Will Brown Reporter email
Will joined Jacksonville Today as a Report for America corps member. He previously reported for the Jacksonville Business Journal, The St. Augustine Record, Victoria (Texas) Advocate and the Tallahassee Democrat. He also contributed to WFSU Public Media’s national Murrow Award-winning series “Committed: How and why children became the fastest growing group under Florida’s Baker Act.” Will is a native Floridian who has earned journalism degrees from Florida A&M University and the University of South Florida.
Featured image for “Who will win Duval’s Hispanic voters? Both parties have tried.”
Duval County's Hispanic electorate has grown by 70% since 2016. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
23 hours ago

Who will win Duval’s Hispanic voters? Both parties have tried.

Hispanic voters are now 7% of Duval’s electorate, and they could play a role in determining who wins.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville icon Johnnetta Betsch Cole celebrates 90th with A.L. Lewis gala”
Johnnetta Betsch Cole sits in her American Beach home on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. Cole, who turned 90 earlier in the month, will celebrate her milestone birthday with a fundraiser for the A.L. Lewis Black Opportunity & Investment Fund. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
2 days ago

Jacksonville icon Johnnetta Betsch Cole celebrates 90th with A.L. Lewis gala

Johnnetta Betsch Cole will celebrate her 90th birthday with a gala raising money to close health and education gaps in…

Featured image for “With chances to make history, Black churches mobilize Northeast Florida voters”
The Rev. Christopher McKee Jr., lead pastor of The Church of Oakland in Jacksonville's Eastside, has organized voter mobilization efforts in both Florida and Ohio since he became a pastor in 2013. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
October 22, 2026

With chances to make history, Black churches mobilize Northeast Florida voters

Black churches in Northeast Florida are mobilizing their members with Souls to the Polls campaigns to promote early voting.…

Featured image for “HHS Secretary RFK Jr. touts dietary guidelines with Northeast Florida healthcare leaders”
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visits the Lincoln Memorial University campus in Orange Park on Oct. 21, 2026. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
October 22, 2026

HHS Secretary RFK Jr. touts dietary guidelines with Northeast Florida healthcare leaders

HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. visited Orange Park to discuss nutrition initiatives with Jacksonville area healthcare executives.…

Featured image for “Cathedral Arts Project will expand arts education through its largest federal grant”
The Cathedral Arts Project strings ensemble performs before the arts nonprofit's announcement that it won its largest federal grant in its 33-year history. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
October 16, 2026

Cathedral Arts Project will expand arts education through its largest federal grant

Cathedral Arts Project says the grant will allow ideas formed in Jacksonville to be shared across the country.…

Featured image for “Hospital workers’ union files labor grievance against UF Health amid contract talks”
Mary Blocker-Williams, left, is the President of the AFSCME Local 1328. She is joined by Lindsay Stephens, a registered nurse and vice president of AFSCME Local 1781 during an Oct. 14, 2026 demonstration outside UF Health's campus in Brentwood. The two unions have accused UF Health Jacksonville of Unfair Labor Practices in a grievance filed with the National Labor Relations Board on Sept. 18 of this year. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
October 14, 2026

Hospital workers’ union files labor grievance against UF Health amid contract talks

The AFSCME Local 1328 and Local 1781 filed an Unfair Labor Practice grievance against UF Health amid stalled contract negotiations.…

Featured image for “Basketball Hall of Famer Artis Gilmore announces Jacksonville City Council bid”
Basketball Hall of Fame center and Jacksonville University graduate Artis Gilmore announced he will run for Jacksonville City Council on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026 inside the Duval County Supervisor of Elections. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
October 13, 2026

Basketball Hall of Famer Artis Gilmore announces Jacksonville City Council bid

Artis Gilmore announced he will challenge incumbent Republican Nick Howland for a seat on the Jacksonville City Council.…

Featured image for “Edward Waters announces it will build first on-campus dorms since 1982”
Edward Waters University President A. Zachary Faison announced Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, that the university will have $33 million in capital projects over the next 24 months. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
October 9, 2026

Edward Waters announces it will build first on-campus dorms since 1982

Edward Waters University announced it secured financing from the Rice Capital Asset Program.…

Featured image for “Andrew Jackson volleyball program found sisterhood through sports”
Jackson volleyball coach Rochelle Strowder provided each of the five seniors on the 2026 team with a gift box after their Senior Night victory over Ed White on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. From left: Jazmine Kelly, Brayla Hill, Davita Kelly, Natalia Hamilton and Skyler Mitchell. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
October 8, 2026

Andrew Jackson volleyball program found sisterhood through sports

The volleyball program ended the regular season with a pair of victories after a racially fraught incident in Nassau County…

Featured image for “Duval Schools and Jaguars Foundation celebrate students for Hispanic Heritage Month”
From left, Aoife Lewis, Shannialia Perez Montero and Nicole Jiang were the winners of the Duval County Public Schools Hispanic Heritage Month essay contest. The trio were celebrated during a luncheon at the Schultz Center on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
October 5, 2026

Duval Schools and Jaguars Foundation celebrate students for Hispanic Heritage Month

The school district honored winners of its annual Hispanic Heritage Month essay contest.…

Featured image for “NFL asks Homeland Security to take down video of Jacksonville native Brian Dawkins”
Jacksonville native Brian Dawkins looks on during a Philadelphia Eagles practice on July 31, 2016. Dawkins, a nine-time Pro Bowl safety and four-time All-Pro during 16 seasons with the Eagles and Broncos, is a Jacksonville native and William M. Raines graduate. | Associated Press, Chris Szagola
September 29, 2026

NFL asks Homeland Security to take down video of Jacksonville native Brian Dawkins

The NFL has asked the Department of Homeland Security to remove a video on social media showing highlights of Jacksonville native…

Featured image for “Publix touts $25M food insecurity donation at Feeding Northeast Florida”
Publix CEO Kevin Murphy was among 70 employees who sorted canned food and other items on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026. Publix announced it will donate $25 million to combat food insecurity and hunger across its eight-state footprint. Feeding Northeast Florida will receive $1.1 million of the money. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
September 23, 2026

Publix touts $25M food insecurity donation at Feeding Northeast Florida

The Publix donation includes $1.1 million for Feeding Northeast Florida in Jacksonville.…

Featured image for “Nassau school district finds racial slurs unsubstantiated; calls for accountability mount”
The Rev. Darrien K. Bolden Sr. prayed for unity and love at the outset of a Sept. 15 community conversation following racism accusations at a Sept. 10 volleyball match in Fernandina Beach. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
September 15, 2026

Nassau school district finds racial slurs unsubstantiated; calls for accountability mount

On Tuesday evening, more than 200 people gathered inside First Missionary Baptist Church in Fernandina Beach to demand more accountability…

Featured image for “Pediatric illnesses illuminate hunger challenge facing Northeast Florida families”
Jaguars punter Logan Cooke helped families affected by childhood cancer enjoy a shopping spree inside a Winn-Dixie in Jacksonville's Arlington neighborhood on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026. Winn-Dixie and the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund combined to provide groceries to 31 families during the middle of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
September 15, 2026

Pediatric illnesses illuminate hunger challenge facing Northeast Florida families

Winn-Dixie, The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund and The Players Championship provided food to 31 families.…

Featured image for “How Jacksonville’s unprecedented commitment to girls’ sports sprouts opportunity”
The University of North Florida celebrates a side out during the second game of its victory over Florida International University on Sept. 3, 2026. The Ospreys improved to 3-1 after their 25-21, 25-20, 10-25, 25-19 win in the UNF Invitational. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
September 11, 2026

How Jacksonville’s unprecedented commitment to girls’ sports sprouts opportunity

Investment in women’s sports in Jacksonville has never been higher at the professional, collegiate or varsity level.…

Featured image for “UF Health Jacksonville mobile health unit targets barriers to healthcare”
UF Health Jacksonville Chief Medical Officer Dr. Chirag Patel says UF Health's first mobile care unit will allow the system to expand its compassion, preventive medicine and care. The converted residential vehicle was unveiled Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
September 9, 2026

UF Health Jacksonville mobile health unit targets barriers to healthcare

UF Health Jacksonville expects its mobile health unit to provide screenings and preventive services.…

Featured image for “Dimon Foundation donation to elevate Edward Waters endowment”
Edward Waters University has been located in Jacksonville's New Town neighborhood since 1904. The university has called Jacksonville home since 1892. | Ben Brown, special to Jacksonville Today
September 4, 2026

Dimon Foundation donation to elevate Edward Waters endowment

The $1 million gift will go toward an endowment that has quadrupled since 2018.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville Waves quelled in inaugural Upshot League Championship”
Lele Grissett and the Charlotte Crown lift the Upshot League championship trophy after winning the inaugural league title on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. The Crown beat the Jacksonville Waves 81-76. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 30, 2026

Jacksonville Waves quelled in inaugural Upshot League Championship

Charlotte was crowned the inaugural Upshot League champion with its 81-76 win over the Jacksonville Waves in Saturday night’s Upshot…

Featured image for “Jacksonville commemorates Axe Handle Saturday with Civil Rights Trail marker unveiling”
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, as well as retired Air Force Lt. Col. Alton Yates and Dr. Rodney L. Hurst Sr., helped unveil a marker to commemorate Axe Handle Saturday on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. Rodney L. Hurst Sr., one of the organizers of the civil rights demonstrations in 1960 says Deegan is the first sitting mayor to participate in the commemorations. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 27, 2026

Jacksonville commemorates Axe Handle Saturday with Civil Rights Trail marker unveiling

The city of Jacksonville unveiled a historic marker in the corner of James Weldon Johnson Park on the 66th anniversary…

Featured image for “Carr, Gallion, Laguerre remembered on anniversary of racist Dollar General shooting”
The Laguerre family lights candles in memory of Anolt "A.J." Laguerre Jr. at the Kings Road Memorial Park on Aug. 26, 2026. Laguerre, 19, was shot and killed by a white supremacist inside a Dollar General in Grand Park three years ago. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 26, 2026

Carr, Gallion, Laguerre remembered on anniversary of racist Dollar General shooting

Angela Carr, Jerrald Gallion and Anolt “A.J.” Laguerre Jr. were remembered on the third anniversary of their deaths at a…

Featured image for “Local food banks see more need amid federal-assistance restrictions, rising prices”
LaRosa Benn, left, chants as she packs apple sauce during the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation's Community Day on Aug. 20, 2026, on the Eastside. The Jaguars Foundation has partnered with Feeding Northeast Florida to provide food for the last seven years. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 25, 2026

Local food banks see more need amid federal-assistance restrictions, rising prices

Feeding Northeast Florida expects to surpass its 2025 record of 38.1 million pounds of food distributed from its food banks.…

Featured image for “Military kids in city-funded Cathedral Arts Project arts programs saw academic gains”
Cathedral Arts Project Teaching Fellow in Strings Josh Stone, center, bows following a performance at the Riverside Arts Market on Saturday, May 2, 2026. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 17, 2026

Military kids in city-funded Cathedral Arts Project arts programs saw academic gains

With city funding, the Cathedral Arts Project collaborated with the University of North Florida to provide military families arts education.…

Featured image for “How Duval Schools literacy compares to Florida’s largest districts”
A partnership between Communities in Schools Jacksonville, Kids Hope Alliance and the city of Jacksonville led to a Little Free Library at Sallye B. Mathis Elementary School in Northwest Jacksonville on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. The effort provided nearly three dozen picture books and chapter books for students. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 10, 2026

How Duval Schools literacy compares to Florida’s largest districts

Duval Schools has historically lagged Florida’s other large urban districts in literacy proficiency.…

Featured image for “BIT OF JOY | Sporting Jax Women’s club donates to local grocery store”
Sporting Jax donated money to The Corner at Debs for every save Jamie Gerstenberg (pictured) and fellow goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks made in the team's inaugural season. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 4, 2026

BIT OF JOY | Sporting Jax Women’s club donates to local grocery store

The Sporting Jax Women’s soccer club has donated $9,900 to The Corner at Debs ahead of their second season in…