Jacksonville Democratic Rep. Kim Daniels wants answers about why the Duval County School Board is exploring closing more schools.

In a letter to Board Chair Charlotte Joyce, Daniels questions the proposed closures of Long Branch Elementary School and Anchor Academy in Mayport.

The closures are not imminent, with Long Branch Elementary set to consolidate into R.L. Brown Academy in 2027–28 and Anchor Elementary to consolidate into Mayport Elementary in 2028–29. Board members are using that time to seek “additional community input,” which Daniels provides.

Charlotte Joyce receives Kim Daniels’ pointed questions over Duval school closures and disputed district finances.

“Under the District’s consolidation plan, students from Long Branch would be assigned to R.L. Brown Elementary School, a route that requires crossing a major roadway. This presents significant concerns regarding student safety and transportation access, particularly for younger children,” the legislator wrote.

Daniels also objects to the Long Branch closure, saying “a school serving military-connected families warrants a clear and thorough explanation given the broader impact such a decision would have on those who serve our country.”

She also questions the District’s reserves and spending in light of claims of a $140 million deficit, saying they are “materially higher than what would typically indicate a budget crisis,” and took issue with $13 million in raises for teachers and administrators.

“These actions have left many families questioning the District’s true financial condition and the justification for decisions that directly impact their communities,” Daniels wrote.

“How could the District approve more than $13 million in salary increases during the same months it claimed that school closures were financially necessary due to budget strain?”

Daniels is seeking summaries for Fiscal Years 2024-25 and 2025-26, studies supporting school consolidation, details on the $140 million shortfall the District trumpeted and “additional consolidations, closures, or property disposition plans that have been discussed, evaluated, or projected by the District beyond those currently identified.”

Shrimp sale

Jacksonville’s Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team, the Jumbo Shrimp, is going to be sold; the City Council signed off on a resolution Tuesday that confirms the city’s backing of the transaction.

Jumbo Shrimp owner Ken Babby decided to sell the team after he advanced to CEO of the Tampa Bay Rays Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise. Babby announced Tuesday, before the Council meeting, that the buyer of the Jumbo Shrimp was Prospector Baseball Group. There was no disclosed price, but Ben Boyer, a technology entrepreneur, and John Abbamondi, an executive with extensive experience in professional sports, own Prospector.

City Council backs sale of the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp as ownership shifts to Prospector.

The City Council unanimously approved the resolution supporting the sale of the Jumbo Shrimp, the MiLB AAA farm club for the Miami Marlins, with little discussion.

Council member Nick Howland said there was no reason for the city to impede the transaction.

“I don’t want to hold up the deal, and I think this is good for our city,” Howland said.

The key issue the city is concerned with is the lease agreement with the franchise for use of the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. The stadium is known as VyStar Ballpark, a name contracted by Jacksonville-based VyStar Credit Union.

The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp resolution before the Council stated, “The team has entered into an agreement whereby, upon closing, a buyer will acquire all equity of the Jacksonville Club (Jumbo Shrimp). The transaction is structured as a sale of equity interests; therefore, there is no direct assignment of the agreement, and the Jacksonville Club will remain a party to the agreement under its current name.”

Scam slam

A familiar hustle is set to draw more rigorous enforcement if legislation in the Senate and House passes next year.

The “Direct Sales Consumer Protection Act” is being carried by Sen. Clay Yarborough (SB 712) and Rep. Ryan Chamberlin (HB 265). The bill would revise the statute and tighten penalties for pyramid schemes.

Clay Yarborough and Ryan Chamberlin push legislation strengthening penalties against deceptive pyramid scheme operations statewide.

Yarborough, who filed his version on Wednesday, said Chamberlin “approached (him) with the idea, and it immediately sounded like a great consumer protection effort.”

“The goal is to help businesses that actually have a significant amount of retail sales to consumers, versus enabling bad actors who simply want to line their own pockets through recruitment schemes. Pyramid promotions contain high levels of deception and can easily lead to destroyed relationships and devastating financial loss,” the Jacksonville Republican added.

The legislation would ban people from working to “establish, promote, operate, or participate in a pyramid promotional scheme, even if such person, upon giving consideration, obtains products, goods, services, or intangible property in addition to the right to receive compensation.”

Mormon moment

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is moving forward with the construction of its Jacksonville temple, scheduled to begin next month.

The location: 3323 Loretto Road.

Groundbreaking nears for temple as Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expands Florida presence.

Groundbreaking for the 29,000-square-foot church is on Jan. 26, and the event is invitation-only.

When it is finally built, it will be the fifth Mormon temple in the state.

Speech suit

Two Duval County teachers are suing the District for allegedly abridging their free speech rights.

Douglas Anderson School of the Arts teacher Hope McMath and Oak Hill Academy paraeducator Haley Bartlett have been penalized by the District for expressing political views.

“McMath, a part-time AP Art History teacher at DA, came under fire after sharing posts on her Facebook page that included controversial comments about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and one post referencing a Jacksonville Councilman,” reports WJXT.

Bartlett “simply reposted a video which was designed to put Charlie Kirk’s words and beliefs in context,” says lawyer John Philips.

“If we are going to weaponize speech based on its content, it not only violates the First Amendment, but will be detrimental to democracy,” Phillips said in a statement to WJXT.

 

Banning butts

The St. Johns County Commission voted to rid all county parks and county-managed beaches of any remnants of smoking and use of tobacco products.

St. Johns County Commission bans smoking and vaping at parks and beaches and imposes fines for violations.

Commissioners voted unanimously this month to amend county ordinances and now prohibit smoking, vaping and the littering of cigarette butts and vaping paraphernalia at the county-owned locales. The measure also amends the very definition of “litter” that now includes butts and vaping accessories. Improper disposal of those items is now a violation of the county code. The one exception to tobacco products is the smoking of “unfiltered cigars,” which is in line with a Florida state law that restricts municipal governments from limiting those cigars.

Under the new policy, smoking and vaping are no longer allowed in any county park, and smoking is prohibited within 600 feet of the shoreline at county beaches.

Violations of the new policy will result in a $53 fine.

Land Trust tome

You can now read all about it when it comes to the North Florida Land Trust (NFLT).

The nonprofit environmental conservation organization has operated since 1999. During that time, the NFLT has overseen the preservation of tens of thousands of acres of land in northern Florida. Now, a new book, “Keeping North Florida Wild,” celebrates that quarter-century as one of the most influential conservation organizations in the state.

New book chronicles North Florida Land Trust’s conservation legacy and calls to protect wild spaces.

“This book gives people a way to visualize our accomplishments and impact, as well as understand the significant role conservation has in Florida. It showcases why we must continue our mission to preserve these important natural spaces, because it truly is now or never,” said Allison DeFoor, NFLT President and CEO. “I think our team did an incredible job, and I especially want to thank Sarah Hande, our communications officer, who took the lead on putting this book together. She really did a wonderful job, and I can’t wait for everyone to read it.”

The book includes photo essays and additional commentary from Mark Woods, an opinion columnist with The Florida Times-Union newspaper in Jacksonville. “Keeping North Florida Wild,” a historical record of NFLT and an inspiring call to action, is available for purchase on NFLT’s website.

Palm Coast’s best

The city of Palm Coast held its annual Employee Honors Ceremony on Friday and also announced its top employee of the year.

Melissa Hill, the Palm Coast Stormwater Citizen Resource & Outreach Coordinator, was named the 2025 Employee of the Year in the Flagler County community. City officials said Hill demonstrated a commitment to exceptional customer service, teamwork and community engagement. She has also helped increase awareness of autism efforts and has helped in meaningful and lasting ways in the city.

Melissa Hill earns Palm Coast’s 2025 Employee of the Year honor for standout community service.

Palm Coast awards top employee honors monthly and caps the year with its overall best worker awards. It’s a tradition Palm Coast started in 2023 and continues through today.

At the annual ceremony on Friday, the city also honored Lauren Johnston, who served as acting City Manager for 20 months before the City Council voted to hire Michael McGlothlin as City Manager, effective Dec. 17. Johnston will remain with Palm Coast in the position of assistant City Manager.

“Growing up in this community and having the privilege to serve the city I love has been one of the greatest honors of my career,” Johnston said. “To be recognized by this incredible team means more than I can express. Congratulations to Melissa, our Employees of the Month, and everyone celebrating service milestones. Your dedication and heart are what make Palm Coast an incredible place to live, learn, work, and play.”

Workforce windfall

Jacksonville City Council advanced a $15 million spending package last evening to support education and workforce development across the city, moving the proposal one step closer to final approval. Ordinance 2025-0781, filed by Council member Raul Arias and vetted in Committee earlier this month, won unanimous backing after a brief round of debate and a late amendment from Council member Rory Diamond.

City Council advances $15 million package funding universities, programs, including renovations at UNF’s Hodges Stadium.

The legislation steers money toward the University of North Florida, Edward Waters University and several programs aimed at bolstering the region’s labor pipeline. Council members cast an 18-0 vote to advance the bill, signaling broad support for expanding municipal training and higher-education investments as Jacksonville’s workforce demands continue to rise.

A significant slice of the measure directs $6 million to renovate UNF’s Hodges Stadium, a project long sought by the university to modernize aging facilities and support athletic and community events. Another $1 million is allocated to the Northeast Florida Builders Association for a new workforce development center.

Both UNF and the Builders Association are represented by The Florida Group, whose municipal practice is led by Melissa Langley Braude. The Council’s action is now awaiting Mayor Donna Deegan’s signature.

Bounty of boats

Palm Coast launches its 42nd annual Holiday Boat Parade Saturday. The event begins at 6 p.m. and runs through the Intracoastal Waterway.

Dozens of watercraft from residents and businesses are adorned with holiday lights and decorations as a long line of vessels moves through the waterway in the coastal community.

Holiday-lit boats glide through Palm Coast Intracoastal as the annual parade draws thousands on Saturday evening.

“The parade will launch at Cochise Waterway-North Cut, travel south beneath the Hammock Dunes Bridge toward Grand Haven, then turn around at the Grand Haven Gazebo and make its return trip. Spectators can enjoy the best views of the illuminated boats from Waterfront Park, St. Joe Walkway, and Canopy Walk,” a press release from the city said.

City officials expect thousands of spectators to watch the parade, which will be held rain or shine, from the Intracoastal Waterway shore. To help with crowd control, city officials are offering a complimentary shuttle service from the European Village and Daytona State College Palm Coast Campus parking lots to take spectators to the Intracoastal Waterway. Shuttle services will run from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

No respect

There’s a timeworn joke (with a lot of truth to it) about the disrespect shown to the Jacksonville Jaguars by the national media. Seemingly every year during the NFL draft, when the Jaguars are on the clock, ESPN or NFL Network cuts to a commercial break. Instead of staying with the broadcast and discussing the Jaguars and who they might pick, it’s time to sell some insurance or car batteries or whatever.

Of course, this doesn’t happen every year, but it seems to happen more often.

Liam Coen embraces disrespect after Sunday’s Colts win as Jaguars fuel playoff surge with doubters’ slights. Image via AP.

The truth is, as one of the smaller NFL markets, the Jaguars have always been less important to national media. Forget about the record, there is always something to talk about with the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Jets or Giants or the Chicago Bears, or even the Pittsburgh Steelers. Large markets and far-flung fan bases mean bigger ratings, and the Jaguars don’t qualify often as strong candidates for clickbait.

Jaguars’ head coach Liam Coen has latched onto the lack of respect card. And he has, more than any head coach in Jaguars’ history, leaned into national disrespect as a way to motivate the team. That motivation has led to a 9-4 record and, as of this week, the third position in the AFC playoff race.

Here’s what drives national respect: wins and big personalities.

Do you think that Kansas City has received so much attention over the past half-dozen years because of market size? No, it’s Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and Andy Reid, et al. And the Super Bowl rings.

The Jaguars don’t have a ring. Heck, they only have one playoff win since drafting Trevor Lawrence with the first pick of the 2021 draft. This year’s team doesn’t have an obvious star as a frontman. Lawrence is completing less than 60% of his passes. Travis Hunter is done for the year with a knee injury. Running back Travis Etienne, arguably the team’s offensive MVP, splits time with rookie running back Bahyshul Tuten.

On defense, Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker have been occasional impact players. Those are the best-known names on the Jaguars’ defense. Linebacker Devin Lloyd has been the defensive MVP, but he’s hardly a household name.

This Jaguars team is young and hungry. And Coen has figured out how to push their buttons.

So, what will happen when the Jaguars clinch a playoff berth? They are currently projected as a 97% chance of making the postseason. The Jaguars may get their flowers, but don’t try to convince Coen that it will make a difference.

“It ain’t coming,” Coen said after Sunday’s 36-19 win over the Indianapolis Colts. “You know that. It’s not. And that’s the beauty of it. And that’s totally fine.”

It’s fine because Coen wants to keep using it as fuel to motivate the Jaguars down the stretch. With four games remaining in the regular season, the Jaguars are likely to finish with double-digit wins. They have already clinched a winning record. They aren’t who the national pundits think they are.

“They’re just waiting for us to slip up,” said Hines-Allen. “If we continue to trust our process, trust our grind, and we’re going to continue to keep peaking and all the people that are going to say that we’re not a good team, we’ll see them in the Super Bowl.”

Maybe then, the Jaguars will get some national respect. Just don’t count on it.