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August is here. And we’re starting to get clarity in some northeast Florida state House races, with all campaigns reporting what they’ve raised through July 22
Some races, such as in House Districts 11 and 12, show a candidate with solid momentum. Others, such as in HD 13, 14 and 16, reveal contests that still have some ways to go.
In House District 11, Sheri Treadwell still leads Donnie Horner and Cord Byrd in cash on hand, even though she spent big in the last reporting period.
Of $63,412 in expenditures, $61,344 went to Front Line Strategies for advertising, mailers and consulting. Despite that spend, Treadwell has $54,410 compared to $33,038 and $31,111 for Horner and Byrd respectively.
In House District 12, it’s beginning to look like former Jacksonville City Council President Clay Yarborough’s race to lose, as he has more money than the rest of the field combined.
Yarborough has $82,359 on hand. His next closest competitor, former Jacksonville City Councilman Don Redman, is the only one with more than $15,000 cash on hand. Terrance Freeman, Mark MacLean and former state legislator Stan “The Man” Jordan all have between $10,000 and $15,000 on hand.
Yarborough won his first Council race despite being outraised two to one because of ground game; he still has the ground game here, but he also has the cash advantage.
In House District 13, there are two competitive primaries in this urban Jacksonville seat.
Democrat Reggie Fullwood faces challenges from Lee Brown, J.R. Gaillot, and Tracie Davis.
Fullwood raised a meaningful $6,250 the last two weeks from big dollar sources. Best bet and the kennel clubs fronted Fullwood three large; PACs went $1,500 deep; Ronald Book, $500.
Fullwood has $11,068 on hand. Which puts him in second, behind Davis, who has $13,839 on hand, and is drawing from more small donors than the incumbent.
Brown has $3,655 on hand. Gaillot has $1,090 on hand. They won’t be factors going forward
On the GOP side, Pastor Mark Griffin has raised $18,145, with roughly $25,500 on hand when a $10,000 personal loan is counted.
The other Republican in the race, Keith Walters, has $4,600 on hand, and no clear path to victory given Griffin’s superior resources and name identification.
In House District 14, Reverend Kim Daniels and trial lawyer Leslie Jean-Bart have virtually the same cash on hand ($50,491 for Daniels, $49,425 for Jean-Bart). But deployment of resources and Daniels’ flexible approach to campaign finance makes this metric less definitive than it is in most campaigns.
Daniels has given her campaign $65,000 already, and spent over $16,000 between July 9 and 22, much of it on campaign publications. Daniels raised no money this period.
Jean-Bart has raised just under $95,000, with $5,400 of it coming in the last two weeks, a period in which she spent $16,382, much of it on campaign publications also.
Former state lawmaker Terry Fields has under $31,000 on hand and has yet to pay for publications, which bodes ill against these two opponents.
Don Gaffney, another former legislator, has under $2,700 on hand, and it looks like his political comeback will be cut short.
In House District 16, Jason Fischer leads Dick Kravitz in the hard money race, $89,581 to $81,044.
Fischer has raised more money, $158,665 to $118,325, and has been spending more on media, necessary because Kravitz is a historic fixture in HD 16, with city council and legislative stints.
His political committee also had a busy two weeks: “Conservative Solutions for Jacksonville” brought in $9,500 between July 9 and 22. $5,000 from Wayne Weaver, $2,500 from Peter Rummell, and $2,000 from Florida Blue comprised the sum.
Weaver, thus far, has given this PAC $20,000. Rummell is also a repeat donor. Waiting in the wings to donate again: charter school magnate Gary Chartrand, who has already given Fischer’s committee $15,000, but no money in P3.
The winner of this race will, after beating the obligatory write-in candidate in November, replace Charles McBurney.
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Happening Wednesday: “Donald Trump in Jax” — For the first time since an October rally at the Jacksonville Landing, Trump will be in Jacksonville, this time at 7 p.m. at the Veterans’ Memorial Arena. Security guidelines seem designed to dissuade protesters: “No posters, banners, or signs may be brought into the event.” As well, there “is no dress code. No professional cameras with a detachable lens are permitted. No tripods, monopods, selfie sticks or GoPros. ID is not required for entry. For further questions, please email [email protected].” The arena holds 15,000 people; worth watching will be how full the upper parts of the facility are. The Trump team was also scouting other locations for the event: The Prime Osborn Convention Center was also under consideration. However, they made the play for the arena, and if they are able to substantially fill the space, it will be a measure of organizational strength, especially with two days’ notice before a downtown rally on a weekday evening.
“In congressional campaign, it’s getting personal between John Rutherford and Hans Tanzler” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics – A hint of the increasingly personal conflict surfaced last week at a Jacksonville Bar debate. Tanzler and Rutherford sparred over Rutherford’s opposition to the death penalty and the sheriff’s office’s approach to deporting illegal immigrants when he was in charge. Beyond the forum circuit, both men have ad buys targeting their main competition for the GOP nomination. Tanzler’s ad targets “liberal John Rutherford,” marking the first time those three words have appeared in sequence. “Liberal John Rutherford grew government spending. Fought for higher taxes. And opposed the National Rifle Association. Rutherford also made Jacksonville a sanctuary city for illegal immigrants,” claimed the voice-over. Tanzler’s ad is not completely factual, trumpeting an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association, when he really got an “AQ” rating, which denotes he gave the National Rifle Association the answers it wanted on a questionnaire. [Lake Ray got the National Rifle Association endorsement]. Meanwhile, Rutherford has his own spot targeting Tanzler, describing Tanzler as a “political insider” who has given generously to politicians like apostate Republican Charlie Crist. He also suggests a correlation between Tanzler’s support of Crist and his securing of the executive director position on the St. Johns River Water Management District board.
— “Former CD 4 candidate Julia Fletcher endorses John Rutherford” via Florida Politics
“Hans Tanzler finally releases his financial disclosure” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — Among the salient points, the 18 pages of Tanzler’s financial disclosure reveal he has a healthy retirement plan from his stint as general counsel, then executive director, of the St. Johns River Water Management District. It is valued between $50,000 and $100,000. Also revealed: Tanzler’s salary of $173,425 from the preceding year with the SJRWMD … Tanzler, who loaned his campaign $200,000 in the second quarter of 2016, does not have as much as some might expect in the way of cash holdings. Though he has six bank accounts, only one of them has between $100,000 and $250,000. And one other has between $50,000 and $100,000. Two accounts have less than $1,000 in them; two others, between $1,000 and $15,000. Though Tanzler is relatively light on cash, he makes up for it with a robust investment portfolio.
“Tanzler endorsed by Buck Fowler” – Fowler is husband of late Congresswoman Tillie Fowler, who represented the 4th Congressional District from 1993 to 2001. “I am proud to support Hans Tanzler for Congress. I believe Tillie would have been proud to also support Hans,” said Fowler. “Just as she did when she was in Washington, Hans will fight to limit government by reining in wasteful spending and will work to restore our military. It is now more important than ever that we have a strong national defense in the face of the growing threats around the world and at home. We need Hans in Congress. I look forward to voting for him, and I urge all District 4 voters to do the same.” During her time in Washington, Congresswoman Fowler served as Vice Chair of the Republican Conference. She was the only Republican woman on the House Armed Services Committee and was known for blasting the Clinton administration’s cuts in defense spending. She died in 2005. Buck Fowler moved to Jacksonville with his wife in 1971. An attorney, he worked for the Department of Treasury in Washington as well as in private practice. He has served on the board of trustees of Jacksonville University and on the board of directors of the Jacksonville Port Authority.
“New poll frames Al Lawson’s case against Corrine Brown” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics — The [Survey Monkey] poll starts off innocuously, with standard “Who are you more likely to vote for?” and “Do you have a favorable or unfavorable impression of Al Lawson?” questions. Then the survey moves into more compelling territory. The next two questions seem designed for the Blue Dog Democrats Lawson will need to win. “How important is it to you that your representative be able to work with both political parties?” “Would you be more or less likely to support a candidate who actively opposes the candidacy of Donald Trump?” The first question aligns with Lawson’s vows on the campaign trail to work with Republicans, as he did in Tallahassee. The last question suggests there may be a candidate in the CD 5 race who does not actively oppose Trump — and that candidate would not be Rep. Brown. Following those, a question that frames Brown’s opponent favorably: “Lawson is the only candidate in the race who is a member of the Jacksonville Black Chamber of Commerce. Knowing this, would you be more or less likely to vote for him?” Then, a question that frames Brown in the context of her 22 federal charges related to her “One Door for Education” charity. Will any of this material make its way into Lawson’s messaging against Brown in August? The topography of the race thus far, is that Brown has traction in Duval County; but west of the county line, Lawson is the preferred candidate.
“Video: Corrine brown defends congressional work, decries fed indictment as part of ‘witch hunt’” via Daniel Ducassi of POLITICO Florida – Brown … continued to maintain that the federal investigation is “a witch hunt” and that she’s proud of her work for her constituents … She refused to address any aspect of the charges she faces in federal court, saying “team attorney is to deal with that witch-hunt.” In her impromptu meeting with reporters, Brown said her work in helping district constituents “speaks for itself.” When pressed if she had any direct response to the federal charges against her, Brown said “no, absolutely not.” She then questioned the intentions of federal prosecutors. “Why do you think they filed right up to my primary?” Brown asked reporters. “The prosecutor said that Corrine Brown would not win her election. Now why would a prosecutor be involved in telling one of my attorneys that I would not in my election?”
“Ron DeSantis moves to Flagler County” via Mark Harper of the Daytona Beach News-Journal — … following changing Congressional district boundaries, his campaign manager confirmed … DeSantis, who represents Florida’s 6th District, last week moved with his wife, Casey, to a rented oceanside condominium, said Brad Herold. DeSantis lists his home as Marineland, a tiny town of 17 in northeast Flagler County, but the address where he is registered to vote is technically in Palm Coast, said Kaiti Lenhart, the Flagler County elections supervisor … new congressional district boundaries that meant DeSantis’ Ponte Vedra Beach home is no longer in the 6th, but now the 4th Congressional District. The boundaries eliminated chunks of St. Johns and Putnam counties, and added southern Volusia and eastern Lake counties. “It’s important to him,” Herold said. “He has spent the past four years representing these communities in Flagler and Volusia counties. He thinks it’s important he move into the district he represents.”
“Melissa Nelson political committee rakes in $89K in one week” via Florida Politics — “First Coast Values,” the political committee for 4th Circuit State Attorney candidate Nelson, raked in $89,000 in its most recent week of fundraising, from July 16 to July 22. The money came from five donors, with three of them — former Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver, charter school magnate Gary Chartrand, and John Baker — giving $25,000 each. Nelson’s committee has raised $630,800 thus far, and has $240,000 of that on hand.
“Cord Byrd gets manufacturers’ endorsement in HD 11” — Byrd has received the endorsement of the First Coast Manufacturers Association. “Small businesses and manufacturers are vital to the economy of the First Coast,” he said in a Facebook post. “I look forward to sharing the incredible opportunities we have in this area with manufacturers across the country to bring high-paying, skilled jobs to our District.”
“Jack Daniels leaves HD 11 race” via Legislative IQ powered by Lobby Tools — Republican Daniels, a retired businessman, has left the crowded District 11 race. The Republican leaning district is mainly north of Jacksonville, as well as several beach communities along the city’s eastern edge. Currently represented by term-limited Republican Rep. Janet Adkins, Republicans now seeking the seat include Cord Byrd, a Jacksonville Beach attorney; Donnie Horner III, the son of the former Jacksonville education commissioner; and Wayne Bunk. Walter Eugene Haynes filed as a write-in and will close the Republican primary.
“Democrats become Republicans just in time to vote in primaries” via Andrew Pantazi of the Florida Times-Union — Since May when two write-in candidates closed the state attorney and public defender primaries to only Republicans, nearly 4,600 voters — most former Democrats — switched to the Republican Party ahead of the Aug. 30 closed primaries. The surge of seeming support for the GOP could have a significant effect on the election. Back in 2012, the last time the state held primaries for the same offices, Duval had a 20.7 percent turnout, and the state had a 20.5 percent turnout. If the county’s turnout holds and all the new Republicans vote, then they would make up almost one out of every 14 votes. County elections supervisors believe many more Democrats and independents are waiting until the last minute to change parties. The deadline to change parties is Monday. Voters need to either postmark their applications by Monday, or they can drop them off at libraries or tax collector offices. Duval voters can also drop them off at the elections supervisor’s downtown office at 105 East Monroe St. “It is an uptick from normal,” Clay County Elections Supervisor Chris Chambless said. He thinks the motives may vary, though. “I learned a long time ago that it’s really not accurate to suspect why someone is motivated to do something. I’m not even going to hazard a guess.”
“Diverse donor mix for political committee selling Jacksonville pension tax” via A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics – In the most recent reporting period from July 9 to July 22, the “Yes for Jacksonville” political committee raised and spent over $250,000, as the marketing campaign ahead of the Aug. 30 County Referendum 1 kicks into high gear. The money raised includes a blend of big-dollar donations, some from outside of Duval County, and more modest contributions from members of Jacksonville’s political class. Among the larger donations: $50,000 from Fidelity Information Services; $50,000 from the PGA of America, with an address in Palm Beach Gardens; $25,000 from Gai Consultants of Orlando; $25,000 from J.B. Coxwell, the politically active contractor that previously employed Jacksonville’s chief administrative officer Sam Mousa; $25,000 from Swisher International; $10,000 from Mac Papers; and $5,000 from Tote Maritime Puerto Rico … Christopher Warren, who handles government relations for the University of North Florida, gave $50. As did Nicole Spradley, assistant to Jacksonville City Council President Lori Boyer, and Josh Cockrell, director of economic development for lobbying group Infinity Global Solutions.
Top talker — “Matt Brockelman: Why we must vote yes on Lenny Curry’s Jax pension tax referendum” via Florida Politics — Nearly 25 percent of Jacksonville’s municipal budget each year now goes to public pension expenses, and a significant portion of that comprises catch-up costs taxpayers must pick up since our pensions are so overpromised and underfunded. Just seven years ago, only 9 percent of our city budget went to these expenses. That equates to hundreds of millions of dollars essentially skimmed off the top instead of going to things the city should be investing in — public safety, neighborhoods, infrastructure, quality of life issues, public-private partnerships. It’s why our city government operates as if we’re still in a recession. But Mayor Curry has a plan. Called the “Better Jacksonville Plan,” the revenue raised from this tax is dedicated to paying for large infrastructure projects we’ve completed in the past 15 years. That half-percent sales tax is set to expire in 2030. What Curry proposes is to maintain it past 2030 and use the revenue in the new years to pay down the $2.7 billion unfunded portion of our public pension obligations. This will provide a dedicated source of income for that unfunded portion, which will, in turn, lessen the catch-up costs burden on our city’s annual operating budget … if you believe that Jacksonville’s future deserves to be shaped without the shackles of pension debt, support the mayor’s plan. If it’s important to you that our city has the ability to compete with Florida’s other major cities for the jobs, human talent and economic growth of the coming several decades, support the mayor’s plan. And if you’re ready to finally confront and deal with a problem that has been plaguing our city and its elected officials for years and years with no real solution in sight, support the mayor’s plan.
“Vince Cavin resigns from friends of Hemming Park” via David Chapman of the Jacksonville Financial News & Daily Record – Cavin, the embattled CEO of Friends of Hemming Park, resigned over the weekend. Friends board member Bill Prescott shared the news this morning at a meeting of the City Council’s Neighborhoods, Community Investments and Services Committee. Prescott, a principal with Heritage Capital Group, will serve as interim director on a voluntary basis. It’s not the only change, either. Wayne Wood, Friends board president, will take on the additional role as programming coordinator. Michelle Barth and Suzanne Jenkins have joined the nonprofit board. Barth is the former chief strategy and development officer at Feeding Northeast Florida who will serve as an adviser for fundraising and development. Jenkins is a former council member who will take over as director of strategic planning. Council member Greg Anderson, who chairs a special committee on the park, said the nonprofit’s change “certainly is a step in the right direction.” However, more needs to be done said council’s most vocal critic on the issue. Vice President John Crescimbeni agreed Cavin’s resignation and the other moves are a step in the right direction.
“Open government lawsuits against city, pension fund cost taxpayers more than $2 million” via Eileen Kelley of the Florida Times-Union — By year’s end, the Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Fund and the city of Jacksonville will have spent at least $1.82 million in taxpayer money after being sued over public records- and meetings-laws violations. The city has been sued twice and the pension fund four times since 2010. Throw in the 2,406.2 billable hours that attorneys for the city have expended defending its cases, and the total value of not following the state laws is more like $2.16 million. Times-Union Editor Frank Denton filed a lawsuit in 2013 against the city of Jacksonville, Mayor Alvin Brown and the Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Fund’s board of trustees after learning that the two governmental entities had met in secret some 70 miles away to hammer out pension benefits. No notices of the meetings were given to the public ahead of time. In fact, the public only learned about the meetings after a pension reform bill was put up for a City Council vote. Within months of the filing, a judge sided with Denton, but that didn’t end the legal showdown. It dragged on for years after the pension fund failed to concede and attempted to take the matter all the way to the Florida Supreme Court. In February the state’s highest court declined to hear the case. The true cost to taxpayers for this fight was $459,927. The newspaper won back its legal fees after the city, the pension fund and the paper’s lawyers agreed to a settlement: The pension fund must pay $156,000 and the city $114,000. In the end, all the money is coming from city taxpayers. The paper recently received its checks.
“This is your money. Kiss it goodbye.” via the Florida Times-Union editorial board — Four years ago, in our role as community watchdog, we requested from then Mayor Alvin Brown’s office public records involving his screwy budgeting process and the chaotic opening of the new courthouse. The mayor’s people bobbed and wove, demurred and stalled for five weeks, even after we threatened to sue. So finally we did sue — and got the records within 48 hours. Then we demanded reimbursement of our attorneys’ fees, which the law allows as a deterrent to public officials regularly bobbing, weaving, etc. We published a photo of the city’s $15,000 check on this page, under that headline. It was an expensive lesson for the Brown administration, not so much in dollars but in political capital, and the checks nearby show Brown and his people were slow learners, which may have something to do with why they are no longer in office. (His successor, Lenny Curry, had to sign the checks, but the cost was incurred by the Brown administration.) All that legal activity makes the lessons about open government more expensive, as you can see from those checks totaling $270,000 — less than what the Times-Union actually spent on legal fees but what the law allows us to recover. It’s money that you earned and paid in taxes to support your city government. It should have been used for Jacksonville Journey or maintaining parks or repairing streets or library services or summer reading programs or downtown development or cleaning up the St. Johns. If the sunshine lesson is finally learned, maybe it will be worth the price you paid.
“CSX seeking office space in Jacksonville” via Derek Gilliam of the Jacksonville Business Journal — The Jacksonville-based railroad has put out a request for proposals for 50,000 to 100,000 feet of office space, with the exact space fluctuating over the past month, according to a person with knowledge of the proposal, which was issued by CBRE. CSX owns two Downtown buildings, including its 460,000 square feet headquarters and the 14-story, 270,000-square-foot 550 Water Street building it bought in December 2014. It also leases space in other places in Jacksonville’s suburban office market.
“Work coming to remake downtown road that fell into St. Johns River” via Steve Patterson of the Florida Times-Union — Four years after a Jacksonville street began collapsing into the St. Johns River, a project to fix or remove blocks of downtown pavement built over water is close to finally starting. A contract for a $31 million makeover of parts of Liberty Street and Coast Line Drive is expected to be drafted next month, said city spokeswoman Tia Ford. Construction could begin by the end of the year, she said. That work will include removing a one-block parking lot built in the early 1960s over the river behind the old Duval County Courthouse. The area behind the now-closed courthouse, which is expected to eventually be redeveloped, will become open water bordered on three sides by a rebuilt Northbank Riverwalk. The work will leave a single block of Liberty next to Berkman Plaza extending into the river like a peninsula. “That’s going to be fantastic for our property value,” said Terry Rodda, who lives in a cluster of riverfront townhomes that were without power for weeks after a second part of Liberty collapsed in February 2015.
“What to expect in residential development in St. Johns County” via Derek Gilliam of The Jacksonville Business Journal — Residential development in northern St. Johns County has continued to pick up speed as the economy has improved as another massive, master-planned community revealed its amenity center Saturday. Shearwater is a 2,600 home, 1,500-acre development where more than 500 home sites will have been delivered to builders by the end of 2016. As competition to attract residents heats up, developers have been stepping up what they offer to residents. Shearwater doesn’t disappoint with a three-story water-slide, multilane lap pool, tennis courts and 13 miles of paved, natural and boardwalk trails.
FTA reallocates $7.2 million to JTA – The Federal Transit Administration has reallocated $7.2 million to the Jacksonville Transportation Authority as a result of the efficient and effective project management of the First Coast Flyer North Corridor Bus Rapid Transit program. The $7.2 million will be used to improve sidewalks and ADA ramps within a half mile of the First Coast Flyer (FCF) North Corridor stations and construct pedestrian access to the Armsdale Park-n-Ride facility. Bus and pedestrian safety will be improved by reconstructing Armsdale Road to include a curb and gutter, providing lane widths with adequate sidewalks to the Park-n-Ride facility opening this October. This location has one of the highest ridership of our FCF North Corridor service, with a high elderly population living in this area. “We look forward to working with Mayor Curry and his administration to improve safety for pedestrians and transit accessibility on the Northside,” said JTA Chief Executive Officer Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. “Our goal is to enhance the quality of life, create jobs and break down the barriers of public transportation in the community.”
“Community shows support for police at ‘back the blue’ rally” via David Benfield of News 4 Jax — More than 200 people gathered in Riverside’s Memorial Park to show support for law enforcement. Organizer of the “Back the Blue” rally, Emily, who didn’t want her last name used, said she created the event to show law enforcement that despite the recent unrest between police and some of the public, they still have the community’s support. Emily, who has family in law enforcement, said she is in constant fear for her father, especially given the recent relationship with the public and police deteriorating. “I have family and friends in law enforcement,” she said. “It’s frightening with the circumstances right now just seeing the discretion with officers. Let’s show them we do care and there are supporters.”
“Jacksonville judge, wife resilient after bullet misses his head by 1.6 inches” via Larry Hannan of the Florida Times-Union — When U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan comes home at night, he’s returning to the same house where a man tried to kill him in 2013. When he sits down to watch television in his sun room, he sits in the same chair he sat in when a bullet missed his head by 1.6 inches. “Tim refuses to let evil control his life. Sitting in that chair is a way to do that,” said Corrigan’s cousin, Duval County Tax Collector Michael Corrigan. Timothy and Nancy Corrigan lived through something for the last three years that is unimaginable to most people. Timothy Corrigan is lucky to be alive and Nancy Corrigan is lucky that she didn’t have to watch her husband die in front of her eyes. But throughout the ordeal, the Jacksonville couple refused to change who they are. They refused to let a gunman who crouched in their bushes and fired a gun into their longtime home change their lives. “I’m sure it has changed me in some way,” Corrigan said in a recent interview with the Times-Union. “But I don’t think I’ve had anything like an epiphany.” Corrigan said he thinks about the shooting but tries not to let it define him.
“Jacksonville’s Matt Carlucci takes the reins at Florida Commission on Ethics” via Daniel Ducassi of POLITICO Florida — The Commission picked Carlucci as its new chairman … [He is] a State Farm insurance agent who served three terms on the Jacksonville City Council and is the son of the late state Sen. Joe Carlucci. He was appointed by Gov. Scott in 2012. Carlucci said he wants to push the Legislature to enact stronger ethics laws … there’s one issue in particular he wants to ask lawmakers to address. “In many of our counties and cities, the county commissioners and city council members who might have a conflict of interest on a bill, they have to declare a conflict, but they can debate, they can persuade, they can be a member of the discussion, and I think that’s inherently wrong,” Carlucci said. “I think that if you have a conflict of interest … then you ought not be able to debate.” Though Carlucci was appointed by Scott and is a Republican now, his past suggests he’s no rigid partisan. His father was a Democrat in the Florida Senate when he died in 1986, and Carlucci himself ran for the state Senate in 1994 as a Democrat. He later ran for a third term on the city council in 1999 as a Republican. He ended up endorsing Democrat Nat Glover in the 2003 Jacksonville mayoral race after losing the Republican primary, leading to doubts about his political future at the time. Carlucci replaces Stanley Weston as chairman, who will continue serving as a member of the commission. Michelle Anchors, an attorney from Fort Walton Beach, is the commission’s new vice chair.
“Jacksonville public works manager finalist for PSC spot” via the Jacksonville Financial News & Daily Record — A nominating council selected Jeffrey S. Foster and seven others from a list of 11 applicants to replace longtime utility regulator Lisa Edgar … Sen. Garrett Richter, who is chairman of the nominating council, said the interviews will be Aug. 17 in Orlando. The council will forward three names to Gov. Scott, who will appoint Edgar’s successor. Others selected for interviews are: Jeffrey Bragg, a former director of a federal terrorism risk insurance program who also was a candidate this year for state insurance commissioner; Thomas Brantley, an engineer who has been the longtime director of facilities management and construction for Leon County; Todd Chase, a Gainesville city commissioner; John Coleman, a New Port Richey resident who is a retired New York State Department of Public Service supervisor; Stuart Pollins, a deputy policy coordinator in the governor’s Office of Policy and Budget; Donald Polmann, an engineer who worked in the past at Tampa Bay Water and was a finalist for a spot on the Public Service Commission in 2013; Cynthia Wilson Orndoff, a professor of construction at Florida SouthWestern State College and a faculty member at Everglades University in Sarasota.
Reappointed — Doug Bournique to St. Johns River Water Management District.
Save the date: “North Florida Shark Festival: Conservation with a Bite” via the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens – Join the world’s leading experts on the ocean’s apex predators and the work to save sharks worldwide, Saturday, Aug. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Great Lawn. Shark-themed arts-and-crafts booths, activities and music. There will be both food and adult beverages, including land shark beer, available for purchase. Bounce houses will be set up along with game areas for the kids including a water slide, face-painters and a dunking booth! Enjoy a special meet and greet with left shark and actual mermaids. Free with admission. Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens is at 370 Zoo Pkwy.
We are reopened!! Come take a ride.
— St Johns River Ferry (@stjohnsferry) August 1, 2016
“Remembering a former colleague’s best interview” via Mark Woods of the Florida Times-Union — During his long newspaper career, Wayne Ezell undoubtedly asked thousands of questions. Even more significantly, he listened to thousands of answers. But in retirement, one day he found himself on the other side of an interview. One of his granddaughters interviewed him as part of StoryCorps, a project that encourages Americans to sit down with loved ones and record, preserve and share their stories. I’ve listened to that interview several times in the past week, ever since I heard the news. Ezell, a retired editorial writer for the Times-Union, died after he was hit by a pickup truck before a bicycle ride in Iowa. He was 72. An active, vibrant 72. This interview was done shortly after Thanksgiving, when the StoryCorps project encourages Americans to engage in a “day of listening.” Hearing Wayne’s familiar drawl is bittersweet, even for me. I can only imagine what it’s like for his family. I could tell you about some of the interviews that Wayne conducted, the editorials he wrote, the papers he ran, the awards he won. But I think that while he was proud of his profession, while he considered newspapers to be important, he would say what really matters in life is what he talked about in this interview.
“Are the Jacksonville Jaguars ready to make a move?” via Gary Shelton of Florida Politics – No, not one to England, although those rumors continue. One in the NFL standings. It’s been a long time since there was much to notice about the Jags, who have won only 37 games over the past eight years. In six of those seasons, the Jags have ranked 24th or lower in offense. But there is something happening in Jacksonville that is worth noticing. There are young, talented football players all over. Start with quarterback Blake Bortles. Through in receivers Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns. Consider free agents Chris Ivory and Malik Jackson. Consider draftees Jalen Ramsey, Dante Fowler and Myles Jack. “I think we’re very close,” said Bortles. “I think we’re right there. One of the big things is finding out how to win games. We were in a ton of games — all of them, if not for one or two — late in the game and couldn’t pull it out. So final ways to win (is critical).” The result is a rather trendy, and rather rare, playoff selection in Jacksonville, which was only 5-11 a year ago. In a USA Today poll, 73 percent of respondents expect to Jags to reach the postseason this year. NFL.com predicts that the Jags will win the AFC South title. (ESPN has Jacksonville 23rd in its power rankings, or third in the division).
The upward trend is easy to see. A young quarterback. A hot draft. A good free agency haul. A week division where one of the teams (Houston) has lost its best player to injury and the other (Indy) is just getting its back. The Jags haven’t reached the playoffs since 2007, a period of time the team has had Byron Leftwich and Blane Gabbert as starting quarterbacks.
Oh, there is proving to be done. The Jags gave up 448 points last year, or 30 or more in half of their games. That’s got to come down. But in NFL, things happen in a hurry. If a lot of young defenders develop in a hurry, Jacksonville could surprise people. This year.
“Jaguars running back Jonas Gray making noise at training camp with his play, enthusiasm” via Mike Kaye of WTLV — The 26-year-old has kept his swagger, despite bouncing around the league over the last four years. He joined the Jaguars in December after TJ Yeldon went down with a knee injury with just a few games remaining. While playing time was sparse, the Pontiac, Michigan native flashed. In his first game as a Jaguars running back, Gray carried the ball five times for 31 rushing yards, including an impressive 23-yard run. He finished the season with 14 carries for 54 rushing yards and a catch for four receiving yards in two games. Gray is hoping to stick around in Jacksonville for a long time. In order to keep his spot, Gray spent the offseason working on his ability to separate from defenders as he glides through his offensive line. “Beating the first guy, making the first guy miss,” Gray says. “It’s what makes running backs the top tier guys [separate] from the middle of the pack.” The first two days of training camp have worked out well for Gray and he has let his personality run wild, which has put him on the radar of fans, coaches and teammates alike.
“Armada fall short again to in-state rival Fort Lauderdale” via Kartik Krishnaiyer for Florida Politics – The Jacksonville Armada FC for the second successive trip to south Florida fell in the final moments after conceding a Maicon Santos goal in the 88th minute. The Fort Lauderdale Strikers 1-0 win Saturday night at Lockhart Stadium continued the club’s unbeaten all-time history against the Armada. Fort Lauderdale’s record versus Jacksonville now stands at 4 wins 0 losses and 1 draw. The game was the last home match of the season to be played at historic Lockhart Stadium for the Strikers. The team moves to Central Broward Stadium for the remaining eight home games of 2016.
Fort Lauderdale recorded 10 shots on target and did not score until the final opportunity with two minutes left in the match. However, Jacksonville had a lot of good chances earlier in the match and recorded an overall possession advantage of 53 to 47 percent. At times, the Armada midfield played well, moving the ball side-to-side and maintaining a decent defensive shape. But ultimately when it came toward the end of the match the traffic was one way and the Strikers found a late winner.
“After so many matches (three) in 10 days, we needed the three points. We had a full week of recovery for our players and we were a more rested squad. We are so happy to come back to the match sharpness that we needed,” said Strikers Head Coach and General Manager Caio Zanardi.
The loss leaves the Armada bottom of the table among teams that have played the entire NASL season with just 11 points in 16 matches. In most league’s around the world that would relegation form, but fortunately for Jacksonville, NASL is closed league without promotion and relegation with other divisions.
Jacksonville will return to action at 7:30 p.m. ET Wednesday with another road tilt at NASL Spring Champion Indy Eleven. The Armada need to start winning games badly if they are to rescue their season.
“UNF’s Beau Beech signs pro deal with the Brooklyn Nets” via Jordan Ferrell of WTLV — The former 6-8 swingman of the UNF Ospreys got his wish last week when he officially inked a one-year partially guaranteed deal with the Brooklyn Nets. The contract is worth an estimated $45,000. “I’m super excited to have this opportunity to sign a pro contract and have an invitation to training camp with the Brooklyn Nets,” Beech said. “I’m blessed and thankful to God for allowing me this chance. This is something that I have dreamed about my whole life really.” This marks a major milestone for the growing Atlantic-Sun Conference team as Beech becomes the first Osprey to sign an NBA deal. Speaking of firsts, before playing his last college game Beech became the first player to surpass 1500 points and 500 rebounds. He currently holds the record for most steals in program history with 147 and he’s tied for most three-point field goals made with 302.
