Jacksonville City Council meeting: Confederate monuments

Should voters decide the fate of Jacksonville’s Confederate monuments, or should the City Council handle the matter itself? Tonight, council members will consider both options: Councilman Matt Carlucci’s proposal to spend $500,000 to move the Tribute to the Women of the Confederacy monument out of Springfield Read More …

We Stand with Ukraine

The Jacksonville City Council last night unanimously passed a resolution in solidarity with and support of Ukraine. Though the legislation has no action attached to it, it received more than 100 comments of support from residents. About 5,000 Jacksonville residents are natives of Ukraine. Several Read More …

Councilman calls out Duval Schools for a rat infestation at Neptune Beach Elementary

City Councilman Rory Diamond made a twitter post earlier this evening;, “Hey, @DuvalSchools, Rat infestation continues at Neptune Beach Elementary. Parents keep complaining and rats keep running around. What are you doing with the billions we sent you to fix this?” On the post, you can see Read More …

Khan is in, Kids Kampus and the fire department are out

Jacksonville’s Downtown Investment Authority unanimously voted Wednesday to approve releasing city-owned land for Jaguars owner Shad Khan’s plan for a Four Seasons hotel development on the downtown riverfront. The deal would sign over Kids Kampus to Khan’s development group for its use and leaves questions Read More …

City Council makes history

For the first time in Jacksonville history, our City Council will be led by two African-American members. Congratulations to new Council President Sam Newby and new Vice President Terrance Freeman. We are looking forward to your leadership and guidance in the coming year.

Did Jax City Council reallocate $19.9 million, or misappropriate $19.9 million

  If you ask Sheriff Mike Williams, whose department is set to split $16.8 million with JFRD, I’m sure he would say it was clearly a reallocation. This is the same Sheriff Mike Williams who recently submitted a $513 million dollar budget proposal to that Read More …

Hank Aaron’s name to be added to local ball field

The Jacksonville City Council just voted unanimously in favor of adding baseball legend Hank Aaron’s name to a local ballpark Aaron had ties to Northeast Florida, playing one season for the Jacksonville Braves at J.P Small Park. The new name of the park will be Read More …

Mayor Curry wants to rehire recently retired first responders

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry has introduced emergency legislation to the City Council that would allow recently retired first responders to temporarily return to work in the event of manpower shortages. The City Council will vote on the legislation at its virtual meeting tonight, which would Read More …

City Council has just unanimously approved the Small Business Relief and Employee Retention Grant Program with VyStar Credit Union

This program requires interest-only payments for the first year to ensure repayment costs remain low as the small business works through the pandemic response and rebuilding periods. The City will provide grants and reimbursements of interest and/or principal balances to businesses that meet certain criteria, Read More …

Inaction by the city council lets the bodies hit the floor

The Jacksonville medical examiner’s office doesn’t have enough room for its bodies, and hasn’t had enough room for far too long. The City Council, forced to act now that the general population is aware of the situation, could vote next week on an emergency fix.  Read More …

Jacksonville City Council and their disappearing park trick

I live in the Riverside Community of Jacksonville, Florida. We have a wonderful parks system in Jacksonville, the largest urban park system in the United States. We also have a top shelf Library in the Jacksonville Public Library, consistently ranked as one of the best Read More …

Flooded streets and soggy promises

Jacksonville’s problems with flooded streets go way back, before Cowford, before there were streets to flood. The Jacksonville Metro area was mostly wetlands at one time. The St Johns River  flows north, toward the Atlantic, after collecting water and runoff from tributaries all over the Read More …