PALM BAY, FLORIDA – For the 32nd consecutive year, the City of Palm Bay has earned the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the City’s fiscal year 2020-2021 budget.
The award represents a significant achievement by the City of Palm Bay’s Budget Office, reflecting the City’s commitment to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. To earn this recognition, the City budget must satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for an effective budget presentation and excel as a policy document, financial plan, operations guide, and communications tool.
“This award demonstrates the commitment and dedication given by the staff of the Budget Office in creating a quality annual budget submission for an unbelievable 32 years,” said City of Palm Bay Finance Director Larry Wojciechowski.
Hungry for a taste of the Caribbean right here in Palm Bay, or maybe you’ve always wanted to try traditional favorites like Jerk Chicken or Pork, Curried Goat of Chicken, Oxtail, and then wash it down with one of Jamaica’s traditional sodas or juices? Then you should definitely try Palm Bay’s JamRock Grill, a casual restaurant with a laid back and friendly Caribbean vibe, where you can find all of your favorites and maybe discover some new ones. We spoke with JamRock’s owners Garth and Michelle Williams via telephone to learn more about them and their restaurant.
What brought you to Palm Bay?
“We were in Washington D.C. and we wanted a better place for our kids to grow up. My wife’s family was here, and when I visited, I fell in love with Palm Bay! And I knew this was a good place to do business,” Garth said.
Where did the idea for JamRock come from?
“We opened a music venue called Sugar Kane Lounge, and I grew tired of the party scene, and I had always wanted to open a place where people could come and enjoy good, authentic jamaican food. So I went back to the drawing board and we opened JamRock.” Garth explained.
Tell us about your menu, which items are most popular, and if there are any secret or family recipes?
Mr Williams explained that he’s always loved cooking and that all of the recipes are his own that he has put together over the years. Michelle added, “The most popular item we’re doing right now is the Jerk Chicken. Garth loves to grill, and we put the chicken on the grill outside so it gets that smokiness and tastes just like the chicken you would get in Jamaica. And people love our signature rum punch.” “I do the chicken on authentic Jamaican Jerk drum like it’s supposed to be, and the oxtail and the Curry Chicken are popular, too. The restaurant is a few blocks from Winn-Dixie, and people walking to Winn-Dixie smell the chicken and come into the restaurant!” Garth said.
How would you describe the vibe/atmosphere of JamRock Grill?
“The vibe is a love vibe, the colors are the colors of the Jamaican flag, and I love the look of wood, and it’s pretty much my design. The atmosphere is really good, and when you walk into JamRock you just feel love, and we get a lot of compliments on our customer service,” Mr. Williams said. Said Mrs. Williams, “Our daughter is our head cashier and she is really good at customer service, which we really strive for. We want people to leave smiling.”
What’s running a business in Palm Bay like, have you been well received by the community?
Garth answered, “I love my community and Palm Bay is a great place to run the kind of business that I am running. The people that I meet, all kinds of people from different cultures, and I get to talk to them, that’s really special for me. So yes, Palm Bay is definitely a great place for the kind of business we have. The majority of our clients are not from the Caribbean, we have a very diverse clientele.”
You opened your current location in July of 2020, during the heart of COVID. What was that like?
“It actaully gave me a lot of time to think and reflect on my plan. We were going so fast before the pandemic and then the pandemic hit really slowed us down. The slow time really helped to clear my mind and focus on the plan and the things that I could control,” Mr. Williams explained.
What’s in the future for JamRock Grill?
Garth explained. “We definitely want to expand and put in a full bar in, maybe bring in Caribbean comedians and bands for live entertainment, and we really want to turn this into a Caribbean sports bar where folks can come in and watch their soccer or football or cricket or whatever, and drink some beer and shoot some pool. We want to expand what we offer so people will want to come for a happy hour and just enjoy themselves, maybe have some rum punch and good food. When I get this one just the way we want it, we definitely want to open the next location and we are thinking about franchising.”
7.14.2021- New update- Our city clerk has just confirm that the cost for the special election will be $253,628.04
Palm Bay- A change to the method by which Palm Bay fills vacant Council seats will be considered at the City of Palm Bay Regular Council meeting on Thursday, July 15, taking place in Council Chambers beginning at 7:00 P.M. The proposed change calls for vacant council seats to be filled by a majority vote of Council members rather than a special election, as the ordinance currently calls for.
This amendment to Chapter 50, Elections, of the City Code, was proposed by and the result of a collaboration of the Palm Bay Charter Officers, according to Terese Jones, Palm Bay City Clerk. According to Ms. Jones, the cost of the election to replace outgoing Councilman Jeff Bailey is unknown at this time.
For additional information about Thursday’s Regular Council meeting and to download the meeting agenda, click https://www.palmbayflorida.org/government/agendas-minutes/-folder-6003#docan1526_8367_2078
West Melbourne-Randall Keith Kearse was arrested this afternoon after a crime spree through West Melbourne and Melbourne today. Just after 10AM, Kearse entered the Walmart on Palm Bay Rd and filled up two carts of merchandise totaling over $1,500.00. He then exited the store without paying and was confronted by an employee. After a brief struggle over the merchandise, Kearse punched the employee and leaves prior to police arriving.
Unable to leave with the merchandise, Kearse made his way to the Home Depot on US 192. Once at the store, Kearse again selected multiple items and attempts to leave the without paying. A Home Depot associate identified Kearse due to his priors and attempted to stop him from leaving with the merchandise. Kearse once again became violent. He punched a 74 year old female cashier, knocking her to the ground and stabbed another associate with a screw driver. He then is seen getting into a white 4 door vehicle and leaving the area. Officers from West Melbourne, Melbourne and Brevard Sheriff’s Office conducted an extensive search for Kearse and the vehicle. Kearse then went to the Best Buy in Melbourne where he was able to steal several high dollar pieces of electronics and fled the area. Just before 12:30PM, the vehicle and Kearse were located by Melbourne Police department on Reddick St. where Kearse was taken into custody.
West Melbourne Police have charged Kearse with armed robbery, robbery, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, two counts of felony battery, grand theft, resisting a merchant and violation of probation. He will be held at the Brevard County Jail on no bond.
Kearse has an extensive criminal history in Brevard County:
Attempted Robbery Burglary Felony Battery Grand Theft (Multiple) Dealing in Stolen Property Giving False Verification of Ownership to Pawnbroker Violation of State Probation (Multiple) Violation of State Community Control Criminal Mischief Retail Theft (Multiple) Trespass Fail Leave Property Upon Warning By Owner Driving while License Suspended (Multiple) Resisting Arrest without Violence (Multiple)
PALM BAY, FLORIDA – On behalf of the Brevard County Association of Chiefs of Police, Chief Nelson Moya, current president of the association, announced the winners of the 2020 Officer of the Year and 2020 Communications Officer of the Year. The awards ceremony was held yesterday, June 23rd, 2021.
The 2020 Officer of the Year was presented to Melbourne Police Department’s Detective Jennifer Frost.
The 2020 Communications Officer of the Year was presented to Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Communications Officer Monica Mahl.
For more information on those award recipients, please contact their respective agency directly.
The West Melbourne Police Department is requesting the public’s help as we continue investigating the June 11, 2021 suspicious death of little 3 year old Jameson Nance.
Joshua Andrew Manns, 25, is a person of interest in the death of the young child. He left the West Melbourne residence where the child was found deceased, prior to law enforcement’s arrival and has eluded law enforcement since.
Manns has been spotted most recently at the intersection of Apopka-Vineland Rd and Colonial Dr in Orange County, FL. He has also been spotted in the Silverstar Rd and N. Hiawassee Rd area, as well as the South John Young Parkway corridor. Manns currently has an active warrant for his arrest for Child Neglect with Great Bodily Harm.
If you spot Mr. Manns, call 911 immediately. If you have information on his whereabouts, you are encouraged to contact West Melbourne Police at (321)723-9673. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can also call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477).
Subject information: Joshua Andrew Manns, 06/10/1996, 6’6”, approximately 200 lbs, brown hair possibly pulled back into a “bun”, and usually wears glasses.
The annual City of Melbourne Fireworks Celebration will be held on July 4, 2021, at Front Street Park (2210 Front Street).
Schedule
Approximately 8:10 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.: Skydiving show
9 p.m.: Fireworks start (weather permitting)
Skydiving Show
The Air Sports Parachute Team will be joining the celebration again this year! Skydivers carrying U.S. Flags will exit from the WWII “Tico Belle” C-47 provided by Valiant Air Command and land on the Melbourne Causeway and in the Indian River Lagoon by Front Street Civic Center for spectators to enjoy prior to the fireworks display.
Parking
Attendees are encouraged to park at Melbourne Auditorium (at 625 Hibiscus Boulevard) and use a free shuttle service to Front Street Park. Three buses will run continuously from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. Bus service will resume after the fireworks show and will run until 11 p.m. An ADA accessible bus will be available at the Melbourne Auditorium.
Parking at Front Street Park will be reserved for those with Disabled Parking Permits only and will be extremely limited.
No parking is allowed on the portion of the causeway that is in the City of Melbourne. Please note that some businesses do not allow public parking. Those businesses may have your vehicle towed from their private properties at your expense even if they are not open for business on July 4.
Road Closures
The following roads will close at 8 p.m. and will remain closed until approximately 10 p.m., depending on the time it takes for pedestrians to safely exit the park:
Strawbridge Avenue (US 192) from US 1 to Riverside Drive (Indialantic)
New Haven Avenue from the east side of the Mansion’s driveway to Strawbridge Avenue
Riverview Drive at Palmetto Avenue
Front Street at Melbourne Avenue
Boat Ramp Closure
The boat ramp at Front Street Park will be closed at 5 p.m. on July 3 and will reopen at 9 a.m. on July 5.
Canopies/Tents Not Allowed
Canopies and tents will not be allowed at Front Street Park because they block the view for other spectators.
Rain Date
In the event of rain, the fireworks display will be rescheduled to July 5. There will be no bus service or skydiver performance on the rain date.
We have learned of an incident at Heritage High School where a student was injured after being body slammed. Palm Bay Live has viewed the video and determined that the video is too graphic for us to show. We did solicit a update on the incident from Palm Bay Police Department. Here is the latest:
“16yo male victim was verbally provoking the 15yo male suspect, the suspect in turn violently body slammed the victim. The victim struck his head. The juvenile suspect was charged with Aggravated Battery and remains held for 21 days at JDC. The victim was stable at a local hospital.”
The above is an official statement from the Palm Bay Police Department.
Opened in 2018 and located on U.S. 1 at Turkey Creek in Palm Bay is Paddling Paradise, where you can rent paddleboards and kayaks and book paddleboard, kayak and Hobie Mirage Pedal tours. Equipment rentals include the paddleboard or kayak, paddle, and personal flotation device, but be sure to bring your own protective clothing and plenty of water. Paddling Paradise also has a store with clothing and paddleboarding accessories for sale, and they offer paddleboard and kayak storage. Events offered include sunrise paddles, eco tours, private lessons, SUP yoga, paint & paddle parties, birthday parties, and group team building. Whether you want a relaxing time floating across the water of Turkey Creek hoping to catch a glimpse of a dolphin or manatee, or if you’re looking for access to competitive water-based sporting events or anything in between, Paddling Paradise has something to offer you. Palm Bay Live spoke to the operator of Paddling Paradise, Dan Smith, to learn more about the business.
Tell me about your background and how you became so passionate about paddle boarding and water activities?
“I grew up in Melbourne, and traveled around the world, I surfed competitively growing up, and about 15 years ago I got into paddleboarding, and it’s just been amazing. It’s a way to get out on the water and enjoy, and I can surf on a paddleboard or just paddle flat water or I can race on it. And paddleboarding is really for everyone, brand new people can go out with just minimal training.”
Today’s kayaks have gone really high tech, haven’t they? They are made with high performance composite materials and feature advanced designs. Tell us about that.
“For sure! We are a Hobie dealer and we have boats that have the Hobie Mirage Drive pedal drive system which can be pedal paddled or sailed, and we both rent and sell these amazing watercraft. Purchase prices range from $1,500 to $8,000. They’re really fun!”
Paddling Paradise is a jumping off place for many activities such as Women on Water, the Turkey Creek Sanctuary Kayak Tour, and you’re active in other sporting events and competitions, right?
“Yes, we have something for everyone. And this past July we hosted the Amature Athletic Union (AAU) Junior Olympics first ever paddleboard event, and just recently paddleboarding was added as an official AAU event along with track & field, tennis and volleyball. And through our Paddle Sports League we will be promoting paddleboard events with clubs throughout Florida.”
What has it been like to operate through a pandemic?
“We were lucky and remained open the whole time, paddleboarding is an outdoor activity in beautiful Florida, and people were definitely interested in getting outside during the pandemic in a safe and socially-distanced way. Outdoor activities like bicycling and kayaking have been growing in popularity recently, so we were definitely luckier than some of the other businesses.”
On your Facebook page, you have pictures of paddleboarders and kayakers seeing dolphins and manatees up close. Does that happen often?
“Absolutely, that’s an everyday occurrence, and it’s amazing the diversity of the things that we do see. Dolphins, manatees, birds, all sorts of fish, and turtles too. And what you see varies depending on where in Turkey Creek you are. It really is amazing.”
What are your future plans for Paddling Paradise?
“We are definitely looking to get more youth into the sport. The main demographic for paddleboarding is women aged 35 to 55, but now that we are part of AAU and their 700,000 members, many of whom are youth athletes who will now have access to our paddleboarding events. And the moms are already paddleboarding, so this is a way for the moms to include the kids in their hobby. During the AAU event, we had three generations of women from the same family compete in the same race, and they each finished the race and won an award. So our goal is to grow the sport with youth and get the word out that anybody can enjoy paddleboarding. And once the kids paddleboard they love it!
Another important part of our future is that the City of Palm Bay is looking to further develop the property where our business is located, perhaps adding a restaurant and other things that will drive more traffic here. Paddling Paradise will continue to be here on the same property and looking to get more people out on the water to enjoy themselves!”
The City of Palm Bay Sustainability Advisory Board is hosting a contest to find the cover art for the City’s upcoming Sustainability Action Plan. We are looking for young artists to help us imagine what a sustainable Palm Bay looks like.
Sustainability means using limited resources responsibly so that future generations enjoy a healthy planet and have the water, energy, materials, and land needed to survive. This may include conserving water or electricity, using wind- or solar-powered energy, recycling, avoiding food waste, and caring for the environment.
The City’s Sustainability Advisory Board will select the entry that they feel best illustrates sustainability in Palm Bay. The winning artwork will be featured on the front cover of the City of Palm Bay Sustainability Action Plan and the artist will be recognized at an upcoming Board Meeting.
Contest Rules
Age requirement: Palm Bay kids 18 years of age and under are invited to participate.
How to enter: Applications can be submitted in person or sent in via email.
Submissions may be dropped off at City Hall located at 120 Malabar Road SE, Attn: Britta Kellner.
Submissions may be emailed to Sustainability@pbfl.org. Please send your artwork as a high-quality JPG or PDF file.
Applicant information: All submissions must include the name of the artist, their age, the name of their parent or guardian, and a contact telephone number and email address.
Artwork size: All artwork submitted for the contest must be 8.5 x 11”. All 2D mediums are welcome including pencil, crayon, marker, paint, collage, and digital art.
Deadline: The deadline to apply is Friday, July 30, 2021 at 5:00pm.
By submitting artwork to the Sustainability Action Plan Art Contest, all applicants grant the City of Palm Bay a non-exclusive perpetual license to reproduce images of the submitted artwork. All artwork submitted must be original and not a reproduction of copyrighted material. Any artwork found to infringe upon a copyright will be disqualified. Applicants may only submit one entry to the contest.
