PerspectivesCole Pepper Jacksonville Today Contributor
Featured image for “SPORTS | Jaguars drop 4th straight game, this time in final seconds”
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson looks on in the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Houston. | AP Photo/Maria Lysaker
September 29, 2024

SPORTS | Jaguars drop 4th straight game, this time in final seconds

Better, but still not good enough. The Jaguars played their best quarter of football since halftime of the season opener…

Featured image for “Mayport naval ship intercepts missiles in Middle East”
The USS Indianapolis was involved in shooting down missiles and drones from Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in the Middle East on Friday.
September 27, 2024

Mayport naval ship intercepts missiles in Middle East

The USS Indianapolis, based at Naval Station Mayport, was one of three ships involved with Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, CNN reported.…

Featured image for “Nonprofits boost homeownership through Ameris redlining settlement”
Ameris Bank Director of Community Lending, Clyde Anderson, left, greets LISC Jacksonville Executive Director Irvin "PeDro" Cohen during a reception Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. Ameris awarded LISC Jacksonville $50,000 for its Project Boots program. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
September 27, 2024

Nonprofits boost homeownership through Ameris redlining settlement

LISC Jacksonville and LIFT Jax are using a settlement with Ameris Bank to help foster homeownership in predominantly Black neighborhoods.…

Featured image for “Investors eyeing Jax for WNBA team, report says”
Illustration by mauromod - stock.adobe.com. | Jacksonville Daily Record
September 27, 2024

Investors eyeing Jax for WNBA team, report says

Donna Orender, former president of the WNBA, reportedly thinks Jacksonville would be a good site for an expansion team.…

Featured image for “Helene cleanup continues; Jacksonville mayor urges patience”
A fallen tree blocks Cedar Bend Drive in Clay County. | Jamie Valet, Jacksonville Today
September 27, 2024

Helene cleanup continues; Jacksonville mayor urges patience

More than 257,000 customers in Northeast Florida had no power Friday after Hurricane Helene came ashore late Thursday.…

Featured image for “Rescue efforts underway on Gulf Coast; 2 people dead”
Workers remove debris from Hurricane Helene, in Cedar Key on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. | Gerald Herbert, AP
September 27, 2024

Rescue efforts underway on Gulf Coast; 2 people dead

Many people did not evacuate, remaining in areas hit by storm surge as Helene moved north.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville city offices remain closed after Hurricane Helene”
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue crews deal with a downed tree as the first gusts of wind from Hurricane Helene arrived in Jacksonville around 6 p.m. on Sept. 26, 2024. | JFRD via X
September 27, 2024

Jacksonville city offices remain closed after Hurricane Helene

Roads flooded, trees toppled and power lines fell around the city. People were encouraged to stay home as crews cleaned…

Featured image for “NUMBER OF THE WEEK | Proposed school closures”
Annie R. Morgan Elementary may be forever padlocked if the Duval County School Board approves a district plan to close the school after the end of the 2024 academic year. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
September 26, 2024

NUMBER OF THE WEEK | Proposed school closures

Two dozen more schools could close in Duval County over the next 15 years.…

Featured image for “OPINION | Green acres: A master plan for Jacksonville’s park system”
Metropolitan Park as seen on Sept. 24, 2024 | Jessica Palombo, Jacksonville Today
September 26, 2024

OPINION | Green acres: A master plan for Jacksonville’s park system

Jacksonville’s Parks Department expects to unveil an updated Parks Master Plan in winter 2025. Here’s what’s in it, and what’s…

Featured image for “Kmart is gone in Mandarin; Home Depot is coming”
The Kmart at 9600 San Jose Blvd. has been demolished. | Jacksonville Daily Record
September 26, 2024

Kmart is gone in Mandarin; Home Depot is coming

The Kmart at 9600 San Jose Blvd. has been demolished. It closed in 2016.…

Featured image for “UPDATE: Hurricane Helene grows to 120 mph winds”
September 26, 2024

UPDATE: Hurricane Helene grows to 120 mph winds

Helene is one of the biggest hurricanes on record, with effects spreading hundreds of miles toward Jacksonville.…

Featured image for “These new laws will take effect Oct. 1 in Florida”
A homeless person sleeps on a bench. A new Florida law bars local governments from allowing people to sleep in public places. | Srdjan Randjelovic/Srdjan, Stock-Adobe.com
September 26, 2024

These new laws will take effect Oct. 1 in Florida

Nearly three dozen new laws will go into effect on Tuesday, including a contentious measure that will limit where homeless…

Featured image for “#AskJAXTDY | Is The Lomax restaurant ever opening in Five Points?”
According to the city and the building's landlord, The Lomax project remains underway. | Casmira Harrison, Jacksonville Today
September 26, 2024

#AskJAXTDY | Is The Lomax restaurant ever opening in Five Points?

Q: What’s happening with The Lomax restaurant under construction in Five Points? A: The project is behind schedule…

Featured image for “Helene strengthens to 100 mph; wind and flooding likely in Jacksonville”
September 26, 2024

Helene strengthens to 100 mph; wind and flooding likely in Jacksonville

Hurricane Helene, with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph, is on the verge of becoming a Category 3 hurricane as…

Featured image for “Sprouts Farmers Market moves ahead in St. Johns County”
Sprouts Farmers Market is planned for the Shoppes of St. Johns Parkway in St. Johns County. | Jacksonville Daily Record
September 25, 2024

Sprouts Farmers Market moves ahead in St. Johns County

Plans are moving forward for a Sprouts Farmers Market grocery store in St. Johns County. The county issued a permit…

Featured image for “Police officer accused of touching woman on traffic stop”
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters speaks to reporters about the arrest of police officer Reginald McKinney. | News4Jax
September 25, 2024

Police officer accused of touching woman on traffic stop

Reginald Reynard McKinney became the 14th Jacksonville police officer arrested this year.…

Featured image for “Helene’s hurricane winds could reach Duval County”
September 25, 2024

Helene’s hurricane winds could reach Duval County

Northeast Florida is under a tropical storm warning, but hurricane-force winds from Helene are possible in western Duval County.…

Featured image for “PolitiFact FL: Amendment 4 on abortion is short. Does a lack of definitions mean no rules?”
September 25, 2024

PolitiFact FL: Amendment 4 on abortion is short. Does a lack of definitions mean no rules?

PolitiFact concludes that a TV ad opposing the abortion amendment makes a Mostly False claim.…

Featured image for “Appellate court considers teacher pronouns”
Barbara Dale, from Atlanta, mother of a transgender child, waves sign at a Gay Pride Transgender March at Piedmont Park in the city's Midtown District in Atlanta on Oct. 12, 2019. | Robin Payne, AP
September 25, 2024

Appellate court considers teacher pronouns

A Florida teacher is challenging a law that requires educators to use pronouns that align with their sex assigned at…

Featured image for “Duval could close 12 elementary schools within 5 years”
A community working group considers the draft school closure plan on Sept. 24, 2024. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
September 24, 2024

Duval could close 12 elementary schools within 5 years

Six more Duval County schools have been added to a potential closure list for the next five years — adding…

Featured image for “City Council approves money for inactive voter outreach”
Voters trickled into the Legends Center in Northwest Jacksonville throughout primary Election Day on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
September 24, 2024

City Council approves money for inactive voter outreach

Jacksonville Today was first to report that more than 90,000 Duval voters were inactive, and activists have pressured the elections…

Featured image for “Rumored school shooting locks down Englewood High”
Englewood High School on Barnes Road. | Google
September 24, 2024

Rumored school shooting locks down Englewood High

Rumors of a school shooting came a day after a 17-year-old was arrested when guns were found in his car.…

Featured image for “Pastor receives St. Augustine’s highest honor”
From left are St. Augustine City Commissioner Cynthia Garris, the Rev. Laverne March, City Commissioner Barbara Blonder and Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline. | City of St. Augustine
September 24, 2024

Pastor receives St. Augustine’s highest honor

The Rev. Laverne March is the latest person to receive St. Augustine’s highest honor — and she’s likely to be…

Featured image for “Tropical Storm Helene grows; First Coast prepares”
September 24, 2024

Tropical Storm Helene grows; First Coast prepares

Northeast Florida is preparing for high winds and possibly heavy rain as Tropical Storm Helene gains strength.…