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By HAYS CARLYON and LAMAR THAMES
The Times-Union

Fleming Island’s football team is grieving following the death of standout middle linebacker Wesley Whiddon, who is the son of a Clay County school principal.

Whiddon, who was killed Wednesday night after being struck by a train, was one of the Golden Eagles’ top talents on and off the field. As a junior, Whiddon recorded 175 tackles and forced five fumbles last season as Fleming Island reached the Region 1-5A final. Whiddon is the son of W.E. Cherry Elementary School Principal Angie Whiddon.

Jenna Bush had a beautiful wedding at her Dads place. She looked wonderful and happy. I wish them both all the best of luck and fortune. Why is that so many just can’t let this girl get married without talking trash is beyond me.

Here are just a few examples.

The Daily Kos celebrates Jenna Bush wedding by showing the beautiful wedding photo’s. Real Classy!

http://howardwasright.com/index.php/more/111/

An upset blogger (can't recall who it was)  recently complained that more people should "put their faces out there," so I thought I'd honor the request by putting a picture with my name.  Now that I have seen the picture, I have had some major doubts about the wisdom of having done so!  I'm reminded of my late father remarking about some politician's picture reminding him of "a mule eating barbed wire."  I'm sure he'd make that same remark again if he saw that picture I put on my blog!  He passed away in 1989, and had he lived until the year 2000 (11 more years), his life would have spanned three centuries (born 1899)!

Attentional all Lakeside Jr. High and Ridgeview High school Chorus Alumni:

Mrs. Louise Woolard will be retiring at the end of the school year. Her last concert is this coming Monday, May 19, at 7p.m. at Ridgeview Baptist Church, at the corner of Blanding and College Drive. We are trying to get as may of her former students as possible to attend, where you will be invited to sing. Please pass this on!

I'm Tom Platt and I thought I'd take a page from Mike Mann's campaign playbook and likewise stick my neck out as one of the 3 candidates in the District One BCC race. 

I promise not to take up a lot of bloviated space - just BRIEFLY talk about issues in the local races.  First issue is campaign contributors.  Below is an analysis of the categories of donors who graciously and generously donated to my campaign through 14 May 2008.  The details will be available over the Supervisor of Elections office at the end of June:

OCCUPATION                                 # DONORS          % OF DONORS          % OF DOLLARS

It appears that Commissioner Harold Rutledge will have a competitor in the District 5 race.

Green Cove Springs businessman Ronnie Robinson will run against Commissioner Rutledge in the August 26th primary.  Maybe that's a "sign" of the times?

It would be pretty "dog-gone" funny if he had his "brother-in-law Ricky" in a tv commercial as his "campaign manager!

It's time to inject a little humor into the blood-sport known as Clay county politics!

Regarding real estate values in Clay County:  today's TU had an announcement that some of The Enclave unsold condominiums (brand-new) at the corner of CR 220 and Lakeshore Drive/Canova Road were going to be auctioned off in a few days.  Some of my neighbors in Fleming Island Plantation have complained that they are "upside-down" on their mortgage on their condominium (that is, it would sell for less than what they owe on it).  Also, the condos just east of The Enclave on CR 220 are being leased because they are not selling - even after a 1/3 cut in sales price.

 Let's hope that no more condos are built in the area until the demand catches up with the over-supply.  Sorry to see this happen!

Has Ivy's trial's started yet and are/were they moved to St. Johns County so as not to bother the people that he screwed over? Kind of like the reinstated Comish.

A couple of days ago, I let my friends and campaign supporters know I was withdrawing from this year's race for the District 3 seat on the County Commission.  Yesterday, I notified the other two candidates in the race, and I'll file the official notice in the next few days at the Supervisor of Elections Office.

If you think making the decision to run for elected office is tough, try making one to drop out. A very - very - small group of friends urged me to run. A large group, including a couple of phone calls yesterday from people I haven't even met yet, tried to talk me into staying in the race.

I am just wondering how long it will take the city to remove the traffic cones on Houston St. and stripe the road? It seems it is taking them longer to paint a few stripes on the road than it did to construct the new building which by the way was dedicated on January 11th.

My friends and I have been so impressed at the fast pace in which the new restrooms and sidewalks at Spring Park have come together so why can't the city stripe Houston with the same diligence? Are we asking to much?

Please, can someone stripe Houston St. before the courthouse turns one?