Serving Satsuma ● Pomona Park ● Lake Como ● Crescent City ● Seville ● Pierson ● Welaka ● Fruitland ● Georgetown ● East Palatka ● Palatka ● Interlachen since 1898 Putnam County February 19, 2014 • Volume 69, No. 40 (2 sections) Crescent City, Florida 50¢ (Includes 7% FL Sales Tax) Pruning Crape Myrtles The Putnam County Extension/UF is offering a “Pruning Welaka Puts a Spring in Their Step Crape Myrtles” class Wednesday, February 19, from 1 to Mike Jones 2:15 p.m. Please pre-register as only 35 participants will be accepted. Bring your own pruning shears for hands Staff Writer on knowledge. There is a registration fee of $5. Stop in at Putnam County Extension Office/UF at 111 Yelvington Rd. The weather could in East Palatka, to register, or call 386-329-0318 for more not have been better as information. festival-goers filled the streets around Welaka’s Bluegrass Festival Town Hall, participating Promoters Adams Bluegrass, LLC, announce that the in games, listening to 10th Annual Palatka Bluegrass Festival will be held at live entertainment, and Rodeheaver Boys’ Ranch in Palatka. The three day event begins Thursday, February 20, 12 p.m., with Open Stage shopping with Springfest daily at 11 a.m. and goes until 10 p.m. each night. vendors and community The terrific line-up features The James King Band, Kody Norris & The Watauga Mountain Boys, The Bluegrass yard sales. Brothers, Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers, Dailey Friday was on the spicy & Vincent, Jimmy Fortune, The Stevens Family, Goldwing side with a chili cook- Express, The Gibson Brothers, The Seldom Scene, The Photos by Mike Jones Primitive Quartet and Ron Thomason and Dry Branch Fire off, won by Sandra Adams, (Top) Vendors and Squad, Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad, Dry Branch while Saturday was a little their pop-up tents Fire Squad, The Little Roy & Lizzy Show, Marty Raybon & sweeter, with a cake and Full Circle, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Gene Watson & lined the street in The Farewell Party Band. pie contest. Sherry Terrana Ticket prices: Three Day General Admission Tickets $85 placed first in the cake con- Welaka, welcoming for adults and $45 for children ages 6-13; General Ad- all to stop and see mission Daily Tickets: $3 for adults and $15 for children; test, while Kimberly Sands Children under 6 get in for free with parents. earned first in the pie con- what they had to of- For more information visit www.adamsbluegrass.com or test. fer. send an email to [email protected]. For tickets, call the ticket office at 706-864-7203 or Ro- For a small town, Welaka (Left) Handmade deheaver Boys’ Ranch Camping at 386-328-1281. continues to win big by crafts, like these holding yet another suc- humming bird feed- cessful event for the com- ers, were found all Blood Drive munity. Express Family Care, in Crescent City, will be holding around the festival. a LifeSouth blood drive Thursday, February 20, from 9 to 11 a.m. Donors will also receive a LifeSouth thank you gift and cholesterol screening. Help save three lives with your donation. Rotary Club Celebrates 87th Anniversary Juliette Laurie ate School is now. They was the Boy Scout Troop Crescent City is also Editor/Publisher met every Wednesday at #42. The club has re- known for sponsoring lo- Creature Feature noon, until 2003 when cently reinstated the In- cal events, such as the Ravine Gardens State Park will host Creature Feature: Monday, February 17, the meetings moved to teract Club at Crescent Annual Catfish Festival, Birds of Prey! Friday, February 21, from 5 to 6 p.m. Ranger marked the 87th Anniver- Tuesday morn- City Jr./Sr. High now in its 36th year, and Lauren will lead a program about Florida’s amazing birds sary of the Rotary Club of ings. School. The Swine and Wine. The of prey. There are many types of birds of prey in our area, Crescent City. The club Over the high school 2013 Swine and Wine so join us to learn about where they live and how they live! began back in 1927, years, the level di- was the club’s most The program will cover eagles, hawks, owls and more! All with George C. Miller, Rota- vision of successful to date, with ages are welcome; children must be accompanied by an Sr. serving as the first ry Club the club, members selling 330 din- adult. The program is free with park entry and for annual President. A charter was of Cres- which al- ner tickets and raising park pass holders. presented to the newly cent City lows the $14,000. Register by visiting www.creaturefeatureravinegardens. founded club, which was eventbrite.com or by calling the park at 386-329-3721. For has been youth to In attendance at Tues- sponsored by the Rotary known for participate day’s Anniversary meet- more information please contact Lauren Watkins at 386- Club of Palatka and their 329-3721 or email [email protected]. serving the in commu- ing were members from President, Howell Da- public, but nity service the Hastings and two vis, on March 10, 1027. have always projects in Palatka Rotary Clubs, Celebrate America From then, the 15 char- focused on the their communi- Area Governor Brent ter members held their youth of today lead- ty, currently has 14 Coates, and District Gov- The GFWC Woman’s Club of Palatka will present “Cele- meetings at the Grove brate America,” a patriotic musical. This can’t miss event ing us tomorrow. members and is spon- ernor Art McQueen, as Hall Hotel, which stood The first noted civ- sored by Alice McCoy. well as the 27 current takes place Saturday, February 22, at 7:30 p.m., and will where Miller Intermedi- feature Navy Band Southeast TGIF and Dixieland Group. ic project the group led The Rotary Club of and honorary members. Join the community at the clubhouse, located at the cor- ner of Crill Avenue and 13th Street in Palatka. Everyone is welcome and admission is free. Volunteer Firefighters Needed Sami Marshall made up of volunteers. A Satsuma are combination and communities do not majority of departments stations that have paid always have the means to Wagon Tour Copy Editor Ravine Gardens State Park will host a Wagon Tour Sat- in rural areas are com- staff, as well as volun- maintain these stations. urday, February 22. Enjoy a guided wagon tour around the Volunteer firefighters pletely ran and fully sup- teers, Monday through That’s where volunteering beautiful ravine at Ravine Gardens State Park! Tours will and emergency respond- ported by volunteers, be- Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 comes into play. begin at 1 p.m., last approximately 25 minutes, and will ers help keep the com- cause this is usually the p.m. According to Cati- leave every 30 minutes, from the front of the Roy E. Camp- munities safe day in and only option in maintain- It takes nearly 421 na Flynn, Recruitment bell Civic Center. Learn about the history of the ravine and day out. Each day, men ing emergency services. participating volunteers Coordinator, in order the park, and plants, animals and ecosystems that make and women across the This is what you will find within these 18 stations for the Georgetown/ Ravine Gardens a diverse place to visit. The last tour leaves country, gather up their to be true in Putnam to maintain the emergen- Fruitland Volunteer Fire at 2:30 p.m. The tours are $1 per person, and proceeds gear and head to a local County. cy services needed by the Department to function benefit the Friends of Ravine Gardens State Park. Children fire department to face Putnam County has a County’s population. smoothly, there needs to under 3 are free. Park entry is additional and costs $5 per whatever the day may total of 19 fire depart- Over the years, the need be around 20 volunteers vehicle for two to eight people, $4 for single occupant ve- bring. Through the ser- ments, 18 of which are for emergency services who rotate shifts. hicles, and $2 for pedestrians and bicyclists. Registration vices that these generous volunteer stations. The has increased, but the The Georgetown/ is not required. people render, for very station in the city of number of people volun- Fruitland VFD’s annual little monetary return, Palatka is the only one teering for these positions community meeting is Monday Morning Hike citizens can go on with that is not ran by volun- has decreased. Commu- Tuesday, February 25, at their day knowing that teers, and runs off a bud- nities only have a limit- 7 p.m. at the George- Ravine Gardens State Park will host a Nature Hike with they will be protected at get of around $344,560 ed number of options to town Community Center, a Ranger Monday, February 24, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. where home or work if disaster per year, set up by the keep these departments which is located on C.R. visitors can learn about local plants and wildlife. Start the city. open and maintained. week off in nature! Take a hike with a ranger on the Ravine were to arise. 309, next to the fire de- In the United States, The fire departments The first option is to re- partment. Gardens State Park trail system and view the beautiful in Crescent City, Mel- cruit and maintain vol- ponds, plants and critters at the park! The hike is family 73% of fire services are This is an active op- rose, East Palatka, and unteers.