Jax

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 9, 2017

A priority of the city of Jacksonville during the Lenny Curry era: increasing police presence on its most dangerous streets. One vehicle to do just that: COPS Grants. The city is pursuing state money for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Matching Grant. The vehicle in the 2017 session of the Florida Legislature: HB 2781, […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 8, 2017

A familiar sight at the Jacksonville City Council meetings of late: Blake Harper. Harper, staunchly opposed to the city’s proposed expansion of the Human Rights Ordinance to include sexual orientation and gender identity, has shown up at meetings of the full council and committees with a large Bible under his arm for the whole meeting. While […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 8, 2017

The city of Jacksonville, plagued by gun violence in certain parts of the city, has gotten behind ShotSpotter technology as a solution. And a former city councilwoman turned state legislator, freshman Rep. Kim Daniels, has filed a bill to augment the city’s $435,000 investment in the pilot program. House Bill 2703 would allocate $325,000 for Jacksonville’s two-year […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 8, 2017

On Wednesday, Ronnie Simmons, a co-defendant in the One Door for Education trial with Rep. Corrine Brown, pleaded guilty to two federal felony counts. The timing was notable, as Brown and Simmons were slated to appear at a joint status conference on Thursday for jury selection for the April trial. The symbiosis between Brown and Simmons, her […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 8, 2017

The Jacksonville City Council’s Finance Committee approved the expansion of the city’s Human Rights Ordinance on Wednesday morning. The measure was approved by a 4-3 vote, with Bill Gulliford, Sam Newby, and Matt Schellenberg opposing expansion. The expansion would add sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression to the list of protected categories under the ordinance, which ensures […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 8, 2017

A bill to attempt to ensure Jacksonville city government offers equal employment opportunity on racial grounds passed the city council’s Finance Committee Wednesday. But passage did not come without chippy discussion on the subject, including a description of the bill as a “race hunt” by one councilman. **** Ordinance 2017-16 calls for the following: annual reporting to […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 8, 2017

Morris Communications, the parent company of the Florida Times-Union and the St. Augustine Record, launched a right-wing website recently. (Note: the headline is not redundant, so save your jokes.) The company, which created a kerfuffle last year by endorsing Donald Trump as an “agent of change” in the T-U and other corporate properties, has doubled down on its […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 7, 2017

The twists and turns of the trial of Corrine Brown and her former chief of staff, Ronnie Simmons, continue even after she’s become a historical footnote in Washington, D.C. The latest sudden development: a “change of plea” hearing that Simmons scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. Simmons had previously attempted to sever his case from that of his former […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 7, 2017

The Rules Committee of the Jacksonville City Council was the second committee in two days to approve expansion of the city’s Human Rights Ordinance. The measure would extend protections in housing, public accommodations, and employment on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. The Rules meeting saw two co-sponsors of the HRO expansion […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 7, 2017

The narrative last April when 14 federal counts of wire fraud and income tax evasion hit former Rep. Reggie Fullwood was overheated to the point of frothing. Of course, he faced 204 years in prison then — if he had been found guilty of all charges related to using $60,000 of campaign funds for personal expenses. […]

Jax
Helene, early Sept. 27. Image via NOAA via AP.

Cord Byrd sponsors bill for Jacksonville ‘COPS’ grant

Jax HRO opponents plan seven-day fast, praying for ‘extreme confusion’

Kim Daniels files ShotSpotter appropriations bill

Ronnie Simmons pleads guilty to two counts in One Door for Education case

Jacksonville HRO clears final city council committee

After heated debate, ‘Equal Opportunity’ bill heads to full Jacksonville City Council

Florida Times-Union writer featured on Morris Communications right-wing website

Corrine Brown co-defendant sets ‘change of plea’ hearing for Wednesday

HRO clears second Jacksonville City Council committee

Reggie Fullwood gets time served, house arrest for wire fraud charges