The British are coming - again.

     This time, Saturday at the Castillo, "it's a brush-up for the units before the Fall campaign season gets started," Castillo Ranger Joe Brehm says.

     "We are hoping for artillery crews from the Navy, the 60th, and the East Florida Rangers, and a lot of experienced folks working with the newer ones to get everyone looking sharp for their units to go to Camden, Guilford Courthouse, and other fall events." 

     Those events are part of a busy southeast regional calendar for living history reenactments. The major British event here is the British Night Watch, held the first weekend in December. http://britishnightwatch.org/

     The Florida State Park system is celebrating its 75th anniversary with "a complete makeover" of Fort Mose's exhibit hall, including "new exhibits, unique sail-shaped backdrops, a music system, and other new décor," according to the park service.

     Work in the 1,400 square foot exhibit hall began last week. Other areas of the park will remain open during the makeover.

     Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994, and as a Historic State Park in 2005, Fort Mose tells the story of Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose, the first legally sanctioned, free African settlement in what is now the United States.

     From 6.5 million pounds just a few years back to 10.3 million and this year, 18.5 million pounds of food, "and the need is for 49 million pounds to serve our North Florida area of 18 counties spread over 11,000 square miles," North Florida Second Harvest Food Bank Chief Officer Tom Mantz told a recent meeting of the St. Johns County Homeless Coalition.

     Mantz said his organization recently took over local food bank operations from the lessee Salvation Army "because we felt we could push more, develop more" in the program. "Programs like Kids Café for after school and summer periods," he said, "and Backpack, providing kids with ten pounds of food to take home at the end of the week."

     Larry Dillahay, who managed the Dobbs Road Food Bank for the Salvation Army, continues in that position with the management change. "Two years ago we distributed 1.3 million pounds," he said. "This year, 1.5 million, but we need three million pounds."

     The local food banks distribute food to authorized 501.c.3 non-profits and tax-exempt churches.

     "The model has changed," Mantz said, "from cans and boxes to nutrition-conscious foods and produce. We hit all the groceries, but as well area farms. A lot of food is plowed under in this country if the market's not right. We want to capture that food before its lost."