Jacksonville Bold for 11.19.25

Northeast Florida politics, policy fights and power moves shaping the months ahead. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

From: Extensive Media Enterprises Florida's bicameral Joint Legislative Auditing Committee wants a look at Baker County's books. Amid an ongoing legal controversy over whether the Clerk of Court or the County Commission controls finances in the rural county in Northeast Florida, lawmakers agreed to an operational audit of Baker County. County Commissioner James Bennett noted "ongoing concerns" with finances, including years of late audit submissions and "lack of confidence" in the Clerk of Court's office, helmed by Stacie Harvey. Lawmakers order an operational audit of Baker County amid disputes over finances and delayed annual reports. "The Finance Director has recently departed … but that does not account for nine out of 10 audits" being late, he said. "It is challenging for us as a county to continue to see our finances not being submitted on time to the state at a time when a county such as Baker County is in continuous need of continued support from the state," he added. The other Commissioners, including Chair Jimmy Anderson, echoed Bennett's position. The Clerk's attorney, Joel Foreman, said Harvey agreed to the audit with the condition that it was "operational and county-wide," given "institutional inertia" that allegedly plagues Baker County. During testimony, Harvey revealed she was locked out of one of the county's financial systems after hours. "Well, it's in the evening time and normally, like during the day, as far as at the Clerk's office, we don't have time to actually sit down, due to the traffic that comes in and out. So, we normally do a lot of this stuff, financial-wise, in the evening time. And the prior finance director, she did work late in the morning hours, because that's when she felt like she was able to concentrate on the work," Harvey explained. Bennett responded, saying there were "concerns over outside entities having access to the network" and restated lawmakers' concerns about late audits. Independent Sen. Jason Pizzo of Sunny Isles Beach seemed to see the Clerk's point, urging a close look at password protection and control. "Is this a situation where the county has frustrated the Clerk's ability to be able to perform her task, in which case, basically setting her up for failure? In which case, it would reek of politics and not of pragmatism," Pizzo, who led Senate Democrats until late last Session, said.

Jay days   Florida's Lieutenant Governor, a former military man, made Northeast Florida his home base this week amid speculation he will finally become an official candidate to replace term-limited Ron DeSantis. Jay Collins highlights senior protections and public safety as speculation builds about his potential Governor campaign. On Monday, Jay Collins held a public safety roundtable in Clay County. He followed that up with a fireside chat with Duval County Republicans. Ahead of a speech to Jacksonville Beach Republican women on Tuesday, he held a news conference in town to illustrate the state's commitment to older Floridians at a senior living facility. Operation Senior Shield, an initiative to help seniors stay ahead of scammers, was the topic in front of a room full of young-at-heart residents of the Sunshine State. Collins described it as a "tool to combat senior scams and fraud," which is a "continuation of a mission he's been on for many years," going back to his time in the military. "Senior Shield provides timely text and email alerts, so older adults and caregivers can stay ahead of scammers," Collins said. "We're going to make you hard targets. You have to have the information to understand what's going on. When a new threat appears, Floridians will know about it before the scammers get to their door, their inbox or their phone. That's how we keep you alert, keep you informed and secure." Collins did address his run at the presser, saying that while he's not ready to announce, he is "very grateful" for an ad buy from the "Florida Fighters" group promoting him. POLITICO Florida Playbook says that $900,000 was spent on it, so there's plenty to be thankful for.

Badges for Byron   While Collins isn't officially in the race for Governor yet, more Northeast Florida sheriffs back current candidate Byron Donalds. Sheriffs across Northeast Florida line up behind Byron Donalds as his Governor bid gains momentum. "I've seen what real leadership looks like and Byron Donalds has it," said Baker County Sheriff Scotty Rhoden. "President Trump's endorsement says it all: Byron is the proven conservative leader Florida needs. He's never wavered in his support for law enforcement or the values that keep our communities safe. As Governor, he'll stand with the men and women on the front lines, defend our freedoms, and make sure Florida remains a state where law and order prevail. I'm proud to stand with Byron Donalds for Governor." Columbia County Sheriff Wallace Kitchings is also a new endorsement, joining Duval's TK Waters and Bradford County's Gordon Smith.

Criminal minded   Legislation in the Florida House seeks to update the legal threshold for being a member of a street gang. Rep. Jessica Baker's HB 429 would make several changes to the statute. Among them would be considering an admission of gang membership on social media to be sufficient for prosecution. Jessica Baker proposes expanding gang definitions to include admissions on social media and related online activity. The law, as it currently stands, doesn't contemplate social media. Baker's bill also would allow the attestation of a spouse that someone is in a gang to be enough for prosecutors. Additionally, if the suspect has "authored any communication indicating criminal gang affiliation, criminal gang-related activity, or acceptance of responsibility for the commission of any crime by the criminal gang," that is also sufficient under the proposed language. Similarly, "criminal gang-related language on social media, including language used in a post, caption, comment, reply, thread, direct message, private message, meme, reel, username, screen name, handle or email address" or participation in "any recording that promotes or describes criminal gang activity, regardless of whether the activity actually took place" suffices. That could include rap music, where emcees often depict particular actions that may or may not have happened.

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Fetal focus   A House Subcommittee advanced a bill 13-3 on Tuesday that would expand Florida's Wrongful Death Act so parents could sue and recover damages for their unborn child's death. The Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee passed House Bill 289, reviving the proposal that failed to pass last Session. Democrats warned that the bill goes too far in giving rights to fetuses at any stage of development, including at conception, and could empower rapists or abusive partners to sue medical providers who perform abortions. Rep. Sam Greco, the bill sponsor, explained his bill as follows. A House panel advances legislation allowing civil damages for unborn children lost through harmful actions. "What does this allow? The mother who might lose her unborn pregnancy because of an abuser's abuse to sue that abuser," the St. Augustine Republican said. "What does this allow? An unexpected mother, who is eight months pregnant, who is driving home from work one evening, who gets slammed by a drunk driver, and currently doesn't have a recourse under the law to seek to be made whole – that's what this bill allows."

Save the statues   Memorials to those who perished in military conflict, including the Confederate side of the Civil War, would be safeguarded should newly filed preemption legislation be passed. Rep. Dean Black's "Historic Florida Monuments and Memorials Protection Act" (HB 455) would require the Department of State to place military monuments or memorials in place for at least 25 years, under its protection, to protect "accurate and factual history." "It is the intent of the Legislature to declare void all ordinances, regulations, and executive actions regarding the removal, damage, or destruction of historic Florida monuments or memorials which have been enacted by any local government," the bill reads. Dean Black's bill seeks statewide control of historic military monuments, blocking local removal efforts entirely. Only the state could remove monuments under this legislation. Local officials who flouted lawmakers' intent could be fined up to $1,000. As with previous versions of this bill, HB 455 would allow people who erected the memorial to sue if the law is violated, as well as those who use the edifice for "remembrance." If a local jurisdiction is found to have removed the monument, it would have three years to move it back or place it in a location of similar prominence or visibility. Sen. Stan McClain of Ocala has filed similar legislation (SB 496) in the Senate.

Time to change   A bill is moving through the Legislature that could move the next municipal election in Jacksonville earlier than initially planned. The goal is to resolve schedule conflicts regarding certifying the election as currently scheduled and mailing the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) absentee ballots for the General Election, which serves as a runoff. A Jacksonville bill moves the 2027 municipal First Election earlier to resolve ballot certification conflicts. "Due to staffing, resources and time restraints, the Supervisor of Elections will be unable to have the next Second Election ballot prepared by the April 3, 2027, deadline to mail UOCAVA absentee ballots because the next First Election official returns will not be certified until the April 5, 2027, deadline." The bill (2025-765) would change the "First Election" from March 2027 to March 9, the 10th Tuesday of the election year, rather than the 12th Tuesday (March 23). A representative of the Supervisor of Elections office explained that the timing of overseas military ballots created the conflict. "Deadlines for the Supervisor of Elections, as mandated by state Election Code, overlap with deadlines in the City's Ordinance Code, making the Supervisor of Elections unable to fulfill his statutory obligations tied to the next First and Second Elections as currently scheduled," the bill summary stipulates. The First Election moving up will not change the start of the qualifying period, which remains the second week of January. The bill will be considered by the whole Council next week.

Poll position   With more than a year before qualifying, at least one potential significant challenger to Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan is testing the waters against the first-term Democrat. Political perennial Jerry Holland, a Republican who was elected without opposition to again be Duval County Elections Supervisor in 2023, has not been shy about saying he's looking at the race. And a new phone poll suggests he has a shot. Jerry Holland's internal poll shows him competitive with Mayor Donna Deegan as 2027 approaches. The survey, commissioned for Holland last month by political consultant Matt Justice, shows Holland leading Deegan 47% to 41% in a head-to-head ballot test like the General Election would be. To get to that two-way contest, Holland and Deegan would have to clear a multi-candidate First Election, a blanket Primary in which all candidates compete and the top two advance unless one gets a majority of the vote. In that scenario, Justice's polling shows Deegan with 47% support, Holland with 29%, Jacksonville City Council member Ron Salem with 6%, and House Speaker Pro Tempore Wyman Duggan with 1%. The remaining 17% is up for grabs. Some will question the sample. While the First Election involved 418 responses, the General Election ballot test included just 160. In both cases, these "likely voters" either cast ballots in the 2023 Mayoral election or voted in 2022 and 2024 Party Primaries. The First Election poll has a +/- 5% margin of error, while the General Election survey has an MOE of +/- 8%. The results are also weighted to reflect the 2023 turnout model's slight GOP lean, with responses from Democrats removed to reflect that ratio. While some will question the poll's methodology, it nonetheless shows that a mayoral race will emerge. Mayor Deegan has already been gearing up, as evidenced by a recent fundraising uptick for her political Committee. Her "Duval for All" political committee has raised more than $1 million to date, including $643,150 in the quarter ending Sept. 30. No major candidate has confirmed plans to run against Deegan in 2027's Duval County Elections, though three political newcomers have filed officially. They don't look like they can compete with Deegan should they qualify next January for the First Election in March. Ronald Armstrong Jr. is the only one to report any financial activity, raising just over $20,000 and already spending more than $12,000 of that. The strongest fundraising of any potential opponent is from Rep. Duggan's Citizens For Building Florida's Future political committee, which closed September with roughly $780,000 on hand. Deegan defeated Republican Daniel Davis in 2023, despite a Republican turnout advantage. The GOP continues to make registration inroads, closing to within 5,000 voters of historically dominant Democrats. Holland has the deepest resume of any potential candidate. He will have served 14 years as Supervisor of Elections, eight years as Duval County Property Appraiser, and also as President of the Jacksonville City Council. Republicans have talked of an "invisible Primary" to consolidate support ahead of the election cycle against the still-popular Deegan, who took advantage of a fragmented GOP two years ago. What's clear is that Holland wants to be part of that conversation.

Palm Coast pick   Palm Coast is ready to hire a new City Manager after an extensive search and a lengthy period of no permanent administrative leader at the helm of the coastal community. The Palm Coast City Council agreed unanimously Tuesday to hire Michael McGlothlin as the next City Manager of the Flagler County town. The decision comes after the city received 112 applications from prospective candidates seeking to fill the position. There were also public meet-and-greet sessions with potential candidates and multiple interviews. Palm Coast selects veteran administrator Michael McGlothlin to become the city's next permanent Manager. If McGlothlin agrees, he'll arrive in Palm Coast after serving as Town Administrator in Redington Shores, a suburban municipality in the Tampa Bay area. But he also has about four decades of experience in various government administrative roles, including serving as City Administrator and Police Chief in Columbia City, Oregon, his most recent stint before moving to Redington. The decision to fill the Palm Coast City Manager's position comes after more than a year and a half since Denise Bevan held the job. The City Council abruptly fired her in March 2024 after holding the post for barely a year. Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris said McGlothlin had the right stuff to take over the City Manager's job. "Mr. McGlothlin demonstrated a clear understanding of Palm Coast's needs and a strong dedication to public service," said Norris. "We look forward to the experience, professionalism, and steady leadership he will bring to our organization."

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Cool, cool water   A new initiative underway aims to restore water flow to several areas of North Florida. The St. Johns River Water Management District and the Suwannee River Water Management District each approved the Water First North Florida plan. The measure seeks to reinvigorate water flows in key springs and rivers, ensuring water supplies for decades to come. The initiative will restore high-quality reclaimed water and purify it through a natural wetland filtration system to resupply the aquifer. That could return an estimated 40 million gallons of water per day. That flow supports water supplies to homes, farms and businesses in North Florida. North Florida water districts advance a major aquifer restoration project to strengthen long-term regional supplies. "The Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers, along with their iconic springs, are vital to Florida's natural heritage, economy and way of life," said Rob Bradley, Chair of the St. Johns River Water Management District Governing Board. "Implementing this recovery strategy, including the Water First North Florida project, is not just an environmental necessity – it's an investment in Florida's future. By working together, we can ensure healthy ecosystems, sustainable communities and our water supply." Suwannee River Water Management District officials were equally enthusiastic about the project's development. "Water First North Florida represents a forward-thinking commitment to our region's future," said Virginia Johns, Chair of the Suwannee River Water Management District Governing Board. "By investing in sustainable water resource development today, we're ensuring that our springs communities, residents, farms and businesses have the reliable water supply they need to thrive tomorrow. This project is about water security, economic opportunity and preserving the natural systems that make North Florida such a special place to live and work."

A nutty network   While peanut butter is often associated with sticky situations, Duval County residents were eager to get into food relief with peanut butter as quickly as possible. The 2025 Peanut Butter Challenge through the University of Florida (UF) Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) was a slick success with a total of 2,623 jars of peanut butter raised to help needy families in Duval County. That's about 3,456 pounds of peanut butter that were donated to the UF Extension Office in the county. Duval County's Peanut Butter Challenge delivers thousands of jars to support local families before Thanksgiving. The office of Jacksonville Mayor Deegan noted that there's a 66.3% increase in jars of peanut butter and a 70.2% increase in the pounds of peanut butter from the 2024 tally. The Extension Office takes that peanut butter and distributes it to several food pantries throughout Duval County to help feed those in need until Nov. 21, preceding Thanksgiving. The peanut butter was collected through "good people in the community helping fight hunger with peanut butter, rather than corporate sponsorships," said Tracy Akers Williams, the UF Extension Duval County marketing manager who has facilitated the Peanut Butter Challenge the past two years. "So far, food pantries have been thrilled to receive the peanut butter this year, even more so than in previous years."

Homecoming happenings   The University of North Florida saw a shift in its homecoming celebrations this year, as it was held on the second weekend of November. For years, UNF Homecoming took place in the Spring. But the move to November aligns with many traditional homecomings, though UNF has no football team. While the calendar season was changed, Homecoming remained centered on Osprey basketball games. UNF celebrates a revamped November homecoming featuring a revived parade, new Ozzie mascot and basketball dominance. Still, there was a homecoming parade for the first time in years, and the UNF mascot Ozzie the Osprey revealed a new caricature. There was even a faux and fun story created on campus that Ozzie had disappeared around Halloween and the revised mascot came out during the basketball game. UNF described the updated Ozzie as "a fiercer, bolder Ozzie sported a sleeker, more athletic, stronger frame, looking both aggressive and playful, with a vintage collegiate mascot feel." As for the game, it was a good homecoming for UNF. The Ospreys trounced New College of Florida 122 to 67.

Suddenly, a new Jaguars forecast   How big was the Jaguars' win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday? It dramatically changed the team's chances of making the playoffs and made the road to the postseason downright realistic. Here's what the Jaguars (6-4) have remaining on the schedule: – at Arizona Cardinals (Sunday): The Cardinals are 3-7 and have lost their last two games. While traveling across multiple time zones has been a challenge for the Jaguars in the past, two factors play into the team's favor. First, Jacksonville has won a pair of games out West this season, at San Francisco and at Las Vegas. Second, Arizona has struggled at home, winning just one of five games in Glendale. It seems like a game the Jaguars could, or even should, win. Jacksonville's playoff hopes surge after beating the Chargers, with a favorable late-season schedule ahead. – at Tennessee Titans (Nov. 30): One of two games between the Jaguars and Titans over the final six weeks of the season. Tennessee is 1-9 and has not won at home. – vs. Indianapolis Colts (Dec. 7): While the Colts have been tremendous this season (8-2), they have not won in Jacksonville since 2014. If the Jaguars were to split with the Colts, the playoffs might be a foregone conclusion. – vs. New York Jets (Dec. 14): Another struggling team awaits the Jaguars. The Jets (2-8) have turned from Justin Fields at quarterback in favor of veteran Tyrod Taylor. The move may make the Jets more stable, but will they be ready to fight with the weeks in the season dripping away? – at Denver Broncos (Dec. 21): Perhaps the toughest game left on the schedule. The Broncos (9-2) are likely to be playing for a chance at home-field advantage. It's never easy to play in the Mile High City. This one looks like a loss from any angle. But not a loss that is likely to disrupt the Jaguars' march to the playoffs. – at Colts (Dec. 28): Back-to-back road games against likely division winners. The most brutal stretch of the season remains. – vs. Titans (Jan. 4): Finishing the regular season at home against a team likely near the bottom of the standings is exactly what the Jaguars need. If Jacksonville needs a final victory to clinch a postseason berth, this will fit the bill. Games against teams with winning records: three. Games against teams with losing records: four. If the Jaguars only beat the losing team on the schedule, they would finish with 10 wins, almost certainly enough to earn the postseason. If they can split with the Colts, 11 wins are in play. In any event, the victory over the Chargers and the potential to see players like wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and tight end Brenton Strange return to bolster the offense set up for a memorable end to the season.

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