Jessica Palombo Senior News Editor
Jacksonville is Jessica’s hometown, and today, she hopes to contribute toward making sense of our collective past and present, with an eye toward the future she wants for her own children. Her work as an editor and journalist has been recognized with national and statewide awards, and her bylines include NPR, Jacksonville Magazine, and Experience Magazine. She has a master’s in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from Syracuse University. In her previous life, you may have seen her on stage at one of the area’s community theaters. Her favorite breakfast is the double down biscuit from Sweet Theory.
Featured image for “St. Johns County lifts evacuation order; St. Augustine Marina remains closed”
Flooding in Downtown St. Augustine on the afternoon of Thursday, Oct. 10, following Hurricane Milton. | Carly Zervis, special to Jacksonville Today
October 10, 2024

St. Johns County lifts evacuation order; St. Augustine Marina remains closed

People who were ordered to evacuate in St. Johns County for Hurricane Milton can now return home; St. Augustine announces…

Featured image for “As Milton makes landfall, Jacksonville shelters still have space; Gate gas stations are closed”
Shrimp boats are docked to ride out the storm ahead of Hurricane Milton in Downtown Jacksonville on Wednesday evening. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
October 9, 2024

As Milton makes landfall, Jacksonville shelters still have space; Gate gas stations are closed

Hurricane Milton made landfall as a dangerous Category 3 storm at just about a quarter to 9 p.m. Wednesday near…

Featured image for “Entire city of St. Augustine, other parts of St. Johns County ordered to evacuate”
October 8, 2024

Entire city of St. Augustine, other parts of St. Johns County ordered to evacuate

St. Johns County also ordered the evacuation of St. Augustine Beach and residents living on waterfront properties or in flood-prone…

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October 2, 2024

Your favorite restaurants

Your favorite restaurants! Here are Jacksonville Today newsletter readers’ recommendations for where to eat.…

Featured image for “Adventure Landing renews Jax Beach lease through 2025”
September 19, 2024

Adventure Landing renews Jax Beach lease through 2025

After announcing its imminent closure every year for the past few, Adventure Landing Jacksonville Beach has announced it will remain open through…

Featured image for “St. Johns River Ferry resumes service on Tuesday”
February 26, 2024

St. Johns River Ferry resumes service on Tuesday

The St. Johns River Ferry will resume service on Tuesday, Feb. 27, after service was suspended for three weeks…

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February 26, 2024

New 324 area code launches Monday in Jacksonville area

All 904? No more. Starting today, anyone requesting a new phone number or an extra line in the Jacksonville area…

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A voting precinct in Jacksonville's Lakewood neighborhood. | Claire Heddles, Jacksonville Today
January 18, 2024

YOU’RE INVITED | How Voting Works

A conversation about the process with Duval Elections Supervisor Jerry Holland …

Featured image for “2023 St. Johns River Report: Progress but growing causes for concern ”
October 13, 2023

2023 St. Johns River Report: Progress but growing causes for concern 

The bad news includes an increase in fecal bacteria in the river’s tributaries. Good news for protected species though.…

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September 18, 2023

Gov. DeSantis awards Clay County over $3.5M infrastructure grant

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday awarded more than $3.5 million to the Clay County Board of County Commissioners through the…

Featured image for “Mayo Clinic in Florida opens Downtown Jacksonville site focused on education, research”
September 12, 2023

Mayo Clinic in Florida opens Downtown Jacksonville site focused on education, research

Mayo Clinic in Florida on Tuesday officially opened what it’s calling a Community Health Collaborative in Downtown Jacksonville.…

Featured image for “#AskJAXTDY: Can I recycle my pizza boxes? ”
July 20, 2023

#AskJAXTDY: Can I recycle my pizza boxes? 

This Q&A tackles what can and can’t be recycled in Jacksonville, including those pesky pizza boxes with grease spots.…

Featured image for “#AskJAXTDY | What happened to the giant bronze statue at the airport?”
May 24, 2023

#AskJAXTDY | What happened to the giant bronze statue at the airport?

Hoy es Hoy, the 13-foot bronze statue at the Jacksonville Airport, has gone missing. Here’s where she’s headed next.…

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May 1, 2023

BIT OF JOY | May (we see your) flowers?

We asked, and Jacksonville Today newsletter readers did not disappoint. Here are all of your fabulous May flowers.…

Featured image for “MAY VOTER GUIDE | Jacksonville mayor ”
April 20, 2023

MAY VOTER GUIDE | Jacksonville mayor 

Donna Deegan and Daniel Davis are running for Jacksonville mayor in the May 16, 2023, election.…

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April 12, 2023

MAY VOTER GUIDE | Jax City Council races

Candidates for Jacksonville City Council answered the Jacksonville Today questionnaire.…

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April 7, 2023

New place to pay JEA bills opens Monday

Beginning April 10, JEA customers who prefer to pay their bills in person will need to visit JEA’s new Customer…

Featured image for “City Council: 6 incumbents and 3 new members elected as 7 races go to runoffs”
March 21, 2023

City Council: 6 incumbents and 3 new members elected as 7 races go to runoffs

With voter turnout of 25.5%, here are the results of the March 2023 Jacksonville City Council races.…

Featured image for “VOTER GUIDE | Jacksonville City Council”
A City Council committee approved an ordinance that would require certain businesses to provide changing tables for adults. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
February 8, 2023

VOTER GUIDE | Jacksonville City Council

Candidates for Jacksonville City Council answer the Jax Today Questionnaire.…

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Duval Schools HQ
December 8, 2022

Is your kid’s teacher a Duval Teacher of the Year finalist?

The Jacksonville Public Education Fund on Thursday announced the finalists for the VyStar Duval County Teacher of the Year for…

Featured image for “Jacksonville Beach Elementary evacuated because of bomb threat”
December 8, 2022

Jacksonville Beach Elementary evacuated because of bomb threat

Jacksonville Beach Elementary is cleared after a bomb threat caused an evacuation Thursday morning. “All students and staff are safe,…

Featured image for “PHOTO ESSAY | Eastside Jax ‘on the right path’”
KaCheryl Gantt, born and raised on the Eastside, is the sole proprietor of the Avenue Grille on A. Philip Randolph, and has simultaneously run the kitchen and cash register for nine years. “It’s been good actually for me,” she says, referring to the 2019 announcement of a new soccer stadium to be built nearby. “Everyday it’s been getting better. I didn’t even have to close during Covid.” Because her family owns property close to the construction site, Gantt stands to gain from the eventual opening of the stadium. But it’s the citizens of the Eastside that keep her restaurant going. “As long as I have the support of the neighborhood, I don’t see myself leaving.”
August 31, 2022

PHOTO ESSAY | Eastside Jax ‘on the right path’

Photos and captions by Dennis Ho | Editing by Matthew Shaw | Intro by Jessica Palombo The Eastside, or Out…

Featured image for “’60 Minutes’ takes on the Jax rental market”
60 Minutes' Lesley Stahl visits a Northside rental owned by Toronto-based Tricon Residential | 60 Minutes, CBS News
March 22, 2022

’60 Minutes’ takes on the Jax rental market

A young couple recently moved to Jacksonville, planning to buy a starter home. Instead, they find themselves still in a…

Featured image for “‘Retreat’ not an option for a California beach town, but it’s already happening in Duval County”
June 27, 2019

‘Retreat’ not an option for a California beach town, but it’s already happening in Duval County

The city of Jacksonville is offering to buy out homes in a flood-prone riverfront neighborhood.…