Musings, opinions, observations, questions, and random thoughts on island life, Fernandina Beach and more

Musings, opinions, observations, questions, and random thoughts on island life, Fernandina Beach and more

New Newspaper Blowing Yulee’s Horn

Curtiss Quarrier wants to blow Yulee’s horn — the community’s, not the scalywag it’s named after.

Quarrier, a third generation Yulee native, has started a new print newspaper — the Yulee Bugle –directed at Yule residents, an enterprise that may raise an eyebrow or two since print newspapers appear to be on a downward skid that has accelerated since the election of President Donald Trump.

However, the Bugle’s content isn’t directed toward national politics, but local Yulee issues, which should be a welcome relief to area residents who are tiring of the heated and divisive national debate and want to know what’s going on in their backyard.

“As a third generation Nassau County resident, I see the importance of the growing Yulee community having a voice for local citizens,” Quarrier says. “The Yulee Bugle is published weekly and free to everyone in Yulee’s zip codes of  32097 and 32041.”

The paper according to Quarrier covers all things Yule, adding that, as the paper’s publisher, he expects to make it “community based, capturing the spirit of Yulee, from local business openings to Little League scores.”

“The Bugle will provide residents information within their immediate surroundings,” he says. “A lot of work goes into providing a quality local community newspaper that is honest and will give accurate reporting.”

He’s reaching out to locals asking them to provide items they feel would be of interest to their Yulee neighbors. “I am asking the community to help supply the paper with church news, photographs, and story ideas. I also would like to receive announcements for anniversaries, weddings, and births,” he says.

“The Yulee Bugle is in the business of recording the community’s history and showcasing the citizens of Yulee. The opportunity to serve the Yulee Community was not a decision I made lightly. The purpose of the Yulee Bugle is not to compete with the Nassau County Record or the News Leader. I want to provide knowledge and understanding of local news and issues; to inform voters by shining a light on local government.”

Quarrier said his journalism career began just over a year ago with a small Georgia community newspaper.

“My first interview was with an individual with a rare disease,” he recalls. “Giving her a voice was the moment I realized the importance of community news. While at that newspaper, I was given the opportunity to cover everything from local government to school sports. I enjoyed my time at that paper, but I am looking forward to covering the issues in the county my family has called home since 1946.”

Tomorrow will herald the third edition of the Bugle, which I have to admit I have not yet seen. Quarrier says his first edition was a “back-to-school special” featuring several articles around issues about children getting into the routine of school life.

He praised resident Mike Hickox who purchased a full-color page ad wishing Yulee students from elementary school age to college “best wishes.” The second edition featured several stories on storm preparedness. Tomorrow’s paper will be the third one.

Quarrier says the Bugle will try to feature one special Yulee resident per issue. “There are a lot of great people in Yulee and its time they had a publication to showcase them.”

This young man, who is 28 and working on a BS degree in something called “converged communications” at FSCJ, has high expectations, appears to be bright, eager, enthusiastic and open to suggestions. I hope he succeeds. And the booming Yulee population should be eager to entertain a source of information that keeps them informed  about what’s happening in their fast-growing community.

I’m looking forward to reading his product.

He tells me subscriptions can be purchased for $30 a year for folks outside the zip codes of 32097 and 32041. He also says he is working on arrangements with businesses that want to keep copies of the paper in their establishments for people to pick up free.  He adds he is not online yet but plans to be before the end of the year.

To find out where to find the Yulee Bugle, advertise or send information to it contact Quarrier at yuleebugle@gmail.com.

***

Looking For A Few Good Men Department: Recent comments making the rounds on the Internet about qualifications for serving in the military were incorrectly attributed to Congressman Trey Gowdy (R-SC) after President Trump announced a ban on transgender service members this past July.

I can’t find the actual source of the material but did find the remarks interesting and worth repeating. So here they are:

Nobody has a “right” to serve in the Military. Nobody.

 What makes people think the Military is an equal opportunity employer?

The Military uses prejudice regularly and consistently to deny citizens from joining for being too old or too young, too fat or too skinny, too tall or too short.

Citizens are denied for having flat feet, or for missing or additional fingers. Poor eyesight will disqualify you, as well as bad teeth. Malnourished? Drug addiction? Bad back? Criminal history? Low IQ? Anxiety? Phobias? Hearing damage? Six arms? Hear voices in your head? Self-identify as a Unicorn?

Need a special access ramp for your wheelchair? Can’t run the required course in the required time? Can’t do the required number of pushups?

Not really a “morning person” and refuse to get out of bed before noon?

All can be reasons for denial.

The Military has one job. War. Anything else is a distraction and a liability.

Did someone just scream “That isn’t Fair”? War is VERY unfair, there are no exceptions made for being special or challenged or socially wonderful.

YOU change yourself to meet Military standards. Not the other way around.

I say again: You don’t change the Military… you must change yourself.

The Military doesn’t need to accommodate anyone with special issues. The Military needs to Win Wars.

As a veteran I find it hard to argue with any of that.

***

Things That Need Repeating: “A tax cut means higher family income and higher business profits and a balanced federal budget. Every tax payer and his family will have more money left over after taxes for a new car, a new home, new conveniences, education and investment. Every businessman can keep a higher percentage of his profits in his cash register or put it to work expanding or improving his business, and as the national income grows, the federal government will ultimately end up with more revenues.” – John F. Kennedy (1963) recalled by Georgia Public Policy Foundation.

***

The Country Has Gone Mad: Black people who were never slaves are fighting white people who were never Nazis over a confederate statue erected by Democrats because Democrats can’t tolerate their own history anymore. And it’s all Donald Trump’s fault. None of this makes any sense.

***

Atlanta’s Mayor Taking “Heat”: Late last year, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported: “With a murder rate of 20.2 per 100,000 Atlanta ranked as one of America’s top murder capitals.” So how did Democrat Mayor Kasim Reed react to this startling news? He said: “The City of Atlanta will intensify its efforts to reduce CO2 emissions, work to cool the planet by two degrees, ramp up clean energy solutions and seek every opportunity to assert our leadership on this urgent issue.” I imagine that the folks in Atlanta feel much safer now.

***

Drinking, Dining & Dancing: The folks at the 1925 14thStreet South Island Bar-B-Que (Call ’em at 904/624-7811) received rave reviews from a super critical crowd that was celebrating downtown Hampton Inn Hotelier Bob Ramshaw’s and my birthdays this past Wednesday, August 15 at PJD’s Beer & Wine Garden. Island BBQ’s Pitmaster Rodney Stubbs prepared heaping servings of sliced brisket, potato salad, and cole slaw that all disappeared rapidly and not once did I hear anything but positive comments. Included in this crowd were people who take their BBQ seriously such as Monty Kitchen, former Amelia Boat Club business owner, who boasts several BBQ competition trophies and knows most of the Memphis BBQ joint owners by name. Between bites Dan Voll provided musical entertainment but lost control near the end when his tune maker malfunctioned due to Mr. Kitchen’s obsession with the song Rocky Top, which is now my least favorite refrain and one that should be banned from all places on the island that allow live musical entertainment. Pablo Madrigal, owner of 12 North 2nd Street’s Pablo’s Mexican Restaurant, stopped by to add his birthday greetings with hearty servings of guacamole, salsa and chips forcing me to admit that I’ve taken a liking to this red, green and brown stuff. Pal Pajamadave and his fiancé Zan Maddox were, as usual the most gracious hosts. The two best bar seats any place on the island, from the north end’s Hammerhead to the south side’s Ritz Carlton, are located upstairs at the new Sandbar & Kitchen at Main Beach. Located at the short end of the L shaped bar the two stools provide its occupants a view down the beach all the way to the Ritz and with just a slight turn of the head to the left, a full view of the ocean and the bikini-laden beach. When the windows are opened a constant breeze keeps it cool and you can see and hear the gulls, watch dolphins and smell the salt air while quaffing 4-6 p.m. 16-ounce happy hour Bud Light’s for $2.50 while gazing into the bikini aquarium. Live music from the outside patio can also be heard. Downtown’s Front Street Salty Pelican co-owner Al Waldis fulfilled his losing end of the “Redskins are better than the Jaguars” bet with me for the third straight year by treating me to lunch at Chowder Ted’s at 5215 Heckscher Drive on the Jacksonville side of the Brown’s Mill Creek bridge, in fact almost under the bridge. If you’ve never been there go get some chowder than comes in a sauce pan, has a spicy bite that appeals to all, and includes something I’ve never had in chowder before — olives. It is excellent but leave your credit card at home as Ted only wants cash. T.J. Pelletier, the other half of the Salty Pelican ownership, has replaced the photo of Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady in his wallet with one of five-month old daughter Emma June. I’ve rarely seen a prouder papa, as he gleefully shows off pictures of his and wife Amanda’s first child.

  • Comment (17)
  • Dave,
    I hear the liberals are cancelling the solar eclipse on Monday. Oh and I will leave you with this: “Rocky Top, you will always be home sweet home to me! Good ole Rocky Top!”

  • “Rocky Top, Tennessee. Rocky Top Tennessee.” Felt it necessary to finish Monty’s note to you. Now for the verses… never mind. I’ve got to go. Everyone can just sing on their own. You know you know the words. 😉

  • Why do those singing Rocky Top wear orange to games? It’s convenient to not change their clothes as they pick up beer cans M-F along TN. roadsides. Have a good week!

  • To a life long Gator that awful song Rocky Top really is nerve racking.BTW, as good as Peyton Manning was in college he was 0 for 4
    against Florida,just saying.Go Gators!!!

  • Having been born and raised in Tennessee I just can’t resist…
    Rocky Top you’ll always be home sweet home to me! Good ol’ Rocky Top, Rocky Top Tennessee!
    Sorry Dave 🙂

  • Dave, I wonder how Curtiss and his fellow Yulee residents feel about Rayonier’s efforts to “split” from their Yulee postal destination and instead be called Wildfire…uh, I mean Wildlight?

  • Waiting on “bated breath”to hear of future plans to eradicate the David Yulee masterpiece downtown in an effort to avoid a violent protest.

  • Some people in the county have “gone mad” due to their ignorance and their desire for simplistic answers. Cute comments may get you a laugh Dave, but they do nothing to solve our current divide. As Sinclair Lewis pointed out, in his book “It Can’t Happen Here” – it can. And, it is.
    Review the histories of the Republican and Democratic Parties, and note how their philosophies and policies have changed. The Democrats had a terrible record until Lyndon Johnson (Democrat) signed the Voting Rights Act guaranteeing blacks the right to vote. In doing so, he said he was turning the South over to the Republicans. Turns out he was right. The racist Democrats found a home in the Republican Party. Unfortunately, most racists don’t even realize they are.

  • Dave you’re right, the County has gone mad. We recently found out that a Charlottesville police officer has come forward to express his outrage at being told to “stand down” by the city mayor during violent clashes between protesters. The officer also claims the protests, which pitched “white supremacists” against members of Antifa, were “set up” to allow for the groups to ignite into exactly what happened. Michael Signer, the mayor of Charlottesville, ordered police to stand down during the most chaotic and destructive period of the protests – despite police protests against the orders.
    Before landing the Charlottesville mayor job he previously worked closely with Podesta at the Center of American Progress and worked with him again on Barack Obama’s State Department Transition Team. George Soros, Obama, Podesta, Hillary Clinton and company, are pulling out all the stops to create division through chaos and destruction for one purpose – to destroy President Donald Trump. Crowds of paid protesters and useful psychopaths are being sent into pitched battle against one another to sour the mood of the nation and further divide us all. Liberalism . . . a mental disorder!

  • Just for a point of reference on the CRA of 64, the dems had 67 senators of whom 21 voted against passage. 46 were in favor and joined with 27 of 33 GOP voting for it, the Senate passed the bill. IOW, the Dems could not muster 50% of the Senate even with greater than 50% plurality.

  • Dave you might want to do some research about some of the newspapers and how their subscriptions have increased since Trump took office. Washington Post New York Times actually think Trump everyday. Trump’s Administration has filled a void that was left when they discontinue the comic section

  • Dave that was thank Trump not think Trump if you could please make that correction I really apologize the words think and Trump are actually an oxymoron but again I apologize for my grammatical mistake

  • Grammatical AND factual mistakes. The New York Times never had a comics section. But why let the truth get in the way of a silly comment?

  • John, The comment was made as a joke. I did however make a typo which I have publicly admitted to, and have asked David to please correct. You may not, but I give myself credit for being able to come out and admit a mistake. That is something you don’t see very often here

  • Ok, Tony, I’ll meet you half way. I’ve made my share of online typos. It seems that they never appear until after I press the “post comment” button.

    Since you mentioned the word research, I mistakenly took you more seriously than you meant to be. I apologize for the misinterpretation.

    • John & Tony: I like this. As my Mother used to say to me and my pals: “Be nice. Don’t fight.”

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