Phil Ammann
The big political news of the week: President Barack Obama will be coming to Jacksonville Thursday, for the first time since a February visit to a local manufacturer.
The president will be campaigning for Hillary Clinton.
This is going to be treated by the media as a BFD.
What it is: an ad hoc attempt to massage perception, to convince Jacksonville it is a Democratic priority.
The February visit was to celebrate a success story from the 2009 Recovery Act. The November visit is intended to shore up the presidential race’s bearer of Obama’s legacy, a GOTV effort intended to function as a GOTV effort for 2016, yet which will really serve as a celebration of eight years in office.
Just as was seen in Orlando Friday, an Obama speech will be interrupted by yells of “We love you” from the adoring crowd. He will use that energy to sell the message: to avoid going backward, the party faithful will have to go forward with Clinton.
Eight years before, Obama came to Jacksonville as a candidate. This time around, he is an oracular figure to Democrats, most of whom were willing to adjust those campaign-era constructs of hope and change to an agenda that temperamentally was closer to Bush 41 than anyone would have thought would have been the case in 2008.
And eight years ago, he came to Jacksonville with no baggage, the embodiment of rebellion against the Bush/Cheney legacy of economic anomie and Asian land war.
This time around, he comes to Jacksonville with baggage galore: military action in numerous spots in Asia and Africa; a slow-motion economic recovery predicated on inflating the money supply, a recovery that left much of the former middle-class behind; a candidate facing global scrutiny over compromising national security in emails, a scrutiny compounded by John Podesta believing that “p@ssw0rd” secured his email account; and an opponent who has functioned as a chaos candidate, mobilizing a potentially critical mass of “unlikely voters” to fill his rally spaces and (potentially) offer counterbalance to demographic shifts elsewhere.
The audience in attendance Thursday, at a location TBD, won’t pepper him with questions about the email scandal. The president won’t have to mention problematic names like Anthony Weiner or Huma Abedin or WikiLeaks. The venue, wherever it is, will function as a safe space – for the president’s fans, for the president’s agenda, and for the president himself.
Local media will cover it with respect, as the event itself exists in that gloaming between a visit by a head of state and a visit by someone in electioneering mode. Because it is both: a little bit of this, a little bit of that.
And the event will provide a boost to GOTV and Souls to the Polls events in the days after. How much of a boost remains to be seen.
The Clinton campaign has played Jacksonville like a second-rate Southern town; the Rocky Mount of the First Coast. Multiple Bill Clinton visits, and beyond that, low-wattage surrogates who haven’t resonated necessarily with the mainstream media.
Barack Obama’s visit is an attempt to convince Jacksonville that it is a first-rate market, going toe to toe with Tampa, Orlando and Miami.
It’s a magic act; in visiting Jacksonville, he will also talk up Patrick Murphy , attempting to convince Duval Democrats that they should get behind a candidate who has been up here a handful of times during a campaign that has seen him camped out south of I-4 for months.
That is an illusion for people quite schooled in wishful thinking.
And it’s one that Obama pulled off eight years earlier.
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“Clinton’s Florida strategy differs from Obama’s” via Tia Mitchell of the Florida Times-Union – Obama is headed to the Jacksonville area this week to campaign for Clinton … I’m pretty sure it will harken back to those huge campaign events in Jacksonville Obama held in 2008 … It was proof that in his effort to win Florida, Obama felt that staying competitive (albeit not winning outright) in Duval County was crucial. It’s become clear that Hillary Clinton’s strategy in 2016 is slightly different — not that there’s anything wrong with that. She has sent surrogates to make the case for her in this part of the state, and there is none with a bigger draw than Obama. But the candidate herself has not attended a single public event in North Florida during her general election campaign. Not only has Clinton not visited the Jacksonville area, she also has not held rallies in Democratic strongholds like Gainesville and Tallahassee. The contrast became even more noticeable last week when Donald Trump made a visit to Tallahassee, drawing a crowd of thousands plus more who were turned away when the grounds reached capacity. Who would have guessed that Trump and not Clinton would be rallying in this left-leaning town days before the general election?
“Churches gather for Duval’s first 2016 Souls to the Polls event” via Giuseppe Sabella of the Florida Times-Union – The event encouraged Jacksonville’s African-American voters of faith to gather at Good Shepherd Christian Academy and visit the nearby polling stations together. At about 3 p.m., a group of young mimes from Ordered Steps Ministries — each with white and black paint on their faces — lined up for grilled burgers, chicken wings and sausages. The group performed for a crowd of nearly 100 people, and other dancers, singers and poets performed as more people visited throughout the day. In between the performances, speakers encouraged listeners to educate themselves about what candidates are running for office and what they stand for. Elder Lee Harris, pastor of Mt. Olive Primitive Baptist Church, said voting is crucial because the election will affect how topics such as wage inequality, affordable health care and gun reform are addressed. “We’ve got to vote as though our life depends on it, and it really does,” he said. He suggested voters first research a candidate’s past and see if it aligns with his or her current platform. Harris also said it’s best to find out whether candidates are accessible by calling their campaign headquarters and trying to speak with them directly. Harris is also the state director of the African-American Ministers Leadership Council, an organization headquartered in Washington.
“Black Republicans (try to) avoid Donald Trump on the trail” via Darren Sands of BuzzFeed News – In the final two weeks of the election, dozens of black Republican down-ballot candidates are running to keep seats on city councils, in state houses and trying unseat incumbents. But Trump’s erratic behavior on the campaign trail — particularly his black outreach and slipshod rhetoric about black voters — poses a severe challenge to black Republicans who need black votes and are fixtures in communities that are primarily black. It’s a philosophical challenge to the Republicans, loyal conservatives who are mired in — and perhaps resigned to — a battle to preserve majorities in the House and the Senate, or especially in even more local races in states, but who have to deal almost daily with every last outlandish thing Trump says. But Trump’s campaigning also carries a political reality for black Republican candidates fighting hard in majority Democratic districts … In an RNC-funded initiative taking the Republican message to barbershops, Taylor gave her platform and pitch — and asked for the vote. A barber cutting hair asked a question that amounted to, “What about Donald Trump?” According to people in the room, it didn’t go well.
Spotted: Donald Trump Jr. at Florida-Georgia game via Merlin Thompkins of WTLV – A famous face in the campaign trail was at the big Georgia-Florida (Florida-Georgia) showdown last weekend. Donald Trump Jr. was in Jacksonville, attending the GOP tailgating event.
Spotted: “John Rutherford: Great day for some football” via Facebook – Thanks to everyone who stopped by our tailgate [at the Florida-Georgia game] including Congressman Ted Yoho, Senator Aaron Bean, Sheriff Mike Williams, Drew Ferguson (GA-03), & more! #FLGA #TeamRutherford.
“How do I know my vote counts? Duval Elections Supervisor counts the ways” via Jessica Palombo of WJCT – At the Duval County Elections Center, Elections Supervisor Mike Hogan said multiple steps are in place to make sure each person votes only once and no one can tamper with that vote. At polling places, each voter checks in with either a driver’s license or one of 11 other types of ID. “And when they swipe it in the machine, it populates who that voter is right away in our database,” Hogan says. The county now knows who’s voting and where he or she is voting. Each voter is given a receipt at check-in, which they take to the ballot table and trade for a ballot corresponding to the number on the receipt. Holland says, that way, if he’s sent 500 ballots to a precinct, “At the end of the day, if that precinct tells me that 350 people voted, I should still have 150 unused ballots here. So that’s my second check.” He says he can double-check either the receipts or a handwritten tally, on top of the ballot count itself. When voters put their paper ballots into an electronic tabulator, “The voter’s going to see the number change on the screen, so the voter’s going to have some relief — ‘OK, it took my ballot,’” Hogan said. “No. 2, it’s a paper ballot, and it falls into the bottom of the machine. That’s very important.”
“County’s voter turnout off to brisk pace, could be highest in close to 30 years” via Sheldon Gardner of the St. Augustine Record – Voter turnout in St. Johns County could reach rates not seen in more than 20 years for a presidential election, an official said. By Monday evening, early voting ballots cast had surpassed 42,400, according to the supervisor of elections website. With mail and provisional ballots included, more than 62,800 St. Johns County residents had cast ballots. The county has 173,316 registered voters. “I’m just very happy to see our voters out voting,” said Vicky Oakes, St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections … Oakes has seen several presidential elections in her nearly 30 years at the office, she said. “I think it’s very possible that we will see a higher voter turnout with this election [than] since I’ve been here,” Oakes said. By party, 15,579 Democrats had cast a ballot by Monday evening, and 36,496 Republicans had weighed in. Those in the “other” category represented about 10,728 votes. Those totals include mail, early voting and provisional ballots … Oakes said she reassures voters that they do everything they can to make sure every vote counts. Among other precautions, voting machines are tested before they are used in elections. Also, the machines proved accurate during a recount in the primary elections, she said.
“National anti-abortion group tries to rally voters in Jacksonville” via Ryan Benk and Blake Allen of WJCT – Members of a national anti-abortion organization called Created Equal are barnstorming battleground states in the final days of the election. It made a stop in downtown Jacksonville … The group isn’t allowed to endorse a candidate due to its nonprofit status, but its national director, Mark Harrington, said he sees one candidate as particularly threatening to his cause. “We do know what we get with Hillary Clinton, right? She’s already said she’s going to put justices on the Supreme Court that affirm Roe v. Wade. To me that’s all you got to know,” he said. Harrington said he uses graphic imagery at his events because it’s proven to change the minds of voters. But just as fast as he set them up, Harrington was asked to move his signs with images of bloody fetuses further from the Jacksonville Landing’s entrance, which is holding a kids trick-or-treating event. “After someone viewing one of these images, they tend to be more against abortion. So, the statistics and the studies are on our side,” Harrington said. “The idea that this would turn someone against us … to me is kind of, you know, they’re already in that camp.”
“Corrine Brown’s election committee still in debt after loss” via Steve Patterson of the Florida Times-Union – Brown’s election committee is overdrawn and still owes about $17,000 to companies that worked on her failed primary bid, campaign finance reports released this week show. That debt is on top of more than $100,000 in loans that Friends of Corrine Brown reported taking from Brown which haven’t been repaid. The new filing, the first since Brown lost the Aug. 30 Democratic primary to Al Lawson, reflects the financial squeeze that lingers while Brown prepares for her April fraud trial. From Aug. 10 to the end of September — the last date covered by the report — the committee spent about $94,000 on bills for services ranging from campaign workers to printers to hotel rooms.
“Shaky transactions abound in latest Brown finance report” via Florida Politics – Brown and her chief of staff, Ronnie Simmons, face 24 counts between them in a federal court trial next April. One might think she would keep a low profile politically. One would be wrong, as Brown continues to endorse candidates and, weeks after her loss, spent over $10,000 on lodging … There were a few surprises. Brown opted not to endorse in the race between Al Lawson and Republican Glo Smith for her seat in Florida’s 5th Congressional District. And, rather than endorse a Democrat in the clerk of courts race, Brown endorsed incumbent Republican Ronnie Fussell. Meanwhile, Brown’s political committee — “Friends of Corrine Brown” —issued its October quarterly finance report, and there were some surprises there also. Brown put in $50,000 of her own money after Aug. 19, including $15,000 after the Aug. 30 primary was over. The last money transfer, of $10,000, was made Sept. 13. From Aug. 11 onward, Brown spent $92,761. Much of that money went to old allies in familiar ways, such as thousands of dollars in catering from Jerome Brown Barbeque and the Honey Dripper House.
“One Door leader’s sentencing moved to June” via Steve Patterson of the Florida Times-Union –The head of a Virginia organization tied to the federal fraud case against Brown won’t be sentenced until June, a federal judge ruled Monday. Carla Wiley, president of the scholarship fund One Door for Education, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and agreed to help prosecutors bringing charges against Brown … Wiley is expected to testify during Brown’s three-to-four week trial, prosecutors told U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard in a motion filed last week. Brown and her chief of staff, Ronnie Simmons, were accused in a July indictment of using donations sent to One Door like a slush fund that paid personal expenses for them and Wiley.
“Cash, numbers favor Lawson in chase for District 5 seat in Congress” via Steve Patterson of the Florida Times-Union – That advantage and the large number of Democrats in the 5th Congressional District are reinforcing expectations the veteran Democratic lawmaker will overpower Republican challenger Glo Smith’s grass-roots campaign. “A Democrat is going to win this seat because of the district,” said Michael Munz, a Jacksonville public relations executive and former Republican state political director who gave Lawson’s campaign $500. Munz said he’s telling other business people Lawson is worth backing because of his record in Florida’s Legislature of working across party lines on key interests like economic development. “The business community is pragmatic when it comes to development and what’s good for Jacksonville,” he said. “I think it will be a very positive relationship for Jacksonville.” Business community donations helped Lawson’s campaign still have about $79,000 left on hand at the end of last month, according to a filing released last week. Smith had about $12,000 on hand for the final weeks of her campaign in a district that stretches more than 200 miles, from Jacksonville to Gadsden County west of Tallahassee. Donation reports since then showed Lawson collected another $29,500 … and Smith received $16,000, but those reports don’t show how much the campaigns spent.
“League of Conservation Voters endorses Lawson” – The LCV Action Fund, which works to elect candidates who will implement sound environmental policies, endorsed Lawson for Florida’s 5th Congressional District. “… Lawson has made it clear throughout his many decades of outstanding public service that safeguarding Florida’s environment for our kids and grandkids will always be one of his top priorities,” said LCV Action Fund President Gene Karpinski. “He has long recognized the severe impacts that climate change is having on Florida, and that those impacts will only get worse the longer we wait to act. We are excited to have him come to Washington to continue this critical fight.”
“Why I am running For Congress” via David Bruderly for MetroJacksonville.com – As a small-business owner, I understand the challenges facing small businesses and will work to reduce barriers so they can grow, prosper and continue to be the backbone of our economy. As veteran, I know what it takes to keep our country safe, stop the threat of ISIS and other terror groups. I also understand the sacrifices made every day by our troops and their families. For too long, Congress has done too little for the people they represent. People are North Florida’s most important resource. To compete in the global economy and protect our quality of life, we must have business, security, energy, education, health, environmental and tax policies that put People First! I served my country as an officer in the Naval Reserves, and I am ready to go to Washington to serve you. As a veteran, I will also put our active military, veterans and their families first. We must make sure all our veterans have the resources they need when they return home from active service. Our current Congressman, Ander Crenshaw, has been a strong advocate for our Navy, Marine and Air National Guard bases in Northeast Florida. As a line officer and engineer, I know how to fight for our naval bases and for our veterans. I also understand that small business is the cornerstone of our economic growth. As your next Congressman, I will improve opportunities for development and employment for our 50,000-plus small and large businesses in Northeast Florida … I will focus on reducing barriers to starting and growing these businesses, adding thousands of jobs. Our community has a strong connection with the St. Johns River and its tributaries. Our water is part of our identity as a region and a huge economic engine for our city. We have an obligation to our kids and grandkids to keep our river and waterways clean. We must put policies in place to preserve this essential natural resource.
“HD 13 debate between Mark Griffin and Tracie Davis starts slowly, then heats up” via Florida Politics – Davis and Griffin debated at Jacksonville’s Edward Waters College; in her introductory remarks, Davis noted that she was an alumna of EWC. Later, Griffin noted that during a time when EWC’s accreditation was in question, he served as the vice president of finance for the HBCU. Griffin, for his part, talked at considerable length about his community work, including work at Eureka Garden, “long before the media showed up” and before the current mayor and city council brought the power of their offices to bear, “back in ’06 and ’07 and ’08.” “It’s not about the party,” Griffin said. “It’s about the person.” Davis vowed to bring state resources, “dollars back to local authorities,” to ensure streetlights are on, drainage works correctly and so on. Griffin noted that back when John Peyton was Jacksonville mayor, he agitated to ensure there was proper lighting at Eureka Garden. “There were a lot of light fixtures, but the bulbs were blown out,” Griffin said, noting that “our communities are often the last served.” The nonprofit sector came up next, with the questioner noting that although the money goes to black communities, “black nonprofits” are often shut out. Griffin noted he runs a nonprofit, pointing out the difficulty of “breaking into that level of funding.” … “We’re held, in my opinion, under a sharper microscope,” Griffin said, adding that organizations with “glossy brochures” don’t have the same motivation to solve chronic community problems, lest they lose their revenue streams. Davis pointed to the need to build coalitions, “working across the aisle.”
“Davis wins the week in HD 13 money race” via Florida Politics – The gap in resources between Griffin and Davis is still real: Davis has just over $11,000 on hand; Griffin has over $26,000 on hand. However, in the week between Oct. 15 and Oct. 21, Davis won the fundraising race, bringing in $15,450 of new money. Among Davis’ $1,000 donors: Jacksonville Greyhound Racing, the Fraternal Order of Police, and the Florida Insurance Council. Davis — whose campaign comes down to getting voters to “darken the oval” by the name of Fullwood, who is still on the ballot, to elect her — poured most of that money into the campaign. Of the $12,092 Davis spent during the week, $9,305 went into advertising.
“Democrat Kim Daniels finds establishment backing in HD 14 race” via Florida Politics – Daniels, a former Jacksonville City Councilwoman, found $10,500 of the establishment money that had eluded her previously in the most recent reporting period, encompassing Oct. 15 to Oct. 21. The Fiorentino Group and its affiliated political committee, “JAXPAC,” each maxed out with $1,000 donations. The local Fraternal Order of Police did likewise, as it did ahead of the primary. And two divisions of HCA health care did also. The primary between Daniels and Leslie Jean-Bart was fractious, with some Democrats concerned Daniels couldn’t go to Tallahassee and fill the shoes of Rep. Mia Jones. However, those who write the big checks apparently harbor no such qualms. Daniels has almost $13,000 on hand, though with her name identification in the district and the indelible advantage of party identification, she would be hard to beat by even a well-funded Republican.
“Money finds former darkhorse candidate Bobby Payne in HD 19 race” via Florida Politics – Since the primary in the safely Republican district, establishment money has quickly consolidated behind Payne. In the period from Oct. 8 to Oct. 21, Payne received $35,250 of his total $161,240 raised. Meanwhile, Payne is not spending the money; during that two-week period, Payne spent just $274. And since the primary, Payne has spent just over $3,500, leaving him with over $61,000 on hand. Corporate money is finding Payne. From Merck Pharmaceuticals to Marathon Petroleum, and from Exxon Mobil Corp. to Managed Care of North America, the $500 and $1,000 checks that eluded Payne in the summer have found him in the fall. Realtor, doctor, architect and CPA PACs are on board with Payne. And why not? He’s running against a Democrat, Hubert Snodgrass, who has roughly $2,000 on hand. The Republican Party of Florida polled in this race; no word on what they found. But given that the district is deeply red, and given that Payne’s not spending money, one can surmise he’s well-positioned for an easy victory Nov. 8.
“Board chair, candidate disagree over reason for lost endorsement” via Denise Smith Amos of the Florida Times-Union – Questions are surfacing up about a recent conversation between Duval School Board Chairman Ashley Smith Juarez and School Board candidate Barbara Toscano, who is in a run-off to represent District 7, which includes the Mandarin and Southside areas. Toscano said this week that about three weeks ago Smith Juarez asked her if she would support dismissing Superintendent Nikolai Vitti, should Toscano win the election. At the time, Toscano said, Smith Juarez had already had her own conversation with Vitti during which she suggested he consider resigning. Vitti said later Smith Juarez also issued an ultimatum; resign or face a possible firing. Smith Juarez later reconsidered her stance and publicly pledged to continue working with Vitti. Toscano said last week that her discussion with Smith Juarez occurred afterward, but it quickly went south when Toscano said she would not support getting rid of Vitti because she believes he deserves more time for his initiatives to work. Toscano claims Smith Juarez then said she would no longer support Toscano’s candidacy. Later a stop-payment order was placed on a $1,000 check which Smith Juarez’s father, Hawley Smith, wrote to Toscano’s campaign. Smith Juarez offers a markedly different recollection of her conversation with Toscano. She denied discussing Vitti’s employment with Toscano, who is running against Lori Hershey. Smith Juarez said she has in the past told people that both candidates would be good board members.
“Jacksonville Greyhound Racing spends $500K more on slots referendum” via Florida Politics – In the most recent reporting period, encompassing dates from Oct. 15 to Oct. 21, the company gave $500,000 more to Families for Safety and Prosperity, the political committee organized to market the effort to permit slots to go in at bestbet, an affiliate company of Jacksonville Greyhound Racing. All told, Jacksonville Greyhound Racing, the sole contributor to the committee thus far, has given the committee $1,500,000. Thus far, $778,253 has been spent on the marketing effort, including a $350,000 spend on media from Oct. 15 to Oct. 21. The marketing effort for the campaign has been active and very similar to that behind this summer’s County Referendum 1 to address the city’s underfunded public pension plan.
“Lenny Curry political committee takes in $8,500 in last reporting period” via Florida Politics – “Build Something That Lasts” collected $8,500 from Oct. 15 to Oct. 21; all contributions were made Oct. 20. Among the contributors: US Assure — an insurance company helmed by Ty Petway, one of the members of the politically connected Petway family — gave $5,000. Southern Strategy Group, the government relations company, gave $2,000. Meanwhile, the other $1,500 came from three affiliates of the Vestcor real estate development company, the company of politically connected Ambassador John Rood. TVC Development gave $500. This “subsidiary of The Vestcor Companies, develops housing under the Housing Credit and Mortgage Revenue Bond programs, as well as other financing programs that assist in the creation of affordable multifamily rental communities.” Among its projects: the “Lofts at LaVilla,” which is expected to provide a boost to the long-suffering neighborhood via new workforce housing developments, as part of Jacksonville’s perpetual gentrification of its urban core neighborhoods. Vestcor Communities and Vestcor Fund XXII Ltd. likewise each gave $500. The committee has roughly $228,000 on hand.
“Curry will unveil reformed pension proposals” via Nate Monroe of the Florida Times-Union – Curry will lay out new proposed retirement plans for city employees … accelerating a series of complex and high-stakes negotiations with local unions that will determine the fate of his hopes to reform the troubled Jacksonville pension system and pay off its staggering $2.85 billion debt. The details on Curry’s retirement proposals won’t be unveiled until he makes presentations to the unions, the first of which is [this] morning. Revealing how the city wants to change its three retirement plans — for general employees, corrections officers and police and firefighters — is a critical step in moving forward on reform … Unshackled from the pension sales tax campaign he led earlier this year, and with a remarkable amount of political capital in hand, Curry was bullish. He pledged to make investments in infrastructure that will help foster downtown development, a long-sought goal of civic leaders. And he said he will plow through old parochial feuds that he believes have held up development in the past. He said to expect big announcements in the next year.
Assignment editors – Mayor to Honor Organizations for Service – Curry will host a proclamation presentation ceremony highlighting service organizations and recognizing their efforts. The ceremony will be held at 2:30 p.m. in the Atrium at City Hall, 117 W Duval St. in Jacksonville.
Aaron Bean new district office– Bean’s new district office is at 13453 North Main Street, Suite 301 in Jacksonville … The new office phone number is 904-757-5039.
Happening Wednesday – Bean news conference – The Jacksonville Republican will be at Angel of the Woods at the North Florida School of Special Education. News conference begins 1:00 p.m. at the North Florida School of Special Education, 223 Mill Creek Road in Jacksonville.
“EverBank Financial’s earnings rise before merger with TIAA” via Mark Basch of the Jacksonville Financial News & Daily Record – As it works toward completing its merger into financial services firm TIAA, EverBank Financial Corp. … reported higher third-quarter earnings. The Jacksonville-based banking company reported adjusted earnings of 40 cents a share, up from 23 cents in the third quarter of 2015. EverBank’s earnings were 4 cents higher than the average forecast of analysts, according to Yahoo Finance. As is customary when a company has a merger pending, EverBank did not provide any commentary on its earnings and did not hold a conference call with analysts to discuss the results. EverBank announced its agreement in August to merge with TIAA’s bank subsidiary. The companies hope to complete the deal in the first half of 2017.
“Governor talks Matthew response, recovery with Flagler officials” via Matt Bruce of the Daytona Beach News-Journal – Rick Scott was in Flagler County for the second time in three weeks to talk to officials about damage and recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Matthew. He met with a collective of Flagler’s top officials … during a roundtable discussion at the Emergency Operations Center in Bunnell to discuss how the county responded to the category 4 storm. He also pledged to use his resources to eliminate red tape to help the county work through its recovery phase. “One of probably the biggest issues that Flagler is dealing with is what happened to your beaches with some of the water intrusion,” Scott said just moments after the conference. “So how do we get (Department of Environmental Protection), Department of Transportation to FEMA to the Army Corps of Engineers to work together? I’m going to work hard to get everybody to work together.” Flagler officials … said the storm destroyed at least 11 residences and caused nearly $73 million in property damages to homes and businesses in the county. Much of that was in coastal Flagler. Federal Emergency Management Agency inspectors toured some of the hardest-hit areas of the county days after the storm, and FEMA has declared residents and business owners eligible to receive individual assistance. Federal officials opened a disaster recovery center for Flagler residents at the Palm Coast Public Library … They opened one for Volusia residents … at the Volusia County Department of Health office in Daytona Beach.
“Line of Anastasia Boulevard businesses recovering thanks to helping hands, loyal customers” via Stuart Korfhage of the St. Augustine Record – When the flooding from Hurricane Matthew made it clear that reopening was going to be an uphill slog, some business owners admitted that they considered options that didn’t include rebuilding. But now that the hardest part is finished and they’ve seen the response from their customers and employees, those owners know they made the right decision to reopen, they said. That’s certainly been the case for Anastasia Boulevard restaurants Candlelight South Sports Bar and Grill and Planet Sarbez! — as well as many of their neighbors there. Candlelight owner George Tracy said he and some others walked across the Bridge of Lions to inspect the storm damage even before people were allowed to drive on the bridge. What he saw initially left him with questions and doubts. “I wasn’t sure,” Tracy said of his restaurant’s future. But two weeks later, he was back in business, serving Buffalo wings and beers to football fans and other regular customers. He said part of the inspiration to reopen came from his loyal customers, who started showing up shortly after the storm passed to see if it was back up. And the other part came from his employees — about 20 of them — who were eager to help with the cleanup and get back to work. All of the Candlelight employees have stayed with the restaurant, Tracy said.
“No trespassing signs cause stir at park in St. Augustine” via Sheldon Gardner of the St. Augustine Record – University of Florida officials have reversed a decision to place no trespassing signs at a downtown St. Augustine park after getting pushback. Recently, several of the signs were posted in a park on the west side of Government House, which was an attempt by the university’s board of trustees to limit unwanted use of the property, said Ed Poppell, a former vice president at the university. Poppell is now a liaison to a university board. The signs read, “No Trespassing. Only for use by Museum and Monument Visitors as Educational Historical Site, by UF Personnel and Invitees for UF Business, and by others if and when UF makes Paths Available but only for Pedestrian Passthrough. University of Florida Board of Trustees.” The signs caused concern, and apparently some confusion, among the public. After getting a call about the signs, Commissioner Leanna Freeman said she asked the city attorney and city manager to ask the University of Florida to remove the signs. “There are other ways to handle whatever their enforcement concerns may be,” Freeman said.
”Walking helps reinforce feeling of home” via Mark Woods of the Florida Times-Union – There are many good definitions of home. But during the last six months, I kept coming back to one from author Rebecca Solnit. Home, she wrote, is “everything you can walk to.” The city I’ve called home for longer than any other — much longer than the town where I grew up — is massive and sprawling. When Jacksonville consolidated in 1968, instantly expanding to more than 800 square miles, the headline in the paper proclaimed: “Biggest City in the World!” While 48 years later we can’t make such a claim, we remain the largest city in the Lower 48. We still like to brag about our size, about all that is contained in the expanse stretching from sea to Cecil Field, from the Nassau River to Julington Creek. One thing we don’t brag about too much is walking, partly because to do so leads to more recent and less flattering headlines. We consistently rank as one of the worst cities in America for walking. This isn’t simply because of our size, although that certainly played a role in making us a car-centric city where an alarming number of pedestrians are killed every year. With those two intertwined facts in mind — this is one of the largest and least walk-able cities — I decided to walk across our city … This series confirmed something about Jacksonville. It’s part big city, part small town. It seemed like whenever I wrote about walking with someone, it turned out that person and walk were somehow tied to another walk with another person. Six Degrees of Duval. By walking across Jacksonville, the city felt more connected. But beyond that, I felt more connected to the city. It felt even more like home.
“November Art walk to tie into Navy v. Notre Dame” via Alexa Epitropoulos of the Jacksonville Business Journal – This week’s Art Walk, which is being held [tomorrow], will tease the Navy v. Notre Dame game coming up this weekend, while paying homage to Dia de Los Muertos celebrations. Salute to Service will include a performance from the Navy Band from 5 to 9 p.m. in Hemming Park, as well as the Westside High School JROTC Color Guard. The Jax Sports Council will also be present to give more information about the upcoming game. A parade with a Dia de los Muertos theme will begin at 7 p.m. in front of the Jacksonville Landing, and extend to Hemming Park. Several venues, including 1904 Music Hall and Hourglass Pub, will host live music. Neither venue will have a cover charge for that evening. In addition to events, most restaurants and bars are offering free admission or discounts to active and retired military. Super Food and Brew, Burrito Gallery, River City Brewing Company, Spliff’s Gastropub, Hourglass Pub and Element Bistro are all offering either discounts, free cover or specials for members of the military.
“Jags coordinator Greg Olson out, failure of vision” via Gary Shelton – New Jacksonville offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett will see if his “vision” of the team’s offense can mesh with that of head coach Gus Bradley. Evidently, that of ex-coordinator Olson did not.
Olson was fired over the weekend after his offense ranked only 26th through seven games. Quarterback Blake Bortles was not improving, so Bradley made the decision.
“I don’t know if there was a final straw,” Bradley said Monday. “I think that we are constantly evaluating. We evaluated our players. We’re evaluating our scheme. We’re evaluating our calls. We’re in constant evaluation. Sometimes, bye weeks or an extended period of time, we have a chance to reflect on it. I think that’s what I tried this whole weekend to do was to look at a lot of things that were taking place. I think as the weekend went on and the day went on, things just became clear.
“I think there’s things that you look at, just like where we were going offensively. I know you say, well, both sides can struggle at times. I think it’s just a bigger picture: from here, where are we going? I just felt like the offense needed to be stimulated more in certain areas. I didn’t know. Oly is a great friend, a great coach. He’s proven that. Last year, did some very good things for us and was a tremendous asset. I just think with our team and where we’re at right now, the direction we wanted to go, we just wanted to have a little bit of a different vision.”
Hackett will attempt to give a jump-start to the Jags, who are 26th in passing and 31st in rushing. Bradley said players were stunned to hear of Olson’s firing.
“I think they were shocked,” Bradley said. “I’m sure, for me, I’m guessing everybody heard it. I think I sat in the offensive meeting and players care for their coaches. Oly had great impact on everybody in that room. I think there’s a part of them, it’s sad. It’s tough. No different than when you cut a player that’s close to the team and then he leaves. Players experience it. Coaches experience it. I think it’s the world we live in.”
No, Bradley said, Olson didn’t tune him out.
“Our relationship was very good. It’s challenging,” Bradley said. “I don’t know anything else to say when you have people you’re close to and believe in and know they’re a good coach, and a situation comes up like this, it’s challenging. I also know that when I look at the team, when we make changes with players, when we make changes with coaches, always have perspective of what’s best for this team and where we’re at right now. I think after taking that period of time to look at it, I just felt like this is what’s best for the team.”
Bradley was hopeful that Hackett could help the offense. Hackett is the former offensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills. He is a former quality control coach of the Bucs; Olson was the former offensive coordinator.
“We had a great meeting, but I didn’t involve him until after the decision. I called him and talked to him about it and said that was the direction we are going. It did. It caught him off-guard a little bit because I didn’t involve any of the coaching staff in this decision. The conversations we’ve had, we have not talked about the season. I have not talked to him about what he thinks. I don’t do that with coaches. I just called him up and talked to him about, hey, what direction would you go? How would you go about it? It was very good. I thought it was very clear which direction and I thought it really meshed with what we needed at this point.”
The Jags are at the Chiefs Sunday.
“Could the Jaguars hire Tom Coughlin, again?” via Alfie Crow of BigCatCountry.com – The Jaguars decided against making a change at head coach after the team was blown out Thursday Night football, though they did end up firing offensive coordinator Greg Olson. The general feeling at this point however is that Bradley will be fired at the end of the season, as it doesn’t look like there is any recovery on the way from the 2-5 start of the 2016 season and Bradley having a 14-41 coaching record overall. The shift has now been on who the Jaguars could replace him with and ESPN’s Adam Schefter dropped a juicy one on NFL Countdown: “If the Jaguars decide to make a change at HC when the season is over…keep an eye on Tom Coughlin.” It has to be said that Schefter did make mention that Coughlin and the Jaguars haven’t spoken at all, so this was just him speculating, but it does make a lot of sense when you break it down. Coughlin was released from the Giants after the 2015 season, following back-to-back 6-10 win seasons and he was in talks with a few teams for a head coaching position. It just seemed his time, like when he was with the Jaguars his initial time, ran out with the Giants and a change had to be made. Coughlin, 70, appears to still be interested in being a head coach in the NFL and is still considered a desirable candidate among teams looking for a proven coach.
“Rowdies finish with a sour taste after loss to Jacksonville” via Gary Shelton – The Rowdies saw a lead slip away in the final moments of their final game of the season … Tampa Bay dropped a 3-2 game to Jacksonville. Tampa Bay led 2-0 after 20 minutes and 2-1 after 80, but still lost with goals in the 82nd and 83rd minutes. The Rowdies went ahead on goals by Martin Vingaard and Keith Savage. But the Armada came from behind to close out the season. “We made a lot of changes, but I still expected to go out there and get the result we wanted,” Rowdies coach Stuart Campbell said. “We wanted to finish the season with a victory.” The Rowdies were handcuffed by a number of key absences and also gave goalkeeper Chris Glodack his professional debut in the match. Tampa Bay’s top three offensive players this season, Joe Cole, Georgi Hristov and Eric Avila, were all unavailable for the match. Right back Darnell King was also unavailable for the Rowdies. “Martin’s goal was a great one,” Campbell said. “And Keith’s was a very nice header. It was about time we scored one from a set piece.” Even with the abnormal lineup, Tampa Bay was still just eight minutes away from closing the season with a 2-1 win before the trouble started. A Jacksonville corner kick was cleared partially by the Rowdies in the 82nd minute, but fell to the Armada FC’s Jemal Johnson 12 yards out from goal. With time to pick his spot, Johnson played a delicate chip that looped over Glodack’s head and toward the goal. Tampa Bay’s Walter Ramirez was unable to clear it from the line. Less than a minute later, directly from the restart, the Armada FC’s Derek Gebhard cut in from near the corner flag and found a streaking Zach Steinberger for the go-ahead goal.
