Local

A.G. GancarskiAugust 31, 2015

On Tuesday morning, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry will kick off the 2015 JAX READS! program with a variety of community groups, including BANNED; Remembering for the Future Community Holocaust Initiative; WJCT; The Florida Times-Union; the Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library; and the Jacksonville Public Library Foundation. The book being read countywide this year is Brown Girl […]

Ryan RayAugust 31, 2015

Congressional candidate Mary Thomas announced Monday she has agreed to abide by a “Taxpayer Protection Pledge” promoted by a conservative political group. In a release, Thomas touted the fact she is “the first, and to this point, only” candidate vying to replace Democrat U.S. Gwen Graham in Florida’s 2nd Congressional District to sign such a pledge. The Americans for Tax Reform-authored document reads as […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 31, 2015

During her campaign for Jacksonville’s City Council, Republican Anna Brosche represented what many moderates and liberals thought was a new type of Republican. Her enthusiasm for expanding the Human Rights Ordinance to the LGBT community delighted many Democrats who were appalled by the atavistic position taken by then-incumbent Kim Daniels, who described the HRO as a “very […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 31, 2015

The last Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee of August had more deferrals than Washington insiders had Vietnam War deferments. Still, the value is in the journey, not the destination. Here are the highlights. • “Everybody comfortable? I think you can hang meat in here.” – Councilman Bill Gulliford. • A non-exclusive Grant of Easement (2015-313) to […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 31, 2015

The best things in life are free, goes the cliché, except when you are a certain Florida man and those things are free copies of The Florida Times-Union. A gentleman, William Kuykendall, sent Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry an email spotlighting his concerns. “In the last two months, The Florida Times Union has been throwing sample papers in my […]

Frank TorresAugust 31, 2015

The field of candidates is down to one in House District 49, after one potential challenger said she won’t be running and a filed candidate withdrew over the weekend. Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration regional director Betsy Franceschini confirmed late Friday that she would not be running for the east Orlando seat that includes the University […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 31, 2015

Earlier this year, Zakee Fur’qan was trumpeted by the Alvin Brown campaign as one of the “job creators and business leaders” who backed the mayor’s reelection. Since then, it has been all downhill for Fur’qan, who under his previous name was convicted of second-degree murder and felony-level robbery. His endorsement was repudiated by the Brown campaign in the strongest […]

Frank TorresAugust 30, 2015

State Rep. Jennifer Sullivan will kick-off her House District 31 re-election campaign Friday, September 4th. The host committee for the event includes fellow state lawmakers state Sen. Alan Hays, state Reps. Larry Metz and Marlene O’Toole, and local lawmakers Lake County Commissioners Leslie Campione, Sean Parks, and Tim Sullivan and Property Appraiser Carey Baker. Sullivan, at 23 last […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 28, 2015

Jacksonville’s flawed Public Service Grants process got yet another review from the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee on Friday afternoon. Councilman John Crescimbeni again spotlighted the lack of funding, and how many of the organizations toward the bottom of the funding matrix suffer because of a lack of funding. The total request for all organizations: $3.78 […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 28, 2015

Confirming persistent speculation, Jason Gabriel has been picked to continue as the city of Jacksonville’s general counsel, after a public search by a high-profile search committee led by former mayor John Delaney. Gabriel has been with the Office of General Counsel for more than five years, and has acted as general counsel since July 1, 2014. Mayor […]

Local

2015 JAX READS! program starts Tuesday, to feature “Brown Girl Dreaming”

CD 2 candidate Mary Thomas signs anti-tax pledge

Citing “personal conflict,” Anna Brosche will not attend Equality Florida’s 9/26 Jax Gala

Sewage, sales tax hot topics in Jax Finance Committee on Monday

Florida man wants to file criminal charges against Jacksonville paper

2 possible contenders pass on HD 49 run

Zakee Fur’qan facing felony vote fraud charges

Jennifer Sullivan re-election campaign kick-off set for Sept. 4

Finance adds $608K to Jax PSG funding for 6 agencies

Jason Gabriel reappointed COJ general counsel