Commercial radio began in 1920 in the United States. Radio ushered in an alternative to print media and spread quickly across America. In Georgia, WSB was the first ever radio station.  It was located in Atlanta. Radio stations sprang up all over Georgia at a fast pace until the beginning of World War I. At that time, many radio equipment and receiver manufacturers were drafted into the war to produce communications equipment for the armed forces.

Countless books and magazine articles have been written about radio since 1920. Radio broadcasts were pressed onto vinyl recordings and duplicated on magnetic recording tape. Hollywood looked to radio for screenplay material. Our fascination with radio is the theme for the 2nd Quarter Feature Exhibit at the Georgia Radio Museum and Hall of Fame located inside the Welcome Center at 400 Osborne Street in historic downtown St. Marys.

The exhibit contains vinyl long play records and cassettes of classic radio programs and will be available through June 30, 2015. "We Interrupt This Broadcast" contains audio CDs of actual broadcasts of events from the explosion of the Hindenburg to the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. The compendium includes pictures and text and is narrated by television journalist, producer, narrator, and news anchor Bill Kurtis.     

There are examples of movies about radio, including the late Robin Williams in "Good Morning Viet Nam" and the Clint Eastwood classic, "Play Misty for Me." Books about radio in the display include "Welcome South Brother", a story about Georgia's first radio station, WSB. There is also a 25 year retrospective of Radio and Records published by the magazine of the same name, entitled "Empire of the Air." This Tom Lewis book, on which Ken Burns based his award winning documentary, is included in the exhibit.  

The Georgia Radio Museum and Hall of Fame is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM, as well as on Sundays from Noon until 5:00 PM. There is no charge for admission but donations are greatly appreciated. 

"National service is a vital resource for our county," said County Administrator Steve Howard.  "AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers make our counties better places to live. As County Administrator, I am grateful for the dedication and sacrifice of these citizens who are helping to make our great county stronger, safer, and healthier."  

Sarah Newby

Given the many social needs facing communities, county and city leaders are increasingly turning to national service as a cost-effective strategy to meet local needs.  Camden County has one AmeriCorps member who has been a great asset to the County's 4-H and Agriculture programs.  Sara Newby, AmeriCorps VISTA, arrived in May 2014 for a one year stay.  She has provided vital support to our county program.  

 Through the AmeriCorps VISTA program, all volunteers are paid a monthly stipend and receive benefits and a  Segal AmeriCorps educational award at the end of their year of service.This volunteer position requires no financial commitment from the County as it is fully funded with a grant. 

The Day of Recognition for National Service is a nationwide bipartisan effort to recognize the positive impact of national service in counties, to thank those who serve, and to encourage citizens to give back to their communities. The day is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the National Association of Counties, the National League of Cities, and Cities of Service.

"I am proud to be working with Camden County as we continue to strengthen communities through national service," said Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. "County executives and mayors are leaders who get things done. They know first-hand the value of national service in tackling local problems. I commend County Administrator Steve Howard for working with us to improve lives and strengthen communities through national service."

As the federal agency for service and volunteering, CNCS annually engages more than five million citizens in service at more than 60,000 locations through AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and other programs. National service participants address the most pressing challenges facing our counties and nation, from educating students for the jobs of the 21st century and supporting veterans and military families to preserving the environment and helping communities recover from natural disasters.

Across the nation, county administrators and mayors are participating in a variety of activities, including visiting national service programs, hosting roundtables, issuing proclamations, and communicating about national service through social media. By shining the spotlight on the impact of service and thanking those who serve, local officials hope to inspire more residents to get involved in their communities.

"National service shows the best of the American spirit - people turning toward problems instead of away, working together to find community solutions," said Howard. "Today, as we thank national service members for their commitment, let us all pledge to do our part to strengthen our county through service and volunteering."

For more information, including background information and a list of participating county leaders and mayors, please visit www.nationalservice.gov/countiesforservice. 

The Board of County Commissioners is proud to recognize the St. Marys River Management Committee (SMRMC) on their 2014 Rivers Alive Confluence Award.  SMRMC was recently named as the award winner for their continued efforts and involvement in the 18th Annual St. Marys River Clean-up event held last year. As a member county, one of four currently participating in the program, the Camden Board of Commissioners would like to congratulate the Committee on this amazing accomplishment.

Rivers Alive is Georgia's annual volunteer waterway cleanup event that targets all waterways in the State including streams, rivers, lakes, beaches, and wetlands. The mission of Rivers Alive is to create awareness of and involvement in the preservation of Georgia's water resources. Rivers Alive is held annually each fall and is a program of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division Outreach Program.

County Administrator Steve Howard is grateful for this group and the work they are involved in on a regular basis. "Congratulations on receiving this award. What an accomplishment! I applaud your involvement and personal commitment to the St. Marys River." The Board will formally recognize the Committee on May 5, 2015 at the regularly scheduled Board of Commissioners meeting held on the 2nd floor of the Government Services Building in Woodbine, Georgia at 6:00PM with a Resolution in support of their efforts, dedication and commitment to the St. Marys River. State-wide recognition to honor the Committee for their amazing accomplishments will take place at an April 30th Annual Awards Ceremony and Luncheon to be held at Park Tavern in Atlanta.

About the St. Marys River Management Committee:  The SMRMC is an intergovernmental entity of elected and appointed members from four counties along the St. Marys River including Charlton, Camden, Nassau and Baker counties. The committee meets monthly to discuss, develop and implement plans and programs in regard to the St. Marys River. The SMRMC is made up of individuals who are involved because of a personal commitment to the St. Marys River.

Mr. George L. Hannaford has led a memorable life dedicating himself to family, church and the citizens of Woodbine and Camden County.  He was born July 27, 1931 in Folkston, Georgia, living through the terms of 14 presidents and weathering such storms as the Great Depression, World War II, Korean Conflict and the Civil Rights Movement.  Mr. Hannaford served his country in the United States Air Force from April 12, 1951 through April 11, 1955 as Staff Sergeant and Senior Weather Observer while stationed in Japan during the Korean Conflict. 

Left to right: Mayor Steve Parrott, City of Woodbine; George Hannaford; Commissioner, Jimmy Starline, Chairman.

For many years, Mr. Hannaford has continually given back to his community by dedicated public service to the citizens as a member of the Camden County Board of Commissioners from 1971 through 1976, serving for four years as Chairman.  He led a distinguished career with the City of Woodbine serving as City Council Member from 1963 through 1970 and through his elected offices, represented his constituents on many boards and committees.

Mr. Hannaford served in a dual capacity role as the Woodbine City Administrator from July 1, 1983 through April 1, 1999, as well as Woodbine City Clerk from July 1, 1983 through December 31, 1996.  He served proudly in the Camden County American Legion Post 170 for more than 40 years, and as its Commander for 15 of those years, as well as actively served in many other civic organizations and clubs such as the Woodbine Lions Club, Camden County Municipal Association, March of Dimes, the Camden County Community Action Committee, and served as a board member for the Joint Development Authority.

Joint Development Authority Board Members-Left to right :Louise Mitchell, Roger Tyo, Gary Willis, Hannaford, Charlie Smith, Sr; Burford Clark, and Stan Fowler.

Throughout the years, Mr. Hannaford has been a strong supporter of cultural development in our community, and played an integral role in the formation of the Bryan-Lang Historical Archives, as well as in the composition and publishing of the County's history book - "Camden's Challenge."

In celebration of April's National County Government Month, Camden County High School (CCHS) Art Students were invited to participate in the Board of Commissioners local Art Contest. In keeping with this year's theme, Counties Moving America Forward: The Keys are Transportation and Infrastructure, students were asked to come up with a creative design using any medium of their choice. Traditional scene, modern design, and collages were all welcome and could include Pastels, Acrylic Paint, Ink, Chalk, Watercolor, Markers, Charcoal, Oil Paint, Pencil, and Pen.

Left to Right: Amelia Mendelsohn, 2nd place; Jordan Nuckols, 1st place; and Haley Davis, honorable mention

During the Camden County Board of Commissioners meeting held on Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at 6:00 PM, Certificates of Recognition and

County lapel pins were awarded to four students: First Place - Jordan Nuckols; Second Place- Amelia Mendelsohn; Third Place - Kayla Post; and Honorable Mention- Haley Davis.

The Board of Commissioners would like to thank each student who participated in this year's contest. All art submissions will be on display at the Government Services Building in Woodbine until the end of April.

Nearly 3.1 million registered nurses in the United States comprise our nation's largest health care profession.  The depthand breadth of the registered nursing profession meets the different and emerging health care needs of the American population in a wide range of settings.  The American Nurses Association, as the voice for the registered nurses of this country, are working to chart a new course for a healthy nation that relies on increasing delivery of primary and preventive health care.  A renewed emphasis on primary and preventive health care will require better utilization of all of our nation's registered nursing resources. Professional nursing has been demonstrated to be an indispensable component in the safety and quality of care of hospitalized patients. 

The demand for registered nursing services is greater than ever because of the aging American population, the continuing expansion of life-sustaining technology, and the explosive growth of home health care services. More qualified registered nurses will be needed in the future to meet the increasingly complex needs of health care consumers in this community. The cost-effective, safe and quality health care services provided by registered nurses will be an even more important component of the U.S. health care delivery system in the future.

The Board of Commissioners would like to encourage all Camden County residents to join them in honoring the registered nurses in our community, and around the world, who care for each of us and our loved ones in our time of need. As these nurses continue their tireless efforts to improve our health care system, help us celebrate their accomplishments and show your appreciation for them not just during this week, but at every opportunity throughout the year.

Leslie Miller, RN; Barbara Walters, RN; Janet Garvey, DNP; Dawn Haney, RN; and Commissioner, Jimmy Starline, Chairman

The nurses of the Camden County Board of Commissioners' Living Well Clinic said, "As nurses at the Living Well Onsite Wellness Clinic, our mission is to promote balance between medicine and wellness by empowering our community to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.  We are thankful to our patients for trusting us on a level that allows us to cultivate relationships while providing quality healthcare."

As a firefighter, Chris goes above and beyond the call of duty every day. He comes to work with a positive attitude and always looks for ways to help his fellow firefighters and boost morale in the work place. Chris attempts to make everyone else's job a little easier and inspires his colleagues with his actions and helping hands. He is a compassionate person and highly skilled in his field, making him truly stand out among his peers. Chris definitely has a "can do" attitude.

While on a call, Chris supports the patient and families beyond his normal EMS requirements.  He is to be commended for the job he does out in the field where he shows courage, strength, dedication and loyalty to his coworkers. Chris is a caring and kindhearted individual who always manages to have a smile on his face. He is to be admired for his dedication and commitment to the citizens of Camden County.

The Board of Commissioners would like to applaud Firefighter Martin on his efforts. We are pleased and fortunate to have such a dedicated employee on the team and present in emergency situations.