JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A week after her first visit to Moncrief Road, News4JAX traffic anchor Sophia Vitello returned to Jacksonville’s Moncrief neighborhood — this time with local food creators and community advocates who viewers urged her to meet.
Sophia’s first story spotlighted concerns along Moncrief Road after viewers told her the corridor deserves attention when it comes to safety, infrastructure and quality-of-life issues.
After that report, Sophia said her follow-up video drew hundreds of comments, including dozens supporting an idea that popped up repeatedly: take a guided tour of the neighborhood with “Chef Fatty” (Instagram: RichOffReviewz) and “Chef Skinny” (Instagram: IAmChefSkinny).
“My last video sparked hundreds of comments from you guys. 85 of you agree, apparently, that I should take a tour with RichOffReviewz and IAmChefSkinny,” Sophia said in the Instagram video.
‘Good and bad no matter where you are’
Sophia met up with Chef Fatty, Lady (Fatty’s wife) and Chef Skinny to hear what they say is often missed when people only see Moncrief through the lens of crime coverage.
“Within the area, you’re gonna have good and bad no matter where you are,” Lady said. “No offense to the news, most of the time the news project negatively.”
Sophia told the group she wanted to focus on something different.
“We were thinking about when was the last time that a reporter has come out here and not ask you guys about a shooting or about a crime that happened,” she said.
First stop: Holley’s Bar B Q
The tour included a stop at Holley’s Bar B Q, which Fatty described as a neighborhood staple.
“Miss Holley really takes care of the community with like giving away free food to the homeless or just having good prices on food,” he said.
Chef Skinny pointed out that community spaces matter — and said the area needs more of them.
“It really need more stuff like in the community to do,” he said.
Sophia echoed what she heard: more places for neighbors to gather and more options for young people.
“They were talking to me about how they feel like there needs to be more programs or more activities for youth … to keep them away from maybe being bored and getting into the wrong stuff,” she said.
Holly, a park program manager, said there are already services trying to provide pathways.
“We bring in different like culinary programs. They can get a ServSafe manager certification. We do the beauty program. We teach them skillsets,” Holly said. “I definitely believe in more programming. We’ll keep them preoccupied, get into less trouble.”
‘You look good, you feel good, you do good’
During the tour, another man praised recent improvements in the area but said he wants to see more.
“They made the park beautiful now. That wasn’t there a few years ago,” he said, adding that continued upgrades can build pride and momentum. “You look good. You feel good. You do good.”
The group also pointed out long-standing issues they say don’t get addressed quickly enough, including an abandoned property Fatty said has been sitting for years.
“I feel like any other side of town, they would have been had to handle. It would have had to be handled first year,” he said. “But since it’s on Moncrief, it’s going to sit there.”
A push to keep the focus on Moncrief
Sophia noted that beyond the challenges, the tour highlighted residents and businesses trying to support kids and families.
“It’s such proof that there’s so many people here who just need help,” she said.
Fatty said that’s part of why he and others stay involved.
“Y’all like kids down here that got dreams to like make it out of here. So we try to do what we can to make sure they got a positive image of what … where to go,” he said.
Sophia ended the video by asking viewers whether the Moncrief coverage should continue.
“Do you guys think we should make this a series … where we come back into Moncrief and we show the love, we show the positivity?” she said, encouraging people to weigh in.
Background: what Sophia found on Moncrief Road last week
Sophia’s follow-up comes after her previous story on Moncrief Road, sparked by viewer feedback after she posted a video about road problems on 103rd Street.
In that report, residents told her Moncrief has a reputation that can overshadow day-to-day needs — including concerns about crime, pedestrian safety and infrastructure.
Sophia also reported the city is looking at corridor improvements, including roundabouts — one at 45th Street and another planned at New Kings Road — while residents raised concerns about basic safety features like crosswalks.
The North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) has completed a study on the Moncrief Road corridor.