Jacksonville Today reader Lois B. got a telephone call recently about her missing jury duty, and it just did not ring true, she says. “I questioned if this was a scam, and he said I wasn’t being cooperative.”
Months after saying it was planning to open charters inside 25 existing Duval County public schools under the “Schools of Hope” law, Miami-based Mater Academy withdrew 23 of those letters of intent this month, according to a report from our news partner, Jacksonville Today. A DCPS parent shared her thoughts on the development.
Miami-based charter school operator Mater Academy, which is targeting school districts across the state under the expanded “Schools of Hope” program, has major plans for Duval County, according to a report from our news partner, Jacksonville Today.
Neighbors in the San Jose community are perplexed about the replacement of pipes along Hernando Road. Jacksonville Today reader Michelle N. says she has "no clue what the real issue is" and wants answers.
Michelle lives on the western side of Old Kings Road, so she’s not backed up to the railroad. But she wonders: “Is there a noise ordinance for the constant beeping of some type of machine?”
Jacksonville Today reader Sherry C. says she and her father got COVID coming back to Florida on a plane. She wonders whether she should report her positive test anywhere so it could be tracked with other people.
When a traffic signal malfunctions, it can be chaos for drivers. And a signal on Southside Boulevard apparently breaks down a lot. Jacksonville Today reader Daniel B. says about once a week, the light malfunctions. No one comes to fix it, and no police show up to direct traffic.
Three people were arrested after a disturbance at a City Council meeting, and one of them was charged with possessing a concealed weapon at the meeting. The incident has led to a review of security at City Hall, but it left a Jacksonville Today reader with a question: “What exactly is the law here regarding this?”
Even the most friendly neighbors can have questions about the spaces where their lives overlap. Consider the trees near your property line.
The city approved James W. Brinkley’s plans for a new carousel last May. Brinkley said then that the ride could be up and running as soon as that summer. Jacksonville Today reader Greg D. wonders why it isn’t.
Jacksonville Today reader Karen F. says people in her office have been discussing the stretch of Interstate 95 in the construction zone. Several co-workers relate that they have had “dangerous close calls at a new ‘unmarked merge” while heading northbound after Emerson Street.
The site of a former JEA power station on the Southbank is being redesigned into RiversEdge, a huge mixed-use development with homes, hotels, retail, restaurants and four public parks. Jacksonville Today reader D.U. notes that many of the public roads appear done. You just aren’t supposed to drive on them, D.U. says.
Mayor Donna Deegan’s AI pilot does not include the largest part of the city budget — the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Jacksonville Today reader Johnathon A. wonders why.
Jacksonville Today reader Audrey M. has a question about the work on San Pablo Road. She says that new street lights on San Pablo at Drakes Point Drive — the entrance to the Villages of Pablo neighborhood — are still not working.
Jacksonville Today reader Lois B. says a pit bull mix recently bit her seriously on her left arm. She reported it to her leasing office soon after.
JEA and Jaxport are raising power lines over the St. Johns River so bigger ships can dock at the port. But a Jacksonville Today reader has another idea.Sidne V. wonders why the power lines aren’t being buried beneath the river instead of over it.
St. Johns County commissioners halted the plans for the three-mile multiuse trail south of St. Augustine, just one year after approving it, according to News4JAX news partners at Jacksonville Today.
About 11 months ago, fire swept through the $65 million Rise Doro apartments in Jacksonville’s Sports and Entertainment District, severely damaging the wood-framed seven-story building on A. Philip Randolph Boulevard. At the time, Rise Doro’s owners said they would rebuild. Jacksonville Today reader Kathy B. wonders when.
Q: Last August, restaurateurs got approval from the city to build The Lomax restaurant where a Wells Fargo bank once stood in Five Points. Construction on the 2-story venue – estimated to cost nearly $2.22 million – began. But then it appeared to stall out.
Q: Jacksonville Today reader Stephen M. has a question about a neighborhood off Beach Boulevard that has no paved roads and experienced flooding during recent rains — again.
Q. A Jacksonville Today reader, Courtney S., wants to know whether it’s legal for political groups to hang out near polling locations and hand out pamphlets to voters.
Q: Jacksonville Today reader Alice K. has multiple questions about Jacksonville’s 3-year-old Office of Resilience. Does the resilience office have more than advisory power? she asks. If not, how serious is the mayor about actually listening to the office’s advice? And is the resilience office “part of the debate about what to do with the Downtown/river corridor?
Jacksonville Today reader Kevin E. wonders why a local judicial candidate is allowed to advertise herself as a conservative in a nonpartisan race.
Q: Florida recently enacted a law prohibiting local governments from requiring heat protections for workers, after Miami-Dade County last year ended a push to protect outdoor workers like agricultural and construction laborers.
Q: Jacksonville Today reader Jonathon A. wants to know what is happening with the money set aside by the City Council for Confederate monument removal.
Ahead of Tuesday’s Duval County School Board meeting to discuss new superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier's contract, News4JAX news partner WJCT reported new details about Bernier's abrupt resignation from Lee County Schools in the Fort Myers area.
The proposed study of septic tanks in Jacksonville is causing controversy as some question the need for another costly investigation. City Council legislation is requesting $200,000 to fund a study by the University of Florida Center for Coastal Solutions. The study would assess the vulnerability of septic systems throughout the county and prioritize their conversion to sewer. The goal is to prevent sewage backups and meet water quality standards. Previous efforts have been made to phase out septic systems, but this study would provide a comprehensive countywide assessment.
Q: With a deal reached between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the city on splitting the cost of an estimated $1.4 billion “Stadium of the Future” renovation, Jacksonville Today reader Paul N. asks what taxpayers are getting for their money when it comes to investing in EverBank Stadium.
Editors Note: This post appears under a partnership between News4JAX & Jacksonville Today. Q: A Jacksonville Today reader, Adam, wants an update about Jacksonville’s oldest baseball field in the Durkeeville neighborhood.
