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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 “Longtime Castillo leader Gordon Wilson hangs up his hat”

Retiring Superintendent Gordon Wilson is pictured here, at middle, during his first stint working in St. Augustine in the late 1970s. | Courtesy Gordon Wilson

Longtime Castillo leader Gordon Wilson hangs up his hat

Wilson is closing a 50-year career as superintendent of Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Jacksonville health leaders rebuke DeSantis on vaccine mandates”

Jacksonville's chief health officer, Sunil Joshi, speaks in 2023 | Casmira Harrison, Jacksonville Today

Jacksonville health leaders rebuke DeSantis on vaccine mandates

Top medical officials say that ending vaccine mandates will erode decades of progress against preventable diseases.…

By Mike Mendenhall

Featured image for “Jacksonville’s first responders lobby against tax cut”

Firefighters at Station 22 in Jacksonville salute as the station's flag is raised on July 31, 2024. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today

Jacksonville’s first responders lobby against tax cut

The chiefs of the fire and police unions say cutting tax revenue will hurt public safety.…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “PolitiFact FL: Can I get an updated COVID-19 vaccine this year? Will insurance cover it?”

A pharmacist holds a Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine shot on April 24, 2025, in Portland, Oregon.

PolitiFact FL: Can I get an updated COVID-19 vaccine this year? Will insurance cover it?

The rules are changing this year on who can get COVID-19 shots and where.…

By Madison Czopek - PolitiFact

Featured image for “NUMBER OF THE WEEK | Jags’ value rises”

Chart by Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today

NUMBER OF THE WEEK | Jags’ value rises

Our number of the week is $5.6 billion, the latest franchise valuation for the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to Forbes.…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “Appeals court allows ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ to remain open”

A police officer urges Art Sennholtz, 80, center, and Christy Howard, 70, of Just Us Volusia to be careful of fast-moving traffic as they hold protest signs outside the entrance to an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades known as "Alligator Alcatraz" on Aug. 28, 2025. | Rebecca Blackwell, AP

Appeals court allows ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ to remain open

The ruling will allow the immigration detention center to continue holding detainees for the time being.…

By Mike Schneider - Associated Press

Featured image for “St. Johns County trims budget and taxes further”

St. Johns County's entryway on State Road A1A. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today

St. Johns County trims budget and taxes further

County commissioners approved a tentative cut earlier, but they made it clear they intended to go further.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Proposed Jacksonville tax cut nears a reckoning point”

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, right, listens to a resident at a town hall meeting Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, at the Mandarin Senior Center. | Mike Mendenhall, Jacksonville Today

Proposed Jacksonville tax cut nears a reckoning point

City Council is poised to lower the city’s millage rate while Mayor Donna Deegan argues against it at town hall…

By Mike Mendenhall

Featured image for “Concerns mount over Florida’s vaccine plan”

A nurse prepares a dose of vaccine for injection. | Reuters

Concerns mount over Florida’s vaccine plan

Medical professionals say removing vaccine mandates could hurt public health and put children at risk for disease.…

By Jeff Martin - Associated Press, Mike Schneider - Associated Press and Daniel Kozin - Associated Press

Featured image for “E-bike injuries doubled in a year — and they’re still rising”

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is stepping up enforcement and education efforts about e-bikes. | News4Jax

E-bike injuries doubled in a year — and they’re still rising

The AAA auto club has begun a campaign stressing the risks for e-bike riders and cautioning auto drivers.…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “Inspector general finds abuse in housing program”

Inspector general finds abuse in housing program

More than $116,000 was improperly disbursed to recipients who did not meet the program’s requirements.…

By Max Marbut - Jacksonville Daily Record

Featured image for “Jaguars now worth $5.6B, a 22% increase, Forbes says”

EverBank Stadium, seen here in October 2024. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today

Jaguars now worth $5.6B, a 22% increase, Forbes says

The Jaguars rank 28th in value among the 32 NFL teams, all of them profitable.…

By Mark Basch - Jacksonville Daily Record

Featured image for “Former House Speaker Paul Renner enters governor’s race”

Paul Renner when he was House Speaker.

Former House Speaker Paul Renner enters governor’s race

Renner represented areas of Flagler and St. Johns counties in the Florida House from 2015 to 2024.…

By Douglas Soule - WUSF

Featured image for “Florida plans to end all childhood vaccine mandates”

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo speaks before a bill signing by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Nov. 18, 2021, in Brandon. | Chris O'Meara, AP file

Florida plans to end all childhood vaccine mandates

Children would no longer be required to get shots for measles, chickenpox, polio and other diseases.…

By Curt Anderson - Associated Press

Featured image for “Legendary Raines coach inducted into hall of fame”

James Day, Raines High School track coach from 1965 to 1997, is one of eight new inductees into the Florida High School Athletic Hall of Fame. | News4Jax

Legendary Raines coach inducted into hall of fame

The late James Day was inducted into the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “Green Cove Springs ends curbside recycling”

Green Cove Springs ends curbside recycling

City Council voted to end the program Sept. 26 to save money.…

By Aydian Ahmad - News4Jax

Featured image for “Publix is coming to Pearl Square in Downtown Jax”

An illustration shows the Publix planned at 119 W. Beaver St., part of a new building that will include a 15-story residential tower and 400 parking spaces. | Gateway/Pearl Square

Publix is coming to Pearl Square in Downtown Jax

Publix will become part of Gateway Jax’s redevelopment of 28 city blocks in the city’s north core.…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “Jacksonville adds security cameras and Wi-Fi at parks”

A new security camera is mounted on a wall at the Clanzel T. Brown Park on Moncrief Road in Jacksonville. | City of Jacksonville

September 2, 2025

Jacksonville adds security cameras and Wi-Fi at parks

The city has installed cameras at 10 busy parks and Wi-Fi at four, with more to come.…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “St. Johns County kicks in more money for Nights of Lights”

The Plaza de la Constitución is lit up during Nights of Lights in downtown St. Augustine. l St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, and The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau

September 2, 2025

St. Johns County kicks in more money for Nights of Lights

The county will chip in $650,000 more than last year to help make sure Nights of Lights runs smoothly.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Jacksonville exotic-car dealer charged with fraud”

Karma Automotive Dealer Principal Vladimir Ranguelov joined Karma Automotive President Marques McCammon at the opening of the Jacksonville dealership in March 2024. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today

September 2, 2025

Jacksonville exotic-car dealer charged with fraud

Vladimir Anguelov Ranguelov, owner of the closed Karma Automotive dealership, was accused of dealing in stolen property.…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “Jenkins Quality Barbecue to close after 68 years”

Jenkins Quality Barbecue has operated in Jacksonville for 68 years. | Michelle Corum, Jacksonville Today

September 2, 2025

Jenkins Quality Barbecue to close after 68 years

The Jenkins family cited rising costs and shifting consumer trends. The restaurant will close Sept. 30.…

By Marcela Camargo - News4Jax

Featured image for “Duval Schools’ HQ move vote delayed; competing offers kept hidden from public ”

Duval Schools is considering purchasing this building in the Prominence office park to be its new HQ. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today

September 1, 2025

Duval Schools’ HQ move vote delayed; competing offers kept hidden from public

Tuesday’s vote will now decide whether to authorize the superintendent to negotiate the needed contracts.…

By Megan Mallicoat

Featured image for “#AskJAXTDY | Will Bread & Board ever return Downtown?”

The former Bread & Board restaurant at 100 W. Bay St. in Downtown Jacksonville. | Mike Mendenhall, Jacksonville Today

August 29, 2025

#AskJAXTDY | Will Bread & Board ever return Downtown?

VyStar Credit Union is working to find another restaurant for the space left empty by Bread & Board.…

By Mike Mendenhall

Featured image for “Mystery in Fernandina: Does Peg Leg Pete contain human ashes?”

The 47-year-old Peg Leg Pete statue stands at 102 Centre St. in Fernandina Beach. | Amelia Island Tourist Development Council

August 29, 2025

Mystery in Fernandina: Does Peg Leg Pete contain human ashes?

The possibility has stalled plans to move the iconic pirate statue to a museum.…

By Dan Scanlan

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