This is Marcia Lane, your roving reporter.
St. Johns County Commission is moving forward with a new workforce housing pilot project in West St. Augustine aimed at helping workers such as school teachers, police officers and firefighters. The 106-home project will be called Kings Crossing in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Florida is experiencing a housing boom currently with inflation hiking up the price of housing. As of last week median price for a house in St. Johns is $467,000. That’s up 16 percent over last month. And that’s making it tough for people to afford a house, thus the push for affordable workforce housing.
The nation’s first native born naturalist is the star of the Bartram Frolic this weekend in Palatka during a celebration of William Bartram and his impact on the area. Events begin at 5 p.m. tonight with a free art show at First Presbyterian Church of Palatka’s Westminster Hall on South Second Street followed by a concert featuring Bartram Songs and Stories of the St. Johns River at 7 p.m. in the church sanctuary. Plenty of family-friendly events Saturday at the Frolic’s Passport-to-the Past educational stations along the riverfront beginning at 10 plus re-enactors including the Fort Mose Militia from St. Augustine, music and stories in the amphitheater and food trucks. Guided tours on the river are at 1 and 3 p.m. Kayaking tours start at 8:30 a.m. and a cycling tour is at 10 a.m. Tours are also set for National Historic Mount Royal near Welaka. On Sunday you can enjoys hikes and paddling tours. Go to bartramtrailsociety.com for a complete schedule.
It’s Earth Day today with lots of events happening over the weekend. In Putnam County, Keep Putnam Beautiful will be joining volunteers in Pomona Park Saturday for a morning clean-up. Also Saturday will be a Tire Amnesty Day as a countywide cleanup effort continues. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. you can take up to 20 tires to the Putnam County Landfill. Light truck or car tires only, no commercial loads.
In Flagler County Washington Oaks Gardens holds an Earth Day Celebration from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Flagler County. Live entertainment prize drawings, arts and crafts vendors and a special children’s section are scheduled.
In celebration of Earth Day a one-day music festival is at North Shores Community Park in Vilano Beach beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday. The 10th annual Roscolusa Festival featuring Nashville singers and songwriters is also Saturday in Ponte Vedra Beach. The 22nd annual Riding Into History Concours d’Elegance is today and Saturday at World Golf Village in St. Augustine and features motor bikes from across the county.
Jacksonville University Symphony Orchestra offers a free concert Sunday at 4 p.m. at St. Anastasia Catholic Church on Anastasia Island. It’s part of the Let There be Music concert series hosted by the church.
The annual Birding & Photo Fest is underway in St. Johns County and features more than 130 events, classes and outdoor excursions. The fest is headquartered at Celebration Hall at St. Anastasia on St. Augustine Beach through Sunday.
Taste of St. Augustine is Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The St. Augustine Amphitheater on Anastasia Island. As always proceeds benefit EPIC Behavioral Healthcare that’s been serving the community sine 1973. You can sample foods from local restaurants, brewery and win with the $1 taste tickets. Admission is $5 for the event that includes live music.
Florida School of the Arts offers up a free Modern Broadway Through the Decades concert Sunday at 2:30 p.m. on the Palatka campus of St. Johns River State College.
Take a step back in time to when railroads ruled as the Historical Society of Interlachen presents Trains of Interlachen on Monday at 4 p.m. Guest speaker is Howard Blasczyk of the Palatka Railroad Preservation Society. Children are welcome at the free presentation at Interlachen Hall and refreshments will be served.
Palatka High School softball girls logged a 5-3 win Thursday night against Nease High School. The girls are on a winning streak, having beaten North Marion Wednesday. On Tuesday of next week they’ll be in Clay County playing the Clay High School Blue Devils. We’ll be covering it on WIYD.
And a way-to-go to 4-Hers who took part in the 2022 Putnam 4-H County Council Soda Tab Challenge. 4-HMembers from Browning-Pearce Elementary James A Long Elementary, Bostwick Bronco Ropers, Bucks & Does 4-H, Boots-N-Bows 4-H and Mega Bytes 4-H collected 437 pounds of drink can tabs for the Ronald McDonald House. That’s a lot of tabs.
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