Jacksonville Bold for 12.3.2025: Historic recognition

Historic landmark push puts Main Street Bridge on the national stage. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

From: Extensive Media Enterprises Sunburn is authored and assembled by: Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel Dean, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, and Drew Wilson. A group of Jacksonville City Council members wants to include the Main Street Bridge in the National Register of Historic Places. And our central question about this proposal is: why hasn't it already been enacted? Jacksonville leaders seek historic recognition for the Main Street Bridge, a landmark spanning decades. 2025-881, introduced by Republican Matt Carlucci and sponsored by six colleagues at this writing, expresses "strong support" for that designation. The Council can't do it alone, of course. And that's why they want the Planning Department, the Historic Preservation Commission, and the Department of Public Works to work together on submitting a nomination. The bridge, per the resolution, "is one of Jacksonville's most iconic and enduring civic landmarks, prominently featured in the city's skyline since its opening in 1941." It "exemplifies Depression-era engineering excellence as a steel vertical lift bridge" and is the only one of its type left in the state. The Main Street Bridge has also drawn $100 million in state investment, including a repainting project in 2028. Wouldn't it be great if it got its props from the feds before the paint dries?

Artwalk talk   Of course, there's much more to Downtown than the Main Street Bridge and history. There's also the monthly Artwalk, the Downtown Vision production, looking to close out 2025 on a high note. That's tonight, and with the rain finally out of the area and temperate, clear weather in place, there's no reason we can see to miss it. Especially if you have a Christmas List to fulfill. Downtown Jacksonville's Artwalk returns tonight with festive shopping, live music, local art and holiday energy. Image via Downtown Vision. Per Downtown Vision, this month's iteration "will bring festive energy to Downtown Jacksonville with holiday shopping, live music, art exhibitions, seasonal treats and special programming across participating businesses and venues, including a holiday market produced by Vagabond Flea along Laura Street."

Board boost   With Florida's Museum of Black History soon taking shape in St. Johns County, state lawmakers are moving closer to setting up a Board to run it. Sen. Tom Leek's Senate Bill 308, which would create an Administrative Board to oversee the museum's construction, operation and administration, advanced through the Community Affairs Committee on Tuesday. Tom Leek advances the oversight Board for Florida's Museum of Black History as construction planning accelerates. Leek noted the bill was familiar to the panel and the Senate at large. It passed unanimously in the 2025 Session. The Board should be in place by the beginning of August. The Governor, the Senate President, and the House Speaker would appoint three members of the Board, which would also have two Senators and two Representatives. None of the nine members picked by leadership could hold elected office while serving. The new Board would also work alongside the Foundation for the Museum of Black History to manage funding, programming and long-term planning — a partnership intended to guarantee both transparency and sustainability for the institution.

Fetal justice   The House Judiciary Committee advanced a bill Tuesday that's drawing familiar foes from last year's abortion debate. This time, the legislation would expand Florida's Wrongful Death Act so parents could collect damages if their unborn child dies, no matter at what stage of development the fetus is. Rep. Sam Greco's HB 289 passed through Committee with a 14-6 vote down party lines. Sam Greco pushes bill expanding wrongful-death claims for unborn children, sparking renewed partisan debate. "I ask you to support this bill to support those mothers, to support those parents in the worst moments of their life when they have no other recourse," said Greco, a St. Augustine Republican, before the vote, as he described unborn children dying in car crashes as an example of the cases that could be brought under the bill. To fall under the Wrongful Death Act, the circumstances would need to be a wrongful act, negligence, breach of contract or other factors, he said. Greco stressed mothers could not be found liable for their own unborn child's death and medical providers couldn't be sued unless they were negligent and caused the fetus' death. But Democrats and other advocates said they feared the bill could be weaponized in various ways. "We have grave concerns about the real-world impacts of this overly broad bill," said Kara Gross, interim political director of the ACLU of Florida. "Given that approximately one in four pregnancies end in a miscarriage, this bill is ripe for abuse."

Choice Chair   The St. Johns County Commission has a new leader. The Board of County Commissioners voted to appoint District 3 Commissioner Clay Murphy as the new Chair at least for the next year. He's replacing District Commissioner Krista Joseph as Chair. The Board made the Chair selection at the conclusion of its regular meeting at the County Administration Building in St. Augustine on Tuesday. Clay Murphy becomes St. Johns County Commission Chair, bringing law enforcement experience and coastal representation. Murphy's district represents the southeast portion of St. Johns County. It includes portions of the western area of St. Augustine and an extensive stretch of the coastline from St. Augustine Beach to the Flagler County line. Murphy was a Florida Highway Patrol trooper for 26 years before being elected, and he owns a Sonny's BBQ restaurant in St. Johns County.

More money   Perhaps the Duval County School District is in better financial shape than previously thought. The specter of a $100 million debt has been slightly reduced, per CFO Ron Fagan. Duval schools shrink projected deficit as CFO Ron Fagan outlines revised outlook amid consolidation. "That original $100 million was basically looking at your prior years … we kept seeing a fund balance continuing to go down. At the same time, [COVID-era funding] was getting ready to go away," Fagan said to Jacksonville Today. "We were projecting, if we continue with this trend, we're going to have a $50 [million] to $70 million problem." The cash crunch comes as the district looks to continue consolidating schools, many of which were built during segregation to accommodate keeping students of different races separate.

Art school   Chronic absenteeism is surging nationwide, with more than 30% of students chronically absent in 20 states, double pre-pandemic levels. Lucy Chen of The 74 cites research showing that one of the most effective solutions is also among the most overlooked: arts education. Studies reveal that schools offering music and arts programs see lower absenteeism, higher attendance and dramatically reduced dropout rates. Arts education reduces absenteeism as Jacksonville's Cathedral Arts Project boosts student engagement and resilience. Cathedral Arts Project is a Jacksonville initiative backed by the Florida Department of Education, which reached more than 400 students in charter, homeschool, military and crisis-care settings, boosting confidence, resilience and engagement. Families reported stronger social interaction and improved behavior at home. With many alternative-education students lacking access to arts programs, Florida's model shows how structured creative learning can strengthen achievement and keep students connected to school.

Brand awareness   The longtime Jacksonville lobbying shop The Fiorentino Group is rebranding as The Florida Group, marking a significant milestone as the firm opens a new Riverside office and approaches its 25th year. Founder Marty Fiorentino said the change reflects the team's statewide growth, adding, "We are still TFG, and I'm not going anywhere," while Managing Partner Joe Mobley continues in his role. The Fiorentino Group rebrands as The Florida Group, expanding statewide influence and celebrating new leadership. U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody praised the move, saying, "I know his team will continue to bolster the success of his clients and our great state of Florida." The firm's long-standing reputation in Tallahassee and Washington drew additional commendations. U.S. Rep. Aaron Bean said he valued TFG's "hard work, honesty and knowledge of the process," and Senate President-designate Jim Boyd called the group "a fixture in Florida politics for nearly a quarter century." Mobley led the firm's rebrand effort, introducing a refreshed logo he described as "the sun rising on TFG 2.0." House Speaker-designate Sam Garrison congratulated the firm, while Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said TFG's political acumen benefits governments "from City Hall to the Capitol." The firm is also expanding its expertise, elevating Davis Bean to lead its congressional delegation practice and Melissa Langley Braude to chair its growing local government relations work. City Council Vice President Nick Howland praised Braude's promotion as a "fantastic choice," citing her deep understanding of city issues. Bean added that the team "works thoughtfully and methodically," predicting continued growth as The Florida Group begins its next chapter.

Kiss the chef   Jacksonville gourmets may have reason to celebrate soon. Per the Florida Times-Union, the Culinary Institute of America could be coming to town. Culinary Institute of America explores Jacksonville expansion, offering food lovers hope for a new campus. "Many companies and organizations are considering an expansion into Jacksonville, and the Culinary Institute of America is among them," city spokesperson Phillip Perry told reporter David Bauerlein. "There have been a couple preliminary discussions with city leaders, but nothing beyond that is concrete at this point." Jacksonville could be the fifth campus.

Finding forever homes   Some 15 children were fortunate enough to find homes in St. Johns County as part of the National Adoption Day commemoration there. The 15 kids were adopted in the past year in St. Johns County, and the county marked the progress during a ceremony on Nov. 21 at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center. Judges, community partners, families who adopted the children and local dignitaries took part in the event. St. Johns County Clerk of Courts Brandon J. Patty anchored the event with St. Johns County Commissioner Sarah Arnold addressing the crowd. Brandon Patty highlights St. Johns County adoptions as families celebrate permanency during National Adoption Day. "Supporting children adopted from foster care is a community effort," Arnold said. "When a child finds a permanent, loving home, it strengthens families, neighborhoods, and our entire county." Shawna Novack, CEO of the Family Integrity Program and Director of St. Johns County Health and Human Services, said the county is fortunate to have so many families that open their homes to children up for adoption. "Our Family Integrity Program is built on the belief that children and families thrive when their support system is local, connected, and compassionate," Novak said. "By bringing essential services together under one roof, we ensure families experience a seamless and supportive path to adoption. Every child deserves permanency, stability, and love — and we are honored to help make that possible." The event ended with Circuit Judge Christopher Ferebee presiding over hearings on the formal adoptions of several children.

Won't you be my neighbor?   Many residents of the First Coast would like to be the neighbors of many needy people across the region as they take part in Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood Sweater Drive. Organizers say several charitable and commercial partners will come together Dec. 10 to deliver an estimated 10,000 cold-weather clothes and goods to needy families across the Northeast Florida area. The organized charitable effort will deliver those goods to many families. Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood Sweater Drive readies 10,000 winter items for families across Northeast Florida. Mr. Rodgers' Neighborhood Sweater Drive also highlights the commitment of many commercial outlets in the First Coast region to needy causes. The number of companies and nonprofits taking part is impressive for the 23rd annual event. The companies and outlets taking part include WJCT Public Media, Suddath Moving & Storage, VyStar Credit Union, Tom Bush Family of Dealerships and Humana Healthy Horizons in Florida. Employees and officials with those companies will travel throughout the area to deliver sweaters, jackets and blankets to nonprofit organizations such as Clara White Mission and the City Rescue Mission beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 10.

Turkey Trot   Palm Coast's effort to increase community participation in the growing coastal community extended to Thanksgiving Day, in record fashion. The Palm Coast annual Feet to Feast 5K Run and Walk drew more participants than ever this year on Thursday. One thousand one hundred seventy-eight runners and walkers took part in what is now becoming a Thanksgiving morning tradition. The course of the event runs from the Daytona State College Palm Coast campus near the Intracoastal Waterway to Hammock Bridge with a return trip. Palm Coast's Feet to Feast 5K breaks records as families celebrate Thanksgiving with community spirit. "There is nothing quite like waking up on Thanksgiving morning and celebrating together as a community," said Acting City Manager Lauren Johnston, whose family participates in Feet to Feast every year. "To see more than a thousand people come together — running, walking, laughing, and making memories — perfectly reflects what this holiday is all about. It's one of my favorite Palm Coast traditions, and I'm grateful to experience it alongside my family and our residents year after year." The overall winners included Mark Shannon, who placed first in the men's division and Hanna Ielfield, who took the top place in the women's field.

Beach-driving deal   There's nothing like a drive on the beach in sunny, sandy coastlines in Florida, and St. Johns County is now selling passes for extended access in that coastal county. Preseason yearly beach-driving passes are now on sale in the county and cost $50 for residents and $100 for nonresidents. Americans with Disabilities Act passes go for $40. Passes are required for the prime months of beachgoing in St. Johns County from March 1 through Sept. 30. St. Johns County begins preseason sales of beach-driving passes, offering residents extended coastal access. The passes can be purchased at government locations, including: — Tax Collector's Main Office, 4030 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine. — Tax Collector's DuPont Center Office, 6658 U.S. 1 South, St. — Tax Collector's Julington Creek Office, 725 Flora Branch Blvd., St. Johns. — Tax Collector's Ponte Vedra Office, 151 Sawgrass Corners Drive, Ponte Vedra Beach. — St. Johns County Beach Services Office, 901 Pope Road, St. Augustine. — St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier Gift Shop, 350 A1A Blvd., St. Augustine. No passes are required until March 1 to drive on the beach in designated coastal driving areas in the county.

Sixth time's the charm?   For the sixth time in the past 24 years, the Florida Gators introduced a new head football coach. Since Steve Spurrier left Gainesville for the NFL in 2001, Florida has hired exactly one successful football coach, Urban Meyer. Will Jon Sumrall be the next? Jon Sumrall arrives in Gainesville aiming to revive Florida football with SEC experience and energy. Since Spurrier's departure, Florida has tried Ron Zook, Will Muschamp, Jim McElwain, Dan Mullen, and Billy Napier. Since Meyer's departure, Florida has hired a first-time head coach (Muschamp), a head coach from a mid-major conference (McElwain), an SEC head coach (Mullen), and another mid-major coach (Napier). None has lived up to the expectations forged by Spurrier's success and Meyer's two championships. Will Sumrall buck the trend? First, the case for Sumrall. He is familiar with the Southeastern Conference. Having played at Kentucky and later coached at his alma mater and at Ole Miss, he has spent eight seasons in the pressure cooker that is the toughest conference in America. He won't be caught off guard. As a head coach, Sumrall has guided Troy and Tulane to a combined 42-11 record over four seasons. Only five coaches won more games in that time. He took both programs to conference title games each season and took each team to a bowl game. He is the first coach in FBS history to make four conference title game appearances with two different schools in the first four years as head coach. He is considered a rising star in the coaching world. He earned rave reviews from Spurrier, who called Sumrall "a proven winner" who "will bring a little more fire to our team." Former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel said the hire made him "as excited to be a Gator as I've been in a long time." Even Jaguars' head coach Liam Coen, who worked with Sumrall at Kentucky in 2021 when Sumrall was the defensive coordinator and Coen was the offensive coordinator, had glowing things to say about the new Gators' head coach. "I've got so much respect for Jon Sumrall as a coach, as a man, as a leader of people, of men, of players," said Coen. "He's got so much compassion and competitiveness; he sees the game through a big picture lens in all three phases, he understands good football, he can recruit his tail off." Sumrall's biggest challenge may be the shift in how college football is conducted. When he was last in the SEC, the transfer portal and NIL environment were not what they are today. Sumrall said this week that he has a plan to bring more experienced players to Gainesville. "We will use the transfer portal," Sumrall said. "If you've studied my rosters the last couple of years, I haven't had the resources to keep very many of my good players. They all end up getting poached. So, I've had to embrace the transfer portal probably more than most, maybe even more than I'd like to at times, by necessity." One of the other keys to winning approval as the head coach at Florida is not only to win, but to do it with style, specifically, on offense. Sumrall is a former linebacker and defensive coach so the spotlight will be on the offense. "I may be a defensive guy, but I want to be more of a defensive guy like somebody Coach Spurrier knows, like (former Oklahoma head coach) Bob Stoops," Sumrall said. "I want the scoreboard to light up. The way we've played, maybe where I've been has looked a little different than how I want to play moving forward, because your job everywhere you are is to figure out how you win for the place you're at. Here, I think we can score a lot of points, and that's what I want to do. Sumrall is entering a world that includes the most competitive conference in college football. But he does so, he says, with open eyes. "The SEC is a different league," Sumrall said. "It's the closest thing you get to the National Football League. That's why I wanted to come. I crave that challenge. It invigorates me. It gets me a little bit fired up."

Unsubscribe Having trouble viewing this email? View in browser © 2025 Extensive Enterprises Media 204 37th Avenue North, #182 St. Petersburg, FL 33704