge and was paid $19,000, before taxes, as a separation benefit.

"Now the military says you owe us the money," said his wife.

The VA said the separation benefit was an over payment and Levesque's mental disorder is not service connected.

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