School Board votes on Master Facility Plan
By Michele Leivas Fishweir, Stockton, West Riverside escape closure list; public hearing to be held Oct. 29, final board vote Nov. 4 UPDATE: The Duval County School Board approved the proposed 5-year Capital Plan that includes the Master Facility Plan at its Oct. 1 board meeting. The board voted 6-1 to approve the plan, […]
Proposed Stockton Street row house project rocks the boat
Project’s lack of off-street parking, ownership raise concerns By Michele Leivas Some Riverside residents and business owners are voicing concerns over a proposed rezoning application that would allow row houses to be built on a narrow strip of land along Stockton Street that is owned by Delores and Wayne Weaver. Introduced in July, Bill 2024-0539 […]
Jacksonville prepares for state law banning sleeping on public property
By Michele Leivas The Jacksonville City Council passed a pair of bills Sept. 24 to ensure the city is prepared for a new state law prohibiting sleeping on public property that went into effect Oct. 1. Bill #0687 codifies the state law at the local level, prohibiting public camping, urination and defecation. It passed on […]
Ortega Scout Troop 26 celebrates centennial
The year was 1924. Calvin Coolidge was president, the Charleston was the popular dance craze and a new museum of contemporary art was opening in Jacksonville. That same year, Boy Scout Troop 26 was chartered in Jacksonville, beginning at a local church before moving soon after to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Ortega. The troop […]
Florida Humanities marks 60th anniversary of Beatles’ landmark Jacksonville concert
By Jennifer Logue First integrated concert in the Southeast hailed as milestone in civil rights movement Florida Humanities marked the 60th anniversary of The Beatles’ concert in Jacksonville last month with a special lecture and musical performance. Held Sept. 12 at the Ritz Theatre, “1964: When The Beatles Rocked Florida” was equal parts education and […]
5 Star Veterans’ Loving receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Colonel honored as one of ‘12 Who Care’ For Five Star Veterans Center CEO Col. Len Loving USMC Ret., it was a night out with friends and family, enjoying an award show production and observing outstanding fellow citizens as they took home awards for their selfless acts. Unbeknownst to him, he was about to take […]
The Way We Were: Dr. Joseph Stokes
By Jennifer Jensen Bringing light to people’s lives Dr. Joseph Stokes’ first word wasn’t the traditional “mama” or “dada.” Instead it was “light.” When he was born in 1932, his family didn’t have electricity, but in his small town of Bronson, Florida, they had streetlights. His parents would walk the streets with him in his […]
Military families participate in outdoor exploration program
More than 200 military youth and their family members were treated to activities in local wilderness parks and preserves through the Blue Star Outdoor Exploration program, a partnership between the National Park Service’s Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, Timucuan Parks Foundation (TPF) and Blue Star Families Jacksonville. “This year’s program introduced these military families to […]
Animal House: Hawk rescue reveals critical rescuer shortage
By Julie Kerns Garmendia The bird, later identified as a red-shouldered hawk, lay motionless on its side, loosely cushioned by a soft cloth lining the bottom of a cardboard box. The terrified bird held its head up just enough to stare straight at the two adults and little girl watching over it, speaking in whispered […]
