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The Jekyll Island Authority Board reviewed revised plans from Greensboro-based Linger Longer Communities for a beach village (download the presentation) that will be a part of the island’s overall revitalization effort. More…
The 2008 Master Plan Amendment can be downloaded here.
For information on all of Jekyll Island’s revitalization projects, read the Revitalization Fact Sheet
Contact: Jason Richardson, Director of Public Safety
Jekyll Island Authority
(912) 635-2930
www.jekyllislandauthority.org
The Jekyll Island Authority and Southeast Georgia Health System have again joined forces to bring flu shots to Jekyll Island. On November 06, 2008 the SGHS Wellness on Wheels unit (WOW) will be here on Jekyll Island beginning at 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. in the Convention Center parking lot. Representatives from SGHS will be on hand to give flu shots to residents, employees, and guests of Jekyll Island. Costs for the shots are $25.00, a written receipt will be provided so the patient can be reimbursed from their healthcare provider. SGHS will bill Medicare and Medicaid for senior citizens who receive the flu shot with no up front cost. Please take a moment to come out and visit us at the Wellness on Wheels unit and take advantage of this opportunity to protect yourself and your family from the effects of the flu.
Provider: Southeast Georgia Health System.
What: Flu Shots
Where: Jekyll Island Convention Center Parking Lot
When: November 06, 2008
Time: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Cost: $25.00 (Medicare & Medicaid Free - Billed for Patient).
Contact: Harry Kicklighter, Director of Golf
Jekyll Island Authority
(912) 635-2368
hkicklighter@jekyllisland.com
Local golfers are invited and encouraged to be one of the first to play the Great Dunes golf course on Jekyll Island upon re-opening after a long summer’s rest. The course re-opens for play Thursday, October 2nd and will remain open until the next seasonal closure in June 2009. This week, golfers will enjoy the rare pristine condition of greens and fairway turf without divots and ball marks.
“The course has been mowed, trimmed and is in the finest condition in the 30 years I have been on Jekyll Island,” stated John Neidhardt, Jekyll Island Golf Course Superintendent. “The grand ole course is ready to play and bound to impress.”
Great Dunes, which is the remaining nine holes of the historic links-style course designed by Walter Travis in 1927, was closed at the beginning of the summer due to a combination of maintenance issues and low seasonal demand. With the onset of nicer weather, golfers will certainly enjoy the seaside course known for wide open fairways but small greens. Ocean breezes challenge shotmaking, and one does not have to hit the ball long, just accurate, in order to score low.
One of four courses operated by the Jekyll Island Authority, Great Dunes has nine holes but can be played as an 18-hole round using two different sets of tees. Cost for a nine-hole round is $29 per person and includes electric cart rental. Tee times begin at 8:00 a.m., the last tee time is 3:30 p.m. Call 912-635-2170 for tee times and more information.
Contact: Jason Richardson, Director of Public Safety
Jekyll Island Authority
(912) 635-2930
www.jekyllislandauthority.org
The Jekyll Island Fire & EMS wishes to notify all of our water customers that the Fire Department will be testing the Islands fire hydrants beginning the October 10, 2008 through the middle of November weather permitting. What does this mean to the individual customer? It means that when the hydrants are being tested in your area, you may temporarily experience dirty or rust colored water immediately following the test. If you do notice this, allow an outside faucet to run for a few minutes until the water is clear. The Jekyll Island Fire & EMS firmly believes in regularly conducting the fire hydrant testing program to assure our citizens’ safety. We sincerely hope that this message will be shared with all of our customers and hope that any problems associated with “dirty” water will be minor. We wish to thank each resident for his or her cooperation and understanding of our hydrant-testing program. If you have any questions regarding the hydrant-testing program, please call the Jekyll Island Fire & EMS at 912-635-2930/4035.
STATE OF GEORGIA
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Sonny Perdue
GOVERNOR
For Immediate Release Contact: Office of Communications, (404) 651-7774
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Governor Perdue Announces Executive Appointments
ATLANTA Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the following executive appointments. Brief biographies are provided below:
Jekyll Island State Park Authority
A. Richard Royal, 69, Camilla - Royal is president and owner of Royal Investments, Inc. and is retiring from the Georgia House of Representatives, where he has served since 1983. He is a past president of the Camilla Chamber of Commerce and the Camilla Rotary Club and served ten years on the City Council of Camilla. He has received numerous awards such as the Georgia Chamber of Commerces Lifetime Achievement Award, the Georgia Forestry Commissions Legislator of the Year Award, and the Georgia Farm Bureau Commodity Award. Royal earned a bachelors degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He and his wife, Marilyn, have five grown children and nine grandchildren.
Georgia State Indemnification Commission
John C. Crawley, 54, Thomson, Firefighter Representative Crawley is deputy fire chief of the City of Thomson Fire Department. He is a charter member of McDuffie County Fire/Rescue and an executive board member of the Georgia State Firefighters Association. He is past president of the Georgia State Firefighters Association and served on the Georgia Fire Academy Advisory Council. He and his wife, Penny, have three children.
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Jekyll Island, Ga. (September 15, 2008) - As revitalization of Jekyll Island progresses, an independent visitation analysis was presented to the Jekyll Island Authority board by consultant Ken Bleakly at its regular meeting on Monday. The purpose of the study is to provide the Jekyll Island Authority with a better understanding of the cumulative effects of future revitalization on the island’s infrastructure and environmental resources. In addition, the study offers a forecasting tool that gives clear estimates of how revitalization projects will benefit visitation and revenues.
The Bleakly Advisory Group project team, which includes engineering firm Thomas & Hutton and land planner Cooper Carry, utilized a number of factors to determine historic visitation of Jekyll Island, including wastewater treatment volume, traffic counts, parking fee revenue, golf rounds, and hotel room nights. The study shows a slow but steady decline in visitation to the island since the early 1990s.
“Ken Bleakly and his team have presented us with a thorough and objective modeling analysis that will guide us as we move forward with revitalization,” said Jones Hooks, executive director of the Jekyll Island Authority. “It is obvious that fewer Georgians are visiting Jekyll Island, but the good news is that we can bring them back through a strategic revitalization plan that doesn’t require major infrastructure changes.”
The study also provides a number of forecasts based on varying redevelopment density scenarios as defined by Cooper Carry and carried forward from the Jekyll Island Master Plan. The initial projection shows that financial sustainability can be achieved under a low-to-medium density scenario.
Other key findings from the study:
In addition to the visitation analysis, the Jekyll Island Authority board has initiated several other policy measures to protect the island’s habitats, resources and character as revitalization continues. An ordinance passed this summer defined appropriate beachfront lighting practices to protect the island’s endangered sea turtle habitat from light pollution. The Authority expects to adopt new design guidelines articulating standards for all building and landscaping in order to maintain Jekyll Island’s unique character. The design guidelines include height restrictions that limit building height to what currently exists in the Jekyll Island Historic District. New conservation guidelines to protect Jekyll Island’s natural resources are currently under final legal review and should be adopted soon. A rebranding effort is also underway that will reflect a revitalized Jekyll island and encourage more Georgians to visit.
“People love Jekyll Island because it is a sanctuary and a retreat with the right balance of nature and amenities,” said Eric Garvey, the Authority’s senior director of marketing. “Revitalization will enhance that, and therefore we want to focus our message on this key feature. Our goal is simple: to bring more Georgians to Jekyll.”
A public presentation of the visitation analysis will be held Monday, September 29 at 2 p.m. at the Jekyll Island Convention Center.
Join the Jekyll Island Authority, the Georgia Shrimp Association, and the Georgia Tourism Foundation for the only event in the Southeast dedicated to celebrating two southern favorites – shrimp and grits!
Set amid Jekyll Island’s picturesque Jekyll Island Club National Landmark Historic District, “Shrimp & Grits: The Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival,” will kick off on Friday, Sept. 19, at 5:30 p.m. Festivities will continue throughout the weekend, beginning Saturday at 10:00 a.m. and Sunday at noon. All entertainment is free and open to the public.
The popular annual festival features delicious food, exciting shrimp & grits cooking competitions, great music, and a vendor area complete with arts, crafts, antiques, and collectables. “Uncle Bubba,” the brother of southern celebrity-chef Paula Deen, will even make a special guest appearance on Saturday from 10:00 AM-12:00 noon. And to add to the excitement, guests can participate in the 3rd Annual Wild Georgia Golf Tournament, take fun-filled shrimp boat excursions, and play in the “Family Fun Zone” created just for kids.
The Wild Georgia Shrimp & Grits Cooking Competition events will offer mouth-watering tasting opportunities of more than a dozen shrimp & grits dishes prepared by amateur and professional chefs throughout the region. Guests can sign-up to be part of the esteemed “Consumer Choice Panel” to taste the dishes and select the winners of either the professional or amateur competition for a fee of $25.00 per person.
Christopher Hewitt of Savannah’s Olde Pink House will be back this year to defend his title as the “Best Professional Shrimp & Grits Chef.” He’ll face stiff competition from more than eight other professional chefs from Jekyll and surrounding areas. The competition for the 2008 professional title begins at noon on Sunday. The competition for the best amateur chef will take place on Saturday at 10:00 a.m.
During the festival visitors will also have the opportunity to purchase delicious shrimp & grits dishes from outstanding local restaurants and vendors, including the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, Latitude 31 Restaurant and Raw Bar, Zachary’s Seafood, and the Wild Georgia Shrimp Association. Prices for individual dishes will vary. A variety of other food and dishes will be also available throughout the festival.
Chef Steve Ingersoll, chef/instructor at the Coastal Georgia College in Kingsland, Ga., will host a cooking demonstration Saturday from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Chef Stephanie Donegan, the cooking star of “Raising Alabama,” will also demonstrate preparation of an outstanding shrimp & grits recipe from her newest southern soul food cookbook, Living a Life of Southern Soul. The demonstration begins at 3:00 on Sunday.
Throughout the weekend the Jekyll Island Club National Landmark Historic District will ring with the musical talents of many favorite local bands, including King City Jazz, Dirty Hairys, the Jeff Beasley Band, OSKAR Rockhammer, Spice of Life, and Straight No Chaser. Saturday evening, beginning at 7 p.m., guest can enjoy the live music of popular blues band, Statesboro Blues.
Special Appearance by “Uncle Bubba” – Brother to Celebrity Chef Paula Deen
No southern festival would be complete without someone named “Bubba,” and we’ve got the best! ”Uncle Bubba,” author of the popular Uncle Bubba’s Savannah Seafood Cookbook, will be on hand. Between 10 a.m. and noon on Saturday he’ll host a book signing. Visitors can bring a copy of the cook book so he can autograph it, or it can be purchased onsite.
Uncle Bubba’s Oyster House restaurant in Savannah, Ga., which he co-owns with his sister Paula Deen, features many delectable seafood creations ranging from chargrilled oysters to “Aunt Peggy’s” fried catfish platter. “Y’all know that my family and I have never been what you might call “fancy eaters,” said Bubba. “Growing up in southwest Georgia, we never had white tablecloths or silver candlesticks. We just wanted to eat good food, laugh a lot, and have a good time. When Paula and I opened the doors to Uncle Bubba’s, we had one mission in mind. That was to provide our guests with the finest quality meal available in a friendly, comfortable atmosphere.”
On both Saturday and Sunday, be sure to “catch” the Disconnected K9 frisbee dog show at 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM. Trainer Lawrence Frederick started out playing in human Frisbee competitions until he discovered the disc dog world in 1991. Now, not only are Lawrence and his team of incredible dogs the most widely recognized Frisbee Dog Team in the world, but he made history by being the first human to compete with two dogs at the same time in the World Frisbee Dog Championships in 2003;
and then became the first human to compete with three dogs in the same year in the World Frisbee Dog Championships in 2006; and then again in 2007. All of their shows are family oriented; carry a message of fun, athleticism, canine bonding, and promote dog rescuing.
The commemorative poster and the official tee shirt for the 3rd Annual Shrimp & Grits Festival will display the beautiful artwork of Mrs. Ed Hose of Brunswick, GA.
The elaborate details, imagination, and brilliant colors of her art persuaded the judges to select her entry over scores of other excellent submissions. Posters and t-shirts will be on sale at the festival. Mrs. Hose’s winning artwork can be viewed by visiting www.jekyllisland.com.
The 3rd Annual Wild Georgia Golf Tournament tees off Friday, Sept. 19, at 12:30 p.m. at Jekyll Island’s Oleander Golf Course. Each first-place winner will receive as a prize five pounds of fresh Wild Georgia Shrimp. Second and third-place winners will each receive three pounds of the prized local shrimp. Call 635-2368 to register. The fee is $65.00 per person.
Throughout the festival weekend, guests will have the opportunity to experience several exciting boating excursions.
Captain Larry Credle’s “Lady Jane” shrimp boat offers an authentic shrimping experience. The two-hour voyages along the Marshes of Glynn were made famous by the poet Sidney Lanier. Guests will watch for dolphins, shorebirds, and minks.
They will also have the opportunity to observe the crew deploy the shrimp net and retrieve a bountiful catch of various sea life, including shrimp, crabs, fish, horseshoe crabs, man-o-rays, and much more.
Captain Credle started shrimping with his dad in his early teens. By the age of fourteen he was working with a fleet of five vessels, and in 1979 he became captain of his own shrimp boat. For nearly 30 years, he has given guests interesting, enjoyable, and educational shrimp excursions aboard the Lady Jane.
According to Credle, “The day’s catch is like Christmas, because you never know what’s in the net’s bag!” While guests aboard the Lady Jane relax, take pictures, and learn, the crew will prepare a fresh shrimp boil from the day’s catch. Nothing beats the taste of fresh-out-of-the-water, sweet, white Georgia shrimp!
To book an unforgettable experience on Lady Jane, call 912-265-5711 or e-mail Captain Credle at captain@shrimpcruise.com.
Guests can book off-shore fishing trips aboard a 44-foot “Ospo” fishing boat, or enjoy Shrimping-Dolphin tours throughout the weekend. The Shrimping-Dolphin tours are 90 minutes in length and offer a fun and ecological education. Passengers are taken through the coastal marshlands and rivers, and trawl nets and pulled along the bottom of the water by the boat. The tour crew discussed different topics on ecology and environmental issues that impact the coastal estuary, and when the trawl net is pulled up, a bounty of species are available for discussion by the crew. The crew also keeps an eye out for Dolphin friends that love to visit the boat.
For more information on Shrimping-Dolphin tours, contact 912-635-3512 or visit www.goldenislesfun.com. For more information on the off shore excursion, call 912-270-7474 or visit www.offshore-charters.com.
For more information about Shrimp & Grits: The Wild Georgia Shrimp & Grits Festival, contact the Jekyll Island Welcome Center at 1-877-4-JEKYLL, or visit www.jekyllisland.com/shrimpandgrits.
Jekyll Island, Ga., September 10, 2008 – The Georgi
a Sea Turtle Center, located on historic Jekyll Island, Ga., has selected Dr. Terry M. Norton to be its new director. Dr. Norton, who assumed his new position effective September 5, has been integrally involved in planting and nurturing the idea for the center since 2001. He has been the director of veterinary services for the organization since it opened on June 16, 2007, and he will continue to serve in that capacity.
Dr. Norton comes with impressive credentials that include a Bachelor of Science degree from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Tufts University in Boston, and more than twenty years of experience working with zoos, aquaria, and free-ranging wildlife.
“Dr. Norton was an integral part of the early success of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center,” said Jones Hooks, Executive Director, Jekyll Island Authority. “He helped create the shared vision that began this great work, and now we’re thrilled that he will lead the Center into the future.”
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC) provides rehabilitation treatment for injured sea turtles and other wildlife; conducts research and professional training in wildlife medicine, husbandry, biology and education; and offers educational programs for the public.
Since the Georgia Sea Turtle Center opened, more than 110,000 visitors have toured the $3 million, 10,000-square-foot facility. A restored 1903 brick building that once supplied power to the famous Jekyll Island Club hotel houses an exhibit area, retail space, and state-of-the-art rooms dedicated to surgery, digital radiography (X-rays), and long-term treatment.
“It’s an interactive educational environment,” explained Dr. Norton. “Visitors to our center really get engaged. For example, our treatment room has a window so that visitors can actually watch us work on our patients, and we can discuss the particular animal’s life history, medical problem, and treatment or surgery. A walkway through the rehabilitation area allows them to see the turtles we are nursing back to health, with the goal of releasing them back into the sea. Our center is the first of its kind in Georgia, and as far as I know, it’s the only one in the country that comprehensively integrates rehabilitation, interactive education, professional training, and veterinary research.”
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center’s rehabilitation work to protect and preserve sea turtles is just one important aspect of its mission. The center also conducts research and provides educational and awareness programs for the public.
In a twelve-month period approximately 5000 students from close to 100 different schools and scout groups visited the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. In addition, the center takes its educational programs into numerous schools. At the same time, GSTC is conducting groundbreaking research to develop diets and nutritional supplements to promote sea turtle health and healing. This research could benefit aquaria and rehabilitation institutions all over the world.
“Our vision extends beyond our immediate region,” said Dr. Norton. “We want our research, conservation, preservation, and educational activities to benefit organizations in other parts of the country and the world. We have already developed training programs for veterinarians and veterinary students from across the United States, the Caribbean, Panama, and other places.”
In the spring of 2009, GSTC plans to host an International Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Workshop in partnership with many other institutions, including Ross University in St. Kitts; the Georgia Department of Natural Resources; St. Catherine’s Island Foundation; the Jekyll Island Authority and Foundation; the University of Florida and the University of Georgia Colleges of Veterinary Medicine; the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet, Florida; the Marine Life Center in Melbourne, Florida; the Turtle Hospital in Marathon Key, Florida; and possibly others.
“My long-term vision is to expand the scope of our mission,” said Dr. Norton. “In the future we’d like to develop health-related programs for a wider variety of native wildlife and promote ecosystem health locally and internationally, while at the same time increasing our efforts on behalf of turtles.”
For more information about the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, visit www.GeorgiaSeaTurtleCenter.org. Visitors to the GSTC website can use satellite tracking to follow the travels of six turtles that have been rehabilitated and released.
Dylan, who is perhaps the most famous of the six, made a personal appearance on Good Morning America and has her own video on YouTube!
Jekyll Island, located off the coast of Georgia near Brunswick and approximately 60 miles north of Jacksonville, Florida reports today that NO SERIOUS DAMAGE was sustained. Rain and wind caused some debris, and maintenance crews are finishing clean-up and minor repair efforts. ALL PUBLIC AMENITIES ARE OPEN, and access to the island is open and clear. The Sidney Lanier Bridge, which connects Hwy. 17 from Brunswick opened Saturday after being closed briefly due to high winds last week.
The Jekyll Island Golf facility was open Sunday, with the Pine Lakes course open for play. Indian Mound course will open Tuesday, and Oleander will open Saturday 8/30.
Summer Waves Water Park on Jekyll Island was open Sunday, and will operate its normal schedule of weekends and holidays now through September.
No damage was sustained to the any historic structures in the Jekyll Island Historic District, and the Museum is open and operating a normal tour schedule.
All beaches are open and accessible. All hotels and rental cottages are open.
Debris removal is in high gear and preparations are underway for the upcoming Labor Day Weekend. Guests will be able to enjoy the beautiful beach and island amenities during this traditional beach holiday weekend. Some hotel rooms are still available, check the website at www.jekyllisland.com.
From the desk of C. Jones Hooks
Executive Director
Jekyll Island - State Park Authority
Executive Director Jones Hooks and key management of the Jekyll Island Authority will be hosting a “Town Hall Meeting” to open up dialogue with residents, business owners and interested parties to discuss operational issues and opportunities on Jekyll Island.
Thursday, August 28, 2008 @ 4:30pm-6:00pm
Upstairs at Morgan’s Grill, Jekyll Island Golf Course
Jekyll Island Town Hall Meetings will become a regular forum of informal dialogue, conducted every month or as determined by public input. There is no agenda in this Town Hall Meeting format, and attendees are welcome to drop in at any time during the 1 1/2 hour gathering and join the discussion.
“We never want to lose focus on who our customers are, and we look forward to listening and providing answers and information,” said Hooks. “We are privileged to be stewards of this great public asset, and it is our goal to seek continuous improvement together.”
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Contact: Shanna Brain, Executive Assistant
sbrain@jekyllisland.com
Jekyll Island Authority
(912) 635-4075
