Timeline: How ‘big favor’ texts sparked a JEA board shakeup and allegations about utility leadership

What started as a dispute over a JEA board appointment and text messages referencing a “big favor” has now widened into a broader fight over leadership at Jacksonville’s publicly owned utility and who is trying to influence it. The latest twist came Friday, when Mayor Donna Deegan, JEA Board Chair Joe DiSalvo, and JEA CEO Vickie Cavey appeared together at a press conference to push back on allegations and what they described as outside pressure targeting Cavey and JEA’s leadership.