Jax Files

This is Indy. He’s about six years old. We got him at an adoption event here in Jax three years ago. He is the absolute sweetest and most cuddliest dog I have ever known. He smiles most of the time, which is adorable. He often sleeps in this “ position. We love this [Best in Pets] issue; it’s fun to learn about more dog-friendly ” places in Northeast Florida. — Sarah Kelley

CALLING ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS: Do you have an image of Northeast Florida you’d like to share with our readers? Submit your photo and the story behind it to mail@jacksonvillemag.com for the opportunity to be featured on this page.

SMALL TALK

Newsworthy Nuggets to Chew on This Month

O Last month, Oprah hosted a three-day 50th birthday bash for her friend, Ava DuVernay, at her home in Maui. Joining in on the fun—well, at least in the kitchen—was Jax chef Kenny Gilbert, proprietor of Silkie’s Chicken & Biscuits in Springfield and occasional personal chef for Ms. Winfrey. The final day of the birthday extravaganza featured a farm-to-table brunch led by Gilbert, who treated the TV icon to a feast utilizing ingredients plucked from Oprah’s garden. Many of Gilbert’s biscuits were consumed, according to those in attendance.

O Local football icon Tim Tebow is returning to football for one of his latest business ventures. This time, the “football” is actually soccer, as Tebow is among the owners of a recently announced United Soccer League franchise to be established in town. JAXUSL says it plans to build a 15,000-capacity soccer stadium and field both women’s and men’s teams in 2025. The ownership group is led by Ricky Caplan and, along with Tebow, includes Steve Livingstone and Tony Allegretti. The USL Championship league presently includes 27 teams across the country.

O The housing market has been a little shaky of late. However, it turns out the River City is a good market in which to purchase a fixer-upper, so says Yardi.com. Using eleven indicators of real estate potential, Jax ranked as the sixthbest city for buying a home that needs work. Yardi determined that fixer-uppers here represent about 10% of all existing homes for sale and buying such a home shaves some $150,000 off the price of a turnkey home in the market.

O 2022 PLAYERS Championship winner Cameron Smith has left the PGA TOUR to join the fledgling LIV Tour. Doing so means he forfeit the perks that go with being a member of the Ponte Vedra-based golf tour. So, he cannot play and defend his title in the 2023 PLAYERS. Also, he gives up his player’s rights at TPC Sawgrass, including his tournament winner’s parking space. Instead of his name on a sign outside the clubhouse, his old space is now reserved for “Tour Players Only.” And not Cam, who lives only a chip shot away. “If they go to LIV they don’t have any of the TOUR privileges at TPC properties,” TPC Sawgrass general manager Derek Sprague was quoted in a recent Golfweek article.

O Used car prices shot through the roof in 2022. According to a recent iSeeCars.com survey, prices rose nearly 11 percent in July, mostly driven by microchip shortages in the auto industry. In Jax, prices have risen 6.8% or $2,032 over the last year. The largest hike in price is for a Mercedes-Benz GLE, which costs $22,441 more this summer than in 2021. In second place is the Nissan Versa, up 42% or an additional $4,998.

Field of Dreams

The Jaguars new Miller Electric Center, a 125,000-square-foot expansion to the team’s footprint around TIAA Bank field including practice fields, weight rooms and fan concessions, is rapidly taking shape. It was recently announced that public art will become part of the finished complex. Partnering with the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, the team is looking to include four exterior murals, two freestanding sculptures and a pair of sculptural bike racks. And the public is invited to submit their artistic ideas. “I love art, in all of its forms,” says Jaguars owner Shad Khan. “I truly believe public art will be essential to ensuring our neighborhood has a unique cultural identity that reflects the pride of our fans, the pursuit of excellence by our football team and the soul of our city.” Artist submissions are due by October 28. Plans are that the installation of the finished works will be complete before the 2023 NFL season. u