Paralympic athlete with local ties defies odds
Kyle Coon, who grew up in Ortega Forest, represented the United States in the recent Tokyo 2020 Games, completing the Para Triathlon. Alongside his guide, Andy Potts, Coon swam .47 miles, biked 12.4 miles, and ran 3.1 miles. “My first @paralympics were certainly an experience. The result wasn’t indicative of my capabilities but we learned […]
St. Johns announces four National Merit Scholarship semifinalists
St. Johns Country Day School announced that four of its seniors have been chosen as semi-finalists in the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. They are Sean Gregson of Fleming Island, Mia Morin of Orange Park, Robert Morris of Orange Park, and Ariel Sauer of Jacksonville. This is the most from any one school in […]
Guest artist visits Douglas Anderson, shares tips and industry knowledge
Theatre students at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts workshopped for two days last month with guest artist Lenny Banovez. Seniors crafted their college audition pieces and auditioned for summer internships through Hope Summer Repertory Theatre in Michigan and the off-Broadway Titan Theatre Company. Banovez serves as the artistic director of both stages. “Talent is […]
Artist’s granddaughter searches for subjects’ families
Anne Holland Polk is searching for the family members of portrait subjects done in pastels by her grandmother, the late Barbara Holland. Holland was the wife of a prominent Avondale dentist and mother of five. For a time, she was also a student of the late Jay Harder, Jacksonville’s master portrait artist, whose studio was […]
Defoor hosts virtual town hall on crime, drainage woes
Community policing and shared intelligence keys to mitigating criminal activity Jacksonville City Councilwoman Randy Defoor hosted a virtual town hall meeting with a few dozen constituents on September 9 to discuss two timely neighborhood concerns, recent crime trends and flooding during storm season. “We have a lot of heavy issues to discuss this time,” said […]
Local Folks: Betsy Board
Although she hails from New Bedford, Massachusetts, Betsy Board says she has “morphed into somebody who loves shrimp and grits” which is understandable since she has lived in Jacksonville since the 1970’s. Her amusing and convoluted tale involves attending the College of the Virgin Islands in the late 1960’s majoring in French when a “good […]
Jacksonville Curbside Recycling On Hiatus Starting Oct. 4
No timeline set for return to recycling program Due to staffing shortages with the city’s private refuge haulers, curbside recycling is going to be temporarily suspended beginning October 4th. Mayor Lenny Curry said the city is being forced to do so due to the nationwide labor shortage caused by the COVID pandemic. It’s hoped the […]
