​When you meet the owners of Rivertown Fine Wine and Spirits, Frank and Bonnie Dvoravic, their easy-going kindnesses, common sense and humility shine through. When you walk in the store, everyone is greeted like an old friend and it is surely a comfort in these crazy times. Perhaps Rivertown is the closest thing to an old fashioned Mom and Pop store we have in our rapidly growing and changing community.
Rivertown has served northern St. Johns for fifteen years and during that time they have learned what it means to be a successful small business. Frank and Bonnie say their success rests on four main cornerstones; flexibility in offering customers what they want, giving back to the community through charity events, understanding how to be competitive, and high-quality customer service with their own unique charm. St. Johns Magazine asked them about how they have met the challenges of recent times, and what others may learn from their experience.

Reflecting on the past year - How has Rivertown adapted and continued to be successful in the age of Covid?
Fortunately because of the type of business we have, we were able to easily adapt to restrictions and guidelines for COVID. We required masks  be worn, and provided them if customers did not have one. Early on, we offered curbside service and limited the number of customers in the store to accomplish social distancing. We have been blessed with the fact that we can continue to do business and feel very bad for the restaurants and bars  that have been closed and forced employees out of work. We thank our customers for their continued support and we will continue to try to help those people less fortunate.

How has Rivertown been flexible in terms of what you offer to the changing needs and taste of the community in recent years?

We constantly review our assortment of inventory and delete slow moving items. This allows us to utilize that space for new, popular and high demand products. In the past seven or eight years, bourbon has been the focus of many customers. We carry over 100 different Bourbons, and seek out rare, hard to find bourbons, many of which go into our Annual Bourbon Auction in February. We also do single barrel picks that are provided to us and we are the exclusive retailer for those products. For example our last barrel picked, Elijah Craig 8 year-old,  produced 250 bottles, bottled exclusively for RFWS. Another service we provide, that has been very successful is our ability to fulfill customers’ special order requests.

​How and why has Rivertown made giving back a priority? What are the benefits? 

We feel very blessed to have the customer base that we’ve had for almost 15 years now. May 22, 2021 we will be celebrating our 15 year anniversary. We feel it is important to give back to our community since they have given to us, and it has bonded our community.  We are lucky enough to be able to financially support individual charities with donations when requests are made to our store. In addition our charity, Pancan (Pancreatic Cancer Action Network), has been our focus charity for seven years now. Bonnie is a 13 year survivor and we know how lucky we are. We have raised over $80,000 since 2016 and most recently in the first nine months of 2020 we raised $23,400 of that amount. We do this through our barrel picks where we add a small amount to the charity on each bottle and also selling hard to find Bourbons throughout the year with a small amount to the charity. In addition, our customers are constantly donating money into our charity jar on our counter. 

How do you stay competitive?

We keep our prices as low as possible on all items in the store. We do this by buying in quantity. We have a warehouse with over 1400 cases in it and purchase most of our brands in 25  to 100 cases of each brand. This allows us to stay competitive with the other retailers in the marketplace. It has not been easy but with the quality service we provide, the cleanliness of our store and the large assortment, customers come back to us for items that the large chain stores don’t carry. We have a very good relationship with Publix next-door to us and if customers come in looking for wines that we don’t carry we can call their wine department manager and see if they do. They also will send customers to us for wine that they don’t carry. This helps all the customers in our community find what they’re looking for and builds our relationships with other businesses and our customers, and repeat business.

Your customer service is something that sets you apart - What is your philosophy regarding Customer Service?

I have been involved in the retail industry most of my life. I grew up working in my fathers grocery store, Joe’s Superette, in Pittsburgh, PA.  After graduating college in early 1973, I worked for Maas Bros department stores for 7 years. Then I got involved as a alcoholic beverage sales person in Sarasota and that got me started in this business. Over the years I have witnessed many retailers close their doors because they didn’t understand what good customer service was. One of  my favorite retailers to visit, is Orangedale Auto.... Terry, Nick , Pete and the guys are always there to service my classic cars and daily drivers. They stand behind everything they do and they provide the best service in their business. We strive for that in our store. We guarantee satisfaction on every product sold in our store no questions asked. Our customers Appreciate that and the service we provide on a daily basis. Our staff is trained to always make every customer happy before they leave with their purchase. Success does not come easily but we have strived to be the best small independent liquor/ wine shop and are very PROUD of what we’ve accomplished.  15 years and more to come!

Teri-ann Wigfield – entrepreneur, executive, mother, and wife – uses well-honed skills and knowledge from a successful retail career coupled with a laser-focused eye for design to create and manufacture a private brand of clothing for fast-growing toddlers to tweens called Jet & Ivy. Under this signature label, she and husband David Perez skillfully bring to life a new kind of store featuring an ultra-modern, light, and airy interior to showcase Jet & Ivy designs for fast and growing kids, which are uniquely complemented with a handpicked assortment of favorite upscale brands not found in our area that are of the same quality and stylish clothing children will love to wear.

​Inspired by her daughter, husband, and love of retailing, she’s a clothing designer for kids with a brilliant idea that Jet & Ivy clothes won’t just hang in the closet, but be worn to climb trees, jump in puddles, run on grassy fields or beach sand, and hop on bicycles as well as to church or the country club. Her clothes move, make a statement, and are good-looking, soft, and comfortable. Most of all kids come to Jet & Ivy to engage in a fun experience, and they’ll want to try on their favorites in-store for fit and feel. This clothing is for them. 

Kids shop alone or with adults to find the next apparel trend that reflects the Florida lifestyle. The mix n’ match line pairs with cool shoes and accessories, including matching pet apparel approved by the store mascot, Cooper the Terrier. Along with their daughter Bailey, each member of the family has a hand in design development. The label is complemented with high-end fashion brands, too – check the website. 

By being “hands-on”, Teri-ann is not locked-in to buying stock off market racks. She re-imagines each season and brings into reality designs kids want to wear, which is why kids choose Jet & Ivy clothing over mass-produced clothes.

Teri-ann and family enjoy being residents of St. Johns County. She also understands the importance of giving back. As her community commitment, $1 from every item sold is donated to St. Johns Cares, a valuable benefit of shopping at Jet & Ivy.

Opening a retail store is challenging, but Teri-ann is laser-focused on providing the best customer service possible using best practices. Open every day, she finds the rhythm of her customers’ buying habits including putting Jet & Ivy on their gift list. 

New customers receive 20%-off their first purchase until December 31. Come by The Forum at Greenbriar at 206 Ashourian Avenue, Ste. 110 (near corner of St. Johns Parkway and CR 210 W and central to Ponte Vedra Beach, St. Augustine, Nocatee, and Jacksonville). Teri-ann, David, and family – and, yes, Cooper the Dog – look forward to meeting you. Welcome to the Jet & Ivy Family.

60 Shops Blvd #30
St. Johns, Florida 32259
904-325-6223
​stjohns@hotspotpoweryoga.com
www.hotspotpoweryoga.com

​Opening Date? Our Grand Opening weekend is August 29-30, 2020. Regular schedule classes kick off Monday, August 31 at 6am.

What kind of classes will be offered? 
All 4 Hot Spot Power Yoga studios are Baptiste Affiliate studios, which means that we provide classes in the style of Baptiste Yoga, a rigorous vinyasa, or flow, practice made popular by Baron Baptiste. The majority of our classes take place in a room heated to 90 degrees, though we will also offer some restorative, less intense but still very beneficial classes, which will not be in a heated room.

What is hot yoga? How is it different from regular yoga? 
Heat, or tapas, is one of the 5 pillars of Baptiste yoga - the other 4 being breath (ujjayi), gaze (drishti), core stabilization (uddiyana bandha), and flow (vinyasa). The purpose of heat in Baptiste yoga is to facilitate warming up the body both from the inside and out, allowing for greater flexibility and a deeper practice. Heat brings an additional level of rigor to our yoga practice, loosens the muscles more quickly, and works together with breathwork to bring focus, clarity, and ultimately, physical and mental transformation. By learning and practicing these skills on our mats, we are better equipped to go out into the world and put them to use in our everyday lives.

What are some of the physical and mental benefits of yoga? 
Yoga is a beautiful and varied practice, and its benefits are vast. Physically, practitioners gain strength, flexibility, and stamina, bringing their heart rates up, toning the muscles, and strengthening the core. Mentally, yoga helps to reduce stress and anxiety, providing a time and space for individuals to breathe, move, and meditate. We often talk of taking our yoga off of our mats and out into the world. We learn so much about ourselves through our yoga practice, in terms of reactivity, expectation, and self worth. Yoga teaches us to be kinder to ourselves, that we don’t have to be perfect, and how to approach difficult situations.

What makes your yoga studio unique? 
Without a doubt, Hot Spot Power Yoga stands out because we are a COMMUNITY. We are a safe space where everyone is welcome and no one is judged. You can come as you are and know you will be accepted, whether you’ve practiced yoga for 25 years or it’s your first class, whether you’re wearing high-end yoga apparel or just picked up some leggings at the bargain basement. That doesn’t matter. We’re just happy you’ve joined us, and we want to support one another. We are all connected, and we embrace that connectivity, celebrating one another’s achievements, and holding each other up in times of difficulty. Often times, people come in to the studio to practice yoga, and they leave feeling part of something bigger than themselves. 

Why did you decide to start the business?  Also, why St. Johns?
 I discovered Hot Spot Power Yoga when I was looking for a studio to practice in after my daughter was born 3 years ago. I needed time to myself to breathe, to move, and to de-stress from mommy duty. I showed up looking for a hot, sweaty workout, and I found so much more. Over time, my schedule changed such that I wasn’t able to get to classes at the existing HSPY studios, and I nearly cancelled my membership, as I just couldn’t make the commute anymore. While I am well aware that there are far greater decisions in life, I really struggled with this one. Ultimately, I was in yoga class and had the realization that if there wasn’t a studio close to where I lived, I should make it happen! I credit yoga for showing me this possibility, and empowering me to go for it! I took the next step and contacted Leah Hansen, the founder of Hot Spot Power Yoga, and I asked her to partner with me on this adventure. From day 1, she has been a steadfast support to me and to opening this 4th studio location in St. Johns, for which I will be eternally grateful. We both see great things ahead.

​How has  yoga transformed your life? 
I have practiced yoga for over 15 years. After the birth of my son 8 years ago, yoga helped me through a difficult bout of postpartum depression (in addition to the care of my physician). At that time, I would go to yoga class for that hour of stillness to clear my mind, but after class, I would return to life as normal, not yet aware of how to carry yoga into my everyday life. When I began practicing at Hot Spot, I continued to show up for that hour of peace, but little by little, the lessons I learned on my mat started to translate into my way of thinking, communicating, and being. Just like when I would confront a pose in my practice that challenged me, I learned to respond instead of react to difficult situations in my life, and take the process one step at a time. Similar to when I would fall out of a pose on my mat, I gained the perspective that if and when I don’t meet up to certain expectations in life, I can always try again, and value the effort. And in the same way that I return to my breath when I feel winded or defeated in class, I can come back to my breath when life inevitably overwhelms me. These practices and skills have changed my life for the better, and I want to share them with anyone and everyone.

What did you do before owning your own business?
I am a licensed and certified Physician Assistant. I have a Master’s Degree in Health Sciences from George Washington University, and I worked for 6 years in Boston, MA and Washington, DC as a Neurosurgical Physician Assistant, specializing in the treatment of the brain and spine. When my son was born, I chose to stay home to care for him, and I have, without regret, been a stay-at-home mom ever since. I always planned to go back to work eventually, and now that my son is 8 and my daughter is 3, I’m starting to spread my wings again, though in a different direction, as this opportunity to open a yoga studio presented itself to me at just the right time.

When you have time off, what is your favorite thing to do with your family in St. Johns? 
When I have time off, I like to practice yoga! Besides that, though, we love spending time with family at the beach, and feel blessed to have both my parents and my brother and his family nearby (he and his wife own and run Ridgewater Show Stables, an equestrian training center in St. Augustine). We love to travel to visit my husband’s family in Connecticut, where we get our taste of fall, winter, and lots of cousins, and we cherish our annual family ski vacations to Colorado. Beyond that, I’m a huge fan of trips to the spa, relaxing with friends, and a good brunch.

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced the selection of Lauren Philip of Saint Johns, Florida, who attends Creekside High School in Saint Johns, as a 2020 U.S. Presidential Scholar.
    Philip is one of 161 outstanding American high school seniors who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, artistic excellence, technical expertise, leadership, citizenship, service, and contribution to school and community.  Philip is one of six students selected from Florida.
    Lauren Phillip, class of  2020 comes from St. Johns, Florida and graduated from Creekside High School. As an avid learner for all things engineering, she was president of Creekside’s Engineering Club and Science National Honor Society her senior year, in which she displayed organizational and communicative skills for volunteer projects and science fairs. Philip’s membership in Creekside’s chapter of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) has provided her the chance to impart the experience of her internship at Ultratech International, Inc. to other young women. Furthermore, her involvement of the school’s engineering academy and Northeast Florida ACE Mentorship program means she holds certifications in several industry markers (i.e. OSHA, MSSC), and CAD software. In addition to engineering, Philip is deeply rooted in music, which has led to her position as section leader in her marching band. She will attend Florida Gulf Coast University in Fall ’20, pursuing a degree in biomedical engineering.

“Shaun Lourie, CWM Co-Owner, McKenna O’Neill, Donor Development Officer at American Red Cross, and Steve Lourie, CWM Co-Owner, proudly present a $10,000 donation to the Northeast Florida American Red Cross to help support the local community in this time of need.”

Shaun & Steve Lourie, the Co-Owners of Coastal Wine Market and Tasting Room in Nocatee did something amazing.  In the midst of the pandemic, as their customers continued to support them, they decided to pay it forward by donating $10,000 to the American Red Cross! The unprecedented move reflects the spirit of community and the best of the people of St. Johns.
“Coastal Wine Market & tasting room, Nocatee, is proud to be able to donate $10,000 to our local chapter of the American Red Cross (ARC) through the support of our guests who purchased gift cards and took part in our no-contact delivery and pickup during these challenging few months."  Steve remarks, “This is the best way to celebrate CWM’s 4th-Year Anniversary #payitforward #giveback #supportlocal”.
CWM has re-opened for business following CDC Guidelines and welcomes guests to visit.  Please refer to their website at www.coastalwinemarket.com and www.facebook.com/coastalwinemarket for live updates and current happenings.”

by Chris Shee

I’ve always enjoyed giving back to the community and have been involved in community outreach activities since high school.  However, it wasn’t until the planning of our first sporting clay tournament, Clays For A Cause, that I started becoming more aware of our local needs and the organizations that help those needs.  Once I started getting more intimately involved with some of these organizations, especially the orphanages, I knew that helping the community was to become a life long mission of mine.
    Several years ago I wanted to define who MasterCraft Builder Group was in a summarized form.  With the help of our marketing company, we developed what are now the pillars of MasterCraft known as the 4-C’s:  Craftsmanship, Choice, Customer Service, and Community.  Community involves helping and giving back to our LOCAL needs and it’s built into the DNA of this company as well as the other companies I now own—something I’m most proud of.
    My charity plans for 2020 had a big wrench thrown in them due to COVID.  One of the bigger endeavors I was planning was called Concerts For A Cause.  I own a large wedding venue in South St. Augustine that has a capacity of 300.  My plan was (and still is) to bring in big name musicians and have a more intimate, almost un-plugged, concert where we serve dinner and drinks, enjoy a large camp fire, etc. and enjoy a night of music and fellowship.  Part of the appeal will be attending a concert with a big name headliner and only having 300 people in attendance.  The other appealing part is that all profits from these concerts will go to a “cause” which will change with each concert.  It’s a fun way to generate $25,000 - 50,000+ per event for a local causes.  I am determined to make this happen and can’t wait until it does!
    Aside from Concerts For A Cause, we will be hosting the 8th Annual Clays For A Cause this year at Saltwater’s Shooting Club.  The tournament will benefit Seamark Ranch and St. Augustine Youth Services again—the two orphanages with whom we are closest.  Last year we raised $168,000 during this one day event which is just mind blowing.  My commitment to the event remains in that I’ll pay for everything including shooting, food, drinks, golf cart rentals, etc. so that every dollar donated by the participants actually goes to the charities and not towards paying for the event.  It’s become a wildly successful fundraising event and I feel so privileged to host it.
    I have also started working on a new independent living facility for St. Augusine Youth Services (SAYS) in hopes to break ground later this year or early next.  Since SAYS receives public assistance, they’re required to move kids out when they turn 18—regardless of where they are in school, their mental or physical health, ability to live independently, etc.  It’s a real problem for which many folks aren’t aware and it’s just wrong.  The purpose of the independent living facility is to provide apartment-style living to these new “adults" for 2-3 years while they acclimate into the real world of paying bills, cooking meals, doing laundry, and all of the other tasks they’re now required to do on their own.  The apartments will be subsidized in order to make them affordable.  I’ve been wanting to do this for many years and am really excited that we’re now working to make this a reality.
    Lastly, MasterCraft Builder Group will be building the “Home For The Heart” this year which benefits Builders Care—the charitable arm of The Northeast Florida Builders Association.  We are building a home in one of our newest communities, SilverLeaf, and will be donating all profits from this home to Builders Care when it sells.  In order to make the contribution even larger, we’ve asked our trade partners and suppliers to discount or donate any labor and/or materials they’re able to and we’ll pass the saving along to the Builders Care donation.  Our trades and suppliers have been unbelievably supportive as they always are with our charitable endeavors.  We’ll hopefully reach a 6 figure donation with this effort.
    One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned in life so far is that the more I give, the wealthier I become.  Material things aren’t as important to me as they once were and that’s been very relieving.  Instead, being known as a good steward to my community and a good person overall  is way more important to me.  I hope my two boys, Brandon and Tyler, will continue to be influenced by my actions so that they too will be local philanthropists one day.  There’s hardly anything else that would make me more proud.

​The beautiful furry friends that live in 75% of the population’s homes, are more than just cuddly creatures.  These fun-loving pets are an integral part of so many of our families.  And so often we love and care for them as our children.   Those key individuals who dedicate their lives in the medical care and well being of our pets, are then thrust into the role of “Other Family Doctor”.

Dr. Kathleen Deckard was raised in the Fruit Cove area of Saint Johns County.  She then went on to graduate from the University of Florida, School of Veterinary Medicine in 1999, where she was President of her graduating class.   She immediately moved back to the North Florida area, where she took up residence on CR 210, and has remained since.   This was back when CR 210 had no grocery stores, drug stores or restaurants.  But she knew this would be home long term, and her future would be built right here.

Dr. Deckard began her career as a Veterinarian in Saint Augustine, at a large multi Doctor practice, with her focus on small animals, reptiles and exotics.  However, she had a heartfelt desire to impact her own community where she lived and was now raising her children.   Dr. Deckard has always felt a driven purpose to not only provide the very best medical care for pets, but also to make a positive difference in her surrounding area.

As CR 210 began to grow, land was developed and buildings and stores began to open, Dr. Deckard and her husband began the search for a good location to set up their dream.    Dr. Deckard and her husband would proclaim that much answered prayer went into the final approval and financing of the building they are in, to allow them to own the building and create what is now Pets R Family Veterinary Hospital.

Pets R Family opened its doors in 2015, and is a full-service animal hospital, focused on internal medicine, dermatology, dentistry, wellness and prevention, and end of life care.  It offers full-service boarding, grooming, pet training and Pups N Play social pet care. Dr. Kathleen Deckard and her husband are the full owners of what was a dream since she was 19 years of age.  Their practice is designed to provide the very best quality family pet medical care and services with state-of-the-art facility, leading edge equipment and continuing education training with a quality, hand-picked staff.  The building that seemed so impossible to achieve, is now the beautiful structure that houses all these great services.   

Dr. Deckard is the lead Doctor of this 5 Doctor practice at Pets R Family.  And her Team has now amassed to over 50 employees.   She and her husband Brad run the daily operations with their two children, Gavin who is 13 and Abigail who is 15, and is following in the career direction of her Mother.   Their practice is now involved with over 4,500 patients from their community and surrounding areas.  Pets R Family supports many charities, local schools, organizations and churches as part of their larger plan to positively impact the community around them.   And it’s the three key tenets of focus in Love, Care and Compassion, that drive all decisions, efforts and focus at PRF.  She and her family have built their practice on these key foundational elements, as the root of their Christian faith.

Dr. Kathleen Deckard had a dream to become a leader in the pet care industry.  And her continued focus on the care and compassion for the family in that process, is something that truly sets her practice and her results, apart.  And in a market area where so many of the Pet Care practices are now corporately owned with cookie cutter service plans, and corporately generated wellness levels, Dr. Deckard and her family owned and managed company can choose to treat the patients needs with customized medical treatments for each client.  She has now been practicing animal medicine for over 20 years, and her dream is being lived out daily.  However certainly, as her staff knows, she never rests on her current knowledge or position.  Dr. Deckard continues to learn, instruct, guide and forge, medical practice and standards that are of the highest level.  And her loving, compassionate and caring spirit and demeanor are the qualities that her clients, staff and friends enjoy most.

​Dr. Jimmy Glenos and Dr. Craig Hadgis, are pleased to announce their partnership, Smiles by Glenos & Hadgis Orthodontists. Dr. Hadgis earned his DDS degree along with a certificate in advanced residency for general dentistry at the University of Detroit Mercy. He has been practicing as an orthodontist for 10 years, after graduating from Jacksonville University School of Orthodontics. Dr. Hadgis has been on the forefront of digital orthodontic treatment using oral scanning technology when it was first introduced.  He earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees in engineering from the University of Michigan. 

Dr. Glenos and Dr. Hadgis first met at an annual Florida Association of Orthodontists conference in Tampa Bay, Florida. Dr. Hadgis and his wife Anne are active members of the St Augustine Downtown Rotary club and the St Augustine Junior Service League respectively. Dr. Hadgis has a long family history in Northeast Florida and has wonderful memories visiting family here. His great uncle was the only doctor in Flagler county for many years and helped start Flagler Hospital now AdventHealth in Palm Coast. He remembers vividly beach days at Flagler Beach, Marineland, and the Alligator Farm. During his orthodontic residency program at JU, Dr. Hadgis and Anne loved beach cruising on their bikes from Jacksonville Beach all the way up to Mayport. 

All aspects of modern-day orthodontic services are provided by these two Diplomates of the American Board of Orthodontics together with their highly trained and caring team members. They have two office locations, St Augustine and St Johns. Both offices are state of the art with soundproof game rooms and private rooms for adults. Dr. Glenos and Dr. Hadgis offer the latest technologies and services to enhance precision results and overall patient comfort such as impressionless 3D scanning, Invisalign clear aligners, Damon braces, and Insignia custom braces. They also have a low dose 3D x-ray unit to see teeth and bones in all dimensions. 

Dr. Glenos and Dr. Hadgis pride themselves on providing the best orthodontic experience, excellent service, and are respectful of your appointment times. Together they have a combined experience of providing the most efficient, cost effective treatment plans for St Augustine and St Johns families for over 40 years. They accept most insurance plans and pride themselves on providing options to be affordable for all budgets.  

A very important factor in saving orthodontic expense for your family is to schedule your children for a complimentary orthodontic evaluation by age 7. This provides an opportunity to prevent poorly developing jaws, teeth and bites. No referral is needed. To schedule an appointment please call or text 904.79.SMILE (904.797.6453). They also offer virtual consultations, please visit www.smilesbyGHortho.com and click the ‘Online Smile Assessment’ link for more information on steps to get to a healthy and beautiful new smile!

When it comes to covering hurricanes, the Action News Jax team has decades of experience to rely on.  But when it comes to covering a global pandemic, they have about three months and counting.  COVID-19 has impacted everyone’s lives, including how local TV stations report on this ever changing, dangerous virus.  The challenge a news station encounters is how to get us the valuable information we need, without putting their people in harms way.  “Our number one priority is the safety of our people.  We have a journalistic duty to our viewers to report how the virus is impacting our communities, and that never waivers.  But we won’t put our staffs in danger of exposure,” said Bob Longo, Vice President and General Manager of WFOX/WJAX.  No one knows yet how long this pandemic will last, or if more global viruses will be on the rise in the future.  But for now, Action News Jax is learning as they go in an effort to keep all of us informed and our families safe.  Below are some behind-the-scenes personal notes from three Action News Jax anchors.     

​Despite these unprecedented times, I’ve tried to approach my work at Action News Jax with the same consistency, perspective and understanding that I hope viewers have come to expect from me over the years.  I know some people may feel overwhelmed, uncertain, frustrated or even afraid right now.  I hope our coverage not only empowers people through the information we’re providing, but also offers them a sense of stability and hope. 

As a team, we are working to help people who are out of work get benefits to keep a roof over their heads and food on their table.  We are reporting on the non-stop efforts of doctors and scientists to figure out and fight this virus.  We are directing people to critical mental health and financial resources.  We’re putting out information about job openings and letting you know about businesses that are still open to serve you .

At the end of the day, I’m not just documenting this historic time as a journalist; I’m living it with you and committed to doing my part to ensure we come out stronger on the other side. ​

When this is all over, Action News Jax will examine this pandemic and how it happened, what we learned and where we need to improve. Until then, we push forward doing the best we can. What I choose to focus on at home with my kids, is how our community rallies around each other. Like after a hurricane, or September 11th, the stories that move me are of the heroes who step forward to lead through the chaos. There are the healthcare professionals and the first responders. There are also the neighbors who organize a birthday parade-like they did for my 12 year old when her party was canceled.  This pandemic has caused a lot of pain, no doubt, but like other disasters it has also brought out the best in us.  Telling those stories gives me a front row seat to witness greatness in my neighbors.

I’ve covered everything from hurricanes to a royal visit in St. Johns County, but I never imagined I would add a pandemic to that list. At a time like this, there’s nowhere else I would rather be than at work helping to inform our community. On one particular recent day, I met with leaders at the Emergency Operations Center to review their plan to respond to citizens’ needs during the COVID19 outbreak. The EOC is the central command whenever there’s a county wide emergency such as a hurricane or in this case a pandemic. We also spoke with the school district about a nationwide back order on internet hotspots that affected 1,850 St. Johns County students who are learning online.

I’ve spent much of my professional life covering St. Johns County after moving to Northeast Florida in 2012.  I hope to continue serving our viewers for many years to come.

​https://erickforcongress.com/

Erick Javier Aguilar was born in San Pedro Sula, Honduras in 1975. At the age of 7 (1982), he moved with his family to Brooklyn, NY in the East New York neighborhood area. It was a challenging time for him and his family growing up in the “rough” area of Brooklyn during the unwanted epidemic of drugs and crime, education and economic crisis, and lack of public trust. Yet, he overcame the struggles and took on those lessons to pursue a better life.

Eventually, he was accepted to John Jay High School with the intention to be a lawyer in the future. Unfortunately, the pressures of his social environment overcame his goal and he barely graduated from John Jay High School. During High School, he was working part-time at a delivery service company delivering letters and packages after school from Midtown to Downtown.

After High School, he was training to be an automotive technician, and graduated from Apex Technical School in 1995. He was interviewing for many jobs in the automotive field with no luck. During his search, he worked part-time at a fast food pasta restaurant at the Manhattan Mall as a food delivery person. As he continued his job search while working, he found that the U.S. Navy was recruiting for aviation maintenance. His family was not known for any military service, but ever since Erick could understand the culture of the United States, he did not shun the idea of joining the U.S. military. He did speak about the U.S. military service openly during his High School years with his close friends to join the U.S. Army. Erick is a firm believer that God has a plan for everyone and an important direction, and in his life, the signs led to joining the U.S military, and he chose to join the U.S. Navy with no nautical experience.

On April 8, 1996, his journey in joining the MOST powerful naval force ever created had started. This journey changed his life DRAMATICALLY! He served his country proudly all over the world. He never declined an invitation to defend his country around the world. He joined challenging deployments in the Persian Gulf during Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, encountering and deterring Somalian Pirates, protecting the sea lanes in the 5th fleet area, forward deployed in the Asia sea lanes, and other missions that are more confidential. In 2016, Chief Petty Officer (AW/SW) Erick Javier Aguilar retired after 20 years of naval service serving PROUDLY with Honor, Courage, and Commitment. While serving in the U.S. Navy, Chief Aguilar lead Sailors in aviation management, technology, logistics, and fiscal administration operations. He earned numerous military awards and decorations for his valiant and dedicated service. He is ever grateful for the opportunity to serve for the people of the United States to defend the valuable freedoms this great country continues to provide to its people.
​
Dr. Erick Aguilar has been teaching in higher education for 14 years at the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels. He has taught in several concentration areas in business, technology, and history, and conducted professional development training and business enhancement workshops. He has provided subject matter expertise to develop leadership, business, project management, cybersecurity, computer technology, U.S. and World history, and marketing curriculum. He has served as a private Consultant to provide mentorship and coaching to business leaders in organizational culture, operational management, finance, investments, technology, and productivity. He is also a Stock Trader and Financial Advisor, and leads two small businesses that focus on professional development, curriculum management, and Executive Asset Management. He keeps the businesses small to be manageable in his life, as he enjoys what he does. When elected, he will suspend his roles from the businesses.

Dr. Erick Aguilar’s personal interests are research, writing, “Big” baseball fan (Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees), supports Jacksonville Jaguars and Jacksonville sports teams, also enjoys following football, soccer, tennis, golf, and basketball, and enjoys mechanical and electrical work (airplane, automobile, motorcycles, and homes).

He is blessed to be married to the woman of his dreams! Extremely blessed to raise 5 children: 2 boys (14 yrs. and 9-month old) and 3 girls (4, 6, and 9 years old)! They enjoy being active together to enjoy the beauty of life. He really understands the value of family and wishes everyone to enjoy the value of family also, as family is the foundation of our society to make us better for each other.

Mega team Menton and Ballou Group recently shocked the local real estate community when they moved their entire operation to global real estate giant and luxury icon Engel and VÖlkers. Their first local office is based in Jacksonville Beach and they have recently announced another new office opening in the next few months in St. Johns on the 210 corridor… with more offices to follow. 

The Menton and Ballou Group, led by Lisa Menton & George L. Ballou, II will be based at the new 210 office once it opens. The typical real estate advisor or team at Engel and VÖlkers is extremely experienced and typically produces at significantly higher levels than their competition at other companies. E&V “advisors” typically rank in the top 1% of the industry! Average agent sales exceeded $9M per advisor/Team in 2019. This kind of success has led the local office to be nominated in 2019 as one of the finalists in E&V’s most outstanding office performances in the North Americas.

The motivation for the Menton and Ballou Group’s move was their desire to continue to evolve their business by learning about and having access to cutting edge technology. Menton and Ballou felt that E&V’s knowledge of what is going on in the real estate industry, not just in their local market place but national and international trends, helped to convince them Engel and VÖlkers would be the right culture for them going forward. They have found that even top producing advisors need to be challenged and certainly encouraged to learn new methods and marketing tools to enable them to be the best advisor possible! Put simply…what better environment can you be in than to learn from and exchange ideas with the best global networking agent base available. This is how you learn to deliver luxury service to every property you list and sell!

Lisa Menton and George L. Ballou II, team founders of the Menton and Ballou Group, have also been inducted into the elite Private Office Advisor membership of Engel and VÖlkers. This invitation only organization within Engel and VÖlkers recognizes the company’s individuals with extremely high volume and production over a sustained number of years. Of the nearly 13,000 global advisors at E&V, only 250 advisors currently qualify for such recognition. The Jacksonville Beach office is very proud that they have 3 Private Office Advisors which is highly unusual for an office its size.

 In Lisa’s previous corporate career, she was with the stock brokerage firm of Merrill Lynch for 17 years. George was previously in the banking and financial services industry before spending the last 35 years in the real estate business. They both attribute their previous corporate backgrounds to helping them create a solid foundation for their real estate endeavors. They also feel that a part of the team’s success is also due to the fact that their advisors live in key and diverse areas of St. Johns and Duval counties which has helped the Team understand the challenges and opportunities of the entire marketplace they service. Lisa lives in St Johns Golf & Country Club and George has lived in Nocatee in the Del Webb Ponte Vedra development for over 10 years. Other advisors on their team live on the 210 Corridor, Nocatee, Palencia, World Golf Village, Vilano/St Augustine area, St Johns and Julington Creek Plantation.

Our Team believes that leveraging our company’s global brand provides our customers a serious advantage over our competitors. George shared a situation he experienced shortly after he arrived at Engel and VÖlkers. He got an email from an E&V broker in their Beverly Hills office in California. The broker wanted to know if it was okay to put a listing of George’s in the front window of their “shop” in Beverly Hills!  This is just an example of how important and what an asset the Menton and Ballou Group feels their global network is going to play in their future. It is a different way to approach our real estate goals when we are encouraged to reach out beyond our previous comfort zone!

Engel and VÖlkers is based in Hamburg, Germany. E&V is known globally as the leading luxury brand in real estate, encompassing nearly 900 “shops” located in 33 countries on 5 continents! The company also has divisions involved in private aviation and yachting brokerage in order to service all their client’s needs.

Luxury is a service level, not a price point.  While we feel our new brand will certainly appeal to a higher price point seller, the core of the businesses Lisa and George and the team  have always represented will simply benefit from a more refined marketing standard.

​With the holidays in the rearview mirror and temperatures slowly climbing, it’s time to take advantage of Florida’s “winter” and opt outside. At Shearwater, one of the fast-growing master-planned communities in St. Johns County, residents choose from a variety of amenities and activities centered around healthy living and outdoor opportunities. From its more than 15 miles of nature trails to the resort-style pool, lap pool and lazy river to playgrounds, illuminated Har-Tru tennis courts and a yoga lawn, Shearwater has an outdoor activity to suit everyone’s needs. 

To further provide the best in active lifestyle programming, Shearwater recently welcomed Gabriella Doyle as a fitness manager and head personal trainer to the community. Gabriella brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the health and wellness industry to this new position and is excited to guide residents in their own wellness journeys.  

As a certified personal trainer, Gabriella recommends the following tips and tricks to take your workout outdoors:

Blaze the trails
Instead of grinding out a run on the treadmill, mix it up by taking your run outdoors. Shearwater residents have access to over 15 miles of trails along more than 600 acres of natural, preserved habitat with various routes to choose from. A map of the trails can be found on shearwaterliving.com, along with key picnic areas that double as great rest stops. Furthermore, the entire St. Johns County community is invited to try Shearwater’s trail system at its annual 5K on the Trails and Fun Run every April. This annual event is a great way to experience Shearwater, while raising money for local charities. ​

​Beyond the Gym 
Working out doesn’t have to be another trip to the gym. Take advantage of the mild temperatures by trying an outdoor sport such as tennis or swimming. The Kayak Club features four Har-Tru clay tennis courts, sports fields and a multi-lane lap pool for family-friendly activities that also count as cardio. 

In a community so focused on active living, proximity to nature and a connection to neighbors, taking your fitness routine outdoors this year has never been easier. With resort-style amenities, a fulltime personal trainer and an on-site lifestyle director, Shearwater offers activities and programing to fit every lifestyle. 

​To learn more about Shearwater visit the Kayak Club, located at 100 Kayak Way, St. Augustine, FL 32092 or visit www.shearwaterliving.com. Shearwater offers home designs from Toll Brothers, David Weekley Homes, Lennar, Drees Homes, MasterCraft Builder Group and Dream Finders Homes.

​As the Supervisor of Elections, I am the Chief Elections Official responsible for conducting all elections in St. Johns County.  My office is also responsible for many other tasks such as voter registration, voter education programs, qualifying candidates, and verifying constitutional amendment and candidate petitions among others. 

The priority among Election Administrators everywhere has become providing for the safety and security of elections, voting registration system and office networks. Over the past three years, we have strengthened our systems utilizing the latest security technologies and put a number of security defenses in place to protect it.  St. Johns County was one of the first in the state to deploy the Albert server that is a monitoring device on our network which enables all traffic to be continually monitored by MS-ISAC. All Florida 67 Supervisors continue to work diligently with our partners at Homeland Security, FBI, FL Dept. of Law Enforcement, FL Dept. of State along with our Cybernavigation Team members to assure we are well positioned and secured against potential threats. 

The 2020 election year is already here.  The March 17th Presidential Preference Primary leads off Florida’s elections.   Florida’s political parties hold a Presidential Preference Primary to decide their presidential nominee for the November General Election.  Only voters who belong to the Republican and Democratic parties are eligible to vote in their party’s primaries.  Voters who are registered without  party affiliation (NPA) or a minor party are not eligible to vote March 17th.

Our state and local primary August 18th.  Our congressional and state representatives plus many local offices including Sheriff, Clerk of Courts, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector, Supervisor of Elections, County Commissioners, School Board members and Circuit Judges may be on the ballot.  In June, all of these candidates qualify for office and at noon on June 12th we will know which candidates and races will be on the ballot in the Primary and which will go onto the General Election.

The General Election is scheduled for November 3, and with the President and Vice President leading the ballot, this may be a record setting year for voter turnout.  In the November 2016 Presidential Election, St. Johns County was among six counties in Florida with the highest voter turnout in the state at 80.5%.

Voting has never been easier that it is today; any voter can request a ballot and vote by mail.  If you’d like to request a ballot, simply use our online form or call the Office. Early Voting is conducted prior to each election, which include two weekends, so you can choose your location and time to vote when it’s convenient for you.  Your precinct is always open on election day 7 AM-7 PM.  To help you prepare, we mail every registered voter a sample ballot three weeks before each election.  Look for yours to obtain important information about each election and the candidates that appear on your ballot.

My staff and I are here to serve you, and we will make it easy for you to vote.  Please visit our office, call  or use on online resources to help you prepare for Election Day.

​What is your practice’s mission? 

People hate the dentist. They despise going because of past experiences and our colleagues. They avoid having the dental and systemic health they deserve. Our mission is to create such an amazing and unheard of dental experience, that people are excited to get their teeth healthy and tell their family and friends about it. We will set the bar to which all other dental offices are measured.

If we don’t succeed, people in our community as well as other communities’ dental health will suffer. People won’t be as confident in themselves as they would like, be able to eat the foods they want to, get the best nutrition and hence, won’t be as healthy as they could be. We help people live their best lives.

How do you work together as a team to help patients?

What we have to do:
We must treat every patient as we would a family member. Every patient is our audience.  If we want to impress them, we have to put our heart into every single moment, just like it is the most important performance of our career. This way, they will share our story and we can help more people.

We have to believe in what we provide. We have to believe in the value and far reaching implications of how what we do changes people’s lives for the better. We must stay positive, optimistic, and committed to each other as a team. We must stay committed to providing this experience.

What is at risk?
People’s dental health is declining everywhere. It affects their lives in a big way. As it affects them, it affects every person they know and touch, as dental health undoubtedly affects their behavior as well as longevity.  **We are the answer. We have the power to make an impact. **We can help them eat healthily and happily. We can help them smile and exhibit confidence so that they can be a light to the world.

If we can provide a dental experience, enthusiastically, authentically, with understanding, with integrity, and with the patient’s best interests in mind, we can change how people feel about dentistry and provide the vehicle in which people can obtain their best dental and physical health.

​As Dentists and Teachers how many years have you practiced and how do you keep up with current dental technology and education? 

We (Dr. Jonas Ashbaugh and Dr. Kathleen Stevens) are committed to staying on the forefront  of the latest dental treatments and technology to better care for our patients. Combined we have 15 years of dental experience to draw from and share over 1600 continued education hours. Dr.Jonas has gone above and beyond by receiving his F.A.G.D. which requires extensive training and commitment to improvement and excellence in his field. 

Some of the really cool stuff that we have gotten into include 3d Printing, Cone Beam Computer Tomography or 3d CBCT scans and we most recently acquired a 3D intra-oral scanner(Trios 3Shape) to scan teeth to create crowns without the need for traditional impressions.  

Your office is incredible. What are some of the special features you offer patients to make their experience enjoyable?

Blue Sky Dental Group strives to provide a relaxed, fear erasing, comfortable environment. We try to achieve an extraordinary experience that is like no other. We want patients to feel like they have never been to a dentist like us before without us having to directly say it.  

How do you help people who are embarrassed by their smile?  A crown is sometimes more than just a crown, a filling can most definitely be more than just a filling to some people.  What I’m saying is that sometimes it can just be the littlest thing that causes someone to be embarrassed by their smile but of course it’s the big things too. Misalignment, extensive decay, missing teeth are the big things we think about that most definitely lead to a negative self image with regards to their smile. 

Some of our favorite cases have been those that have a life altering effect. The cases where we not only change someones appearance but we revitalize their overall personality.  We can change not only their physical appearance but their mental image of who they are and begin the process of healing their self confidence. 

How does 3-D technology help you in creating the ideal treatment for each patient?  

We probably place roughly 90-95% of our implants with the assistance of a 3d printed surgical guide. I’d like to do 100% but sometimes that’s just not possible. For those unfamiliar, a surgical guide is an appliance that sits over the teeth or bone that constricts or “guides” the direction and depth of the drill and implant. Here’s how I can best describe why a guide is better. Imagine if you yourself were drilling a screw into drywall to hang a photo. How straight would you be? How about if you needed to hang two photos and drill two screws at the same height? How parallel would you be? Probably pretty good but not perfect. A surgical guide makes things near perfect for me. I can with confidence place two or more implants at the same depth with exact parallelism. It also allows me to avoid any vital structures that could potentially be life threatening. Its powerful new technology and essentially the standard of care in our office.

In recent years many people are choosing dental implants as a solution to maintaining a beautiful smile throughout their lifetime.  Who is a good candidate for dental implants? 

Most patients are surprised to learn that nowadays, most everyone is a good candidate for implants. Implants are the most lifelike, strongest, longest-lasting replacement for teeth.  

​Dr. Jonas Ashbaugh  earned his dental degree from the Ohio State University, after earning his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida. He maintains professional memberships in the American Dental Association, American Academy of Implant Dentistry, Academy of General Dentistry, and the Southern Jacksonville Dental Society. Dr. Ashbaugh has also been awarded the Fellowship with the Academy of General Dentistry.

Dr. Ashbaugh takes numerous postgraduate education courses each year and has received extensive training in sedation, occlusion (your bite) and esthetic dentistry, allowing him to incorporate these treatments into his practice so he has a multitude of methods for solving complex dental problems. Most recently, Dr. Ashbaugh has completed a nine month comprehensive dental implant program through the Las Vegas Implant Maxicourse.

In addition to private practice, Dr. Ashbaugh is an instructor for Smart CE online instructional series for Dental Assistants, Dental Hygienists, and Dentist nationwide. He is also a co-host for a popular dental podcast, Shared Practices, in which he shares his expertise in
best practices for running a successful dental office.

Dr. Ashbaugh is an active participant in the community. He and his wife, Dr. Stevens, live in the area with their two children, Benjamin and Jonathan. In his spare time, he enjoys in-shore and off-shore fishing, wakeboarding, golfing and catching a football game.

​Dr. Kathleen Stevens earned her dental degree from The Ohio State University School of Dentistry, after earning her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida. She holds professional memberships in the American Dental Association, Florida Dental Association and Northeast District Dental Association. Throughout her career Dr. Stevens has always strived to further her skills. She has completed several post graduate education courses and has received extensive training in dental implants, cosmetic dentistry and facial esthetics.  Her commitment in continued education has allowed her to provide a wide array of services to her patients while delivering the highest quality of dental care.

Dr. Stevens and her family enjoy participating in the activities this great city of Jacksonville has to offer. Whether it be a day on the beach or an afternoon football game (go Jaguars!) you can always find her out enjoying time with friends and family.

The original term “New Digs” came from the old English jargon which means, a new place or new house to stay and reside in.  With a name like Diggs, it seems Bernard Diggs, founder and CEO of The New Diggs Team and New Diggs Coaching, was destined to help people in real estate and in life. “I feel like I truly was born and called to motivate and inspire individuals to be the best versions of themselves.”  Bernard started New Diggs Coaching International with the idea of helping others at its core. In February 2020, New Diggs Coaching will host the R.A.W. Edge event in Jacksonville for real estate and business professionals seeking to discover their best selves and transform their lives.

The coaching company was inspired by the Bernard Diggs real estate team (New Diggs Team) which helped hundreds of families buy and sell homes throughout the local area under Florida Homes Realty & Mortgage in Jacksonville, FL.  In 2017 Bernard was voted the number one real estate agent to work with military and veterans on the Naval Air Station - Jacksonville. Bernard later decided to move to California to continue to reach his full potential and move into an expansion that would later catapult his career and knowledge in business, sales, relationships and real estate. He became one of the TOP Real Estate Agents with 2 expansion teams selling over $67.8 million in sales volume in the year 2018. 

St. Johns Magazine originally met Bernard Diggs a few years ago but so much has changed as his business grew and he reached a new level of excellence. Today Bernard is not only a real estate agent but is also helping others grow their businesses with the valuable life lessons and philosophies he has learned along the way.

You have recently expanded your business to include coaching, mentoring and inspiring others - what made you decide to make this shift?

While working back and forth between Florida and California, I started conducting a lot of training with other agents and business professionals within the firm. Individuals and attendees would respond by stating that they were greatly motivated to not only do better, but to be better. Success stories started to come to fruition and the natural gift of inspiring people through speaking, which I discovered at a young age, began to have a deeper meaning for me to be able to use to motivate others through coaching.

“Be the Best Version of Yourself” is the philosophy of New Diggs Coaching.  How do you help people reach this goal? What aspect of coaching do you enjoy most?

In order for us to help individuals reach their goal, through our 20/20 New Diggs program, we first get the individual to agree and rule out ALL EXCUSES. For this to work excuses cannot be an option. We then teach them how to break through barriers and utilize all the resources in their journey to becoming successful.

I love to watch someone come into the program, start to get motivated, implement their belief, use the coaching tools and then see the results they never thought they would be able to reach. It never gets old to see the excitement that someone experiences when they finally let go of their barriers and truly reach their full potential in being the BEST version of themselves.

What have you learned from the challenges and changes in your life?

I have learned that the twin brother of fear of failure is the fear of success. I have come across obstacles many times in my life, business and relationships. However, the fear that I allowed to hold me back was not the fear of failing, but rather the fear of success. The program was created over 3 years ago, but I was afraid that everything we put into this program would actually become a success and work to be greater than I thought it ever could be. I learned to let go of my fears and allowed myself to embrace the best version of myself, which in turn, allowed for breaking down my own barriers and reaching my full potential.
This February you are planning a huge event,  R.A.W Edge, at the Holiday inn at Baymeadows  What is the event all about and who would benefit from attending?  (What does R.A.W. stand for?)

R.A.W. Edge will breakthrough the barriers that have confined you and held you back from being the “Best Version of Yourself.” If you inspire to be successful in your profession and in building successful relationships, whether in business or personal, then R.A.W. Edge is the event for you. This event will literally change your life and catapult your career path for 2020.

RAW is Real. RAW is Authentic.  RAW is Work.

What are the takeaways you hope to share with Attendees at the R.A.W Edge Event?

Attendees will walk away with a greater vision to excel themselves, find or expand their niche, network with hundreds of professionals, and most importantly a direction to make 2020 the best year for their career.

For more information about New Diggs Coaching and the R.A.W Edge Event, visit www.newdiggscoaching.com

​Local Mom Rachel Ford recently decided to open an online clothing shop, Happy Bug Boutique, to share her love of unique children's fashions. Rachel is the Mom of 3, two teenagers and a 4 year old.  

​How did you come up with the idea for Happy Bug?
My youngest daughter was my inspiration for this whole thing.  I have always liked buying her clothes online because you can find such cute things that are different from what you get in stores.

Earlier this year I just got the idea one day to start my own online boutique.  My husband was on board and fully supported this idea so I started doing a LOT of research and we decided to make it happen.

What makes Happy Bug unique? 
I have styles of clothing that you can't find in most stores. I'm able to work with my suppliers and customize outfits, patterns and mix different materials to come up with different unique designs.

What do you enjoy most about owning your own business?
Being able to work on my own schedule is definitely a perk of owning a business out of my home.  I always like to get creative with everything that I do so just being able to be creative and make it my own is fun.

What is your background?
I am a Florida native, born in Jacksonville and moved to St. Johns county when I was 3 years old.  I worked for a local builder in the interior design department until I had my first child.  I stayed home with my first two until they were both in school and then decided to go back to work.

Do you have another job?  Doe it help you when creating new ideas for Happy Bug?
           I am in my 9th year as a teacher at a preschool here in St. Johns county.  I do think that being around young kids every day and seeing the style of clothes that they are wearing definitely helps me with ideas.

What do you love about St. Johns?
          I love that I get to raise my kids in the same area that I grew up in, although it has grown so much since then. We love being close to so many nice beaches.  The schools here are great and we have the best neighbors. 

StFrank and Bonnie Dvoravic of Rivertown Fine Wine & Spirits are wonderful people. They truly walk the talk with their passion for helping the community through continuous support of PanCan (The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network).  Bonnie is a 13 year survivor of pancreatic cancer.  After Bonnie’s personal triumph over this devastating disease they decided to take action and make a difference in the lives of others by raising awareness and providing funding for important research.  Each year they hold fund raising events in their store and participate in the PanCan run.  The holidays are a time of giving and this year Frank and Bonnie will offer exclusive Rivertown Fine Wine & Spirits barrel bourbon, giving a portion of the proceeds to PanCan.
​

Q: This holiday season Rivertown is continuing to support PANCAN with unique Barrel Bourbons made specifically for Rivertown.  Could you tell us a little about these special barrels? 

Each barrel was sampled by our staff in a blind tasting of 4 to 5 samples. Once the staff made their selection, the barrel was held in the distiller's warehouse and then bottled & labeled exclusively for RFWS. All the bourbon is bottled from that barrel for us, and we even get the empty barrel! We currently have in stock - Manifest Rye, made here locally in Jacksonville, Widow Jane 12 year old bourbon and 1792 Full Proof Bourbon that was just awarded #1 Whiskey for 2020 by Jim Murray in his latest Whiskey Bible edition. These very special selections sell out quite rapidly because of the limited supply. Coming in the next 90 - 120 days, we have a barrel of Elijah Craig 11 year old bourbon, a barrel of Barrel Bourbon - Barrel Proof and a barrel of Larceny 6 year old. And, there are more throughout 2020 that have not been finalized yet.

Q: How will you help PANCAN through sales of Bourbon?  

All of our exclusive RFWS Single Barrel selected bourbons are sold at regular retail price with a small additional donation attached for our charity. These contributions are put to good use by PANCAN in a number of ways - providing much needed awareness of pancreatic cancer, patient & caregiver support and funds for research to help find early detection testing of this terrible disease. We also sell the empty barrels for $300 - $500, for which 100% goes to the charity. 

Q: What makes a bourbon special?  

Bourbon popularity has been on the rise for the past 7-8 years. There is a new "culture" for mixed cocktails and social media has a lot to do with spreading the word. Bourbon flavor is a matter of personal preference & taste. Supply has not been meeting the demand, so the value of bourbons is increasing and so is the price.

Q: The company you are collaborating with is a local company.  Could you tell us a little about them?

Manifest Distilling is located in downtown Jax and bottles vodka, gin and rye whiskey. The barrel of Manifest Rye we have in the store was bottled, sealed, labeled & numbered by Frank and Brian, the store manager at RFWS. It was a great experience for them. The public can take tours of this distillery and learn first hand about distilled spirits from their very knowledgeable staff. It is a unique experience. Be sure to mention that RFWS sent you when you go!

Q: How has Rivertown helped PANCAN in the past?

We have raised $56,000 in four years through our efforts at the store. In addition to our single barrel selections that we offer, we have also acquired rare & hard to find bottles that we sell with an added donation to PANCAN. Our annual Rare Bourbon Auction, which takes place every February, is done by sealed bid auction by item and awarded to the highest bidder. Each bidder is given the opportunity to bid on any of the listed items during the month of February. That bid is sealed in an envelope until March 1, when the envelopes are opened and the winners are announced. This is our 5th year, and will feature 15-25 extremely rare whiskeys.

Q: What are your goals for the future?

This coming year in 2020, our goal will be $25,000 to be raised by October 15th. Our fundraising achievements are culminated at Purple Stride, a 5K/Family friendly walk that is supported nationally by PANCAN in over 25 major cities.  Purple Stride-Jacksonville takes place at the end of October each year at UNF. We would like to thank our customers - family, friends and the community for such love & support the  last 13 years at  RFWS, we could not have accomplished such great success without you. We look forward to a great year in 2020!

​
Bravoz Entertainment
​14985 Old St Augustine Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32258



Pineapple Creative Boutique
12525 Philips Hwy #104, Jacksonville, FL 32256

​The Zorns are residents of Nocatee where they live with their children, John, Natalie and Cooper, and their sweet family dog Athena.  The couple have known each other practically their entire lives as their families were close friends through school and church. When they met up later at the University of North Florida, it blossomed into love and they haven’t looked back since getting married in 1996.


After learning about Laura and David, it is clear why Pineapple Creative Boutique & Bravoz Entertainment are successful local business - their positive energy and passion is an inspiration.

Pineapple Creative Boutique


Pineapple Creative Boutique, a DIY project studio and gift boutique offers a unique concept as a place to shop, gather with friends & create. Projects are customized to the individual, and people have the option of coming in on their own,  joining a scheduled workshop, or booking a private party with friends. Projects could be anything from board art, entryway signs, name signs to planters, wine caddies and placemats. The atmosphere is laid back and there is an abundance of southern hospitality. Just imagine how enjoyable it is to sip wine and work on your project as a time-out alone or with a group of friends.

​The idea to start Pineapple Creative Boutique began with Laura’s desire to find a local creative outlet.  Even though she is not trained as an artist, she loves design, has a great sense of color and has a passion for interior decor.  “I love to give gifts - especially personalized ones- and found the offerings in the south Jacksonville area to be limited. The trip to St. Johns Town Center was time-consuming, so I wanted to open a boutique that offered people a different type of experience, in a local neighborhood.”
A project studio was the perfect fit for Laura whose favorite aspect of owning Pineapple is getting to know the customers! “Most projects take around 2 hours to complete, so we love the opportunity to get to know our customers - so many are now friends!” she says.

​Craig Funeral Home, Crematory and Memorial Park is part of the history of St. Johns. Begun in 1915 by Augustus Hedrick Craig, today the funeral home is run by his grandson Gus Craig III and his great-grandson Justin Craig. With over a century of service to the community, they are experts in the celebration of life that has come to characterize their approach and set them apart.  We were able to sit down with Justin to learn more about the family’s rich history and their philosophy of helping people.

    Justin Craig is the fourth generation to guide families through the sensitive and challenging experience of saying good-bye to a loved one. 

     “We believe that every life has a story to tell and prefer to think of it as a time for reflection, appreciation and even celebration. We carefully guide families through every aspect of the arrangement process and can offer families everything they need under one roof. We strive to make the whole process as easy as possible during this challenging time. While always operating with integrity and providing the highest level of service in the area.”

     Thank you notes from grateful clients and their families cover numerous bulletin boards at the funeral home, a testament to the compassion and integrity that has sustained this family-owned business for four generations of the Craig Family.

     Justin says that placing the desires and needs of clients first and giving them a positive experience is a priority. 
​
    “We are not stuck in doing things the traditional way.  If a family comes with an idea that isn’t traditional we are open to doing it, whether that is using special music or mementos, or something else.  We want to give people the best possible celebration of life.” 

 
 It has been Craig’s practice to help every family we serve to find a way to honor their loved one. Every family is treated with empathy, dignity, and respect.  Justin’s Mom Sheryl recalls seeing records from back in the day when people paid with chickens or gallons of milk.  “It's about seeing the human side of death and using compassion,” says Justin.

     The overall experience is enhanced for families by the ease of having access to the funeral home, crematory and memorial park. The beautiful natural setting among old live oaks with dappled sunlight lends peaceful energy for both mourning and reflection on life. Craig's has the longes-running funeral home and crematory in the county. We are constantly looking for new ways to better serve our families and offer the latest technology available.  With over 100 years of experience, families can rest assured that Craig Funeral Home is the leader in the industry.
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     Justin has learned from the examples set by his great grandfather, grandfather and father who built the business from its roots in the early twentieth century.  It is a rich history dedicated to preserving the amazing and inspirational stories that are life and have become the backbone of Craig Funeral Home’s reputation as they take it into the next generation.

A Rich History

Justin’s Great Grandfather, Augustus Hedrick Craig began his career as a Deputy with the St. Augustine Police Department and soon after started working at the existing L.F. Sanchez Funeral Home on 30 St. George Street.  He eventually became a partner in 1915 and in 1934 became the sole proprietor of Craig Funeral Home Inc., which was moved to 20 Granada Street. Craig Funeral Home even operated a private ambulance service from 1918 until the mid-1970’s.  As the community grew the funeral home was relocated to its current location at 1475 Old Dixie Highway in 1984.

     “I'm lucky to be work with my Dad on a daily basis,” Justin says. They share a special relationship outside of running the family business, enjoying golf, fishing and family time together.  Nowadays, Justin’s six-year-old twin sons, Bryson and Chandler, and five-year-old daughter Lilah are part of the fun.  Maybe one day one or all the children will follow in the family tradition?

     The day we met Justin happened to be the twenty-second annual Gus Craig Salvation Army Award dinner to benefit Feed the Hungry.  Each year since the early 1990s, the award has recognized longtime community residents who give selflessly to others.  Justin’s Grandfather “Gus” as he was affectionately known in the community, supported many local causes and organizations.

     There is a certain pressure in living up to the esteemed reputation which precedes him but Justin says it is an honor to serve the community. He recalls the funeral procession for former St. Augustine Sheriff Neil J. Perry.  As the procession passed through the community crowds lined the streets celebrating his life of service. He says it is moments like this that reflect Craig Funeral Home’s humble devotion to helping people mourn and celebrate a life.  Although  many things have changed since 1915, one thing remains the same. The Craig family’s commitment to serving your family in a time of need.

On behalf of the St. Johns County School District, it is an honor to serve your children and families. Our mission as a school district is to inspire good character and a passion for lifelong learning in all students, creating educated and caring contributors to the world.  Through the dedication and caring nature of teachers, administrators, and support staff, our students are able to achieve high standards in academics, sports and extracurricular activities. Having remarkable students and parents has also helped us remain a high performing school district. Statewide, our students score exceptionally well, earning the top scores in many reporting categories.  Students in grade 3-10 earned the top scores in the state in reading.  In math, students in grade 3-6 earned the highest scores.  Additionally, our students tied for first in the state on the Algebra End-of-Course Exam.  Students in grades 5 and 8 earned the top scores in science.  Moreover, in 2018, our district graduation rate was 93.3 percent, which is above the state average of 86.1 percent.  School grades released by the Florida Department of Education last month show that we continue to be a top preforming district in the state and one of two that has consistently remained an “A” rated district.
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    Throughout the summer, our administrative teams have been preparing for an incredible school year for your children.  We continue to hire highly qualified personnel to provide students with an exceptional educational experience.  It is our goal to ensure that all students graduate, prepared with 21st century skills to compete in the constantly changing world of digital and social environments.

​This school year we will continue to expand our safety initiatives to ensure that we provide a safe, secure, and dynamic learning environment for our children.  If you have not already, I encourage you to download the FortifyFL App.  This app allows the user to notify school personnel and law enforcement to provide a description of any threat, share pics and videos and optionally submit contact information.  We will have local law enforcement and/or armed security personnel at each school site offering increased security coverage.  In addition, we will provide ongoing mental health support for our students through specialized training, programs and resources.    
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    This year, we will be piloting an evidence-based program, Sources of Strength (SOS), at our high schools. SOS is a best practice youth suicide prevention project designed to harness the power of peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, bullying, and substance abuse.  As a district, we are committed to making resources available to students and families who need assistance.   

    I am so grateful to have the opportunity to serve as superintendent of St. Johns County Schools.  I want to thank every parent and family in our district for your continued support. Without you, we could not accomplish all that we do throughout the school year.   I encourage you to stay engaged and connected in your child’s education.  To stay up-to-date on the latest communication from St. Johns County Schools, please go to:  https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/schoolmessenger/, and set up your account preferences.  I hope you and your children have an outstanding 2019/2020 school year!


Sincerely,
Tim Forson
Superintendent of Schools

After a lifetime of academic and non-profit  leadership, Judith Fox-Goldstein made the surprise discovery that she was an artist.  What she likes to refer to as her “art Awakening” began this past September and she says it's one of most exciting personal journey's she's encountered.  "You're Never Too Old to be Brand New!" said Judith.


Each colorful and soulful design shows a striking, somewhat abstract image of a woman accompanied by “story” and an inspirational quote.  The designs are all about women and empowerment and take the form of cards, or prints,  on plain craft paper with interesting embellishments, as well as framed pieces. She has integrated poets like Maya Angelou, Rumi, Gandhi, and many other inspirational writers.


The designs are called Makana Mixed Media, Designs by Jude.  It is art derived from a deep place within and is inspired by strong, fascinating women Judith has known throughout her life.


Ms. Attitude: Ode to Irene is based on Judith’s Mother-in-law.  As Judith explains, “FIERCE” is the word that comes to mind when I think of my beloved Mother-in-law, Irene. She loved her family with unparalleled devotion and I was so very lucky that my husband Michael came as a ‘package deal’ with 3 fantastic siblings and “Mama Loo”. She was a FORCE! She entered the room – hair first! When she passed away, I was honored to give her eulogy. I began with, “For as long as I have known Irene… her HAIR HAS NEVER MOVED!” She would have loved that”.


Judith is a transplant from the Big Island of Hawai'i, and spent most of her professional and personal life on the beautiful Island where she raised her two children. The art she creates is frequently informed by strong, powerful women she knew in Hawai’i.


One design called Kamali’i Kehau: “You Dance Inside My Heart” is based on a Hawaiian, Samoan, Chinese & Hau’oli (Caucasian) woman and teacher of dance.  Kamali’i story: She is a Master Hula Dancer and teaches young children from the age of 2 years old.  Her life is Hawaiian music, dance and the mo’olelo stories and traditions of Hawaiian. She hopes to bring her Hula Halau (dance troupe) to perform at the Smithsonian.


Judith said this was her first Hawaiian design. “I agonized over this because I wanted to get her features right and pay homage to what has been my adopted culture for most of my life.”

Her awakening as an artist was a surprise. When she moved to northern Florida with her husband she says she was terribly sad leaving all of her roots and thought she would never be happy again.   “I finally learned that I could carry all of that beauty inside my heart and grow and expand from bountiful memories and experiences in Hawaii. My husband, Michael would be extremely surprised to hear me say, "Mahalo Nui Loa (thank you very much), for bringing me here because I have discovered an entire new ME!... it's a place of unlimited growth and love and all the people I have met here are now part of my Ohana... My family”.

This art reflects Judith’s journey as a human.  Of the triumphs and challenges that we all face as women. She says, “creating, giving them a voice, is powerfully healing”.
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The art is now on display at CC Gallery/Framing Shop on San Jose near Barnes and Noble. All of this is so unexpected for Judith, she is still making sense of it all. “It took my breath away  to see it displayed. When CC Framing and Gallery owner, Chris, told me that my first piece sold,  well, I think my spirits literally lifted off the ground I believe I can now really call myself an artist!”

When looking for the perfect place to care for your fur babies, it’s not just about the convenience and cost but even more, it is the kind staff who greets you at the door and the knowledge, experience & compassion of the veterinarians that make all the difference. Animal Medical Clinic at St. Johns offers all of this and more with a philosophy centered on pet health with heart!

​For veterinarians Dawn Stewart and Lisa Hill, pets are all in the family.  Dr. Stewart and her husband, who is also a veterinarian, have a house full of eight adorable dogs (2 on the cover of SJM) and one “very patient” cat.  Dr. Hill and her family have two dogs, three cats (one of whom is a sphynx) and a hamster that needed a home.

​They both view their patients as family pets, too.  “We’re passionate about treating our patients as if they’re our own pets,” says Dr. Stewart.
“We give personalized attention to each and every animal,” adds Dr. Hill, “and we strive to provide the utmost compassion and highest quality, most advanced medical care.  Communication with pet parents is the most important aspect of my job.  I always try to make sure they understand the diagnosis and treatment of their pets in partnership with myself and our team.”

     ​Animal Medical Clinic offers a wide range of services, including pet wellness and nutrition, diagnostic internal medicine, dental care, urgent care, health certification, microchipping and even therapeutic pain management using multiwave locked system (MLS) laser therapy.

    “MLS laser therapy helps treat and control acute and chronic pain in animals,” explains Dr. Stewart.  “It quickly relieves pain and reduces inflammation, and it can be beneficial for post-surgical healing, chronic arthritis, and inflamed or infected ears.  Laser therapy is a fast, pain-free and non-invasive treatment to help pets return to their favorite activities.”

Because they care so much about providing the best care for their patients, the veterinarians also use a laser instead of a scalpel to minimize bleeding and pain for all surgical procedures.
    
Dr. Hill has long been a proponent of this type of approach.  From a very early age, she looked out for animals and had their best interests at heart.  “We used to go fishing as a family growing up,” she recalls.  “I was always the one to remove the fish from the hook to release it.  I wanted to make sure the fish were not harmed.  I would also search for turtles along the lakes and remove any hooks that were stuck in their mouths.  It’s surprising how many turtles would have hooks stuck in them, but I felt I could make a difference in the lives of the turtles I found.”
    


Both doctors truly have a heart for animals and the families they’re part of, which is why they also offer boarding services.  “We like giving our pet parents peace of mind while they’re away,” says Dr. Stewart.  “We already have a personal relationship with the pets and know all their medical history and individual needs.  Hopefully not, but if any medical problems arise during their stay, we’ll be the ones who take care of them.”
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    Regardless of the scenario, Dr. Stewart loves educating pet parents on the best care for their pets.  Originally from West Virginia, she graduated from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine.  She opened Animal Medical Clinic at St. Johns in 2002 and has been practicing in the area for 17 years.   
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    Dr. Hill received her education from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and has been living and serving pet parents in St. Johns County for 14 years.  “I love the St. Johns area and feel it’s a wonderful place to raise our two children. I really enjoy bumping into clients at the supermarket and am very tied to this community.”

Photos by Mindy Kerr of Nature's Child Photography

Coastal Wine Market
641 Crosswater Parkway Suite B,
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32081
coastalwinemarket.com

Shaun and Steve Lourie, Co-Owners, welcome everyone to Coastal Wine Market & tasting room in Nocatee with a hug and a smile.  The couple’s warmth reflects who they are and their vision within the community.  As Shaun puts it, “our guests are part of the family”.  “We want CWM to be a place to gather together for a good time, relaxed conversation and personal connection”. “It’s a haven for the adults of northern St. Johns,” adds Steve with a smile.
    The couple moved to Nocatee from New Jersey in 2013 to be closer to family.  They loved the community and saw an opportunity to create a gathering place for residents in northern St. Johns.  Thus, the concept of a wine market was envisioned and came to fruition.  From function to form, the well-traveled pair borrowed business and design elements from favorite places they had visited and enjoyed. Whether a guest stops in for a quick beer, glass of wine or a bite of tapas the experience is always warm and comfortable. That feeling was translated to the interior design and detailed in handmade wooden tables, flight boards and a barn door all designed by local artisans, as well as 120-year-old reclaimed bricks procured from New York City.
    Steve, who is originally from Boston, is a Sommelier and has an extensive background in hospitality. “He has a way with people,” says Shaun. He is the “face” of CWM while she is the wizard behind the scenes, taking care of operations.  Together they make the perfect hosts.
    At 4:30 on a Thursday afternoon the place is hopping with activity as neighbors drop by for a glass of wine, a light meal and conversation.  Steve says it is not uncommon for guests to strike up a friendship as they sit near each other enjoying fine wine and food. The next time he sees them, they come in together.
    The wine selection, which covers an entire wall, ranges from high end selections to table wines, with each wine displaying a rustic tag with detailed tasting notes. If guests are not sure what to order they just ask Steve for advice or try a flight board to test out a variety and determine their palate. For craft beer lovers, CWM offers the chance to try unique craft beer from local and national breweries. Their esteemed Wine Club is a hit with patrons and offers free membership and three participation levels.

Chef Jody Petronella was destined to enter the culinary world in the footsteps of his family.  Chef Jody’s Uncle, a restaurateur himself, started instructing him on creating the family’s favorite Italian dishes.  He paid his dues by working at their family restaurant at first by becoming a dishwasher, working the restaurant’s sauté line and eventually taking over the restaurant.  After working in other various restaurants, Jody became a Firefighter/Paramedic. However, the lure of the kitchen beckoned him back to becoming a Personal Chef and ultimately to enroll in Culinary School.  Next, Chef operated a Food Truck under the name of Jody Cannoli which enabled him to hone his culinary skills and interact directly with his audience.  He was on the right path and eager to uncover his next culinary adventure.  And, then a fateful meeting with Steven Lourie, Co-Owner of Coastal Wine Market & tasting room, set him in his present position.  Chef Jody states, “CWM is totally on the mark with what I want to do – a shop that showcases great wines paired with small plates and entrees to offer a complete guest experience.”