City approves right-of-way funding for Lasalle Street pump station
The San Marco community is one step closer to seeing progress on the long-awaited pump station on Lasalle Street. In February, the Jacksonville City Council unanimously approved the appropriation of $900,000 for the right-of-way acquisition of a residential property at 936 Lasalle Street in order to begin construction of the Lasalle Street pump station, a […]
Darkness and Light: A beacon of hate unites a community and reveals the darkness of politics
A beam of light momentarily turned downtown into a beacon of darkness, as antisemitic actors projected a cross and swastika across the face of the CSX building on Jan. 14. But the actors’ intended goal of hate appeared to have had the opposite effect, as the city of Jacksonville immediately rallied behind its Jewish brothers […]
Public dollars for nonprofits scrutinized, funding announced
Increased scrutiny and accountability have forced the hand of the Jacksonville City Council to change the way in which it funds local nonprofits. In the process of implementing change, however, the Public Service Grants (PSG) process that provides funds to help Jacksonville’s most vulnerable adults and families has been upended. On Sept. 28, 2021, when […]
Pedestrian safety for students a topic of concern
Growth brings more traffic and distracted drivers When the new school year began, San Marco resident Dale Farrow walked with his sixth grader to make sure he and his friend knew how to approach crossing the busy streets, particular Atlantic Boulevard, to get to Landon Middle School. He did that for three weeks and spoke […]
City Council considers accessory dwelling units for housing relief
Thanks in part to soaring inflation and a spike in demand exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the rising cost of housing in Jacksonville has left many residents in a tight spot. According to a recent study from researchers at Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University, the Jacksonville housing market is currently overpriced by nearly […]
JAMM Session: Historical Society moves forward on plans for music museum and venue
The Jacksonville Historical Society is moving forward with plans to transform the Florida Casket Company building into a music museum and venue. The working title for this future space is the Jacksonville Area Music Museum (JAMM). The Jacksonville Downtown Development Review Board (DDRB) granted conceptual approval for JHS’s plans for the museum in June. “This […]
Gaffney withdraws downtown self-storage bill
Last month City Councilman Reggie Gaffney withdrew a bill to bring more self-storage facilities into the downtown overlay district to applause during the July 19 meeting of the council’s Land Use and Zoning (LUZ) Committee and the full city council followed suit seven days later. The acclaim came because the measure was opposed by many […]
Community group makes progress in restricting 5G equipment
Jacksonville City Council members and members of the Stop 5G Jax group are working together to keep large telecommunication equipment out of residential neighborhoods and other areas where they could become an eyesore. Duval County has an ordinance in place that echoes state and federal legislation that allows telecommunications companies seeking to create a new […]
