Thursday, August 18, 2022

Two West Nile virus cases in N.Y. amid surge in infected mosquitos. (WaPo)

St. Johns County's Mosquito Control District is vigilant against outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases.  We must protect scientific integrity and the independence of the District.  If elected, I pledge to do so,.

From The Washington Post:


Two West Nile virus cases in N.Y. amid surge in infected mosquitos

By 
August 17, 2022 at 4:01 p.m. EDT
(iStock)
Comment

Two people have been diagnosed with West Nile virus in New York City, local health authorities announced Tuesday — the latest battle for a state that has been grappling with the coronavirus and, more recently, monkeypox and polio cases.

City health department officials said one case of West Nile virus (WNV) was reported in Brooklyn and another in Queens as “a record number” of infected mosquitoes have been detected in all five boroughs. 

“We are in the height of West Nile virus season, but there are things you can do to decrease your risk of being bitten,” Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan said in a statement.

Since the virus is typically transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes, Vasan suggested using an EPA-registered insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants — particularly when outside at dawn or dusk when the insects are most active — and keeping water from collecting in any outdoor containers.

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JEREMIAH BLOCKER'S TOP TEN LIST, with links to dozens of articles

UPDATES:  

1. No response from controversial St. Johns County Commissioner JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER, or from Sheriff ROBERT HARDWICK or from their conflicted, shared PR agent, Ms. PERET PASS, to my July 27, 2022 request for comments on the facts in this article, which are well-nigh irrefragable.   

2. BLOCKER stiffed the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce candidate forum on July 26, 2022, held just blocks from his Ponte Vedra home. No sign of BLOCKER or his campaign manager, Peret Pass, a full-time employee of Sheriff ROBERT HARDWICK?  Wonder why?

3. BLOCKER and his pro-developer fellow Commissioner, have stiffed other fora, including one for Republicans.  

4.  The Defense Department is concealing BLOCKER's military record, which I requested thirteen months ago.  Why has DoD concealed military records of controversial pro-developer cat's paw St. Johns County Commissioner JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER for thirteen (13) months, since my July 7, 2021 FOIA request. Wonder why? "Secrecy is for losers," in the immortal words of the late United States Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Quo vobis videtor? (What do y'all reckon?) MAJOR MATTHEW MURPHY, Pentagon National Guard Bureau PR flak, hung up the phone on me after the briefest 48 second conversation. As William F. Buckley, Jr. once asked, "Why does baloney reject the grinder?" And where are the records? https://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2022/08/thirteen-months-no-records-dawdling.html

5. BLOCKER is exempt from paying any property taxes, effective January 1, 2022.  He refuses to comment and has not provided requested records.  BLOCKER's law firm website states that he is still in the National Guard, serving as a J.A.G. Corps. Major.  How can a 100% totally and permanently disabled man be considered "deployable" by the National Guard?  It boggles the mind.  Commissioner privilege?

Query: Does BLOCKER suppose that developer dollar$ and the big 'ole obnoxious $IGN$ vote in the St. Johns County Republican Primary on or before August 23, 2022.  (Commissioner SARAH ARNOLD, whose apparently illegal signs don't say who paid for them, did not attend the Chamber's.poorly-attended $400/candidate pay-to-play gathering either. BLOCKER donated to ARNOLDS's campaign, whose signs say she was "appointed by Governor DeSANTIS."  BLOCKER and ARNOLD signs are generally on commercial or agricultural property owned or controlled bu developers. 

Wonder why?


TOP TEN LIST RE: JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER

St. Johns County Commissioner JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER earned a Master's in Law degree in Rdeal Estate Development from the University of Miami.  

BLOCKER markets his legal services to developers. 

BLOCKER takes campaign contributions from shadowy secretive developers, who exemplify what Jimmy Breslin wrote in his book about Watergate about the subtext of every local zoning ordinance, to wit, "Bring Extra Money."

BLOCKER has regular secret ex parte meetings with developers on development applications, meetings to which you're not invited and they're not releasing any videos).

Has JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER sadly misapplied his talents in pursuit of money, mutatis mutandis, turning himself from putative reformer into a dangerously devious developer puppet?

1.  BLOCKER supports 15% sales tax increase to raise some $500,000,000 over ten years, instead of making developers pay for infrastructure through fair property taxes and reasonable impact fees.  He approved rehiring JAMES NICHOLAS, a conflicted consultant to draft St. Johns County;'s next impact fee law.  

2.  BLOCKER deleted the words and headings "Lower Taxes" and "Fiscal Conservative" from his own. campaign website, after his March 15, 2022 vote to put a 15% sales tax increse on the November 8, 2022 ballot.  (It was a 4-1 vote, Commissioner Paul Waldron dissenting.)   A recent St. Johns County Republican Executive Committee mailing on County Commission primary entirely omitted BLOCKER.  

DELETED:
"Jeremiah on the Issues"
"Fiscal Conservative — Jeremiah commits to always looking for ways to cut spending and balance our budget."
"Lower Taxes — You work hard for your money, and you know how to spend it better than the government."

3. BLOCKER voted for 71 of 73 developments in his first three years in office.. He is developers' cat's paw on Comprenehsive Plan amendments, rezoning, and other local zoning decisions. Louche lapdog who rolls over to vote for State Senator TRAVIS HUTSON and other developers? That's  71 unjust laws, favoring developers and campaign contributors. fAs our City's namesake, Saint Augustine of Hippo wrote: "An unjust law is no law at all."

4. BLOCKER removed non-agenda public comment from the beginning or Commission meetings, making concerned citizens wait around for hours until an unknown time for public comment.  BLOCKER routinely retaliates against citizens for exercising our sacred First Amendment rights to speak out and to petition our government for a redress of grievances.   As Chairman, ungracious BLOCKER abolished non-agenda public comment at the beginning of St. Johns County Commission meetings, sticking it at the end of meetings. In its place, he has time slots at the beginning of meetings PR for fire, police, and clerk of Courts at every meeting.  Insults citizens for raising concerns, including Thomas F. Reynolds, B.J. Kalaidi and Ed Slavin (that's me).

5. BLOCKER, as Chairman, refused to allow his fellow Commissioners to vote on proclamations. BLOCKER got County sued with his ukase that proclamations can't be "too left or too right," directing staff rejection of proclamations sought by citizens for School Choice, Equal Pay, Worker Memorial Day or LGBTQ Pride.  Meanwhile,  BLOCKER pushed through a Second Amendment Sanctuary, while repeatedly violating First Amendment rights. 

6  BLOCKER appears distracted from his County Commission duities by money-making opportunities:
 * JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER Is paid sone $110,000/year, allegedly for 40 hours a week, by a dodgy supposed non-profit group (funded by whom, with a UPS mailbox in D.C. suburb?)  
* JEREIAH RAY BLOCKER is a partner at DOUGLAS  LAW FIRM, Palatka corporate law firm owned by son of former Putnam County Sheriff, which represents government agencies including Putnam County School Board and City of St. Augustine Beach.
* JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER is paid some $81,000/year as a St. Johns County Commissioner.
* JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER is a Florida National Guard Major, J.A.G. Corps.  The Guard and National Guard Bureau have failed to provide any documents on his military service, first requested July 7, 2021, more than a year ago. 
If he doesn't care about your problems, you have to understand, he's busy, busy, busy....

7.  While BLOCKER was County Commission Chair, Governor Ron DeSantis named BLOCKER's wife, LAUREN, to the new County Court judgeship despite lack of trial experience (one trial as second chair). This  was somd three months before the December 21, 2021 SilverLeaf vote.  Senator TRAVIS HUTSON, SilverLeaf developer, sponsored the legislation creating that judgeship.

8. BLOCKER failed to follow through on his own publicly expressed views about the dysfunctional structure. of St. Johns County government,. -- we still have no County Charter Review Commission, no Charter,  No Ethics Reform, no Lobbying Registration, no legislative staff for Commissioners, no Ombudsman, and only an inadequately funded Inspector General (one person staff for $1.3 billion budget).  Here's a list of 25 proposed government reforms, which that pro-developer bully J.R. BLOCKER never bothered to follow up on: https://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2022/03/county-commission-voted-4-1-today-to.html

9.  BLOCKER's re-election campaign is being run by Sheriff ROBERT HARDWICK'S shadowy PR person, PERET PASS, a conflict of interest because BLOCKER votes on HARDWICK's budget.   (ROBERT HARDWICK's Sheriff campaign paid PERET PASS $97,012.12 for campaign work, none of which lists salary or professional fees.). Still waiting for records on PASS from Sheriff ROBERT HARDWICK.


10. At least we can say that J.R. BLOCKER is consistent -- BLOCKER constantly cuts corners on government ethics and legal compliance.  BLOCKER:
  • Sought dubious ethics waivers as private legal counsel for military officers wanting to do business with the military, using a company called BOGIDOPE,while conflicted  BLOCKER serving as National Guard J.A.G. Corps Major.  
  • Fired County Administrator MICHAEL DAVID WANCHICK, without advance meeting notice, a possible Sunshine violation.  
  • Pushed hiring of unqualified Clerk of Courts and Comptroller HUNTER SINCLAIR CONRAD as County Administrator Ad Interim, without posting or advertising the position, off considering any women or minority or other candidates other than CONRAD.
  • Then permeably hired CONRAD, his friend and former classmate at a now-defunct, for-profit law school.
  • Hired CONRAD without any public disclosure that CONRAD was an unindicted co-conspirator in a federal bribery case where a federal grand jury alleged CONRAD took $8000 intended as a bribe.
  • Is the beneficiary of the Defense Department concealing his military record, which I requested on July 7, 2021, thirteen months ago.  
  • Why has DoD concealed military records of controversial pro-developer cat's paw St. Johns County Commissioner JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER for thirteen (13) months, since my July 7, 2021 FOIA request. Wonder why? "Secrecy is for losers," in the immortal words of the late United States Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Quo vobis videtor? (What do y'all reckon?) MAJOR MATTHEW MURPHY, Pentagon National Guard Bureau PR flak, hung up the phone on me after the briefest 48 second conversation. As William F. Buckley, Jr. once asked, "Why does baloney reject the grinder?" And where are the records? https://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2022/08/thirteen-months-no-records-dawdling.html

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APPENDIX

Friday, August 26, 2016
$104k+: Developers, Lobbyists, Schnooks Support HUNTER CONRAD for Clerk: FOLLOW THE MONEY

Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Illegally Closed Primary Elects Gov. RICK SCOTT's Boy, HUNTER CONRAD, as Court Clerk and Comptroller

Tuesday, November 19, 2019
St. Johns County Commission fires county administrator. (SAR)

Thursday, December 05, 2019
WHO IS HUNTER CONRAD? No advertising, no posting, no background investigation -- your next County Administrator?

Friday, December 20, 2019
Wanchick firing costs St. Johns County more than $161K. (SAR)

Sunday, January 12, 2020
DARRYL LOCKLEAR FIRED: Assistant Administrator, WANCHICK's henchman fired, County delays providing documents

Friday, January 24, 2020
Jim Crow Law Lives in St. Johns County: January 21, 2020, St. Johns County's Pearl Harbor Day?

Wednesday, July 01, 2020
Like a Cult, St. Johns County Commission Eschews Masks

Wednesday, February 03, 2021
Florida CFO announces probe into court clerks’ ties to collection agency snared in bribery case. (Orlando Sentinel)
The article states, "Donagher, who lives in a $1.3-million home in Palm Beach County, attempted to persuade clerks of court in Brevard, Orange and St. Johns counties in Florida and in Cook County in Illinois to hire his firm by donating to their re-election campaigns and by making contributions to their favorite charities, court documents alleged."

Wednesday, February 03, 2021
United States of America v. DONALD DONAGHER, JR. & PENN CREDIT CORPORATION (Docket, from pager.gov)

Wednesday, February 03, 2021
Owner of Debt Collection Service Charged for Corruptly Providing Benefits to Obtain Business from Cook County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office. (USDOJ press release)

Wednesday, February 03, 2021
Federal Indictment: St. Johns County Administrator HUNTER SINCLAIR CONRAD took $8k from alleged bribe payer

Wednesday, February 03, 2021
Will St. Johns County Administrator HUNTER SINCLAIR CONRAD take leave of absence over $8000 contributions from alleged bribe payer?

Thursday, February 04, 2021
Debt collector indicted on charges he tried to bribe court clerk offices - including Brevard County. (Florida Today)

Thursday, February 04, 2021
U.S. DEPT. OF JUSTICE MUST INVESTIGATE St. Johns County Discrimination and Corruption. Now. 

Monday, February 08, 2021
Brevard to re-examine active contract with Penn Credit after indictment. (Florida Today)

Friday, February 19, 2021
It only took St. Johns County officials twelve (12) days to retaliate. I wear their scorn as a badge of honor  https://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2021/02/it-only-took-st-johns-county-officials.html

Thursday, February 18, 2021
St. Johns County halts sale of golf club to look at funding renovation. (St. Augustine Record)

Wednesday, March 17, 2021
COUNTY ATTORNEY McCORMACK RETIRING; BoCC CHAIRMAN BLOCKER BLOVIATES ABOUT A CITIZEN "STANDING" AND "MAKING FACES"

Wednesday, March 17, 2021
BUSTED: VA & SHERIFF's OFFICE VIOLATE RIGHTS -- "God Bless Homeless Veterans" Results in Arrest of Jeffrey Marcus Gray!

Thursday, March 18, 2021
MASK-DENYING MISANTHROPES MUST TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOME COVID-19 DEATHS

Friday, March 19, 2021
Five Republican County Commissioners Man-splaining Mosquito Control

Saturday, March 27, 2021
Will We Struggle to Reach Herd Immunity? (NY Times)
NY Times: Close to 100% of St. Johns County, Florida senior citizens are vaccinated.  Good work. (Figure might be inflated due to snowbird inoculations).  
We're blessed that between state, county and Publix and CVS, we're all doing our part to end the pandemic. 

Thursday, April 08, 2021
First Amendment Denied "Breathing Space" by St. Johns County Commissioners? You tell me.

Saturday, May 01, 2021
St. Johns County Board Of Commissioners Won’t Consider Pride Month Proclamation. (WJCT News, Jacksonville NPR affiliate)

Tuesday, May 18, 2021
Is Major JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER, Commission Chair, Illegally BLOCKING Routine GLBTQIA+ Pride Proclamation? You tell me.

Friday, June 04, 2021
Read Federal Court Complaint Against St. Johns County Commission Chair on Anti-Gay Discrimination on Pride Month Proclamation

Saturday, June 05, 2021
St. Johns County commissioner, board sued over Pride Month proclamation rejection Suit also targets County Commission as a whole

Tuesday, June 08, 2021
Motion for Temporary Restraining Order Filed in Bloomberg v. JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER & ST. Johns County

Tuesday, June 08, 2021
So much for Chairman JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER's "too left or too right" ukase!

Thursday, June 10, 2021
Florida must reject history of hate against LGBTQ+ people. (St. Augustine Record Editorial)

Thursday, June 10, 2021
2021 Gay Pride Proclamation: Marks Gray Law Firm Defending St. Johns County Commission, Chairman in Civil Rights and Sunshine Case

Friday, June 11, 2021
Sara Bloomberg v. JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER: Memorandum of Law on Proposed Temporary Restraining Order and Injunction

Sunday, June 13, 2021
ANTI-PRIDE Commission Chair JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER at June 17, 2021 Young Republican Event at Murray Brothers' Caddyshack Restaurant at World Golf Village

Monday, June 14, 2021
Attack on LGBTQIA+ People by County Republican Chair

Monday, June 14, 2021
A special Pride message from President Joe Biden & the First Lady Pride "stands for defiance in the face of injustice," Dr. Biden says. "It stands for justice," President Biden agrees. (LGBTQ Nation, June 14, 2021)

Thursday, June 17, 2021
PZA CHAIR GREG MATOVINA's anti-Gay notion of "civility" on hate letter by REC Chair ROY ALAIMO, Jr.

Friday, June 18, 2021
Anastasia Mosquito Control of St. Johns County adopts Gay Pride Proclamation

Sunday, June 20, 2021
County Lawyers Misleading Federal Judge Timothy Corrigan on LGBTQIA+ Injunction Case?

Sunday, June 20, 2021
Do County Republican Leaders' Anti-LGBTQIA+ Pride Proclamation Antics Encourage Anti-Gay Attacks in America?

Sunday, June 20, 2021
Marguerite Blocker: Will You Kindly Tell Your Son, Jeremiah, to Stop Pandering to QAnon and Bigots?

Sunday, June 20, 2021
St. Johns County Commissioners vote for resolution to make St. Johns a 2nd Amendment sanctuary. (News4Jax))

Sunday, June 20, 2021
"The King Will Remain A Tyrant"

Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Grateful for NFL Football Player Carl Nassib's Coming Out as Gay

Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Federal judge denies injunction over St. Johns County Pride proclamation. (News4Jax)

Wednesday, July 07, 2021
Florida Coastal School of Law could close in August. (Jax Daily Record)

Tuesday, July 20, 2021
CYNDI WARD STEVENSON presents proclamation at St. Johns County Commission

Wednesday, July 21, 2021
EXPOSED: Does St. Johns County's 200th Anniversary Time Capsule Participant List Reveal White Supremacy, Discrimination, Insensitivity?

Sunday, August 08, 2021
Cancel Culture: Bigoted SJC REC Chair ROY ALAIMO, JR. Ululates Against Joy Behar for Criticizing Governor DeSANTIS's Dangerous, Deadly Anti-Mask Orders

Monday, August 09, 2021
Bloomberg v. Blocker: St. Johns County, BoCC Chairman, Move to Dismiss LGTQIA+ Pride Proclamation Lawsuit -- 26 pages of argle-bargle

Monday, August 09, 2021
St. Johns County School District Fights Transgender Bathroom Ruling (WJCT/News Service of Florida)

Monday, August 09, 2021
Bigoted Local Elected Quockerwodgers? -- Homophboic, Transphobic St Johns County School Board and County Commission Chairs

Sunday, August 15, 2021
Florida Coastal another step toward closure as emergency motion denied. (Jax Daily Record)

Monday, August 30, 2021
BCC Chairman JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER's wife recommended for new County Court judgeship. (St. Augustine Record)

Monday, August 30, 2021
Bloomberg v. Blocker: Plaintiff in Gay Pride Proclamation Lawsuit Responds to County's Mendacious Motion to Dismiss

Wednesday, September 01, 2021
Regina Ross hired as JEA chief legal adviser (Jax Daily Record)

Tuesday, September 07, 2021
Labor Day 2021: Ed Slavin column on protecting American worker rights
Let's observe "Worker Memorial Day," honoring millions of workers who suffer preventable deaths and injuries worldwide.  A proclamation for it was rejected by St. Johns County Commission Chairman, Jeremiah Ray Blocker, who also blocked Equal Pay, School Choice and LGBTQIA+ Pride Month proclamations (the Pride case is being litigated).

Friday, September 17, 2021
Welcome, St. Johns County Court Judge Lauren Patricia (Shaffar) Blocker

Sunday, September 19, 2021
LGBTQ community shared in the nation’s grief after 9/11 attacks Among those killed was American Airlines co-pilot David Charlebois, an out gay man who was on Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon.. (Lou Chibbarro, Jr., The Washington Blade)

Monday, September 20, 2021
Videos show Bartram Trail students harassing Gay Straight Alliance members, stomping on Pride flags: County officials' bigotry is a contributing factor?

Wednesday, September 29, 2021
"HOME COOKIN'?" New County Attorney DAVID MICHAEL MIGUT Hired: 5-0: Commissioners Prefer "St. Johns County Experience"

Sunday, October 03, 2021
Bloomberg v. Blocker: MARKS GRAY, St. Johns County Files Misleading Citation With Judge Timothy Corrigan

Sunday, October 10, 2021
MEDIOCRITY LOVES COMPANY? St. Johns County Commission Hires JAMES, BEDSOLE, JAMES NICHOLAS

Wednesday, November 03, 2021
Why is St. Johns County Hiding List of Our County's Investments?

Tuesday, November 16, 2021
Proposed Vilano Beach hotel voted down unanimously. (News4Jax)

Wednesday, November 24, 2021
Miami professor sentenced to 6 months for Venezuela money laundering scheme. (Reuters)

Saturday, January 01, 2022
News4JAX Omits Reference to State Senator Getting Zoning Favors For Christmas

Wednesday, January 12, 2022
Commissioner JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER's Campaign Tops $182,433

Wednesday, January 12, 2022
Commissioner JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER's County Webpage inaccurately states he's still SJC BoCC Chair!

Friday, January 28, 2022
County Growth Management Workshop bares all on ill effects of too-rapid development in St. Johns County

Thursday, February 03, 2022
Running For Re-Election, Mocker Commissioner JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER Joins Douglas Law Firm

Friday, February 04, 2022
County Commission denies new development off SR 207 (Jacksonville Business Journal)

Saturday, February 05, 2022
Does Duffleblog Column Remind You of Anyone? "Veterans around country running to become next douchebag congressman." (Duffleblog)

Monday, February 07, 2022
Dodgy State Senator TRAVIS J. HUTSON's SILVERLEAF EXPANSION PLAN HITS SNAG (SAR)

Sunday, February 13, 2022
Vote Against Overdevelopment in St. Johns County, Florida xxxxx

Wednesday, February 23, 2022
2018 Florida's State and Local Tax System Among Most Regressive in the Country
(Florieda Poiicy Institute)

Saturday, February 26, 2022
BLURRED ETHICAL LINES: Commissioner JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER Represented National Guard Officers Wanting to Sell Products to Military

Thursday, March 10, 2022
St. Johns County Commissioner JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER raises $182,968 for re-election campaign

Thursday, March 10, 2022
$1000 contribution from "helicopter pilot" MARK P. MINER raises eyebrows, election, ethics concerns

Thursday, March 10, 2022
St. Johns County Commissioner JEREMIAH RAY BLOCKER raises $182,968 for re-election campaign

Sunday, April 24, 2022
Plans for First Coast Technical College satellite campus in Hastings move forward. (SAR)

Thursday, April 28, 2022
Not Observed by St. Johns County Commission, April 28 is Worker Memorial Day (OSHA Press Release)


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