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NAVAL AIR STATION JACKSONVILLE

Eaglet finds new home at NAS Jax after falling out of nest

The Naval Air Station Jacksonville (NAS Jax) Environmental Department helped save an eaglet earlier this month after it fell from its nest near a shopping plaza on San Jose Boulevard in Lakewood. The Audubon Center for Birds of Prey took the eaglet in to nurse it back to health. Thomas Morris, who found the eaglet, was there when the bird took flight. Eagle Audubon Watch says the eagle is a male & about 14 weeks old. There’s a family of 2 adult eagles and another eaglet at this nest!

Blue Angels Air Show set for April at NAS Jax is canceled

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Naval Air Station Jacksonville leadership announced Tuesday it had canceled its planned air show featuring the Blue Angels due to COVID-19 guidelines. “We look forward to welcoming the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Team, the Blue Angels back to Jacksonville in the future,” NAS Jax wrote in a release announcing the decision. It indicates the Blue Angels are next scheduled to perform in Jacksonville on Oct. 22-23, 2022. News4Jax was told that The Great Florida Airshow set for May 15-16 at the Orlando Melbourne International Airport is scheduled to go forward with the Blue Angels as the headline act. It will be the first time the Blue Angels have performed in Melbourne in six years.

If you hear gunfire near NAS Jax this week, it’s a training drill

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Naval Hospital Jacksonville will be holding training drills this week which could include simulated explosions and gunfire, Naval Air Station Jacksonville announced Tuesday. The drills will take place Dec. 9-11 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and residents in the area may hear loud noises during the training days. NAS Jax said the training is part of the Tactical Combat Casualty Care program which is vital to preparing Naval Hospital Jacksonville medical professionals in performing their jobs under battlefield conditions.

Hear gunfire near NAS Jax this week? It’s a training drill

Residents near Naval Air Station Jacksonville might hear gunfire this week near the Navy base, but there’s no reason for alarm. Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 10 will be holding training exercises from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday at NAS Jax. The training will consist of patrol boats conducting operations and firing blank rounds on Thursday and Friday near the Mulberry Cove Marina. Residents in the area may hear loud noises during the training days. Navy officials said the training is vital to preparing the team for future missions.

Boater found dead after collision with Buckman Bridge was former city councilman

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The search for a missing boater came to a tragic end Friday, two days after his boat capsized near the Buckman Bridge, authorities told News4Jax. Wilson Smith, a friend who had known him nearly his entire life told News4Jax that Williams was a former Jacksonville city councilman and a Lee High School graduate. Walter Williams is the last man on the right in the first row. RELATED: Boater missing, vessel capsizes after striking Buckman BridgeSmith says Williams ran a successful real estate business, Walter Williams Reality. “He loved Jacksonville," Smith said.

Navy helicopter squadron returns home from 7-month deployment

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It was a happy homecoming at Naval Air Station Jacksonville on Friday when Maritime Strike Squadron 74, also known as the Swamp Foxes, returned home from a seven-month deployment. The strike squadron left on Jan. 8, 2020, and the sailors set a record by spending 206 days at sea without docking because of the ongoing global pandemic. On top of the record time on the sea, deployment in 2020 has been quite different for the Swamp Foxes because the sailor’s families weren’t the only ones worried this time. Dan Murphy, the commanding officer of Swamp Foxes. Full Screen 1 / 7 Navy helicopter squadron returns home from record-breaking deploymentThe Swamp Foxes’ 11 helicopters and 300 sailors took part in surveillance, strike coordination intelligence and reconnaissance operations, according to a release.

Aircraft depart NAS Jacksonville ahead of Isaias

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Naval Air Station Jacksonville is preparing for possible severe weather from Tropical Storm Isaias. The aircrew and maintenance sailors assigned to the P-8A Poseidon and P-3C Orion squadrons worked through the night and into the morning to evacuate the aircraft to predetermined locations ahead of Isaias, NAS Jacksonville said Sunday. Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic authorized the evacuation of 31 P-8A Poseidon aircraft and five P-3C Orion aircraft from NAS Jacksonville, with remaining aircraft assigned to Commander, Patrol & Reconnaissance Wing (CPRW) 11 and Patrol Squadron 30 to remain safely in their squadron hangars. Squadrons assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing Atlantic will remain in hangars aboard Naval Station Mayport and NAS Jacksonville. The aircrew and maintenance Sailors assigned to our P-8A Poseidon and P-3C Orion squadrons worked through the night and... Posted by NAS Jacksonville on Sunday, August 2, 2020NAS Jacksonville preparingThe NAS Jacksonville commanding officer is minimizing command operations and the footprint on base Monday to minimum personnel only.

Vice president stops in Jacksonville to thank RNC host committee

Jacksonville, Fla. – Vice President Mike Pence delivered remarks Saturday evening at an event at Epping Forest in San Jose for the Jacksonville host committee for the Republican National Convention. A spokesperson for the RNC host committee said the vice president was at the event to thank the committee for the work being done to plan the convention, especially on short notice. Duval GOP Chairman Dean Black said the vice president thanked the host committee for the hard work they’re doing, and for what they’re about to do. But the host committee has a handle on it and we’re going to make history right here in Jacksonville,” Black said. RELATED: Meet the Jacksonville Host Committee for the Republican National ConventionFlorida Gov.

After COVID-19 pandemic delays return, Red Lancers arrive back home in Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. There was an emotional homecoming two months overdue for a squadron at Naval Air Station Jacksonville on Wednesday. The Red Lancers of Patrol Squadron (VP) 10, based at NAS Jacksonville, returned home on Wednesday afternoon. Their return was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic after the secretary of defense on March 25 issued a 60-day stop movement order. The Red Lancers executed more than 9,000 sorties and put in more than 4,500 hours of flight time. The Red Lancers of Patrol Squadron (VP) 10, based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, return home.

Sunday marks 1 year since plane skidded into St. Johns River

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Sunday marked one year since a charter jet skidded off the runway at Naval Air Station Jacksonville and crashed into the St. Johns River. NTSB is still investigating why the plane ended up in the St. Johns River. The landing gear separated from the plane during landing and the plane stopped in less than five feet of water. The lawyers for that passenger claimed, “Miami Air said this is God’s fault, that this was an act of God that this accident occurred.”In March, Miami Air filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Miami Air hopes to use Chapter 11 to reorganize and emerge from bankruptcy in a way that allows them to move forward financially.

Lawyers for Taylor Williams’ mom want more time to prepare defense

Brianna Williams, who reported Taylor missing from their new Brentwood home in November, is charged with two counts of child neglect and one count of lying to police. Investigators now suspect Taylor was dead before Williams moved there from an apartment on the Southside bus she has not been charged with causing her daughter’s death. Prosecutors sent subpoenas to cellphone companies associated with Williams’ accounts, as well as Google, Apple iCloud and Match.com. Prosecutors also have Uber and Lyft records, documenting Williams’ activity with the ride-sharing services. Prosecutors told Blazs the state is still working to gather more information in the case against Williams.

Alabama man: I won't ever forget Taylor Williams' name

Teams from Jacksonville traveled to rural Alabama this week in the search for missing 5-year-old Taylor Rose Williams. IMAGES: Taylor Rose Williams |Alabama scene where remains were foundHe said someone would have to know where they were searching in order to find something out there. The investigationSheriff Williams told reporters last week that Brianna Williams stopped cooperating with the investigation after the first day of the search and was considered a person of interest in her daughter's disappearance. The sheriff said Brianna Williams was believed to have been driving her Honda Accord, which has tinted windows and black rims. Police said Brianna Williams' family and that of Taylor's biological father are cooperating in their investigation.

Police report: Taylor Williams' mother 'attempted suicide' before arrest

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The mother of a 5-year-old girl reported missing from Jacksonville last week "attempted suicide" prior to her arrest Tuesday, according to an arrest report from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. Brianna Williams was absentee booked and the arrest report stated she had "attempted suicide" prior to that. Hospital officials could not confirm the person on the stretcher was Brianna Williams due to privacy issues. Sheriff Williams said that while family members have been cooperating, Brianna Williams stopped cooperating the day after she called 911 to report her daughter missing from their Brentwood home. He said Brianna Williams was believed to have been driving her black 2017 Honda Accord, which has tinted windows and black rims.

Taylor Williams' mother charged with child neglect, giving false information

Duval County jail records show Brianna Williams was booked in absentia on two counts of child neglect and giving false information to law enforcement during an investigation, and the three charges carry a total bond of $1.1 million. Hospital officials could not confirm that the person on the stretcher was Brianna Williams, due to privacy issues. IMAGES: Taylor Rose Williams | Alabama scene where remains were foundAt a 5:30 p.m. news conference, Sheriff Williams would not say what the lead was that led them to the discovery. "We will ensure justice is served for Taylor Williams." He said Brianna Williams was believed to have been driving her black 2017 Honda Accord, which has tinted windows and black rims.

Taylor Rose Williams' mother has been arrested. What could be next?

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Following the discovery of human remains in the search for Taylor Rose Williams, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams on Tuesday announced the arrest of the 5-year-old's mother, Brianna Williams. "Security was surrounding her as she was rolled into the hospital," Jefferson said. According to Jefferson, Brianna Williams will be immediately transported to the jail after she's released from the hospital. As of 7:30 a.m., Brianna Williams was not yet listed as being physically in the jail, but UF Health officials said that she was "no longer in (their) system." You had everybody and their mother out looking," Jefferson said.