Jax

A.G. GancarskiApril 21, 2018

On Friday, WJCT broke the news that “Data Targeting, Inc., a Gainesville firm that worked to elect Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, conducted a focus group study in late February asking participants whether they support selling municipal utility JEA.” The claim was that “a private group of investors” who are “nonpartisan” were paying for the focus group, which saw participants […]

Drew WilsonApril 21, 2018

State Sen. Aaron Bean this week delivered $975,000 to an organization working to train students in 21st century fields, such as robotics and computer programming. The Fernandina Beach Republican worked during the 2018 Legislative Session to secure the funding for Northeast Florida-based STEM2 Hub, headed by Kathleen Schofield. Careers in STEM, an acronym of science, […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 20, 2018

On Friday, St. Johns County Commissioner Jimmy Johns opted to withdraw rather than stay in the race for Florida’s 6th Congressional District. The “resign to run” law compelled the choice. And faced with two self-financing Republican opponents in Michael Waltz and John Ward, Johns stood down. “This decision was a difficult one. I was torn between taking my […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 20, 2018

Alvin Brown, the former Jacksonville mayor running in the Democratic Primary for Florida’s 5th Congressional District, may be positioning himself to do the unthinkable and capsize incumbent U.S. Rep. Al Lawson. Brown enjoyed a two-to-one fundraising advantage during the first quarter of 2018: $167,088 to $83,866. Lawson had $100,000 cash on hand at the end […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 20, 2018

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said last month that he wanted the city to have a “mature conversation” about JEA valuation and whether privatization was the way forward. However, after yet another series of bad news cycles in which Curry, a popular mayor for most of his term, has seen that conversation and his mayoralty pilloried in […]

Staff ReportsApril 20, 2018

In Jacksonville, tales of the next year of elections have just begun. In this edition: congressional fundraising. For those needing a guide to both contenders and pretenders, a look at the money (months before voters cast ballots) will tell that tale. Down the page, our story on City Council fundraising. Some candidates who are not […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 19, 2018

Some clarity emerged Thursday from the Jacksonville Jaguars on the future of the Sports Complex. The Cordish Companies was announced as the development partner for what a media release calls “a $2.5 billion world-class, mixed-use district in the downtown sports complex.” If this pans out, it could be an important missing piece. “The development will […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 19, 2018

On Tuesday, the board of Jacksonville’s public utility JEA picked former board member Aaron Zahn as its new interim CEO to serve for the next year. Meanwhile, CFO Melissa Dykes, passed over the CEO opening, will receive some sort of role change. Zahn and Dykes appeared at Thursday’s meeting of the Jacksonville City Council special committee on the […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 18, 2018

Jacksonville City Councilman Garrett Dennis filed a bill this week that is his latest shot across the bow of Mayor Lenny Curry. The bill, while not likely to pass, will be an interesting litmus test of how much political capital Dennis has with Council in the wake of some difficult news cycles for the Curry administration. Per […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 17, 2018

Jacksonville’s public utility on Tuesday picked a new interim CEO, Aaron Zahn, who said — along with JEA Board chair Alan Howard — that there needed to be a “pause” in the privatization discussion. For months, City Hall has been roiled with discussions of a potential sale of JEA. Now, there fmay be a break in the action. […]

Jax
Please stay aware ... and safe.

JEA privatization focus group not funded by Lenny Curry’s political operation

Aaron Bean presents big check for STEM education

Jimmy Johns withdraws from race to replace Ron DeSantis in Congress

Is Al Lawson in trouble? Re-election to Congress may be in doubt

Is Jacksonville’s ‘mature conversation’ about JEA privatization over?

Jacksonville Bold for 4.20.18 — Can’t knock the hustle

Jacksonville Jaguars tap Cordish Companies to develop sports complex

JEA CEO: Board was ‘wholly unprepared’ for Jacksonville utility privatization debate

Jacksonville City Councilman challenges Lenny Curry, seeks JEA board reform

Is the JEA privatization push on ‘pause’ … or dead?