Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiAugust 4, 2017

The dispute, at least in theory, was over window tint. However, what one Northeast Florida pastor experienced has brought new attention to old conflicts between Jacksonville police and African-American residents. Rev. Darien Bolden of Fernandina Beach had stopped with his nephew on 19th Street in Jacksonville to look at investment properties. That’s when an officer expressed […]

Phil AmmannAugust 4, 2017

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry is all about loyalty, and much of this edition comes back to the idea of one’s squad as a result. For example, there’s Curry’s candidate in the House District 15 race to succeed Jay Fant, who is running for Attorney General instead of pursuing re-election. And then there’s the push to […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 2, 2017

The Donald Trump era has created unique challenges for law enforcement, including in Jacksonville, where local activists have pressed Sheriff Mike Williams for his commentary on President Trump’s jarring comments last week that seemed to encourage police brutality. “When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon, you just see […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 12, 2017

As those in the political game are acutely aware, fundraising is the oxygen that sustains campaigns. June for Northeast Florida legislators and committees was no exception — virtually everyone in the region did some fundraising, and all of that was in a certain context — one that makes it possible to ascertain the success or […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 1, 2017

When it comes to body cameras for police in Jacksonville, nothing has come easy. And Sheriff Mike Williams has evolved on the matter. “There are just too many issues related to body cameras for JSO officers at this time. More discussion is necessary,” Williams said in 2015 on the campaign trail. Activists persevered, however, and by […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 30, 2017

Memorial Day weekend in Jacksonville was brutal for the expected reasons, with at least a dozen people shot and four of them killed over the holiday. In a city where virtually every politician who ran for office in 2015 messaged on the theme of public safety, what’s clear is that there is still work to […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 12, 2017

Get to know “A Safe Jacksonville.” That’s a new political committee set up in Tallahassee on behalf of Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams, who only has to think back two years for a reminder of how competitive and expensive the race for Jacksonville Sheriff is. Williams plowed through six opponents in the first election before narrowly defeating […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 10, 2017

Fulfilling a campaign promise from 2016, 4th Circuit State Attorney Melissa Nelson rolled out on Wednesday an initiative designed to increase the use of civil citations for juvenile offenders, via a memorandum of understanding among various local and regional agencies. “This new agreement for pre-arrest diversion will expand and enhance the juvenile civil citation program uniformly […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 11, 2017

A Jacksonville protest against military action in Syria went ugly Friday evening; many protesters were arrested, with one getting medical treatment. Meanwhile, counter-protester Gary Snow, a fixture for almost a year at left-leaning Jacksonville protests, as well as political events on the right, escaped without charges. However, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams told us Tuesday that Snow, […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 28, 2017

The national observation of Sexual Assault Awareness Month is in April, yet Jacksonville kicked off the month days early on Tuesday, with city leaders convening in the atrium of the city hall. Jacksonville’s Sexual Assault Advisory Council was created in 1998, intending to bring awareness to the issue and to let victims know they have […]

Tag: Mike Williams

After cop points gun at preacher, calls for ‘diversity training’ in Jacksonville

Jacksonville Bold for 8.4.17 — Squad goals

Jax Sheriff Mike Williams talks community policing in the Donald Trump era

June fundraising in Northeast Florida told many stories

Jax Sheriff rolls out body camera pilot program for July launch

After weekend of gun violence, Jax Sheriff to take ‘crime prevention walk’

Political committee set up for Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams

Melissa Nelson rolls out juvenile civil citations MOU

Jax Sheriff: Gary Snow a ‘catalyst’ of Hemming Park protest melee

Jacksonville leaders observe sexual assault awareness month