Folio Vol. 36, Issue 24

DECEMBER HOROSCOPES & GIFT IDEAS

ARIES

It is time to step out of your comfort zone, Aries! As the sun rises and sets in your fellow fire sign Sagittarius, this energy calls on you to start taking the first steps toward a new adventure. This month may be spiritually exhausting for you during your philosophical breakthrough, but it will pay off. It is time to start playing “Yes Man.”

Aries gift: Hot Wheels

TAURUS

Pull out that handheld mirror you have locked away somewhere and take a good, long look at yourself, Taurus. At the beginning of the month, you may find yourself looking inward and being very reflective. But all good things come in time and by the end of the month, all that reflectiveness will pay off with a newfound confidence.

Taurus gift: Succulent plant

GEMINI

’Tis the season for making and mending relationships. Whether a friendship or a romance, December is bringing all the heat.

Communication is key this month, Gemini. The turning point for your relationships is on the horizon: It is time to face it head on.

Gemini gift: Bratz doll

CANCER

Last month you set boundaries and intentions, now it is time to put those affirmations into action. Remember, Cancer, that you (and only you) have the power to lead the life you want. Trust your gut and don’t be afraid to say no. Dec. 7 brings a full moon in Gemini, and it would be wise to set aside time to be alone; once Dec. 9 rolls around, you won’t be having any alone time.

Cancer gift: Lavender scented candle

LEO

It is time to hop off that struggle bus, Leo. December is calling on you to make those big changes in your life. You have been in a situation where your heart is not happy, and it is time to choose YOU. As Venus opposes Mars retrograde, it brings clarity for you to make these decisions.

Leo gift: Ceramic unicorn

VIRGO

This Sagittarius season has you delving into all things comfortable and restful, Virgo. It is now your chance to catch up on lost sleep and spend time with those you care about. Lead with love this month and only good will come your way.

Virgo gift: Chunky knit blanket

LIBRA

You are looking very popular this month, Libra! Invitations will be coming around every corner, and while you are welcome to say yes to all of them, remember that it’s OK to say no every once in a while too. Most importantly, go with the flow. The world is your oyster!

Libra gift: A stuffed panda

SCORPIO

Ugh! We hate to see Scorpio season go, but we love to watch her leave. Last month was bountiful for you in many ways. As December rolls through, it might be time to relax a bit. You don’t need to be the life of the party anymore. Maybe it is time for a chill night in. Put a face mask on and rewatch “New Girl.”

Scorpio gift: Turkish lamp

SAGITTARIUS

Is it getting hot in here, Sag? Jupiter ended its retrograde last month, enhancing your creative and productive side. While you could put this energy toward work and other creative endeavors, might we suggest you use it romantically? Considering this is your season, gift yourself with trying new things in and out of bed. Sagittarius gift: Dildo

CAPRICORN

Seriously, do you ever take a break? Your season is right around the corner, but before you step into the spotlight, it’s time (it has been time) to take a weekend off from the stress of everyday life and decompress. Sleep, rest and relaxation are all highlighted themes at this very moment. Capricorn gift: A 15-pound bag of espresso beans

AQUARIUS

Last month, you leaned on your support system during the rocky eclipses, and this month asks you to do the same. But do not fret. While you don’t revel in asking others for help, it’s time to open yourself up to it. And it's also time to look inward and reflect before the new year comes along.

Aquarius gift: A journal

PISCES

Things are getting a little spicy, huh? A lustful December is written in the stars for you. It is time to start focusing on your own pleasure, Pisces. There is nothing wrong with taking a well-deserved break from all the mayhem and treating yourself … however you please (wink-wink.)

Pisces gift: Handcuffs

MAIL

I picked up your sorry excuse for a local newsweekly this week, and found inside a foul attack on Thanksgiving, and, by implication, the ideas that America was founded on. I should have not have been surprised, because anti-Americanism has been rife in your periodical since I have lived in the area. The previous editor published a piece by an "Antifa" activist supporting his rioting in the National's Capital. But if you are going to attack Thanksgiving, and crib most of your "facts" from screeds like those of Howard Zinn, at least make an effort to be factual. Ambar Ramirez claims that disease brought by the pilgrims wiped out the Indians who celebrated the first Thanksgiving. But the Pilgrims didn't arrive until 1620, and the Wampanoag tribe, who did celebrate with the pilgrims, were devastated by disease all right, but that epidemic lasted from 1615 to 1619, BEFORE THE PILGRIMS LANDED. The Wampanoag suffered an epidemic, long suspected to be smallpox. Modern research, however, has suggested that it may have been leptospirosis, a bacterial infection that can develop into Weil's syndrome. The epidemic killed many people, profoundly affecting the Wampanoag population.

Ramirez, typical for leftist idiots, gets most of her facts wrong. The subsequent war between settlers and the Wampanoags, best known as King Philip's War, did not occur until 1675, long after most if not all the original colonists were history. Her claim that all American holidays are "centered around "business or the remembrance of some war won," is equally specious. Wikipedia lists a lengthy history of harvest-style holidays that preceded Thanksgiving, and clearly helped spur its acceptance here. If you want to believe that celebrating a good harvest is "business" or about a war, you are a hopeless leftist. But, then, clearly, most of you are.

Motavalli Fernandina Beach

BOUQS & BRICKS

BOUQUET

Jacksonville International Airport

For opening a new military lounge in time for holiday travel. The lounge is for active-duty servicemen and women.

The Fresh Market

They are focused on several new trends for 2023 but one we found compelling is Climatarian eating which is an eating lifestyle about eating for the health of the planet while making choices based on environmental impact. Eating more local and organic ingredients to reduce carbon emission from transport, to eating plant based diets with crops that are good for soil. Microgreens for example, which are harvested and eaten a week to 10 days after the cotyledon

BRICKBAT

To those who abandon or abuse pets

Under Florida Statute § 828.13, it is a first-degree misdemeanor to confine (i.e., caging or tying up an animal without food, water, air, exercise, etc.) or abandon (i.e., leaving an animal to die or leaving it in a public place with water, food, protection, etc.) To report violations, contact Animal Care & Protective Services @jaxpets or @cojnet or call 904-630-2489

John

The Apartment Con

Words by Molly Britt

So you’re moving out of your old place and find what you think is the perfect apartment for you. You put down the deposits, fill out the paperwork and find yourself all moved in. Then, right after getting comfortable property management is giving you one reason after another to really want to break that lease.

It’s not uncommon to hear horror stories from former residents of apartment complexes promising their best behavior. Whether it’s not getting responses for repairs that are needed or unwelcome intruders looking to “fix what’s broken” in the early morning without the residents knowing, we have the list of complaints you need to be aware of for next time your lease is up.

One former resident of Century Deerwood Park was dealt multiple tough hands while she lived there the past few years. What began as a simple maintenance request ended up being multiple unanswered requests to fix their broken dryer, leading to the residents fixing it themselves. All the while, they were still being charged for maintenance fees every month. When it was brought up to management, nothing was done to help them. Amenities and gates were broken constantly and unable to be used by residents, however, the worst of it was management's handling of a crime that occurred in the complex.

Now, we all know how these property managers like to make everything seem fine and dandy, but this experience tops the cake. In 2020, a murder took place in the complex. Emily and her husband were told by management about the occurrence and they had mentioned the suspect was apprehended. It was not until Emily heard about it on the news that she found out the office lied and the suspect was not caught and still on the loose. “They never corrected themselves,” mentioned Emily.

From E. Coli outbreaks to criminals on the loose, nothing had ever been mentioned to residents in what could have been a simple letter. This is just one experience out of many where residents have been taken advantage of and lied to by management. According to reviews on The Coast apartments in Ponte Vedra, some residents

have been dealt similar hands. They have claimed management is not responsive, crime has been occurring and nothing is done about it, and appliances are broken that employees refuse to fix or claim they will and do not return to do so.

These all seem to be common occurrences among younger residents. So many college students have similar stories, unfortunately. It seems the offices find it easy to assume they can “pull one over” on the younger clients.

Two residents formerly living at The Coast can attest to management taking advantage of younger women living alone. Carmen Macri and Sarah Hess had lived in the complex for five years. However, don’t let that fool you into thinking it was a great place. According to Macri and Hess, the maintenance team would come in unannounced “not once, not twice, but multiple times throughout the five years and two buildings” they lived in. No knocks or announcements were conducted. Hot water, that was unusable for the residents, was never fixed by maintenance after they claimed it was “too new” for them to mess with.

Now I get at this point these complaints have been somewhat repetitive in this article, but let’s face it…the fact that I have to mention these even once is enough to show that apartment complexes all over the city of Jacksonville (and further) do the absolute least to appeal to their clients. If you were to look online at the bad reviews, a simple response from the complex’s main administration apologizes for their claims and promises their best to help…sometimes even months after the residents in question have moved out.

Inadequate responses and empty promises is not what these people need. I would even go as far as saying this has become an epidemic of sorts. Residents young and old have been conned out of money, services, and safe care that should have already been offered.

It should take more than a simple response after the fact to claim the issues “have been addressed.”

Wild

Weird Stuff

Words by Shelton Hull

Well, 2022 is almost over now, and thank God for that. This year has been so crazy that even I, whose job involves compiling crazy news stories, think it’s been a bit much. For locals, it has been defined largely by stress, drama, extreme violence and persistent tragedy, and I’m not even talking about politics right now. But, like the man said, we don’t do that here. The whole point of this column is to make you laugh, even if it does come at the expense of our fellow man or woman, most of whom are just trying to get by and make their way in this crazy, unpredictable world. The fact that many of them are just foolish AF is a comparatively minor point. Let’s end this first year of Weird Wild Stuff with a flourish, shall we?

All year, we have watched in utter confusion at one of the strangest crime sprees in recent memory: well-meaning but otherwise ridiculously misguided environmental activists vandalizing some of the world’s most important art. We’ve seen at least 25 different pieces of art attacked at museums and galleries in London, Rome, Barcelona, Berlin, Oslo, Florence, Dresden, Madrid, Paris, Potsdam, Glasgow, Melbourne, Manchester, Milan and the Hague, as well as a Starbucks counter in Manhattan. Now, add three more to that list, two of which happened in Vienna, where two folks glued themselves to a dinosaur statue at the city’s Natural History Museum before a second group went after “Death and Life” by Gustav Klimt later that week. Also, Vancouver had two women glue their hands to an Emily Carr painting after dousing it with a liquid that turned out to be—what else?—maple syrup.

No proper “WWS” column is complete without news from Florida, so turn thine eyes to Hialeah, where a woman has filed suit against Kraft—not Robert Kraft, as you might expect—but Kraft Foods, makers of Velveeta Shells & Cheese. It’s a very popular product among readers of our monthly weed column, but only a true savage could find any fault with it. Enter Florida Woman, who filed a $5 million lawsuit in a U.S. district court, basically claiming fraud. You see, the box claims that you can make it in three and a half minutes, but that only includes the microwavery, and not the other steps, like adding water and stirring. The company calls her suit “frivolous,” and for once, corporate America is actually right.

We noted a story in May where a bride conspired with her caterer to dose the guests at her own wedding, which happened in Florida, of course. “Hold my Foster’s,” says Australia, where a farmer in Hobart, Tasmania was doing great business growing flowers that she supplied to florists and private customers. Turns out, though, the pretty pink poppies she sold for a wedding were actually composed of two illegal varieties used mainly for making opium. She’s no Tasmanian Devil, but she ain’t no angel, either.

Speaking of drugs, we know that abuse occurs in all segments of society. Be it race, gender, income level, nationality, politics or religion, we are all vulnerable. Even Buddhist monks, as we discovered last month in Phetchabun, Thailand, where an abbot and three others were made to leave the premises after testing positive for meth. To be fair, the drug could be quite useful in aiding their famously intense meditation sessions, but that is no excuse. It is really no laughing matter, though: Meth abuse and meth-related seizures are at an all-time high in Thailand, and the government has begun massive crackdowns after a rogue cop shot 37 people dead after being fired, due to his meth addiction. Drugs are bad, m’kay?

Let’s wrap this up with some legitimately great news: 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which outlawed gender discrimination in education and sparked the explosive growth in women’s athletics on the amateur and pro levels. Say hello to The Sports Bra, a sports bar in Portland, Oregon dedicated exclusively to women’s sports. But it’s not just about programming, as all the bar’s beer, liquor, meat and even furniture are sourced from women-owned businesses. They were even able to crowdfund over $100,000 after being denied a loan. It’s a great gimmick, and science-based: Studies have shown that 95% of TV sports coverage is centered on men, which means higher costs to stream the stuff. A state like Florida, whose women athletes have dominated on every level, would benefit by doing the same. It’s nice to end our look back at 2022 with a look toward the future.

CITIZEN 1: KENT STERMON WAS THE FLORIDA POLITICIAN’S ‘BESTIE’

In the evening hours of Tuesday, Dec. 6, Jacksonville, Florida’s mayor, Lenny Curry, watched the election returns for the Georgia U.S. Senate race with frustration as the crackpot he supported lost. To the majority, Herschel Walker was a hypocrite who couldn’t be trusted, lying about having law enforcement credentials, an abuser and cheater even to his own family members.

To others, he was the perfect candidate. He played football. He had bravado. He pretended to be Republican. He’d pose for photos and tell stories of a renowned past. Did we mention he played football?

More importantly, Walker would have been the ideal surface politician. Creating great photo opportunities and lucrative fund-raising prospects, he would be the face-guy and allow those around him pulling the strings to govern. This model doesn’t just exist in the recent Georgia election; it’s right here in Jacksonville and a statewide and national epidemic.

As CNN and others declared Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock the winner, Curry drowned his sorrows with his depressant of choice. It had been a rough couple of days for the beleaguered mayor as our city sobbed through another week of senseless violence. Not only had another child been murdered—this time a 13-year-old boy—but a local football coach was shot 10 times while heroically acting as a human shield protecting children in his custody. The kids were leaving a city facility on the way home when they were gunned down.

In response to the shooting, Curry and newly-elected Sheriff T.K. Waters assembled politicians and politically-inclined preachers to stand together for what they called a press conference. In reality the stunt was just a glamorized photo shoot. No new words were said. No new promises delivered. The same old broken promises remained. Neither the sheriff, nor the mayor visited the victims at the hospital before getting cameras ready.

Historically, Curry campaigned on a “tough on crime” platform. At the

press event, he repeated his empty promises to invest and support the new sheriff and State Attorney’s Office, still not understanding that a city cannot remedy murder rates through arrests alone. The man who has his own JSO security detail once again reassured Jacksonville that he would “continue to work to ensure that Jacksonville is a safe place to call home.” Moments after returning to his home, Curry had already moved on to tweet about more important topics—his fantasy football team.

The Stats

Numbers don’t lie. Curry assumed office on July 1, 2015. In his 7 ½ years of service, over 1,000 people have been killed. According to reports from “The Florida Times-Union,” Jacksonville surpassed the overall 2021 homicide count in late October. The 13-year-old subject of Curry’s press conference was the 153rd homicide of the year; the 11th homicide victim under the age of 18.

According to “Times-Union” reports, in 2015 there were 113 reported homicides, 120 in 2016, 137 in 2017, 126 in 2018, 158 in 2019, 177 in 2020 and 128 in 2021. These numbers are a sobering reminder of the true work that needs to be done. Work that does not included staged pictures and stale campaign rhetoric. But, as a lame duck, Curry can simply bide time until it’s time for Daniel Davis to assume the position.

Until then, the mayor spends most of his time privately and publicly influencing local and state politics, as he did as the former GOP head of Florida. There were once internal talks of him running for congress, but support for him transitioning into another office at this time is non-existent. So, he has recently been campaigning for rules demanding city elected officials to resign before running for a second city office. After all, if he can keep getting his small disloyal series of friends in office, he can find further opportunities to network. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

Stop The Hate

Curry’s week was particularly bad. Exacerbating the historic violence is an undercurrent of racism and hate. On the morning of Sept. 11, a neoNazi group unveiled Swastika flags and antisemitic banners on an interstate overpass. In October, Jacksonville made headlines, not for the Florida-Georgia game, but for another antisemitic message scrolling outside of the stadium. More were broadcast on city buildings. Instead of speaking out, Curry posted about his personal “trolls” on Twitter.

Last Tuesday, an airplane flew over City Hall with a banner of a confederate flag, which said, “Curry, Stop your hate!” It was attributed to sshfl.org, a Tampa group called Save Southern Heritage. The same group also stationed men carrying confederate flags to march up and down the steps of City Hall. That same day, a bullet was shot through the windows of City Hall that houses the mayor’s office. It is unknown if it was intentional or just an artifact of the heightened violence.

Curry is so unpopular, he often blocks comments from his social media posts, something WJCT host Melissa Ross recently questioned on her morning radio show, First Coast Connect. On Dec. 13, her panel debated the mayor’s immature use of the app and Ross added, “and not turning off replies, too. That’s something else which is apparently illegal for a public official to do.”

Curry’s hate isn’t partisan, as it comes from both sides of the political spectrum. Back in 2020, Curry teamed up with another athlete, former Jaguar Leonard Fournette. They held a press conference regarding confederate monuments that litter Jacksonville. Curry was initially booed. In response, he promised, “I’ve heard people … I’ve evolved.” The mayor said about removing confederate monuments, “The others in the city will be removed as well. We hear your voices, have heard your voices on a number of issues. Bodycams, economic opportunity, infrastructure.” While Fournette has since been traded away, the majority of monuments to the confederacy still exist. Economic opportunity and infrastructure in the underserved communities remains unevolved.

The people to Curry’s left would openly mock him for the lies about removing confederate monuments. The people to his right would turn their backs on him because they wanted as many decorated seditionists in as many parks and schools named after them as possible. On issue after issue, Curry’s silence has alienated.

Curry retreats even more frequently to Twitter, his favorite bragging and bullying ground. Some say posts mock veterans or overweight people, while others are divisive and political. Many of the posts, some say, are clearly attributed to an overindulgence of alcohol. Others say Curry is the ultimate “Karen.”

Instead of making good on his campaign promises or visiting the people who need him the most in this city, Curry spends taxpayer time producing a podcast from his mayoral suite. City employees complain Curry has delegated too much of his work to Brian Hughes, a scorched-earth, do-anything-to-win consultant/ lobbyist-turned Jacksonville’s chief administrative officer. Others point to the influence of Kent Stermon, a high-profile political donor and friend to Curry.

Delete the Tweet

“Florida Times-Union” chief mensch, Nate Monroe, was the first to fire an election night round at the thin-skinned lame duck mayor about his endorsed candidate’s defeat. “Worth noting,” Monroe tweeted, “@LennyCurry… visibly backed [Hershel Walker]…” Monroe attached one of the receipts, a photo of a fundraiser thrown by Curry and his good friend and political operative Kent Stermon.

Curry’s co-host, Kent Stermon, excelled at bundling money and influence for political candidates. He aligned himself with multiple sheriffs, Mayor Curry and Governor Ron DeSantis, once bragging, “It's good to be the governor's bestie.”

In T.K. Waters’ recent election, Stermon bragged that access to Waters came through him. Some said they met nearly daily. Stermon’s influence over the Sheriff’s Office began with then-sheriff Mike Williams. Both held each other out as great friends. Stermon would be dubbed, “Citizen 1” around JSO, and when needing a call sign, other officers would refer to him as “SO1A,” the alternate to the sheriff.

The prior “Folio Weekly” article discusses Stermon’s connections in greater detail. His continued control from Williams to Pat Ivey to Waters infuriated others who supported Waters. They held meetings in which Stermon’s name was frequently disparaged. When Williams found himself jurisdictionally disqualified as sheriff, Stermon’s “bestie,” Governor Ron DeSantis, appointed another Stermon ally, Pat Ivey, as interim sheriff while simultaneously endorsing T.K. Waters as his successor. His access was seamless and increasing.

In fact, Stermon was not only citizen one in the governor’s office, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, but Governor DeSantis reassigned Williams to head the Northeast Florida region of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), the state law enforcement branch responsible for overseeing law enforcement statewide. The parts were in place to give Stermon immense power and protection.

Not saying one could befriend enough leaders to be immune from prosecution, but Stermon’s allies were staunch in their defense of him. Fraternal Order of Police leaders Steve Zona and Randy Reaves took to Facebook frequently to call Stermon their best friend or thank him for “rides.” Other politicians posed with him in front of private jets. Stermon would frequently use these relationships to gain power within the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the political structure.

Pound sand, chump

Local attorney (and publisher of “Folio Weekly"), John Phillips, also is frequently on social media. Some might say his career was built on a combination of media and social media promotion of himself and his cases. He currently represents a former officer with Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office in a case against the city for wrongful termination.

Evidence was stacking up that Stermon, former undersheriff Pat Ivey and others had their own system of promotions and demotions based on nepotism more than merit. During his investigation, Phillips said he was told to obtain the data from Kent Stermon’s access badge and said that all major promotions went through Stermon. Phillips said, “I thought this was impossible. In the post 9/11 era, how could a civilian have not only that much power, but access? We sought public records requests and responses were delayed. I admittedly took to Twitter to bring some light to the issue.”

On the night of the Georgia election, Phillips responded to Nate Monroe’s tweet about the party Curry and Stermon hosted for Walker: “Rumor has it, there have been some changes to Stermon’s unfettered badge access at JSO.” Phillips could not get the city to confirm or deny whether Stermon actually had an entry badge to JSO facilities but had heard enough witnesses say so, he floated the theory. Further, a source told Phillips that morning Stermon’s unfettered badge access to Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office facilities apparently ended after T.K. Waters’ election. This was likely was due to JSO’s criminal investigation of Stermon and the scrutiny of the situation overall as the city’s Office of General Counsel was in the process of responding to public records requests.

Curry was apparently incensed by Phillips’ tweet. Known for going on weeknight Twitter tirades (aka “drunk tweets”), the mayor fired back at 10:03 p.m., “You aren't worth a reply as you are a media whore with no compass. But you mention my friend Kent, and I am compelled to reply. Pound sand, chump.” And in an immediate follow-up, the mayor added, “2. Only a few know your charade.” He later promised to continue the attacks the next day, only to delete most of his tweets upon the arrival of business hours at City Hall.

Mayor Curry is often the last to know what is going on in Jacksonville, so Phillips responded, “And please talk to your general counsel about our public records request. It's late. Why did a private citizen have pass card access to JSO?” And, “It's one thing to debate. Or even spat but... this is truly unprofessional and juvenile… He can't even keep his comments open. It's just wild.” Phillips ended with, “We have an arbitration scheduled for the wrongful termination of a JSO officer we represent. He probably is going to regret that tweet much like the one he deleted which praised officer Tim James who was arrested and let go after our involvement…”

46 hours

Curry’s tweets were sent at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 6. Once City Hall opened for the day on Wednesday, most of the mayor’s tweets from the night before disappeared, particularly those defending Stermon and referring to him as a “friend.” It seems Curry is fine with revisionist history, even when it is his own words and his own version of the truth. Of course, Curry also could have been warned that he went too far in a number of ways.

They came up with enough negative attack ads and GOP-coordinated efforts for Waters to win the right to finish Williams’ term. It would be a red wave locally, as DeSantis, Rubio and Waters shared the ballot. Stermon would tell potential supporters to reach out to him directly if they needed access to Waters.

Horribly, less than 46 hours later, medical staff was notified that Stermon’s heart rate monitor stopped. His family was alerted that it may have fallen off. Calls were made. Eventually, Stermon was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound inside his vehicle parked at the Mayport Post Office around 8

p.m. on Thursday Dec. 8. JSO officers knocked on doors and made private calls letting people know of the tragic death. Many also spoke publicly for the first time about the ongoing investigation. Things were about to come out. Bad things.

People at the highest offices across Florida formulated their statements of condolences, as is common in the Twittersphere. At least one person hit send on a condolence and then later deleted it after news of the investigation was known. His friend Lenny Curry made no statement.

The Lie

Before Stermon’s death, JSO was asked repeatedly to disclose Stermon’s authority, access and history of badge swipes. JSO denied it existed. On Aug. 30, 2022, Sheriff Pat Ivey’s office responded to a request from Aug. 18, 2022: “After a diligent search, our office has located no records which are responsive to your request.”

Additionally, WJCT was also told Stermon badge access records did not exist, according to Melissa Ross. She said on Dec. 13’s edition of First Coast Connect, “We should note that during the sheriff’s campaign, WJCT news made a public records request trying to confirm whether Kent Stermon had JSO access as a civilian and was basically told ‘no,’ by the former administration, the Mike Williams administration.” She noted, “a trove of records appeared” after the suicide.

Phillips sent in public records requests seeking all communications and badge accesses related to his case. Responses were delayed time and time again.

This isn’t the first time JSO has been accused of malfeasance related to public records, but an outright false representation is different. They often forget the emphasis is on “public.” These are the public’s records.

Stermon’s Access

Only after his death did the truth come out. Indeed, after the Twitter spat, JSO produced nine pages of over 700 entries by Stermon into JSO premises. They showed Stermon used JSO facilities as his own personal playground. This included various zone precincts, jails, gun range, protected airport entries and JSO’s main offices in the Police Memorial Building. The private employee badge also allowed Stermon to access the JSO parking garage where he had his own private parking spot.

In a town which has rejected citizen review boards, one private citizen could come and go from the most secure buildings in the city as he pleased. He did so at all hours and on holidays. Phillips’ investigation revealed claims that Stermon attended SWAT intelligence meetings, as well as meetings which decided terminations and demotions.

Phillips told “Folio Weekly,” “The messages we received and rumors we heard got so rampant, we couldn’t distinguish between fact or fiction. We needed officers to step forward and make complaints in their own names, but many were afraid of retribution. Officers were concerned for jobs and retirement, lives and families. Further, Stermon’s power extended to three sheriffs locally, the mayor, the governor, and it was the current head of FDLE [Mike Williams] that saw him gain so much power.”

Current and former officers expressed concerns internally as Stermon ran amok. Some tried to report it, but he exhibited too much intimidation and control. Stermon went from being knighted as Sheriff Mike Williams’ Citizen of the Year to a private citizen with unprecedented access to police facilities. More came forward after Stermon passed away.

Stermon Under Scrutiny

Phillips provided evidence one officer reported being punished for standing up to Stermon when “Citizen 1” insisted on wearing clothing falsely identifying him as a police officer. Impersonating an officer is a felony, yet officers reported Stermon was allowed to wear police insignias during ride-alongs.

The abuse of power did not stop there. Another officer recounted a story where Stermon told an ally in the Sheriff’s Office that he had never seen a dead body up close. He was given the opportunity on a “ride along” and was widely rumored to have taken a photo as his own evidence of his role as a fake homicide detective. People described Stermon as having the “blue flu,” as his obsession grew despite no FDLE certification, policing background and no desire to complete it as he had all of the benefits without needing to work his way up.

Citizens have to apply to JSO’s Civilian Observer Program to request a ride along or go behind the scenes. It is highly regulated. Unlike public access to JSO patrols, Stermon had VIP access for him and his influential friends. Further, it is believed his badge access allowed access to the protected trinity within JSO—narcotics, integrity and intelligence. The mere presence of a citizen at crime scenes and with access to investigations and evidence could hinder prosecutors and obstruct justice in Jacksonville at an unspeakable level. Yet, everywhere Phillips turned there were rumors about Stermon’s carte blanche at JSO, and no one wanted to address it.

One confidential source recounted, “When I was promoted to lieutenant, a group of other female supervisors met with me to warn me that [Stermon] does not like female officers, and it’s best to steer clear of him. From what I was told, he would attempt to discredit me if I crossed him. They told me about their experiences with him. So I avoided him as much as I could.”

The source continued, “[Stermon] likes power and control so he used JSO as his playground. He would dress up and play police officer and would take officers/ supervisors on private plane trips to watch major sports games. That sort of thing. He was in tight with all the staff and of course the FOP [Fraternal Order of Police].”

Another confidential source recounted, “When I was a lieutenant, I received a call from the third floor because one of my officers would not allow Stermon into the garage. Stermon asked my officer, ‘Don’t you know who I am? I just forgot my card so just let me in!’ My officer refused because Stermon didn’t have proper ID. I told the staff the officer was correct in his actions. But we [supervisors] all knew Stermon had full access. Stermon was also allowed to wear police equipment and shirts identifying him as a police officer when he did ride alongs. A female lieutenant advised him to take it off. Stermon called the third floor, and the female lieutenant was told to never speak his name and don’t speak against him wearing police equipment. She was told she would get in trouble if she even spoke his name.”

This access was allowed because when Stermon was not playing police officer he bundled money and powerful people for Sheriff Williams, Sheriff Waters, Mayor Curry, Governor DeSantis and others. He took credit for being at the hand of power, which was bitterly resented. That may be fine if you don’t live in a glass house, but Stermon lived in a very fragile house and did so dangerously. Yet, his secrets were protected by the most powerful people in Florida. Temporarily.

Not Just JSO

Stories of Stermon’s impropriety extended decades. Another confidential source who reached out to Phillips detailed the story of a 20-year-old who

worked for Stermon’s company Total Military Management in 2006. She said in a message shared with “Folio Weekly," “I was dumb, young and scared. After a conversation I had with Kent [Stermon], he would call me into his office and ask me inappropriate questions about my body and sex life. He would then tell me if I told anybody nobody would ever believe me, and he’s a powerful man in Jacksonville, and I’d never work again in that town.”

Other former employees of Stermon reached out to Phillips with similar stories of cover-up of sexual harassment and abuse of power. Stermon allegedly would use non-disclosure agreements and promotions to reward those who kept his secrets and threaten those who wouldn't. He’d brag about his influence and bring his political friends to the office. Phillips’ investigation continues, as he noted, “It’s hard to know what is true at this point. However, we have heard the same stories so many times they are in some ways self-authenticating. People are gaining courage now.”

Another victim described the power dynamic between Stermon and the women in his employ would inevitably worsen. She recounted, “Then one day I found myself sitting in front of his admin and HR where he asked me to sign a piece of paper that said I HIT ON HIM and made HIM feel uncomfortable. After that I decided to leave Florida … I can’t believe those ladies fell for it. Or if they just followed through to keep their jobs.”

Suicide

Citizen 1 was also not happy with Herschel Walker losing. Walker would have given him an ally in Georgia and the U.S. Senate. However, Stermon had other issues at that time. He had recently been released from the hospital. Upon leaving, he remained on remote monitoring. He told some friends that he was stepping away from politics and deleted his social media accounts. He told those close to him it was to focus on family. In contrast, according to records obtained from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, he was speculating to his own family if his life was worth living. While all of that could be true, Stermon became aware that he was being investigated for his past relationships and improprieties with women. His access was shuttered. His friends were going into the shadows.

T.K. Waters made the announcement, “Mr. Stermon was the subject of an active investigation by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, which began a few weeks prior to his death. This investigation remains ongoing at this time and will continue until its completion. As with all active investigations, there is limited information available to release at this time. However, as soon as this investigation has been completed, all applicable information will be available for release to the public.”

Folio weekly did a public records request for, “all files, investigations and reports related to Kent Stermon's ongoing investigation by JSO, even if redacted.” We received an edited, short report. Two patrol officers, K.T. Nelson and J.C. Allen responded to an undisclosed address on November 30, 2022. Body cameras were worn. They were “notified of a potential crime from a different date, which is identified as Friday, November 18, at 2 PM. Sergeant C.D. Jackson was notified, as well as an undisclosed officer who, “advised he will be taking over the investigation.” It’s worth noting the report states, “Any Children under 18 Involved as a Victim?: No.” The fact is, we don’t know. And shouldn’t guess. JSO leaks are sensational.

Stermon’s wife reported Stermon suffered a stroke on December 5 and only arrived back home on December 7. On December 8, he was found in his locked car at the Mayport post office. The police report notes, the family, “Checked their entire residence for any possible handwritten notes, left by the victim; including every family member’s email, but it yielded negative results.” His phone had been turned off and his social media shut down. Some very desirable information died with him.

Like most things out of the mouths of the misfit mafia of Northeast Florida politicians, Waters’ altruistic promises remain in question. Once one of Stermon’s greatest allies, Waters leads an investigation of him which is complicated by his years of access and influence. JSO leaks indicate some of the investigation is sexual in nature; other rumors concern the relative ages of the victims. Regardless, JSO is split into factions. Many officers want this investigation done by an outside agency to avoid all appearances of impropriety. That concerns others because it would typically involve FDLE and its local leader, Mike Williams, who was the one who gave Stermon the unfettered access in the first place.

What accesses and accolades are elected officials giving to people simply based on political favors? In a post-9/11 world, security of government offices is fundamental. Or is it? Does the city care about the liability exposure? Or should we all just pound sand?

Politicians seem to be made of Teflon and can win re-election despite notorious allegations of impropriety. If we do not pay attention to murder rates and do not care about the company our elected officials keep, we are failing ourselves: as voters and as citizens. We hope T.K. Waters will get this right and move us forward as a city. We hope the FBI and Department of Justice peek in on Jacksonville. We need the oversight.

Unforced Error

Diana Greene jumps the shark

Words by Shelton Hull

Quick history lesson: Jacksonville's first Black mayor was Alvin Brown, whose political career was all but ruined with a single critical mistake: the role he played, behind the scenes, in helping to block passage of the city's initial attempt to pass a Human Rights Ordinance designed to extend traditional anti-discrimination protections in housing, employment, etc. to the LGBTQIA+ community. It was a rare case of almost unanimous consent within the local power structure, something that usually only happens in matters related to football, turtles and, occasionally, public works.

The HRO was supported by the Chamber of Commerce and all the living past mayors, a cadre that included a number of notable conservatives. Despite that, Brown bucked the trend and deferred to the wishes of certain key pastors; as a result, the HRO fell just short of the votes it needed in the City Council, and Brown lost the entire LGBTQIA+ community, a group whose support had carried him to victory in the closest mayor's race ever, not even two years earlier. As expected, his ambitions were stomped into a moist putty by Lenny Curry in 2015, and Curry was savvy enough to sit back and let it pass on his watch.

Now, almost a decade after Brown sacrificed his career to appease a bunch of bigots and hatemongers, Dr. Diana L. Greene, who has served ably as the Superintendent of Duval County Schools since 2018, has done basically the same thing to herself. They both made history, and soon they will both be history, maybe. Greene's move to terminate the school district's long-standing relationship with

JASMYN sent shockwaves through local activist circles, as well as many people who don't usually pay much attention to such things. The debacle began with an unfortunate post on JASMYN's IG, promoting one of the many adult-themed novelty card games out there. This post included some cartoon renderings of male genitalia, and it was immediately deleted once that was noticed. Not fast enough, however, to stop those images from being screenshotted and disseminated through the same online forums one might consult to find out where the next drag show is, for the disruption-minded. (By the way, multiple drag shows have been subject to threat of violence, or even the reality of violence, just within the last few weeks. Most notably, an entire town of 40,000 people in North Carolina lost their electricity after the generators got shot up, allegedly by domestic terrorists hoping to ruin a local drag show–a local drag show that, it should be noted, still went on without issue, lit only by candles and cell-phone flashlights.)

The general public had no idea about any of this. Even the vast majority of JASMYN's 1,671 IG followers would have never even seen the images in question before their deletion. It was the infamous Moms 4 Liberty who picked up the torch, then used it to burn down the long, proud, productive relationship between JASMYN and DCPS, which for some reason felt the need to move fast on this matter. By "DCPS", of course, I mean Dr. Greene, who is normally not one to flex her authority in the imperious, impulsive manner of a Gov. DeSantis, whose own open disdain forFlorida's LGBTQIA+ community is a matter of public record, and private speculation. Greene called JASMYN CEO Cindy Watson personally and gave her 30 days' notice of the termination of the contract, which allowed for JASMYN to come into the schools to provide counseling and support services for teens who often have nowhere else to turn. There was no debate, no discussion, no recourse.

It was a lead-segment story on local news shows, and social media was suitably lit. If you thought otherwise, then you just don't understand the love that Jacksonville has for JASMYN, a group that is about as apolitical as you can get. Founded in 1984, the Jacksonville Area Sexual Minority Youth Network has played an indispensable role in providing counseling and services for a segment of the population that has been famously underserved.

The organization has always simply tried to help LGBTQIA+ youth find acceptance and safety, which can sometimes be a matter of literal life and death, especially in an area like Northeast Florida, which sadly suffers from a disproportionate amount of anti-trans violence, up to and including murder. The folks giving them static currently are the types who have openly expressed approval of such violence, often using their own platforms to run interference for the truly dangerous among them. JASMYN is also an essential partner for the approximately 28 Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) currently serving Duval County Schools.

Clearly, Greene hadn't paid much attention to the demographic makeup of the crowds gathered for protests and civil action related to public education in recent years, particularly in the pandemic era. She clearly didn't look too closely at the people queued up to speak about the Confederate monuments, the sales tax increase for schools, or the changing of school names that she helped oversee. In all such cases, it has been precisely the LGBTQIA+ community that has stood up in support of parents, teachers and students, as well as Dr. Greene herself.

Greene's decision sparked an instant backlash among a community that has known JASMYN much longer than they've known her. If she thought she had mainstream support for this move, she was wrong, as a dozen leading local organizations–including One JAX, City Year, the Dolores Barr Weaver Policy Center, the Jacksonville Public Education fund, 904ward, the LGBTQ Community Fund for Northeast Florida, the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida, Teach for America, Read USA, the Miller Families and the United Way–issued a joint statement in support of LGBTQIA+ youth.

A week later, and DCPS had finally opened the situation up for public debate at their December 6 school board meeting, which is what they should have done from the start. Well, a little debate, anyway–about ten minutes. There wasn't much to be done at that point, though. Greene's mind was made up. While she did concede the value of the services they provided, and was gracious enough to express support for the students they serve, she made it clear that the formal relationship between DCPS and JASMYN, one that lasted through six superintendents and four mayors, is now officially over.

It's worth noting that one of the five people killed at Club Q in Colorado Springs was a trans woman who, according to loved ones, had only recently moved there from Florida. She was worried about the uptick in violence against trans women in our

state. The official responses ranged from tepid disapproval to outright joy. So, she went to Colorado because she was afraid to live in Florida anymore, and she died on the floor of that club. She was hardly the first member of Florida's LGBTQ community driven directly to their deaths by homegrown hate, and she will not be the last. For our superintendent to stand in solidarity with those who persecute them is, quite frankly, an utter disgrace. She is a lame duck now, one who crippled herself.

Rebuild or Evolve?

Words by Ambar Ramirez

Talk of global warming and climate change is nothing new. Almost every day we see or hear of a catastrophic natural event happening somewhere around the world, leaving people homeless, hungry, lost, or buried.

Living in Florida my whole life, unpredicted weather is normal to me, as I’m sure it is for a lot of people that live in the (supposedly) Sunshine State. Regardless of how sunny the day starts, I know to always pack an umbrella or have a hoodie on hand. And whenever a hurricane comes around, as it does every hurricane season, instead of panicking, most locals are calm whilst shopping for toilet paper, water and filling up their gas tanks (the basics). But this year, something bizarre happened. Just weeks apart, Florida was hit by a hurricane then a tropical storm. Leaving the streets in St.Augustine flooded and homes abandoned while people close to big bodies of water had to relocate.

While doing research for this article, I found that in 2021 there were 97 natural disasters in the United States alone; globally, 401. Including hurricanes, tornados, wildfires, flooding and scorching temperatures that lead to life-threatening droughts. And with the imminent rise of natural disasters, so does the cost of repairing storm-related damage. So far this year, the world has been affected by at least 29 billion-dollar weather disasters, according to an article released by Yale Climate Connections. While we continue to rebuild after each disaster, some are irreparable. Clothing, cars and houses can be replaced, but lives cannot.

Despite the commonality of such events, each damaging storm that reaches our shores forces residents to tear down houses and start over — and, sometimes, over again. But in other parts of the world,

where whole cities, states or even islands that have been damaged by storms (or wars and pandemics), are looking at the destruction as a way to improve and become better, a way to live in harmony with Mother Nature rather than harm it.

In Jacksonville, those who build our houses and repair the damages caused by storms are also looking at ways we can evolve. Especially for those that thrive living close to the beach. Finishing carpenter Miles Tabb is currently working on a house in Ponte Vedra and sees a lot of the storm damage firsthand.

“I think that's something that people don't really think about, you know, when they wanna live on the beach, you're gonna constantly pay money, fix things, replace things,” Tabb said. “It's not simple.”

One of the biggest issues that comes with living by the beach is the potential of flooding or worse. Not to mention the cost of living on the beach impacts not only your bank account but your livelihood. I mean, take a look at the famous blue house on Vilano beach that recently went Facebook viral. The wooden structure still stands tall on its stilts quite literally on the shore despite all of the hurricanes it has endured. But one comment mentions seeing no stairs to reach the actual home… guess it's not all that indestructible.

“All along the beach through here [Ponte Vedra], it took all the dunes away, and there were a couple of different houses you could see where they were just a little too low on the ground and you could see it. They all flooded,” Tabb said. “You know, the docks that lead out to the beach all got destroyed and the bulkheads and stuff. So it was surprisingly a lot of damage.”

While families are temporarily relocated to shelters or hotels, its people like Tabbs and those who directly work with storm damage that are getting caught in the eye of the storm. Eye to eye with the mold, damaged structures or pipes and flooding, that is.

“I've done a couple of flood jobs before —some have been from storms, and some haven't — but that's usually kind of messy,” Tabb said. “You gotta rip all the floors out; we gotta cut the drywall back three feet off the ground.”

Still, people will live by the beach, and I don’t blame them! And if you can afford it, all the more power to you. This article is not meant to discourage but to uplift. Take a look at Puerto Rico. It took the island 11 months to restore power to all of those affected by Hurricane Maria in 2017. Not to mention the roads were so damaged that it became a challenge to circulate and distribute food. Now, instead of losing hope, the island is looking at ways of sourcing food inland rather than depending on getting most of their food imported from the states. Even a small town in Ukraine, Irpin, is looking toward a brighter future with safer structures amidst the rubble caused by Russian invasions.

The possibility of storm damage is already factored in the building a house process during the sketching and planning stages. Yet, is there more we could do to be preventive rather than reactive?

“I think it's really important that everything in the process is being looked at, like taking their time, you know what I mean?” Tabb said. “Sometimes people try to do things too quick, and they want to just get the job done. I really think it just comes down to doing every little step that needs to be done the right way. If you're cutting corners, then you're gonna be dealing with it later.”

It comes down to more than just taking your time and checking every box on the list. For we as a society could do better at preventing such devastating storms from happening in the first place. The growing frequency of natural disasters are a direct result of climate change and the increase of global surface temperature. And the heightened cost of damage from natural disasters is tied to the increase of population and property.

The United Nations has a list of simple steps everyday people can take to reduce their impact on the climate. Like riding a bike or using public transportation to reduce the release of fossil fuels. Saving energy at home, eating more vegetables, and of course, reduce, reuse, recycle.

So I ask this, as natural disasters evolve: Shouldn’t we too? Or will we continue to live life on the thread that Earth is hanging by?

For more information on how you can become more eco-friendly, visit un.org/actnow.

Ella Wishes You a

Swinging Christmas

Anthony Williams’

Christmas with Mary Berry and Friends

Words By Carmen Macri and Ambar Ramirez

Dubbed the murder capital of Florida, Jacksonville is no stranger to crime. In 2020, Jacksonville saw the highest homicide rate since 2003 with 177. But with a brief glimpse of hope in 2021 in which homicide rates dropped to 130, the city of Jacksonville may be getting a grip on violent crime. According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office website, as of publication, there have only been 116 homicides reported. But with a few weeks left still left in the year, that number is expected to rise. And out of those 116 homicides, only half have been solved, leaving the rest as cold cases.

It is also important to note that homicide and murder are not the same. Murders do not include justified actions such as self-defense, while homicides do. This means the number of homicides tends to be higher than the number of murders.

Unfortunately, many cases go unsolved due to a variety of reasons — no leads, lack of evidence, witness intimidation — one thing for certain is the main cause of death due to homicide in Jacksonville involves the use of a firearm. On Dec. 3, there was the senseless death of 13-year-old Prince Holland. After leaving football tryouts, Holland got a ride home with a 21-year-old football coach and four others all under 16 years old. Now, a memorial along Moncrief road west and New Kings road, marks the spot where the unprecedented drive-by shooting occurred. Leaving one dead and two others hospitalized. While JSO officials are actively investigating this incident, if anything, this crime goes to show the extent of violence that fills Jacksonville’s streets.

The crime is shocking because of the manner in which it occurred, but even more so because of the age of the victim. According to a chart provided by “The Florida Times Union,” the average age of homicide victims ranges from 18 to 29. Of all the reported homicides in 2022, only 11 cases involved victims aged 17 or younger. Including the case of Holland.

In Jacksonville, 81.7% of the homicides reported have men as the victims, while 17.65% of victims were women. In terms of which race has the highest percentage of crimes committed against them, Blacks are victims of homicide three times as often as Whites.

This also highlights the areas and communities in Jacksonville that tend to have more crime. In the past, ZIP code 32209 (on the Northside) has been labeled one of the most violent and dangerous parts of the city, but things changed in 2022. According to News4Jax, the most homicides reported this year occurred in 32210. The explanation for this shift is vague, but it is noted the crimes in the latter ZIP code (on the Westside) are most likely tied to drugs.

However, homicides aren’t the only crimes reported in Jacksonville. Between Nov. 28 to Dec. 4 alone, there were 715 crimes committed (and reported) in the city of Jacksonville. And out of the 715 crimes committed, 248 were larceny.

BURGLARIES, ROBBERIES AND LARCENY: Larceny is the theft of personal items like motor vehicles, bicycles,

etc. Anything that is taken without force or violence is considered larceny. Burglary, also called breaking and entering, is the entry into a building illegally with the intent to commit a crime. Robbery is the action of taking property unlawfully from a person or place by force or threat of force. Out of the 715 crimes reported from the week of November 28th to December 4th, 120 were reported burglaries and 14 were reported robberies.

It is also during these months that burglary rates tend to rise in the state of Florida, which has a crime score of 81.5. Twice more than the national average. Dare we blame the holidays for such incidents? Probably. But not just because families are leaving their houses unattended while they ski on snowy slopes but because there are families desperate enough to turn to crime to see a smile on their children's faces come Christmas morning.

DRUGS AND ALCOHOL VIOLATIONS, DUIS: According to The National Transportation Safety Administration, drunk driving deaths went up more than 14 percent between 2019 and 2020. In 2019, Jacksonville was ranked top 3 for deadliest DUI crashes and had the third highest per capita DUI fatalities in all of Florida, according to the Lawrence Law Group. In 2020, out of 24,436 reported car accidents, 420 of those accidents were due to the driver being impaired by drugs or alcohol. This year, during Thanksgiving weekend alone, JSO made 33 DUI arrests. Sheriff T.K. Waters said in a later press conference that JSO will have a “renewed focus” on impaired driving. He then vowed to make the roads safer for the holiday season. “Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal and significantly increases the risk to every citizen on our roadways and our communities across Duval County,” Waters said.

VANDALISM:

When thinking of vandalism we often refer to Banksy and his infamous street art or graffiti that often has a positive effect on otherwise bland communities. But by definition vandalism is the action of deliberately destructing or damaging public/private property. From November 28th to December 4th, there were 54 incidents of vandalism reported in Jacksonville.

In recent news, a certain farm has been a target of vandalism for three weeks. The White Harvest Farm located in Northwest Jacksonville has reported three instances of vandalism that has left the non-profit urban farm unstable with broken pipes and a damaged irrigation system. The cost of these damages are now well over $10,000. Considering that this non-profit is located in Moncrief, an area with not a lot of healthy food options, the damages on this farm can create a chain reaction of issues for the whole area and for families that depend on fresh produce.

ASSAULT:

According to ‘Crime Mapping’ of the 715 crimes reported from the weeks of November 28th to December 4th, 128 were assault incidents. Assault is commonly defined as any intentional act that causes a person to fear an attack or be imminently harmed. Meaning that out of all these assaults reported, not all ended with any sign of

actual harm. Simple assault can be charged as a misdemeanor while aggravated assault is commonly handled as a felony.

Still, since assault is broad in terms of crime, it is one of the most common violent crimes. Especially when you factor in sexual assault.

SEX CRIMES/SEX TRAFFICKING:

There are more than 2,500 registered sexual predators and offenders in Duval County.

It is hard to find the actual statistic on how many sex crimes have been committed in Jacksonville because victims of sexual assault hardly go to the police, and if they do, it's rare that the case actually goes anywhere. Victims of sexual assault often wait to report the incident because they fear society's reaction. The effects of the trauma can be short-term or last long after the incident. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts is a common mental effect of sexual assault.

WCJ saw a 38 percent increase in sexual assault forensic exams conducted in October 2021 vs October 2020. This means more people are coming forward.

In early August, Jacksonville's FBI recovered 7 sex trafficking victims and made 3 arrests against the attackers. There are 48 victims still being investigated. Jacksonville is 3rd in the state for human trafficking, and according to Voices for Florida, Florida ranks 3rd in the nation for reports of human trafficking. Children are being sold for sex in every county in Florida.

These statistics change everyday. Meaning that there is no precise number we can give to accurately depict the number of crimes committed. Still, it does give insight into the state of crime Jacksonville is in. And with the new year right around the corner, we asked our city officials what they intend to do to reduce crime come 2023. Here's what they had to say.

JACKSONVILLE BEACH MAYOR CHRIS HOFFMAN:

“Recruiting, training and retaining police officers. Like every industry right now, finding and keeping qualified candidates is a challenge. Retaining a well-trained, cohesive and effective department is fundamental.”

“Engaging technology where possible such as the camera system downtown and the newly implemented drone program. In cases of large events which are common at the beach, the cameras and drones give us extra eyes to assess and identify potential issues.”

“Great communication with our residents and businesses. Utilizing social media to communicate broadly and establishing one-on-one relationships with our business owners, especially in the downtown area, helps us stay on top of or even ahead of potential issues in the community.”

And lastly, “Involving the citizens through the Citizen Police Academy and the Citizens on Patrol program.”

ATLANTIC BEACH MAYOR CURTIS FORD: “Atlantic Beach will continue to add police officers until we are fully staffed at 36. We typically have been adding two new positions per year to achieve this goal.”

“We’ve also explored Community Officer Policing Services (COPS) to create better communication/partnerships between ABPD and residents.”

“Community policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies that support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime.”

GREEN COVE SPRING MAYOR MATT JOHNSON: “Many of our recent crimes have been related to homeless persons. We just had one spit in the face of one of our patrol sergeants. Our department has just established a full-time Community Relations Officer who will act as our Homeless Liaison. This officer, Josh Lee, has begun documenting the homeless people in the City and gathering information on resources that we can share with this segment of the population.

For a more comprehensive look on how we intend to respond to crime and other issues in 2023 (through 2028), please stay tuned for our 5-year strategic plan, which will be published in January.”

JACKSONVILLE MAYOR LENNY CURRY: Mayor Lenny Curry’s media team redirected us to a different media email, requested the deadline date and never responded again.

DUVAL COUNTY SHERIFF T.K. WATERS: When we reached out about plans for reducing crime in 2023, T.K. Waters replied with no comment.

“Thanks for reaching out. Sheriff Waters is unavailable at this time.”

CLAY COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT: Public Information Deputy Andrew Ford called on behalf of Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook to answer. In regards to reducing crime for 2023, the Clay County Sheriff's Department mentions that instead of plans to reduce crime they are taking the angle of “fighting crime”. Ford also emphasized relying on community involvement. As the population in Clay County rises, so does crime. This means that it is not just in the hands of the officials to keep the community safe but in the hands of the community itself to take advantage of the resources provided by the department. Ford also heavily mentioned the Saferwatch app which is a powerful public safety and information tool that directly connects the department with citizens within Clay County.

“It takes all of us working together.”

We also reached out to the following officials and received no response: St. Johns County Sheriff Robert A. Hardwick

Words by Kevin Cramer

You may have seen the puzzling teasers around town—a cryptic message that says “JacksInJax.com.” From Downtown to 5 Points to Jax Beach, the phrase is popping up all over Duval County. Those of you who have been curious enough to visit the website learned it’s the home of First Coast’s First Treasure Hunt Mural.

The JacksinJax project is the brainchild of Murray Hill resident and muralist Jason Tetlak. Recently while in Iowa painting the facade of a large theatre, Tetlak, who received international acclaim when his 3D mural was recognized as the largest in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records, was struck with a random thought. “What if I combined a mural with an escape room?” Tetlak said. “Would that even be possible? You have a lot of time to think when you’re painting for 10 to 12 hours a day for five straight days, so by the time I got back home, I had it mostly worked out in my head.”

Having an idea is one thing. Executing it is another. Upon arriving back in Jacksonville, Tetlak set out to find business partners to assist in the adventure. His search eventually lead to Future of Cities, a real estate development firm with a holistic, place-based approach to regenerative development that jumped at the chance to incorporate public art into their plans. Other local companies like Wolf & Cub, 1748 Bakehouse and The Block Skate Supply also came on board, and securing these local partnerships essentially gave Tetlak a green light to go ahead.

“The concept is part Art Walk, part immersive puzzle and part treasure hunt,” said Tetlak. “Without some exciting rewards to encourage competition, the whole thing wouldn’t be as fun for me. And for anyone who chooses to play so I’m super thankful for the great local businesses that are supporting the project. With their help, I’ll be giving away more than $2,500 in prizes.”

Asked why he’d go to so much trouble to set up such a quest, Tetlak laughed. “Art is evolving as people desire more and more from their experiences – so I’m constantly searching for ways to make my art interactive. I’m always trying to get people to do more than simply look at art. I want them to experience art. And hopefully, if the concept succeeds here in Jacksonville, we’ll be able to take the model to other cities as well. But as far as I know, this one will be the very first to combine the elements we’re combining. To have it here in Jacksonville, especially to celebrate the city’s 200th anniversary is pretty special.”

Tetlak claims that even finding the mural (“somewhere in Duval County” was the only clue he’d give) will be part of the game. “I don’t want to give away much more than that, but if all goes well the first person or group to finish the game will get a pretty unique prize,” he said. “And even if you’re not first, they’ll be other cool rewards along the way, so stay tuned.”

Tetlak hasn’t ruled out the possibility of offering extra clues to his followers so for more information check out his Instagram page, @ jasontetlak.

Ringing in the New Year Within Reason

Words by Molly Britt

The new year is almost upon us. We spent this past year getting booster shots and planning trips we could finally take and now the big question is here. What are our plans for 2023?

I get that you’re excited to start off the new year on the right foot, but in order to do that, maybe don’t plan hard to reach resolutions you most likely will forget by the second week of January. We all want to lose the holiday weight and cut down on the carbs. Are you really going to stick to the same resolution you’ve been putting off every single year for the last five years, though? I know I won’t.

Maybe this coming year is a time to make real resolutions. Ones we know we can achieve given our daily schedules. So put down your pen and barely used planner, and think about what you really want and know you can achieve in the next twelve months without all the pressure to be better.

Let’s start of on the most commonly broken resolution…losing weight. You are probably thinking of getting rid of that holiday weight and, I get it, I want too also. However, setting a goal like that when starting of the new year can maybe do more harm than good. Putting on that kind of pressure on yourself right in the beginning is most likely going to set up a bad example of how you want to handle things in the coming year, not to mention stress yourself out. So instead, think about setting a goal to feel healthier. Work out when you want, or don’t. You don’t need to set a resolution to lose weight and get fit to feel healthier. After all, a healthy mind is a healthy body. Think to yourself, what did you do during 2022 that didn’t make you feel as great, something you can work on without taking away from your daily schedule? For me, I think I put to much pressure on myself, so maybe I’ll set small weekly goals. Something I know I can achieve without putting to much strain on myself. Just because you set a goal you know you will achieve; doesn’t mean you’re not trying.

So maybe your resolution is not to lose weight, but to spend less money. I too am a bit of an online shopaholic, but let’s be real, that’s a difficult goal to set on yourself out of the blue. So maybe you can work towards a budget each week. Set aside money for essentials you know you’ll be needing and work from there. Maye instead of cutting your budget in half right of the bat or putting pressure on yourself to never go out anymore, you can start by keeping track of what you do each week and how much you spend. Then plan from there. You still need to allow yourself some time away from the office, work, school, etc. You’re allowed to go out and enjoy yourself, just make sure you keep track of what you do. Set a reasonable budget, one you know you can keep to. Save money, but do it when you can. Don’t lead yourself into a hole you cannot crawl out of.

So, we’ve covered saving money and getting healthy, but there are so many other goals you can set for yourself in 2023 without stressing yourself out and feeling like you failed to keep up. Take it day by day. Want to go somewhere you’ve never been? It doesn’t have to be out of

town. Go to a nice park you’ve never seen or a gallery you’ve never checked out. These past few years have been tough on everyone, maybe set a resolution to call your loved ones more often. A quick call can make all the difference. Make a resolution to be more grateful about your day. Spend time making someone else happy. These are all resolutions you can make and achieve with minimal effort. You don’t have to make out of this world resolutions to make sure your new year is great. If anything, setting smaller goals and achieving those can make you feel even better than you think. So, I don’t know about you, but I plan onsetting myself up for success in 2023, and I’m going to do so by making some of these resolutions. See you in 2023.

The Willow Sisters

Words by Carmen Macri

Much like the songs of a weeping willow, twins Kristen and Brittany Rogers have voices so soothing you will find yourself in a trance. The sisters have been singing alongside each other since before they can remember. Growing up, they had a burning passion for music. Kristen mentioned that for every holiday (and birthday) they were given the same present every year—a new microphone—and it never got old. From an incredibly early age, Kristen and Brittany both knew they wanted to pursue a career in music, but it was not until early 2016 that they began making their dream a reality.

It is the perfect Florida winter day, sunny and 80 degrees. I stroll out to the back patio of Palm Valley Outdoors just in time to hear the Willow Sisters' rendition of “Radioactive,” a song I could have sworn I hated but not their version. Voices like velvet take a onceoverplayed track and create something brand new. After their first two songs, the crowd starts to loosen up. Couples of all ages join the band in dancing along to popular love songs, swaying to the beat feeling like they might be the only people in this restaurant. The percussionist, Eastman Curtis, is wearing a smile like no other. He looks like the epitome of “just happy to be here.” With his timely slaps on his djembe, a skin-covered goblet drum played with bare hands and tuned with rope, he keeps the tempo intact with Michael Bennick strumming the guitar so perfectly and Kris Joslyn on bass

never missing a beat. Kristen and Brittany effortlessly perform songs covering practically every genre and multiple decades. Cyndi Lauper, Def Leppard, Blink 182 … they played something for everyone in the crowd.

After they finished with their first set, we had 15 minutes to chat before they had to be back on stage. Currently, the Willow Sisters only play cover songs, but they have been hard at work creating their own sound and are preparing to release their first EP. “We are kind of working on a more cinematic type of EP. We want the listeners to visualize what is happening in the song,” Kristen explained.

Taking inspiration from Miley Cyrus, Rhianna and Tove Lo, Brittany said that for their own music, they love to blend all genres. They think it is important to note that their original music is nothing like the songs they cover. “It’s more electronic/pop based versus like the acoustic/ chill music that we do live. It's very different but we love it,” Kristen said.

I was lucky enough to have a close friend of theirs give me a sneak peek of one of their unreleased songs during their break. I could not listen to the whole track, but from what I heard, it was dark and moody, much like the vibe they are trying to create for this EP.

The Willow Sisters have worked with music producers all over the country including Grammy Award winner Vinny Venditto who has worked with Eminem, DJ Khalid, 2Chainz, Nikki Minaj, Ceelo Green, FloRida and Justin Bieber.

“We travel to work on music a lot. We’ll go to Miami since our producer is there, and we’ll go to Nashville,” Brittany explained. And while they do travel around the country to create their music, they stick to their roots when performing it, tending to stick around North Florida. Because of this, they have curated quite the audience with fans following them from Ponte Vedra Beach to Destin.

Writing music isn’t the only thing Kristen and Brittany have in the books for their careers; they are also working toward getting their music in movies and TV shows. The sisters have already had meetings in L.A. to discuss the perfect visual vehicle to showcase their original music, like a spot on a popular show on Netflix or HBO. Until then, the Willow Sisters will continue to do what they love—play live for their fans.

If you are interested learning more about the Willow Sisters, check them out on Spotify, Apple Music and Instagram (@ thewillowsisters).

Writing music is not the only thing these two sisters have in the books for their careers; they are also getting their music

synced in movies and TV shows. The two sisters have had meetings in LA with talks of finding the perfect TV show to showcase their original music. Looking for a spot on a popular Netflix or HBO show. Until then, the Willow Sisters will continue to do what they love.

If you are interested in the Willow sisters check them out on Spotify, Apple Music, and Instagram @thewillowsisters

tresore collection golden stretch bracelets

ANTWERP

Resolutions to Jumpstart 2023 LEGAL ADVICE

Words by John M. Phillips

With 2023 just around the corner, here are 4 legal resolutions that will help give your life a little more order in the new year.

1. Get a Living Will / Medical Directive

It may be called a living will, medical directive or durable power of attorney for health care decisions. Each is essentially a legal document that tells doctors and family your wishes when you cannot. Some may want their life prolonged by any means necessary; while others want medical treatments withheld to allow for a natural death. Which are you? Who do you trust to enforce this decision? It can be as detailed as you want it to be. And the more detailed, the better. It is an uncomfortable topic, yes, but also a very important one. If you don’t have a medical directive and you sustain an incapacitating head injury or are not able to respond to doctors, your family will be forced to spend thousands to set up a guardianship to make even the simplest of decisions for you. Thus, creating a debate over your true intentions, which can be stressful and heartbreaking for any family member. It’s not that expensive and a lawyer is not always necessary. We have drafted living wills, medical directives and durable powers of attorney for military and first responders in the past for no charge.

2.Review Your Automobile Insurance

Unintentional injury is one of the leading causes of death in America. Car accidents happen all too often. We recently saw a young man sustain a brain injury, another suffer paralysis after a hit and run and another family lose a loved one in a car wreck.

Unfortunately, none of the people involved carried bodily injury insurance to cover medical bills, lost wages or changes in life. Each was left devastated emotionally and financially. None of these families had uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to turn to in the event the other party is uninsured or underinsured. It’s estimated over half of the people driving have less than $10,000 in bodily injury coverage, yet distracted driving continues to cause more collisions and serious injuries.

Most people assume others have insurance. Florida is one of the few states that does not require policies to cover injuries to another. Drivers are often misled by insurance agents selling “full coverage,” only to find “full” leaves us empty. We recommend carrying UM / UIM insurance of at least triple the household gross income. It’s fairly inexpensive. We often review policies for free and can offer expert advice.

3. Incorporate Your Business

If you have your own business, are self-employed or operate as an independent contractor, you should strongly consider incorporating so as to build a wall between you and your business.

Running a business without all the formality may seem simple but setting it up properly can protect your personal financial assets if the business becomes vulnerable. Incorporating your business creates separate entities for you and the business so if things turn, the business is exposed and not you. It usually costs less than $500.

4. Best Criminal Advice? Never Volunteer Information

It’s hard to give “blanket” advice about what to do when faced with criminal charges. In most situations, unless there is a clear error or mistake that can be easily corrected, when facing an arrest or criminal investigation, do not try to talk your way out of trouble.

Politely ask if you are being investigated or charged with a crime. If so, ask to speak to a lawyer immediately. Although you may not be entitled, endeavor to have your statement recorded. The recording will portray you as knowledgeable, prudent, and intent upon exercising your fourth amendment rights.

Do not consent to a search of person or property, don’t volunteer additional information, be respectful and contact a lawyer as soon as possible.

Happy New Year!

May your 2023 be safe and prosperous.

SIENA COLLECTION

Sinister Santa

Words by Carmen Macri

He enslaves hundreds, breaks into millions of homes a year and preys on children specifically.

I mean, I am not sure why the world is so in love with this (dare I say) predator. The lore of ol’ St. Nick dates to 200 A.D., back when he was a 5-foot-tall Turkish man who shared all of his generosity with children alone (OK, weird)

We have all heard the song: “he sees you when you’re sleeping; he knows when you’re awake.” I am sorry? How? How does this diabetic old fart know when I am sleeping? What does he do with that information? Does that mean he always has eyes on us 24/7? What about during intimate times? Or when I’ve had too much Taco Bell? The song never goes on to explain how he knows when we are sleeping. There is only one person on this entire planet that could do these things and get away with them, and it is Santa Claus. If my uncle were to have little children lined up to sit on his lap while he promises them gifts and candy… he would be spending 25 to life in prison.

I grew up on “South Park” and “Family Guy” who never missed a beat when it came to calling out Kris Kringle and his creepy gang of cannibalistic reindeer and inbred elves (if you know, you know.) Listen, I get it, free presents are the best! But why can’t we give our parents the credit? Why do we have to give it to this judgmental slug? Seriously, I don’t think anyone is more of a critic than Santa Claus. If you are bad, you get a lump of dirty coal. What if you just had a bad year? Sometimes things happen. But no, if Santa deems you “naughty,” you get coal and only coal.

It is crazy to me that the man who is stalking children and breaking and entering assumes the power to dictate whether I have been naughty or nice. Meanwhile, this man belongs to the world's most wanted. Are you kidding me? I would not be surprised if he took himself a little something from every home too… Maybe that’s where everyone's socks go? We blame it on the washer, but I think I might know who the real culprit is. And not to mention Santa's evil counterpart Krampus. How does someone so jolly have a demon working with him to punish the bad children? He is rocking horns and half a goat's body. He comes Christmas night to torture all the naughty children… is that what the song meant when it said “he knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake.” Was it a warning? So much so that the Christian church fought so hard to ban Krampus from being associated with Christmas, but you can’t fight the truth!

There are dozens of Reddit threads under r/unpopularopinions. One was posted by a user about how universally creepy he

thinks Santa is, but that's not what caught my eye. It was a comment left under the post explaining how in their country they have thirteen Santas (Yule Lads) who live in a remote area in the mountains. For the 13 days leading to Christmas, the children are to leave their shoes out on the doorstep for the Yule Lads (foot fetish?) in exchange for a present. If the children don’t leave shoes out for the deranged foot-loving Santas, they have a cat that will eat the mischievous children.

M Y L A G O S M Y W A Y

Top 4 TV Series of 2022

Words by Harry Moore

4) We Own This City

David Simon and George Pelecanos’ miniseries charts the rise and fall of the Baltimore Police Department’s Gun Trace Task Force, revealing the extent of the unit’s excessive corruption set against the backdrop of citywide protests following the death of Freddie Gray, a black man who was killed while in police custody in 2015. Told through a non-linear structure, where the internal affairs investigation unfolds into flashbacks that detail the moblike behavior of these police officers whose actions had a major impact, and in many cases completely destroyed, the lives of people living in the community. Simon brings his journalistic instincts that made The Wire a methodically layered masterpiece about the failure of America’s institutions, as Pelecanos utilizes his pedigree as a crime fiction author to make the characters multi-faceted and engaging for the screen. Brought to life by a terrific cast that has Jon Bernthal at the center of it as the charismatic and repugnant head of the GTTF, Sergeant. Wayne Jenkins. Bernthal is magnetic in the lead role and steals practically every scene he is in, but manages to never overshadow the all too real systemic tragedy that this series is dramatizing. Another terrific, must watch series straight from Simon’s wheelhouse.

3) Better Call Saul

Where parent show Breaking Bad climaxed with a bloodbath, Better Call Saul ended its run with a former couple sharing a cigarette in a moment of quiet reflection. Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould gave their phenomenal spinoff series the swansong it deserved with Jimmy “Saul Goodman” McGill (Bob Odenkirk) finally facing the music for all his moral shortcomings. Like he has done throughout the series, Odenkirk gives a nuanced performance that reveals plenty of depth to this character who originated as a shallow caricature. He is matched by the rest of the cast which is made up of a combination of returning Breaking Bad characters and new creations for the prequel. Giancarlo Esposito triumphantly returns to his career defining role of Gus Fring, as does Jonathan Banks who has quietly turned his gravel voiced Mike into an icon of modern television. As constantly downtrodden Nacho Vargas and the charmingly villainous Lalo Salamanca, Michael Mando and Tony Dalton were able to establish themselves as memorable characters in this saga. While Rhea Seahorn gave a complex and interior performance, that became emotionally wreaking in this final run of episodes. A beautiful end to a wonderful series that will surely become a textbook example of how to successfully close out a show.

2) Barry

HBO’s hitman drama-come-Hollywood satire continued its tightly calibrated highwire act of balancing thrillingly cinematic action set pieces, devastating moments of inevitable tragedy and idiosyncratic, often

hilarious, jokes about algorithm-led business decisions, partners with too many dogs and beignets – all accomplished in the uniquely defined Barry voice. After a prolonged, covid induced break, Barry returned this year for its strongest, and undoubtedly darkest, season yet. Bill Hader writes, directs and stars as the eponymous hitman turned aspiring actor in a virtuoso display both in front of and behind the camera. The supporting cast are also of the highest order, with Sarah Goldberg, Henry Winkler and Anthony Carrigan all able to deftly balance their comedic delivery with heartbreaking turns. Alongside co-writer Alec Berg, Hader has created an unpredictable and deeply human exploration of redemption and whether people who have committed numerous evil deeds (or have just live a perpetually selfish existence) can earn such catharsis. Barry manages to simultaneously be one of the most provocative dramas and funniest comedies to grace our screens this year, and also makes a strong case for Bill Hader, one of the best actors, and most promising directors, working today.

1) Atlanta

Another victim of covid delays, Atlanta wasted no time upon its return to the airwaves, dropping both the third season as well as the fourth and final season this year, reminding people that watched why it was hailed as one of the most confident, creative and flat-out best series to be made in the last ten years. Donald Glover’s ode to the city of Atlanta, and black culture at large, took its surrealist perspective of the world overseas to Europe for the third season, showing that across the pond has just as many issues to work through as back home. The fourth season then operated as both a homecoming and farewell, with the core quartet all looking ahead to the next phase of their lives. And it has been said before, but the main cast of Atlanta is among the best ensembles in tv history. All have gone from relative unknowns to stardom over the course of the series’ run; Zazie Beets is appearing in major blockbusters, LaKieth Stanfield has cultivated an eclectic filmography, Brian Tyree Henry has garnered acclaim as one of the strongest character actors working today, while creator and star Glover has become among of the most highly sought-after creatives in Hollywood. Even up to its end, Atlanta was always unabashedly, almost defiantly itself, never caving in to convention or attempts to appease the audience. And for its efforts, the series was always satisfying and surprising. For instance, the finale finds a way to give us both our four heroes driving off into the sunset in a pink sports car and also a touching, Inception inspired, “was it all a dream?” ending, all while spending most of its last episode on a non sequitur story set at a struggling sushi restaurant. Like a lot of the best shows, Atlanta could elicit almost any emotion at the drop of the hat. But few could do it with such style and distinctiveness.

Folio Weed: Trees, Under Your Tree

Words by Shelton Hull

The holidays are now upon us, whether you like it or not. By the time you read this, you will have hopefully finished all your holiday shopping already. If not, well, thoughts and prayers for your wallets and your sanity. If you're not a regular fan of cannabis products, you might find yourself having a strong urge to partake by the time you've checked all the items off your shopping list. Between the crowds at the malls, and the supply chain issues at your local big box store, not to mention the nail-biting, teeth-chattering tension of waiting for your online purchases to finally arrive, even the most strait-laced and straight-edged of consumers may develop a taste for the ol' leafy greens to calm their nativistic nativity nerves.

The greatest pro-wrestler of all time, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, has launched a whole line of cannabis products under the name Ric Flair Drip. Some of this stuff is a joint production (literally, since they do sell pre-rolls) between Flair and a boxer named Mike Tyson, who you may have heard of. Tyson also launched a line of ear-shaped edible gummies, made in “tribute” to a fellow former world champion Evander "Real Deal" Holyfield, whose right ear was claimed by Tyson's teeth in July 1997. Sadly, we don't live in one of the 21 lucky states that have fully decriminalized cannabis (the closest to us is Virginia), so, you know, don't worry about buying me anything for Christmas. Just send cash!

Those of you currently holding medical marijuana cards are blessed to have a variety of extra gift options the average citizen does not, but even that comes with caveats. Now, these options are technically only available to you and your fellow cardholders because Florida still hasn’t legalized recreational (aka "responsible adult”) use of cannabis. (And we probably won’t, until at least 2025, but that’s another story.) So, assuming that you and your loved one both have cards, or that you just don't care, here are a few general thoughts for new shoppers.

1) The smaller and simpler, the better. Think more about stocking stuffers, not the main event.

2) Focus on accessibility. A nug of flower is great if the recipient knows what to do with it; otherwise, you’ll need accoutrements and the time to walk them through how to use them. Ground flower is generally lower quality than whole buds but at a better price. If that’s your priority, just get them something else.

3) Know your target. Some folks are solitary smokers, but many prefer the group dynamic. For general purposes, I’d suggest a package of pre-rolls or maybe a vape kit for casual use.

4) Edibles are a mixed bag, sometimes literally, while lotions and tinctures can also affect different people very wildly. As such, be careful buying that stuff for beginners.

Also note that the existing laws apply only to actual cannabis products but not to hemp, CBD or accessories, which still gives you plenty of options for loved ones who don't have their own medical cards yet. You can never go wrong with a pack of fancy rolling papers, stash jars, grinders, quirky little pipes, one-hitters, ridiculously elaborate water pipes or dab rigs. You menfolk, in particular, seem to really like a nice lighter or just a box of Bics. There are even clothes and shoes made from hemp, the quality of which continues to improve rapidly. Nike and Adidas are both very active in that realm, so that’s your magic bullet, right there.

Best of all, a lot of this stuff is being made by local craftsmen and entrepreneurs. Any random trip to your local smoke shop or flea market will reveal a bounty of fascinating items, especially if you're stoned. Always check with the folks behind the counter, who can give you the best possible suggestions, as long as you're mindful of the proper code words. We've spotlighted a bunch of such items in previous columns, most of which are archived online—and yes, that is clickbait. Engagement matters.

One final quick, quasi-personal note: This column comes at the end of my SIXTH year writing the "Folio Weed" column. Folio founder and former publisher Sam Taylor had the initial vision way back in 2017, and then-editor Claire Goforth trusted me to implement that vision. And implement it I certainly did, with your help, and now this is arguably the longest-running and most influential feature of its type in the business today. None of that would have been possible without the support of you, the readers, who have been so vigorous in your advocacy. Thanks also for demanding that we bring it back as a regular feature. We should be close to 200 installments by the end of next year, so our initial suspicion was correct: There is no shortage of material. So, you keep reading, and I'll keep writing.

Happy holidays!

I’m going to get right to it. You already know I love the podcast - I’m here aren’t I?

My wife and I are having issues with our daughter. She seems to be checking out. I think she may have issues with my wife but won’t talk about what’s bothering her. I know Shari has issues with her mom and I was wondering if she had problems calling her out on something she may have done.

Chad in Orange Park, FL

TERRY: Let me grab some popcorn for this one.

SHARI: Oh boy, Chad. I don’t know if we have enough space here to unpack it all, but I’ll try.

TERRY: Well …

SHARI: I spent many years trying to forget the things my mother did. Some of them were pretty awful. I would hate to think your wife is as horrible a mother.

TERRY: That’s true. Chad, I’m sure your issue is a much easier fix. I would hope you could get through to your daughter that she needs to open up a conversation. I have seen first hand that the longer these things are allowed to fester, the deeper the wound gets.

SHARI: Agreed. I found that since I had unresolved issues with her, I was getting mad at her for petty reasons.

TERRY: It’s very painful to watch. But I’m a glass is half-full kinda guy. It’s great having my Christmas vacations free.

SHARI: Same. But I did finally have a discussion with her. It took a lot of nerve. No one enjoys uncomfortable conversations, but for my own sanity I had to do it. I told her she owed me an apology. Even though she never gave me that apology, I found that telling her helped my mental state. I believe I have a better handle on the relationship and can have civil conversations with her now that I've cleared the air. I still don’t have a close relationship with her and probably never will.

Chad, you should encourage your daughter to communicate her issues with her mother. If she doesn’t, she’s just kicking the can down the road.

TERRY: And I would think you could use the holidays as an excuse to get her to open up ASAP. Nobody needs weird vibes on Christmas. You got this Chad.