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A.G. GancarskiJanuary 9, 2018

Tuesday evening saw the Jacksonville City Council approve $206,000 for temporary storage and office facilities at the overburdened medical examiner’s office. The opioid overdose crisis, coupled with population growth, has created overcrowding, compelling bodies to be laid on the floor before processing, as well as delays in processing. The bill is intended as a stopgap. […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 9, 2018

2017 ended with bodies piling up in Jacksonville’s morgue. 2018 brings something approaching a solution via Ordinance 2018-005. A bill slated to be introduced at Tuesday’s City Council meeting on an emergency basis will offer what Medical Examiner Valerie Rao called last week a “proposed space solution,” which includes “office and refrigerator space”: a walk-in cooler […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 8, 2018

An annual tradition in Jacksonville City Council is beginning anew: the race for Jacksonville City Council VP. Often — but not always — the VP slot is a springboard to the Presidency the next year. The most interesting iteration of this race in recent memory: 2016, when Democrat John Crescimbeni bested Republican Doyle Carter in a cliffhanger 10-9 […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 2, 2018

2018 began for the Jacksonville City Council with some holdover business from 2017: a proposed lessening of residency distance requirements for sexual predators. The bill has been around since September, and is headed toward the graveyard of dead bills. Councilors spiked it by a 2-5 margin Tuesday in the Neighborhoods, Community Services, Public Health and […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 27, 2017

Drivers of 18 wheelers coming through Jacksonville in the near future may want to be advised: if you’re starting a convoy, you may have to do it on designated routes. That’s the gist of a new piece of legislation being considered Monday in the Transportation, Energy, and Utilities committee. Ordinance 2017-807 would designate 52 truck […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 26, 2017

Will he or won’t he? That’s the question regarding termed-out Jacksonville City Councilman Reggie Brown, who is still mulling a primary challenge against state Sen. Audrey Gibson. Florida Politics reported on this earlier this month. Brown confirmed then that he was exploring a run to a Florida Times-Union reporter, then to this outlet. “All options are being considered,” Brown […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 12, 2017

Six of the seven board members of Jacksonville’s nascent Kids Hope Alliance cleared City Council Tuesday evening. Five of them made the cut via the consent agenda: Rebekah Davis, a former member of the Jacksonville Children’s Commission board of directors; Kevin Gay, a previous Jacksonville Journey board member; former Jacksonville Sheriff and current Edward Waters College President Nat Glover; Iraq War […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 11, 2017

Jacksonville City Council candidate Earl Testy has raised $31 thus far in his long shot bid for public office, putting him somewhat behind his opponent, Randy DeFoor, who has $81,000 on hand. However, unlike DeFoor — whose campaign has largely been limited to fundraising thus far — Testy has garnered publicity through making statements online that many […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 8, 2017

A bill filed to Jacksonville City Council this week requests approval for nearly $1 million in federal funds for Jacksonville’s body worn camera program. Ordinance 2017-884, filed at the request of Sheriff Mike Williams, would appropriate $997,956 from the Department of Justice; a local match of the same amount would be provided. The fact sheet for the […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 5, 2017

The opioid overdose crisis in Jacksonville has taxed city resources on a number of fronts, including those not visible to the public, such as the Medical Examiner’s office. Numerous city hall conversations this year have spotlighted the pressures created by the unnatural and unbudgeted deaths of the overdose crisis. WJXT reported on a cry for […]

Tag: jacksonville city council
Image via Palatka Main Street.

Take the bodies off the floor: Morgue money clears Jacksonville City Council

Jacksonville City Council mulls morgue money Tuesday

Race for Jacksonville City Council VP begins: Danny Becton, Sam Newby launch runs

Jacksonville Council panel rejects change to sexual predator distance requirements

Truck routes in Jacksonville’s future, if City Council gives go ahead

Reggie Brown to decide in ‘early January’ whether to challenge Audrey Gibson

Six ‘Kids Hope’ board picks clear Jacksonville City Council

Jacksonville City Council candidate talks female ‘libidos’, ‘conversion of Negro Democrats’

Federal funds OKd for Jacksonville body worn camera program

No more room at the morgue: Crisis in Jacksonville