City of St. Marks had a busy night recently, holding both the regular monthly commission meeting and the first public hearing on the budget on Sept. 13 at City Hall.

City Manager Katherine Gatewood presented the amended budget with the rolled back millage rate to 4.5%, which was later approved. The millage rate was previously 5.24%, and the rolled back rate was 5.0671%.

The roll back rate has not been this low since the 2009-10 fiscal year. This roll back is mainly due to the boat ramp being self-sufficient, not being supported by the general fund.

“I am proud of myself,” Gatewood said. “There is an 11.19% rollback rate and no increase to property taxes.”

The reduced millage rate results from shifting the operational costs of the boat ramp from the property owners of St. Marks to the visitors who use it. The boat ramp remains free for verified property owners in the St. Marks city limits. Residents are asked to contact City Hall for their annual sticker by calling (850) 925-6224.

At the regular commission meeting, the on-going Wakulla Street discussion resulted in St. Marks considering an ordinance that would require property owners along the Wakulla Street right-of-way to pay a license fee to use docks that sit on public land.

Former City Attorney Chuck McMurry discussed historical information regarding the city, and the property in the right of way. McMurry suggested a representative from the city work with homeowners before any decisions are finalized.

St. Marks City Attorney William Garner mentioned that the ordinance is intended to preserve the riverfront and would only affect properties along the Wakulla Street right-of-way.

Also under the proposed ordinance, a $3,000 one-time application and annual license fee will be implemented, along with other costs.

By LINDA ANN McDONALD
Correspondent

Sound vibration therapy is a complementary wellness practice that uses specific tones, frequencies, and physical vibrations to help the body shift into a calmer, more regulated state. To put it into perspective, sound is vibration, and those vibrations can influence the nervous system, muscles, and even emotional states.

Rachel McClure is a certified sound and vibration therapist who describes herself as a multifaceted disciplinarian within the creative realm. Applying her knowledge as a licensed practical nurse, she merges her medical background into music therapy.
McClure explained Wakulla Springs is a large energy source in which she utilizes natural energy pulled from Wakulla Spring.
“The Wakulla Spring has its own unique frequency, and the earth has a frequency. While we are visiting the spring, we feel relaxed because we are picking up on the spring’s frequency. Because Wakulla Spring is so big, it is an equally big amplifier of this earthly frequency.
“Just being near the spring, or getting in the water, the frequencies will affect you. It affects your blood pressure, cardiovascular system, you are relaxed because it lowers your cortisol, it is good for inflammation by way of the cold water of the spring, and it has physical manifestations on your health.”
Through sound therapy, McClure brings sound influenced from Indian ancestors. “With crystal bowls, I makes resonance of frequency and mood.” She explained, “The ripple of sound is cohesion created of nature by using certain instruments and frequencies which bring cohesiveness with the body.”
McClure plays drums, guitar, flute, crystal bowls, wave drums, and anything she can get her hands on percussion wise. She said, “My voice is my best instrument. My instruments add to the spring; it adds another layer so that we can be a part of it. I can’t change the spring, but I can bring in my layer through music and art and color.”, McClure said.
“Sound therapy is a long ancient practice the west is now learning; vibration is the first thing you are aware of when you hear your mother’s heartbeat in the womb. Everything makes sound, there is no beginning.”
Further explaining, McClure shared, “Animals read off magnetic fields, dogs hear whistles we can’t’ hear. Sound has always been there; we are just beginning to understand how it affects us and how we have evolved with it.”
McClure was introduced to sound therapy while attending a yoga class at the Wakulla County Community Center. McClure said, “I was in a class and Nellie Bridgewater had us do an Om, and I knew this was something I can take to incorporate it with my talent and medical background.” For those new to yoga, an om is often regarded as the greatest of all mantras as it represents the sound of creation and the substrate vibration of the entire universe.
While explaining the impacts of the energy from Wakulla Springs upon the human body and the benefit of sound therapy, McClure explained, “My art is like all of my music and all my nursing experience had a grand marriage; it only makes sense that I would take my experience, and rewrite it for me, so I can provide therapy for people.” When speaking about combining the separate worlds of music therapy and nursing, she said, “I can’t make the rules, I can’t break the rules, but I can rewrite them, for me, to provide services for people.”
McClure said, “I utilize Qi Gung exercises, add in some dance, yoga stretching, which is easy on flow with building energy, and then go into a sound bath and play instruments over you.”
McClure grew up in Wekiva Springs. She said, “I was there every day of my life, I was never sick except when I had the chicken pox. When my parents moved to Monticello, Florida, our family visited Wakulla Springs, and I knew instantly that this is what I was looking for to live near.”
McClure will be part of a show on September 11, at Palaver Tree, which will include a wall of gongs and sound instruments. The show is a sound journey with dance and rhythm. The gongs will provide by “The Gong Experience.”

Story & Photos By
LINDA ANN McDONALD

In observance of America’s 250th anniversary, the Wakulla County Historical Society paid tribute by hosting a Threads Through Time fashion history show and afternoon tea event on Saturday at the Crawfordville’s Women’s Club.

At the standing-room-only event, history was broken into eight distinct periods. Each period was followed by a powerful monologue that explained the significance of the clothing on display while sharing their social meaning and historical impact. The show was narrated by Chuck Klieforth and Susan Solburg.
Part One included History and Threads from 12,000 years ago to the end of the Civil War in 1865.
Models included Amber Sanders representing pre-history to 1513. Theater with a Mission, Tallahassee, Fl represented First Spanish Period 1513-1763 and British Period 1783-1821.
Cynthia Paulson and Quincee Messersmith characterized Territorial Florida 1821-1843, and Katheleen Butler, Helga Torbert, Robert and Kenny Manning highlighted Statehood, Civil War and Reconstruction 1845-1877.
Part Two included History and Threads 1865-2026. Models included Pepper Young, Evan Salas, Cynthia Paulson, John Shoemaker, Mary Katherine Westmark, and Wesley Thurmond bringing to life the Development and Boom Era 1877-1929.
Lucy Carter, Elena Mayhre, Heather Bryan, Bianca Trociewitz, Mary Ann Laird, Emilee Mason, Winzie Wilson, Jan Holtman, and Loretta Bowman covered the Modern Times: 1930’s – 2026.
Halfway through the event, guests were invited to an afternoon tea which consisted of a variety of teas and finger sandwiches, such as cucumber, ham salad, and egg salad. Ginger and blueberry scones were served along with egg and spinach bake, fruit, clotted cream, and strawberry jam. Traditional tea was served.
Additional clothing was on display for educational consumption along with tea sets and tableware loaned/donated for use by The Riley House Museum, Theater with a Mission, Goodwood Museum and Gardens, Museum of Florida History, Wakulla Guild, Elena Myhre, Lynda Kinsey of The Wakulla Sun, Elise Barwick, Madeleine Carr, Crawfordville Women’s Club, and Pat Jones.
Madeleine Carr wrote the script for the event.

Sopchoppy has a new welcome sign to greet visitors and identify the City of Sopchoppy. Creating a sense of pride for the community, local artist Rachell Mathis of Sol Eclectica, and Bri Miley of Signs By Bri in Crawfordville, worked together to create Sopchoppy’s new attractive entrance to the city.

By LINDA ANN
McDONALD
Correspondent

Wakulla County’s seafood restaurants are famous for their authentic “fresh off the boat” seafood dining experiences and unforgettable sunsets.
With experience gained by cooking seafood within several local restaurants, under several skilled chefs for many years, Philip Rosier absorbed these “fresh off the boat” experiences and created his own individual flare within the kitchen.
Rosier consistently chases experiences, embraces learning and growing within the kitchen, all in effort to perfect his culinary skills and deliver fantastic meals to all customers.

“If they are not smiling while dining, something is not right,” said Rosier. Locally, Rosier is known and called Pee Wee, or Ole P.
By posting vivid pictures of his visually appealing seafood plates on social media, Rosier inadvertently created a fanbase of culinary admirers and followers enticing them to ask, where he is working, and what he is cooking? He mentioned, “I want folks to smell the food through the pictures.”
For the seafood enthusiast, Rosier does not disappoint with tasty dishes he prepares such as pecan crusted grouper over creamy garlic sauce topped with Baltimore crab cake and fried shrimp. Another tasty dish he created is seared tuna over sauteed shrimp and scallops topped with bourbon infused mandarin teriyaki.
He said, “Sometimes I get in a creative mood and then BOOM, I created a tuna and lump crab meat stacker, with pineapple and other fruit, and a special sauce, I enjoy creating and pleasing folks.”
Working in a large restaurant for the first time in 1999, Rosier started working his way up by cutting hushpuppies at Angelo’s Seafood Restaurant, in Panacea, under Head Cook Mike Godbolt. Godbolt is still the head cook at Angelo’s.
Rosier added, “It was Marcus Jefferson, another cook at Angelo’s, who taught me to broil, grill, cook steaks.”
Since then, Rosier continued to work alongside the Petrandis family within the family’s additional restaurant, The Seafood Shack, which is currently Tropical Trader.
It is here, Rosier wanted to step out and try different things. “I asked Thomas (Petrandis), ‘Can we do soup and sandwich?’ So, they purchased me a press and we served Cubans, Reubens, and we also had a chicken tortellini soup or gumbo.”
Events changed for Rosier when Chef Rashard Plummer from the Edward Ball Dining Room of Wakulla Springs called him, saying he needed a sous chef. Rosier asked him, “What does it pay?” Soon after, Rosier went to work at the Lodge. Chef Plummer is a third-generation chef whose family has worked at the lodge for decades.
The Lodge is where Rosier met the executive chef with the Lodge’s corporate company and learned to prepare Oriental and Italian cuisine and pulling together exotic menus.
“All this just blew my mind!” he said. “I have been cooking seafood all my life and to go to this exquisite cuisine was crazy!” He grinned and proudly declared, “This is where Chef Pee to the Wee came alive. It was here that I worked under Chef Kay and Chef Kellie Hunter at the Springs, who also taught me a lot.”
Rosier said, “The next call I got was a call from Nola from St. James Bay Golf Resort, she needed a sous chef and again, I asked, What are you paying?” Rosier followed his passion for learning and broadening his culinary skills and went to work at St. James Bay in Carrabelle.
Here, Rosier’s sister-in-law worked with Franklin County’s commissioners at the time, so work crowds and church crowds visited the restaurant. “We were steady all the time, we served steady all the way up until closing time.”
After working at St. James Bay, Rosier came back to Wakulla to work for Bird’s on the Bay, a sister restaurant to the popular oyster bar in Tallahassee, Bird’s.
Speaking of Bird’s, Rosier said, “It was a simple place, but simple is not my speed, I got bored.”
Ultimately, Bird’s closed, and the restaurant was sold to Dallas Porter, who called Rosier asking him to come to work. And again Rosier asked, “What’s the pay? I agreed to work and before we knew it, Porter Island Restaurant was in the making.”
The restaurant industry does not recognize weekends or holidays. After a year with the Porter family, and many years of working hospitality, Rosier said, “I got burned out, I went to landscaping and lawn service and went to work with Alligator Point Water Resources. I loved having weekends and holidays in my life; it was wonderful. I was gone from the restaurant business for 15 years.”
“It was around Mother’s Day, 2023, I came back to cooking again,” Rosier said. “I visited Angelo’s Restaurant to say hello to everyone and Mike Godbolt asked me if I can step in on Mother’s Day to help, and the next thing I knew, I was on the schedule.”
Rosier is currently working with John and Michelle Turner at Salty Donkey’s in Panacea. “It’s a great environment and it’s a lot of fun. I work under John Daley, and we have a great time.”
Rosier credits his mother for his cooking roots. “I was cooking three course meals at 7 years old. My mother was gone working multiple jobs, one was driving the school bus. I had siblings, and we only saw her in the mornings and late at night. I burnt the kitchen down a time or two, but we made it.”
Rosier also worked in a food truck across from the old Franklin’s Café. “I couldn’t get creative there with my cooking, so I came up with creative names for the sandwiches. We had the Birdman sandwich, for example, I named the sandwich after the customer when I couldn’t remember their name.”
“I’m not a chef, I’m just a good cook,” Rosier said. “When customers comment with positive feedback about my cooking, that’s how I know I’m doing the right things.”
“I love Pinterest. I go on there for ideas and I follow cooking channels and I binge-watch cooking shows on television.”
Rosier said: “It was Thomas Petrandis who taught me how to run a restaurant, it was Angelo who taught me discipline in the kitchen, and I thank Ms. Marian Lundquist for keeping my straight when things got busy in the kitchen.”
When speaking of his future and opening a restaurant of his own, he said, “I’m not open to having my own, but if I do, I’ll be old and retired by then, and I will just put all the money towards my family.”

By LINDA ANN McDONALD
Correspondent

Keep Wakulla County Beautiful’s (KWCB) youth board held its founders’ meeting with a full meeting room a couple of weeks ago at the Wakulla Environmental Institute in Crawfordville.

The Founder’s Table is where youth help create the future of the KWCB Youth Board. The board acts two-fold as an opportunity to design what youth leadership, environmental stewardship, and what community impact will look like in Wakulla County. The ideas and voices heard today will shape how this board serves youth and our community for years to come.
The agenda included in-depth discussion such as “What is the Youth Board? positions available, representation, bylaws discussion, projects and community impact,” and more.
KWCB’s Caden Grubel, who was newly accepted into Florida State University, initiated the youth board.
“This is something I never expected, I’m glad it turned out as large as it did,” Grubel said. “I figured since I’m turning 18, I figured I’d go headfirst into empowering the youth. I wanted to see a youth board that was inspired by youth and involved with our environment.”
Riversprings Middle School teacher Aimee Liotino attended the event and said, “Teaching the younger generation to maintain the beauty of this earth is extremely important and getting them involved with a focus on microplastics, is handing them the reins to manage our environment.”
During the event’s icebreaker, the question, “Why are you here?” was asked. Responses included: “I don’t want to see trash,” “We swim in these waters,” and “I don’t like microplastics,”, went around the classroom and fueled thought-provoking conversation.
“It’s exciting to see the kids’ perspective on the environment and the projects that they create together for the benefit of Wakulla County,” said Tammie Nason, director of KWCB. “If this snowballs, it’s going to be an amazing thing.”
KWCB President Lesley Cushman, and husband Steve were both present and said, “I hope there is a spark created tonight, and follows along with all who attended tonight. Outside environmental stewardship, there is so much to be learned while on this board. There are life skills to be learned such as Roberts Rules for boards, budget, finances, and leadership. It gets kids involved with boards, and not just picking up trash, our goal here is to prolong the future. We put the seeds down now, so the kids here will be able to be in charge and have a say, later.”
Hope Childree, director of Wakulla Environmental Institute, said, “This is a hugely important necessity. These children are the next stewards of our environment, and the more informed decisions they can make, the more informed difference they can make.”
$500 was donated to the board as an effort to assist with the youth led organization getting on its feet.

Story By LINDA ANN McDONALD
Photos By GERALD BROWN

Wakulla STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math), held its first Maker Derby on Saturday, July 18 at the livestock pavilion at the extension office.

The derby cars, made from a block of wood, are fitted with plastic wheels and metal axles, and decorated with paint, decals, or other creative details.
To emphasize creativity and individuality, some contestants personalized their cars to resemble sharks, ketchup bottles, a block of cheese, a pink flamingo – even an America 250! car was created.

With adult guidance, contestants cut, carved, and shaped the wood, then painted and decorated the car. Additional modifications such as adding weights to optimize speed or adjusting wheel alignment were made for the competitive racing.
The car must meet specific size and weight limits, not to exceed 5 ounces, as well as conform to restrictions in length of 2 ¾ inches, a width of 3/8 inches, and a height of 3 inches.

The races are friendly competitions that teach kids about physics, engineering, and sportsmanship, as well as factors like weight distribution, friction, and aerodynamics, and how they affect a car’s performance.
With a pinewood derby track borrowed from the Wakulla County Boy Scouts Pack 5, more than 50 cars raced, competing for trophies designed and printed by STEAM event organizer, Tyson Folsom.
Derby cars were placed into youth, teen, adult and outlaw categories. Cars that exceeded the strict requirements for racing were placed in the outlaw category, and competed against each other exclusively.
Each car raced on the track four separate times, with the slowest time being dropped, and then averaging the remaining three times together for the time.
Within the Youth category, Asa Havird took home first place with a time of 2.5253 seconds followed by Tyler Fortenberry with a time of 2.5727 seconds, and third place went to Asa’s sister, Emily Havird with a time of 2.6900 seconds.
First place in the teen category went to Jackson Lovel, with a time of 2.6350 seconds; Fisher Lovel took home the second-place with a 2.6847 second score, and Jace Perez took third place with a time of 2.7310 seconds.
Adults competed, and Christa Bingel took home first place with a time of 2.4483 seconds. Kyle Barnes took second place with 2.5107 seconds, and Karen Zak won third place with 2.5380 seconds.
The outlaw category went to Robbie Baker with 2.4540 seconds, following close behind was Erik Barns with 2.4797 seconds and Christa Bingel, again, took another win with her third place time of 2.4900 seconds.
A computer software program called “Grand Prix Manager” was used to record times. During the event, David Pienta, event emcee, said, “If these cars were normal cars, the derby cars would be running about 180 miles per hour or more.”
Community partners such as the Wakulla County Public Library, Wakulla 4-H, Wakulla Boy Scouts Pack 5, as well as the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office, local businesses, and many volunteers, pulled together to make this event a huge success.
Folsom, of Wakulla STEAM said, “We learned a lot today, and we’re already looking forward to making next year’s event even bigger and better. Thank you, Wakulla County, for reminding us of what a wonderful community we have.
“Thank you to every participant and family who joined us,” Folsom added. “Your creativity, sportsmanship, and excitement made the very first Wakulla Maker Derby something truly special.”
Dr. Rachel Pienta, of Wakulla 4-H said, “This is my first derby and I learned a lot, it was great to see the community together to make this event happen, and this here, says a lot about our community.”

By LINDA ANN McDONALD
Correspondent

Noreen Britt is the face of the Wakulla County’s rec park. After 34 years as Wakulla’s trusted “go to” for all recreational athletic related programs, Britt is retiring.
Alongside her duties at the rec park, Britt has also been dually employed with the Wakulla School Board. “I worked 37 hours a week at the school board alongside the rec park for 35 hours a week – for a 72 hour every week – for 22 years. I worked weekends too, but it is something that I love. The personal satisfaction is simply great.”

Outside coaching, Britt has filled many roles in the school system. In 2004, she worked at Wakulla High School making copies. A semester later, she was the attendance guru. She also worked under the assistant principal and in the guidance department.
“I coached girls’ tennis at Wakulla High School for 16 years and went to state a couple of times, which was a big accomplishment for me.”
The rec park is where Britt laid her foundation in Wakulla County. “I started working the summer camp program in 2006 with Jamie Lay, keeping kids in order. Then Brian Roddenberry wanted me to run the sports program. I helped with concession stands during football season at night and I became full time.
“I worked weekends too, doing tackle football, soccer, T-ball, more soccer, flag football,” she says. “I did scheduling, helped coaches with teams and schedules, and helped with uniforms.”
Britt has instilled good sportsmanship in athletes by stressing sharing.
“We are here at the rec park to have fun, and win or lose, we don’t care, this is recreation, not World Cup soccer,” she says. “I understand folks are passionate about sports, we are out here to have fun.”
Looking back, Britt said, “I made a lot of friends working for Wakulla County in both jobs. At the rec park, I worked with a lot of diverse backgrounds; I was unbiased about everything, and we played games by the rules. Our main goal is to coach these children in sports and to have fun playing.”
Britt adds: “It was many years and many hours I have worked, but I enjoyed doing it, and that is why I kept doing it for so long. Now, I have four grandchildren and although I’ll still be at the rec park, I’ll be able to be there watching and enjoying them.
“I also have an Alaska trip booked with my daughter Kaycee Britt,” she says. “We enjoy cruises because they are relaxing and fun. I may start taking two cruises a year now!”
She says thank you to Wakulla County for all the many years of fun, good sportsmanship, learning all the ins and outs of education and meeting great people.