It looks as if the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce will get its $750,000 in marketing money after all.
The money is typically in the budget. But this year, the measure was not in the final spending plan, leading to a push to move the funding through in one cycle of Committee hearings and a full Council vote.
Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce secures $750,000 in marketing funds after brief City Council budget drama.
Happily, for the Chamber and its JAXUSA marketing arm, there wasn’t much controversy in the process.
The Neighborhoods Committee alluded to political positions the Chamber’s JAXBIZ political committee took over the years on some issues but not others, and the Finance Committee basically told the Chamber to start substantiating its expenses with receipts.
It’s set to pass City Council on Tuesday; why wouldn’t it be?
The Chamber endorses candidates and supports the majority of the City Council.
There are those on the outside of this process who still warn that the Chamber may face issues with the Council down the road.
But when?
There is one more budget cycle left ahead of the 2027 election.
Time is running out.
No competition
The view remains the same in Northeast Florida’s 5th Congressional District.
As of the end of September, four-term incumbent John Rutherford continues to dominate in terms of donor support.
The former Jacksonville Sheriff has $337,169 on hand, putting him well ahead of his only Primary challenger to report financial activity, podcaster Mark Kaye.
Kaye has $5,106 on hand at last report.
John Rutherford dominates fundraising in Florida’s 5th District, leaving challenger Mark Kaye far behind.
While four Democrats have opened campaign accounts, three of them have reported no fundraising at all.
The other one, Peter Mark Heggestad, has raised less than $300.
Rutherford raised more than $83,000 in Q3, and more than $56,000 of that comes from individual contributors.
His associated “Strengthening the American Republic” Leadership PAC also has nearly $33,000 on hand.
Kaye, who recently joked that Rutherford was “ready to retire,” continues to fall short of what he promised when he got in the race in terms of fundraising.
The challenger said earlier this year that “donations are pouring in from across the country,” and that he expects to “lean heavily on grassroots energy, digital outreach, and the loyal support of thousands of his listeners called ‘Kayetriots’ across Florida and beyond.”
Thus far, those supporters are pacing themselves.
The incumbent has faced Primaries consistently.
In 2022 and 2024, he got roughly 2/3 of the vote against conservative populist Mara Macie.
The district, which includes some of Duval and St. Johns counties, is designed for a Republican win in any General Election, with more than 250,000 GOP registrants and fewer than 145,000 Democrats.
Bean counting
U.S. Rep. Aaron Bean, a Fernandina Beach Republican, continues his steady fundraising as he runs for a third term in the 4th Congressional District.
As of the end of September, Bean had more than $961,000 on hand, per records from the Federal Elections Commission.
Aaron Bean nears $1 million cash on hand as Northeast Florida challengers struggle to raise funds.
He raised more than $261,000 in Q3, with more than $141,000 coming from individual contributors. The vast majority of those donations came from people who live in Northeast Florida, including House Speaker Pro Tempore Wyman Duggan and Adam Brandon, a candidate for Jacksonville City Council.
Political Action Committees related to Florida companies, such as Publix and Raytheon, also contributed.
Bean has a substantial fundraising lead over his challengers.
Michael Kirwan, a Jacksonville Democrat who entered the race months ago, is currently the best-positioned to compete. He raised more than $250,000 according to his first fundraising report.
Democrat Ricky Knoles had under $1,000 on hand as of the end of Q3, while Brittany Robinson had just over $2,000.
Former Democratic nominee LJ Holloway says she is looking to run again as well, which could create a four-way Primary in August if she enters the fray. But despite running for Congress several times since the 2016 cycle, she has never raised the kind of money Kirwan is reporting.
Two candidates without party affiliation have also opened FEC accounts.
No fundraising activity has been reported.
The district includes Nassau, Clay and part of Duval counties. It is 41% Republican and 34% Democrat.
Complete and Total
President Donald Trump has officially endorsed U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack’s re-election bid. He praised the Gainesville Republican in a Truth Social post.
“Congresswoman Kat Cammack is doing a fantastic job representing the wonderful people of Florida’s 3rd Congressional District,” Trump wrote.
Donald Trump backs Kat Cammack’s re-election, bolstering her standing ahead of potential redistricting changes.
“In Congress, Kat is working tirelessly to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Support our Amazing Farmers and Ranchers, Advance American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our now very Secure Border, SECURE, Champion our Military/Veterans, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment. Kat Cammack has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election — SHE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!”
Cammack embraced the support.
“Honored to be in the fight with Donald Trump for the future of our country,” she wrote on her X account. “We’re defending conservative values, protecting our communities, and getting the job done.”
The support for the three-term Congresswoman isn’t surprising, but it should help insulate Cammack from a Republican Primary challenge. That could be especially important if lines for her district change substantially as the Florida Legislature begins an unprecedented mid-decade redistricting effort.
No other Republicans have filed for Cammack’s seat in Congress. But when she first ran for the seat in 2020, Cammack faced nine other Republican opponents for the open seat. She ultimately succeeded U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho after working in his congressional office as Deputy Chief of Staff.
Should lines remain similar for CD 3, more than 60% of voters in the district supported Trump for President, compared with under 39% who voted for Democrat Kamala Harris, according to MCI Maps. Trump outperformed Harris in every North Florida district.
The support for Cammack’s re-election could also diminish speculation about whether Cammack intends to run in Florida for Agriculture Commissioner in 2026 should incumbent Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson not seek re-election.
Dolphin Cost
Jacksonville University (JU) President Tim Cost will step down from the top slot at the private college on the First Coast next year but will remain heavily involved in the institution.
JU announced Tuesday that Cost has agreed to leave the presidency and become Chancellor of the school in Summer 2026. Cost became president of JU 14 years ago. An alum who was a JU Dolphin baseball player and standout pitcher when he attended the school more than four decades ago, Cost left an executive position with PepsiCo to take the helm at the campus on the St. Johns River in Northeast Florida.
Jacksonville University’s Tim Cost to step down as president, transition to chancellor amid fiscal strain.
“President Cost’s exemplary leadership over the past 14 years has transformed our university in remarkable ways,” said JU Board of Trustees Chair John Miller. “Under his guidance, we’ve enjoyed growth in undergraduate and graduate enrollment, developed countless strategic partnerships in and outside of our community, and elevated our profile both in the region and beyond. The Board is grateful for his extraordinary commitment as President and his dedication to students, and we are confident he will help further advance our mission and expand our impact as Chancellor.”
A JU press release said Cost had reached an agreement with the Board of Trustees in 2022, stating he would transition into Chancellor and primarily focus on fundraising, alumni, community and government relations.
But despite that agreement, Cost and JU ran into financial difficulties in the Spring. Due to the challenges of dollars and cents, there was a 10% faculty cut and several academic programs were eliminated as Cost and the school engaged in financial restructuring.
The financial developments and hits to faculty and curriculum sparked student protests on campus and heavy criticism from many of the faculty who remained employed. Still, the Board of Trustees stood behind Cost and agreed with his proposals to right the financial ship.
The university plans an extensive search process before selecting the next President of the 91-year-old school.
Pedal patrol
Palm Coast is the latest Florida municipality to step up regulations on e-bikes that are increasingly popular across the Sunshine State.
The City Council in Flagler County this month approved an ordinance that defines “use and operation of electric bicycles.” City officials acknowledged there have been growing concerns about the safety of the easy-to-use bicycles that have a battery-powered engine and can scoot up to speeds in excess of 30 mph. They’re akin to a low-speed motorcycle with pedals. But a simple push of a button can propel them.
Palm Coast cracks down on modified e-bikes, setting age limits and ID rules to boost safety.
On that end, the Palm Coast Council ordinance makes it illegal for e-bike owners to modify the vehicles so they can exceed state-defined speed limits on streets, sidewalks or paths. The new law also stipulates a minimum age of 11. Anyone using an e-bike must follow all local traffic regulations and must provide an audible signal when passing other vehicles on the road.
Anyone operating an e-bike in Palm Coast must also have a photo identification that is issued by a government agency, which must be presented to any law enforcement officer if requested. Those identification cards can include a driver’s license, passport, military identification or a school ID.
Fines for violations can be up to $100 for each offense and law enforcement is empowered to impound the vehicle if necessary.
The Palm Coast move comes after St. Johns County approved an e-bike public awareness campaign in August, following two separate accidents involving the vehicles that injured two different 15-year-old boys.
I’m walkin’ here
A new analysis shows Jacksonville is one of the worst walkable cities in the United States.
According to the study by StorageCafe, Jacksonville is the 17th-worst city for supporting residents who prefer not to drive vehicles. According to the analysis, Jacksonville doesn’t really offer a pedestrian-friendly environment, with limited public transit and few amenities for those who want to traverse the city on foot.
Study ranks Jacksonville among America’s least walkable cities, where cars rule and sidewalks disappoint.
It could be worse, though. The analysis ranked Cape Coral as the top town in the country where car culture still dominates. Port St. Lucie followed in second. Pembroke Pines was ranked sixth. Only Texas had more cities in the top 25 worst cities for pedestrians, with six towns on that list.
Miami was ranked the second-best metro area in the country for a pedestrian-friendly environment.
Book ’em
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Jacksonville is holding a book launch event that will feature its new publication called “The Armory South: The 1924 Jacksonville Woman’s Club Exhibition Rediscovered.”
The publication is written and researched by P. Scott Brown, the Interim Dean of the Hicks Honors College at the University of North Florida. The catalog features an in-depth analysis of the current exhibition of the same name on display at MOCA.
MOCA Jacksonville launches book by author P. Scott Brown rediscovering 1924 Modernist exhibition celebrating women’s impact on Southern art.
“The Armory South: The 1924 Jacksonville Woman’s Club Exhibition Rediscovered reassembles core works from a forgotten but seminal Modernist exhibition mounted in March 1924 by the Woman’s Club of Jacksonville and the newly founded Jacksonville Fine Arts Society (now MOCA). Planned to mark the beginning of the museum’s second century in 2025, The Armory South tells several related stories of essential importance to the history of women in Modern art, the introduction of Modernism to the American South, and the ideas and relationships shaping American art in the mid-1920s,” a MOCA press release said.
The launch party is Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. at the MOCA museum in downtown Jacksonville.
Word wars
University of North Florida professors are being urged to watch what they say amid a climate of ideological policing.
The Tributary reports the state ordered “certain taboo words” removed from “all class syllabi or course descriptions in the university’s teacher-education department.”
On the chopping block: “diversity,” “equity,” “inclusion,” and “culture.”
UNF professors told to remove ‘diversity,’ ‘equity,’ and ‘inclusion’ from syllabi under new state rules.
UNF leadership defends the move as according with state law that mandates instructional material “may not distort significant historical events or include a curriculum or instruction that teaches identity politics … or is based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities.”
Palm Coast plans
With two finalists in the running to be the next Palm Coast City Manager, the city is calling for public input.
Palm Coast officials are opening up public participation in the selection process for the new top administrator for the city government. The city is hosting interviews with the two finalists for the position on Nov. 13 at City Hall. City leaders are encouraging residents to take part in what they are calling a day of public engagement, and the city will post exact times for the event as it draws closer.
Palm Coast seeks public input as finalists David Fraser and Michael McGlothlin vie for City Manager.
The finalists for the top slot include David Fraser, who has three decades of municipal experience and administration. He’s currently the Interim County Manager in Adams County, Colorado. He also has experience involving strategic planning, intergovernmental relations and development of major grants and revenue for municipal projects.
Michael McGlothlin is the other finalist who has four decades of public service experience. He’s currently the Town Administrator for Redington Shores in the Tampa Bay area. McGlothlin is a former city administrator and police chief in Oregon.
Touch grass
St. Johns County formally dedicated a new athletic facility that will serve as a new site for soccer leagues and other sports.
The facility isn’t technically new, but it has a new surface at the Solomon Calhoun Community Center at 1300 Duval St. in St. Augustine. The event held Saturday morning commemorated the transition of the former grass field into the new artificial turf field.
St. Johns County unveils new artificial turf sports field in St. Augustine for year-round community use.
The drum line from the St. Augustine High School Marching Band performed at the official ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“This project was focused on converting a grass field into an artificial turf field,” said Chris Gatchell, project manager for St. Johns County Public Works. “That way, the field can be utilized year-round. Regardless of weather, it is designed not to flood — there’s plenty of drainage under this.”
A familiar spot
The Jaguars have a wide receiver problem. And some other problems, too. But the most glaring issue on the team is among the pass catchers.
More specifically, the players who are supposed to catch passes, but aren’t.
Let’s start at the top, where second-year wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has been a shadow of the player he was as a rookie. Thomas has been targeted 55 times this season. Only 12 players have more targets in the NFL. That’s more targets than the Minnesota Vikings’ Justin Jefferson, more than the Philadelphia Eagles’ A.J. Brown and more than anyone on the Jaguars, including rookie Travis Hunter, who has been targeted 45 times.
The issue is not the opportunities he’s getting. It’s what Thomas is doing with the opportunities. Thomas has dropped six passes. Only Cleveland’s Jerry Jeudy has dropped more this season. And there are a handful of other players where Thomas has shied away from contact, leading to incompletions.
Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. struggles with drops as Trevor Lawrence keeps faith — for now.
Apparently, Thomas has been dealing with an injury this season, but he has not appeared on the injury report. Of the 55 targets, Thomas has caught less than half (27 receptions). Last season, Thomas averaged 14.7 yards per reception. This season, his per catch average is down to 13.5 yards.
That’s a problem.
To this point of the season, quarterback Trevor Lawrence has not appeared to have lost confidence in Thomas, but it would be understandable if he did. On Sunday in London, Lawrence tried to connect with Thomas 10 times, but Thomas only caught four of the passes.
Perhaps it is no coincidence that on Sunday Hunter was targeted a season-high 14 times, resulting in eight catches for 101 yards and Hunter’s first NFL touchdown reception.
The Jaguars relied on a rookie wide receiver in the second half of last season, and it appears they’ll have to do so again — this time with a different rookie.
The other pass catchers have been pedestrian. Parker Washington has been the best of the bunch, but his most significant impact has come as a punt returner. Dyami Brown, signed as a free agent on a one-year, $10 million contract, has been a non-factor.
With tight end Brenton Strange on injured reserve, no other pass catchers have been reliable or impactful.
So, what is the solution?
First, the offense line must give Lawrence consistent time to throw. Second, Hunter has to become a bigger focus of the passing game. Third, the Jaguars have to take the pressure off the passing game by running the ball more often (and effectively). And finally, Lawrence has to play more consistently.
If they do, they can make something of this season. As they stand today, the Jaguars would be the last team in the playoffs.
Suppose they do not, then expect more changes to the roster in the offseason. Yep. We’re on the edge of being back here in the same old place at midseason.