This week, St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar was elected as the Florida Sheriff’s Association Treasurer for the upcoming fiscal year. He was installed at the closing ceremonies Tuesday evening of the annual summer conference of the FSA.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --  Friends and family cheered as Jim Alabiso finished up a 3.5-mile swim across the St. Johns River.

"I think it's really great what he's doing," said his son James Alabiso.

Alabiso, a competitive open water swimmer, began his river journey in Fleming Island.  Two hours later, his white swim cap could be seen as he made his way into the dock at Walter Jones Historical Park in Mandarin.

"It was wonderful.  It was a lot choppier than I thought it would be, probably the windiest day that we've done this course," said Alabiso.

He was happy to make it to dry land after the long trip trailed by boats for safety.  It was on this same dock, five years ago, that Alabiso made a promise to himself.    

"At that point I said I'm gonna swim across this thing," he said.

But it ended up being more than just a solo swim.  Alabiso wants this to serve as a wake-up call to everyone.

Phyisicans at St. Vincent's Medical Center are warning people about the health effects of the smoke from recent wildfires.  Doctors say they are seeing a rise in the number of patients complaining about irritation from smoke.

Pulmonologist Dr. Thomas Szwed, who works at St. Vincent's Medical Center, says people exercising outdoors may feel the effects.