Jacksonville, Florida
Victorian era cemetery superstitions and traditions help us to better understand the world our ancestors lived in. In our day, we may throw a fancy wedding but during the Victorian era, elaborate funeral customs were all the rage! Many of the cemetery superstitions and traditions Read More …
Not unlike Madonna, Lady Gaga, and other world-famous divas, Miss Piggy has never deigned to use her full name among us mere mortals. If she had, more of us might know that her first name is actually short for “Pigathius,” which comes from a Greek Read More …
If you have a smartwatch or other fitness tracker, you might get a little celebratory notification when you hit 10,000 steps — or maybe you’ve just heard someone refer to “getting their 10,000 steps in.” That benchmark persists because it’s a nice, round number that’s Read More …
St. Augustine, Florida, was founded on September 8, 1565 — more than 200 years before the United States was an official country. Pedro Menéndez de Avilés was an explorer from Spain who came ashore in Florida on August 28, 1565, on the Catholic feast day Read More …
Most people know the “five-second rule”: the idea that if food that’s fallen on the floor has been there less than five seconds, it’s still acceptable to eat. No one knows the origins of this questionable rule — and plenty of people think it’s kind of Read More …
Originally, it was actually the other way around. For much of the 19th century, most infants and toddlers wore white dresses. Dresses facilitated diaper-changing, and white cotton could easily be cleaned with bleach. But around 1900, childcare experts began to push for a greater distinction between little girls Read More …
If you live in Florida for any length of time, you will probably either ride through a few major hurricanes or get the heck out of the way of one before it arrives. Hurricanes – and their weaker cousin, the tropical cyclone – pose a Read More …
Being a father can be a wonderful thing, once you get past all the gross stuff, all the stressful events, the loss of privacy, and the bewildering numbers of ways you can screw it up. But other than those few things, fatherhood is wonderful. Every Read More …
A new immersive art experience is coming to the NoCo Center in Downtown Jacksonville starting June 9th. Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience will replace Beyond Van Gogh, which ends a long run this Sunday, April 30. The new exhibit will use digital projections to transport visitors to ancient Egypt, with Read More …
NONPARTISAN NO MORE?: In 1998, Florida voters passed a constitutional amendment requiring school board elections to be nonpartisan. The state Legislature just approved a new proposed constitutional amendment that would reverse that decision. It will be on our ballots next year. If at least 60% of voters approve, Read More …
A year after civil rights groups filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Jacksonville over newly drawn City Council and School Board districts, the city is trying to settle the case. Last May, residents and groups including the Jacksonville branch of the NAACP, the Northside Read More …
An organization that coordinates services for homeless people in Duval, Clay and Nassau counties will do another count to get a clearer picture of just how many people are in need of their services. Changing Homelessness conducts a federally mandated census, called a point-in-time count, every January. Read More …
There are many theories as to how bunnies became associated with Easter — like the supposed Anglo-Saxon goddess who turned an egg-laying bird into a rabbit, or how Neolithic communities in Europe buried hares in religious rituals. What is known is that by the 1600s, English hunters Read More …
The next time you pop some jelly beans into your mouth, you may want to take a moment to appreciate just how much effort goes into producing these bite-sized delights. As explained by industry giant Jelly Belly, the process begins by heating a sugar, cornstarch, Read More …
On April 1, 1996, the fast-food chain Taco Bell announced that they had acquired one of America’s most historic relics, the Liberty Bell. Taco Bell went all out by purchasing full-page advertisements in seven major local newspapers, including the Philadelphia Inquirer. In those ads, the fast-food chain announced Read More …
If you were listening to NPR’s Talk of the Nation program on April 1, 1992, then you likely heard the shock of a lifetime. During that episode, disgraced former U.S. President Richard Nixon — who had resigned the presidency in 1974 — announced that he would seek the office Read More …
Junior Achievement of North Florida is hosting the inaugural JA Stock Market Challenge, a live trading challenge that is part of its Take Stock in Your Future pilot program. The event is Thursday, March 30 at TIAA Bank Field’s Lower East Club. The top 29 Read More …
Two Weeks Away: Jax River Jams Presented by VyStar Credit Union Don’t miss the return of Jax River Jams Presented by VyStar Credit Union! The concert series is returning to Riverfront Plaza this spring on each Thursday in April. The series will kick off on April 6th with American Read More …