Peter Schorsch
One of the focuses of Jacksonville Bold is hyperlocal coverage of the First Coast’s state legislative races. In this email program and on FloridaPolitics.com, we hope to provide the most comprehensive coverage of the House and Senate campaigns up for grabs in 2016. So let’s set the table on where these races stand now that the campaign season is heating up.
Northeast Florida’s state legislative campaigns fall into one of two categories this cycle: incumbents on cruise control or primary season battlegrounds.
Northeast Florida’s Senate seats don’t looks set for much drama in 2016, with sitting Sens. Aaron Bean, Rob Bradley and Audrey Gibson currently running unopposed in the region’s newly redrawn — and incumbent-friendly — districts, though that could change if Gibson mounts a campaign for Democratic U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown’s seat in congress.
The situation is playing out the same way in most of the area’s House seats, too. Incumbent Republican Reps. Jay Fant, Cyndi Stevenson, Travis Cummings and Paul Renner should have an easy time winning re-election, as should Democrat Reggie Fullwood in HD 13. Possibly the only Northeast Florida incumbent breaking a sweat is Republican Rep. Elizabeth Porter, who is facing two challengers in House District 10.
Heading into April, Porter had about $15,000 on hand, putting her only slightly ahead of Democrats Jerry Bullard and Rick Schutte who had around $14,000 and $10,000 on hand, respectively, in their most recent campaign finance reports.
Whether or not the challenges prove to be a thorn in Porter’s side will have to way until Election Day — since the seat was redrawn in 2012, Porter has been the only major party candidate on the ballot despite there being 8,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans in the five-county district.
The rest of action looks like it will go down during primary season, with Republicans fighting for open seats in three Duval County districts — HD 11, HD 12 and HD 16 — as well as HD 19, which covers Bradford, Putnam, Union and part of Clay. While Jason Fischer has been pulling further and further away from former Rep. Dick Kravitz in the HD 16 race, and Katherine Van Zant has done the same in the race for her termed-out husband’s HD 19 seat, the other two contests are still very much alive.
So far, seven Republicans have filed for HD 11, though Sheri Treadwell, who works at the Duval County Property Appraiser’s office, and businessman Donnie Horner have emerged as the front-runners to take over for termed out Rep. Janet Adkins. At the start of April, Treadwell held the fundraising lead with $102,000 on hand, compared to $80,000 for Horner. The next closest candidate, Cord Byrd, had about $25,000, followed by Barry Holloway at $13,677 on hand.
The six-way nominating contest in neighboring HD 12 looks a little more competitive, with three former Jacksonville City Council members vying for the seat currently held by termed-out Rep. Lake Ray.
Former Councilman Richard Clark still holds a fundraising advantage with about $50,000 on hand April 1, and that’s after taking a five month fundraising break from October through February, though he has since started pulling down a six-figure salary with his new job as a Governmental Affairs Officer for the Jacksonville Transportation Authority.
Fellow former Councilman Clay Yarborough comes in only slightly behind the front-runner. Since filing in mid-November, he’s taken in nearly $50,000; nearly all of that money is on-hand.
He may be in for serious competition from political newcomer Mark MacLean or Terrance Freeman, Council Executive Assistant for Aaron Bowman, who have each amassed significant war chests since entering the race this year.
MacLean has had two five-figure months in a row, and finished March with more than $31,000 on hand after three months, though his total includes $16,500 in loans. Freeman, who filed in February, had a little under $22,000 on hand through the same date, without injecting any of his own money into the race.
Don Redman, the other former councilman in the contest, looks to be losing steam with about $19,000 on hand more than a year into his campaign.
HD 14, a majority-minority seat in northern Duval County, is the only race that could offer a twinge of excitement on the Democratic side.
Two of the four Democrats to file for outgoing Rep. Mia Jones’ seat, attorney Leslie Jean-Bart and former state Rep. Terry Fields, look like they have gained traction in the race, while a surprise five-figure March put former Councilwoman Kimberly Daniels in the conversation.
Heading into April, Jean-Bart had raised the most money, with more than $36,000 in her campaign account, followed by the former council member at about $23,000. Daniels, who brought in no money in January or February, ended March with $15,330 on hand, while the fourth Democrat, Gracie McCastler, had only a $100 loan to show after two months in the race.
“Lenny Curry PAC breaks $600K barrier in March” via AG Gancarski of Florida Politics — Curry’s PAC, Build Something That Lasts, crossed the $600,000 threshold on the strength of an $87,500 March. No real surprises were to be found in the contributors. Peter Rummell and Florida Blue went in for $25,000 each, and J.B. Coxwell went $10,000 deep. Stellar, meanwhile, ponied up $15,000. Of the $38,502 of March expenses, included was $17,716 to Michael Munz’s Dalton Agency for business/travel expenses and $10,000 to Data Targeting. All told, the Curry PAC has around $322,000 on hand.
Happening Wednesday — Congressional candidate David Santiago will hold a meet and greet luncheon Wednesday with special guest Mayor Lenny Curry. Event begins 11:30 a.m. at The River Club. Donations are not required, and guests are asked to only bring an appetite and questions as to why Santiago would be the best candidate to represent the 6th Congressional District. RSVP with Beth Babington at [email protected].
“Rep. Travis Cummings endorses Jason Fischer in House District 16” – “I am proud to support Jason Fischer because we need more principled conservatives in Tallahassee,” Cummings said in a statement. “Jason will stand up for our shared conservative values and be a champion for freedom and a champion for Jacksonville.” Fischer responds: “Rep. Cummings is a principled conservative and leader for all of Northeast Florida, as demonstrated by his commitment to pension reform for Jacksonville during this past session. I look forward to serving with him in the House and fighting for common-sense conservative reforms.”
“HD 16’s Charles McBurney is ‘Dancing with the Stars’” via AG Gancarski of Florida Politics — The next Jacksonville’s Dancing with the Stars event will be June 4, at 8 p.m. at the Times-Union Center in Jacksonville. On Facebook, the Jacksonville Republican writes “The 2016 Regular Session of the Legislature is over, and it is time to go dancing, not the Legislative kind, but for real!! I’ve been asked to raise money for the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus and participate in Jacksonville’s Dancing with the Stars … ” To sponsor McBurney, make checks out to “Jacksonville Children’s Chorus” should have “McBurney” in the memo line. Mail your check to JCC, 225 E Duval St., Jacksonville, FL 32202.
“Wes White’s fundraising flat lines in State Attorney race” via AG Gancarski of Florida Politics — The money race between challenger White and incumbent 4th Circuit State Attorney Angela Corey has never been competitive, but March may be the starkest indicator yet of a gap between the two. White raised just $1,000 in March, from Elizabeth White of St. Petersburg. Beyond that, he loaned his campaign $2,500. Personal loans, now totaling $12,722, are all that’s keeping the White campaign afloat. White, in his 13 months in the race, has raised $30,260 and has spent $38,201. Corey, with $203,000 cash on hand through March, has no such cash flow problems.
“Public Defender candidate Charles Cofer scores with Jax establishment” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — 4th Circuit Public Defender Matt Shirk faces an unenviable task of battling a well-funded primary opponent, Cofer, who has unimpeachable credibility in Jacksonville. For the second straight month, Cofer scored more than $25,000 in donations. His $25,430 brought his total raised up to $85,385, against only $17,688 spent. Combined with a $7,000 loan earlier this year, Cofer has $75,000 on hand. Cofer’s donor list looks like that of a winner. W.W. Gay, Wayne Weaver, Gary Chartrand, former Mayor Jake Godbold, Duval County School Board member Cheryl Grimes, Bob Shircliff, Peter Rummell, and the Gray Robinson PAC are the most prominent names on Cofer’s March list.
“Major bond rating agency upgrades JEA debt to its highest rating” via Sebastian Kitchen of the Florida Times-Union — The move by Standard & Poor’s Rating Services marked the first time JEA debt has ever been rated AAA. The move helps the city-owned utility to save money when it borrows in the future or refinances its more than $1.6 billion in debt for its water and sewer system. JEA Chief Financial Officer Melissa Dykes said financial stability is a major consideration for rating agencies; the timing of this move points to stability created by the JEA board and the finalized financial agreement between JEA and the city. Dykes pointed out that the AAA rating, which indicates the borrower has an “extremely strong” capacity to meet its financial commitments, is higher than that of the federal government. The high-priority water and sewer debt was raised two notches to AAA. The rating for a subordinate line of debt was increased one notch to AA+.
And yet there’s this >>> “JEA board must do more listening” via the Florida Times-Union
And this>>> “Jax leads in energy inequality, study shows” via Melissa Ross of Florida Politics — A new Groundswell analysis, “From Power to Empowerment: Plugging Low-Income Communities into the Clean Energy Economy,” ranked Jacksonville first among U.S. city residents struggling with energy inequality. Nearly 15 percent of Jacksonville residents living below the federal poverty line ($50K income for a family of four) pay more than $200 a month for electricity. The report is released just as the city’s utility, JEA, deals with controversy from solar activists over proposed changes to its net metering program.
“Janet Adkins makes honor roll on Florida’s Education Report Card” — Adkins, who represents House District 11, earned an A+ and a spot on the Honor Roll on the Foundation for Florida’s Future 2016 Education Report Card. The high marks follow the lawmaker’s leadership this year on improving the quality of education in the Sunshine State through support for student-centered policies. “She has a heart and passion for students and their families,” said Patricia Levesque, Executive Director of A FloridaPromise. Adkins sponsored HB 7021, a bill aimed at improving reading instruction for struggling readers. Her determination to bring this important issue front and center will inform future discussions and ultimately benefit a generation of students.
Assignment editors — Gov. Scott will hold a bill signing ceremony and announce new jobs Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at Novolex, 500 Ellis Road North, #A in Jacksonville.
“JCCI death rattle?” via John Burr — Please send $5,000, or more! That’s the message that JCCI Board Chairman Kevin Hyde sent out to the nonprofit’s supporters last month, as recently reported in the Times-Union. The nonprofit could close in as few as two weeks, the letter stated.
While that desperate plea has resulted in an influx of badly needed donations, Jacksonville Community Council Inc. — known as Jacksonville’s think tank, is still in trouble. Well-known for its annual report on the quality of life in the city, and reports on social ills such as racism, inadequate mental health services, and underperforming public schools, JCCI has been under financial pressure for years. At one point the organization began conducting studies of other cities on a contract basis to raise revenue, but apparently that effort fell short.
It would be difficult to imagine Jacksonville without JCCI — the nonprofit has been operating since 1883, in response to a smallpox epidemic. It’s current major effort — JAX2525 — is an ambitious and progressive plan to improve the city in a number of ways, including arts, culture, race relations and reinvigorating Downtown Jacksonville. The city needs JCCI, and right now, JCCI needs its city.
“Doyle Carter pitches Reggie Gaffney in Jax council VP bid, but Gaffney doesn’t come through” via AG Gancarski of Florida Politics — Carter trailed John Crescimbeni in the pledge count in their Jacksonville City Council VP race 6 to 4. Carter held a half-hour long meeting with District 7 Councilman Reggie Gaffney, whose pledge would have been seen as a bellwether for support from the nine Council members (including four African-American Democrats from Districts 7 through 10) previously uncommitted. However, after a meeting that addressed topics ranging from downtown development and the Jacksonville Journey to crime and Hemming Park, Carter couldn’t close the deal, as Gaffney said he owed Crescimbeni the respect of a meeting, and that he might have an answer for Carter by the middle of next week. With various people looking on, such as Councilman Tommy Hazouri and Council VP Lori Boyer, who backs Crescimbeni, it could have been argued that getting Gaffney’s backing would have been a sign of viability for the Carter candidacy. That sign was, at least temporarily, deferred.
“Officials look to Spring Park project as key piece in economic development” via Teresa Stepzinski of the Florida Times-Union — The natural spring that is key to the city’s historic past could help lock in its future, say Green Cove Springs leaders and economic development officials projecting new business and industry could come into the community just as the mineral water now flows through Spring Park into the adjacent St. Johns River. The city is rebuilding Spring Park pool in a $2.4 million project that also calls for repairing, renovating and upgrading the fragile spring boil, enhancing its outfall and constructing a new pavilion complementing the natural beauty of the park that is a landmark popular with residents and visitors alike. “What we’re hoping is the whole entire setting of Green Cove Springs, both environmentally and historically as well as economically, produces an ambience that businesses want to be here and our children are going to stay here because they have jobs, because they have parks and because of a small town feel,” Mayor Van Royal said. Enhancing the spring and its surrounding namesake park — on the riverfront in the heart of the city — will foster that atmosphere along with economic growth, he said.
“Jacksonville and Orange Park businesses cope with shootings” via Dan Scanlan of the Florida Times-Union — They happened only a month ago, 14 miles away from each other but sharing tragic threads. Both were rare workplace shootings in the Jacksonville area, with a man dying at each. One ended with the gunman killing himself March 7 at Jacksonville Granite in Orange Park after injuring a co-worker. The other gunman gave himself up after killing a supervisor two days later at B&L Landscape Co. in Jacksonville. In the month since 34-year-old James Cameau opened fire on co-workers at Jacksonville Granite, it has been “tough,” foreman Nick Farber said. “We have made changes toward the safety of our people, definite changes, and we are ensuring safety from now on,” Farber said. “James was a good employee. He did his job, and it is still senseless. … It was a detriment to the company that we are still trying to recover from. We just wish everyone a speedy recovery. And for his [Cameau’s] family, I hope he’s at peace. That is the best way I can put it.”
“Why does Austin have far fewer murders than Jacksonville?” via Ron Littlepage of the Florida Times-Union — Why is Jacksonville so much more violent than Austin? Statistics from past years show the number of homicides in Austin usually ranges from 20 to 30 a year while Jacksonville’s annual homicide rate normally approaches or surpasses 100. On the surface, Austin and Jacksonville aren’t that much different in some ways. According to the latest census figures, Austin had a population of 912,791 in 2014 while Jacksonville stood at 853,382. Austin also has a large minority population with Hispanics making up 35 percent of the population. Jacksonville is 30 percent African-American. Both cities have problems with gangs. One difference is Austin police began an intense effort to combat gangs in the early 1990s while the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office maintained for years that gangs didn’t exist here. Much of the recent violence in Jacksonville is clearly gang related. The three homicides in Austin — repeat, three — aren’t. But what’s different about Jacksonville that’s costing the lives of so many people? That’s a question Jacksonville should be asking and looking with urgency for an answer. Three homicides in Austin in three months. Twenty-nine in Jacksonville.
“Court voids police, fire pension fund agreement” via Cyd Hoskinson of WJCT — There will be no more legal wrangling over a nullified 30-year pension agreement between the city of Jacksonville and the Police and Fire Pension Fund. An appeals court upheld a decision, voiding the 2001 deal because it was put together behind closed doors in violation of the state’s Sunshine Law. The Pension Fund Board appealed. It’s a major victory for the watchdog group Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County, which challenged the agreement in 2011. “It’s also a huge win for the people of Jacksonville,” said John Winkler, the organization’s president.
“Jax leaders kick off victims’ rights week” via AG Gancarski of Florida Politics — Jacksonville’s mayor, sheriff and state attorney, along with other stakeholders, came together in the City Hall rotunda for one purpose: to kick off Victims’ Rights Week … to safeguard the rights of victims of violent crime, a shared priority of stakeholders in government, such as the aforementioned, and outside, such as Ken Jefferson, the former Sheriff’s candidate and longtime board member of the Justice Coalition. Mayor Lenny Curry, in his brief remarks, noted that he was here “to support victims” and “be part of the healing process.”
“Jacksonville debates property donation rules” via Christopher Hong of the Florida Times-Union — Frustrations are growing in City Hall over the continued gridlock of a plan designed to transform more vacant and blighted properties into affordable housing by lifting restrictions on the types of groups that receive donated land from the city. Supporters of the plan, including many council members and Mayor Lenny Curry’s administration, say it will help put “zombie” properties, acquired by the city through tax reversion, into the hands of taxpaying homeowners, all while meeting Jacksonville’s growing need for affordable housing. But a few council members say they are concerned the plan would hurt the city’s certified Community Housing Development Organizations — colloquially referred to as “chodos” — that are dedicated to building affordable housing in struggling neighborhoods and currently have the exclusive right to receive donated property from the city. Those council members have stalled the plan for months as they continue to work through their concerns. At the same time, one of them, Councilman Reginald Brown, has been working to donate 32 properties to a local CHDO. The proposed donation, which hasn’t been finalized, wouldn’t be allowed under the new rules.
“Donna Barrow to retire from Jacksonville’s City Hall Thursday” via AG Gancarski of Florida Politics — Barrow, the current Deputy Director of Policy at City Hall, will retire this week … 5 acres on a mountaintop outside of Hiawassee, Georgia (where this writer got married), await Barrow, who was an early hire last year for the Curry administration. Barrow, in addition to her work for the city which included being City Council Assistant to her current boss, Policy Director Robin Lumb, hopes to be able to devote more time in retirement to grassroots political activism. Barrow campaigned heavily for Marco Rubio when he was running, including a trip to South Carolina before the Palmetto State primary. Barrow was also indispensable to grassroots efforts in the Duval GOP’s rout in the 2015 elections.
“Social activists to Angela Corey: resign” via Ryan Benk of WJCT — Jacksonville progressive groups say State Attorney Corey’s approach to juvenile justice should disqualify her from holding public office. The coalition is calling on Gov. Scott to remove her. About 20 people from groups, including Jacksonville Progressive Coalition, Wrongfully Incarcerated and Convicted and Mad Moms, gathered at Jacksonville’s Friendship Fountain to criticize the state attorney. If Corey doesn’t bow out of her re-election bid, the coalition wants the governor to show her the door. “Why is that? As you can see, the Southern Poverty Law Center has declared that the state attorney’s office is the worst,” said Mad Moms’ Patricia Brooks.
“Wounded Warriors sputtering counteroffensive” via John Burr — This was probably inevitable, a front-page “We are the victims!” twisting of the story by ousted Wounded Warrior Project CEO Steven Nardizzi and chief operating officer Al Giordano in the Florida Times-Union. The two top officers of the Jacksonville-based charity accused of mishandling donated funds and not spending enough of the hundreds of millions of dollars collected by their charity to help wounded military veterans largely blame their downfall on — who else? — the media.
“The two most painful (allegations) are that somehow we’re not treating donor dollars appropriately and that we’re not taking care of warriors,” Nardizzi told the Times-Union. “For me, watching the news reports, those were the most personally painful allegations, and obviously untrue.” It’s fair that these guys get to tell their side of the story. But it’s not likely that many minds will be changed by the assertion that the charity has been damaged by a “false narrative” and that the board’s ouster of the two top executives was “poorly done.”
Here’s one telling, irrefutable fact: The people with the best access to the financial details of how Wounded Warriors spent its money — the board of directors — had a financial review conducted and then decided to fire Nardizzi and Giordano. Poorly done? It takes some brass to complain that your firing was poorly done after the misdeeds that you were responsible for, the so-called “false narrative,” caused the scandal in the first place. Sounds like the board got this decision right.
“Looking back at One Spark 2016, organizers say refocus on creators fortified condensed event” via Drew Dixon of the Florida Times-Union — A revised concentration on startups and entrepreneurs also allowed organizers to fortify a deeper commitment to the original intent of the crowdfunding event. Peter Rummell, the chair of the One Spark board, was beaming about the event that took place Wednesday and Thursday with the festival first and the Innovation Day and Spark Tank taking place Thursday at the Hyatt Regency hotel on the riverfront. Assessing the events, Rummell was pleased with the crowd attendance that saw 63 creators lined up along Laura Street downtown. But he quickly started to praise the second day of One Spark 2016 that drew about 500 entrepreneurs to Innovation Day that featured about 60 speakers that ran parallel to the Spark Tank event which ranked the top creators in the festival.
“New ‘Project Rex’ to bring 1,500 jobs, $200 million in improvement” via Jensen Werley of the Jacksonville Business Journal — A new fulfillment center operation, Project Rex, would create 1,500 new jobs by Dec. 31, 2019, … Five hundred of the created jobs will pay an average annual salary of $50,000 … will be located just south of Jacksonville International Airport. The project is seeking state incentives in a Qualified Targeted Industry, or QTI tax refund of $1.2 million; economic development transportation fund grants of $3 million and a Florida Flex training grant of $750,000. The city is also offering up an REV grant, city training and hiring assistance grant and road improvement grant. Total city public investment is up to $13.4 million. Total state and city incentives equal more than $18 million.
What Ashley Walker is reading — “Should Jacksonville accept Airbnb’s tax money?” via Andrew Pantazi of the Florida Times-Union — For years, the website allowed anyone to rent their abodes … like hotels to strangers. In Jacksonville and most cities, the website has done so without paying bed taxes, arguing that it is up to the person renting his home to pay the taxes. But two months ago, a PricewaterhouseCoopers tax manager hired by Airbnb sent the Duval County Tax Collector a boilerplate contract to allow the website to start sending in tax payments for its hosts. City attorneys are going through the contract with Duval County Tax Collector Michael Corrigan before presenting it to the City Council … The Airbnb contract is similar to ones agreed to in Orange County, Pinellas County and the state revenue department, which handles taxes for 22 counties. The bed tax is limited in what it can be used for. It is intended to pay for a county’s tourist-related costs — marketing, beach maintenance and in Jacksonville, stadium improvements. The proposed contract, among many other things, includes a clause that would exempt Airbnb from paying back taxes.
“Army exercises shipping abilities at Port of Jacksonville facility” via Sebastian Kitchen and David Bauerlein of the Florida Times-Union — A new $30 million cargo facility at the Port of Jacksonville won’t open until later this summer, but trains began pulling in loaded with military gear. The U.S. Army is breaking in the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility at Dames Point, going through readiness exercises in which military personnel unload heavy equipment from rail cars and onto a nearby ship. Soldiers will unload the equipment and take it in a convoy 1.7 miles to the cruise ship terminal, where they will eventually load it onto a U.S. Navy vessel. That will take about four days.
“School district, teachers union present disagreements with special magistrate at impasse meeting” via Emelia Hitchner of the St. Augustine Record — Members of St. Johns County School District and St. Johns Education Association presented arguments to a special magistrate at an impasse meeting in hopes of resolving negotiation conflicts. The meeting was an all-day affair as both sides debated a $2 million gap regarding teacher compensation and contract language. Both parties are now required to submit a brief to the magistrate stating their positions on the issues by the end of May. The magistrate has 15 days to propose recommendations, in which the sides can agree or refute. The decision process could take the entire summer, depending on whether or not the impasse requires a School Board hearing.
“St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop to see spike in state funding” via Jake Martin of the St. Augustine Record — The St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop received a nod from the Florida Greenways and Trails Council that will clear a path for state funding toward the trail’s completion. A long-in-the-works project that started as a collection of individual trails, there are still many gaps in what could eventually be a 260-mile route connecting Brevard, Volusia, Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns counties. Council members ranked the loop first among seven regional trail system projects recommended for the Florida Department of Transportation’s Shared Use Nonmotorized Trail program. The ranking puts the loop behind only Central Florida’s Coast to Coast Connector in terms of priority statewide.
“St. Augustine residents petition to remove ‘Islam Bloody Islam’ billboard” via Brittney Donovan of Action News JAX — An online petition to remove a billboard in St. Augustine Beach that reads ‘Islam Bloody Islam’ has gained international attention. More than 1,500 people from across the United States and other countries have signed the petition to have the billboard taken down. Becky Williams, who started the petition, said the message on the billboard on Anastasia Island does not represent the St. Augustine community as a whole. “We should always stand up for those in our community who are shown hatred and intolerance,” she wrote on the petition page. “We should be outraged that a billboard with this message could in any way represent our community as a whole. It is of the utmost importance that we stand against messages and movements that isolate, judge and threaten an entire sect of people who share our same hometown.” The billboard is on A1A and Seashore Avenue.
“Fortune Magazine names Toll Brothers most admired homebuilding company” via the St. Augustine Record — Toll Brothers, the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes, has been named the Most Admired Home Building Company in Fortune Magazine’s survey of the World’s Most Admired Companies for 2016. The survey, which began with over 1,500 companies across more than 50 industries, asked over 4,000 executives, directors and analysts to rate companies in their own industry on nine criteria. Toll Brothers also ranked No. 6 among all 1,500 companies in the survey in the Quality of Products/Services category behind Apple, Walt Disney, Amazon, Alphabet and Nordstrom and ahead of Netflix, Facebook, Alcoa and Wynn Resorts, the group that comprised the top 10 ranked companies. Within the Home Builder sector, Toll Brothers ranked No. 1 in the following categories: Innovation, Social Responsibility, Quality of Management, Financial Soundness and Quality of Products/Services.
“Kent Justice to moderate April 19 Clay County Sheriff’s Forum” via AG Gancarski of Florida Politics — The dean of Northeast Florida political broadcasters, WJXT’s Justice, will moderate an April 19 Clay County Sheriff’s Forum. The event, at Ridgeview High School, involves four Republican candidates: Craig Aldrich, Darryl Daniels, James Jett and Harold Rutledge. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the discussion starts at 7 p.m.
What Julie Delegal is reading:
— Florida Times-Union columnist and Tallahassee-beat reporter Tia Mitchell takes Gov. Scott to task on unanswered questions regarding Medicaid expansion in Florida, as she calls him on his hollow, ubiquitous response about jobs, no matter what the question — even in Starbucks.
— My Context Florida piece on the Gainesville Starbucks tantrum and the resulting “dueling videos” (cue the banjos). I look at the forty-year trends of globalization, technology and automation, their effects on the current employment landscape, and how that, in turn, affects health care.
— For civil rights activists, April 4, 1968, was the day the music died. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, TN, during a visit to aid sanitation workers there. Folio Weekly guest editorialist, Dr. Juan P. Gray, provides an overview of Dr. King’s life on the publication’s (in) famous “Backpage.”
– Economic justice is essential to equal opportunity. King was murdered while on a trip to aid the cause of workers. Context Florida’s inimitable Martin Dyckman explores how national economic trends are affecting support for presidential candidates Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders.
– “Jobs and Trade on the Campaign Trail” via The New York Times — A good companion piece to Dyckman’s editorial where NYT editors describe the negative impact of globalization on geographical pockets of workers in the United States, and they explain why isolationist trade policies won’t help.
“Historical Jacksonville estate sale” — An estate sale Friday will be of particular interest to Jacksonville history buffs. It’s to auction off fine furnishings and other items that belonged to the late Sallye Mathis and her sister, Grace Solomon. Mathis died in 1982 at the age of 70. She was renowned of the first women and African-Americans to be elected to the Jacksonville City Council. That happened in 1967, the year the city voted to consolidate city and county governments. Mathis is revered as a trailblazer who worked to bring an end to segregation in government and the community at large … As the notice for the sale states, “these remaining items are of antique and vintage quality and have been very well-cared for over the three generations that they have been in both families.” View full details at EstateSales.net.
“Ribault HS Lady Trojans hope to meet President Obama” via First Coast News — The Jean Ribault High School Lady Trojans girls’ basketball team won the 2016 National Championship earlier this month, and now they hope to be rewarded with a visit to the White House. A “We The People” petition has been created in hopes of getting the Lady Trojans to Washington, D.C. for a meeting with President Obama. The petition needs 98,748 signatures by May 4. Click here to sign the petition.
“New investments seek to make The Players Championship a world-class event” via Alexa Epitropoulos of the Jacksonville Business Journal — While the $90 million renovations and upgrades at EverBank Field attract most of the attention in Jacksonville’s professional sports scene, Ponte Vedra Beach’s The Players Championship is making some major upgrades of its own.
“Jags lose Aaron Colvin for four games due to league suspension” via Mike DeRocco of ESPN — Jaguars cornerback Colvin has been suspended four games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances … Colvin is eligible to participate in all offseason activities as well as the preseason. “We have been aware for some time of the impending suspension on Aaron Colvin,” Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell said. “We are disappointed in this situation, but we know this is not indicative of Aaron’s character or the type of person that he is. We will be supportive of him, and we stand by him as he takes the proper steps to overcome what transpired. Nobody is more disappointed than Aaron himself.” Colvin apologized via Twitter: “I apologize to my family, my teammates & coaches and the fans. I will not let this define me & I will overcome this.”
“Jaguars 7-round mock draft: Jacksonville stocks up in the trenches” via Mike Kaye of WTLV — The Jacksonville Jaguars are inching closer to improving their squad with several intriguing prospects. The process is nearing its conclusion, and by now, the Jaguars likely have an idea of what they plan to do in the draft … The Jaguars have eight picks and can easily plug some holes during the three-day event. Previous mock draft: First Round, fifth overall pick: Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State; Second Round, 38th overall pick: Joshua Garnett, G, Stanford; Third Round, 69th overall pick: Artie Burns, CB, Miami; Fourth Round, 104th overall pick: James Cowser, DE, Southern Utah; Fifth Round, 147th overall pick: Matt Ioannidis, DT, Temple; Sixth Round, 182nd overall pick: Jacoby Brissett, QB, NC State; Sixth Round, 202nd overall pick (from Pittsburgh): Stephen Weatherly, OLB, Vanderbilt; Seventh Round, 227th overall pick: Stephane Nembot, OT, Colorado.
“As Jacksonville Suns open season, food is one of the focuses” via Alexa Epitropoulos of the Jacksonville Business Journal — As the Jacksonville Suns host their season opener, the team is offering up more than just the baseball. New Jacksonville Suns owner Ken Babby has made one of his priorities overhauling the food menu, and has added a food and beverage department to lead that charge. Some of the food items that will be available at the opener include Philly dogs (a hybrid of a Philly cheesesteak and a hot dog — and buffalo chicken bites in a waffle cone. Grilled cheeses … swiss bleu mushroom grilled cheese … All-American melt, and an “ultimate” grilled cheese that has American and pepper jack cheeses, as well as pork and coleslaw. Chicken and waffles are being served in the luxury suites with a twist: donut-flavored waffles with chicken tenders. Other Southern staples, like the chicken “limp” biscuit, a homage to Jacksonville-founded band Limp Biscuit, are also being featured. Funnel Cake Fries are also one of the new additions.
