Local

A.G. GancarskiOctober 7, 2015

Cord Byrd is one of six candidates in the crowded HD 11 primary to replace term-limited Janet Adkins, and odds aren’t necessarily with him. With just under $9,000 in the bank, he trails Donnie Horner and Sheri Treadwell in the race for campaign cash. Despite this, Byrd has a distinction the other candidates in that primary […]

Melissa RossOctober 7, 2015

Home furnishing giant IKEA has set hearts aflutter in Jacksonville, announcing it plans to start construction next summer and open a new location in Duval County in the fall of 2017. The proposed store will be 294,000 square feet, sited at the intersection of Gate Parkway and I-295 near the St. Johns Town Center. IKEA, […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 7, 2015

During the budget deliberations of the late summer, concerns were raised about Jacksonville’s Public Service Grants process. Complaints ranged from arbitrary scoring and a less-than-committed group of scorers to a process that had been overtly politicized in the past. To that end, Council President Greg Anderson authorized a committee to look into refining the process […]

Associated PressOctober 7, 2015

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Officials in two South Florida counties are moving forward with fines for misdemeanor marijuana possession, rather than arrests and criminal charges. County commissioners in Broward and Palm Beach counties both gave preliminary approval Tuesday for ordinances that would allow law enforcement officers to issue civil citations instead of filing criminal charges against people carrying 20 […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 7, 2015

Some NE Florida Republicans may worry about the GOP bona fides of HD 11 hopeful Donnie Horner. However, the donor class clearly doesn’t harbor those qualms. A $13,125 September pushed Horner up to $73,650, which is over twice what his nearest competitor in the 6 way Republican race, former Duval Supervisor of Elections employee Sheri Treadwell, has taken in […]

Frank TorresOctober 6, 2015

At the Tuesday morning meeting of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, Mayor Teresa Jacobs slammed a bill sponsored by State Rep. Bob Cortes to expand the Central Florida Transportation Authority Board and privatize the LYNX regional bus system. “I am vehemently against privatizing,” Jacobs had said. “This board is against it. Buddy Dyer is against it. Osceola county […]

Frank TorresOctober 6, 2015

Representatives from major hospitality organizations were in downtown Orlando on Tuesday afternoon to listen to a new proposal that would alter the process for spending tourism tax dollars. An Orange County Charter Review Commission committee is considering sending a referendum to voters that would allow outside entities to apply for revenue collected by hotel visitors, for projects […]

Drew WilsonOctober 6, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott says a battery manufacturing company will expand its Brevard County operations by adding 1,000 jobs and making $270 million in capital investments. “Oakridge Global Energy Solutions could have moved their headquarters anywhere in the world and I am proud to announce that they chose to remain in Florida and create 1,000 new […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 6, 2015

The first Charlotte’s Web workshop, held jointly by the Planning Commission and the Land Use and Zoning committee of the Jacksonville City Council in August, was less than auspicious. Discussion of “grass stations” and facile comparisons of children who need medicine to recovering heroin addicts waiting for their methadone fixes were the highlights. This time […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 6, 2015

Whispers prior to Tuesday’s Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee meeting predicted a council member or two might say something about the wave of board and commission replacement appointments that dominated the agenda. Planning Commission Chairwoman Lisa King, whose replacement by Donald Adkison was on the agenda for the second reading, was in the house. So was […]

Local

HD 11 candidate Cord Byrd to participate in Jacksonville gun control forum

IKEA announces plans to open a store in Jacksonville

Jax Public Service Grants committee wrestles with process

County officials look at civil fines for marijuana possession

HD 11 Donnie Horner breaches $73K in fundraising

Bob Cortes responds to Teresa Jacobs criticism of LYNX privatization bill

Hoteliers clash with Orange County officials over tourism tax dollars

Rick Scott touts 1,000 new jobs from manufacturing expansion in Brevard

Jacksonville’s second MMJ workshop leads to draft ordinance for Charlotte’s Web

Tommy Hazouri: Lenny Curry board moves “emasculate” consolidated government