BREAKING NEWS
A Jacksonville woman says a man followed her in HomeGoods and touched himself, but he wasn’t charged. Here’s why
Read full article: A Jacksonville woman says a man followed her in HomeGoods and touched himself, but he wasn’t charged. Here’s whyA Jacksonville woman says a frightening encounter inside a River City Marketplace store on the Northside has exposed what she believes is a gap in Florida law after police told her they could not file criminal charges against a man she says followed her through the store while touching himself.
I-TEAM uncovers squatters, unsafe conditions at troubled landlord’s Westside apartment complex
Read full article: I-TEAM uncovers squatters, unsafe conditions at troubled landlord’s Westside apartment complexAfter receiving complaints from residents about broken windows, apartment doors left wide open and concerns about squatters, the News4JAX I-TEAM found that an apartment complex near Westside High School is tied to a landlord with a history of code enforcement complaints and properties facing foreclosure.
Moldy classrooms, feces on walls: Concerns surface over Jacksonville private school that receives state voucher funding
Read full article: Moldy classrooms, feces on walls: Concerns surface over Jacksonville private school that receives state voucher fundingFormer employees of Icon Preparatory School in Jacksonville say they have been unable to file their 2025 federal income taxes because they have not received correct W-2 forms — and some say they have not received W-2s at all.
Fraud investigation targets Massey Contracting as customers, employees, subcontractors say they are owed nearly $1M
Read full article: Fraud investigation targets Massey Contracting as customers, employees, subcontractors say they are owed nearly $1MA Jacksonville roofing company once known for giving away free roofs on social media is now under investigation by the State Bureau of Insurance Fraud, as customers, employees and subcontractors say they are owed a combined total of nearly $1 million.
DCPS report: Former chief of schools allowed ‘numerous students’ to continue experiencing abuse at Douglas Anderson
Read full article: DCPS report: Former chief of schools allowed ‘numerous students’ to continue experiencing abuse at Douglas AndersonAn internal Duval County Public Schools investigation concluded that former Chief of Schools Scott Schneider “knowingly failed” to report allegations of child sexual abuse involving educators at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, a failure investigators say allowed students to remain at risk for years.
News4JAX I-TEAM finds more than 24,000 Duval homeowners may be missing out on property tax savings
Read full article: News4JAX I-TEAM finds more than 24,000 Duval homeowners may be missing out on property tax savingsMore than 24,000 Duval County homeowners who appear to potentially qualify for Florida’s homestead exemption have not filed for the tax-saving benefit, according to a News4JAX I-TEAM analysis.
Texts show JEA CEO, former chief of staff discussing Ballard Partners contract as investigations continue
Read full article: Texts show JEA CEO, former chief of staff discussing Ballard Partners contract as investigations continueThe News4JAX I-TEAM has obtained text messages exchanged in January 2025 between JEA CEO Vickie Cavey and the city-owned utility’s former chief of staff, Kurt Wilson, as multiple investigations into JEA continue and subpoenas target records tied to city officials, a canceled land deal and a lobbying contract.
‘We can’t get answers’: Residents fear eviction as foreclosure lawsuits hit complexes tied to troubled landlord
Read full article: ‘We can’t get answers’: Residents fear eviction as foreclosure lawsuits hit complexes tied to troubled landlordTenants at two Westside apartment complexes say they were caught off guard after being served foreclosure lawsuit paperwork, leaving many fearful they could lose their homes and frustrated by what they describe as little communication from management.
Clay County woman says $900 water bill equal to filling 6 swimming pools still can’t be explained
Read full article: Clay County woman says $900 water bill equal to filling 6 swimming pools still can’t be explainedA Clay County woman says she is still searching for answers after being charged nearly $900 by the Clay County Utility Authority during a single billing cycle.
Jacksonville mother’s warning: Kratom killed her son — and it’s sold at your corner store
Read full article: Jacksonville mother’s warning: Kratom killed her son — and it’s sold at your corner storeA Jacksonville mother, Patti Wheeler, is warning others about the dangers of kratom after her 27-year-old son, Wyatt, died from using the herbal supplement.
First Coast Crime Stoppers tip leads to arrest of Jacksonville youth pastor accused of grooming teen
Read full article: First Coast Crime Stoppers tip leads to arrest of Jacksonville youth pastor accused of grooming teenThe News4JAX I-TEAM has obtained a court-filed protection injunction from the victim in the case against former youth pastor and local business owner Joshua Trent, who is accused of sexually abusing an underage girl for years, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Victim says threats made by youth pastor accused of grooming her as teen haunt her into adulthood
Read full article: Victim says threats made by youth pastor accused of grooming her as teen haunt her into adulthoodThe News4JAX I-TEAM has obtained a court-filed protection injunction from the victim in the case against former youth pastor and local business owner Joshua Trent, who is accused of sexually abusing an underage girl for years, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Family-owned plumbing company says it’s owed $5K after restoring water at troubled Jacksonville apartments
Read full article: Family-owned plumbing company says it’s owed $5K after restoring water at troubled Jacksonville apartmentsA local, family-owned plumbing company says it is still waiting to be paid thousands of dollars months after restoring water service to a troubled Westside apartment complex just days before Christmas.
Romance scams cost Northeast Florida residents millions — how to protect yourself
Read full article: Romance scams cost Northeast Florida residents millions — how to protect yourselfFraud is broad and is a growing problem across all of Northeast Florida, from romance scams to fake bank alerts. We got important advice from law enforcement to help you protect yourself.
Anonymous text campaign targeting Jacksonville leaders escalates, reaches News4JAX anchor
Read full article: Anonymous text campaign targeting Jacksonville leaders escalates, reaches News4JAX anchorA series of anonymous text messages criticizing prominent Jacksonville leaders has escalated, with the sender now directly contacting News4JAX Anchor/Reporter Tarik Minor.
Decades of missed inspections left a Jacksonville halfway house facing costly repairs. The community rallied to save it
Read full article: Decades of missed inspections left a Jacksonville halfway house facing costly repairs. The community rallied to save itA News4JAX I-TEAM investigation into a decades-long oversight at a local recovery program has prompted a wave of community support, helping keep the organization afloat as it works to meet costly safety requirements.
Anonymous mass text smear campaign targeting Jacksonville leaders likely considered ‘protected speech’
Read full article: Anonymous mass text smear campaign targeting Jacksonville leaders likely considered ‘protected speech’The News4JAX I-TEAM has uncovered new details about an anonymous mass text message campaign targeting two prominent Jacksonville leaders.
Semi driver says ‘brakes weren’t working’ when he tried to avoid hitting school bus full of kindergarteners: report
Read full article: Semi driver says ‘brakes weren’t working’ when he tried to avoid hitting school bus full of kindergarteners: reportThe semi-truck driver who rear-ended a school bus carrying kindergarteners on a field trip said the crash was caused by a malfunctioning brake, according to the incident report obtained by News4JAX.
Florida court shuts down online gift card business over ‘unfair, deceptive’ conduct, imposes over $800K in civil fines
Read full article: Florida court shuts down online gift card business over ‘unfair, deceptive’ conduct, imposes over $800K in civil finesA Northeast Florida gift card company and its owner have been permanently banned from doing business in Florida. The decision, which was sparked by dozens of consumer complaints, was handed down against Gift Card Deal Marketplace Inc., which operated as giftcarddeal.com, and its owner, after a judge found the company was cheating customers.
Private lenders say they lost thousands in ‘subject-to’ real estate deals tied to BG Ventures
Read full article: Private lenders say they lost thousands in ‘subject-to’ real estate deals tied to BG VenturesAs the News4JAX I-TEAM continues investigating risky “subject-to” real estate deals, a new group says they’re also facing major financial losses: private money lenders who helped fund the transactions.
JEA says company tied to social media influencer, 17 Jacksonville properties owes more than $330K in past due fees
Read full article: JEA says company tied to social media influencer, 17 Jacksonville properties owes more than $330K in past due feesAn embattled owner tied to dozens of Jacksonville rental properties that are going through foreclosures owes JEA hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Dispute between JEA and Mayo Clinic draws inspector general questions over millions in unpaid fees
Read full article: Dispute between JEA and Mayo Clinic draws inspector general questions over millions in unpaid feesThe News4JAX I-TEAM has uncovered new details about an ongoing legal dispute between JEA and one of Northeast Florida’s largest medical providers, Mayo Clinic, over millions of dollars in utility fees.
JFRD didn’t inspect a halfway house for 59 years. Inspectors then found costly issues that could put it out of business
Read full article: JFRD didn’t inspect a halfway house for 59 years. Inspectors then found costly issues that could put it out of businessA Jacksonville nonprofit that has helped people recover from drug and alcohol addiction for nearly six decades is now facing costly safety upgrades after a recent fire inspection revealed the residential portion of the property had never been inspected by fire officials.
Former Serenata Beach Club employee files class action lawsuit over unpaid wages
Read full article: Former Serenata Beach Club employee files class action lawsuit over unpaid wagesA Jacksonville man has filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against the former owners of Serenata Beach Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, alleging workers were required to perform duties “off the clock” and were not paid minimum wage for all hours worked.
Allegations of abuse, neglect prompt request for state to investigate Union County Animal Control
Read full article: Allegations of abuse, neglect prompt request for state to investigate Union County Animal ControlMore than 50 people from 12 different animal advocacy organizations and shelters in Florida have signed a 197-page complaint, requesting the state launch a criminal investigation into the Union County Animal Control office.
‘Nobody gives me information’: Jacksonville-area man held in ‘Deportation Depot’ for weeks talks conditions, challenges
Read full article: ‘Nobody gives me information’: Jacksonville-area man held in ‘Deportation Depot’ for weeks talks conditions, challengesMacario Pablo-Reyes, 49, has been held for weeks at the Baker County Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, sometimes referred to as the “Deportation Depot.”
Neglected properties aren’t just a nuisance, they cost Jacksonville taxpayers millions
Read full article: Neglected properties aren’t just a nuisance, they cost Jacksonville taxpayers millionsJacksonville has spent $4.2 million in taxpayer money over the past three and a half years maintaining properties that records show are not being cared for by their owners. That’s the figure uncovered by the News4JAX I-TEAM, which reviewed a list of properties where the city says it has had to hire companies to clean up neglected sites.
‘I want them accountable’: Jacksonville veteran warns ‘sub-to’ mortgage deal led to missed payments, foreclosure
Read full article: ‘I want them accountable’: Jacksonville veteran warns ‘sub-to’ mortgage deal led to missed payments, foreclosureThe News4JAX I-TEAM has been warning homeowners about “subject-to” mortgage deals. These are legal but risky transactions that can leave sellers financially responsible even after signing over their homes.
Mortgage Gamble: Inside the risky real estate deals leaving sellers on the hook
Read full article: Mortgage Gamble: Inside the risky real estate deals leaving sellers on the hookA News4JAX I-TEAM investigation found that a type of real estate transaction known as a “subject-to” mortgage deal can carry serious financial risks, including foreclosure, damaged credit and costly legal battles.
From dream home to rental scam nightmare: Couple shares warning after falling for fake Facebook Marketplace listing
Read full article: From dream home to rental scam nightmare: Couple shares warning after falling for fake Facebook Marketplace listingA young couple thought they had found their dream home in Jacksonville, but they soon found themselves in a rental scam nightmare when they learned a week after they moved into the house that the Facebook Marketplace listing was fake.
Landlord under fire: Man known as ‘slumlord’ to tenants sees rental empire hit with multi-million dollar foreclosures
Read full article: Landlord under fire: Man known as ‘slumlord’ to tenants sees rental empire hit with multi-million dollar foreclosuresSome of his tenants call him a slumlord, complaining of trash piling up and properties not being safely maintained, but a landlord’s empire in Jacksonville may be crumbling.
From a botched fridge install to landlord complaints: Here are the top 2025 I-TEAM and Addressing Affordability stories
Read full article: From a botched fridge install to landlord complaints: Here are the top 2025 I-TEAM and Addressing Affordability storiesFrom a botched refrigerator installation to complaints filed against a landlord for awful living conditions. Here are the top 10 I-Team and Addressing Affordability stories of 2025.
‘Piling up for two weeks’: Northside apartment complex residents frustrated over unresolved trash complaints
Read full article: ‘Piling up for two weeks’: Northside apartment complex residents frustrated over unresolved trash complaintsThe News4JAX I-TEAM looked into getting answers after residents at a Northside apartment complex reported weeks of overflowing trash.
City orders 48-hour repairs at Westside apartments after residents go 4 days without water
Read full article: City orders 48-hour repairs at Westside apartments after residents go 4 days without waterIt’s almost Christmas, and residents of Grassy Pond Apartments on California Avenue are still dealing with a bit of a mess.
Jacksonville family says insurance-managed roof repair failed, leaving home torn apart for holidays
Read full article: Jacksonville family says insurance-managed roof repair failed, leaving home torn apart for holidaysA Jacksonville family says they are spending the holidays in a home ripped apart after discovering that a roof installed through their insurance company years ago was allegedly never done correctly.
Resident complaints, unpaid fines keep piling up at troubled Westside apartment complex that went days without water
Read full article: Resident complaints, unpaid fines keep piling up at troubled Westside apartment complex that went days without waterResident complaints and unpaid fines have continued to pile up at a troubled apartment complex on Jacksonville’s Westside despite the complex getting new property management in October, according to recent data provided by the City of Jacksonville.