Local

Larry GriffinApril 22, 2016

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs said at a news conference Friday following the State of the County that the ongoing Tourist Development Tax spending controversy will be taken before the Board of County Commissioners for a workshop. “At the end of the day, it’s the board that makes any final decision about expenditures,” she said. […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 22, 2016

St. Johns County Commissioner Jimmy Johns, running unopposed for re-election, announced Friday that he qualified for the ballot via petition. “Thanks to the hard work of many, many volunteers I turned in over 1,600 petitions earlier this week. Today the Supervisor of Elections informed me that there was the necessary number to be placed on the […]

Scott PowersApril 22, 2016

The presidents of five Central Florida Chambers of Commerce and business groups wrote to Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer Friday urging quick action to bring the NFL Pro Bowl to Orlando. The chamber heads sought to differentiate providing tourism dollars for the NFL all-star game from the bigger picture of […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 22, 2016

On Friday, the Jacksonville City Council Economic Development Special Committee discussed a wide range of issues related to public investment, ranging from the Downtown Investment Authority to economically distressed areas. The highlights: A discussion of films revealed that the Film and Television office is getting calls “weekly” related to potential film and television projects, including […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 22, 2016

On Thursday, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry made an audacious move. He ordered that former Police and Fire Pension Fund (PFPF) head John Keane’s pension be cut. In doing so, as readers will see, the mayor reasserted the primacy of the executive branch over the PFPF, in a quest to protect taxpayer dollars, and to finally bring closure to this ongoing […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 22, 2016

What do Jacksonville’s old County Courthouse Annex, the Palms Fish Camp, the Brewster Hospital, and the old Duval County Armory have in common? They are just a few of the 14 underutilized buildings, with a value of almost $15 million between them, owned by the city of Jacksonville. During a period of belt-tightening for the city, […]

Scott PowersApril 21, 2016

Democrat Bill Phillips of Orlando has dropped out of the Orlando-based Congressional District 7 race. His departure from the race means there now are no Democrats running to take on Republican U.S. Rep. John Mica of Winter Park. Phillips suspended his campaign in February, calling for someone else to take his place. No one has, […]

Scott PowersApril 21, 2016

Orbital ATK was selected Thursday by NASA to negotiate to lease, remodel and use a bay in the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center for a large rocket the company hopes to develop with the Air Force. Virginia-based Orbital ATK is one of two rocket companies that launch resupply missions to the International […]

Scott PowersApril 21, 2016

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs may be looking for a way out of the corner she’s painted into involving the multi-faceted controversy over the county’s robust tourist tax. The mayor is calling a joint meeting of the Orange County Board of Commissioners and the Orange County Tourist Development Council with the prospect she’ll be seeking a path […]

Drew WilsonApril 21, 2016

The political committee for LGBT rights organization Equality Florida announced Thursday it is endorsing Democrat Andrew Korge in the Senate District 39 race. “This a race where the contrast is crystal clear,” Equality Florida Action PAC Chair Stratton Pollitzer said. “For 10 years Anitere Flores has opposed LGBT equality at every turn and she has […]

Local
English word in scattered wood letters with glowing white light bulb

Teresa Jacobs: Commissioners will hold workshop on Tourist Development Tax plan

Jimmy Johns qualifies for St. Johns County Commission ballot

Central Florida business leaders urge Teresa Jacobs, Buddy Dyer, to act quickly on Pro Bowl deal

Jacksonville Economic Development committee tackles downtown investment, distressed areas

Lenny Curry orders John Keane’s pension cut, litigation dismissed

Jacksonville owns $15M in underutilized buildings

Democrat Bill Phillips drops from Congressional District 7 race

Orbital ATK picked to use NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center

Teresa Jacobs looking to reopen tourism tax discussions at special meeting

Equality Florida endorses Andrew Korge in SD 39 race