Scholarship to honor Ben Zirbel
PALATKA – St. Johns River State College has established the Deputy Ben Zirbel Memorial Scholarship to remember and honor the SJR State alumnus who lost his life while serving in the line of duty in an early morning traffic accident on Aug. 19. To make a donation, please visit the SJR State Foundation contribution form at sjrstate.edu or mail donations to the SJR State Foundation, 5001 St. Johns Ave., Palatka, FL 32177.
This scholarship will make a tremendous impact on a student wanting to attend the SJR State Criminal Justice Academy and earn an education that will allow him or her to serve and protect our communities in the future.
For more information, please call (386) 312-4100.

Middleburg man claims $1 million top prize in Florida 20x the cash scratch-off game
TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Lottery announces that Steven Lofton, 39, of Middleburg, claimed a $1 million top prize in the FLORIDA 20X THE CASH Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee. He chose to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $770,000.00.
Lofton purchased his winning ticket from Shop & Hop at 7560 North U.S. Highway 19 in Fanning Springs. The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.
The $5 game, FLORIDA 20X THE CASH, launched in January, and features 14 top prizes of $1 million, and more than $110 million in cash prizes. The game’s overall odds of winning are one-in-4.22.
Scratch-Offs are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, generating more than $871 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund in fiscal year 2017-18, and comprising approximately 69 percent of ticket sales.

Science Café presents an overview of the St. Johns River
ORANGE PARK – The St. Johns River State College Science Café lectures continue this fall on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. when Environmental Scientist Robert Mattson presents a broad review of the hydrology, water quality and ecology of the St. Johns River system.
The lecture will also include some of the major management issues affecting the river and the steps taken to address them. The lecture will be held on the Orange Park campus in room D14.
Mattson is a senior environmental scientist with the St. Johns River Water Management District and is a senior ecologist certified by the Ecological Society of America and a certified environmental professional by the Academy of Board Certified Environmental Professionals. He has been with the SJRWMD for 13 years and is involved in conducting ecological studies in spring ecosystems of the St. Johns River. Mattson is also an adjunct instructor at SJR State.
Café participants will experience a casual evening filled with interesting topics, tasty treats and engaging conversation. The event is free and open to the public.

Warriors to hold reunion
FOX LAKE, Illinois – Veterans of the U.S. Army’s renowned 2nd Infantry Division, “The
Warriors,” will hold their 97th Annual Reunion at the Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel in
Jacksonville Sept. 19-23. The reunion will be conducted by the division’s veterans’ organization, the Second Indianhead Division Association.
Reunion highlights include a Sept. 19 keynote speaker Col. Karen Lloyd, director of the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress. On Sept. 21, there will be a Muster Dinner with keynote speaker Col. David Hunt, a former battalion commander in the division who is now a Fox News Channel military analyst. Joe Rodriguez, nephew of the most recent division
Medal of Honor recipient, Miguel Vera, will be the special guest.
There will be an annual Memorial Service on Sept. 21 at 2 p.m., at which Lt. General Michael Linnington of the Wounded Warrior Project, will speak. The keynote speakers at the grand banquet on Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. will be Lt. Gen. Ted Martin, former division commander and current deputy commander of the U.S. Army Training & Doctrine Command.
The group is seeking all current and former 2nd Infantry Division Warriors to attend any or all
days of the reunion. Good times and comradeship are had by all, as the veterans
recount stories from World War II, the Korean War, the Korean Demilitarized Zone/Cold
War era, Iraq and Afghanistan. To attend, contact Bob Haynes at (224) 225-1202 or
email him at 2idahq@comcast.net or visit our web site at 2ida.org.

Nonprofit vet clinic adds urgent care services
ORANGE PARK – Clay Humane, a nonprofit animal clinic located near Orange Park, is now open from 5 p.m. to midnight Friday, Saturday and Sunday for urgent veterinary services.
“We were receiving numerous phone calls requesting after-hour veterinary services for common pet illnesses and injuries,” said Christian Broadhurst, senior staff veterinarian at Clay Humane. “Urgent Care is designed to care for minor emergencies before they become life-threatening. Our goal is to ensure more animals remain healthy by offering extended service hours.”
Clay Humane’s urgent care services include treatment of sudden lameness, ear infections, severe skin disease, seizures, diarrhea and vomiting, severe cough, painful urinary tract infections, male urinary obstruction, painful oral conditions, trauma of any type, eye injuries, cat and dog fights, lacerations, ear hematomas, back or neck pain, constipation, poisoning, heat stroke, broken and bleeding nails.
Veterinarians will see urgent care patients on a walk-in basis and will be treated in order of urgency. Cases such as respiratory infections, limping, minor cuts, ear infections, diarrhea, vomiting and patients with skin diseases are treated in order of arrival.
“Urgent care allows Clay Humane to offer reduced wait times because we are treating non-life threatening injuries,” said Broadhurst. “Urgent care also costs less, allowing us to continue to provide the same level of excellent veterinary care during our extended hours that we offer during regular business hours.”
The Urgent Care Exam Fee at Clay Humane is $75. Radiographs with two views cost $187.50 and a Comprehensive Health Profile is $150 during urgent care hours.
Clay Humane’s urgent care is closed on holidays and is open dogs and cats only to deliver the most efficient care to the largest number of pet owners.
Clay Humane encourages owners of pets facing more life-threatening emergencies or emergencies that need 24/7 care and specialist intervention to go to Clay Duval Pet Emergency, 275 Corporate Way Suite 200 in Orange Park.
“Clay Humane’s urgent care services fill the gap between primary care veterinarians and 24-hour emergency hospitals,” said Broadhurst. “We provide prompt, effective relief for cases that are not serious enough for an emergency hospital but are too pressing to wait for an appointment the next business day.”

Internet-based hunter safety courses offered
LAKE CITY – The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is offering free hunter safety internet-completion courses in Clay and 12 other counties during September.
Students who have taken the online course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report with them.
All firearms, ammunition and materials are provided free of charge. Students should bring a pen or pencil and paper. An adult must accompany children younger than 16 at all times.
Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must pass an approved hunter safety course and have a hunting license to hunt alone, unsupervised. The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.
A class will be held Sept. 6 from 6-9 p.m. in Starke and Sept. 8 from 8 a.m. until completed in
Graham. On Sept. 13 from 6-9 p.m., a class will be in Orange Park and Sept. 15 from 8 a.m. until completed in Graham and Sept. 27 from 6-9 p.m. on Fleming Island and Sept. 29 from 8 a.m. until completed in Graham. Two classes are scheduled for Jacksonville, one on Sept. 13 from 6-9 p.m. and Sept. 15 from 8:30 a.m. until Noon.
The specific location for these classes will be given to those who register in advance. Those interested in attending a course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes at MyFWC.com/HunterSafety or by calling the FWC’s regional office in Lake City at (386) 758-0525.

Realtor welcomes Anne Ochsner
FLEMING ISLAND – Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty has expanded again by adding another association to its Fleming Island-Orange Park office.
Anne Ochsner comes to the company with several years of experience as a Realtor working with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties in Connecticut.
Ochsner has a strong background in residential sales and purchases and has a dedication to her client’s needs that is evident as soon as you meet her.
“I love assisting buyers realize their dreams of home ownership and helping educate sellers on the process of real estate marketing and sales in order to achieve the best outcomes,” Ochsner said.
She is an avid reader and enjoys helping others and engaging with the community through volunteering. She credits her family as her support system and treasures spending time with them.
Ochsner’s office is at 3535 Highway 17, Suite 10 on Fleming Island.

Blood needs of area hospitals met after shooting
ORLANDO – All immediate blood needs have been met following a mass shooting at a video game tournament in Jacksonville.
OneBlood, the primary blood provider in the state, has been in contact with all hospitals that received patients and has confirmed blood inventory at each hospital is sufficient.
In light of the blood needs being met, OneBlood is operating under normal business hours. To find a Big Red Bus mobile drive or donor center near you please visit www.oneblood.org. Appointments are encouraged and can be made online or by calling 1-888-9-DONATE.
To help ensure a ready blood supply, OneBlood encourages people to make blood donation a habit and donate each time they are eligible.
Generally healthy people age 16 or older who weigh at least 110 pounds can donate blood.