VOLUME 9 ISSUE 4 • MAY-JUNE, 2015 PRICELESSS
LAKE CITY
SLUGGER CHS graduate Kevin Kennington a big hit with U.S.A. softball team
Our therapy program is designed to rehabilitate individuals back to their highest level of independence and functioning. Our therapists and nurses work closely with the physician and resident in order to create a plan of treatment that will combine comprehensive care with the patient’s personal goals.
services • Individualized Physical, Occupational & Speech therapy • Joint Replacement (Knee, Hip, etc...) • Stroke • Cardiac Disease • Fractures (Hip, Shoulder, Pelvic, etc...) • Arthritis • Neck/Back Pain • Balance Disturbances • Difficulties Walking • Generalized Weakness • Wound Care
Activities of Daily Living: • Bathing • Ambulating • Dressing, • Eating • Transferring
Your family’s health means everything to us.
New extended late hours. Tuesday and Thursday open until 6:30 p.m.
For comprehensive family care, you can feel confident turning to Lake Shore Primary Care West. And now, we are proud to welcome Michael C. Ukaegbu, M.D., to the group. Dr. Ukaegbu provides services ranging from routine exams to the careful management of chronic conditions. He is dedicated to helping families like yours achieve and maintain good health – for life. Same-day appointments are often available. And for your convenience, you can call or schedule your appointment online.
Michael C. Ukaegbu, M.D. Internal Medicine
Jennifer Scott, ARNP
Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
Member of the Medical Staff of Shands Lake Shore Regional Medical Center and Member of the Allied Health Staff of Shands Lake Shore Regional Medical Center.
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221 SW Stonegate Terrace, Suite 101
386-292-7744 ShandsLakeShorePhysicians.com
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[c o n t e n t s]
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06 Get that summer glow
The best advice from an area dermatologist on protecting your skin from sun damage and bug bites during Florida’s hot and humid summer.
08 Kennington’s home run
Columbia High School graduate and former Tiger baseball shortstop Kevin Kennington hits in big with the Louisville Slugger U.S.A. softball team.
20
20 Party on a penny
Cool down with a hot summer party for your family and friends, without breaking your bank. Local event planner shares tricks of the trade.
24 Good reads and more
Columbia County Library offers more than just good books for readers of all age this summer. Weekly activities are scheduled at all branches.
28 Home sweet brew
John and Holly Fraizer are deep into hops with their homemade craft beer. Four recipes are near perfection at the local Blue House Brewery.
24
40 A garden of natives
Flowers native to North Florida can do more for your garden than make it look good. Local gardener Martha Ann Ronsonet shares how.
[ [ 42 Boil has been silenced
A book recently released by the president of Florida Springs Institute shares insight into the hopeful restoration of Ichetucknee Head Spring.
PUBLISHER: Todd Wilson EDITOR: Robert Bridges Advertising DIRECTOR: Theresa Westberry SALES: Eileen Bennett Dawn Layton Jose Rodriguez
WRITERS: Nick Rollison Eric Jackson Megan Reeves DESIGN: Emily Lawson PHOTOGRAPHY: Jason Matthew Walker
CURRENTS magazine is a publication of the Lake City Reporter, 180 E Duval St., Lake City, FL 32055. To inquire about advertising, call (386) 752-1293 or e-mail Currents@lakecityreporter.com. © Copyright 2015.
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VOLUME 9 ISSUE 4 • MAY-JUNE, 2015 PRICELESSS
LOUISVILLE
SLUGGER CHS graduate Kevin Kennington a big hit with U.S.A. softball team
COVER CREDITS Lake City resident Kevin Kennington is in contract with Louisville Slugger U.S.A. team and will represent the states in a softball border battle between USA and Canada this August.
You can feel good about having so many surgical options close to home.
If you ever need surgery, it’s good to know that you have two skilled general surgeons right here to care for you. Jerzy Polmerski, M.D., and Edwin Gonzalez, M.D., FACS, provide a wide range of surgical options, including minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures. For many people, these procedures can mean less pain and a quicker recovery when compared to traditional surgeries.* For more information, call 386-755-7788 or visit ShandsLakeShorePhysicians.com. Edwin Gonzalez, M.D., FACS Jerzy Polmerski, M.D.
These surgeons provide the following types of procedures: Breast Surgery • Biopsies • Colon and Rectal Surgery Cystoscopic • Endoscopic • Gallbladder • General Surgery Hernia Repair • Laparoscopic • Thyroid and Parathyroid Ultrasounds • Pediatric Surgery (ages 2 and up)
755 SW State Rd. 47
*Patient results may vary. Consult your physician about the benefits and risks of any surgical procedure or treatment. • Members of the Medical Staff at Shands Lake Shore Regional Medical Center
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1/5/15 5:19 PM
Tips for
summer skin From staff reports
While the warmer temperatures of summer bring us fun outdoor activities, they also increase our skin’s exposure to things like sunburn and mosquito bites. In summer you want your skin to look and feel its best, but all that extra exposure introduces more risks of irritation, rashes and bites. Dermatologist Robert Skidmore of Florida Skin Cancer and Dermatology Special-
ists said the summer season sends many more patients into his office with problems like severe sunburn, bite reactions and secondary bite infections. “The temperature change from winter to spring permits bugs to thrive,” Skidmore said. “We are out in the environment more frequently when the weather is warmer with less protective clothing, so nothing is preventing the bugs and rays from getting to us.” Here’s a handy guide your family can use to avoid and treat skin woes, such as itching and pain, most common in the summer months.
Moisturize, hydrate, repeat • Prevent sunburn by always ap-
plying a high SPF sunblock before sun exposure. If possible, wait 15 minutes before walking outdoors. Don’t forget to reapply after excessive sweating or water exposure. • If you do get burned, relieve inflammation and redness by applying ice in a milksoaked face cloth to affected areas for five to 10 minutes. • Protect your pucker and treat dry, chapped lips with shea but6 | Currents | May/June, 2015
ter or beeswax lip balm with SPF, which moisturizes while providing sun protection. • Drink plenty of cold water to cool down and hydrate your body and skin. • Mosquitoes dwell in areas near standing water and are attracted to hot skin temperatures. Keep skin cool and eliminate standing water from your yard. Also, be mindful that mosquitoes are most active at dusk. >> SEE MORE ON PAGE 18
Chest pain. It may mean nothing. But it may take everything. Heart Attack Warning Signs Include: Shortness of Breath Nausea Dizziness Chest Pain Arm Pain Cold Sweat
Getting help immediately gives you a better chance to survive a heart attack. So know the warning signs listed above. And if you ever experience any of them, call 911 and get to the nearest emergency room.
368 NE Franklin St., Lake City • ShandsLakeShore.com
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Currents | May/June, 2015 | 7
Lake City native Kevin Kennington has been swinging bats on local diamonds since he was 5. Now he’s a member of the Louisville Slugger | Currents |team. May/June, 2015 U.S.A. 8softball
Written by ERIC JACKSON Photos by JASON MATTHEW WALKER and Courtesy LOUISVILLE SLUGGER
It began as a meager hobby, a pastime just between buddies. Nowadays when Kevin Kennington makes a rare appearance to the local fields he once ruled, he’s obliged to tell everyone why they haven’t seen him in a while. Kennington is too busy — living out his dream as a professional softball player. As he fulfills his duties as a family man and construction worker, the Louisville Slugger U.S.A. team member also is preparing for the biggest competition of his softball career. “I’m honored and privileged,” Kennington said, “to be able to represent the United States from this small town, it’s just a real honor.” After he competes in an all-star event in Canada in July, Kennington arrives in Detroit
Currents | May/June, 2015 | 9
a couple weeks later for weeklong festivities including charity events and playing exhibition games. The U.S.A. Showdown on Au“To gust 18 is the peak be able of the to represent the we e k ’ s United States from events, where this small town, s eve ra l it’s just a real teams honor.” will compete to proclaim themselves the nation’s best. Kennington, one of Louisville Slugger’s all-stars, will represent Lake City on a national stage in front of a big audience. “I was fortunate enough to be selected,” Kennington said. “It was unbelievable. It was sort of like a dream, just got to pinch yourself to make sure it’s not a dream.” Kennington, who 10 | Currents | May/June, 2015
The Louisville Slugger U.S.A. team will play in the USA Showdown on August 18 in Detroit.
Kevin Kennington will compete with his team in the U.S.A. Showdown on August 18 in Detroit.
A birthing experience as unique as your baby. Having a baby is one of life’s most amazing experiences. And at The Birth Center at Shands Lake Shore, we’re here for you, as the only hospital in the area standing by with the staff and facilities for your delivery. We offer options to accommodate your personalized birth plan, with the safety of you and your baby as our primary concern. And in most cases, labor, delivery and recovery can all take place in your private birthing suite. For more information or to schedule a tour, call 386-292-7800 or visit ShandsBaby.com.
368 Northeast Franklin Street Lake City, FL 32055
plays 12 events a year, is in his second year of a threeyear contract with Louisville Slugger. The slow-pitch expert just returned from Columbus, Ohio and soon he’ll be in Miami then over to Texas to compete in another tournament. The game has taken him to incredible heights, and it has just begun. K e n nington grew up an avid b a s e ball fan in Lake City, swinging a bat as early as five. He hasn’t put the bat down since. Kennington once starred at Columbia as a shortstop for the Tigers before graduation in 1998. He played for
“I never thought it would lead me to where I am today.”
12 | Currents | May/June, 2015
Kennington played shortstop for the Columbia High School Tigers baseball team before heading to then-Lake City Community College and transferring to South Georgia College.
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Lake City Community College before transferring to South Georgia College. It wasn’t until after college when Kennington picked up a softball, a newfound hobby that kept him in the batter’s box. When he isn’t on a softball field, you can find him on near railroad facilities, working as a heavy-equip14 | Currents | May/June, 2015
ment operator. It’s a job he has held for nearly 10 years. Despite the uneasy transition between sports, Kennington found a passion for softball quickly and signed to his first, E a s to n - s p o n s o re d , professional team in 2002. He later signed with another squad, Hick’s Property, sponsored
by Worth in 2005. But that wouldn’t last long as Kennington softball was placed on hold. The demands of his day job at PotashCorpWhite Springs forced him to put down his cleats for the next four years. He made his return in 2010 but this time back on a local team, Lawn Rangers.
“It was sort of like a dream, just got to pinch yourself to make sure it’s not a dream.”
SCHEDULE IN
Kennington rejoined the pro ranks with a Mizuno-sponsored squad the following year before signing with an Easton club for 2012 and 2013. The hometown hero continues to inspire those in the community. Kennington has two children and his wife teaches at Eastside Elementary. His mother
works for the school district and his father also works at PCS. “I never thought it would lead me to where I am today,” Kennington added. “I travel all over and still get to do something I like. I am happy to represent Louisville Slugger, they’ve been really good to me since I signed on.”
MICHIGAN Tuesday, August 18
USA Showdown at Dow Diamond in Midland, Mich. Team USA will play 22 Below and USA Futures.
Wednesday, August 19
Border Battle VII at Dow Diamond in Midland, Mich. Team USA will play Wallace Landscaping and Team Canada.
August 20-22
Team USA will play exhibition games in other parts of Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.
Currents | May/June, 2015 | 15
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TIPS FOR SUMMER TRAVEL
mericans collectively neglect 430 million vacation days annually, according to the 2014 Oxford Economics analysis. Whatever your reasons for sacrificing vacation, don’t let it be finances. Save big on travel with these helpful tips.
Timing
People traveling during holidays and long weekends often experience higher gas prices, bigger crowds and longer lines. Seddon suggests dodging departures and arrivals during peak travel times to avoid congested roads and stop-and-go traffic. This Save on airfare by leveraging a family member’s busisummer, don’t ness trip. Simply add days to the beginning or end of the trip. Whether visiting relatives, touring colleges as forgo vacation. a high school senior or visiting a sibling already enSavvy decisions can rolled, adding extra time to the trip makes for a budget-friendly family getaway. make for wallet-
Stay-cation
friendly summer travel.
Remember, expensive doesn’t mean more fun. For a budget-savvy version of vacation, look for shorter trip destinations two to three hours from home. Consider nearby attractions that make for an inexpensive weekend or day trip, like theme parks, zoos or state parks. Select a hotel that provides a good value for what you need. Unlike a resort hotel where the experience is the hotel, use the hotel as a place to refresh, sleep and prepare snacks, so that you can spend more time experiencing all the local attractions. Complete errands beforehand and create a full itinerary to ensure you don’t fall into your normal routine. Also, unplug — reducing time on tech means more refreshing time off. Use your time to visit local hotspots you’ve also wanted to experience. Summer is usually the best time for county fairs and local newspapers are great resources for finding off-beat events.
Meal Costs
Consider offsetting costs by pre-making snacks and picnic lunches. Staying at an extended-stay style hotel can be helpful, as guests have access to in-room kitchens and full size refrigerators. Don’t worry about forgoing local fare. This is an opportunity to visit the area’s farmer’s markets where you can shop for local ingredients and recreate a regional dish on your own. Still craving a specific restaurant? Lunch menus are usually less expensive than dinner, and you’re more likely to catch happy hour drink and appetizer specials. This summer, don’t forgo vacation. Savvy decisions can make for wallet-friendly travel. n StatePoint
Currents | May/June, 2015 | 17
SUMMER SKIN
PROTECTION FROM INSECTS Do you live near a wooded area? Are you taking advantage of the season to go hiking or camping? Avoid exposure to poisonous plants by wearing long pants, long shirts and boots, along with a topically applied ivy block barrier cream to prevent getting a poison ivy or oak rash breakout. Summer fun and sun can have its drawbacks, especially where your skin is concerned. For a more comfortable season, it is important to be prepared to prevent and treat itches, burns and skin flare-ups. Dermatologist Robert Skidmore of Florida Skin Cancer said that his first line of defense for both exposure to sun and insect bites is a protective layer of clothing. “We recommend that patients wear long pants and long sleeve shirts as well as a hat with a 4-inch brim,” he said. “The second step is bug repellents and sunscreen with DEET in them.” DEET is an oil chemical found in insect repellents and provides protection against many biting insects, including mosquitos, ticks, fleas, chiggers and leeches. Skidmore added that sunscreen should be at least SPF 30 and reapplied every hour and a half. “It’s not about stopping these fun activities, but about being prepared and protective of your skin,” he said. 18 | Currents | May/June, 2015
THROW A PARTY WITHOUT
BUSTING YOUR BUDGET
One surefire way to forget the heat this summer is by throwing a party with your friends, family, or loved ones. Here are a couple of tips and tricks to help you plan a “cool” looking party on a low budget for a hot Use summer day. everyday Don’t get overwhelmed by the household items party planning process. Many in unique ways to stores will happily offer tips add flare to your party to help you save money and without reaching throw a hot summer party that deeper into your all your guests will love. pocket. “First and foremost, let's set that budget.” said Genovese Terry, owner and event designer of Columbia Events and Rentals. “After all, what's affordable to some, may not be what others have in mind. I find that after using all my free resources, I average about $10 a person for food, refreshments and decor. Part of budgeting is scaling your invite list. Don't want to spend $1,000 right? So don't invite 100 people. One of my go-to sayings is keep it simple. I find that 8-10 guest is the perfect for stress-free entertaining.”
20 | Currents | May/June, 2015
Set the Mood Escape the heat and throw your outdoor party right at sundown. Light up the night with solar lights and tiki torches to create a relaxing atmosphere. Paper lanterns hanging from tree branches provide low-level lighting and a festive ambiance. Just don’t forget the bug spray and citronella candles to keep the insects away. “Do you want it to be fun? Romantic? Patriotic? Shabby Chic? Here is where you get to use your creativity,” Terry said. “A color scheme changes everything. Paint red, white and blue
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plates, jars and bottles and you have a patriotic setting. Glue lace and burlap on your bottles & mason jars, and you have shabby chic. Add hints of white, red and pink paint and it all becomes romantic. Acrylic glass paint can cost $4-$7 for two ounces at Michaels or Walmart. Be sure it's glass paint (which adheres to non-porous surfaces).”
22 | Currents | May/June, 2015
Accessorize No summer Paint party is and stencils complete can make dollarwithout store items look more colorful expensive than they are accesand add more color sories to your party’s that make theme. your backyard really pop. Fill planters of different sizes with blooming flowers for a natural, decorative look. Add colorful tablecloths to dress up all kinds of patio furniture and protect against spills. Make plain paper napkins stand out with napkin holders for an inexpensive upgrade to outdoor dining. Also, consider buying a bright cooler that will lead your guests right to a refreshing beverage. Remember those free resources? “These are the items you already have just laying around the house and probably never use,” Terry said. “That full/twin size bedsheet that has been in the closet for decades? There's your tablecloth. Stack wine glasses and glass plates, combine them with hot glue
— and you have a tiered food tray. Wine bottles, mason jars, and even beer bottles can be transformed into table decor. Do you have old candlesticks, vases or silk floral around? If not, purchase them for $1 at the dollar store and make an eyecatching centerpiece that looks way more expensive than what it really is. Simply glue the candlesticks together, place the vase on top and add the silk flowers (or candles). Are there wildflowers (or pretty weeds) on your property? Put them to good use as part of your tablescape! Lastly, keep those pesky bugs away with citronella candles that can add to the decor on your table.”
Make a list Shopping for your bash? Take time to make a list of the items you will need to throw a great party. Grab all the essentials like charcoal, chips, dip, sodas and bottled waters. Don’t forget to get extra paper products like plates and napkins — they will go fast at an outdoor party. You can also save time by downloading digital coupons to enjoy all the savings on your favorite summer items without the coupon clipping. With everything from food and drink to lawn and garden accessories, a discount retailer can be a one stop shop for all of your party needs. With a little creativity and some planning ahead, the perfect summer party doesn’t have to break the bank.
Marlene has moved! Gainesville OBGYN proudly announces the opening of Lake City OBGYN and its new team leader… Marlene Summers, ARNP, CNM.
Left to right Dr. Michael Cotter, MD Dr. Ashley Walsh, MD Dr. David Stewart, MD
Left to right Ronnie Jo Stringer, ARNP, CNM Cynthia Vista, ARNP, CNM Padi Sutherland, ARNP, CNM
If you need an OB/GYN doctor or midwife, you need to meet our team and Marlene.
Call today and schedule your free introductory visit. 3140 NW Medical Center Lane, Suite 180 • Lake City We deliver more than expected.
386.438.5095 • www.LakeCityOBGYN.us
Michael Cotter, MD • Ashley Walsh, MD • David Stewart, MD • Ronnie Jo Stringer, ARNP, CNM • Cynthia Vista, ARNP, CNM • Padi Sutherland, ARNP, CNM • Marlene Summers, ARNP, CNM
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MIDWIFERY
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GYNECOLOGY
Quick and easy summer reads for kids
W
ith summer vacation on the horizon, children can easily forget the importance of reading. But with the help of the Columbia County Public Library, students can find books and activities that are both stimulating and interesting even when school is out. “When it comes to summer, odds are your child would rather be swimming, watching TV or playing outside,” said Columbia County Public Library Youth Director Stephanie Tyson. “However, children who don’t read over the summer lose skills, and often teachers have to spend the first month of school re-teaching material from the previous year.” Tyson said children most benefit from reading books on their Accelerated Reading levels, which are labeled onto all children’s books at the library. She said during the summer, the library holds a program in which children can record their reading time and get prizes for reading up to 2.5 hours per week. Here are some book suggestions from the staff at the Columbia County Library:
24 | Currents | May/June, 2015
Easy Reads Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads by Bob Shea Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos Snow White and the 77 Dwarfs by Davide Cali I Don’t Want to Be a Frog by Dev Petty Everybody Sleeps (but not Fred) by Josh Schneider Goodnight Already! by Jory John Duck in the Fridge by Jeff Mack
Junior Fiction Space Penguins: Meteor Madness by L.A. Courtenay Sofia Martinez: The Marigold Mess by Jacqueline Jules Adventures at Hound Hotel: Mudball Molly by Shelley Swanson Sateren
Young Adult The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga The Haunting of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie Sword Art Online: Aincrad, Vol 1 by Reki Kawahara
KIDS’ BOOKS FOR SUMMER READING: • Super Heroes: Discover a thrilling, actionpacked world with LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: Amazing Battles!, which features the bravest of heroes as they foil yet another evil villain’s scheme. Dynamic images and scenes will appeal to reluctant readers. Superhero fans may also love Ultimate Factivity Collection: Marvel Avengers, which combines facts about the Earth’s mightiest super heroes – the Avengers – with fun activities and interesting puzzles. • Pop-Out Surprises: Using flaps, touch-and-feel textures and pop-out surprises, Pop-Up Peekaboo Farm, introduces young minds to sheepdogs, tractors, cows, horses and more. • Creepy Crawlies: Eyewitness Explorer: Bug Hunter includes more than 30 hands-on learning activities and step-by-step project instructions. Enter the kingdom of creepy crawlies and learn everything there is to know about beetles, bees, spiders and more. Experiments that can be done at home include raising a caterpillar. • Little Chefs: Encourage your budding chef’s aspirations with creative recipes that are safe for children. The Mommy & Me Bake cookbook is designed to offer parents and children the opportunity to work together as a team while teaching basic baking skills. From simple kneading and mixing to creating whimsical and tasty treats, the book empowers kids to experiment in the kitchen. • Movie Mania: For fans of the mega hit film “Frozen,” wow your kids with a great crop of new picks, including Frozen: The Essential Guide, a fact-filled reference book about the characters, locations and themes of Disney's beloved princess tale. A sing-along companion, Frozen: The Essential Collection, features lyrics to the famous songs, as well as a full-color sticker book. Ultimate Factivity Collection: Disney Frozen, a jam-packed activity book, combines facts with games, challenges and sticker activities; and aspiring princesses everywhere are sure to love the Ultimate Sticker Book: Frozen, which lets kids re-create their favorite scenes from the movie with reusable stickers. • Bedtime: There’s always time for a little play before bedtime. Capture the attention of infants with Baby Touch & Feel Animals, which features blankets, stars, sleepy stuffed animals and a range of novelty textures. • ABC’s: Children around the world have fallen in love with Sophie, the popular giraffe teether toy from France. In the Sophie la girafe book series, Sophie and her friends teach new concepts, such as colors and basic vocabulary. Peekaboo ABC features every letter of the alphabet illustrated by familiar objects found in Sophie’s world.
Lake City’s Most comfortable address! With spacious 2 bedroom apartments (with your choice of 1, 1.5 or 2 bathrooms) located in a quiet, serene setting, you will love coming home.
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Columbia County Sheriff’s Office personnel are dedicated to serving our community with integrity and compassion while delivering proactive, professional law enforcement services to meet the diverse needs of our community.
Visit us online at www.ColumbiaSheriff.org Operations Center
Mark Hunter, Sheriff
Columbia County Detention Facility
386-752-9212 4917 US Hwy 90 East Lake City, FL 32055
386-755-7000 389 NW Quinten St. Lake City, FL 32055
District Two Fort White 118 SW Wilson Springs Rd. Fort White, FL 32038 386-497-3797
Currents | May/June, 2015 | 25
More than books to choose from Special!
June 1 – July 10 Mondays Movie Mondays 10 a.m. School Age Story Time 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays Family Story Time 11 a.m. (WB) Tinkerlab 2 p.m. (WB) Wednesdays Tinkerlab 10 a.m. (FW) Terrific Twos Story Time 10:30 a.m. Tinkerlab 2 p.m. Thursdays Preschool Story Time 11 a.m. Teens and Tweens 3:30 p.m. Fridays Special Performers 11 a.m. (FW) Baby & Me 11 a.m. Special Performer 2 or 3 p.m.
Throughout the summer , the library will hold a weekly schedule, giving students fun and educational activities to choose from each day. A nyone can stop by the library, 30 8 Northwest Columbia Ave ., to pick up a calendar or call 7582106 with any questions.
On Thursday, July 30 the library will host an all day Read-AThon. Children can bring pillows and blankets to lounge on, and there will be snacks, as well as hourly prizes for readers. Children will also be able to enter their name into a drawing for an ereader, one entry per hour or participation. n From staff reports
(FW) indicates Fort White Branch; (WB) indicates West Branch
Gateway Surgical Group We recognize taking the time to get to know a patient is a huge aspect of what makes the healing process a positive one. This is why it is ideal to have your surgery provider follow your case from start to finish. Request Dr. Soler, the only full-time surgeon at LCMC, in order to have the most thorough and efficient resolution to your needs. Here are just a few of the most common medical conditions and surgical treatments Dr. Soler offers his patients:
• Breast Cancer Management • Benign Breast Disorders • Hernia Surgery Laparoscopic • Laparoscopic Hiatal Hernia & Anti-Reflux Surgery
• Colon Cancer • Polyps • Gallbladder Removal • Abdominal Pain Management • Hemorrhoids • Diverticulitis
Call for an Appointment (386) 755-6682 Alejandro “Alex” Soler MD, FACS Board Certified Surgeon 26 | Currents | May/June, 2015
3140 NW Medical Center Lane, Suite 120 • Lake City, FL 32055 Monday-Thursday: 8a.m.-5p.m. * Friday: 8a.m.-12p.m.
Helping nature provide.
Helping nature provide.
Our backyard is your backyard.
Ph
H n p
By NICK ROLLISON Photos by Holly FraizeR
John Fraizer looks in one of the kegs at work in his home-brewery. He’s working on perfecting recipes for four different beers: cinnamon coffee stout, an Irish red, an American pale ale and a pilsner.
O
Crafting the
O
On this hot summer day in May, John Frazier is out in his driveway, cleaning out three full-sized Anheuser Busch kegs, along with a variety of pots and pans. No, he didn’t throw a wild college summer party the night before, but instead he’s getting ready to craft his own beer, and he is in the beginning steps of sterilization. His wife, Holly Frazier, brings out a 14-pound bag of grains and sets it on a nearby table. “Hey! How’s it going over there?” shouts Frazier’s neighbor. “Yeah, it’s going good man!” Frazier replies, as he raises an arm in recognition. “I got some ready, I’ll bring you some over.” Frazier’s crafting setup, which is housed in the couple’s garage, has come a long way from a 2009 starter kit that Holly bought her husband as something of a Christmas gift. That type of kit used extract brewing, according to Frazier, and was performed using canned ingredients on a stove top. The kit sparked Frazier’s interests in the craft, and now, in 2015, Frazier’s hobby has grown from a curious inkling into a desired future-fledgling beer selling business. “Right now it’s just for us and for our friends,” he said. “We’re not selling it, but the goal is one day to take what we’ve learned from this and turn it into a business.” Frazier said his friends help taste the brews and provide feedback. “It’s gonna be a long process, but that’s the end goal.” Blue House Brewery (named after John’s and Holly’s blue-colored house) isn’t open for business yet, but you wouldn’t know it from the 150 bottles containing homemade beer that sit in the Fraziers’ guest bedroom, all made from a custom-designed beer crafting setup. “The thing about brewing beer is...you spend about seventy-five percent of your time cleaning stuff, and the rest of it’s actually brewing beer,” Frazier said.
AT-HOME BREWING
All Grain Brewing
> Brewing begins with malt. Brewers convert the starch into sugar by soaking the malt in warm water, a process called mashing. Home brewers usually do this in insulated cool boxes. > This is called wort. It is boiled in a brew pot and hops are added to provide bitterness and aroma. > Rapid cooling shocks proteins out of the wort. In the home brewery this can be done with an ice bath. Once cooled, the wort is transferred to a fermenting vessel. Aeration at this point will help the yeast start the fermentation. > The fermenter is sealed to allow the yeast to convert the sugars to alcohol and gas, and later condition the beer in a sort of cleaning process which refines the flavours. > The beer is bottled. Priming sugar is added to carbonate the beer. Additional conditioning takes place inside the bottles.
Brew-in-a-bag
> BIAB is a sub-variety of all grain brewing. Instead of a mash in a dedicated vessel, it’s done directly in the brew pot, which is lined with a bag that’s filled with malt. > After the wort is produced, the bag is removed from the pot with the grain and the brew continues.
Extract Brewing
> The mash process is removed from the home brewery in this process. Instead, commercial breweries make wort, which is boiled intensively until most of the water has evaporated. The syrup that’s left is sold to home brewers as liquid malt extract. > Home brewers dissolve this extract in water then begin the All Grain Brew process by boiling the wort in a brew pot.
Beer-kit Brewing
> After producing wort in the same way as they do for malt extract, kit manufacturers boil it with hops before evaporating it into a syrup. > The kit is dissolved in water at home, and a bag of sugar is added to bring the quantities up to a full batch, before yeast is pitched for fermentation.
perfect beer n Home Brew Manual
The beer-crafting setup in Frazier’s garage is his own design. The crafting process uses Recirculating Infusion Mash System (RIM) — a newer term for a process that is designed to regulate mash temperature and improve batch consistency. FACING PAGE: Holly Fraizer and John Fraizer stand in the workspace of Blue House Brewery.
30 | Currents | May/June, 2015
METROCREATIVE IMAGES
He moves the kegs from his driveway onto a metal support table inside the garage. The three kegs, lined side by side, are hooked up with various clear tubes that lead into each other. Next to the table is an electrical panel, with temperature gauges and switches, all powered by a 240 volt system that Frazier installed. This elaborate beer crafting setup is Frazier’s baby, his own design that he came up with in November of last year and spent three months of on-andoff work constructing. His crafting process uses a Recirculating Infusion Mash System (RIM) — a newer term for a process that is designed to regulate mash temperature and improve batch consistency. As Frazier explains it, liquid is pumped out of the bottom of the middle keg into the top of the heat exchange coil on another keg and then gets recycled back into the third keg, which basically describes pulling the mash through the grain bed. Then the liquid goes through a boiling process before it’s finally cooled down. “That’s one of the keys to brewing good beer consistently,” Frazier said. “Repeatability.” When it’s all added up Frazier has about $2,000 worth of materials in the design and about 200 labor hours in it’s construction. Right now, Frazier is making five gallon test batches, using barley and hops that cost around $40 and were purchased at a brewery in Gainesville, in order to perfect the recipes he plans to sell. The Gainesville brewery has
been making batches of Frazier’s favorite type of beer — stouts — as well as ales and pilsners. “My goal is to perfect four to five recipes,” Frazier said, citing cinnamon coffee stout, an Irish red, an American pale ale, and a pilsner. He consults with his brother in Gainesville, who is also a fellow beer crafting enthusiast, on the details of each recipe he tries. Today’s batch is a sweetertasting ale. As the four-hour crafting process beings, you can see the various liquids start to recycle throughout the three kegs, and a half hour into the process
When it’s all added up Frazier estimates he has about $2,000 worth of materials in the design and about 200 labor hours in its construction.
or so, y o u c a n smell t h e mash as it begins to process. “So by the end of the mash it’ll be a deep red color,” Frazier said. After today, the beer will be placed inside a freezer that Fraizer refurbished into a fermenter, where it will sit for about two weeks before it is moved to condition in one of the many recycled beer bottles
Frazier has saved. Everything hasn’t been all roses and barley in Frazier’s beer crafting history, however — there have been some downs, and certainly some ups. He describes how something went wrong in his fermentation process once, and he came home to find that the top of his fermenter had blown off and there was beer splatter all over his garage ceiling. “It was such a violent fermentation that it blew the airlock
Currents | May/June, 2015 | 31
out of the top of the fermenter,” laughs Frazier, who was down in Gainesville when it happened. He described coming home to a lot of bubbling foam in his garage. “As soon as I walked through the door I could smell it.” Still, despite one or two setbacks, it’s impressive to see the passion that the couple has toward this future venture. Holly, who owns her own photography business, will mostly be handling the social side of things, and documenting Fraizer’s work through photography. There’s still a lot to do to get ready, such as buying bigger mixing vessels and fermentation vessels, and then there’s the fact of buying the proper licenses (“To be honest, I’m almost morti-
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fied of that because I don’t know what it’s going to entail,” Frazier added) and coming up with logos for the beer. But it’s those big dreams that the couple is reaching for, and that’s what Frazier talks about — creating a business that can bring good jobs to Lake After City and have an imbeing brewed, pact on the commuthe beer is placed nity. inside a freezer customized “I’d like to have into a fermenter where it will a tap room, where sit for two weeks before it is people can just moved to condition in one of come, sit in and the many recycled beer drink your beer bottles Frazier has and socialize and saved. whatever,” said Frazier, checking the brew, before adding with a smile, “I want it to be something the community can enjoy.”
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Create your garden
from scratch Save time & money with these tips With Florida’s summertime sunshine and showers, now is a great time to start planting the garden you’ve always dreamed of. Planting a garden from scratch can sound like a daunting task, especially for those who are new to the hobby. But with the right knowledge, you can plan a successful, fruitful green space and expect to have a great harvest. According to Nichelle De34 | Currents | May/June, 2015
morest, environmental horticultural agent and Master Gardener coordinator for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, starting a garden from scratch can give gardeners more plant choices as well as help them save money. “It’s much more economical to start from a seed,” Demorest said. “It’s just less expensive.” One way to get a head start
o n your garden is to start y o u r seedlings indoors and then transplant them later into an outdoor garden. This time-tested technique can save you hundreds of dollars annually, as young plants at a nursery can be pricey. Here are some tips and tricks to make the most of this method: • Don’t start your indoor plants too soon. They can grow in about four weeks
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or less if you use a high-quality garden starter. Check seed packages to learn when to plant outdoors in your area, and then start them indoors one month earlier to your transplanting date outdoors. • Add new nutrients to the seedlings every two weeks and keep the water at full level. Feeding your plants more than the recommended amount will not make them grow faster. In fact, it could hurt the plants. • Before transplanting, seedlings need to be hardened off. Skipping this step will almost certainly result in some or all of your plants dying. Hardening off seedlings eases their transition to the outdoors, where they will be exposed to the elements. The process involves gradually exposing plants to the outdoors, protecting them from full sunlight, temperature variations and wind. • Don’t let sprouts get too big For before transplanting them more tips on outdoors. Ideally they should be about 4-6 inches tall. If starting your garden possible, wait to plant your or other helpful advice on seedlings on a cool, cloudy choosing the right plant, visit day. If your seedlings get the UF/IFAS “Gardening Solutoo large before weather will allow transplanting outtions” website at gardendoors, transplant them into ingsolutions.ifas.ufl. small pots with high quality edu/. potting soil. Keep fully watered in a sunny space until weather permits transplanting outdoors. • After transplanting seedlings outdoors, be sure to water them daily for the first two weeks, especially if the weather is dry and sunny. • Save and reuse your seed starter tray for the next season. Once the spring plants have been transplanted outdoors, you will be free to get a head start on your summer crop. For true green thumb bragging rights, grow your garden from scratch. Just be sure you know the tricks of the trade. Demorest said that one of the most important things gardeners should remember is that some plants don't transplant as well as others. “Broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, cabbage, brussel sprouts, onions and herbs do well, but something like squash you would want to sow directly to the ground,” she said. “It is important to always do your research when gardening.”
Currents | May/June, 2015 | 37
t Dad like a a e Tr Father’s Day s i h t
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PLANTING NORTH FLORIDA
N a t ives Photos by JASON MATTHEW WALKER & NICHELLE DEMOREST
W
Martha Ann Ronsonet | GARDENING BELOW: Thomas Lindboe picks wildflowers for his wife in a field near U.S. Highway 90. ‘I pick them for [her] every year,’ Lindboe said. ‘I know my wife appreciates it.’
The South is the heart of camellia country. More than 3,000 named kinds of camellias exist, in a remarkable range of colors, forms and sizes.
hat traits would you like in the plants you choose for your garden? Probably the request I hear most often for the ideal plant is something that’s low maintenance. No such thing, you’re thinking. Consider native plants — how do you suppose they manage without our help in the wild? They aren’t fertilized regularly, except by the compost nature provides from fallen leaves. They aren’t sprayed for insects or diseases, and they make do with rain without our help with the water hose. So what if we try more natives in our home landscapes? There are some really nice ones. Many native Southern trees, shrubs and perennials actually like our hot, humid conditions and sandy or clay soils. I’m not saying, however, that we can take a native plant and put it anywhere and expect it to thrive. We must put them in the same kind of environment in which they grow and prefer in their natural surroundings. Some of them are a little sparse and unruly looking but many are quite beautiful. Native plants can now be found in many nurseries and some nurseries have only native plants for sale. A friend of mine recently sent me a link to a great article about a speaker at the Plant-O-Rama in New York. The speaker, Doug Tallamy, is a professor and chair-
man of entomology and wildlife ecology at the University of Delaware. His credentials caught my attention for what he had to say to his audience of plant lovers who attend this symposium and horticulture show every year. His message was simple and he had many facts to support it. “In the past, all we wanted of our gardens was that they be pretty,” he said. “Now they have to support life, sequester carbon, feed pollinators and manage water.” His solution is for us to use more native plants in our gardens. And they don’t have to look messy or formless, he promised. Ta l l a my stressed natives are the key to our survival. Pollinators, he said, “pollinate 90 percent of all plants, not just crops.” That is, if the plants die out from lack of pollination, so do the rest of us. He was concerned by the loss of habitat for plants and animals. Farmland covers more than half of the country, the rest is covered by suburban sprawl and 40 million acres of lawns, highways, malls and cities. Because of these vanishing habitats, he said, we have 50 percent fewer birds than 40 years ago, with over 230 species of North American birds at risk of extinction. That’s a scary thought. He gave many examples of how native plants versus nonnatives benefit our wildlife. Though nonnative plants may keep carbon out of the atmosphere and also provide nectar for butterflies, their leaves are unpalatable to the caterpillars and they don’t attract the number of insects that our native plants do. A native oak supports 557 species of caterpillars, a Japanese elm supports none. Rough-
LEFT: The orange and red blanket flower (Gaillardia pulchella) is just one of many native flowers of North Florida. ABOVE: The Florida tickseed (Coreopsis floridana) is another North Florida native, thriving in wet, open habitats such as the upper edges of marshes, savannas and prairies.
ly 95 percent of birds eat insects, their young can’t survive without them. If we lose insects, including spiders and moths, we lose amphibians, bats, rodents and on and on. Even foxes eat insects; 25 percent of their diet consists of insects. There are many beautiful natives that we all see and recognize every day in our area. Some of my favorites include: Dogwood, Redbud, Fringe tree, Woodland phlox, Rain lilies, Florida anise, Live oak, White oak, Shumard oak, Southern magnolia, Mountain laurel, native azaleas, Crossvine, Oakleaf hydrangea, Cardinal flower, Cinnamon fern and so many more that I don’t even know their names. Of course, we aren’t all going to give up our beloved camellias or azaleas and we don’t have to, but we can try to plant more natives. n Martha Ann is an avid gardener who lives in Lake City. She is also the author of “Gardening in the Deep South and Other Hot Pursuits.”
Currents | May/June, 2015 | 41
Silenced s
Moving from tragedy to
From staff reports
Old Timers who swam in Ichetucknee Springs in the 1920s called it “the Boil.” They remember that the spring flowed at a much higher rate than today. Many of the Old Timers remember that you could see the boil was at least three inches higher than the water surface. The boil was so strong you could not swim across it. According to several Old Timers you could hear the water boiling out of the spring before you could see it. One said that you could hear it about 300 feet away. No one hears the Ichetucknee Head Spring boil today. While the spring still flows, it has
42 | Currents | May/June, 2015
lost at least one quarter of its historic flow. It is silent now as are so many springs in Florida. Bob Knight, President of the Florida Springs Institute and long-time springs champion, recently published a book about the beloved Ichetucknee Springs. Knight’s book “Silenced Springs” is a timely assessment of the current plight of Florida’s more than 1,000 artesian springs, including their former glory, how they came to be impaired, and the hopeful path to their eventual restoration and protection. Knight, Florida’s premier springs scientist, weaves his personal experiences with technical data that document how Florida’s springs and aquifer are being depleted and polluted due to a combination of blind ignorance and willful greed. Many of the actors in this unfolding tragedy are identified and informed of their responsibility to save and restore these “bowls of liquid light.” Silenced Springs is a wake-up call to the millions of ordinary people who enjoy the refreshing, clear water of healthy springs.
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Knight’s book can be purchased at the Florida Springs Institute website for $21.20 plus $5 shipping and handling. Visit floridaspringsinstitute.org/SilencedSprings to get your copy today.
Currents | May/June, 2015 | 43
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OUTDOOR PREP
Wash away winter grime You may not think a lot about your home’s outdoor spaces during the off-season, but in warm weather, your porch, deck, yard and patio are extensions of your living space — and it’s important to maintain these areas to be in tip-top shape. Here are some helpful tips to get these spaces summer-ready.
ing, yardwork, tinkering and auto repair by organizing your shed or garage. You’ll be more inclined to do these necessary tasks when you know exactly where your tools are and you don’t have to search around in order to get started. Do an inventory of your tools. Throw out rusty or broken items Deep Clean that are irreparable. It’s a tough world out Perform routine mainthere. Things get dirty, tenance on equipment messy and stained, and tools. Then Use and sometimes a garorganize your a pressure den hose, soap and elequipment in a washer to remove builtbow grease just aren’t systematic way up mold and other grime enough — especially that makes the after months of neglect. most sense from your backyard patio It’s not your fault, though. Winter outdoor for you, makand furniture. Basic household environment provides the ability for mold ing use of vercleaners with bleach spore activity to be higher. Mold’s job in nature tical storage will remove mildew is to break down dead plant matter. When leaves systems that fall and plants die, the decaying plant matter retake the best from your furniture leases mold spores in the air. advantage of the cushions. Enter the pressure washer, which can aggressivespace you have. ly blast things clean with water jets pressurized up to 75 times that of a garden hose; or gently spray Friendly Spaces with lower pressures for delicate cleaning. Reduce mosquitos by eliminating standing water Step up your cleaning of patio furniture, side- from the yard. For more comfortable cookouts, you walks and fencing with a light-duty pressure may also want to add plants to your yard that repel washer. For decks, patios, garage floors, siding and these pests, such as citronella and marigolds. driveways, a medium-duty pressure washer can Plant trees so you can look forward to shady help save you time and energy on clean-up jobs. spaces for future seasons. However, for the current Just be sure to wear goggles and closed-toed shoes season, use awnings or shade arbors to create a when using a pressure washer, and never operate place where you can safely and happily spend the the machine in an enclosed area. sunniest portion of your afternoons. By performing a few key tasks, you can prime Organize home’s outdoor spaces for a season of gardening, Set yourself up for a season of better garden- entertaining, relaxing and summer living. 46 | Currents | May/June, 2015
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