FDOT to hold public meeting on SR 21
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS – The Florida Department of Transportation invites Clay County residents to attend a public meeting to discuss the proposed improvements to State Road 21.
The FDOT is proposing to mill and resurface SR 21 from the Putnam County line to north of Commercial Circle in Keystone Heights. Portions of this project are in Bradford, Clay and Putnam Counties. In addition to the milling and resurfacing, FDOT will improve the safety of the road by widening the paved shoulders and improving the lighting within the Town of Keystone Heights. The project also includes adding mid-block crossings and bulb-outs as part of the Town’s Streetscape project. Additionally, signal and pedestrian improvements at the intersection of State Road 100 are also being proposed.

Science Café focuses on microscopic organisms
ORANGE PARK – The St. Johns River State College Science Café lecture series continues in October with microbiologist Earl Larson, Ph.D.
On Oct. 16 at 7 p.m., Larson will discuss how microscopic organisms in our intestines can have positive and negative effects on our health. Larson will also discuss how microscopic organisms that live in the digestive tracts of fish can potentially improve aquaculture. The lecture will be held on the Orange Park campus in room D14.
Larson has 14 years’ experience as a fish biologist and five years as a microbiologist. He started his career studying stress and appetite in fish and applying this knowledge to the aquaculture industry. He also worked in the biotech industry where he designed tests for various infectious diseases where he became interested in microbiology.
Guests can expect a casual evening filled with interesting topics, treats and conversation. The event is free and open to the public.

Owen graduates from Regional Leadership Academy
JACKSONVILLE – A Keystone Heights community leader is one of 14 Northeast Florida residents – and the only Clay County resident – who recently graduated from The Regional Leadership Academy of the Northeast Florida Regional Council.
Cheryl Owen graduated as part of Class 13 on Sept. 24 at a meeting of Northeast Florida Regional Community Institute Inc.
The Academy aims to build a diverse regional network of leaders who have a shared commitment to collaborate and connect communities to make Northeast Florida a better place. The program covers regional tourism, demographics, growth management, regional transportation, environment, resources and the full range of issues affecting the Region.

Stigliano writes memoir about abuse
ORANGE PARK – Former Clay Today correspondent Kelly Stigliano has written a new memoir she hopes will help readers learn how to identify at-risk relationships, discover ways to help single mothers and see how forgiveness can change lives.
Her self-published book, “Praying for Murder, Receiving Mercy: From At-Risk to At Peace; My Journey from Fear to Freedom” can be pre-ordered in paperback and eBook at Amazon. An audio version is scheduled for later this year.
She said the book “chronicles her dedication to helping women who are at risk.” In her career, Stigliano has given motivational speeches and published stories about her life in 12 anthologies and over 100 magazines, e-zines, and blog posts. Her account of overcoming abuse is scheduled to air on the Focus on the Family radio broadcast on Oct. 11-12.
Marnie Swedberg, international leadership mentor at Marnie.com said, “Thank you, Kelly, for baring your soul and your scars so we could better understand the heart of our Loving Father. I highly recommend this book!”
More information is available at KellyStigliano.com.

Take a ‘Moonlight’ tour in Magnolia Cemetery
ORANGE PARK – Orange Park history comes to life on Oct. 27 as the annual Moonlight on Magnolia introduces guests to yesterday’s residents.
Beginning at 4 p.m., guests will be guided on 45-minute tours through Magnolia Cemetery at 1040 Kingsley Ave. by members of the Historical Society of Orange Park.
The final tour begins at 6:30 p.m. when moonlight must guide the way. Visitors are invited to stroll through time as re-enactors portraying Magnolia’s permanent residents tell their stories at various stops along a guided path.
This year’s walk promises to be fantastic. Stops along the way will include benefactress Carrie Clarke, author Nixon Smiley, African-American entrepreneurs, military leaders and others. There are so many interesting characters in Magnolia that to include them all in the guided tours would mean a very lengthy walk. Therefore, following the guided tours guests are free to visit with the several others whose stories can be shared on a more informal basis.
Free parking is available at the First Baptist Church of Orange Park, located next to the cemetery. Admission is free but donations to the Historical Society of Orange Park, a 501(c)(3) organization, will be accepted. All are invited to attend. Guests are encouraged to bring a water bottle and a flash light for after dark.
While at the cemetery for the tour, guests can visit the Society’s Veterans Memorial, which will host a special observance of Veterans Day on Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. For more information, visit the society’s website, http://ophistory.org/

Groups form partnership on reverse mortgage assistance for seniors
TALLAHASSEE – Florida Housing Finance Corporation, Fannie Mae and the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, are working together on the Elderly Mortgage Assistance Program.
Administered by Florida Housing, the corporation has spent more than $47 million in federal funding from the Hardest-Hit Fun towards the program.
ELMORE assists elder homeowners with home equity conversion mortgages – better known as “reverse mortgages” – who, because of a hardship, are having difficulty making property tax and homeowner’s insurance payments. As a result, these homeowners are facing foreclosure for non-payment of these required costs.
Homeowners who meet specific qualifications may be eligible for a two-year forgivable loan of up to $50,000. The funds will be distributed to the mortgage servicer, on the homeowner’s behalf, in a lump sum to repay property-related expenses paid by the servicer (e.g., property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, flood insurance and association fees) plus upcoming property-related expenses for up to 12 months.
Since its launch in 2013, ELMORE has helped more than 2,300 struggling seniors and disbursed over $47 million in assistance statewide. The program will close in 2019.
More information is at FloridaELMORE.org or (800) 601-3534.

Rebuild Florida commits $616 million for Hurricane Irma repairs, rebuilding
MARATHON – The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity launched a long-term $616 million recovery effort to help Florida families whose homes were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Irma.
Rebuild Florida is a program run by DEO in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This program was announced jointly by Gov. Rick Scott and HUD Sec. Ben Carson in June and will connect eligible Floridians with federal disaster recovery funding, prioritizing most-impacted communities and the most vulnerable low-income individuals, including the elderly, those with disabilities and families with young children.
The nearest Rebuild Florida center to Clay County is in Jacksonville at 215 Market St. where case managers can help homeowners register for the program.
, “We know that many families across the state are still struggling, even one year after Hurricane Irma. Our Rebuild Florida team will guide homeowners through every step of the process and help them repair and rebuild their homes,” said DEO Executive Director Cissy Proctor.”
Register online at RebuildFlorida.gov or by calling the Rebuild Florida representatives at 844-833-1010. Rebuild Florida centers will also be opening in the hardest hit counties. More information about these locations will be available at RebuildFlorida.gov. Eligible Florida residents have until Dec. 23 to register for the Rebuild Florida Housing Repair and Replacement Program.
The program is open to residents who own their homes and also to owners of rental properties. Detailed eligibility requirements are available at RebuildFlorida.gov.

Free financial aid form help for high school seniors
ORANGE PARK – Officials from St. Johns River State College know how confusing it can be for teens to complete the Federal Application for Student Financial Aid form. So, the college is hosting “FASFA Frenzy” to provide free assistance to families applying for aid.
“Finances should not be a barrier to attending college,” said SJR State’s financial aid director Suzanne Evans. “The event will provide qualified students with assistance in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which is the first and most important step in applying for financial aid.”
Students and parents should also be aware of two changes to the nationwide financial form. Students can apply for aid as early as Oct. 1 and can base their financial information on the previous year’s tax return. Potential students intending to enroll in college during the 2019-20 academic year are encouraged to complete the form as soon as possible, as some funds are awarded on an as-needed basis while others are awarded first-come, first-served.
Clay students can get help at the SJR State Orange Park Campus on Oct. 25 from 6-8 p.m. in the Viking Center at 283 College Dr.V Building (Viking Center)
Students will get step-by-step instructions for completing and submitting the FAFSA, along with the Florida Financial Aid Application. Computers will be provided.
To complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, students/parents will need to bring their student’s Social Security Number, Driver’s License Number,Alien Registration Number if not a U.S. citizen and most recent federal income tax returns, W-2s, and other records of money earned. Parents will also need to supply information on bank statements and records of investments and records of untaxed income, if either are applicable.

Molly Hatchet celebrates 40th anniversary with benefit concert
ORANGE PARK – Hometown Southern Rock Legends Molly Hatchet, including Bobby Ingram bring, it all back home to celebrate 40 years of rocking the stages, along with Special Guest Brett Myers and local artists Second Shot Band and The Pink Paisleys.
Please join Fields Auto Group and St. Michael’s Soldiers to help raise money for the 9th Annual Stuffing Stockings for Soldiers Project and the Homegrown Kindness Project.
Tickets for the Nov. 10 concert start at $19 and can be purchased online at THCenter.org. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Thrasher-Horne Center at St. Johns River State College in Orange Park.
St. Michael’s Soldiers brings a little bit of home to our troops with our “Home Sweet Home” boxes, which are lovingly filled with needed and requested items like toiletries, snacks and personal items that we pack and ship to our deployed troops all over the world. St. Michael’s Soldier’s is dedicated to ensuring that their sacrifices are recognized.