Amelia Island Gutters
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CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK $1.00 FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 2014 /20 PAGES, 2 SECTIONS • fbnewsleader.com Utility director suspended for anger to staff ANGELA DAUGHTRY “piece of shit.” News-Leader According to the corrective action City Utilities Director John report, tempers Mandrick was placed on five days flared due to a failed unpaid leave in early July for what was toxicity test at the termed “unprofessional conduct,” wastewater treat- according to an employee corrective ment plant, which action report from the city’s personnel required the city to department. Mandrick resubmit toxicity Mandrick was also ordered to results to the Florida enroll in counseling for anger man- Department of Envi- agement through the city’s employee ronmental Protection so the plant assistance program. would not be in violation of its state He was put on leave after another operating permit. employee in the utilities department An employee of Mandrick’s, who made a complaint against Mandrick, was held responsible for the failure, claiming he went into “a tirade” on said he felt Mandrick was to blame. May 9, “making disparaging remarks He also stated that he had “heard about 10 employees of the wastewater Mandrick using bad language in front division” and that Mandrick was cre- of him ... and in front of visitors, includ- ating a “hostile work environment.” ing women,” according to the report. The employee making the com- Frustrations also built after a citizen plaint also was reportedly upset about Mandrick calling another employee a MANDRICK Continued on 3A More apartments coming to Yulee MARY MAGUIRE between the developer and the county, News-Leader though no public records exist show- ing that the developer has filed for pub- The rental housing market is get- lic funding. ting a boost. The property was sold in June for A new 300-unit rental apartment $2.1 million by DB Florida, LLC, complex that includes 39 affordable according to the Nassau County units is expected to break ground in Property Appraiser’s website. late September on Christian Way just That is a limited liability corporation south of A1A in Yulee. headed by David Berkman, a local phi- Plans call for an upscale, gated com- lanthropist and one of the county’s munity with 16 buildings in two-story largest private landowners. and three-story configurations. The site also shows that the LLC Amenities include a clubhouse and a purchased the land on Dec. 21, 2000 for swimming pool as well as a half-mile $296,700. long nature trail and a designated area The buyer is listed as LFW Reserve, to wash the car and the family dog. LLC, which is headed by an Atlanta- Garages and outdoor parking for 522 based real estate developer with expe- vehicles are also included on the pro- rience building offices and call center ject’s site drawings. facilities across the country. PHOTOS BY KATHY RUSSELL/FOR THE NEWS-LEADER The complex will be known as The The county gave developer LFW Diver Stephen Mazino in the Atlantic with a speared lionfish, top, and Lyla Pirkola, with boat Captain Reserve and it is going up on an unde- Reserve the go-ahead earlier this Dan Lindley, above, holding one of the smaller lionfish taken during the 2nd Annual Northeast veloped 24.28-acre parcel along a month to build 15-units per acre, five Florida Lionfish Rodeo on Saturday. The non-native lionfish are culled to help preserve native fish stretch of land on Christian Way where more units than is allowed under the species. there are future plans to extend the county’s building code, because the roadway two miles to the Amelia project qualified for bonus units under Concourse. a local plan to promote affordable hous- The extension is part of the “Loop ing. Lionfish hunt intended Road” that is designed to go around Nassau County’s Growth Manage- various shopping centers north and ment Office says the 2030 Compre- south of A1A without getting on to the hensive Plan encourages affordable state road. housing and offers incentives, such as The affordable housing units make bonus housing allowances. to save native species the project eligible for government “Having a diversified housing mix funding to help with construction. with a variety of price points con- There are plans to ask for the BRYAN BROOKS eventually the U.S. Coast Guard agreed to take them money, according to the agreement HOUSING Continued on 3A For the News-Leader out on one of their buoy tenders. In 2006, the Coast Guard took Russell and 20 students for the first drop of ne of the divers involved in the 2nd Annual her artificial reef structures off Amelia Island. The con- Northeast Florida Lionfish Rodeo was Kathy crete buoy blocks were dropped in 68-70 feet of water Russell, the city’s aquatic manager. Russell is about eight miles offshore. And for about five years OOalso a scuba instructor and owner of Scuba there were annual trips for fish counts, documented Station, located behind the city’s recreation center on with underwater photographs. The last count was made On the Atlantic Avenue. Up to now her mission has been to in 2011. teach diving and promote the marine health of the local So why then would Russell join a band of hardy environment off the shores of Amelia Island. She’s the North Florida spear fishermen in an attempt to wipe out last person you’d think would take up a spear gun to the area’s beautiful lionfish? The answer: The lionfish, water harm a beautiful critter like the lionfish. though indeed beautiful, is a non-native species off Russell has a background as a marine biology Amelia’s Island’s shores, having a devastating effect on teacher at Fernandina Beach High School. In the our marine environment. And they are rapidly spread- Essentials 1990’s, with the help of a local fishing club, and under ing to the detriment of local fish populations. the auspices of Nassau County, Russell applied to the It gets worse: Lionfish seem immune to the parasites U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a permit to drop local fish have to contend with. Lionfish originate from scrap concrete off Amelia Island, encouraging renewal the Indo-Pacific oceans of the world. In their own envi- inside of marine habitats on the sandy bottom offshore. ronment predators and parasites keep them in check, She got help from Pensacola Fish Havens, using but not here. And unfortunately they just love to scarf their four-sided metal forms for her students to fill in down native species of fish off Amelia Island like with concrete. By 2001, the fishing club had purchased today 12. Having no money to have the items taken offshore, LIONFISH Continued on 12A News-Leader INDEX OBITUARIES ........................................... 2A SEA TURTLE NESTING SEASON 160th year. No. 66 CLASSIFIEDS ...............................7B OUT AND ABOUT ................. 2B 2014: 114 Hatched: 2371 COMMUNITY ............................ 8A RELIGION .................................................. 3B Copyright, 2014 2012 Nests: 189 Hatchlings: 14,096 The News-Leader EDITORIAL .................................. 7A SERVICE DIRECTORY .......................7B Please turn off or redirect lights shining Fernandina Beach, FL HOMES ....................................................... 5B SPORTS .................................................... 10A directly on the beach. For a detailed count Printed on 100% recycled MUSIC NOTES ..................................... 2B SUDOKU ...................................... 2B newsprint with soy based ink. see www.ameliaislandseaturtlewatch.com . CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK 2A FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 2014 NEWS News-Leader OBITUARIES ESD or drowning? Rev. Earl Richo Sr. The funeral service for Rev. Know the signs Earl Richo, Sr., will be held 11 a.m. on Saturday at the River ALEXANDRIA, Va. – of Praise Worship Center, 83410 While standing at the end of St Mark Drive, your boat dock, you see a Electric Shock Yulee, Fla. person struggling in the Drowning (ESD) The visita- water. Do you recognize that tion will be held the person is drowning, or is occurs when faulty from 5-7 p.m. something else going on? dock or boat wiring Friday at Elm And what should you do? Street Church Doing the right thing could causes electricity of God, 502 help save someone else’s life, (alternating current South 11th St. Interment will and might keep you from los- be in Oakwood Cemetery. ing yours. or “AC” power) to Please sign the family guest Electric Shock Drowning enter fresh water book at www.tswarden.com. (ESD) occurs when faulty Funerals By T.S. Warden dock or boat wiring causes and pass through a Jacksonville electricity (alternating cur- swimmer. rent or “AC” power) to enter fresh water and pass through Bill Soper a swimmer. The swimmer Bill Soper, formerly from does not need to be touching moving in a climbing-a-lad- Yulee, Florida, died on August SUBMITTED the bottom, a boat or dock der type motion, taking 11, 2014 in Middletown, CT. Dr. Tom Washburn, founder of the Barnabas Samaritan Clinic, and Wanda Lanier, structure, and even minute quick gulps of air, with the Bill was born on December executive director of Barnabas, at the center’s recent Peace Pole dedication. amounts mouth below the water much 11, 1928, in Larchmont, N.Y. to PPAAGGEE of elec- of the time. ESD victims can the late parents Dudley and tricity can be instantly paralyzed and Carol Soper. Bill graduated Barnabas dedicates peace pole be inca- not move at all. from the Missouri School of pacitat- So what do you need to Science and Technology, with a For the News-Leader “Peace is not just an who have no other place to 2 ing. As do for both cases? Don’t degree in Electric Engineering. absence of war. It is a virtue, a turn.” more jump in the water – call 911, Bill served in the U.S.