Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Melissa RossApril 20, 2015

The first liquefied natural gas-powered container ship of its kind will port in Jacksonville. TOTE Inc.’s Isla Bella will enter service in this fall between Jacksonville and San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to a news release from JAXPORT. “Ports and regions that embrace the LNG opportunities before us stand to gain the most in terms of jobs, […]

Melissa RossApril 16, 2015

Jacksonville is the only Florida city selected by ocean scientists up and down the Eastern Seaboard to raise the alarm about seismic testing. “We’ve tried to pick one coastal city in each state since there is enormous concern about this in coastal communities,” said Michael Jasny, director of Natural Resource Defense Council’s Marine Mammal Protection […]

Melissa RossApril 16, 2015

Downtown Investment Authority CEO Aundra Wallace denies that Shad Khan has the inside track on his proposal to develop Jacksonville’s vacant Shipyards property- even though 40% of the evaluation criteria is based on “respondents’ financial capacity.” “That is absolutely not the case,” says Wallace, who will evaluate proposals along with two other members of the DIA […]

Melissa RossApril 15, 2015

Appearing in front of a fire station on the city’s Northwest Side, Mayor Alvin Brown touted the endorsements of the city’s Brotherhood of Police Officers and Firefighters, saying he’s got the better plan to improve Jacksonville’s public safety. The organizations primarily represent African-American police and fire personnel. As recently as December, their blessings were not […]

Kevin MeerschaertApril 14, 2015

Northeast Florida officials are looking to boost exports and therefore increase the number of jobs in the region. The Metro Jacksonville/Northeast Florida Export Plan intends to promote economic development and encourage more businesses to consider exporting their goods. It’s part of the Global Cities Initiative that helps cities around the world develop their economies by […]

Melissa RossApril 13, 2015

State Rep. Charles McBurney of Jacksonville says a video making the rounds on progressive blogs has been taken out of context. McBurney is being lit up in the liberal blogosphere after seeming to cut off 10-year-old Nathaniel Gill from testifying against legislation that would allow adoption agencies to turn away same-sex parents from adopting a child by […]

Melissa RossApril 10, 2015

The latest salvo in Jacksonville’s long-running battle over its pension problems comes from City Councilwoman Lori Boyer. Boyer has filed legislation that would reduce pension benefits for police and firefighters that are hired on starting Oct. 1. It’s an aggressive move and apparently the first time someone on the council has filed a measure stating […]

Melissa RossApril 9, 2015

Standing in the shadow of the city’s Tillie Fowler Memorial, a bipartisan group of female supporters endorsed incumbent Mayor Alvin Brown for re-election, saying Brown kept his promises and has empowered women and men alike to succeed. The group included former WNBA President and Generation W founder Donna Orender and Brown’s former Chief Administrative Officer Karen […]

Melissa RossApril 8, 2015

For the hundreds of thousands of visitors flocking this week to Jacksonville’s One Spark, the five-day crowdfunding festival is a glorious love-in, a happening, a blissful paean to the millennial generation’s long-awaited 21st century triumph over the city’s stodgy Old Guard. One Spark is the Change They Have Been Waiting For. Closed streets, open containers, live […]

Melissa RossApril 7, 2015

A certain city in Texas is known by three simple words: “Keep Austin Weird.” Chicago is the Second City. New Orleans, post-Katrina, is still music and fun and good times. Even little ol’ Chattanooga, Tennessee is making strides in creating a definable brand. In other words, cities across the country know the value of branding (just as […]

Tag: Jacksonville
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First LNG-powered ship will call JAXPORT home

Enviro groups blast proposed seismic testing off Atlantic coast

Jax Shipyards property now has three suitors

Jacksonville’s black firefighters, police endorse Alvin Brown

Jacksonville initiative seeks boost to exports, local jobs

Charles McBurney: Video flap over gay adoption bill taken out of context

New salvo in Jacksonville pension wars

Leading women endorse Alvin Brown at Tillie Fowler memorial

How One Spark lays bare Florida’s political divide

One Spark: Jacksonville’s big branding opportunity