November 20, 2022
I’ve written about politics in this town for many years and expressed my share of frustrations, including with candidates running…
Jacksonville Today seeks to include a diverse set of perspectives that add context or unique insight to the news of the day. Regular opinion columnists are independent contractors who are not involved in news decisions. Want to submit your own column on a matter of public interest? Email pitches to jessica@jaxtoday.org.
November 16, 2022
OPINION | DeSantis’ and Trump’s freedom isn’t free
Freedom. That’s the word that’s been slung like dice since campaigning began for the 2022 midterm elections. Entire narratives were…
November 6, 2022
OPINION | What redistricting reveals about the Jacksonville City Council
Anyone from a dysfunctional family would have felt at home during Friday’s redistricting schmozz on the Jacksonville City Council. Proving…
November 2, 2022
OPINION | Are we irretrievably broken?
The attack ads this election cycle have been vicious. Opponents on both sides have been characterized as racist, dangerous, liars…
October 31, 2022
OPINION | Mayor’s race should be about Jax, not parties
While the political world is hyper-focused on the midterm elections, the day after next Tuesday’s voting opens another chapter in…
October 23, 2022
OPINION | Molly against the machine
Dozens of endorsements are flying, and most of them are of the “Well, it would be news if they didn’t…
October 19, 2022
OPINION | Requesting relief for the people
I am one of the millions of people who submitted an application for student debt relief. I attended the Florida…
October 16, 2022
OPINION | Can the insurance crisis be fixed?
As I said in my last column, Northeast Florida was very blessed in that it largely ducked the wrath of…
October 9, 2022
OPINION | Will Crist’s empty bus hurt in North Florida?
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist brought his “Together Florida Tour” to Northeast Florida last week. Sort of. The Crist campaign…
October 5, 2022
OPINION | Focused on the future
Tomorrow, Till will open in theaters (in a limited release) nationwide. Sixty-seven years after the gruesome murder of 14-year-old Emmett…
October 4, 2022
THE JAXSON | Jacksonville could become an oyster town again
Oysters have been a staple of First Coast diets for thousands of years, although local oyster harvesting ceased in 1994…
October 2, 2022
OPINION | Why are we giving our water away?
For the most part, Duval County dodged a bullet with Hurricane Ian. Many prayers go out to our fellow Floridians…
September 27, 2022
OPINION | Eastside deserves national historic designation
The history and heritage of Jacksonville’s many Gullah Geechee descendants have been largely overlooked, with little recognition given to the…
September 25, 2022
OPINION | Auditing Lenny Curry’s budget legacy
If Jacksonville hadn’t faced budget crunches for years coming out of the 2008 crash, Mayor Lenny Curry might never have…
September 21, 2022
OPINION | Battle for the best of us
Over the weekend, I visited the Cummer Museum for the opening of the Deborah Roberts exhibition I’m. On a large…
September 14, 2022
OPINION | Jax’s next sheriff should build bridge with City Hall
It’s September in Jacksonville, which brings some potential relief from brutal summer heat, a heightened focus on tropical weather activity,…
September 11, 2022
OPINION | Crowded field could mean chaos for Jax mayoral race
The public phase of the mayoral campaign of Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce CEO Daniel Davis, who didn’t quit his day…
September 7, 2022
OPINION | The 7-hour solution for work-life balance
Why isn’t the school day as long as the work day? That’s the thought that’s been running through my mind…
September 6, 2022
OPINION | Jax should apply for the Reconnecting Communities grant
The new federal Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program offers cities funding for projects that restore neighborhoods split and disrupted by highways…
August 31, 2022
OPINION | Government can work. Here’s proof
Spend a lot of time browsing social media or watching Fox, CNN or MSNBC, and it would be easy to…
August 28, 2022
OPINION | What we learned from the August elections
The 2022 primaries taught us a lot about how surprises are possible in local politics, even if some things stay…
August 24, 2022
OPINION | Advocating for humanity is not indoctrination
As humans, we have an average of 6,000 thoughts per day. We are also flooded with as much as 34…
August 23, 2022
THE JAXSON | 8 Jacksonville industrial heritage sites ripe for tourism
Industrial tourism — visiting places linked to the industries most common in a particular place — is a growing interest…
August 17, 2022
OPINION | DeSantis’ influence key in local GOP elections
As the 2022 primary draws to a close, several storylines have emerged at the local, state and federal levels: Former…