What to Do

Featured image for “WHAT TO DO | Jax Beach Summer Fest; Native plant walk; CatVideoFest”

A native plant walk is one pick for What to Do this weekend | Jax Arboretum

WHAT TO DO | Jax Beach Summer Fest; Native plant walk; CatVideoFest

A weekend of music and family hangouts at Jacksonville Beach, a guided native plant walk, and CatVideoFest Downtown are What…

By Amy Garrett

Featured image for “Why Jacksonville may revise incentives for a Downtown Publix project”

The future site of a proposed Publix grocery story at 119 W. Beaver St. Downtown. | Mike Mendenhall, Jacksonville Today

Why Jacksonville may revise incentives for a Downtown Publix project

Developer Gateway Jax and city officials are renegotiating a nearly $50 million incentives deal for the Downtown Publix project.…

By Mike Mendenhall

Featured image for “Duval school bus drivers threaten strike, but more meetings planned”

A row of Durham School Services buses. | Durham School Services

Duval school bus drivers threaten strike, but more meetings planned

With school looming, Durham School Services will meet with bus drivers later this week in an attempt to avert a…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | Sophia Nickerson Starks, the woman who built Jacksonville’s beauty empire”

THE JAXSON | Sophia Nickerson Starks, the woman who built Jacksonville’s beauty empire

Long before entrepreneurship became a buzzword, Sophia Nickerson Starks built one of Jacksonville’s most influential Black-owned institutions.…

By Jerry Urso

Featured image for “St. Augustine Beach bans smoking and vaping at beaches and parks”

Smoking and vaping will be prohibited at the Ocean Pier when it reopens this year in St. Augustine Beach. | St. Johns County

St. Augustine Beach bans smoking and vaping at beaches and parks

The action this week brings St. Augustine Beach into line with the county’s rules on smoking and vaping.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Florida state parks grapple with maintenance backlog and not enough money”

Visitors have carved their names into the 50-foot-high observation tower at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. The structure was last rebuilt in 2015 and offers a scenic view of the park. | Curan Ahern, WUFT News

Florida state parks grapple with maintenance backlog and not enough money

Park advocates say the current state budget falls far short of all of the maintenance and repairs needed.…

By Curan Ahern - WUFT

Featured image for “Clay County School Board challengers make their case on pay and spending”

Clay County School Board challengers make their case on pay and spending

Three current School Board members have competition in the election, but none attended a recent forum.…

By Ariel Schiller - News4Jax and Elijah Morris - News4Jax

Featured image for “The ‘perfect storm’ most people miss after a hurricane”

The ‘perfect storm’ most people miss after a hurricane

Landfall is not the only threat from a hurricane. The recovery time is often more dangerous.…

By Leslie Hudson - Storm Center

Featured image for “Duval raises school lunch prices again”

Students walk up the steps at Atlantic Beach Elementary School in 2025. | Atlantic Beach Elementary via Facebook

Duval raises school lunch prices again

Students will need a little more lunch money when school starts in Duval County next week.…

By Megan Mallicoat

Featured image for “#AskJAXTDY | How can I donate supplies to Duval schools?”

Schools are collecting and distributing school supplies to students in need. | Jessica Palombo, Jacksonville Today

#AskJAXTDY | How can I donate supplies to Duval schools?

Community members can call their local school to ask how to donate school supplies…

By Simone Endress

Featured image for “St. Johns County considers challenge to agricultural development law”

St. Johns County has received six proposals to develop agricultural land under a new state law. One large residential development would be just north of Nocatee. | Google Maps

St. Johns County considers challenge to agricultural development law

County commissioners want to know if it would be worth the time and money to challenge the law in court.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Judge orders Florida to rewrite ballot language for property tax amendment”

The rotunda of the Leon County Courthouse in Tallahassee. | Douglas Soule, WUSF

Judge orders Florida to rewrite ballot language for property tax amendment

A Leon County judge ruled that the ballot language on the property tax issue was not fair or neutral.…

By Douglas Soule - WUSF

Featured image for “Four Democrats face off in Duval School Board District 4 race. Who are they?”

Duval County School Board member Darryl Willie raises his hand in a community meeting about school closures. Four candidates are seeking to replace Willie on the School Board. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today

Four Democrats face off in Duval School Board District 4 race. Who are they?

Alfreda Denson Butler, Rhodesia Butler, James Jacobs and Gracie Bell Kearse-McCastler have a competitive race ahead.…

By Trinity Webster-Bass - The Florida Trib

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

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…

By Will Brown

Featured image for “More than 5,200 drivers caught passing Duval school buses illegally”

Cameras on Duval County school buses capture images of people passing illegally. | Nancy Guan, WUSF

More than 5,200 drivers caught passing Duval school buses illegally

See where the most school bus violations occurred over two months — and what the drivers did wrong.…

By Sophia Vitello - News4Jax

Featured image for “Public safety groups sound alarm over property tax ballot issue”

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri talks with reporters. | News Service of Florida file

Public safety groups sound alarm over property tax ballot issue

The Florida Sheriffs Association says it is “significantly concerned” about Amendment 3, which would cut property taxes.…

By Ana Goñi-Lessan - News Service of Florida

Featured image for “Meet the 3 candidates vying for Duval County School Board District 2 seat”

From left are Duval County School Board candidates Terence Myers, Donovan Bradley and Donna Westrich. | News4Jax

Meet the 3 candidates vying for Duval County School Board District 2 seat

Donovan Bradley, Terence Myers and Donna Westrich say they want to keep politics out of the classroom.…

By Ariel Schiller - News4Jax and Libby Clifton - News4Jax

Featured image for “Q&A | Rep. Byron Donalds takes questions on ‘First Coast Connect’”

Rep. Byron Donalds is three-term member of Congress who is a Republican gubernatorial candidate. He spoke with "First Coast Connect" host Anne Schindler on Monday, Aug. 3, 2026. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today

Q&A | Rep. Byron Donalds takes questions on ‘First Coast Connect’

The Republican gubernatorial candidate discusses campaign finance, data centers, the environment and more.…

By Jacksonville Today

Featured image for “POV | I attended the Jacksonville budget unveiling”

Audience members watch during the July 20 Jacksonville budget session. | Simone Endress, Jacksonville Today

POV | I attended the Jacksonville budget unveiling

Here’s what it’s like to attend the mayor’s budget address, which kicks off the Jacksonville budget process, and how you…

By Simone Endress

Featured image for “Bellwether restaurant will reopen Downtown with new owners”

Bellwether, at 117 W. Forsyth St., closed in March after founder Jonathan Insetta said the restaurant had struggled with rising costs in a challenging Downtown market. | Ric Anderson, Jacksonville Daily Record

Bellwether restaurant will reopen Downtown with new owners

Pearl Hospitality Group plans to add sushi and Asian dining to a refreshed Bellwether menu.…

By Ric Anderson - Jacksonville Daily Record

Featured image for “Hurricane season enters peak months under growing El Niño influence”

Atlantic basin satellite photo.

Hurricane season enters peak months under growing El Niño influence

A strengthening El Niño is expected to suppress hurricane activity from August through October.…

By Andrew Wulfeck - Storm Center

Featured image for “Jacksonville Aviation Authority drops lawsuit threat against city”

The air traffic control tower at Cecil Airport on Jacksonville's Westside | Jacksonville Daily Record

Jacksonville Aviation Authority drops lawsuit threat against city

Airport and city officials signed a memorandum of understanding to work together and end lawsuit tensions.…

By Mike Mendenhall

Featured image for “5 Westside candidates compete for District 6 Duval School Board seat”

A meeting of the Duval County School Board on Jan. 6, 2026. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today

5 Westside candidates compete for District 6 Duval School Board seat

School board candidates run non-partisan races, so the race could be decided in the primary election.…

By Megan Mallicoat

Featured image for “OPINION | How the US Senate race could shape local elections”

Alex Vindman (left) and Angie Nixon (right) seek to become the first Democrat from Florida elected to the United States Senate in 14 years. | Submitted

OPINION | How the US Senate race could shape local elections

Angie Nixon is the overwhelming choice of Democrats in Northeast Florida. Could her U.S. Senate run help others on the…

By A.G. Gancarski