Peter Schorsch
Earlier this year, Florida Times-Union columnist Ron Littlepage noticed a change; he wrote a satirical column in which a former stock character of his, Jimmy Ray Bob, “evolved.”
The character’s overalls, jettisoned for khaki slacks. The triple-wide trailer, abandoned for a bungalow in Avondale. The Florida Cracker dialect, scuttled for “perfectly diagramed sentences.”
The character was ensconced in an evolving conventional wisdom, as he discussed the relative pitfalls of having new representation in Washington, maligning the “silk-stocking power brokers” picking John Rutherford to run for Congress.
Littlepage’s point was simple: Jacksonville has changed.
But it was good change.
A pocket of people view politics as a clash of emotional tempests, yet more and more see it as a business. And Jacksonville is coming to reflect that, via some sophisticated journalism in the mainstream press.
A great example: the Jax Daily Record article from earlier this week: “Donald Trump needed Florida, and Susie Wiles delivered it.”
That article was a very sophisticated look at how Wiles, a perennial Jacksonville insider who also spurred Rick Scott to the governor’s office not too long ago, took charge of the campaign, refining processes and ensuring the “blocking and tackling” of a campaign was completed.
The Jax Daily Record was also responsible, not too long ago, for a piece on the best consultants in the area, Tim Baker and Brian Hughes. The piece was laden with compelling anecdote and meaningful insight on the team that brought you Mayor Lenny Curry, State Attorney-elect Melissa Nelson, Congressman-Elect John Rutherford, the pension reform and slots referendums.
Not bad for a couple of years’ work.
The Daily Record isn’t alone, of course. The Florida Times-Union had several must-read process pieces leading up to the election, with Nate Monroe being consistently ahead of the curve on the Rutherford campaign, explaining (almost in real time) how the coalition was coming together to make him the Jacksonville candidate.
Though that coalition faced challenges, such as Rutherford’s inability to stop himself from endorsing the doomed Angela Corey, it nonetheless held together well enough to get him through a fractious primary and foregone conclusion that was the general election.
Even local television news is offering more sophisticated deep dives. On Election Day, Action News Jax examined the lobbying efforts of Jacksonville governmental agencies.
This kind of work from the daily commercial media carries with it risks. Among them: finding a way to market the kind of inside baseball that local media (not just in Jacksonville) often eschews.
A look at lobbyists and political operatives will never go viral in the way a video of a cat playing the piano will. These outlets face real competition for market share, advertising dollars, and deal with a corporate structure that often has its own ideas.
Another sign of the times: There are not one, but two Jacksonville Sunday morning panel broadcast shows to discuss the nuts and bolts of politics: Action News Sunday and This Week in Jacksonville.
This week, AG Gancarski of FloridaPolitics.com will be on both.
The old days in Jacksonville are over.
Going forward, there will be a more sophisticated narrative about how the game of politics works. And as that story unfolds, people will have a better understanding how the donor class makes decisions, and a better chance of engaging those decisions, for outcomes that don’t just suit a few dozen people at the cocktail parties, but the body politic at large.
Tweet, tweet: @LennyCurry: 2016 elections are over. Can .@espn get back to sports?
***Southern Strategy Group is Florida’s powerhouse lobbying firm with a dedicated Jacksonville office, as well as locations in Miami, Orlando, Tampa and Tallahassee. Our nearly 25 lobbyists work daily to get our clients and their issues in front of key local and state elected officials. Whether in City Hall, the State Capitol or somewhere in between, we’ll work with you to create and execute a strategy that moves your agenda from the starting point through the finish line. Every industry. Every interest. Powerful advocacy begins here. Call us today at 904-425-8765 or visit www.sostrategy.com to learn more.***
Northeast Florida: winners and losers via AG Gancarski of Florida Politics — The dust is settling after a contentious general election campaign in Northeast Florida. Below, some people who merit recognition for a job well done. And some others who missed opportunities.
Winners
Wiles: Another election cycle, another win for the veteran Jacksonville strategist. Stabilizing the Trump operation in the Sunshine State was perhaps this pragmatist’s greatest political accomplishment since her role inScott’s 2010 campaign.
Lenny Curry: The Jacksonville Mayor took a lot of heat for supporting Trump, and it was never hotter than when he took time out of an August vacation to serve as master of ceremonies at a Trump rally. Some said it might kill his pension reform referendum on the August ballot. It did not. Now, with Trump in office and the GOP dominating Congress, Curry expects that his “strong support” of the president-elect (at a time when many Republicans ran from the top of the ticket) will help Jacksonville make its case on the federal level. The Trump election, ironically, is Jacksonville’s “Yes We Can” moment.
Baker and Hughes: Another election cycle. Another win. They handled the push toward the bestbet slots referendum and got support from non-GOP constituencies on the Northside — especially African-Americans and Democrats.
Bill Gulliford: Gulliford got involved late in the mayoral race at Jacksonville Beach; the PAC of the Jacksonville City Councilman sent out a mailer excoriating challenger Cory Nichols for his bankruptcy, after Nichols kept hitting the incumbent, connected Charlie Latham, below the belt. Gulliford, one of the best pols in the Jacksonville area, won again.
Losers
Duval Democrats: They had the surrogates. They had the machine. They had the sympathy of many anti-Trump members of the media. Yet they couldn’t beat Trump in Duval. And as Duval went, so did the nation. At least they got Kim Daniels to the state House.
Glo Smith: No real fundraising. No real interest in talking to the media. No support offered to the party’s nominee. No sale to CD 5 voters. Again.
Dave Bruderly: Who would have thought that a guy who lost a race for state committeeman in August would be able to win a House race in November? Nobody. Bruderly’s stock was so low that he wasn’t even given a speaking slot at the president’s rally in Bruderly’s district.
Want an extended version of these thoughts? We have it here.
“How to start thinking about what a Donald Trump presidency means for cities” via Anthony Flint of CITYLAB – Trump could actually end up helping cities function better. It was lost amid a lot of other headline-grabbing comments, but on the stump, Trump spoke intermittently but consistently about fixing “inner cities” and investing in infrastructure, and he did so again in his victory remarks … “We are going to fix our inner cities and rebuild our highways, schools, hospitals,” Trump said. “We will rebuild our infrastructure. Which will become second to none, and we will put millions of our people to work as we rebuild it.” There’s not yet detail regarding implementation, but Trump has proposed a $1 trillion, 10-year infrastructure plan that could include billions in tax credits to leverage private investment. There’s already talk of an infrastructure bill being one of the potentially marquee first-100-days legislation (though uncertainty about financing continues to raise questions and concerns, particularly with respect to the future of the tax-exempt municipal bond market under Trump). Will it be enough, and what type of infrastructure would be funded? At one point during the campaign, we were asked to help fact-check a statement by Trump, that “Hillary … wants to spend hundreds of billions to resettle Middle Eastern refuges in the U.S.,” and that “for the amount of money Hillary Clinton would like to spend on refugees, we could rebuild every inner city in America.” This required some unpacking, since Clinton never proposed spending “hundreds of billions” on refugees, but we took a look at what it would take to “rebuild” struggling cities.
“Will Trump keep his promises to northeast Florida?” via Vic Micolucci of WJXT – Trump worked hard to win over voters in the state of Florida. During his campaign, Trump visited Jacksonville three times and stopped in St. Augustine to speak to enthusiastic supporters. At a rally held last week at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center, Trump said he would boost the economy, create good jobs, make people feel safe again and invest more into the military. “Our Navy is the smallest it has been since World War I. We will build the 350 ships (for the) Navy that our country needs and desires and must have. That means brand-new state-of-the-art ships in places like Mayport, right here in Jacksonville,” Trump said … Retired Admiral Bob Natter, former commander of the Navy’s entire Atlantic Fleet, said he agrees that the military is underfunded with only 272 deployable ships. He even testified to Congress that the United States needs at least 350 ships to protect the country. “Assuming that president-elect Trump is able to expand our military, expand our Navy to increase numbers, which it needs, then we will see more ships and aircrafts here in Mayport and in Jacksonville. You’ll see more investment here,” Natter said. “But again, it will be gradual and it’s going to have to be based on a strong economy.” Trump has also promised to improve the Jacksonville Port Authority. “We’re going to spend a lot of money on our infrastructure, including the deepening of the harbor at JAXPORT,” Trump said. While it may be hard for Trump to follow through with all of the promises, Natter said he thinks that the new administration will be good for the community. Natter also pointed out that the president will need the help of Congress to help with the improvements. Northeast Florida residents will find out if Trump will keep his promises after he officially takes office Jan. 20.
“Trump needed Florida and Susie Wiles delivered it” via David Chapman of the Jacksonville Financial News & Daily Record – The campaign needed someone with Wiles’ skills and background to secure the must-win state and pave a path to victory. As Wiles describes it, when she returned in September, she added a couple of people to the campaign team that already “was blessed with great talent.” She moved the campaign’s headquarters to Orlando, a more central location along the all-important Interstate 4 corridor. Wiles arrived, she said, at a time when she had to focus on opening 26 offices immediately and ramping up the ground game just as quickly, while “making friends or renewing friendships” among state and national Republicans and voters. The Republican Party at the state and national levels along with the Trump campaign coalesced and worked for the ticket. Matt Parker, a field director for the campaign, was in Florida working for the Carlos Beruff in his bid for a U.S. senate seat. He’d worked with Wiles before in 2010 when she led Gov. Rick Scott’s entrance into politics. “This is what she really does well,” said Parker … Wiles will be one to admit she’s not a “data nerd” when it comes to statistics. But she is truly an effective manager who takes a campaign “to the top.” The resulting ground game ended up being a “huge factor” for the statewide campaign, he said.
— “The sights, scenes, winners and losers from Election Day” via the Jacksonville Financial News & Daily Record
”Lenny Curry expresses ‘strong support’ for president-elect DTrump” via Florida Politics – With Trump elected and the GOP retaining control of both houses of Congress, Jacksonville’s Republican mayor believes the city is well-positioned in the upcoming federal food fights. “I believe my strong support of president-elect Trump, like my relationship with Governor Rick Scott, will be good for the City of Jacksonville as we move forward with bold new ideas,” Curry wrote. Curry also expressed optimism for Jacksonville’s new U.S. Representatives-Elect, Republican John Rutherford and Democrat Al Lawson, who will be serving in the 4th and 5th congressional districts. “Sheriff Rutherford and I are great friends and he fully understands the priorities of Jacksonville. I expect that I will be able to have a great relationship with Congressman-Elect Lawson and look forward to meeting with him very soon,” Curry noted. Both Rutherford and Lawson have positioned themselves as pragmatists, looking to work with colleagues across the aisle. Though Lawson is from Tallahassee, he is well-regarded, especially among Jacksonville Republicans with experience in the state capital. Clearly, the mayor is confident that the city’s congressional delegation and the mayor’s own support of president-elect Trump will help Jacksonville plead its case on the federal level.
“By the numbers: St. Johns County voters flocked to polls with support for Republicans” via Jake Martin of the St. Augustine Record – According to unofficial results posted to the St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections website as of about 8:45 p.m. Tuesday, 138,541 of the county’s 172,073 active registered voters had cast their ballots, making for a turnout rate of 80.51 percent. The county’s nearly 92,000 Republican voters outnumber Democrats, third-party and non-affiliated voters more than two to one. Unofficial results posted as of about 2 p.m. Wednesday indicated 98,936 voters cast their ballots by mail or through early voting while 39,428 chose to wait it out till Election Day. Another 220 provisional ballots were cast. The new total, which included votes by mail, early voting ballots and Election Day ballots, as well as partial provisional ballots, was 138,584. Republican voters cast 78,157 ballots compared to 32,384 cast by Democratic voters and 28,043 by third-party and non-affiliated voters. Less than 30 minutes after the polls closed Tuesday, most of the counting was already done. Vicky Oakes, supervisor of elections for St. Johns County, credited technology and early voting. “I was hoping for a little higher but I was pleased with the turnout,” she said.
Foreshadowing from May: “The 2016 election isn’t about what most people think” via AG Gancarski of Florida Politics – What is already known is this: In a frontrunner role, Clinton is not driving enthusiasm in the party’s base. And, while Trump may be anathema to the Republicans that were seen as the base before the primary process started, he clearly has expanded the voter universe. The question is why, and the answers advanced thus far have been fragmentary. Some assume that the Trump voters are responding to racialist language, especially about Latin Americans. Others assume that Trump voters are responding to the candidate’s brashness in other areas. Rare is the analysis that assumes that Trump voters are rational actors, in the same way that those who voted for other candidates are. And that’s unfortunate. Understanding the last 15 years, and how members of the white middle class then feel like they have been consistently failed, is key to understanding how the Trump appeal has succeeded thus far. And it is key to understanding why the polls showing Clinton as the walkaway November victor need to be regarded as snapshots in time, rather than as an inevitability … Trump’s lack of investment in the bipartisan narrative of the last quarter-century has given him a unique rhetorical freedom. He can convincingly make the case that the North American Free Trade Agreement has been a sucker bet for Americans. And he can make the same case about the War on Terror of George W. Bush, 15 years old now and still reaping a bitter and expensive harvest for American taxpayers. Clinton is playing defense, meanwhile. Defense for the Clinton administration and her husband’s peccadillos. But also defense for an era that has not paid off, by and large, for Trump’s reconstituted Silent Majority. The race will be won not by the politician with the best resume, but by the best marketer, the best demagogue. And that’s Trump territory.
“Ron DeSantis wins third term in Congress” via Mark Harper of the Daytona Beach News-Journal – DeSantis [defeated] William McCullough by a 59-41 margin … representing a new district. He celebrated with his fellow Republicans at a gathering at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, in the heart of the new House District 6, which was redrawn and moved geographically to the south. When he first won his seat in the U.S. House in 2012, DeSantis lived in Ponte Vedra Beach, which was moved to another district. So after deciding June to drop his bid for the U.S. Senate and return to his home seat, he moved to Flagler County and campaigned knowing that all of Volusia County, which still slightly leans Democrat, would be his central constituency. But DeSantis, a 38-year-old attorney and former Navy judge advocate general officer, won all four counties in which District 6 covers: all of Volusia and Flagler and parts of Lake and St. Johns. “We identified voters who did not yet know me,” DeSantis said. And his campaign attempted to reach those voters by letting them know what he did for constituents of the old District 6. “Being here, we had the advantage of having been there for those who needed help with the VA or writing a letter for those with issues with the IRS,” he said.
“Paul Renner re-elected to state District 24 seat” via Shaun Ryan of the Daytona Beach News-Journal – Renner, 49, of Palm Coast, received 63 percent of the vote. His opponent, Adam Morley, 31, received 37 percent. District 24 covers all of Flagler County and parts of northwest Volusia and southern St. Johns counties. Renner is a commercial attorney and a Republican, first elected to the office in April 2015 during a special election. He listed his top three priorities as job growth, expended opportunity through high-quality education and maintaining our quality of life. Renner has been active in helping match veterans’ skills to the civilian workforce and getting the Flagler County Adults With Disabilities program critical funding.
“New faces abound in Duval legislative delegation” via Florida Politics – Many of the races — such as the ones won by Cord Byrd in House District 11, Clay Yarborough in HD 12, Rep. Jay Fant in HD 15, and Jason Fischer in HD 16 — were anticlimactic, as these well-funded candidates had merely write-in opposition in their bids. All of them polled at or over 95 percent. Of the competitive races in Northeast Florida, the most drama was in the HD 13 race between Democrat Tracie Davis and Republican Mark Griffin. Davis defeated Griffin … 60 percent to 40 percent. Meanwhile, in HD 14, former Jacksonville City Councilwoman Kim Daniels dispatched Republican Chris Whitfield by a two-to-one margin for the right to replace termed-out Rep. Mia Jones.
Newly elected St. Johns superintendent ready to face population growth challenges” via First Coast News – By unanimous vote, Tim Forson was ushered in as the new St. Johns County School Board Superintendent. He takes control in January. Forson is a 36-year-old veteran in the school district … He said his main goal is to maintain consistency with school leaders and the way they operate. He added that his main challenge ahead is the rapid influx of families moving to the area. It a challenge he said he thinks he’s ready for. “For the last 10 years, we’ve grown rapidly and we’re seeing that accelerate at a faster rate now,” he said. As the county attracts new residents, Forson said the district is ready to face the problem. “For us, that rate is as fast as two schools a year,” he said. “And I think our job as a school system is to just respond to the growth; it’s not up to us to decide how many families come or who comes, but it’s the ability to respond to that.” Three schools are currently under construction. A K-8 school in Nocatee is set to open in 2018 and serve 1,400 students. Also under construction is another school like it in the Aberdeen community.
“Voters elect Kathy Burns, re-elect Bill Leeper” via Kathie Colgrove of the Nassau County Record – Hilliard Town Council candidate Jared Wollitz edged out incumbent Patricia Webb by 85 votes in his first bid for the seat. He earned 517 votes compared to Webb’s 432. Incumbents Kenny Sims and Lee Pickett will retain their seats … Jack Bailey captured 408 votes, but it was not enough to win his bid to return to the council … Callahan Town Council candidates Marty Fontes, Ken Bass and David Mellecker were unopposed and will remain in office for another four years. In the Nassau County sheriff’s race, Republican incumbent Leeper handily defeated NPA candidate Carol Batchelor … Republican Burns won in the final battle for school superintendent, beating out Libertarian candidate Cheryl Reynolds James with 87.56 percent of the vote. James received 12.44 percent or 5,461 votes… Republican tax collector John Drew received 42,282 votes. Write-in votes in the race totaled less than 1 percent at 344. Among the 61,292 registered voters in Nassau County, 47,190 ballots were cast, representing a voter turnout of 76.99 percent … Although 47,190 ballots were cast, none of the races had 100 percent participation locally. The highest participation was in the presidential election, with 46,920 ballots cast … In the Ocean, Highway and Port Authority District 1 race, Republican Robert “Bob” Sturgess defeated Democrat Coleman Carnegie Langshaw … Nassau Soil and Water Conservation District Group 4 incumbent Thomas R. Ford won with 70.26 percent of the vote … In the straw ballot for mayor of Fernandina Beach, Robin C. Lentz took the lead with 49.43 percent … over Len Kreger with 27.81 percent. Roy G. Smith had 22.75 percent.
“After 10 years, Cecil Field has moved on from contentious citywide vote over bringing back Navy jets” via Steve Patterson and Joe Daraskevich of the Florida Times-Union – On Election Day 10 years ago, Jacksonville voters faced a choice: Should their Navy-loving town give the closed Cecil Field Naval Air Station back to the Navy to pursue reopening a jet base there? Having 60 percent of voters say no wasn’t what most expected, but enough people fought the handover to make a convincing case. “I knew it just didn’t make sense,” said Russ Stalvey, an IT manager who had bought a horse farm under a flight path the Navy stopped using when the base closed in 1999 after a national base realignment. Stalvey, who has a pilot’s license and says he loves watching jets overhead, had lived earlier near the Navy’s Whitehouse Outlying Field. The field was being used when he bought there, and Stalvey said he had no complaints about spending $24,000 to refit that house with noise-dampening equipment like laminated windows that absorb sound. But around Cecil Field, he said, the Navy had chosen to leave years earlier and handed over the property. People like him made plans for life after the jet base and paid good money for land that wasn’t supposed to have jets roaring past day and night. Since the closure, Navy jets were getting louder. Trouble running jet bases side-by-side with suburbia had become a bone of contention in Virginia, where the Navy’s Atlantic Fleet is headquartered. That stress became known in Navy towns including Jacksonville, and when a new base realignment was being planned in the mid-2000s, then-Mayor John Peyton tried to use it to Jacksonville’s advantage. Since civilian development was crowding a Navy jet base around Virginia Beach, Peyton told a panel overseeing the realignment that it could move planes from there to Cecil Field. That might be 200 jets that would create customers for businesses near the base and bring military people to town with steady, honorable jobs.
Save the date: “Skyway of the Future” – JTA will be hosting a public forum Tuesday, Nov. 15, on the future of the Skyway. Skyway Modernization Program will consider future technology, potential system expansion and an operating plan for the system. It will cover near, mid and long term improvements. Your input is critical during the plan development. Meeting begins 4:30 p.m. at the Jacksonville Public Library Main Branch, Multipurpose Room, 303 N. Laura St. in Jacksonville.
Happening Wednesday — Professional Women’s Council hosts luncheon — The Professional Women’s Council will host its luncheon at 11:30 a.m., Nov. 16 at Maggiano’s Little Italy, 10367 Midtown Parkway in Jacksonville. The event will feature a silent auction, where members can find great bargains and wonderful gifts for the holiday. The luncheon costs $20 for PWC members, $25 for nonmembers. To register visit www.pwcjax.org.
“Shareholders approve Jacksonville-based EverBank acquisition by TIAA” via the Florida Times-Union – EverBank Financial Corp. has announced the company’s stockholders voted to approve its acquisition by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) at a special stockholder meeting held in Jacksonville … The deal still needs federal approval by regulators before it can be consummated. TIAA announced an agreement to acquire EverBank for $19.50 per share of common stock in cash pursuant to an agreement and plan of merger in August. TIAA, which provides retirement services and insurance, announced in August that it would buy EverBank for $2.5 billion cash. EverBank, headquartered in Jacksonville, employs 2,963 workers of which 1,624 work in the city. It has 60 mortgage offices across the country and financial operations in New York, New Jersey, Washington and Missouri. TIAA’s history is rooted in investment guidance for educators. Industrialist Andrew Carnegie founded the Teachers Insurance Annuity Association in 1918 … TIAA has $889 billion in assets under management, nearly 5 million customers and serves 16,000 institutions, according to figures provided by the company. Rob Clements, chairman and CEO of EverBank, said in August the deal is solid and works well for both companies.
“Amazon.com fulfillment center taking shape” via Karen Brune Mathis of the Jacksonville Financial News & Daily Record – On track to open in time for the 2017 holiday season, the Amazon.com fulfillment center is taking shape in Northwest Jacksonville off Interstate 295 at Pecan Park Road. The Conlan Co. is building the distribution facility at 12900 Pecan Park Road for the Seattle-based e-commerce retailer. Amazon.com will hire 1,500 full-time employees, along with seasonal workers, to pick, pack and ship smaller consumer items at the facility. More than 147 acres was approved for site clearing. The city issued a permit in August for the $87 million construction project. The entire project is $200 million, according to legislation for incentives to assist the deal. Hiring is expected to start about six months before opening. The building’s footprint is 855,000 square feet and will be four levels, taking it to 2.4 million square feet in capacity, plans show.
“Jacksonville-based CSX names Michael Rutherford VP for industrial products” via Drew Dixon of the Florida Times-Union – The appointment is a promotion for Rutherfrod, who has been with the logistics and rail company for more than 17 years. The promotion is effective immediately, a CSX release said … “He [Rutherford] has earned a reputation as an effective communicator and strategic thinker who drives bottom-line results by advancing our market intelligence efforts and driving customer-service improvements,” said CSX Executive vice president and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Fredrik Eliasson. Rutherford had previously served CSX as the assistant vice president for industrial products.
“14 doctors in Jacksonville certified to recommend medical marijuana” via Cole Heath of Action News Jax – The Florida Department of Health lists more 150 doctors in Florida certified to recommend patients get medical marijuana. At least 14 of the certified doctors are in the Jacksonville area. They will soon be able to prescribe liquid and vapor forms of medical marijuana once Amendment 2 becomes law. Action News Jax asked one of those doctors, Dr. Harold Laski, what safeguards are in place to prevent people from abusing the system. “A physician has to be certified, and to be certified you have to take a test and a course,” Laski said. Laski is certified to recommend patients with diagnosed conditions such as certain cancers, epilepsy and AIDS to receive medical marijuana. “Only a certified physician can do it, and we have to re-certify every two years,” Laski said. “How do you prevent abuse now that amendment has passed?” … “We see our patients every 30 to 45 days. So we can see what’s happening, we still do things we normally do with any controlled substance,” Laski said. Laski said the process should start next July.
UF Health Jacksonville honored for innovation excellence — UF Health Jacksonville was honored by the national health care leader Vizient Inc. with the company’s inaugural Innovation Excellence Award. The award recognizes UF Health Jacksonville for developing and adopting innovate technology solutions that enhance or change their care delivery models or efficiencies. “Our organization is always striving to improve the way we manage health care, which in turn helps our patients achieve better outcomes,” said Russ Armistead, CEO of UF Health Jacksonville, in a statement. “This award shows that we continue to move in the right direction, and I am proud of our faculty and staff who provide outstanding health care every day. I’d also like to thank Vizient for recognizing our achievement.”
UF Health Jacksonville salutes veterans — Senior leadership, members of the UF Health Jacksonville Diversity Council, and the hospital’s Military Affinity Group honored veterans during a 30-minute ceremony Wednesday in the East Expansion of the Clinical Center. The annual event is meant to commemorate the sacrifices military and former military employees have made. “We let them know that we respect them. We appreciate what they have done — serving honorably to protect us and our country,” said Mohamed Bijani, an accountant at UF Health Jacksonville and chairman of the Military Affinity Group. Between UF Health Jacksonville and UFJPI, we have 500 people who are either current military or veterans. This number is made up of only the staff and doesn’t even include our physicians who have also served.” The city of Jacksonville has more than 150,000 veterans, many of whom receive medical treatment at UF Health. “The Military Affinity Group is an extended arm of UF Health’s appreciation for our veterans,” Bijani said. “We want them to know we are here for them with anything they may need.”
Happening Thursday — NE Florida honors its Health Care Heroes — The annual Health Care Heroes event is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. at the Omni Jacksonville, 245 Water Street in Jacksonville. The event honors medical professional in Northeast Florida who have improved health care and saved lives.
Happening this weekend — Veterans get free admission at Jacksonville Zoo — Military veterans will get free admission to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens from Nov. 11 through Nov. 13. The free admission, sponsored by Bank of America, is a sign of gratitude for veterans’ service over the Veterans Day Weekend. The offer is good for one military veteran when a coupon is presented. Additional family members and guys must purchase admission at the regular price. The offer is good from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Nov. 11 through Nov. 13. Veterans can head to http://www.jacksonvillezoo.org/veteransday to download the coupon.
Congrats — “Daily Record staff wins eight Florida Press Club awards” via Jacksonville Daily Record — The newspaper received one first-place honor, four second-place awards and three third-place awards in the under 40,000 daily circulation division. “As they do each and every day, our dedicated staff works hard to accurately report, educate and inform our readers,” said Daily Record Publisher Jim Bailey. The first-place award went to reporter David Chapman in the government news writing category for stories on how Mayor Lenny Curry sold his pension plan in Tallahassee; former Mayor Alvin Brown and John Keane of the Police and Fire Pension Fund reaching a pension deal; and the controversy over the opening of The Roost in Riverside.
“Jaguars running game gives hope to offense, no longer dark” via Gary Shelton – It still isn’t running to daylight. But for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the running game no longer appears to be dark.
The Jags rushed for a season-high 205 yards last week against the Kansas Chiefs, which give balance – and hope – to their offense. Only twice in the first seven games did the Jags run for as much as 100 yards, and four times it was less than 60.
That meant there was some pleasure in the Jags, especially with Chris Ivory rushing for 107 yards. He hadn’t rushed for 50 yards all season beforehand, and twice, he has been held to less than 20.
“Anytime you get the run game going it helps,” said offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. “It’s always one of those things for me, it’s obviously always about the quarterback. It’s about the quarterback getting into a comfort level to help the pass game. If he is comfortable then you always have a chance to get some big hits and some good completions.
“I think when you get the run game that’s always the time where the quarterback can go ‘ahh’ and he can relax and know I’m going to give the ball to Chris Ivory and he’s going to go. I’m going to give the ball to T.J. Yeldon and he’s going to do something special. I think anytime the run game is going it takes a little bit of the pressure off the quarterback. Especially when you’re a third-year quarterback, still trying to find out all the different things you can do. You want to have some kind of security blanket and I think when that run game goes it’s always going to help the offense.”
Quarterback Blake Bortles had 54 yards rushing.
“I think there’s styles of run,” coach Gus Bradley said. “Obviously the gun read, the gun read quarterback option stuff is challenging for a defense and then also if you want to play certain coverages like two-man, four-man where everybody’s got their back turned, high safeties and everybody’s leaving the box, that’s a different style run that he can have because everybody’s got their kind of scramble or extending the play run. I think it’s two areas that you look at where he’s gaining yardage and I think that’s what we’ve been challenging him on.
“If you see that and you don’t see anything open, take advantage of that.”
Bortles said the Jags gained confidence with their big rushing day.
“You could tell those guys felt good about it,” Bortles said. “I think anytime you run for 200 yards in the NFL that’s a big day and that’s something to be proud of. I know those guys are proud of it. For us, even though going for 200 (yards rushing) we still felt like we left a lot of yards on the field. Nathaniel does a good job because we haven’t done that. Everyone was excited. ‘Look what we did.’ Obviously everyone was upset we didn’t win, but look what we were able to do in the run game. He made sure to make a point of the yards we left on the field and things we can do better and continue to get better at.”
This week, the Jaguars play against Houston. The Texans are without injured J.J. Watt, but their defense still can pose problems.
“When he was playing they moved him around a lot so then other guys moved around a lot,” Bradley said. “They still do that, but without him—obviously he was a pretty big presence for them—but they’re doing a good job now. They’re very talented, very talented up front and the way they mix it up they’re very disruptive. When you go into it it’s not like, oh they don’t have Watt now let’s attack them this way. You still feel a lot of pressure from them. Lot of pressure.”
“Free tickets For Veterans For Jaguars Game” – The City of Jacksonville- Disabled Services Division and the Military and Veteran Services Department are honored to announce Duval County Veterans may receive complimentary Jaguars tickets to the Nov. 13 Jaguar game (Jacksonville Jaguars versus Houston Texans), tickets are limited to Veterans and one companion, limited availability. Veterans are asked to contact the Disabled Services at 904-630-4940 to register for tickets. Handicapped Accessible seating or Handicapped Accessible seating with a companion can be requested at the time of registration for the tickets. Tickets are distributed on a first come basis. Veteran must have proof of Veteran status (DD214 or VA ID Card).
