We are a little more than two weeks away from Jacksonville’s election day – and next week, News4JAX is going to take a closer look at some of the issues impacting our community.
An Atlanta-based developer has purchased the former Florida Times Union property and is planning to soon demolish the vacant buildings to begin redevelopment of the site into One Riverside, according to News4JAX’s news partner, the Jacksonville Daily Record.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Jacksonville City Council voted Tuesday night to approve a bill that sets aside $1.8 million to hire an independent attorney to help review the sale of JEA. JEA has moved to its negotiations phase with nine business groups that are interested in buying the utility. The City Council also considered a resolution that opposed a plan to make Duval County's school superintendent an elected position. There were nine votes for and nine votes against the resolution. The Fire Watch will coordinate an effort to organize existing resources to combat the veteran suicide epidemic.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Three Duval County Public Schools employees were approved for suspension without pay, according to an article by the Florida Times Union. Jamall Collins, a teacher at Fort Caroline Middle School, was recommended for a five-day suspension, the Times Union wrote. Eldre Allen and Melanie Clemons were recommended for a 10-day suspension. Allen is a paraprofessional at Arlington Middle School, and Clemons works at Carter G. Woodson Elementary School as a data entry clerk, records show. Collins, a former principal of John Stockton Elementary School, was arrested in December and charged with two counts of grand theft.
The schools affected by the plan include Lake Forest Elementary and Northwestern Middle School. The districts plan to convert Northwestern into an elementary school is contingent upon whether voters approve a half-cent sales tax to fund the districts master facilities plan. He does not agree with Greenes decision to close Northwestern Middle. Now-shuttered Lake Forest Elementary, which is less than 2 miles away from Northwestern, received an F grade in 2018-19. Greene: "My plan is that Northwestern will close at the end of the 2019-20 school year."
