The North Florida Land Trust acquired 415 acres in Clay County, which is home to an endangered sandhill forest with a longleaf pine ecosystem.
Little Rain Lake Preserve is in Keystone Heights near Little Rain Lake Park, close to Camp Blanding.
The land was acquired through funding from the Department of Defense’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration program. It identified the land as a candidate for conservation and to protect nearby military land from encroaching development.
“Preserving this land is important not only to act as a buffer for Camp Blanding but also to restore and preserve one of Florida’s most endangered ecosystems,” said Jim McCarthy, president of the trust. “Longleaf pine forests were once a widespread ecosystem throughout the state but has experienced a 98 percent decline. We plan to restore the property by reintroducing prescribed burns to promote the growth of the longleaf pines, which protect the habitats of many threatened and endangered species.”
Little Rain Lake Preserve is a sandhill community, which is a longleaf pine ecosystem characterized by gently rolling terrain that provides a habitat for many Florida species including the gopher tortoise, indigo snake, Sherman’s fox squirrel and the Florida Black Bear.
It is within the wildlife corridor that stretches from the Ocala National Forest to the Osceola National Forest and the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia.
The environmental protection program is designed to secure buffers around military installations. Preserving the land around Camp Blanding will allow Florida National Guard soldiers to train to the fence line without fear of affecting the quality of life for nearby residents.
GreenPal, a mobile app that connects homeowners with prescreened lawn care professionals, is launching this month in Jacksonville.
Homeowners can specify their lawn care needs and service date.
Lawn care professionals can then bid on their properties based on the Google street and aerial images and any other lawn details the homeowner provides.
Homeowners then select who they want to work with based on vendor ratings, reviews and price.
Once a vendor has completed the service, it sends a time-stamped photo of the completed work. Homeowners pay via the app and set up more appointments.
Visit yourgreenpal.com for more information.
The Florida Theatre has launched Civic Cinema, a series of four classic, issue-oriented movies.
The free screenings will be followed by a panel discussion of local experts on the movie’s subject.
The movies begin at 7 p.m. This is the schedule:
Nov. 14: “All the President’s Men,” followed by a panel discussion on politics and the media.
Feb. 6: “Do the Right Thing,” followed by a panel discussion on the state of race relations in Jacksonville.
April 12: “Erin Brockovich,” followed by a panel discussion on Jacksonville and the environment.
Sept. 19: “Philadelphia,” followed by a discussion on the state of LGBTQ rights and relations in Jacksonville.
Tickets are available by calling (904) 355-2787, online at floridatheatre.com or by visiting the box office at 128 E. Forsyth St.
Derek Sprague has been named general manager at TPC Sawgrass.
He replaces Bill Hughes, who is starting his new role as regional director of operations for the TPC Network, a promotion that was announced in July. Hughes served as TPC Sawgrass general manager for 11 years.
For the past two years, Sprague has served as managing director at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey. Sprague was employed by the PGA Tour at Liberty National as part of an expanded operational relationship between Liberty National and the Tour.
“With the ongoing evolution of TPC Sawgrass as we strive to deliver an unparalleled experience throughout the year and during The Players Championship, it was incumbent upon us to find the right person to succeed Bill and continue our progress,” said John Hugghins, senior vice president of TPC Operations. “With Derek’s outstanding reputation and professional history, including our own experience with him at Liberty National, we are confident that he will help TPC Sawgrass achieve its goals.”
Sprague is a 1988 graduate of James Madison University, in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he competed on the golf team and earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing.
He became the fourth inductee into the School of Hospitality, Sport and Recreation Management Hall of Fame at James Madison University in 2014.
Jacksonville-based Ervin Lovett Miller, an architecture, planning, and design firm, added two employees.
Jason Tankersley is a designer with more than a decade of experience spanning all phases of architectural project execution from preliminary design to detailed design documents and construction administration. He has experience in building information modeling and a technical background.
Erin Weinberg is ELM’s new marketing manager, leading the firm’s marketing, public relations, communication and community outreach initiatives. Weinberg has experience in marketing, public relations and design.
The grand opening of the Broxton Bay apartment community in North Jacksonville is Nov. 4.
The community is at 12900 Broxton Bay Drive.
Broxton Bay is adjacent to River City Marketplace, offering one-, two- and three-bedroom luxury apartment homes in a wooded setting with lake and arbor views. The apartments have granite countertops, 42-inch upper cabinetry, and a full-size washer and dryer.
Amenities include a pool, outdoor kitchen, a 6,500-square-foot community center with fitness center, billiards and a cybercafe.
Office hours are 10 a.m. - 8 p.m Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. For more information, visit broxtonbay.com or call (904) 694-9700.
Leon Haley Jr., M.D., dean of the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville, won the National Medical Fellowships’ Excellence in Academic Medicine Award for 2017.
National Medical Fellowships is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the number of underrepresented minority physicians and other professionals in health care in order to improve access to quality care in medically underserved communities.
The Excellence in Medical Education Award recognizes a medical educator who has demonstrated outstanding teaching skill and has served as a role model and mentor to hospitalists, residents, medical students and other health care professionals.
The organization is dedicated to providing scholarships and support to students in medical and health professions across all minority groups that are underrepresented in health care.
