Melissa Ross, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Melissa RossFebruary 16, 2016

She was appointed in the fall of 2008 to lead former Mayor John Peyton‘s ambitious attempt to dethrone Jacksonville as Florida’s murder capital. She left the job during the tenure of former Mayor Alvin Brown, when the Jacksonville Journey changed focus, and lost funding (the recession also played a role in that, it’s been pointed […]

Melissa RossFebruary 15, 2016

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The Senate campaign for U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy has blasted out an email to supporters asking for donations in the wake of the political jockeying after the passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. “Nobody wants to rush to politicize the passing of a public servant, but unfortunately Mitch McConnell couldn’t help himself,” reads the missive […]

Melissa RossFebruary 14, 2016

The Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) of Florida State University aren’t letting up in their opposition to Donald Trump. The SDS chapter of FSU will hold a “Dump Trump” rally on the Tallahassee campus Tuesday (as with past events, the proceedings will take place at the school’s “free speech zone.”) “The purpose of this […]

Melissa RossFebruary 12, 2016

The Hillary Clinton campaign is calling for quick action in Florida to prepare for the likelihood that the travel-related Zika virus will spread. As recent reports indicate cases of the virus have been found in U.S. metropolitan areas in Florida and Texas, Clinton, in an email urges public health officials in the Sunshine State to […]

Melissa RossFebruary 11, 2016

Newly released public records show that Duval County School Board member Connie Hall would like to see Superintendent Nikolai Vitti fired. Hall texted that sentiment in a message she sent this past fall to a school district employee, the records reveal. Records of emails and texts of Hall and two other Duval School Board members […]

Melissa RossFebruary 11, 2016

Fresh off the heels of his victory in the New Hampshire primary, supporters of Bernie Sanders down here in Florida say they’re energized for their candidate heading into the state’s winner-take-all March 15 primary. “Support for Bernie has grown exponentially,” said Matt Killen, a North Florida organizer for the Sanders campaign. “It started with a […]

Melissa RossFebruary 10, 2016

JAX Chamber Chairwoman Audrey Moran has made it clear she’s comfortable with diverging from City Hall on the issue of the the city’s human rights ordinance. Moran, herself a former mayoral candidate, says “she really doesn’t understand the motives” behind recent moves to table two competing pieces of legislation looking at covering Jacksonville’s LGBT residents […]

Melissa RossFebruary 9, 2016

The FSU chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) says it’s hosting an event where students can smash Donald Trump piñatas “in protest of the racism and hatred shown in his presidential campaign.” “The policies of Trump that will be protested include: militarizing and building a wall on the US-Mexico border, banning Muslims from […]

Melissa RossFebruary 8, 2016

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Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has said 77 cities have submitted applications for the U.S. Department of Transportation “Smart City Challenge.” The competition seeks to help medium-sized cities that are experiencing rapid population increases and rapidly growing demands on their transportation infrastructure by fusing data, technology and creativity to shape how people and goods will move in […]

Melissa RossFebruary 5, 2016

Amid all the clergy news conferences and parliamentary maneuvers, the battle over Jacksonville’s HRO is also being fought via news release. The latest comes from the Jacksonville Civic Council, a high-powered group of mostly Republican CEOs. Chairman Ed Burr‘s missive addressing Mayor Lenny Curry and Council President Greg Anderson begins by reiterating that the Civic […]

Melissa Ross
Crowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)

Jax Journey 2.0 to look at jobs for at-risk kids: “our teenagers haven’t had enough focus”

Patrick Murphy fundraises off Mitch McConnell’s “blatant political obstruction” after Antonin Scalia’s death

FSU students to hold “Dump Trump” rally

Hillary Clinton calls for quick action to fight Zika virus in Florida

“Fire him now!” texted Duval School Board member; Nikolai Vitti calls it “hostile work environment”

#JaxforBernie supporters expect “capacity” crowd at Dem debate watch party

Audrey Moran on Lenny Curry: “I made it clear to him I was disappointed” on HRO

Email insights: FSU’s SDS chapter plans Donald Trump Piñata Bash

6 Florida cities apply for USDOT’s $40 million “Smart City Challenge”

Jax Civic Council contends “the place we call home should welcome all”