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Stay informed with nonprofit-backed local reporting — today’s headlines on Jacksonville politics, schools, environment, urban planning, public safety, and more.

Featured image for “Ruby Tuesday closes in Arlington’s Regency area; 4 locations remain”

Ruby Tuesday has closed at 1022 Hospitality Lane, at Monument Road and Interstate 295. | Karen Brune Mathis, Jacksonville Daily Record

Ruby Tuesday closes in Arlington’s Regency area; 4 locations remain

Ruby Tuesday is permanently closed after 24 years at Monument Road and Interstate 295.…

By Karen Brune Mathis - Jacksonville Daily Record

Featured image for “JTA raises fares and cuts services to make up for budget deficit”

JTA raises fares and cuts services to make up for budget deficit

The JTA board approved a $139.2 million budget Thursday that included the cuts and fare increases.…

By Joe Lister - Jacksonville Daily Record

Featured image for “Asian restaurant in Ponte Vedra is expanding to Orange Park Mall”

Koi Sushi & Thai & Bar will move into the former space of TGI Fridays at Orange Park Mall. | Jacksonville Daily Record

Asian restaurant in Ponte Vedra is expanding to Orange Park Mall

Koi Sushi & Thai & Bar will open in the former space of TGI Fridays at Orange Park Mall.…

By J. Brooks Terry - Jacksonville Daily Record

Featured image for “Culinary Institute eyes San Antonio as model for Jacksonville campus”

A rendering shows the $160 million hotel, convention center and office project proposed by Corner Lot and investment partner Aspect Holdings LLC on the Northbank of Downtown Jacksonville. | Jacksonville Daily Record

Culinary Institute eyes San Antonio as model for Jacksonville campus

City Council voted to endorse a future $35 million incentives deal for a riverfront high-rise anchored by the Culinary Institute.…

By Mike Mendenhall

Featured image for “Flagler College tennis team takes home national championship trophy”

Flagler College's men's tennis team celebrates its national championship victory. | Flagler College

Flagler College tennis team takes home national championship trophy

The men’s tennis team claimed the Division II championship, its first national title since the 1980s.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Debate hits high gear over SUN Trail segment in St. Johns County”

A cyclist rides at night in the bike lane of A1A Beach Boulevard. The local SUN Trail project will replace a sidewalk. | Courtesy Brayan Krepley

Debate hits high gear over SUN Trail segment in St. Johns County

Years into the project, debate continues over whether the SUN Trail is planned for the correct spot.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Periods of heavy rain and storms will soak Florida over the weekend”

The rainfall outlook across Florida.

Periods of heavy rain and storms will soak Florida over the weekend

Days of rain are forecast across the state, with 2 to 4 inches possible in the Jacksonville area.…

By Irene Sans - Storm Center

Featured image for “‘Luxury pet hotel’ plans to open next month near St. Johns Town Center”

A dog sits in an enclosed space at the K9 Resorts pet hotel. | Special to Jacksonville Daily Record

‘Luxury pet hotel’ plans to open next month near St. Johns Town Center

K9 Resorts Jacksonville will offer premium bedding, Microban flooring and flat-screen televisions.…

By Ric Anderson - Jacksonville Daily Record

Featured image for “WHAT TO DO | Line Dancing in the Park; New Orleans Jazz Party; The Pop-Out”

WHAT TO DO | Line Dancing in the Park; New Orleans Jazz Party; The Pop-Out

A line dancing lesson in Atlantic Beach, a night of live jazz in Fernandina Beach and live music and community…

By Amy Garrett

Featured image for “City Council decides not to rule out redlined neighborhoods for next jail”

Congressional candidate LaShonda Holloway, center, holds a sign outside Jacksonville City Hall on Friday, May 22, 2026, denouncing any plans for a new jail facility in areas that were previously redlined. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today

City Council decides not to rule out redlined neighborhoods for next jail

Jacksonville lawmakers voted down a bill recommending that the jail planning process exclude redlined areas of the city.…

By Mike Mendenhall and Will Brown

Featured image for “DeSantis unveils plan to eliminate most property taxes”

Gov. Ron DeSantis calls for a special legislative session during a news conference Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in Tampa. | The Florida Channel

DeSantis unveils plan to eliminate most property taxes

Gov. Ron DeSantis wants legislators to put a property tax referendum on the election ballot for November.…

By Jim Turner - News Service of Florida

Featured image for “Judge rules Florida’s new congressional map will remain intact for midterms”

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a new congressional map into law in May 2026.

Judge rules Florida’s new congressional map will remain intact for midterms

Voting rights groups vowed to appeal, but they would have to act before congressional candidates qualify.…

By Gray Rohrer - News Service of Florida

Featured image for “Emerging El Niño could boost temperatures and rainfall this summer”

The coastline in Daytona Beach.

Emerging El Niño could boost temperatures and rainfall this summer

Forecasters believe a strengthening El Niño pattern is likely to emerge in 2026 and continue into winter.…

By Andrew Wulfeck - Storm Center

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | Jax, St. Augustine sites on Florida Trust for Historic Preservation’s ’11 to Save’ list”

Historic photos show Jacksonville's Police Memorial Building under construction and as it looked when finished in the mid-70s.

THE JAXSON | Jax, St. Augustine sites on Florida Trust for Historic Preservation’s ’11 to Save’ list

Downtown Jacksonville’s Police Memorial Building and St. Augustine’s Flagler-era railway depots make the 2026 11 to Save list.…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “Records in Jacksonville teacher speech case tie school board member to complaint ”

Hope McMath outside the Duval Schools headquarters at a rally held Oct. 7, 2025. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today

Records in Jacksonville teacher speech case tie school board member to complaint

Hope McMath is asking the state to end its investigation of her social media speech, as state records tie the…

By Megan Mallicoat

Featured image for “Nick Howland voted City Council president, Joe Carlucci VP”

Jacksonville City Council member Nick Howland was elected city council president for the 2026-27 council year. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today

Nick Howland voted City Council president, Joe Carlucci VP

The incoming City Council president and vice president say they want to build consensus after a contentious year.…

By Mike Mendenhall

Featured image for “Family pleads for water safety after 2-year-old’s drowning in 2024”

Amaya White talks about the death of her 2-year-old daughter Melani Ava Mixson, in 2024. She appeared with her attorney, Adam Finkel, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today,

Family pleads for water safety after 2-year-old’s drowning in 2024

Melani Ava Mixson drowned after sliding down the embankment of a retention pond at her apartment complex.…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “Naked Kitchen opens 1st restaurant in Phoenix Arts & Innovation District”

Naked Kitchen opens 1st restaurant in Phoenix Arts & Innovation District

Naked Kitchen focuses on nonprocessed foods in a nearly 100-year-old building in North Springfield.…

By Dan Macdonald - Jacksonville Daily Record

Featured image for “Piles of sargassum wash ashore and foul the air at Jacksonville Beach”

Sargassum piles are spread across Jacksonville Beach. | News4Jax

Piles of sargassum wash ashore and foul the air at Jacksonville Beach

Sargassum has long been common on Florida’s East Coast, but it has grown in abundance in recent years.…

By John Asebes - News4Jax

Featured image for “Florida lawmakers reach a budget deal with a vote set for Friday”

House and Senate leaders reached a final deal on the state budget late Sunday, May 24, 2026, the last step in an extended process that required a special session to complete for the second year in a row.

Florida lawmakers reach a budget deal with a vote set for Friday

The budget agreement includes money for school vouchers, AIDS drug assistance and Everglades restoration.…

By Gray Rohrer - News Service of Florida

Featured image for “Gateway Jax: For Pearl Square to work, it has to be done ‘all at once’”

Gateway Jax Inc. Bryan Moll gives a tour of the nearly $1 billion Pearl Square development site on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in Downtown Jacksonville. | Mike Mendenhall, Jacksonville Today

Gateway Jax: For Pearl Square to work, it has to be done ‘all at once’

Gateway says the first residential building in Pearl Square could open by September as the total project cost closes in…

By Mike Mendenhall

Featured image for “DeSantis comes to Ribault High to sign bills supporting high school coaches”

Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas joined Gov. Ron DeSantis at a bill-signing event at Jean Ribault High School on Friday, May 22, 2026. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today

DeSantis comes to Ribault High to sign bills supporting high school coaches

The bills will supplement coaches’ salaries and also allow coaches to spend their own money to help players.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Florida revamps red snapper fishing after court issues ban in South Atlantic”

A fishing boat heads out to sea as the sun breaks through the clouds in Surfside. | Wilfredo Lee, AP

Florida revamps red snapper fishing after court issues ban in South Atlantic

The FWC rescinded an executive order expanding red snapper fishing in state waters.…

By Jim Turner - News Service of Florida

Featured image for “Former JROTC instructor accused of making students behave as dogs”

Sandalwood High School. | News4Jax

Former JROTC instructor accused of making students behave as dogs

Cail Morris Jr., a JROTC instructor at Sandalwood High School, was charged with child abuse.…

By Francine Frazier - News4Jax and Ariel Schiller - News4Jax

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