To reflect on the news of the day, Jacksonville Today seeks to include a diverse set of perspectives. These opinion columnists are independent contractors who are paid for their contributions and are not involved in news decisions.

News
Sunburn Cannabis opens this weekend in busy Five Points
Sunburn Cannabis is opening in the shuttered MedMen medical marijuana store at 1059 Park St.…

News
JaxPort adds fifth MSC Mediterranean container service
MSC’s biweekly North European rotation services food and beverage, auto parts and forest products.…

News
Massive expansion of school vouchers sent to governor
The Republican-controlled Senate passed the measure Thursday amid warnings from Democrats like Sen. Tracie Davis of Jacksonville.…

News
Details emerge about arrest of Douglas Anderson music teacher
Jeffrey Payne Clayton professed his romantic feelings for a student and kissed her, according to an arrest warrant released Thursday.…

News
DeSantis spotlights civics education in Orange Park visit
Gov. Ron DeSantis and Education Commissioner Manny Diaz awarded seven Clay County teachers $3,000 checks for completing a Civics Seal…

News
Clay County jail is packed; a new one may be necessary
Sheriff Michelle Cook and county commissioners are discussing an enlarged law enforcement campus for the growing county.…

News
Analysis: Where Davis and Deegan got their votes
Mayoral candidate Donna Deegan got support across the city in Tuesday’s election. Daniel Davis won on the Westside, Ortega, Mandarin…

Arts Picks
Arts Picks | Mar. 24-26
Jacksonville Today Arts and Culture Editor Matt Shaw shares his top 3 arts and culture picks for the weekend. Friday Beaches…

News
LeAnna Cumber investigation forwarded to Ethics Commission
A special City Council committee investigated LeAnna Cumber’s role in the failed sale of JEA — and whether she was…

News
Jacksonville lawmaker gets support for drag show crackdown
As the governor’s office cracks down drag show performances, a Senate panel approved a bill sponsored by a Jacksonville lawmaker…

News
Douglas Anderson teacher accused of lewd conduct with student
Jeffrey Clayton, department head at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, was arrested on charges of lewd and lascivious conduct…

News
Baptist Health opens Heart Rhythm Center
The demand for heart rhythm care has exploded with the growing and aging population in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia,…

News
Hotel revenue hit all-time high for February
Jacksonville hotels reported that demand for rooms in February was even higher than before the pandemic.…

Photo Essays
PHOTO ESSAY | March 2023 Duval Elections
Voters share why they participated in the March 2023 Jacksonville elections, which had just 25.6% turnout.…

News
City Council: 6 incumbents and 3 new members elected as 6 races go to runoffs
With voter turnout of 25.5%, here are the results of the March 2023 Jacksonville City Council races.…

News
Property appraiser race goes to runoff in May
Democrat Joyce Morgan, a City Council member, and Republican Jason Fischer, a former state representative, were the top finishers in…

News
Deegan and Davis will face off for Jacksonville mayor
Democrat Donna Deegan and Republican Daniel Davis finished first and second in Jacksonville’s mayoral election Tuesday, sending them to a…

News
High school tip leads to guns and four arrests
Operation Safety Net seized six guns, including three assault rifles, after a tip about an armed person at Westside High…

News
BJ’s to hire 150 for North Jacksonville warehouse club
BJ’s intends to open its fourth Northeast Florida store at River City Marketplace, replacing the Regal cinema.…

News
St. Augustine’s city manager retiring after 25 years
St. Augustine City Manager John Regan submitted his resignation Monday, effective June 2.…

News
It’s Election Day. Have you cast your ballot?
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Anyone who is registered can vote, regardless of party affiliation.…

News
Clay crimefighters get a view from above
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office has new eyes in the sky. Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook says the county has…

News
Hear what’s new at Jumbo Shrimp games
The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp will have a Virtual Town Hall from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday to share the team’s…

News
Apartment construction set to begin at One Riverside
The city issued permits last week that allow construction on the former site of the Florida Times-Union, on the Northbank…

News
Mayoral candidates split on Confederate monuments
Like voters themselves, Democrats favor removal of Confederate monuments, and Republicans would leave the monuments in place.…

News
Apartment and retail complex taking shape near VyStar arena
RISE: Doro will include a 247-unit apartment building with retail space, rooftop amenities and a seven-level parking deck.…

News
House passes major school voucher expansion
The bill would make every Florida student eligible for taxpayer-backed school vouchers — a priority of House Speaker Paul Renner…

News
Hardwick riverfront high-rise hits delays
The developer of The Hardwick is considering adding a hotel to the project at the former Duval County Courthouse site.…

News
Sheriff turns up the spotlight on cold cases
A new Cold Case Spotlight from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office seeks new tips to solve an old homicide — the…

News
No more breaks: You could be fined for giving money to panhandlers
With the grace period over, police can now enforce a new Jacksonville ordinance designed to stop panhandling along roadways.…

News
Teachers union challenges rules on classroom books
The administrative legal challenge seeks to force the Florida Department of Education to roll back its media specialist training.…

News
Armada and JAXUSL jockey in Jacksonville soccer landscape
The Jacksonville Armada soccer team plans to build a stadium on the Eastside, just north of the existing Sports and…

News
People feel safe in Jax, but approval of JSO is declining
A public opinion poll by the University of North Florida found that 87% of people feel safe in their neighborhoods.…

#AskJAXTDY
#AskJAXTDY: Are these traffic lights in Jax Beach ever turning on?
Traffic lights have been installed but not turned on in Jacksonville Beach. Why the months-long delay?…

News
Entertainment venues spreading along Bay Street
The Downtown Investment Authority board approved $1.655 million to renovate Live Bar, Myth Nightclub and Element Bistro + Bar.…

News
Shad Khan’s company seeks foundation permit for Four Seasons
Iguana Investments Florida LLC must start vertical construction by Sept. 1 for the proposed Four Seasons Hotel & Residences near…

News
Removing Confederate monuments could become illegal
A proposed Florida law would block cities like Jacksonville from removing historic monuments from public locations, and cities could be…

News
What would you like to see in a Northside public library?
Community input is being sought at public meetings April 4 and 5 about a new library planned for New Berlin…

Arts Picks
Arts Picks | Mar. 17-19
Jacksonville Today Arts and Culture Editor Matt Shaw shares his top 3 arts and culture picks for the weekend. Friday, Saturday,…

News
Local senator’s bill tightens home defect lawsuits
The Senate passed a bill filed by Sen. Travis Hutson, R-St. Augustine, that shortens the time for residents to sue…

#AskJAXTDY
#AskJAXTDY: Will local mosquito spraying kill pollinators?
Will spraying for mosquitoes kill beneficial pollinators in Jacksonville, a reader asks.…

News
Mixed Fillings Pie Shop is on the move
Mixed Fillings Pie Shop will move from its original location in Riverside to a larger storefront in the heart of…

News
Diamonds, cars and more: Sheriff auctions seized property
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is auctioning jewelry, a Ford Mustang, a Land Rover and a boat trailer to pay for…

News
Jacksonville approves $20 million for new UF campus
City Council voted 16-1 to kick in the first $20 million toward a health and financial technology campus Downtown.…

News
Suspect pleads guilty to killing 7-week-old girl
Steven Michael Strahm, 30, was accused of throwing Baby Scarlet against a wall.…

News
Controversial Narcan machines installed in Putnam County
The vending machines are intended to fight drug overdoses, but some people say they enable addicts.…

News
Historic Independent Life Building approved for renovation
Augustine Development Group of St. Augustine plans to convert the 19-story building into housing and commercial space.…

News
U.S. 301 south of Baldwin puts drivers on new FDOT test road
A 4-mile stretch of U.S. 301 south of Baldwin is a test site for new concrete road designs — and…

News
Second cop on DEA task force faces drug charges
Former Nassau County sheriff’s Sgt. Darrell Hickox has been charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.…

News
Total Wine expanding into space next door
Total Wine will take over the space vacated by Loop Pizza Grill at St. Johns Town Center North.…

News
One week until Election Day; 8% have already voted
Almost 53,000 people had voted in Duval County’s election as of Tuesday morning.…

News
Duval Schools pushes back against DeSantis on schoolbooks
The district disputes the governor’s contention that it tried to make the state look bad by pulling books from shelves.…

News
Oaxaca Club will open March 20 in Jacksonville Beach
Partners in Southern Grounds & Co. and other concepts developed The Oaxaca Club, a new restaurant focused on Latin cuisine.…

News
Jacksonville jobs growing in almost all sectors
Jacksonville’s unemployment rate rose slightly in January, but that’s normal when businesses let holiday workers go.…

News
Veteran state trooper arrested on drug charges
Investigators say Trooper Joshua Earrey became addicted to oxycodone for back pain and bought drugs from an undercover informant.…

News
Suspended driver’s license? Get it back with Operation Green Light
Drivers can avoid some fees through Operation Green Light in Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. John’s counties.…

News
Restaurant and lounge proposed for Five Points
The founders of Roost Restaurants LLC, which opened The Local in Miramar and Neptune Beach, are proposing what is called…

News
Surprise: Home sales are rising in Northeast Florida
The increase indicates that buyers are confident despite high prices and a relative shortage of homes on the market.…

News
Victory Park saved after residents discover deed
Arlington residents discovered a 32-year-old deed that blocks plans for a child learning center on the property — plans the…

News
In Jacksonville, far-right groups look to seize the moment
A group has been projecting hate symbols onto Downtown Jacksonville buildings, aiming to capitalize on what they see as a…

News
Shooter pleads guilty in slaying of Nassau County deputy
Patrick Rene McDowell faces a death sentence after Deputy Joshua Moyers was shot to death during a traffic stop in…

News
Daily’s in LaVilla gets initial design approval
Bold City Brewery plans to move its Downtown operations to the Daily’s site and add a restaurant.…

News
Boeing breaks ground on new component operations facility at Cecil Airport
Boeing is already recruiting maintenance and support positions and anticipates creating more than 300 new jobs as the new facility…

News
UNF poll: DeSantis ahead in Florida for Republican presidential primary
A new poll says Ron DeSantis is more popular than Donald Trump among registered Florida Republicans in an imaginary primary.…

News
Jax launches registry to help in searches of endangered people
The alert came out early on March 3: A 2-year-old child was missing from a home on Avenger Lane. It…

Arts Picks
Arts Picks | Mar. 10-12
Two Downtown Jacksonville events and an immersive art exhibit in St. Augustine are this weekend’s Arts Picks.…

Features
3 takeaways from the Jacksonville mayoral debate
Here’s what the candidates had to say about infrastructure needs, their Downtown plan, and the importance of the St. Johns…

Features
Duval Schools book-review supervisor, who called gay characters ‘contrary to the design of humanity,’ is resigning
The supervisor’s departure comes as Duval Schools has received national scrutiny for its book review process.…

News
OneJax separates from UNF as state deters diversity programs
OneJax, a nonprofit dedicated to diversity, says it cannot let Florida’s political climate restrain its efforts in the community.…

News
FPL rate hikes approved starting in April
Florida Power & Light Co. will increase rates in its northwest territories by 8.3% and in the peninsula by 10.3%.…

News
City Council members line up behind UF campus in Jacksonville
Thirteen of 19 City Council members have cast votes in committees this week in favor of a new University of…

News
Jack in the Box could return to Jax
Jack in the Box left Florida in 1980. Now it has signed a deal in Orlando and seeks franchisees in…

News
Popular e-scooters are spreading in Jacksonville
You’ll soon be able to snag a Bird or Lime scooter across Downtown, Brooklyn, the SouthBank and the Sports and…

News
Players Championship fan guide: What to know before you go
Here’s the information you need about Players Championship tickets, tee times, parking, food and more.…

News
Jax Beach residents fight proposal for taller building
Some residents are up in arms over a proposed development (south of the beachfront Latham Plaza park) of a mixed-use…

News
Vicious Biscuit plans to ‘bring the fun back’ into brunch
Vicious Biscuit, based in Charleston, South Carolina, is opening a restaurant in Neptune Beach, its first in Florida.…

News
Corner Lot buys Beach Road Fish House property
Corner Lot, a developer based in Jacksonville, paid $1.9 million for the Beach Road Fish House site, which is zoned…

News
Palatka rep proposes lower age to buy guns in Florida
Republican Bobby Payne was one of two legislators proposing to lower the minimum age from 21 to 18 to buy…

News
UF Jacksonville campus clears first committee on 7-1 vote
The legislation would commit Jacksonville to up to $20 million as the first installment of $50 million over three years.…

News
Jacksonville gives a boost to Black and Hispanic businesses
Nearly a dozen Black and Hispanic-owned companies in Jacksonville will be enrolled in a program aimed at helping small businesses…

News
Another Broken Egg coming to Mandarin Landing
Landlord Regency Centers Corp. is reconfiguring the shopping center along San Jose Boulevard, north of Interstate 295 in Jacksonville.…

News
Michael Kors is closing at St. Johns Town Center
Michael Kors and Chico’s will be replaced at St. Johns Town Center by a larger Lululemon, which is moving from…

News
Record crowd fills The Amelia concours d’elegance
Spectators gazed at 260 classics, race cars and other four-wheeled motorcars at the 28th annual The Amelia classic car event.…

News
Gary Rossington, Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist, dead at 71
Rossington, who had a history of heart problems, was the last living founder of the Jacksonville-based rock band.…

Features
Unlike GOP donor Kent Stermon, most of JSO’s ‘Sheriff’s Circle’ barely used special access
All used the special badge access far less frequently than Kent Stermon — the influential Republican donor who died last…

News
Protesters feel threatened over Confederate monuments
Take ‘Em Down Jax, which is fighting Confederate monuments on public property, held its weekly picket line Friday despite threats…

News
Jacksonville identifies industries ripe for growth
The Jax Chamber’s economic development arm has established a five-year regional plan focused on agribusiness, biomedical research and corporate operations.…

News
One more time: Sugar Factory delays opening
The restaurant blamed permitting delays for its seventh rescheduled opening. Sugar Factory originally said it would open Dec. 26.…

News
Twin Peaks begins work on East Arlington restaurant
Twin Peaks, based in Dallas, is opening its first sports bar in Northeast Florida, in the former Cinco de Mayo…

News
Early voting starts Monday in Duval County
All registered voters, regardless of party affiliation, will be able to vote for mayor, property appraiser and at-large City Council…

News
Arlington Expressway in line for resurfacing
The public can get details about the Arlington Expressway resurfacing during an open house on Thursday.…

News
UNF students soundly oppose slashing diversity programs
A student government poll found that the vast majority of students oppose Gov. Ron DeSantis’ efforts to eliminate diversity, equity…

News
New task force combats trafficking and child sex exploitation
Local sheriffs joined the FDLE and Department of Homeland Security to announce a new public-private partnership called INTERCEPT.…

News
Clay County considers new policy on schoolbooks
The Clay County School District could soon have a new policy for reviewing books and other materials, in response to…

News
Retired NFL player bringing Slim Chickens to town
Former linebacker Angelo Crowell and his wife, Kimberly, bought property for the Slim Chickens franchise in Glen Kernan Park.…

News
V Steak restaurant on hold in Ponte Vedra Beach
V Pizza owners said they could not reach a deal to buy the former Lulu’s Waterfront Grille.…

News
NASCAR great Jeff Gordon roars into The Amelia
Multiple charities will benefit from the 28th annual classic car event held this weekend at and around the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia…

News
Dozens of roads closing for Gate River Run
Thousands of runners will hit the roads Saturday when the Gate River Run winds through Downtown and into parts of…

News
FPL proposes lower fuel costs that could trim electric bill hikes
FPL filed a petition at the state Public Service Commission that would trim increases proposed to take effect in April.…