Jacksonville Bold for 5.28.25: Carrico time

The big news this week coming out of the City Council was a foregone conclusion.

But it could be very important to Mayor Donna Deegan as she prepares to run for a second term.

Council President-designate Kevin Carrico and incoming VP Nick Howland will present a contrast to the friendly nature of outgoing leader Randy White for the two years starting July 1.

Who will lead key Committees this Summer, particularly the Finance Committee that will take a scalpel — or a chainsaw — to the Mayor’s budget priorities?

As of yet, we don’t know.

But what we do know, what recent history tells us, is that the last two years of a Mayor’s first term can be pivotal.

Consider how Anna Brosche represented an impediment to Lenny Curry, for example.

Or how Bill Gulliford vexed Alvin Brown.

There are still a lot of conditions surrounding who runs against Deegan in 2027 – a race that really will begin sooner than that.

However, what is clear is that the strong Mayor form of government will be tested, as it should be, given that the idea behind consolidated government is one of separation of powers and conflict leading to compromise and the public good.

Space is the place

From the St. James Building to the Stratosphere.

Brian Hughes, a longtime Florida-based consultant, was just named Chief of Staff for NASA.

“I am excited to continue my service to the Trump Administration and the nation,” Hughes said in a statement to Florida Politics. “The mission of NASA is so vital to our future, so I’m proud to accept this new opportunity.”

Previously the White House Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communications, Hughes will become the top staffer for the nation’s leading space agency, as first reported by NASA Watch.

Hughes also worked on President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, heading the Florida arm of the campaign, and has long worked closely with consultant Susie Wiles, now Trump’s White House Chief of Staff.

The founding president of the political firm Zulu Foxtrot Group, he has also served in government in Florida, including as Jacksonville’s Chief Administrative Officer and as CEO of Jacksonville’s Downtown Investment Authority. He was also former Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry’s Chief of Staff.

Power move

Gov. Ron DeSantis is showing his commitment to power and water company employees trying to get residents back online after a storm.

He signed a measure that deems utility workers deserving of the same protection as an “officer, firefighter, emergency medical care provider, hospital personnel, railroad special officer, traffic accident investigation officer, traffic infraction enforcement officer, inspector, analyst, operator, law enforcement explorer, parking enforcement specialist, public transit employee or agent or security officer.”

The bill reclassifies simple assault on a lineworker as a first-degree misdemeanor. It’s now a second-degree offense.

Battery against a utility worker is currently a first-degree misdemeanor. Under this bill, it will be a third-degree felony with a minimum six-month prison sentence.

Those guilty of aggravated assault will spend three years in prison, and five years will be the penalty for aggravated battery.

Republican Sen. Clay Yarborough sponsored the legislation and (SB 1386), while Republican Rep. Jennifer Kincart Jonsson carried the House companion measure (HB 857).

TECO, the Orlando Utilities Commission, Florida Public Utilities Company, and Associated Industries of Florida supported the bill through the process, along with other industry heavyweights that offered statements of support along the way.

Firewall

This week, DeSantis signed SB 1202, which ensures firefighters who are totally and permanently disabled in training exercises will still have insurance coverage for themselves and their families, including spouses and children under the age of 25.

Under the bill, two independent doctors must determine that an individual is totally and permanently disabled to qualify for this coverage.

While Sen. Stan McClain’s bill was ultimately made law, Rep. Judson Sapp carried the House companion.

“The bill closes a critical gap in current law, recognizing that official training exercises are essential to firefighter readiness and safety,” he added ahead of the unanimous vote to advance the proposal in one committee.

The fiscal impact of this law on local governments is unknown.

No tear down

DeSantis has signed a new state law, sponsored by Sen. Tom Leek and Rep. Sam Greco, to block the destruction of designated historic buildings.

SB 582 aims to specifically protect structures listed in the National Register of Historic Places by giving code enforcement boards and special magistrates the authority to sanction those who tear down qualifying structures.

The NRHP is “the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation,” according to the National Park Service, authorized to catalog these structures nationwide since the federal National Historic Preservation Act was passed in 1966 to stop a trend of so-called urban renewal that replaced much of America’s legacy.

Florida currently has more than 1,700 qualifying properties on this list, according to Florida’s Department of State.

The law permits fines of “up to 20% of the fair or just market valuation of the property before demolition of the building or structure, as determined by the property appraiser” if destruction of buildings was “knowing and willful and was not permitted or the result of a natural disaster.”

The law takes effect in July and amends Chapter 162 of Florida Statutes, which deals broadly with administrative liens.

Dashboard confessional

Jacksonville is touting its tech.

Deegan’s office announces the city “has partnered with Microsoft to launch a dynamic suite of real-time transparency dashboards powered by Microsoft Azure and Power BI” for “a forward-thinking project that redefines citizen empowerment” that “reflects Jacksonville’s unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability and smarter government.”

“Transparency is the cornerstone of good governance,” said Deegan. “These dashboards don’t just make information accessible — they invite our residents into the conversation, helping us build a more informed, engaged and empowered Jacksonville.”

Six hundred staff hours have been saved thus far.

Port prowess

A new shuttle service ship is adding JAXPORT to its ports of call. Seaspan Montevideo is now making routine stops at the Northeast Florida shipping hub.

The ship is part of the new Gemini Cooperation.

Shipping giant Maersk actually owns the vessel. But the ship is also part of the Gemini Cooperation North American Shuttle service. That coop is a partnership between Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd. The accord between the ocean carriers connects Jacksonville’s port directly to Cartagena, Colombia, which is a major transshipment port that’s part of the Gemini global network, a JAXPORT press release said.

The Seaspan Montevideo will dock at the JAXPORT Blount Island Marine Terminal every week. The transshipment calls also include cargo trips to Asia, Europe, the west coast of South America, Central America, Oceania and the Caribbean.

“Our new connectivity through Gemini provides even more options for customers seeking to move cargo through the Southeast U.S.,” said JAXPORT Chief Commercial Officer Robert Peek. “The service offers flexible transshipment, access to new markets, and competitive transit times backed by Gemini’s schedule reliability.”

The Gemini network has about 290 vessels in the system with 26 mainline ocean services and 32 dedicated shuttle services.

JAXPORT boasts being the top container port by volume in the U.S. and one of the nation’s top vehicle-handling ports, serving nearly 100 million consumers in America.

Fearless

The kids are out of school.

And they’re teaching adults lessons.

MOCA is presenting an exhibition from 80 artists from LaVilla and the Episcopal School, which spotlights teenagers’ responses to anxiety through June 10.

The work herein is a “rare, vulnerable glimpse” into the inner world of adolescents, honoring their bravery in stepping forward.

The museum notes this was “created through a mental health-centered curriculum designed by JACK Mental Health Advocacy. Using therapeutic prompts and conversation starters provided by JACK, teachers guided their students in exploring themes of anxiety, inner resilience, identity and emotional expression — all through art.”

Reading rainbow

An extensive reading program is about to launch in St. Johns County that will run through the Summer.

The St. Johns County Public Library System is holding the “Color Our World” Summer Reading Program that begins June 1 and runs through Aug. 2. The program is extensive and includes more than 100 educational events for nine weeks. These events include regular story times, book clubs and features in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

“As librarians, we understand that children who don’t read over Summer break fall behind. It’s called the ‘Summer slide,’” said St. Johns County Library System Director Debra Rhodes Gibson. “Our Summer Reading Program offers incentives to keep kids engaged and their reading skills strong heading into the new school year.”

Some of the events will include color-themed games, scavenger hunts, story times, movie matinees, animal encounters, nature programs, magic shows, garden clubs, arts and crafts, trivia events and more.

Anyone interested in the program can check out the complete list of events provided by the St. Johns County Public Library System.

Vexsome vehicles

It’s been about two weeks since a massive fire broke out at a parking garage at Jacksonville International Airport (JIA). However, officials with the Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA) are still grappling with what to do with the dozens of cars involved.

Smoke shrouded the hourly parking garage just to the east of the entrance to JIA, which was engulfed in flames on the afternoon of May 16. Dozens of cars were torched, and the intense heat damaged the structure to the extent that JAA has not reopened the parking facility.

Meanwhile, JAA has been attempting to contact the owners of many of those cars, whether damaged or not. JAA issued a press release on Wednesday, asking for help in locating the vehicle owners.

“Currently, there are a number of vehicles that are either inaccessible due to an ongoing federal investigation, or vehicles for which we do not have the owner’s contact information,” the JAA press release said.

Airport administrators are asking anyone who is connected to the vehicles to call the JAA call center at 904-741-2710. That call center is open through Friday, May 30.

Never say never

Just one year after the start of the 12-team College Football Playoff, the format is likely to expand to 16 teams in 2026.

Will that open the door for the Gator Bowl to become one of the games in the CFP?

“Never say never,” said Gator Bowl president Greg McGarity. “I think they’ll stay on campus (for the first-round games) because (those games) fall right before Christmas.”

The Gator Bowl has a history of national championship or playoff ambition. McGarity’s predecessor, Rick Catlett, once tried to get Jacksonville in the conversation for some of college football’s biggest games. Still, the city lost out to the Orange, Fiesta, Sugar, and Rose Bowls when the playoff was launched.

Now, with a renovated stadium and a Four Seasons Hotel coming across the street from the stadium, Jacksonville’s chances might improve.

With Southeastern Conference officials meeting in Destin this week, conference commissioner Greg Sankey said that the SEC was not yet committed to a particular plan for future playoff expansion. The SEC and Big Ten want preferential treatment with a guaranteed number of teams from the two most powerful conferences in the country. The lesser of the Power Five conferences, the Atlantic Coast and Big 12 Conferences, would likely oppose additional automatic bids for the SEC and Big Ten due to their financial impact. More teams in the playoffs mean more money for a conference.

The CFP board expects to meet in June to discuss the structure of the playoffs for 2026 and beyond.

“The key thing is you’ve got a six-year contract that at ESPN beginning in ‘26 for the next six years,” McGarity said. “So, you’ve got to sense that the next six years maybe somewhat stable and then when the ‘32 season starts, that’s when I think you’ll see, perhaps the opportunity for a real college football change.”

For now, the Gator Bowl must wait for the College Football Playoff (CFP) format to be established. That will impact conference affiliation with bowl games and the way college football’s postseason operates moving forward.

The Gator Bowl would not be able to be a part of an expanded playoff until the completion of the Jaguars’ Stadium of the Future in 2028. McGarity said conversations to hold the Gator Bowl in Gainesville when EverBank Stadium is unavailable continue.

“We’re a little ways out as far as formalizing things,” McGarity said. “The first thing that needs to happen is the decision on the College Football Playoff, the number of teams. This is the last year of our agreement with ESPN and the SEC and the ACC, and we fully intend to extend those agreements, but the conferences are not able to because they don’t know how many teams may be taken. I think once that shoe drops in over the next six months, we have a lot better knowledge about where things stand with our game.”