Jax

A.G. GancarskiApril 2, 2016

The war of words continues between Pastor Mark Griffin and Reverend Richard Hamlet regarding the slow remediation of enduring issues at Eureka Garden, as an email last week suggests. Griffin, whose ministry serves residents of the beleaguered 400 unit HUD community, has taken issue with Hamlet and his Global Ministries Foundation, which owns and runs Eureka Garden […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 2, 2016

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry is probably the most health-conscious of any recent mayor. He’s known for his distance runs through downtown, which culminate with a closing sprint as he nears City Hall. And on his first World Health Day as mayor, Curry is choosing to launch a “citywide health initiative.” “Journey to One” will launch officially […]

Melissa RossMarch 31, 2016

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Pointing out that only live humans can cast ballots, Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Michael Ertel has set up a special website to help voters in Central Florida differentiate among all the election-related mailings they’re getting in this campaign season. The website www.OfficialElectionMail.org leads voters to the Seminole County Supervisor of Elections website, www.VoteSeminole.org, where a link will display […]

Melissa RossMarch 31, 2016

Highlighting the creation of 75 new jobs, Gov. Rick Scott was on hand at a groundbreaking ceremony for Anheuser-Busch’s new $175 million aluminum bottle line at its Jacksonville facility. The company employs 840 people across Florida. “Manufacturers like Anheuser-Busch are incredibly important to our state, and I am excited to join them in celebrating their […]

Melissa RossMarch 30, 2016

News that problems still persist at Jacksonville’s troubled Eureka Garden public housing complex has local activists such as Denise Hunt steaming. “I’m disgusted. I was assured these problems would be solved, and I even offered a case management plan of action to help solve some of the inequities out there. I feel like I got […]

Melissa RossMarch 29, 2016

Placing the blame on everything from “media misinformation” to the tortured legacy of the Jim Crow era, a high-powered panel of Jacksonville officials held forth on racial tensions in the city at a conference sponsored by the Jacksonville Bar Association and Florida Coastal Law School. Unsurprisingly, the most frank comments came from Edward Waters College […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 29, 2016

At the start of the year, I made 12 predictions for 2016 in Jacksonville politics. A fourth of the way through, revisiting them is useful. Some I got right. Some I got wrong. Some are still in progress. Predictions 1 and 2 revolved around the Human Rights Ordinance expansion, which was the issue du jour. […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 25, 2016

Good news: Rick Scott signed the “pension tax” bill, allowing a referendum on extending the 1/2 cent BJP tax until 2060 to deal with the unfunded pension liability. Now, the question: how to sell it to the people? Selling a sales tax referendum has been done in Jacksonville before. In fact, selling a ½ cent sales […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 25, 2016

On Friday, Governor Scott signed HB 655 into law, revising alcoholic beverage requirements for restaurants in the Riverside-Avondale Commercial Character Areas. The goal of the bill is to provide allowances for space and seating requirements in a specialized zone called the Riverside Avondale Commercial Character Areas. The bill would reduce requirements to 100 seats (down […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 25, 2016

As part of a raft of bills signed Friday, Gov. Rick Scott signed into law the Discretionary Sales Surtax bill that passed the House and Senate by wide margins during the Legislative Session. The bill facilitates a referendum in August or November to extend the half-cent sales tax, currently earmarked for Better Jacksonville Plan project […]

Jax

Mold still an issue at Eureka Garden in Jax

Jax to launch health initiative Thursday with surgeon general

Seminole County elections official says D.C. organization tried to register dead cat to vote

Rick Scott touts new jobs at Anheuser-Busch in Jacksonville

Persistent problems at Eureka Garden complex outrage Jax activists

Jax officials discuss easing racial tensions, building community trust

A.G. Gancarski: So far, so good on 2016 predictions

How to sell a sales tax referendum in Jacksonville

Gov. Scott signs local bill easing liquor requirements in Riverside-Avondale restaurants

Governor signs Jax Pension Tax bill; Now Lenny Curry has to sell it