NEPTUNE BEACH

Cities budget process on display Beaches Watch will host a public Beaches Budget 101 presentation by the three Beaches city managers at the 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 10, group meeting in the Neptune Beach City Hall Council Chambers, 116 First St. The managers will discuss the budget process for their cities, including an overview of each budget, important points and areas of concern and the plan for the budget approval process. The Beaches cities will be finalizing and approving their 2013-2014 budgets by the end of September, said Beaches Watch president Sandy Golding. For more, call (904) 513-9242.

BAKER

Traffic shifts to make way for new span The C.R. 229 temporary bridge over the southern prong of the St. Marys River is being replaced with a $1.9 million permanent bridge to finish work begun after Tropical Storm Debby swept through the area last year. The contractor plans to build the new Greens Creek Bridge and roadway, then shift traffic to the new bridge before removing the temporary bridge. Pile driving will be necessary while the bridge foundation is constructed. Pile driving will not be allowed after 7 p.m. or on Sundays. Traffic may be detoured while dirt is removed at both ends of the bridge in the fall.

CLAY

New judge for Eighth circuit James Colaw, deputy director of the Clay County State Attorneys Office since 2009, has been appointed as a circuit court judge in the Eighth Judicial Circuit covering Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy and Union counties. I am so proud of James and the stellar work he has done in Clay County. We will miss him and wish him the very best, said State Attorney Angela Corey. Colaw began his career as a prosecutor in Baker County in 1998. He received his bachelors degree from Carnegie Mellon University and his law degree from the University of Florida.

AMELIA ISLAND

Tourism expected to heat up as summer unfolds Gil Langley, president and CEO of the Amelia Island Convention and Visitors Bureau, said June and July are the two busiest months of the year for Amelia Island tourism. Tourism accounts for approximately 34 percent of the local economy. More than a quarter of the nonfarm labor force is employed in tourist-related activities. Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach tourism, in numbers of visitors and economic impact, is on the rise. During the first quarter of 2013, the number of visitors increased by 9 percent over the same period in 2012, resulting in a corresponding rise in revenue of almost 16 percent for the same period. About 122,200 visitors spent $74,055,600, resulting in an economic impact of $97,435,000 on the island.

ST. JOHNS

Day After Beach Clean-Up set for Friday Keepers of the Coast, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting coastal stewardship and the conservation of coastal habitat, is recruiting volunteers for the fifth annual Day After Beach Clean-Up on Friday. The community-wide effort will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at several beach access points, including Vilano Beach Access Ramp, A-Street Beach Access Ramp, St. Augustine Pier, Micklers Beachfront Park in Ponte Vedra and Crescent Beachfront Park. The clean-up will be the second in the Summer Daze Beach Clean-Up Series. The final clean-up will take place at the Jacksonville Beach Pier on Aug. 2. More details about these clean-ups can be found at http://www.keepersofthecoast.org.

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Around the Region: Beaches cities' budget process on display