Education

Featured image for “Buyer backs out of deal for Duval Schools headquarters”

The Duval Schools headquaters building on Prudential Drive. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today

Buyer backs out of deal for Duval Schools headquarters

Chase Properties said it learned of undisclosed financial obligations on the Duval Schools headquarters.…

By Megan Mallicoat

Featured image for “Paid parking starts Monday in downtown Fernandina Beach”

Centre Street and nearby side streets will be under a new paid parking program as of Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. | Michelle Corum, Jacksonville Today

Paid parking starts Monday in downtown Fernandina Beach

A judge dismissed most of a complaint seeking to stop the paid parking plan on downtown streets.…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “St. Johns County fields feedback on Shore Drive trail”

St. Johns County Public Works Director Greg Caldwell talks to residents about the controversial planned path along Shore Drive in St. Augustine South. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today

St. Johns County fields feedback on Shore Drive trail

County officials say a decision will come soon on the future of the controversial Shore Drive project.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “NUMBER OF THE WEEK | Affording housing in Jacksonville”

NUMBER OF THE WEEK | Affording housing in Jacksonville

More than half of the renting households in the Jax Metro Area spend more than 30% of their monthly income…

By Megan Mallicoat

Featured image for “Flamingo floated again as Florida’s state bird”

Caribbean flamingos walk around their enclosure at the Jacksonville Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Jacksonville on Feb. 2, 2026. Legislators are considering the flamingo to replace the mockingbird as Florida’s state bird for the third year in a row. | Kaley Mantz, Fresh Take Florida

Flamingo floated again as Florida’s state bird

The Legislature has considered anointing the flamingo as the state bird for several years. Opposition seems less this year.…

By Marta Zherukha - Fresh Take Florida

Featured image for “Local governments could be forced to end DEI programs”

The 2026 Florida legislative session will begin Jan. 13.

Local governments could be forced to end DEI programs

A bill moving through the Legislature would prohibit municipalities from funding or supporting DEI.…

By Tristan Wood - WFSU

Featured image for “Panhandling law won’t be enforced in St. Johns County”

A panhandler displays a sign seeking money. | News4Jax

Panhandling law won’t be enforced in St. Johns County

The decision came after two civil rights organizations settled a lawsuit over the panhandling ordinance.…

By Sophia Vitello - News4Jax and Christopher Smith - News4Jax

Featured image for “WHAT TO DO | ‘Alice by Heart,’ ‘Princess Bride’ in the park; Midnight Moon Galentine’s Day”

Riverfront Plaza (seen here in November 2025) will host a Valentine's Day movie. | Jessica Palombo, Jacksonville Today

WHAT TO DO | ‘Alice by Heart,’ ‘Princess Bride’ in the park; Midnight Moon Galentine’s Day

A rock musical in Arlington; a movie date night on the Downtown waterfront;, and a celebration of sisterhood in St.…

By Amy Garrett

Featured image for “Ocklawaha River restoration gains steam in Legislature”

A conceptual rendering of proposed changes to the Kirkpatrick Dam in the Rodman Recreation Area in Putnam and Marion counties. | State of Florida

Ocklawaha River restoration gains steam in Legislature

This is the closest that advocates of draining the Rodman Reservoir and restoring the river have been to gaining Tallahassee’s…

By Mike Mendenhall

Featured image for “House revives effort to protect monuments and statues”

Statues that decorated the monument to the Women of the Confederacy were removed from Springfield Park in Jacksonville and placed in storage in December. | Jacksonville Today

House revives effort to protect monuments and statues

Critics contend the effort is primarily directed at preserving monuments supporting the Confederacy.…

By Jim Turner - News Service of Florida

Featured image for “Daimler Coaches opens U.S. headquarters in Jacksonville”

Visitors tour Daimler Coach's new U.S. headquarters in Jacksonville after its opening Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today

Daimler Coaches opens U.S. headquarters in Jacksonville

The Daimler facility will handle inspection, training, delivery, repair and service for the giant motor coaches.…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “Duval and Baker residents asked to conserve water”

A water shortage has left brown grass and dried-out foliage. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today

Duval and Baker residents asked to conserve water

The St. Johns River Water Management District ordered residents to avoid “wasteful and unnecessary water use.”…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “Ramada could become affordable housing for vets”

The Ramada by Wyndham Jacksonville I-95 by Butler Blvd. | Ramada

Ramada could become affordable housing for vets

A nonprofit from New York has plans to convert the Ramada by Wyndham on Baymeadows Road.…

By Joe Lister - Jacksonville Daily Record

Featured image for “House panel passes ‘Charlie Kirk Day of Remembrance’”

Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk speaks at The Believers' Summit 2024 at a Turning Point Action event in West Palm Beach on July 26, 2024. | Lynne Sladky, AP file

House panel passes ‘Charlie Kirk Day of Remembrance’

Opponents like Rep. Angie Nixon of Jacksonville argued that the Kirk tribute would insult Black people.…

By Daniel C. Vock - News Service of Florida

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | 11 Black cultural heritage sites to visit in Jacksonville”

THE JAXSON | 11 Black cultural heritage sites to visit in Jacksonville

In honor of Black History Month, here are 11 historic Black cultural heritage destinations in Jacksonville to visit.…

By Ennis Davis

Featured image for “Sheriff’s Office works to curtail motorcycle deaths”

A motorcyclist weaves around cones during a motorcycle safety class conducted by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026..

Sheriff’s Office works to curtail motorcycle deaths

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is promoting its motorcycle safety program after five deaths already this year.…

By Michelle Corum

Featured image for “Nights of Lights judged a success, but cost still a concern”

St. Augustine's marquee Hotel Alcazar building glitters during the annual Nights of Lights event. | City of St. Augustine

Nights of Lights judged a success, but cost still a concern

City officials think they solved several problems with Nights of Lights, but more work remains.…

By Noah Hertz

Featured image for “Baptist Health teams up with Brooks to add rehab unit”

The Brooks Rehabilitation Neuro Recovery Center on University Boulevard South, showing some of the equipment and services expected at the Baptist Health location. | Brooks Rehabilitation

Baptist Health teams up with Brooks to add rehab unit

Baptist Health will build its first inpatient rehabilitation center at its San Marco campus. Brooks Rehabilitation will run it.…

By Dan Scanlan

Featured image for “Teachers’ union leaders sentenced to prison for stealing $2.5M”

Teresa Brady and her husband, Mark, follow one of her lawyers out of the courthouse after she was sentenced to 27 months in prison on February 9, 2026. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today

Teachers’ union leaders sentenced to prison for stealing $2.5M

The two former Duval County teachers’ union officers who together embezzled more than $2.5 million were sentenced Monday to prison.…

By Megan Mallicoat

Featured image for “State subpoenas Jacksonville over immigration enforcement”

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier at a news conference Monday, Feb. 9. 2026, in Green Cove Springs. | Facebook

February 9, 2026

State subpoenas Jacksonville over immigration enforcement

The Deegan administration says it will comply with the immigration probe and is confident the city “acted lawfully.”…

By Mike Mendenhall

Featured image for “EverBank seeks $10M to keep headquarters Downtown”

EverBank Center is at 301 W. Bay St. in Downtown Jacksonville. | Monty Zickuhr, Jacksonville Daily Record

February 9, 2026

EverBank seeks $10M to keep headquarters Downtown

EverBank wants taxpayer incentives to make up for the cost of operating Downtown instead of the suburbs.…

By Ric Anderson - Jacksonville Daily Record

Featured image for “2 Publix in Northeast Florida will include wine bars”

Publix Pours offers pizza, burritos, beer, wine and coffee inside the store. | Jacksonville Daily Record

February 9, 2026

2 Publix in Northeast Florida will include wine bars

Publix Pours will sell beer and wine, smoothies and expanded deli menus in Silverleaf and Fernandina Beach.…

By J. Brooks Terry - Jacksonville Daily Record

Featured image for “BIT OF JOY | Book-inspired ice cream”

Celebrate books and ice cream with a special book-inspired flavor at Mayday. | Submitted

February 9, 2026

BIT OF JOY | Book-inspired ice cream

Mayday Ice Cream and the St. Johns County Public Library created a special ice cream flavor for Library Lovers’ Month.…

By Heather Henderson

Featured image for “Strong winds and dry air bring wildfire warnings”

Josh O'Connor - USFWS (https://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwssoutheast/5142785230; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

February 6, 2026

Strong winds and dry air bring wildfire warnings

Wildfire alerts — known as “red flag warnings” — are in effect from east-central Florida to the First Coast.…

By Irene Sans - Storm Center