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Uplifting and inspiring stories from around the community.

Local Folks: Evan Tucker

Local Folks: Evan Tucker

Evan Tucker is a Lakeshore man who works throughout Jacksonville as a tangible asset manager of estate properties, boats, and airplanes. In fact, he’s an aviation expert, serving as a private pilot and an aircraft mechanic. He is also co-founder of the nonprofit Cowford Conservation, which represents sportsmen in the Jacksonville area. The mission is […]

Local Folks: Gordon and Kathy Meggison

Local Folks: Gordon and Kathy Meggison

Many know Gordon Meggison as artist and owner of Free Hand Studios. Many recognize the international influences in his work that come from his travels to faraway lands throughout Asia and Europe. Many have seen at least one of the paintings from one of his largest projects—murals on walls of 70 Olive Garden restaurants throughout […]

Local Folks: The Anderson Family

Local Folks: The Anderson Family

For the Rev. Mark Anderson, his new position as Subdean at St. John’s Cathedral feels like coming home. Anderson grew up in Jacksonville and graduated from Bolles in 2006. While he enjoyed the academic rigor and the athletic challenges, he refers to his experience as a bubble. He was surrounded almost exclusively by friends from […]

Local Folks: Markus Thiesen

Local Folks: Markus Thiesen

Markus Thiesen calls himself CEO, Chief Enthusiasm Officer. He is co-owner of St. Johns Flower Market in Avondale, the one at the corner of Herschel Street and St. Johns Avenue, across the street from Fishweir Elementary School. He and his wife, Eden Erickson, bought the business in April 2020 from his parents, Marianne and Leonard […]

Local Folks: Sam and Kiley Efron

Local Folks: Sam and Kiley Efron

Sam and Kiley Efron are the owners of San Marco’s multi-award-winning Italian restaurant, Taverna. Sam serves as executive chef, and Kiley as wine director. But these local folks aren’t only business owners and residents of the area; they are fervent fans. Sam is a native of Jacksonville, a Mandarin High School graduate. He met Kiley […]

Local Folks: The York Family

Local Folks: The York Family

Andria and Tom York are no strangers to the residents of Jacksonville. Andria works for the mother company of TIAA. Tom is the president of CastleWise Realty and Insurance located in the One Call building in San Marco. Before that, he was with Citizens Property Insurance. Some might even know that when Andria and Tom […]

Local Folks: Lauren Carlucci

Local Folks: Lauren Carlucci

As of May, Lauren Carlucci is the newly elected president of the San Marco Preservation Society, this role following her one-year stint as vice president. She’s a natural fit for the organization, folks agree, and some are curious to know how she got there. As a Jacksonville University student, Carlucci changed her major seven times […]

Bicentennial – Looking back, looking forward to next 200 years

Bicentennial – Looking back, looking forward to next 200 years

At this writing, Jacksonville’s 200th anniversary is a few weeks away. The Jacksonville Historical Society has accepted a convening role in gathering the people of this sprawling, complicated city to hear and share their stories. Those range from inspiring to mysterious, and from heroic to heartbreaking. We do not shrink from any of them, because […]