City proposes plan for St. Johns River cleanup

Friday, September 13th, 2013, 5:38am

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Cleanup will soon begin on the St. Johns River thanks to a plan proposed by the city. It comes two years after it was supposed to be released.

Earlier this month tests showed toxins were below the harmful level for recreational exposure but about the threshold for drinking water.

According to the Florida Times Union, it's still unclear how the city will fund the work. There are construction projects that will cost at least $300 million dollars.

Public Works Director Jim Robinson wrote a letter to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in September. He said the city is committed to making improvements to the health of the St. Johns river and its tributaries and will meet state-imposed water pollution reduction goals for 2015 and 2023.

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Save Our Sons turns attention to absentee fathers

Submitted by Ken Amaro, Ken Amaro, Community Reporter

Tuesday, September 10th, 2013, 6:32pm

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Ronald Clark, 31, is a barber and the proud father of four children. But Clark is concerned about his relationship with one of the children from a previous relationship.

"I feel there's a void because I have three in the house with me," said Clark, "and one not in the house with me and therefore, there's a lot of time lost."

Clark grew up in a single parent household and knows what it means to have a father MIA, missing in action.

"I only had my Mom and she was terrific," he said, "There were times I wish I had my father."

Clark is now lending his voice to the Save Our Sons' newest initiative: absentee fathers.

"I feel a father is needed in the household, a father is needed in his son's life," her said.

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Submitted by FirstCoastNews Web Staff

Tuesday, September 10th, 2013, 1:33pm

In a city of seven bridges, only one has a twitter!

The Henry H. Buckman Bridge or if you follow twitter @BuckmanBridge, call it "Bucky" for short.

"It is kinda of like celebrity status from a bridge, it is pretty cool," says the man behind the twitter account.

With over 250 followers and growing, the creator is keeping his anonymity.

"I was at a restaurant about a week ago and somebody was talking about the Buckman Bridge re-tweeting one of their tweets and I couldn't help but sit there and smile," he says with a laugh.

Even he admits, he is surprised by how popular the account is becoming.

"Bucky" tries to tweet back at people, often taking them by surprise!

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Submitted by FirstCoastNews Web Staff

Monday, September 9th, 2013, 4:04pm

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. -- First Coast News got an email from Joyce who said someone disguised as a police officer came to her door, demanding $6,000. She was afraid and eventually gave it to the man.

Captain Joe Bucci, with the Clay County Sheriff's Office, gave tangible information on how you can confirm whether or not someone that comes to your door is an Official Law Enforcement Officer.

According to Bucci:

1) Ask to see a badge and department identification. It'll have a photo with it.

2) Call the dispatch center when the person gives you a badge number to confirm who they are.

3) Ask for a supervisor with dispatch to triple check.

4) When in doubt, if you're not sure, take their information and confirm it inside your home while they wait outside.

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Sunbeam condo owners concerned about proposed zoning change

Submitted by Ken Amaro, Ken Amaro, Community Reporter

Friday, September 6th, 2013, 7:49pm

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- It was a landfill that turned into a field of dreams, but a few years ago those dreams fizzled.

"We bought in here hoping it would be near an eighteen hole golf course," said Don Spencer.

Spencer bought his retirement home in Edgewater at Sunbeam, a condominium community next to the closed Sunbeam Road landfill. Spencer and his neighbors said a strong selling point was a golf course, which went from 18 holes to nine holes to nothing.

"It would be selfish if it was for us, it can't be private, it would be public," he said.

Even though it would be separate from Spencer's condo community, it would improve property values, but Spencer said more than that, it was promised.

"No homes were to be constructed until a golf course was open," he said. "That was clearly stated."

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Submitted by FirstCoastNews Web Staff

Thursday, September 5th, 2013, 9:25pm

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A special event is being held Friday to make sure older adults know about the benefits of getting a flu shot and to give free flu vaccines to seniors.

Flu + You Day in Duval County will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Williams YMCA, 10415 San Jose Boulevard in Mandarin.

Watch the video above to see Christine Harding with the National Council on Aging talk about the event.

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New Valve Replacement Therapy Offers Alternative to Open Heart Surgery

Submitted by rdaigle on Thursday, September 5th, 4:36 pm

JACKSONVILLE, FLA - A revolutionary new heart treatment is offering new hope to patients considered ineligible for open heart surgery or at great risk of suffering serious surgical complications.

Known as Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR), the minimally invasive procedure is now being used to treat patients suffering from severe aortic valve stenosis. One of the most common valve disease disorders, aortic stenosis typically results from aging, as calcium or scarring narrows and hardens the heart’s aortic valve. As blood flow through the valve becomes constricted, individuals may experience chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting and palpitations. For those with severe aortic stenosis, the condition can lead to congestive heart failure and even death.

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