Jacksonville Bold for 8.28.24: Solemn remembrance

Jacksonville leaders and community members are remembering the loss of Angela Carr, Jerrald Gallion and A.J. Laguerre Jr. a year ago, when a racially motivated mass murderer took their lives in a New Town Dollar General.

“It is not enough to remember Angela, A.J. and Jerald only in moments of reflection. We must honor them through our actions. We must strive to create a society where diversity is celebrated and where every individual feels that they belong. We must expand the work that is harnessing our city’s diversity, not undermine the people or programs that nurture it,” Mayor Donna Deegan said.

“We also must work toward a future where everyone feels safe and supported, no matter who they are, who they love or where they worship. As we memorialize this somber day, let us remember that our collective strength lies in our unity. Let us be inspired by the resilience and courage of those who continue to fight for justice and equality,” Deegan added.

“The tragedy that happened is unacceptable, and we should never accept the violence, the hurt, the tragedy, the trauma, which we all have felt,” City Council member Ju’Coby Pittman said Sunday upon the public unveiling of a new permanent memorial to the three victims at what is now Kings Road Memorial Park.

According to WJXT, “Lives Lost” displays the date of the incident and explains forever what happened on that fateful day last August. Unveiled this weekend, it commemorates the tragedy and provides a way forward.

“We stand here in unity because that’s what it’s going to take for us to move forward,” Kim Allen, CEO of 904ward, said at the event.

After the event, City Council member Jimmy Peluso thanked the nonprofit “for working with the community to put this beautiful ceremony together.”

“It was solemn, it was peaceful, & was about healing. It’s exactly what we need to remember one year after the deadly shooting in Grand Park,” the Democrat from District 7 said.

The commemoration brings a new chapter after a gunman’s rampage exposed political fissures never too far from the surface in the city.

Gov. Ron DeSantis attended a memorial after the shooting last year and was booed by some attendees. The jeers only abated when Jacksonville City Council member Pittman appealed to the crowd to quiet down so he could speak.

The Governor said then that a “major league scumbag (came) from Clay County up here” and that “what he did is totally unacceptable in the state of Florida.”

Some believe the shooter also intended to attack students on the nearby Edward Waters University campus.

President A. Zachary Faison noted last year that while none of those murdered were students at the school, the killer did “come to the EWU campus some minutes before his murderous rampage,” parking in a faculty-staff lot and putting on “some type of gloves and tactical armored vest.”

Park gripe

A Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) plan to support significant construction of new facilities in state parks is earning pushback on the First Coast.

Anastasia State Park in tourism-rich St. Johns County is one of the eight parks targeted by the state’s plan. The Anastasia State Park website emphasizes the seaside refuge’s natural and open allure. It points out that the facility is free from substantial buildings and features premium outdoor enjoyment.

“Pristine white sand beaches and vibrant history” is the motto that greets visitors to the park in St. Augustine, “The Nation’s Oldest City,” and a significant draw for visitors worldwide.

However, the DEP plan — “Great Outdoors Initiative” — should be implemented next year and aims to “increase public access, recreation and lodging at Florida State Parks.” The proposal has sparked a rising groundswell of opposition, igniting protests and local government backlash.

The St. Johns County Commission is already railing against the plans for Anastasia State Park, which proposes adding a 350-unit lodge, pickleball courts and a disc golf course. This week, a news release from St. Johns County called the proposal a “grave concern and outrage.”

St. Johns County Commission Chair Sarah Arnold ripped into the state proposal and attacked it as state government overreach that sought no local government input.

“The State of Florida has not contacted St. Johns County with any details of this project. Parks are for people and not about projects for profit,” Arnold said in a prepared statement.

Arnold’s criticism comes as momentum builds for opposition to the state proposals for Anastasia State Park. A few dozen people took part in a picket line with placards and a protest outside the park Sunday, with many arguing the proposed lodge is an egregious aberration in a 1,600-acre facility featuring access to Atlantic Ocean beaches, rolling dunes and a plethora of outdoor activities.

Dolphins downtown

We previously previewed this for you and are even more pleased to report that Jacksonville University College of Law is the latest and greatest occupant of the former Atlantic Bank building.

“The City of Jacksonville is proud to support the new downtown campus of Jacksonville University’s law school. We congratulate them on this significant milestone for the school and our city,” Deegan said.

The Mayor had signed off on $6.5M of the $12M total spend for the adaptive reuse project.

“The new law school campus is a key part of our plans to grow higher education in Jacksonville and make downtown a place where people will choose to learn, work, live, play and visit,” Deegan added.

“JU is an amazing part of this community, and this law school is going to bring life downtown, something that we need. It’s going to bring vibrancy,” said Jacksonville City Council Vice President Kevin Carrico. “We’ve all worked together to support JU and will continue to support JU and all the other [higher education] institutions around town. Thank you for showing us what a public-private partnership can look like.”

Book nook

Bookstores are still a going concern in Jacksonville. The rise and fall of traditional shopping malls have not affected the independent, used bookstores that have been here for decades and with new establishments (including Rep. Angie Nixon’s Cafe Resistance) entering the game.

The OG of book mongers is happy to see them.

“Those people doing these current little places, they fill a niche in the local community,” Ron Chamblin said in an interview with the Jacksonville Business Journal. “It’s kind of neat. It’s a place where you see ideas float around, where selective titles can spark the interest of one’s imagination.”

New shops, such as the Literary Lounge in Murray Hill, say people want to feel good when they go to a bookstore.

“It’s not about what you sell or what your price point is. It’s about the experience you have. It’s the vibe you set; customer service has a huge effect on things. So, we saw all of that as an opportunity here that could be done better,” Janelle Collier, the spot’s new co-owner, said.

Bon appétit

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority is working on several fronts in the days before Labor Day.

One could be getting you to lunch between now and Oct. 25.

“Ahead of the Ultimate Urban Circulator (U2C) autonomous transit system launch in June 2025, Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) continues to pilot and test this emerging technology across the community. The newest opportunity to ride one of JTA’s autonomous vehicles is the Brooklyn AV Circulator. From JRTC and eight existing and new JTA stops along Riverside Avenue, customers can catch a free ride to 14 different lunch spots,” the agency is announcing.

For the next two months, hungry riders can get to places like the Fresh Market, Panera Bread, or Arepa Please in Brooklyn and Riverside for free.

“This pilot is part of JTA’s ongoing AV testing leading up to the launch of the U2C, a comprehensive program to modernize and expand the Skyway and introduce autonomous vehicles (AVs) into JTA’s transportation system. By transforming the current Skyway, extending the reach within the urban core through the Bay Street Innovation Corridor and expanding beyond into adjacent neighborhoods, U2C supports the vision of a vibrant, revitalized and better-connected Downtown Jacksonville,” JTA notes.

Bottoms up

Heading to Jacksonville International Airport? Be sure to stop at Chili’s.

Not just for the familiar menu this time, however. But also, for a revolution in beer amid a “revamped look.”

Specifically, the Bottoms Up Draft Beer System is an “automated pour technology that offers faster service and a more sustainable beverage experience” that fills beer glasses from the bottom up, reducing pour time substantially without compromising on taste or quality — and with virtually no waste.

“The focus on convenience is speed is accentuated by the deployment of self-order kiosks for those seeking quicker service,” notes the Moodie Davitt report, extolling the innovation.

David Weston, Chili’s VP of International Business and Global Development, says the company couldn’t be “more excited about being back at the airport, now with double the space to serve travelers their familiar favorites as soon as they step through security.”

And why shouldn’t they be excited? This fast-casual spot was already a proven crowd-pleaser.

“When our first location closed to make room for expanded security checkpoints, Chili’s was the highest-grossing restaurant at the airport,” Weston adds.

Baptist boost

A local hospital is celebrating a couple of milestones to close the Summer.

Baptist’s MD Anderson Cancer Center is “the first organization in the world to earn HIMSS’s Community Care Outcomes Maturity Model (C-COMM) Stage 7 validation for improving patient engagement and outcomes outside of hospital settings.”

In plain language, this means how “health care organizations leverage information and technology to better engage with patients, families and caregivers across community-based service environments such as primary care, home health and telehealth.”

“The innovative use of technology is reshaping how high-quality health care is delivered, and we are proud to be driving this change,” said Aaron Miri, MBA, FCHIME, CHCIO, senior vice president and chief digital and information officer of Baptist Health. “This recognition is a testament to the commitment of our information technology and clinical teams to optimize our information and technology capabilities to create a healthier community.”

Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville’s Thoracic Surgery Program is honored for its lung lobectomy surgery for those with Stage III lung cancer.

“The three-star rating reflects our commitment to high standards and excellence for those who need surgery following a diagnosis of lung cancer,” explained Subrato J. Deb, MD, MPH, thoracic surgeon at Baptist MD Anderson. “Most importantly, the data represents people … who had an excellent outcome following their lung lobectomy and the people behind the patient – our dedicated team of experts.”

Arlington ER

According to the Jacksonville Daily Record, a new 10,860-square-foot HCA Healthcare Emergency Room may soon be coming to Arlington.

Four acres will be cleared for the Auld and White project “west of Interstate 295 and next to a RaceTrac gas station and convenience store … across from Merrill Station Shopping Center.”

The facility will contain what you’d expect: “11 treatment rooms, a waiting area, exam rooms, a trauma area, a lab, a nurses’ station, restrooms and associated spaces.”

“As a part of HCA Florida Healthcare, we are always looking to bring health care closer to where people live and work … to expand our care in this neighborhood,” said Odette Struys, public information officer of HCA Florida Memorial Hospital, to the Daily Record.

Blue Star boon

Duval County’s unparalleled parks gave a boost to the Blue Star Exploration Program and its five events this year, put on via a collaborative effort from the National Park Service‘s Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, Timucuan Parks Foundation (TPF), and Blue Star Families Jacksonville.

“This year’s program introduced these military families to the amazing assets and rich history that we find in our parks and preserves through a partnership with the national nonprofit and our park partners,” said Felicia Boyd, program and outreach director for TPF. “We taught them the basics of ethical angling and introduced them to the Gullah Geechee fishing heritage, connected them to the history in our city, state and national parks, and showcased the ecology that thrives in our preserved natural spaces.”

The fishing component happened at Sheffield Park, but that’s not all the kids did.

They also attended the Kingsley Heritage Celebration, where they learned about African heritage at the former plantation, and World Migratory Bird Day at Fort Caroline National Memorial.

Save the date

904 Day will be here before you know it, and if you’re looking to celebrate this year, consider doing it with the Sierra Club in Durkeeville “to better understand the connections between social justice, environmental preservation, economic well-being for all.”

The tour next Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 9 a.m. includes a visit to Mount Ararat Baptist Church, said to be “the only church in Jacksonville visited by Dr. Martin Luther King,” and James P. Small Baseball Park, which was the previous home of the Negro League Red Caps.

“The walk will total about a mile and a half. The entire way is paved along city streets and partially along a pedestrian and bicycle trail closed to motorized vehicles. Children are welcome if accompanied by parents and able to travel safely through city streets for the distance,” the Sierra Club notes.

Join the CIA

No spy experience is needed!

The Jacksonville Beach Citizens Information Academy is taking applications through Friday, Aug. 30.

This five-week program kicks off Wednesday, Oct. 2. It is intended “to bring participants behind the scenes of city government operations and show them what is involved in delivering and maintaining services to Jacksonville Beach citizens and businesses.”

Who’s eligible?

“The Academy is designed for residents and business owners 18 years and older who are interested in learning more about their local government and who want to get involved in their community.”

Analyzing the Jaguars’ roster

The Jaguars and the rest of the NFL made final cuts Tuesday. Of course, calling them “final” is a misnomer. Rosters are managed constantly in the NFL. But the Jaguars made a few surprising moves to get down to 53 players before the regular season. Let’s take them by position groups.

Quarterbacks (2)

No surprise here, Trevor Lawrence is the starter and Mac Jones, who played very well in the preseason games, is the backup. The decision to keep Jones at No. 2 was easy when C.J. Beathard sustained a groin injury in the second preseason game.

Running backs (3)

Travis Etienne, Tank Bigsby, and D’Ernest Johnson are the only running backs on the roster. Bigsby looks improved compared to his disappointing rookie season.

Wide receivers (6)

The Jaguars’ top three receivers are clear. Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis, and rookie Brian Thomas Jr. stand head and shoulders above the rest of the group. One of the receivers who made the roster as a backup, Devin Duvernay, is primarily a kick returner. Second-year receiver Parker Washington took a big step forward this preseason and Tim Jones is a standout in coverage on special teams. Washington will likely be a game day inactive if the Jaguars’ wideouts are healthy, but he showed promise for the future.

Tight ends (3)

Evan Engram, of course, is the starter. The Jaguars showed a lot of two-tight end sets in the preseason, with Luke Farrell as the in-line blocking tight end opposite Engram. Last year’s second-round draft pick, Brenton Strange, needs to show more.

Offensive line (10)

The starting five remains unchanged since the team signed center Mitch Morse in free agency. Left tackle Cam Robinson joins Morse, left guard Ezra Cleveland, right guard Brandon Scherff, and right tackle Anton Harrison. The Jaguars’ decision to keep 10 linemen tells us a lot. There are two backup tackles, Walker Little and rookie Javon Foster. A backup center, last year’s starter Luke Fortner, and a pair of backup guards, Cooper Hodges, the former Baker County High School star, and Cole Van Lanen, who can play multiple positions. Keeping backups at every spot is a reaction to the number of injuries from last year.

Defensive line (11)

With the Jaguars moving to a 4-3 defensive scheme, they need more linemen, but keeping 11 is a surprise. Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen moved to defensive end from their outside linebacker spots, while free agent signee Arik Armstead did not play in the preseason; he is expected to start along with DaVon Hamilton. Other defensive tackles to make the squad include returning veterans Roy Robertson-Harris, Jeremiah Ledbetter, Tyler Lacy, and a pair of draft picks from LSU, Maason Smith and Jordan Jefferson. Second-year pro Esezi Otomewo also made the cut. The Jaguars traded Trevis Gipson to Seattle for a draft pick this week in a surprise move that opened up a spot for seventh-round pick Myles Cole to make the team.

Linebackers (6)

Foye Oluokun and Devin Lloyd return as starters, while Chad Muma could see more playing time this season at one of the outside linebacker spots. Yassir Abdullah, drafted to be a pass rusher, must prove he can play outside linebacker in a 4-3. Veteran Caleb Johnson and former Florida Gator Ventrell Miller made the cut. Miller missed all of last year with an injury.

Defensive backs (9)

Tyson Campbell and free agent addition Ronald Darby will start at cornerback, with Andre Cisco and Antonio Johnson at safety. Another free agent addition is Darnell Savage, who will play in nickel situations. Andrew Wingard is healing from a knee injury and starts the year on injured reserve. Rookies Jarian Jones and De’Antre Prince made the roster but may only see a little playing time if everyone is healthy. Second-year man Montaric “Buster” Brown gained experience last year and expects to play at a higher level this season. Daniel Thomas is the Jaguars’ best special teams coverage man.

Specialists (3)

Pretty simple here. Rookie kicker Cam Little and long snapper Ross Matiscik join veteran punter Logan Cooke.

Where do the Jaguars need to improve the roster? The depth at the offensive line will likely be tested. Do they have enough complimentary pass rushers to add to Hines-Allen and Walker? It’s a long season, and health often decides how successful any team is in the NFL. That the Jaguars spent 21 of the 53 roster spots on offensive and defensive linemen after saying they needed to be more physical after last year says it’s still a big goal.