I was honored to have been selected as the 2008 St. Augustine Women's Council of REALTORS® Businesswoman of the Year. The following is from a press release written by Heather Naughton, Public Relations Director with the Women's Council of REALTORS®:

"This annual award recognizes a Realtor who is real estate industry leader; and who shares their time, talent and expertise with others in the profession and in the community.

Amy Capo, 2008 president of the St. Augustine Regional Chapter of WCR describes Jenness as a community volunteer and activist. Jenness has held office as president and vice president seats with many business and community organizations.

She is a member of the National Association of Realtors; Florida Association of Realtors; St Augustine and St. Johns County Board of Realtors, Northeast Florida Board of Realtors; Women's Council of Realtors and has been involved with the St. Johns County Builder's Council as well as past president of the American institute of Industrial Engineers, Charlotte Chapter.

She holds a bachelor of science - industrial and systems engineering, from Georgia Tech. Jenness is a graduate, Realtor Institute, e-PRO, CCIM intro, Accredited Buyer's Representative and Transnational Referral Certified.

Her career achievements include 2007 100 percent Club - Realty Executives; 2006 Double Diamond Award, Top Producer, Top Score in GRI courses, top score in Real Estate Broker course and top score in Salesperson Real Estate course. Jenness has been recognized by her community for Outstanding Stewardship of the A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway, Vilano Beach Town Center Appreciation and Recognition, Outstanding Volunteer Service - Vilano Beach CRA, and Marine Resources Council Outstanding Volunteer Effort 2002 to 2008."

 

Barbara Jenness was selected as the 2008 REALTOR® of the Year for the St. Augustine Regional's chapter of the Women's Council of REALTORS®. This is the first year a separate award for REALTOR of the Year and Affiliate of the Year was done. Seymoine Schmidt, with Colonial Bank, was selected as the Affiliate of the Year. Neither award is by nomination, but simply by the members writing in the name of the person. Last year the chapter awarded a member of the year. Mitsu O’Riley was last year’s member of the year. Barbara was the 2007 President of the Women’s Council of REALTORS® and served on the board this year as immediate past president. Seymoine was Mixer Chair and continues in that role for 2009. Please visit the chapter’s website at http://wcrstaugustine.org for more information about the Women’s Council of REALTORS®.

On Monday, October 6^th, I learned from a fellow REALTOR® that our Humane Society was closing at the end of the month. This morning I got verification from reading our local newspaper. Per the St. Augustine Record’s article today:

“Humane Society Director Cindy Bishop is working to adopt out the nearly 200 animals at the shelter. She said she plans to call rescue groups in the area, and she is researching the possibility of transporting animals to Humane Societies in surrounding counties.”

If you have been thinking about adopting a pet, now is the time. Please tell everyone you know. Many of you know our wonderful cat, Kahlua. We adopted her from this Humane Society.

Please stop by the Florida East Coast Humane Society at 1665 Old Moultrie Road before October 31, 2008.  They are closed Sundays and Mondays. Here are their hours and phone number:

Tuesday thru Friday 10 to 6 
Saturday 10 to 5
Closed Sunday and Monday
904-829-2737

Thank you.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Public Information office just announced the following detour on King Street which will affect most of us in our Nation's Oldest City.

"Traffic on eastbound King Street at the U.S. 1 intersection near the Seabreeze Carwash will be routed onto a new detour that will be in place for approximately six weeks beginning September 24.  The detour will route eastbound King Street traffic north onto U.S. 1 returning to King Street at Cordova Street. This will allow construction crews to realign the turn lane at the southeast corner of the intersection and replace the signal.

All eastbound King Street traffic will be detoured north on U.S. 1, east on West Castillo Drive, south on South Castillo Drive, west on Cathedral Place, south on Cordova Street and back to King Street, just less than two miles. 

        A westbound detour that is currently in place will be completed prior to eastbound King Street being closed."

The work on the King Street and U.S. 1 intersection began June 9th and began affecting westbound traffic on King Street on August 5th.  This $1.1 million safety project is expected to be completed by early 2009. The project includes adding a new traffic signal at King Street and Malaga Street/Sebastian Harbor Drive, reconfiguring the dedicated turn lanes at King Street and U.S. 1, replacing the existing signal and sidewalk at King Street and U.S. 1, replacing and adding pedestrian signals with new signals that have a crossing time countdown display, replacing drainage pipes to meet current standards, adding wheelchair accessible ramps, and making minor modifications to the median at Daniels Street two blocks south of King Street on U.S. 1.

        For additional information regarding this project, contact the Public Information Office at 800-475-0044 or monica.reifeiss@earthtech.com.  For information about FDOT projects around Northeast Florida, visit www.northfloridaroads.com/goto/KingStreet.

On Tuesday, September 16, 2008, the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners will review funding and budget requests for beach restoration. The meeting starts at 9 a.m. at the county auditorium at 4020 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL.

 

According to the agenda for the meeting:

“The St. John County Annual Funding Request and Local Long-Range Budget Request to use Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) consists of the following elements:

 

1. South Ponte Vedra/Vilano Beach/Summer Haven Beach Restoration
2. St. Johns County Shore Protection Project
3. South Ponte Vedra/Vilano Beach Restoration”

 

Here are the supporting documents.

 

There are many benefits to being a St. Johns County resident.  We enjoy a wonderful lifestyle, beautiful sights, and great attractions. Many new (and some old) residents to our county don't realize they can take advantage of many of St. Augustine's attractions at a discounted rate and in some cases free simply by showing their driver's license. When I have guests visiting me, I take them on the trains and I get to ride free (I think it's a two for one charge, but I like to think I ride free).

The St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau wants you to know that:

St. Johns County residents with a valid ID are always admitted free of charge to Government House Museum, the Lightner Museum, the Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum, the Fountain of Youth, the Ximenez-Fatio House,  and the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse.  The daily tours and wine tastings at the San Sebastian Winery are free to everyone. Also, admission is free to everyone at the Authentic Old Drug Store, Fort Matanzas National Monument, St. Photios Chapel and the Peña-Peck House (donations are welcomed).

So get out an explore your hometown. Your senses and pocketbook will thank you.

 

Finally! And yes, I am saying this as an impatient person that lives in the area and am tired of the "speed bumps".  The crosswalks are so nice and now will be able to be seen as crosswalks and not speed bumps. The roads in the Vilano Beach Town Center are now being paved. The work should be done within a week.

So, we will now be able to drive over the roundabout that is really a drive-over at the intersection of Coastal Highway and Vilano Road.  It should all be obvious to us soon.

Thanks to St. Johns County for all they have done for us!

It seems everywhere you look in the Vilano and North Beach areas utility crews are working. A couple of weeks ago I noticed Powercon digging trenches along the west side of A1A around Villages of Vilano north to about 15th St. They said they are laying conduit to bury the overhead electrical lines. I have not gotten this information verified by FPL, however. Powercon did not know when the actually burial of the lines would occur, but the conduit is in place.  They were contracted for 6000 ft. along A1A. They are not doing the east side due to safety issues of being able to have their equipment off A1A while doing the work.

AND... the big news:  The poles are coming down in the Vilano Beach Town Center as I type this. This has been happening this past week and will continue. It shouldn't be long now. The Vilano Beach Town Center is looking good.

UPDATE- we've got a small snag to removing the poles---AT&T. Hopefully AT&T will get going soon and we can get the poles removed.

The grand opening of the streetscape will be in mid September. We'll know more in July as to the actual date. Stay tuned for more info or call me at 904-823-0027 or e-mail me at Barbara@BarbaraJenness.com

 

I just spotted my first Right Whale of the season. I called her into the Right Whale Hotline (1-888-97-WHALE). Julie at the hotline contacted Fish & Wildlife (FWC). FWC sent out two planes to investigate. They determined it was a Right Whale with her calf. This particular Right Whale was first spotted two weeks ago and has been hanging out in our area from Flagler Beach to S. Ponte Vedra. I guess she found a great spot and decide to vacation here. Her name is Arpeggio (no, I didn't name her). She is very distinctive in that she has a scar on her right shoulder. So, if you see her and her baby swimming around, welcome them to our wonderful area here in northeast Florida, just a couple miles north of our nation's oldest city, St. Augustine.

ST. AUGUSTINE SELECTED AS ONE OF FLORIDA’S SEVEN WONDERS

 

St. Augustine, the Nation’s oldest city, has been selected as one of Florida’s Seven Wonders by the readers of the Miami Herald.  Yippee! Our fine city finished third from among nearly two dozen candidates for inclusion on the list of Florida's most inspiring and beautiful locations.

To determine the Sunshine State’s seven wonders, the Herald asked for nominations and then listed the twenty-one most popular on their website.  Nominees could be natural or man-made – but had to reflect the state’s beauty, history or culture. Throughout the month of June, Herald readers were asked to vote for their favorites.  Additionally, you could visit their website to select your candidate. I asked many people in St. Augustine to vote for our wonderful city. The winners will be formally announced  July 22.

Florida's 7 Wonders in order of votes: 

1. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables

2. The Everglades

3. Historic St. Augustine

4. the Reefs of the Florida Keys

5.Vizcaya Museum in Miami

6.Old Town Key West

7.Kennedy Space Center. 

Each of the Seven Wonders will be presented in a special edition of the Herald’s Travel on July 29. Come visit St. Augustine. You'll want to move here!