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Preserved and Polished

Perfect spring weather set the stage for Riverside Avondale Preservation’s 52nd annual Home Tour, featuring 11 homes across the historic neighborhoods.

Banking on Change

Despite debate, the former twostory Regions Bank, located at the corner of Margaret and Herschel Streets will see alterations to the structure and grounds following approval from the Historic Preservation Commission.

New School Bus Cameras Bring Fines

Beginning May 1, drivers who illegally pass a stopped school bus will face a $225 fine as Duval County Public Schools activates new stop-arm cameras across its fleet. The program aims to reduce tens of thousands of annual violations and make the daily ride safer for more than 30,000 student passengers.

An Evening Above Par

With sweeping views from The River Club, Greenscape of Jacksonville welcomed supporters April 11 for its Masters-inspired fundraiser, teeing up investment in trees and a greener future for Northeast Florida. Patrons J.F. and Peggy Bryan enjoyed the evening of festivities and have been avid Root Ball patrons for over a decade.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

To the entire Resident Community News Team:

I just wanted to acknowledge all of the work that went into the highlights of past SMPS presidents and articles leading up to our 50th anniversary and thank you for devoting space (and effort!) to this significant milestone for the org. The articles were a blast to read, and we have received great feedback on the series. Thank you for being such a tremendous partner and promoting the San Marco neighborhood so very well.

Yours, Linzee Ott

Dear Resident News, I absolutely love your newspaper and find it both valuable and informative. I moved here two years ago and simply could

my essential list of doctors, dentists, and eateries without your helpful publication. I have also joined several groups because of your newspaper, and I often wonder if people reach out

I am so happy to receive it in my mailbox every month, and for free, too.

Angela Schumacher

Avondale

Rising in the NorthCore

By Fabrizio Gowdy

With nine sites now under construction in the Pearl Square neighborhood, Gateway Jax continues to make progress on its highly anticipated $750 million makeover of Downtown’s NorthCore area.

At its April 9 meeting, the Downtown Investment Authority (DIA) announced Marriott has agreed to operate the newly renovated Ambassador Hotel as part of its indie Tribute Portfolio brand. The hotel will be called the Hotel Merrydelle, honoring local arts pioneer Merrydelle Hoyt, one of four women who founded the Jacksonville Fine Arts Society, which later became MOCA.

Originally built in 1924 as luxury apartments, the Ambassador operated as a hotel from 1943 until its closure in 1998. Now, renovations are expected to start late summer and last about a year, with the 109room boutique hotel opening by fall 2027.

Gateway Jax also confirmed that

Merrydelle will feature an intimate 120seat Italian restaurant called Colletta, where restaurateur Steve Palmer of The Indigo Road Hospitality Group aims to replicate the concept he operates in Atlanta. The menu will include wood-fired pizzas, house-made pasta and antipasti along with spritzes, Italian wines and seasonally inspired cocktails.

That news followed the March unveiling of the neighborhood’s first residential building – the Vandeveer, a 205unit apartment building at 515 Pearl Street, expected to welcome residents later this year. The name pays homage to Thomas Vandeveer Porter, who owned the Porter House Mansion on Julia Street, which Henry Klutho designed and built in 1902 after the Great Fire.

The Vandeveer will also include 22,000 square feet of retail space, with Gateway Jax recently confirming JETSET Pilates® as a tenant.

One of JETSET’s neighbors will be a chef-driven Japanese restaurant concept by Indigo Road Hospitality Group, which currently operates O-Ku at Jacksonville Beach. Fresh seafood, wood-fired offerings off the robata grill, sushi and sashimi will be on the menu.

In January, ground broke on 721 N. Pearl Street, where an existing parking structure is being converted into a multi-use structure with 16,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and restaurant space. Meanwhile, the neighborhood’s flagship tenant and retail anchor – a 31,000 square-foot fullservice Publix at 119 W. Beaver Street – is in the design phase according to a Publix spokesperson.

“Securing Publix as our grocery anchor was another major milestone – it’s a critical piece of making this a neighborhood people can rely on day to day,” said Gateway Jax CEO Bryan Moll. “We’re seeing strong interest from both regional and national retailers. That level of demand reinforces what we’ve believed from the start: Downtown Jacksonville is ready for this kind of investment.”

Beyond the concrete and rebar, Pearl Square’s aesthetics are also starting to take shape. Gateway Jax announced a call to artists for a series of murals and sculptures that will be incorporated throughout the neighborhood, with artist commissions starting at $25,000.

Applications were due late last month, with “priority consideration given to local and regional artists with experience in large-scale public art, demonstrating strong visual impact and execution, and feel integrated, human-centered, and rooted in Jacksonville’s identity.”

In addition to everything that is already under construction, six more sites are preparing to break ground: a six-story office building at 655 Pearl Street – Downtown’s first new office in decades according to Moll – which will have approximately 100,000 square feet of workspace and 25,000 square feet of street-level retail, is targeting a 2027 groundbreaking and 2028 completion. Moll said approaching current market realities, particularly where office space and retail is

concerned requires a “grounded” approach to how people live, work and spend their time.

“Developing 655 Pearl, the first new downtown office in decades, reflects a real opportunity there’s demand for welllocated, high-quality office space that’s part of a broader, amenitized environment,” Moll said.

Other planned developments include an acre of public gardens, parks, and green spaces concentrated around the historic Porter Mansion, another large parking garage on Hogan Street with retail and restaurant space, and 394 luxury rental units and 150 furnished short-term rentals at 440 W. Beaver Street.

With the combination of retail, residential, restaurants and office space in Pearl Square, residents will have what Moll has referred to as an “18-hour Downtown” that will generate energy during the day and into the evening.

“Along Beaver Street, we’re transforming an existing garage into a new retail corridor designed for a more walkable, pedestrian experience,” Moll said. “At the same time, spaces like Porter House Lawn, Garden, and Klutho’s Alley are being designed as everyday gathering places. That mix of people living, working, and spending time in the same place is what creates the kind of downtown that feels active from morning through evening.”

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Porter House Garden is one of the greenspaces in development.

A rendering depicts the incoming Publix, Pearl Square’s flagship tenant and retail anchor.

Penalties Now in Place for I llegal School Bus Passing

By Michele Leivas

Failure to stop for a school bus with its stop arm extended and red lights flashing will result in a citation and a $225 fine beginning May 1.

Conversations surrounding school bus stop-arm cameras began last year, when the Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) Board approved a three-year partnership with BusPatrol America for this program at its October board meeting. Statistics show an alarming number of drivers illegally passing a stopped school bus: According to DCPS, Duval County recorded more than 800 school bus stop-arm camera violations in a single day last year; statewide, that number grew to more than 8,000. Data shows there are more than 40,000 stop-arm violations annually.

Citing recent events, DCPS Board Member Cindy Pearson emphasized the dangers students and families face at the hands of distracted or unsafe drivers.

“School buses are big and yellow and have flashing lights. Within a week, Duval drivers rear-ended two school buses that were stopped at railroad tracks,” Pearson said. “Drivers frequently speed around school buses that are stopped to load or unload students. Unfortunately, students and parents have been struck by cars who were attempting to circumvent a bus stop arm.”

To that end, BusPatrol America Chief Growth Officer Steve Randazzo said this program is a proven deterrent to drivers illegally passing a stopped school bus.

“Our programs demonstrate that over 90% of folks who get one violation in the mail never repeat offend,” Randazzo said.

BusPatrol America retrofitted the fleet of 900-plus DCPS school buses with stop arm cameras that will capture video and license plate information of vehicles illegally passing a stopped school bus in March and April. Randazzo stated BusPatrol absorbed all the capital for this program and, according to DCPS, it will not cost the district any money

with ongoing funding for the program coming from citations revenue.

Beginning May 1, these citations will include the $225 fine. State statutes establish the fines for this program, which do not increase with repeat violations. These citations are different from a moving violation issued by a police officer, added Duval County Schools Chief of Police Jackson Short.

“There’s no escalation, there’s no points [on your driver’s license], there’s no effect on car insurance, which is different than a traditional moving violation that you would get from a regular police officer,” Short said.

Once a citation is processed and reviewed, it will be mailed to the registered driver of the vehicle. If they were not the driver, they can transfer the ticket through an online portal to the responsible driver.

According to published reports, MiamiDade County had suspended its program with BusPatrol America earlier this year. The published reports cited numerous issues, including improper citations and an inability for drivers to contest their tickets.

Short said DCPS is taking steps to prevent erroneous citations, including human review of AI-generated photos and videos recorded by the cameras and dismissing citations that don’t meet its internal threshold for approval.

“The state law says that the stop sign doesn’t have to be out, just the red lights have to be flashing, so the AI technology that BusPatrol uses, they’ll send us a violation that they think could result in a citation,” Short said. “And what we see is, yes, the red lights are on, but the stop sign on the bus hasn’t come out yet. So, for those, to give that extra bit of grace to our drivers, we’re not approving those citations either, although the AI technology correctly caught it because just the red lights flashing alone is enough.”

Short said another step DCPS has taken to address some of the issues cited in the reports out of Miami is ensuring drivers can

contest their citations before an administrative judge through a partnership with the state’s Department of Administrative Hearings.

Short said DCPS already partners with this government entity for human resources issues.

“They’re partnering with us also so that our drivers can have their day in court and have their due process if they want to challenge the citation that they get,” Short said.

According to Randazzo, the MiamiDade County School Board voted at its April 22 meeting to reauthorize its School Bus Infraction Detection Program, authorizing

its superintendent to execute an amended contract with BusPatrol America.

Funds generated from this program here in Duval County will be split 50-50 between the district and BusPatrol America. By state statute, the district must spend funds from this program on student transportation safety.

“There’s an opportunity for safety enhancements, not only to our school buses, but also the statute allows hiring inventors and salary incentives for our school bus drivers,” Short said.

According to DCPS, the district has approximately 30,000 daily bus riders.

SCHOOL BUS PROTOCOL

MULTI-LANE PAVED ACROSS Vehicles traveling in both directions MUST stop.

HIGHWAY Unpaved space 5 ft+ / raised median / physical barrier. Vehicles behind bus MUST stop. Vehicles traveling in the opposite direction must proceed with caution.

According to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, vehicles traveling in both directions must always stop for a stopped school bus when its red lights are flashing and its stop arm is extended. The only exception is for vehicles moving in the opposite direction that are separated from the school bus by “a raised barrier such as a concrete divider or at least five feet of unpaved space separating the lanes of traffic.” In that instance, drivers moving in the opposite direction must proceed with caution but are not required to stop.

Source: Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

TWO LANE Vehicles traveling in both directions MUST stop.

DIVIDED

New Look Unveiled for Proposed Five Points Boutique Hotel

By Michele Leivas

After months of community engagement and feedback gathering last year, Corner Lot has released updated renderings of the new hotel coming to the Five Points neighborhood.

These new renderings were shared in a presentation to the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission at its April 22 meeting, reflecting updates based on feedback gathered from community engagement throughout last year.

The new hotel will sit behind the existing eight-story building at 1000 Riverside Avenue, which houses multiple tenants, including the popular neighborhood restaurant River and Post. It was designed by renowned architect Taylor Hardwick and built in 1963.

These refreshed designs have incorporated subtle elements paying homage to Hardwick’s building. This new hotel would be built on that same parcel where the surface parking lot currently exists behind that building, separated by a hardscape courtyard.

“We’ve put the new building as far away on the opposite side of that parcel so that we’re maintaining the space around that Hardwick building, not in any way obscuring it,” said attorney Cyndy Trimmer during the presentation.

In a continued effort to respect the spatial relationship between the historic structure and the incoming hotel, the new building will also be approximately 35 feet shorter than the existing building, incorporating design elements and color palettes that pay homage to the Hardwick building without mimicking it.

Adjacent to the new hotel will be a new parking garage, which Trimmer said had been the “elephant in the room” during community conversations.

“Nobody wants to look at a garage, so we really focused on, what can we do to make the garage as palatable as possible,” Trimmer said.

The design team answered that question by incorporating architectural, design, and landscaping elements to activate the space and avoid the look of a precast structure.

Riverside Avondale Preservation Executive Director Shannon Blankinship spoke in favor of the new designs during the commission meeting’s public comment. Following the meeting, she said the new design elements reflect the property owner’s commitment to the neighborhood.

“So many of the changes that they made as a part of this project are not integral to the overall project being successful, but they are integral to the neighborhood really successfully being able to incorporate this new project,” Blankinship said.

Corner Lot Development Project Manager Cole Blaker said they are still in conversations with different programs for the hotel brand that will occupy this incoming building, adding that it will be a boutique line.

“We’re specifically targeting the soft brands that will allow us that architectural license, and then also working on some active brands that would kind of tie into the [Emerald] Trail and other things that are happening there,” Trimmer added.

Blankinship said that while the idea of a hotel at this location was a popular choice, there had been concern about how the neighborhood would absorb a project of that scale and how the project’s architecture and design would complement the neighborhood.

“I think we have come to see the outcome, which is that they really put design and function and use of people who live here in the forefront of the entire project,” Blankinship said.

A rendering by Kasper

Home Prices Rise, Days on Market Fall in Spring Real Estate Rebound Spring

sparks Duval’s housing market

By Michele Leivas

The arrival of spring brought with it warmer weather, longer days and a revived housing market as home prices trended upward and buyer demand strengthened, according to the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors.

“March’s numbers show a market that is gaining momentum as we move into the spring season. Sales activity is up, more sellers are entering the market and buyers are continuing to engage even as affordability remains a factor. This is a positive sign as we head into the spring, with the market finding a stronger and more sustainable rhythm,” said NEFAR President Kim Knapp.

Median prices for single-family homes increased slightly across the region’s six counties, despite a minor dip in affordability, as sales activity notably increased, along with an increase in completed transactions and steady pending sales, both of which signaled continued buyer interest.

In March, Duval County saw a 2.8% increase in the median price of single-family homes ($335,000), with homes remaining on the market for an average of 35 days, down 20.5% from February. More than 900 sales closed, and another 674 were pending at the close of March, with a three-and-a-half-month supply of active inventory. With a Home Affordability Index of 101, dipping by 3.8% from February, Duval County was the second most affordable county in the region, behind Putnam County.

Neil Bridgers is the vice president and managing broker for Watson Realty Corp.’s Historic District offices for the San Marco/San Jose and Avondale/Ortega areas. Bridgers said he has seen similar trends within the historic neighborhoods as well.

“We’re seeing that here, hyper local and the historic districts as well, we were going through a phase of things sitting on the market a little longer – those numbers of days seem to be broadly coming down,” Bridgers said.

Bridgers said now is the time for sellers preparing to

enter the market to partner with experienced realtors who can help them navigate, among other things, a successful pricing strategy.

“Pricing your home correctly right now is the key to getting your home sold,” Bridgers said. “If you price your home correctly, not only will you get it sold faster, but you will likely end up making more money in the end, because it will not have been a listing that just sat.”

Jessica Chefan-Hansen and Jane Chefan of the Chefan Group with One Sotheby’s International Realty have also seen buyer trends tick upwards.

“We’re seeing a lot of people move in from out of the state, so it is a good environment for the buyers now, and I would expect it would probably be the same as we move into the summer months,” said Jane.

Jane added that her team has also recently seen multiple-offer situations, though she said those instances were likely “pocket related” to the specific neighborhoods where those properties were located.

“I think it’s never been more important for a seller to make sure that their house is in top condition,” Jane added. “I think our buyers are more selective, and so I think it’s never been more important for the sellers as they list their property to make sure they’re both priced correctly and that it’s showing well, that they’re positioned right in terms of the overall feel of the home and the pricing of the home.”

Jessica said this year is a vast improvement from last year, which she said was one of the slower, more challenging years – a sentiment Jane said is shared by other agents she’s spoken with in similar markets and working with similar clientele.

“I think a lot of people were just too hesitant to pull the trigger,” Jessica said. “We had people who were waiting on the sidelines, and I would say this year, they’ve come off the sidelines and they’re more willing to make a move and

put an offer on a home and close on a property.”

Bridgers emphasized the importance of working with a seasoned realtor early in the game rather than waiting until you’re ready to list your home or begin looking to buy.

“Depending on your level of experience as a buyer or seller, there are parts of the process that you may not be thinking of, and a realtor is going to be able to help you think those things through,” Bridgers said.

Specific to our Resident communities, the experts say the real estate market remains strong.

“San Marco continues to be a very strong location in terms of price per square foot,” Jane said.

Riverside and Avondale are no different, Jessica added.

“We have buyers who specifically have narrowed their search to where they either want to be in San Marco, Riverside, Avondale or Ortega,” Jessica said. “Ortega is also one of those areas where it’s very desirable.”

Sales activity is up, more sellers are entering the market and buyers are continuing to engage even as affordability remains a factor.

– Kim Knapp NEFAR President

Tom York, broker and owner of Castlewise Realty and Insurance, said higher-price, larger homes are moving faster than the mid-price bungalow – a trend he expects will continue.

“There’s a fair amount of those [bungalows] still on the market, especially in Ortega,” York said. “If something is coming up over 3,000 square feet, it’s getting snapped up pretty quick.”

As sellers prepare to list their property – especially for older houses in the historic communities – York recommends they do a four-point inspection prior to listing to get an idea of what might get flagged on a full, pre-purchase inspection.

“Really, the showstoppers that you see are going to be the wiring, cloth wiring, aluminum wiring or plumbing issues,” York noted.

A Grand Slam Tradition

annual

and

Board of Governors Chair Elsa Bottomley said the event, launched in 1993 by Director of Racquets Louis Ballantyne with just 25 teams, sold out in less than a minute this year. It

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The Florida Yacht Club hosted 120 teams for its

Steeg Member-Guest Tennis Tournament, a three-day event held April 17-19. The tournament featured a full lineup of activities for members

guests, including the Saturday Night Players Party with a buffet, drinks and live music.

was renamed the Steeg Member-Guest Tennis Tournament in 2006 in honor of Stewart B. Steeg, a former commodore of the Florida Yacht Club and avid tennis supporter. Tom York of CastleWise Realty and Insurance, the tournament’s title sponsor, has been a key supporter of the event in recent years, reflecting his family’s love of tennis and the Florida Yacht Club’s tennis community.

Georgina Leininger with Katie Culp and Shannon Tesche Tara Volpe, Matt Jones, Josh Volpe and Stockton Eller

Robert Grubba with Rina Nichols Jeff and Renee Crabtree with Sandy and Buzz Livingston

Joseph and Lisa Smith with Sarah Boswell, Michael and Renee Kirkland, Phil Cooper, CJ Hemeyer and Chris Snoap

Liz Price with Jordan Rechcigl and Ellie King John Copeland with Sarah Steeg, Robert Steeg, Jr., and Paige Steeg

Jason and Abby Kuder with Joanna and Eric Schneider

Green Light for Margaret Street Bank Overhaul, Owners Position Property for Tenants

By Michele Leivas

The property owner of the historic, two-story vacant brick building at the corner of Margaret and Herschel streets is preparing it for new tenants.

The Prairie School Style building at 1604 Margaret Street was originally constructed in c. 1916 as a single-family home. Over the last century, it has been converted to several uses, including a music school, a hotel, a group home, and, most recently, a Regions Bank branch in the early 2000s.

Now, the property is preparing for its next chapter following the approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness at the April 22 Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission Meeting for alterations and new construction at the site for a possible restaurant tenant on the first floor. Currently, no tenants or uses have been identified for the second-floor space.

The scope of work through this COA includes, among other items, the enclosure of one of the drive-thru lanes that were added to the building through a previous COA in 2004, installing an ADA lift elevator to the exterior of the building along the east side elevation, converting the non-historic first-floor roof into a deck and installing an outdoor patio along the side and rear elevations.

Representing the applicant, Driver McAfee, Hawthorne, and Diebenow, attorney Richard Mullaney said the COA fell into two “buckets”: the first, improvements for accessibility and safety; and the second, alterations to the 2004 add-on for the bank’s use.

“For much of its history, this building has been of commercial use, but it’s right on the edge of that residential character area,” Mullaney said to commissioners. “…We wanted to make sure that those distinguishing qualities – the architectural significance, all of this – were maintained, while also making sure to meet how the market and uses in the neighborhood have changed and prepare it for its next use.”

Commissioners ultimately approved the COA with conditions in a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Becky Morgan opposing, but not without extensive discussion with the applicant and multiple community members speaking in opposition to the proposed use of the building. Riverside Avondale Preservation Executive Director Shannon Blankinship spoke to the proposed use of this building.

“Our primary issue with the project as proposed is that they’re trying to really intensify the use of this space from what was previously an office, a bank building, into a fast food restaurant, and so the accommodations they’re making in order to allow for this intensity are really incompatible, specifically on the front-facing side of Margaret Street overall, for the neighborhood,” Blankinship said.

Countering some of the comments about the proposed use of the building, Mullaney argued that these updates are necessary to attract new tenants and that potential uses of the building shouldn’t be the focus of the commission meeting.

“Any use would be appropriate for this CCG-1 site based on that criteria; really, what we’re here today for is because this property has been marketed for several years

One

without a tenant, and the owners and the experts who look at this have determined a refresh needs to occur in order to attract some life to the building,” Mullaney said. “It is a prominent feature of Five Points; it’s a beautiful building. What’s necessary to attract a tenant is encapsulated in these plans to promote it for the long-term future. This is the long-term vision for the property.”

According to Arimus Wells, planning services manager, historic planning and preservation in the Jacksonville Planning Department, the Jacksonville Planning Commission previously reviewed and approved a zoning exception for outdoor sales and service in connection with the outdoor patio for the proposed restaurant use. Published reports indicate that the Planning Commission also approved an administrative deviation for landscaping reliefs and a reduction in parking spaces from 13 to five on the property. Applicant representatives declined to comment further on the project at the meeting’s conclusion.

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The 100-plus-year-old building has housed a family, a music school, a group home, a hotel, a bank and now, possibly, a restaurant.

Attorney Richard Mullaney answers commissioner questions about the proposed alterations and new construction for 1604 Margaret Street at the April 22 JHPC meeting.

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San Marco/San Jose 443 San Jose Boulevard Jacksonville, FL 32207 (904) 731-5800

A To-Do List for Your Financial Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning isn’t just for closets and garages. Once tax season wraps up and life settles back into its normal rhythm, it may be the perfect moment to tidy up your financial life. A little intentional cleanup now can prevent headaches later, keep your accounts working efficiently, and help ensure your longterm plans stay on track. Think of this as your annual financial reset – simple steps that create a more organized, resilient financial picture.

1. Roll Over Old 401(k)s, HSAs, and Other Employer Accounts

If you’ve changed jobs over the years, you may have retirement plans, HSAs, or other employer accounts scattered across institutions. Consolidating them is one of the highest impact steps you can take.

• Avoid forceouts and neglected investments. Old employer plans can be automatically cashed out or moved into low yield accounts if balances fall below certain thresholds. Rolling them over into an IRA or your current employer plan keeps you in control.

• Keep beneficiaries updated. Life changes – marriage, divorce, children, loss – and outdated beneficiary designations can create disastrous outcomes. Old accounts with old beneficiaries override your will, so reviewing them annually is essential.

2. Make Sure Your Investment Accounts Are Actually Getting Invested

It’s surprisingly common for money to sit idle in investment accounts. Whether it’s a recent deposit, a rollover, or dividends that haven’t been reinvested, uninvested cash can drag down long term returns.

• Confirm deposits are invested promptly. Log in and check that contributions, especially to IRAs and brokerage accounts, aren’t sitting in cash.

• Move excess cash into accounts with higher yields, like money market funds or high yield savings accounts. If you’re intentionally holding cash, make sure it’s earning something.

• Automate where possible. Automatic investment instructions can help ensure cash doesn’t quietly accumulate and lose purchasing power over time.

3. Clean Out Your Subscriptions

Subscription creep is real. Streaming services, apps, software, memberships many of us pay for things we no longer use or forgot we signed up for.

• Review your bank and credit card statements for recurring charges.

• Cancel anything you don’t use or don’t value.

• Consider annual billing for services you keep if it offers a discount. This is one of the easiest ways to free up cash flow without changing your lifestyle.

Your Wallet Credit cards can pile up over time, especially when promotional offers or store discounts tempt us into opening new accounts.

• Consolidate to the cards that give you the best rewards. Keep the ones with strong points programs, no annual fees, or benefits you actually use.

• Pay off cards every month – and turn on autopay. Autopay protects you from missed payments, late fees, and unnecessary interest.

• Freeze your credit. Make online accounts at the 3 major credit bureaus and freeze your credit. This protects you from hackers trying to use your identity and credit. You can unfreeze your credit when you need to use it again.

5. Make (or Update) Your Estate Plan

Once your financial life is organized, it’s time to ensure your loved ones are protected. Estate planning is one of the most important – and most avoided – parts of financial wellness.

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• Don’t put it off. Without a will, your assets pass through probate, a long, expensive, and emotionally draining process for your family.

• If you have children, this becomes even more critical. Guardianship decisions, access to funds, and clarity around your wishes all depend on proper documents.

• Add Transfer on Death (TOD) Designations to your taxable accounts. TOD forms add beneficiaries to nonretirement accounts. TOD ensures a straightforward transfer of assets outside of probate, and are easy to update when life changes.

A little financial spring cleaning can go a long way. This to-do list helps you create a financial foundation that’s organized, intentional, and aligned with your goals. It’s one of the best gifts you can give yourself – and your family. And it’s always nice to have some help. If you’d like some professional assistance with your (financial) spring cleaning, please reach out to the Walsh Investment Consulting Group at 904-839-2891 or www.nflafp.com

4. Close Old Credit Cards and Streamline

Seeing Stars in the Laura Street Corridor

By Karen Rieley

The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (MOCA), now in its 102nd year, celebrated the installation of “Jacksonville Stacked Stars” on the Laura Street sidewalk last month.

This monumental installation, created for MOCA’s Atrium Gallery to celebrate the museum’s centennial two years ago, features a brand-new work by Frank Stella (1936-2024), one of the most influential contemporary artists of his time.

The sculpture is the culminating piece in Stella’s iconic “Star” series, and MOCA views it as part of its efforts to transform Downtown Jacksonville’s cultural corridor with a defining work of American art.

“This is a historic moment for our city and for contemporary art,” said Caitlín Doherty, associate vice president, Arts UNF, and MOCA Jacksonville executive director. “We are thrilled to share this iconic work of art –the final major public work created by the artist – with our city. Its placement in the heart of our Downtown brings free, daily access to a masterpiece of contemporary art, inviting everyone to experience the power of art in their everyday lives.”

The acquisition was made possible through a publicprivate partnership with 90% of the funding provided by more than 50 private donors, including major gifts from Shanna Khan, president of the Khan Family Foundation,

Inc., Lauren G. and Edward L. Baker II, and Joan and Preston Haskell, as well as support from the Duval County Tourist Development Council.

“As a family, we believe that investing in culture creation can only embolden the strength of Jacksonville and our collective future,” said Khan. “As Downtown Jacksonville continues to grow, Frank Stella’s iconic installation, ‘Jacksonville Stacked Stars,’ strengthens a sense of place and supports the long-term growth that we are committed to fostering in the heart of our city.”

Stella’s first solo gallery exhibition took place at New York’s Leo Castelli Gallery in 1960, during which he presented his renowned “Black Paintings.” In the course of his life, Stella’s work ranged from painting to printmaking to free-standing sculptures. He grew to become a pivotal figure in American modernism. His works helped lead the way to major developments, including minimalism, post-painterly abstraction and color field painting.

He created “Jacksonville Stacked Stars” specifically in honor of MOCA’s 100th anniversary, and according to UNF, it is one of just three public sculptures by Stella featuring stacked stars. The other two can be found at Hudson Yards and MoMA in Manhattan.

“‘Jacksonville Stacked Stars’ has the power to captivate and inspire, serving as a symbol of creativity

and innovation for all who encounter it,” said Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan. “Its presence outside of MOCA will undoubtedly draw positive attention to Downtown and establish our city as a hub for artistic expression.”

Repositioned at the entrance to MOCA in the heart of Downtown, the work will anchor the Laura Street corridor with a vivid, sculptural landmark, supporting street-level activity, reinforcing Jacksonville’s creative identity and welcoming residents and visitors to explore Downtown’s art and culture.

“Placing this work on public view honors Stella’s decades of exploration while expanding access to art for students, families and visitors,” said Dr. Angela Garcia Falconetti, interim president of the University of North Florida. “It underscores MOCA’s role connecting gown to town, its educational mission as a valued part of the University of North Florida and our commitment to the cultural life of our city.”

With Frank Stella’s works and installations successfully leading to record-breaking attendance at institutions in cities like New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., MOCA hopes “Jacksonville Stacked Stars” will spark positive recognition for Jacksonville on regional, national, and international levels while benefiting local businesses and driving cultural tourism in the Bold City.

The sculpture will be lit at night to draw attention and brighten Downtown Jacksonville.

Construction crews are working to install “Jacksonville Stacked Stars” on the Laura Street sidewalk in front of MOCA in Downtown Jacksonville.

Frank Stella is the renowned artist behind “Jacksonville Stacked Stars,” an iconic three-story sculpture coming to Downtown Jacksonville.

Photo: Kristine Larsen

A Dynasty of Design

In 1921, Albert Hugo arrived in Jacksonville, intending only a layover on his way farther south. But as the landscape grew wilder and more remote, the Germantrained tapezierer – skilled in paper hanging, cabinet-making, upholstery and fine decorative crafts – decided that civilization suited him better. He returned to Jacksonville and made it his permanent home.

Albert and his wife, Euna, a talented local hatmaker, formed a natural creative partnership: He designed interiors and built and upholstered custom furniture, while she fashioned elaborate window treatments for many of the city’s most prominent families. The couple established their first workspace in the dock house of Arthur and Ninah Cummer’s Riverside estate, trading their furnishings expertise for room to build what would become Albert Hugo & Associates.

Their clientele soon expanded to include notable families such as Alfred and Jessie duPont at Epping Forest. As the business grew, it relocated in 1947 to Philips Highway, where it continues to serve Jacksonville generations later.

A Legacy of Leadership

When Hugo’s moved to Philips Highway, it wasn’t just a change of address; it was a quiet act of foresight. What was then a practical, postwar corridor for light industry and growing commerce became the long-term home where the

company could stretch, build and evolve alongside Jacksonville itself.

From that location, Hugo’s expanded beyond its early roots in upholstery and window treatments into a full-spectrum design, fabrication and installation operation, serving both residential and commercial clients with an uncommon blend of craft and scale.

Decades later, Philips Highway has emerged as Jacksonville’s Design Corridor – a hub for high-end design, build and installation services – and Hugo’s finds itself not as a newcomer, but as one of the anchors that helped define what the corridor could become: a place where skilled hands, serious materials and long relationships matter, and

where a family business has quietly shaped interiors for generations without ever needing to chase trends.

From its earliest years, Hugo’s Interiors built a reputation not just in Jacksonville homes but also in commercial spaces.

By mid-century, the firm’s in-house

design team and artisans were creating custom upholstery, millwork and interior finishes for both residential clients and businesses. Institutions like Barnett Bank – Florida’s largest commercial bank for much of the 20th century, with deep ties to Jacksonville’s civic and architectural heritage – helped establish a local visual culture in which interior specialists were sought for high-profile public and corporate interiors.

Four Generations with a Singular Vision Hugo’s has remained a family-led company dedicated to exceptional furniture, thoughtful design and enduring quality. What began with founder Albert Hugo has grown into a tradition carried forward by four generations of the same family.

Leadership passed from Albert to his son Edward, then to Edward’s son Richard, and today to Richard’s children – Mathew, Jennie and Paul – continuing the values that have guided Hugo’s for more than a century: integrity in craftsmanship, respect for tradition

and a deep commitment to the clients who welcome our work into their homes.

While styles evolve and new generations discover Hugo’s, the heart of the company remains the same: furniture thoughtfully made, carefully chosen and meant to live beautifully in a home for years to come.

Since 1921, Hugo’s has built upholstered furniture in our own workrooms. Not on a production line, but by hand, by skilled artisans and tailored to each client. The result is furniture meant to endure; true heirloom pieces, designed to live beautifully in a home for generations.

From time to time – quite often, in fact –we welcome back a piece originally crafted by a previous generation of Hugo’s artisans, entrusted to us again for restoration or reupholstery. Just as often, families return to add another piece to their home or to begin a collection for the next generation.

That is the promise of Hugo’s: lasting quality, exceptional comfort and value that only grows with time.

A Hugo’s design sketch, circa 1940s

The Hugo’s Showroom today

The original Hugo’s shop in the 1920s

Albert Hugo Euna Crosby Hugo

Barnett Bank Interior Design and Hugo’s Furniture

A Picture Perfect Weekend for RAP 52nd Annual Home Tour

The weekend delivered beautiful weather as guests walked, biked or drove through the Riverside Avondale neighborhoods for Riverside Avondale Preservation’s 52nd annual Home tour on Saturday and Sunday, April 11 and 12.

Presented by The Historic Collective, this year’s tour featured 11 properties, including stunning historic properties and a breathtaking new build. Homeowners and tour volunteers welcomed more than 2,000 guests into the 11 tour stops, answering questions and sharing stories about the properties.

The Home Tour kicks off RAP’s two-month tour season with the sixth annual Garden Tour, following swiftly on its heels on Saturday, May 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Karen Hanna, Phillip Tweeton-Rivera and Maria Shreve LuAnn Dunkinson paints on the front porch of the Art House

Mary Supplee and Maria Bernal Bill and Victoria Brock with Laurie and Ken Jason Rodney and Stacey Yarger

Ali House with Rosie

Peggy Harrell Jennings

Generals Still Rockin’ at 60th Reunion

By Peggy Harrell Jennings

“You’re looking good!”

“Wow, how in the world did 60 years go by so fast?”

The almost 200 attendees of the Robert E. Lee graduating classes of 1965 and 1966 shared similar exclamations, laughing and hugging as they gathered at Bowing Oaks to dance, visit and reminisce for their recent class reunion last month.

The highly accomplished group has not “lost that lovin’ feeling,” as lifelong friendships were renewed and humor and goodwill overflowed. Food, fellowship, and fun were the order of the day on a perfect Florida afternoon at the beautiful, spacious facility.

So, now do the graduates, some of whom proclaimed that it might be their last reunion, retire to their rocking chairs and sit with nostalgic musings? Not a chance! Since most of the “kids” will turn 80 in 2028, there are plans in the works for the “Generals” to have a big group birthday party. Rock on, Classes of ’65 and ’66.

Maureen and Bob Eason with Donna North Parrish

Allison Ramsaur Crisp and Linda Hudson Clark

Ann Garner Burt and Robert Burt Al Herndon and Diane Gilberstadt Keniston

Carla and Nelson Sawyer with Dan Callahan

Bob Colyer with Susan Feagin New and Karen Kirkland Franklin

A Quarter-Million Commitment

The Northeast Florida Association of Realtors (NEFAR) donated $250,000 to the National Association of Realtors’ Realtor Relief Foundation in honor of the foundation’s 25th anniversary.

Founded within hours of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, RRF is committed to assisting communities impacted by disasters.

With this donation, NEFAR continues its commitment to giving back to its communities by donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to the RRF and the Florida Realtors Disaster Relief Fund over several years.

The impact of these gifts is seen throughout the region, the state and across the country.

Gator Bowl Announces Chairman, Chairman-Elect

Bill Dixon, executive director of The Lighthouse Wealth Management Group at Morgan Stanley, will lead the Gator Bowl Sports Board of Trustees as chairman for the 2026-27 season.

Dixon has been part of Gator Bowl Sports since 2008, serving in various volunteer leadership positions – most recently as chairman of the Bowl’s game week hospitality and operations committee.

Dixon was born and raised in Jacksonville and is passionate about giving back, working with Dreams Come True and The Boys and Girls Club of North Florida.

Alongside Dixon, Pat McManamon, senior partner at Sandler by The Ruby Group, will serve as chairman-elect. McManamon has been part of the Gator Bowl since 2001, providing support and leadership for various teams and programs, serving on the team host committee, and chairing the membership committee.

Downtown Vision Taps Edgecombe

Laura Phillips Edgecombe is now vice president of urban systems for Downtown Vision Inc., a role created through a partnership with Build Up Downtown and the Jessie Ball duPont Fund.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Laura to DVI in this new and much-needed position supporting Urban Systems,” said CEO Jake Gordon. “Downtown Jacksonville is at a pivotal moment of growth, and we need to ensure the right investments, partnerships and people are all working together toward the same goal. Laura is one of the local pioneers in this work already, making her the perfect person to lead this work for Downtown Vision.”

“Downtown Jacksonville is at a pivotal point. There is meaningful momentum across the Downtown landscape, and the priority now is aligning the people, places, policies and partnerships behind it to ensure long-term success. I look forward to working alongside our community and stakeholders to move this work forward in an intentional way,” said Edgecombe.

From Homes to Horses

The Avondale office of Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty recently made a $500 gift to the Legacy Law Enforcement Foundation for Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Mounted Unit.

The donation was made during a March 25 check presentation ceremony; it was given through CBV Cares, Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty’s charitable organization that supports community initiatives. With this gift, CBV Cares will help support the mounted unit’s ongoing efforts in community outreach and public safety while demonstrating Coldwell Banker Vanguard’s continued commitment to giving back to its community and supporting organizations that help keep Jacksonville strong.

NEFAR CEO Glenn East and Treasurer Tiea Vincent with President Kim Knapp and Past President Mario Gonzalez

Bill Dixon

Pat McManamon

Laura Phillips Edgecombe

Locally Owned – Loyalty Driven – 20 Years Strong at Grassroots Natural Market

Pickett on the Pitch

Hall of Fame coach Mike Pickett head coach of its varsity girls’ soccer team. Pickett led the varsity girls’ soccer team at St. Johns Country Day for 28 years, claiming 15 state titles in 17 state final appearances, tying for fifth nationally. Pickett’s career record is 571-72-41, and he ranks 22nd nationally for all-time wins.

In 2023, Pickett was selected to the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He’s been named the Florida Dairy Farmers 1A or 2A Coach of the Year 15 times and the overall Coach of the Year three times. He’s also been named FACA Coach of the Year 23 times, and was part of the St. Johns Country Day School’s inaugural Hall of Fame class.

“Coach Pickett’s record speaks for itself,” said Bolles Athletic Director Rock Pillsbury. “With all his success on the field, he also cares for the overall wellbeing of his players as he blends competitive excellence with leadership skills, integrity and compassion. Needless to say, we are thrilled to welcome Coach Pickett to the Bulldog Family.”

A staple of Riverside’s 5 Points district, Grassroots Natural Market is celebrating 20 years of serving Jacksonville with a commitment to healthy living and community connection. Since opening its doors in the early days of the Great Recession, the family-owned grocer has weathered economic shifts, a global pandemic, and evolving consumer trends – all while maintaining a loyal customer base and a steady presence in one of the city’s most vibrant neighborhoods.

Known for its thoughtfully curated selection of locally grown and made goods, organic produce, quality meats, supplements, vitamins and herbs, and specialty grocery items, Grassroots has continued to evolve without losing sight of its mission. From its popular smoothie and juice bar to an ever-expanding lineup of health-focused offerings, and its upcoming organic coffee bar, the market has kept pace with changing lifestyles while remaining grounded in its original purpose – helping customers make better, more intentional choices.

Beyond the aisles, Grassroots has become a familiar and welcome partner in the community, supporting local events, and neighborhood festivals. That spirit was on full display Saturday, April 25, as the market marked its milestone anniversary with live music, raffles, giveaways and a day-long celebration on the grounds of its store location.

Two decades in, Grassroots Natural Market remains both an anchor and a destination – proof that staying lean, listening to customers, and leading with purpose can stand the test of time. Grassroots has been located at 2007 Park Street for its 20 year run in the 5Points area of Riverside.

Cutting a Path Forward

Justice Catando celebrated her one-year anniversary at Riverside’s HairPeace Salon in March, and if this last year has taught her anything, it’s that she’s precisely where she’s meant to be.

Before joining the team at HairPeace, Catando said she hadn’t quite figured out her life, trying out her hand at different jobs without finding where she truly belonged. She found that sense of belonging at HairPeace.

“I needed to be in an environment that would allow me to be fully myself,” Catando said. “I’ve got a bunch of piercings, I’ve got dyed hair, and I don’t want to have to limit myself for a job.”

Catando has completed the salon’s Design Associate Program and is now a Level 1 Stylist, meaning she is at the salon five days a week, significantly expanding her availability to her clientele, which has grown exponentially through social media.

Catando said working with her clients and building relationships with them is one of the most rewarding parts of her job.

“It’s just incredible to meet such cool people,” Catando said.

The Bunny Hive has Arrived

Tucked into the heart of Historic Avondale, a charming new concept has arrived with a story as warm as the neighborhood itself.

The Bunny Hive officially opened its doors March 28, bringing with it a thoughtful, family-centered approach to early childhood connection. Owned and operated by Augie and Marissa Martin, the boutique social club reflects both their young family’s spirit and their appreciation for community.

Having spent their earlier years of marriage in Atlanta, the Martins made their way to Nocatee before discovering Avondale, a visit that quickly turned into a calling. Drawn in by its character and walkable charm, and with family ties in San Marco, the decision to plant roots nearby felt like a natural fit.

With their children, Foxley and Claire, as daily inspiration, the Martins have created a welcoming space designed for little ones and their grown-ups to connect, learn and simply enjoy time together. The Bunny Hive guiding philosophy – “a social club for little ones and their grown ups” – comes to life through a curated calendar of classes and gatherings that emphasize both engagement and ease.

The thoughtfully designed storefront reflects the same intentionality, offering a warm, approachable environment for families to gather and grow alongside one another. The Bunny Hive is located at 3567 St. Johns Avenue and can be reached at 904-788-9851.

Justice Catando

Mike Pickett

The Bolles School has named

Foxley, Augie, Claire and Marissa Martin

Effortless Elegance, Season After Season

In a region where historic charm meets coastal beauty, the details matter. From the tree-lined streets of Riverside and Avondale to the timeless homes of San Marco – and extending east to the breezy coastal communities of Amelia Island and throughout Nassau County – curb appeal isn’t just about maintenance, it’s about expression. For homeowners and businesses alike, WOW Windowboxes is transforming exteriors into living works of art with subtle sophistication and lasting impact.

At the heart of the business are Mark and Sabrie Edmonston, a local couple rooted in the community they serve. Residents of Ortega Forest, they are raising their young family here, balancing busy lives with time outdoors, sports and local involvement. That connection to place carries through in their work – a genuine appreciation for the properties and people they serve across Northeast Florida.

“I had been looking for a way to do something more locally focused,” Mark said. “Something where I could actually see the people I’m working with, make a difference, and build relationships right here in Jacksonville.”

That shift led them to WOW Windowboxes, a concept rooted in craftsmanship, design and service. But in Northeast Florida, they saw something more – an opportunity.

“When we started looking at Jacksonville – the historic districts, the neighborhoods, the growth – it just clicked,” Mark said. “There’s so much pride in these communities, and this was

a way to enhance that in a really beautiful, approachable way.”

The result is a service designed for clients who value aesthetics but don’t want the burden of maintaining it. Custom-built window boxes and planters are crafted from high-quality PVC – far more durable and long-lasting than traditional wood and other plastic options found online or in stores. Each piece can be custom painted to match any palette, though classic white and black remain the most requested.

From there, seasonal plantings evolve throughout the year – always fresh, always intentional – supported by discreet, automated irrigation systems. These systems can be installed not only in new designs, but also retrofitted into existing planters and window boxes, extending the life and beauty of pieces clients already own.

Careful planning and thoughtful installation are central to the process, ensuring each project is set up for long-term success from the start. Ongoing service is designed to be seamless and proactive, with seasonal updates and attentive oversight that keep displays looking their best without requiring time or effort from the client.

It can be burdensome regularly maintaining window boxes and planters. What may have seemed like a fun weekend project can become neglected quickly.

WOW Windowboxes remove that stress by handling every detail for their clients, from plant selection and proper soil to autoirrigation, fertilizer and insect deterrents. Plants maintained on their irrigation systems are even backed by a warranty, offering added confidence and peace of mind.

While window boxes are the signature, the offerings extend well beyond. Custom planters can be designed for entryways, patios and commercial spaces, and existing installations can be refreshed and maintained with ease. The company is also working with commercial clients, including a recent installation along Herschel Street in the Fairfax neighborhood, featuring four

custom 11-foot window boxes paired with a vibrant spring petunia design.

For many clients, it’s not just about flowers – it’s about creating a feeling. A sense that a property is cared for, curated and alive.

For the Edmonstons, that connection is personal. They are serving their neighbors and local businesses, building relationships that extend well beyond a single installation.

As Northeast Florida continues to grow and evolve, one thing remains constant –the desire to stand out, gracefully.

With WOW Windowboxes, that distinction may just be found right outside the window.

Photo credit: Mark Krancer

Mark and Sabrie

Pen Women Celebrate 100 Years

The Jacksonville Branch of the National League of American Pen Women celebrated its 100th anniversary at the Ortega River Club with a luncheon catered by Chef Fernando Silva and a cake by Cecy Webb. Melissa Ross read a proclamation from Mayor Donna Deegan honoring the milestone and the group’s contributions to the arts.

Guests viewed displays of members’ art and literature, while Branch President Alice McCoy recognized achievements and a video highlighted members. Attendees also joined a Zoom call with National President Sheila Byrnes and enjoyed musical performances by Olivia Wright, Patricia Coleman, Anne Nasrallah, Ginger Dodd, and Jeanne Majors.

A highlight was Harolyn Sharpe’s portrayal of Vinnie Reams, whose 1866 sculpture of Abraham Lincoln resides in the Capitol Rotunda. The organization counts notable members such as Maya Angelou, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Eleanor Roosevelt.

The weekend began with a dinner hosted by Susan Brandenburg, featuring a violin performance by Douglas Anderson student Leila Warren. The Jacksonville Branch continues to support women’s achievements in music, visual, and literary arts as part of 60 branches nationwide.

Dawkins Named Scenic Jacksonville Director

Litsa Dawkins is the new executive director of Scenic Jacksonville.

Dawkins succeeds Nancy Powell in this leadership role, following Powell’s official retirement on April 17.

With more than a decade of experience in the legal and commercial real estate sectors, Dawkins previously served as director of operations at NAI Hallmark.

Dawkins also has nonprofit experience with Dreams Come True, Brooks Foundation, Keep Jacksonville Beautiful and the Public Trust Environmental Legal Institute of Florida, including volunteer and event initiatives and fundraising. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of North Florida.

“We are very pleased to welcome Litsa to Scenic Jacksonville, where she will work closely with civic, business, city and nonprofit leaders along with grassroots efforts to preserve and enhance the character and beauty of our city,” said Scenic Jacksonville Board President Bill Hoff, Jr. “Litsa’s career experience and nonprofit volunteer roles align with our vision to grow the organization’s impact and reflect a strong capacity to advance our mission in both strategic and operational ways. This is a win for our city and its long-term future.”

Neil Bridgers

Bridgers to Oversee Watson Realty Historic Offices

Neil Bridgers has expanded his leadership within Watson Realty Corp. with both Historic District offices –San Marco-San Jose and Avondale-Ortega – now falling under his purview as vice president and managing broker. This advancement comes during Bridgers’ 10th anniversary with Watson and marks a full-circle moment for him, as he launched his real estate career at the Avondale office in 2016.

“I came back in with a lot of open arms and excitement,” Bridgers said. “…Our company is operating at high-speed modernization right now, and to get to be a part of that and expand that over in Avondale is really exciting.”

Bridgers stepped into this expanded role mid-April and plans to commute between the two offices, working with agents at both locations to continue strengthening Watson’s presence in these historic neighborhoods. With a continued focus on fostering collaborative, high-performing environments across both offices, Bridgers will empower agents and elevate service levels in both communities.

“My plan coming in is to grow both offices agent-wise and to really entrench ourselves back into the historic neighborhoods, expand our presence in them,” Bridgers said.

This level of collaboration between both offices within Jacksonville’s historic districts will benefit both clients and agents, Bridgers said, resulting in a more expansive network of agents and elevated market knowledge and expertise within these historic areas.

Farhat Named Vice Chair of Nemours Surgery

Nemours Children’s Health has appointed Walid A. Farhat, MD, FAAP, as its new chief of urology and vice chair of Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville Department of Surgery.

An internationally recognized pediatric urologist, Farhat has more than 20 years of experience advancing complex congenital urologic care, minimally invasive surgery and outcomes-driven pediatric urology. He is the author of more than 260 peer-reviewed publications and a contributor to more than 25 book chapters, coediting foundational texts in surgical innovation, bioengineering and pediatric urology.

Farhat is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Surgeons, and is board certified with subspecialty certification in pediatric urology.

“Dr. Farhat brings to Nemours Children’s Health an accomplished career in pediatric urology, and we look forward to the expertise he will bring to our team,” said Andrew Stec, MD, MBA, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville. “With Dr. Farhat’s leadership, we will amplify our efforts to provide the highest quality of care and look forward to the many discoveries and advancements ahead that will benefit those entrusted to our care.”

Groundwork Jacksonville Names Burns Board Chair

Chris Burns

Groundwork Jacksonville announced that Chris Burns has begun his term as board chair. Burns, a partner at the Terrell-Hogan law firm, is an avid cyclist and active member of the Florida Bicycle Association, North Florida Bicycle Club, the Jacksonville Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Jacksonville Racing Club, Jacksonville Bicycle Coalition and Velobrew Cycling Club.

Additional officers are Steve Swann, an environmental and agricultural engineer with the City of Atlantic Beach, vice chair; Ennis Davis, AICP, principal of Community Planning Collaborative, secretary; and AnnMarie Knight, MHA, FACHE, a community leader and volunteer, treasurer.

The organization also added three board members: Kate McAfoose, P.E., president of Chang Robotics; Trip Stanly, managing member of Blackwater Capital; and Sheryl Tschimpke, CPA, assurance partner with Pivot CPAs.

Litsa Dawkins

Walid A. Farhat, MD, FAAP

REALLY GOOD PEOPLE 20

Resident News continues our “20 Really Good People” series, spotlighting neighbors whose generosity and leadership make Jacksonville special. From mentoring youth to strengthening families and supporting those in need, each honoree is making a meaningful impact. In this issue, meet the next group changing our community for the better.

F or Aubrey Edge, leadership has always meant giving back. As president and CEO of First Coast Energy, he believes business should be a force for good – a conviction that has shaped Daily’s growth and its impact across Florida.

Through the Daily’s Foundation, Edge has invested millions in causes focused on the health and well-being of families. In 2020, he made history with a $5 million gift to Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville, creating the Daily’s Foundation Pavilion to enhance pediatric oncology and blood disorder care.

“This [support] reinforces our commitment to children and

When you ask Chris Folds what he loves most about his work, he doesn’t mention blueprints or ribbon cuttings. He talks about the pause – the moment a family realizes they are home.

“That moment never gets old,” he said.

As CEO of First Coast Habitat for Humanity, Folds is leading a rebrand reflecting its reach across Duval, Baker and Nassau counties, while keeping the mission clear: expanding access to homeownership.

“Homeownership changes the trajectory of a family,” he shared.

“It’s about dignity, stability and hope for the next generation.”

In today’s economic climate, the need, he said, is urgent. “Our clients are making impossible choices, like going to the doctor or putting food on the table,” he said. “We’ve never been more needed.”

CARLA AUSTIN

Cfamilies in Jacksonville, and to furthering the amazing work of Nemours Children’s Health,” said Edge at the Pavillion dedication. “Our hope is that this partnership will bring comfort and well-being for children in need of advanced care and added resources to the outstanding clinicians and programs at Nemours Children’s.”

Building on that milestone, Edge recently championed a $5.2 million contribution to fund a conference center at the Nemours clinic, fostering collaboration to improve the lives of children and families in Northeast Florida and beyond.

Since 1988, the organization has helped more than 600 families pay off their mortgages, with strong gains in recent years. Habitat homeowners save monthly compared to renting and build lasting equity.

“Habitat homeownership is one of the most proven wealthbuilding opportunities in our community,” said Folds.

For Folds, it all comes back to the families - like Michelle Parker and her son Josiah. Michelle, a pediatric cancer survivor, shared her story about Josiah, who was saving his spare change in a shoebox under the bed to help his mom buy a new home.

“They still call me from time to time,” Folds said. “That’s the blessing built into this work.”

elevatejacksonville.org

arla Austin calls nonprofit management the most delightful thing she could ever have chosen to do. Now executive director of ELEVATE Jacksonville, she said she “always had a heart and passion for underserved people and adored kids.”

After earning a computer science degree from Tuskegee Institute and a 15-year banking career in South Florida, Austin moved to Jacksonville, where volunteering at St. Clair Evans Academy drew her into nonprofit work. She later led programs at Community Connections of Jacksonville and the A.L. Lewis Center before joining ELEVATE Jacksonville and stepping into the top role at the board’s urging.

“A great testament to Carla is how much the ELEVATE teachers

love her, and her commitment to the program and what we do,” said Allcorn. “This, in turn, affects ELEVATE’S stability and its longterm impact on the nearly 600 students who are taught character and life skills every school day. She’s all in. We are blessed.”

ELEVATE Jacksonville serves students in Westside and Ribault schools, teaching character and life skills and fostering relationships beyond the classroom.

“A community of thriving individuals, especially children, is an upward advantage for everyone,” said Austin. “When kids feel supported, they have a better understanding of what it means to be a good person who wants to stay in their community and give back and watch it grow because of their choices.”

youthcrisiscenter.org

A Voice of Courage, Connection and Compassion

At the Youth Crisis Center, stories of resilience and hope shape the mission. Cathy Hurst’s voice stands out for her compassion and deeply personal connection to families facing crisis, rooted in her own experience with her son Hayden’s struggle with depression after a career-ending injury.

Choosing openness over silence, Hurst sought understanding and held onto hope, helping guide her son back to stability. Today, she shares that journey to support others navigating similar challenges, offering empathy and reassurance to youth and families who feel alone.

Her impact extends beyond words. Hurst actively supports the Youth Crisis Center through volunteerism, service projects and efforts to expand youth mental health and suicide prevention programs. She

and her family help create welcoming spaces for residents, reflecting their belief in the organization’s life-saving work.

“Cathy Hurst not only serves on Youth Crisis Center’s Board of Directors with grace and conviction, she also invests in the mission with her own resources and heart,” said Kim Sirdevan, YCC president and CEO. “Through the Hayden Hurst Family Foundation’s generosity and her ability to connect people nationwide, she has strengthened the dialogue around suicide prevention and helped build a network of hope and healing. Through these conversations, lives will be saved and bring light to the work of suicide prevention.”

For YCC, Hurst is a powerful advocate and a steady source of hope.

Aubrey Edge, President and CEO, First Coast Energy

Chris Folds, CEO of First Coast Habitat for Humanity

Carla Austin, Executive Director, ELEVATE Jacksonville

Cathy Hurst on the YCC campus in front of a Maternity Independent Living and Life Services (MILLS) home

A Recipe for Giving

Guests returned once more to the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center on Thursday, April 9, for an afternoon of delicious food and heartfelt generosity for the 40th annual Celebrity Chefs Tasting Luncheon and Silent Auction.

Hosted by the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary, this signature fundraising event helps fulfill the philanthropic wishes of the Salvation Army of Northeast Florida by inviting guests to sample recipes prepared by local celebrities and bid on myriad items in its silent auction, featuring a robust inventory from more than 100 contributors.

This year, the Resident’s own Seth and Pamela Williams were among the celebrity chefs participating in the event, alongside Anthony Austin, Garret Bedenbaugh, Majors Keath and Candice Biggers, Kevin Boone, Darren Dailey, Mary Daniel, R. Ward Lariscy, Melanie Lawson and Greg McGarity.

News4Jax anchor and reporter Melanie Lawson was named the 2026 Celebrity Chefs People’s Choice Award winner.

Flourish and

Guests gathered for a celebration of art and philanthropy the organization’s signature fundraiser, which this year raised

This year’s event took place at the Epping Forest Yacht Club Cheryl and Kirk Larsen, the 2026 Guardians of the Arts, for Funds raised at this event will help support arts education inception, Spring for the Arts has raised more than $9 million

This year’s honorary chairs were Frances and Anthony Jabbour;

Leyda Garcia and Seth Williams

Teena Strickland and Karol Tolbert

Darlene Lombardo and Laura Rogers

Deborah and Richard Moore with Kathleen Kelley

Kanesha and Joshua Boyette

Spring for the Arts Guest Speaker Guest Speaker Henry Tung and Mary Bear

Barbara Cotes Haskell and Tom Johnson Manifast Valerie Michael

Dr. Shaneka Ferrell and Peyton Bryant

Smita Joe

and Fundraise

for the Cathedral Arts Project’s Spring for the Arts, raised more than $764,000.

Club on Friday, April 17, where CAP celebrated Kristine their tireless efforts to safeguard and advance the arts. education initiatives for students throughout the region. Since its million for arts education initiatives along the First Coast. Jabbour; event chairs were Marisa and Frank Martire.

Par-Tee Time

It was an evening teed up for success at The River Club for Greenscape of Jacksonville’s 2026 Root Ball.

Held on Saturday, April 11, Greenscape of Jacksonville welcomed guests to its signature fundraiser – this year featuring a Master’s Tournament theme – where guests enjoyed activities, food, and opportunities to give back – all of which were above par for the organization devoted to protecting, planting, and promoting Jacksonville’s urban forest.

Gabriele Dempsey chaired the 2026 Root Ball Event Committee, helping to bring together an evening that celebrated community, conservation, and the continued growth of Jacksonville’s tree canopy.

Valerie and Michael Ruegger Sharhonda and Justin Bussjager

Rebecca Black and Mike Munsch

Smita and Joe Proto Pat and Michael Blaylock

Guardians of the Arts Award Recipients Kirk Larsen and Kristine Cherek

Genora Crain-Orth with Alicia Smith

Pattie Houlihan with Kathy Stark and Julie Howard

Meg and Brad Walters

Jia Sanders with Aaron Beasley

Susan and John Zona with Gabrielle Dempsey

Richard Skinner with Pattie Houlihan

Stephanie and David Garfunkel

Susan and Bruce Andrews with Sally Lee, Becky Henson and Nicole Kresse

Heroes, History and High Notes

The USS Orleck Naval Museum served as the striking backdrop for the 2026 American Heroes Concert and Bike Fest, held on Friday, April 10. Hosted by the Florida Historic Naval Ship Association, the evening was a celebration of camaraderie, music, history and community honoring the military, veterans and first responders. Guests enjoyed sunset views on the river while listening to live music courtesy of The Usual Suspects. The USS Orleck Naval Museum was also open to guests, offering a close-up look at the “Grey Ghost of the Vietnam Coast.”

Boots on the Ground, Hearts in the Community

Members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary (VFWA) 7909 were recently recognized for their decades of service and commitment to responding to the emerging needs of veterans, the military, and the Northeast Florida community.

Their efforts have included awarding youth scholarships, sponsoring the Young Marines program, and assisting homeless veterans and those in hospitals or nursing homes, among others, here at home, while also helping ease food insecurity for families at the U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in South Korea.

“Their ‘can-do’ spirit to extend helping hands has earned the gratitude and testimonials of countless people. From hurricanes, floods and fires to the general well-being of veterans and families, the Auxiliary quickly responded with food, goods, and help,” said Beth Heath, president of We Can Be Heroes Foundation.

A Terrace of Thanks

The Salvation Army of Northeast Florida celebrated the years of service and support provided by the Terry Family Foundation at a dedication ceremony for its south terrace last month.

The C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry Family Foundation South Terrace was dedicated on Wednesday, April 15, in a ceremony attended by The Salvation Army Area Commanders, Majors Keath and Candice Biggers, and Betsy Cox and Kathleen Shaw, president and trustee, and executive director, respectively, of the Terry Family Foundation.

This terrace dedication represents the years of generous commitment and service the foundation has provided the community at large, along with Mary Virginia’s long-time support of The Salvation Army and the Women’s Auxiliary.

Benny and Jodi Burleson

Debbie Mulcahey with Joseph Pigg (US Navy Ret.) and Evan Mulcahey

Donna Goldy and Michael Latimer sit before Betty Hayes, Shirley Thompson, Machelle Leverock, Donna Garrett and Kathy Danahoo with Kathy Wright, Rene Stromann, Leilani Jones, Debbie Jolley, Lanaie Reed, Margaret Latimer, Yvonne McLucas, Debbie Tilley, and Vonnise Cobb

The Salvation Army Area Commanders Majors Candice and Keath Biggers with the Terry Family Foundation President and Trustee Betsy Cox and Executive Director Kathleen Shaw.

From Pavement to Purpose, Old Sneakers Get a Second Sprint

The Rotary Club of San Marco turned post-race momentum into meaningful impact, rallying the community around a simple but powerful idea – don’t toss your running shoes, repurpose them.

Following Jacksonville’s busy spring race season, including the Gate River Run, Rotarians and volunteers collected gently used sneakers from across the city to benefit Soles4Souls, a global nonprofit that transforms footwear into opportunity. On Saturday, April 11, the group gathered at Five Points Eye Associates to sort and organize hundreds of donated pairs, preparing them for shipment and second life abroad.

The effort reached far beyond a single club. Collection points were set up at all four First Place Sports locations, along with Watson Realty’s San Marco office, Five Points Eye Associates, First Coast Habitat for Humanity, Happy Brew, Hendricks Avenue Baptist Youth, the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors, the Office of the General Counsel, Deerwood Rotary, West Jacksonville Rotary, Bishop Kenny Interact Club, and the University of North Florida’s Enrollment Services team. The wide participation underscored Rotary’s ability to convene partners across neighborhoods and professions for a shared cause.

“We are thankful for working together and partnering with so many wonderful organizations to bring shoes to those that can help support their families,” shared current president, Meg Folds, who mentioned the use of the shoes will help feed those in third world countries.

Through Soles4Souls, the donated shoes will be distributed or repurposed in developing regions, supporting micro-enterprises and helping provide affordable footwear where it’s needed most. What might otherwise be discarded becomes both a resource and a revenue stream for communities abroad.

For San Marco Rotary, the project reflects a hands-on approach to service; local action with global reach. And for Jacksonville’s runners, it’s a reminder that even after the finish line, there’s another step worth taking.

Grillin’ and Chillin’

James Weldon Johnson Park and United Way of Northeast Florida joined forces for The

the

engaged in a little friendly competition playing lawn games while friends danced and sang along to live performers and enjoyed food from local food vendors. This free festival blended live music and good food with culture and wellness in an event that celebrated unity, heritage and the unique neighborhoods that make up the City of Jacksonville.

A Sapphire Moment for Duval County Changemakers

Duval County shone at the 2026 Sapphire Awards, hosted by the Florida Blue Foundation, as two of its own were among the nine honorees recognized for advancing impact in maternal health, mental well-being, crisis response, and community-based support.

More than 600 people attended the foundation’s annual Community Health Symposium and Sapphire Awards on Thursday, April 16, in Orlando.

The Women’s Center of Jacksonville’s S.A.F.E. program earned a second-place award and $50,000 in the Program category, while Faye Johnson, CEO of Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition, was awarded third place and $25,000 for the nonprofit in the Individual category.

“Each of this year’s honorees is pushing community health forward in powerful ways,” said Florida Blue Foundation Executive Director Susan Towler. “Their innovation, compassion, and commitment to improving the lives of Floridians inspires us, and we are honored to support their work.”

CookOut: Unity on

Block, a citywide block party, on Saturday, April 18. Families

Eyre Zhang and Cara Sun Jackquelyn Washington with Brenda Taylor and Catherine Howard

Henry Potochick with Jenna and Dr. Tony Potochick, Hannah Windsor, Mandy Hunter, Meg Folds, L.E. Spradlin, Britt Hester, Zach Ammon, Tom Deppe, and (not pictured) Janet Reagor

Celebrating the Soul of the Indie Bookstore

My happy place is a bookstore.

While I’ve always loved reading and writing, it wasn’t until my family moved to Switzerland when I was a child that I found a home inside the four walls of a bookstore.

My parents and I first moved to the mountaintop village of Davos in eastern Switzerland for one year, before moving to a small village just north of Lugano in southern Switzerland. I went to the neighborhood public schools in both places, where they taught in German in Davos and in Italian in Lugano. It was challenging to learn brand-new languages while trying to learn in general, but I settled in and planted roots where we had landed.

Every now and then, my mom and I would take the train to Zurich, where I discovered an English bookstore. Now, I’m sure there was more than one English bookstore in the entire country, but that was the only one I knew of at the time (this was in the dark days before Google), and nothing brought me more joy than stocking up on new books. That little store was a little piece of home for me, and that love has carried through into adulthood, where I can feel everything melt away the moment I step into a bookstore.

Last month, bookish communities across the country celebrated National Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 25. I jumped on the opportunity to do a bookstore crawl in our Resident communities with a friend of mine, during which I bought way too many books (I regret nothing). I chatted with several people in our Resident bookish communities about why they love indie bookstores.

Michele Leivas believes one can never purchase too many books, but would like to thank her friend, Madeline, for gently suggesting she pump the brakes a little during their bookstore crawl on National Independent Bookstore Day. Seven books, one journal, a bookish baseball cap, a sticker, and four greeting cards were probably enough for one day.

CURRENTLY READING: “The Book Witch” by Meg Shaffer CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: “The Ending Writes Itself” by Evelyn Clarke

“It’s more personal; they take time to talk to you and decide what you like and help point you in the right direction.” – Samantha

Cathy and Carly Mathis

“There’s just a whole bunch of people who love books, and you can feel it when you walk into an indie bookstore.” – Carly

“I think that’s the joy, you just never know what you’re going to walk out with.” – Samantha

Michele Leivas

Billie and Richard Alverson do some reading at The Next Chapter Bookshop in Avondale. Madeline Dau plays Plinko at Riverside’s Happy Medium Books Café.

Carlie Siegel and Michelle Marsh

Some of Michele’s haul from National Independent Bookstore Day.

R.D.G. Lover with Samantha Palmer and Angie Maniaci at San Marco Books and More

Emerald Morhouse and Christine Fowler

Jennifer Jackson with Samantha Horton and Grace Wallace

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK

The Drew Residence

By Fabrizio Gowdy

It’s a grand residence that has seen plenty of ups and downs in its 117-year lifetime: In its early history, it was home to a prominent Jacksonville resident with deep local roots; in later years, the home became abandoned, falling victim to blight and vandalism, and gaining a “haunted” reputation. Now, it stands on the cusp of being restored to some of its former grandeur. This is the story of Springfield’s Drew Residence.

If you’ve followed Springfield’s snaking Klutho Park to its midpoint, near where Third Street meets North Pearl, you’ve likely seen the Drew Residence. It’s hard to miss, with its crumbling stones, broken glass, exposed wood and graffiti. It’s a scene that exudes decay and despair. But a century ago, it was the stuff of postcards.

in 1913; at the time, the city was enjoying a brief run as America’s moviemaking capital. Meanwhile, in the basement, Drew’s daughter ran a citrus packing business during the 1920s until several freezes killed North Florida’s citrus industry.

A pioneering spirit, Drew also helped introduce football to Jacksonville.

Years before Wayne Weaver lured the Jaguars to town, Drew, who had played college football at Sewanee in the 1890s, organized Jacksonville’s first amateur football team, which traveled as far as Savannah to play games.

Architecture

Overlooking the park and Hogan’s Creek, the Drew Residence was originally built by Dr. Horace Drew in 1909. In his book “Jacksonville Architectural Heritage,” Dr. Wayne Wood calls the home’s design an “eclectic” mix of Tudor Revival, Queen Anne and Spanish Colonial Revival styles.

“Its base is elevated more than adjacent residences, adding to the vertical projection of the multi-planed roofline, gables and threestory tower. The composition is enriched by harmonious colors found in the gables with half-timbering over stucco, the clay tile roof and concrete walls,” writes Wood.

According to Wood, the house’s distinctive tower is a belvedere – Italian for “beautiful view” – one of the very few in Florida. From this open structure, Drew would have enjoyed a sweeping view of Springfield Park, the downtown skyline and the river beyond.

Wood also makes note of the structure’s “inventive” use of a combination of smooth and ashlar-finished concrete blocks.

According to archaeologist and Springfield resident Jeff Gardner, many homes built in Jacksonville during that era used locallymanufactured concrete blocks produced just north of Springfield.

“[The home is] basically a frame structure – the concrete blocks are actually a veneer. It makes the building look more substantial,” said Gardner.

Dr. Horace Drew Drew, the home’s original inhabitant, was a well-known local physician.

According to Gardner, newspaper accounts from the period placed him at the scene of many local accidents, where he tended to victims of car and buggy crashes.

“He’s known to have saved quite a few lives in some of these situations,” said Gardner.

Active in Jacksonville’s social scene, Drew had a billiards room in his attic where he would shoot pool with silent film actor Oliver Hardy, who moved to Jacksonville

would tell if they could talk, he takes a nuanced view.

“They would tell the story of the people who lived here, but I think they would also talk about the bad times, too, being abandoned. That’s a very important part of that story,” said Gardner.

Given Drew’s long-ago efforts to save people as a doctor, it is perhaps fitting that the community is now rallying to save his former home.

Later Years

Drew passed away in 1951, and according to Leland Kent of Abandoned Southeast, the Mears family lived in the home until 1967.

In 1970, while the house was vacant, two children discovered an airtight plastic bag containing a severed human head hidden in the backyard of the property.

In a bizarre twist, the culprit turned out to be an 18-year-old orderly, who’d stolen the head from the nearby Duval Medical Center because he knew the man and wanted to keep a part of his friend. The grisly incident gave the Drew Residence an enduring reputation as a “haunted house.”

The Massey family purchased and renovated the home in 1973, occupying it until 2006, when it was abandoned due to financial hardship. Over the last 20 years, the structure gradually fell into disrepair as vandals and trespassers smashed windows and stole copper pipes. The property has cycled through owners and racked up more than $2.3 million in fines, but progress towards restoration has been minimal.

The Next Chapter

In December 2025, a deal was reached to transfer ownership of the Drew Residence to Springfield Preservation and Revitalization (SPAR) in exchange for dropping fines on the property. As a nonprofit, SPAR organizers believe they have more tools and face fewer hurdles than a for-profit owner and have unveiled plans to restore the home.

According to SPAR Executive Director Michael Haskins, work will include shoring up the foundation and exterior masonry as well as repairing floors, walls, and electrical systems on the inside, which is gutted. He hopes to complete the project in the next two years and is encouraging the community to help reach a $1.5 million fundraising goal, which he says will require a mix of grant funding and private donations.

It will be a significant project, but Gardner is hopeful. Asked what story he thinks the walls of the Drew Residence

The Drew Residence as it stands today.

The Drew Residence, circa 1985

Dr. Horace R. Drew

Paulina Perez Paulina Perez

By Fabrizio Gowdy

Paulina Perez’s career has taken her into major television studios, presidential debate stages and the biggest professional sporting events in America – but it hasn’t gone to her head. Her favorite job title is still “mom.”

Born in a small town in Mexico, Perez moved to Jacksonville at age five after her father accepted a job as a dentist. She spent her childhood between Florida and summers back home, where she remembers mountains, jungle, beaches and a community so closeknit that her grandmother would get word she’d stopped for ice cream before she even made it home.

She is equally nostalgic about her high school days at Bishop Kenny, and her favorite decade will forever be the 90s. She grew up on Nickelodeon and MTV’s “Total Request Live,” something she tries to keep in mind when she gets onto her kids for watching too much YouTube. She remembers fondly how plaid skirts were everywhere thanks to “Clueless” and Britney Spears, while the Spice Girls, Alanis Morissette and Whitney Houston ruled the airwaves.

Best of all, she said, was the lack of social media.

“Everyone was present, and most importantly, no evidence of your – let’s call them learning curves,” she said.

that for granted and remember how lucky I am every day.”

“I’m one of the lucky ones who got to marry my best friend and the most incredible human,” said Perez, who will celebrate her 20th anniversary next year. “I try not to take

Perez went on to study communications at UNF. After graduating, she took a job at a local TV news station. She eventually pivoted to makeup, but not before meeting the man who would become her husband in the news station’s break room. He was a program director for a top 40 radio show.

In 2009, at what was arguably the worst possible time to start her own business, Perez bet on herself and started Makeup by Paulina Perez. She reasoned that in spite of the ongoing recession, she had nothing to lose.

“I just jumped in and haven’t looked back since,” said Perez.

When she’s not working, Perez’s world revolves around her two sons, both of whom attend Assumption Catholic School. She serves as their homeroom mom and tries to be at the school as much as possible to plan fun activities and parties for them. Family time is her ideal way to unwind.

“I will never say no to good Mexican food and a well-made fresh margarita,” she said. “Combine that with family time at the beach or our pool, and that just

about sums up the perfect day for me.”

Despite her line of work, Perez laughs at how low-maintenance she’s become. In her early 20s, she showed up everywhere in full makeup. Now?

“You won’t catch me with anything more on my face than good skincare and perhaps a tinted moisturizer,” she joked. Perez loves the pedestrian-friendly neighborhood and simple pleasures she gets to enjoy right outside her studio on Oak Street. She loves being able to walk to Publix, Five Points and her favorite local spots, including Bar Taco and Carolina Jax.

While her life has taken her far from that small Mexican town where everyone knew everyone’s business, the values she learned there – family, connection, humility – still define her more than any celebrity client ever could.

Paulina Perez

Paulina pauses for a photo during a trip to Vail, Colorado.

Perez working with local news anchor Lauren Verno

Perez and her two sons, Devan and Gabriel

THANK YOU NOTES 33 from my empty nest perch

The Clatter of Community

By Susanna Barton

Listen up, I’m going to hit a slightly lower note in this month’s show of neighborhood gratitude, and I apologize in advance if it sounds too complain-y and wah-wah and wet blanket-like; I think many of you will agree that it’s all true and something with which we must learn to live in our resident retreats – whether our ears are bleeding and our nerves are grated or not.

First, the good gratitude: I am grateful for the quiet moments in our community. Usually this is at night, when the moon comes up, and early risers are going to bed, and weirdos like me are finally glued to the boob tube watching terrible reality television or old episodes of “Dateline.”

You can find awe on our Resident streets this time of the evening: a few birds chirping goodnight, the wind rustling our mature tree branches, and maybe the sound of distant thunder or a pack of kiddos finally riding home from the park. In some seasons, you might even hear a fox barking – a hint that

These noises can be grating to some ears, especially Gilly’s, but gosh, aren’t we fortunate it’s not gunfire, or bombs, or worse.

nature was here first! I love this time of day.

The early morning is also a time of sweet silence: birds beginning their morning reveille, runners and walkers purging life’s heaviness to each other, and the darkness withering away quietly. I’m not a witness to this quiet much anymore, because I’m relishing the empty nest quiet of my own home, under my own covers on my own terms, which is pure heaven to me!

I’ll add it’s also pretty quiet in our neighborhood when the power or internet goes out, and people are forced just to be. However, silence can sometimes be a rarity, I’ve observed.

How do I know this? Because we just adopted a rescue dog who is highly sensitive to big, scary sounds. Gilly has taught us to be grateful for any scraps of noiselessness that come our way, because the truth is, our neighborhoods – as wonderful as they are – exist against a

backdrop of almost constant noise.

Having Gilly around has made us super conscious of the sounds we live with. Whenever the garbage, recycling, or yard waste trucks make their rounds, our small but mighty Jack Russell-ChihuahuaDachshund-Centaur mix puts her ears back, begins to shake, and runs as fast as she can to the depths of her kennel. This fear stays in her system all day. And there’s no diffuser, vest, doggy pot or medication that snaps her out of it. Street life as a rescue on the run must have been pretty traumatizing for poor Gilly. So, as much as we love bidding our garbage adieu each week, trash days are no longer our favorites.

But it’s not only the garbage trucks. The list is long:

Big a** trucks of all kinds – from the legions of jacked-up pickup trucks manly men and work crews insist on rumbling around in, to the moving vans, UPS and FedEx vehicles and the trucks hauling landscape, pool and home fix-it tools around. Trucks abound in these parts!

Speaking of landscape trucks, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the commotion that comes from our neighborhood’s landscape businesses. I’m no hater of landscape businesses. We use a local service, and I am on cloud nine when they visit and make my yard look beautiful and non-dirt-cloddy and un-weedy. But y’all. The blowers often start before 7 a.m. around here, and I know it’s the same for you. Let’s just say that while these sounds of yard progress are a necessity, they are an annoying one. Gilly is not down with it.

Gilly also is not down with reverse beeps. You know what I’m talking about. I can hear them right now as I write this. It’s the back-up beeping from some truck doing something productive in someone’s yard that’s going to have some curb appeal when it’s done, but for the love! The beeping! Gilly is not grateful for beeping of any kind.

Other sounds on the “not grateful” list include helicopters, low-flying airplanes, passing cars without mufflers, revving motorcycles and other fast cars, and the sounds of street racing late, late at night somewhere far, far away.

And I’ll end my non-grateful-ish list with outdoor AC units and pumps, ours included. They are loud and obnoxious – scary for anxious dogs – but oh so necessary, dang it!

Funny, as I was writing this, I decided to post on social media about my annoyance over the beeping. I kept it light, which is my approach to most things, and humorfilled. And thank goodness I wasn’t legit lashing out because a dear friend – someone

I admire and love deeply – commented with laughing emojis it was likely her landscape project that was the source of the bleepity bleep beeping, and reminded me that the work will only add to the beauty and ambiance for which our neighborhood is well known. I am such a beep.

We are noisy people with loud needs, I guess. And as OMG as I can feel about some of the things I hear each day when I’m just trying to collect my thoughts and write decent material, I remain grateful to live in a neighborhood that is clean, advancing, full of loving neighbors and determined to pursue the maintenance necessary to look its best. These noises can be grating to some ears, especially Gilly’s, but gosh, aren’t we fortunate it’s not gunfire, or bombs, or worse. Plus, we get to hear “nice noise” on the daily – birthday parties at the park, dogs greeting each other, kids’ laughter, the wind, the rain, all the critters that live amongst us for better or worse, Big Jim’s wakeup call and so much more.

Gilly will learn to live with these sounds as she makes herself more at home in our neighborhood. I guess I will, too, even after 25 years of living here.

Let me say it a little louder for the folks in the back – Susanna Barton can be a total bleeping BEEP! A longtime Granada resident, she has written professionally for The Jacksonville Business Journal, The Resident and The Bolles School. She is a newly minted Gerontologist and manages an online community called Grand Plans, which encourages healthy conversations about aging and preparing for it on www.mygrandplans.com

Tailored Floors, Timeless Style

Over the course of its 60-plus years in business, Carpet Concepts has refined and perfected the art of delivering top-of-the-line products, many of which are created on-site at its in-house workroom.

Mark Stone is continuing the tradition set by his parents, John and Alva Stone, of providing quality products with top-notch customer service. Carpet Concepts first opened on July 1, 1966, and Stone remembers the first store his parents operated in Downtown Jacksonville at the corner of Hogan and Forsythe streets. He was just a young child then. Today, he runs Carpet Concepts at its two locations–one in the Fairfax area on Herschel Street and the other in South Jacksonville Beach–with the help of his two sons and nephew, making Carpet Concepts a true family affair. And with more than 90% of their business coming from repeat customers, some of his clients feel like family, too.

“We have been very fortunate to have a large multi generational customer base,” said Stone.

With a full suite of services, from in-home consultations and on-site carpet services to in-house customizations in its Herschel Street workroom right next door to its showroom, Carpet Concepts is truly a one-stop shop for all your carpeting needs. Stone leads a seasoned team of experts who will help guide clients in selecting the perfect rug or carpet to complete any space, indoors or outdoors. Clients can select from thousands of styles,

colors, and fabrics in the main showroom before their order is custom-sized and finished to their particular needs, with the option to add a custom-sized area rug pad as well. Orders are typically available within three to five weeks, and with delivery services, clients need only wait for their new rugs to be delivered directly to them.

“By having complete oversight of the process, we are able to deliver finished goods as efficiently as possible,” Stone said.

With Carpet Concepts’ on-site custom carpet service, professionals will streamline the installation process for intricate spaces – fitting a rug around a fireplace hearth or cutting to fit an irregular shaped room or installing a complicated staircase – meaning once the selection process is completed, Carpet Concepts clients can relax, knowing their orders are in expert hands that will create, deliver and install it with seasoned ease and a commitment to delivering an exceptional experience with best-in-class products.

“Our staff is trained to treat every flooring project as if they were doing it for their own home,” said Stone.

The Carpet Concepts showroom is located at 4144 Herschel Street and is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Clients can also visit www.carpetconceptsinc.com to review a gallery of completed projects.

Jacksonville Leaders and Celebrities Gather for Pajcic Yard Golf Tradition

The 12th annual Pajcic

Rays of Hope

Amina Hope welcomed guests to The Glass Factory on Saturday, April 18, for its inaugural fundraising gala.

“Under the African Sun” was a celebration of community, faith and shared purpose, welcoming Nassau County School Board Member Shannon Hogue as the event’s inaugural distinguished guest speaker.

Amina Hope provides scholarships, mentorships and vocational training for girls in Uganda. Pam Graves launched the organization after a 2015 mission trip opened her eyes to the staggering statistic that 80% of girls in Uganda were forced into marriage before their 18th birthday, many to men with HIV.

Today, Amina Hope sponsors 38 girls, expanding its impact by adding 10 more each year. Graves leads mission trips to Uganda twice a year.

“Educated women give back to their community, have healthier children and a sustainable income,” said Hogue during her address.

Angela Tarrant, Kim Willis Xylina Green and Shannon Hogue with Natalie Graves Amina Hope Founder Pam Graves Bobby Graves Mia Kemp and Nadene Nystuen

Sharon Edwards with Joey Harris, Katrice Curls and Chase Harris Hazel Peters with Tracy Summerlin and Stacy Summerlin

Kortney Wesley with Jaxon DeVille and Jimmy Wesley

Steve Pajcic congratulated Tom Coughlin, who was playing Steve Pajcic handed Hayden Hurst a check for $6,000 for landing closest to the pin on the initial landing of the ball, Hayden brought home a nice check for The Hayden Hurst Family Foundation.

Michael Pajcic congratulates Michael McCaffrey after he drained a hole-in-one and snagged a $9,000 payday for his charity of choice.

Artis Gilmore with Latoya Williams-Shelton Pat Healy with Marsi Shiroka Latasha Lee and Kayla Matias

JU Athletics Department and athletes took home $6,000 for their gamesmanship, as the Dolphins showed up strong this year.

Peggy Harrell Jennings

is the

May-ing “April hath put the spring of youth in everything.”

Shakespeare may have written that line in his Sonnet 98, but it stands true as ever today. With the gloom of winter behind us and everything in bloom, there is indeed the youth of spring around us, and Avian Gallery’s recent exhibit hosted by Patricia Orange embodied that line.

Art means different things to different people, including the exhibiting artists.

“Art connects the past and the present,” observed artist Danisha Coastal.

“[Art is] my escape, the reflection of my voice,” said Nadia Grace Harris.

“[My art captures] fleeting moments with emotional clarity,” reflects Leilani Leo.

The women, including artist Christin Easterling, have a body of work that reflects genuine self-expression. Orange, director of Avian Gallery, is looking forward to opening art receptions on the first Wednesday of each month during ArtWalk. The gallery is at The Nest Coworking on Riverside Avenue.

Rick Redshaw’s solo exhibit with 52 mixed-media assemblages at Kingmaker Brewery was intriguing and thoughtprovoking. Redshaw, who creates his art using reclaimed or upcycled objects such as plastic soldiers, dinosaurs, and other characters, takes a whimsical approach he hopes will intrigue and amuse viewers.

The underlying, evocative philosophical and sociological statements challenge the viewer to engage in a sense of discovery about current issues related to violence and ecological awareness, and perhaps inspire viewers to tap into the inner child in everyone.

Redshaw’s work will be on display at TAC Gallery, Cork Arts District and Riverside Arts Market from October through December.

Thomas Morley, a contemporary of Shakespeare, shared his own thoughts on spring – “The Spring, clad all in gladness, Doth laugh at Winter’s sadness” – and Happy Medium Books Café ushered in the new season with several events, including hosting FSCJ professor and author Sarah Clarke Stuart’s Book Talk for a fun presentation of her book “Song of the Unsung Mushroom,” and renowned artist Cookie Davis’s solo exhibit reception for “Postcards from Florida” and “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” both of which are on display until July 8 at the bookstore. On Sunday, May 3, it will host Peggy Harrell Jennings’ Book Talk about “Rascals of the Revolution” and local bandit Daniel McGirt.

Speaking of professors, Mark Creegan and Dustin Harewood were at the FSCJ Kent campus for the “Spirit of the Weeds” reception for Dawn Montgomery and David Nackashi. This amazing exhibit emphasized the strengths of both celebrated local artists and provided an opportunity to highlight their contrasting yet complementary styles and subject matters.

Jason Johns, an associate professor at UNF, was the guest presenter for the Jacksonville Artists’ Guild’s monthly meeting, and FSCJ Gallery Director/Artist Mico Fuentes will be closing out the season at the June meeting on June 11 at Church of

Mark Creegan, Mico Fuentes and Dawn Montgomery with Dustin Harewood and David Nackashi

Eddie Hatcher with Cookie Davis and Marsha Hatcher

Nadia Grace Harris, Leilani Leo and Danish Coastal with Patricia Orange and Kat Robinson

Nichole Bishop and Krishna Achath and Ricky Redshaw with Aaron Jackson

Sarah Clarke Stuart and Tim Gilmore

the Good Shepherd for a reception of the “In the Neighborhood” exhibit.

Meanwhile, the new Guild Gallery in Orange Park hosted “Spring Fling”–its first official juried show. Oh, what a night! One hundred visitors celebrated and enjoyed the artistic expressions of the season with a spirit of gladness. The multitalented Betty McKee presented the history and art of calligraphy for the Guild’s April meeting, then conducted a workshop the following day, which was an enormous success. Additional shows included Teresa Cook’s at the downtown library and Peter Blunt’s show at UNICAT. Congrats to Johnny Masiulewicz on taking first place at Bab’s Lab Story Slam with his tale about “Divine Disruptions.”

As Morley wrote, “Now is the month of Maying, when merry lads [and lasses] are playing.” Taking a trip? Be sure to see Sophie Dare and Martha Ferguson’s spring show, “Taking Flight,” at the Jacksonville International Airport. Colors of the season are in evidence at The Art Center on Adams Street for “Kaleidoscope” through May 8 and “It’s Weather” at NorthPoint Dental. It’s the merry, merry month of May – it’s time to party!

Now — May 31

Toni Smailagic and Barbara Colaciello’s “160 Years of Stories: A Photo Exhibit” The Jessie | 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

May 2

Three Hearts Dance Season 11 Concert The Jessie | 6:30 to 9 p.m.

May 3

Peggy Harrell Jennings Book Talk for “Rascals of the Revolution” Happy Medium Books Café | 2 p.m.

May 6

Downtown ArtWalk | 5 to 9 p.m.

May 6

Edmund Troy | Southlight Gallery | 5 to 8 p.m

May 7

Artist Reception for “Sisters in Art” by Julie Feldman and Stephanie Perez Vandroff Art Gallery, Jewish Community Alliance | 6 to 8 p.m.

May 9

“In Full Bloom: A Celebration of Art in Bloom” Fundraising Event at The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens | 5:30 to 9 p.m.

May 11

Reception for “In the Neighborhood” JAG Juried Exhibit and Meeting/Presentation by artist Mico Fuentes Church of the Good Shepherd | 5 p.m.

May 15

Grand Slam at Bab’s Lab | Cork Arts District Doors open at 7:15 p.m., event begins at 8 p.m.

Snapshots of Meaning

Cummer opens latest exhibit, a showcase of photography’s impact

In a world where we can snap a photo with the tap of a finger, the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens invites guests to step back into that nascent time when photography began to blur the line between scientific endeavor and artistic expression and experience the medium’s evolution through the works of some of its most pivotal artists.

“Moment in Time: A Legacy of Photographs from the Bank of America Collection” opened to the public on Thursday, April 9 and will run through Sept. 6. On loan through the Bank of America Art in our Communities program, this exhibition features more than 100 photographs by key photographers who shaped, advanced and revolutionized the art of photography, including William Henry Fox Talbot, Julia Margaret Cameron, André Kertész and Ansel Adams and others from around the world.

“When you look up these people online, you will see that they’re mostly referred to as the best, the most important, the most significant; [the exhibition] is very much a who’s who in the historic of photography,” said J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver Chief Curator Holly Keris during a media preview tour of the exhibition before it opened to the public.

The Cummer is just one stop on the international itinerary for this exhibition, which was previously on display at the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego, California; the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin; and the Taft Museum of Art in Cincinnati, Ohio.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to showcase this special collection that shines such a fascinating light on key moments in the medium of photography, thanks to Bank of America’s Art in our Communities program,” said Kimberly S. Noble, the George W. and Kathleen I. Gibbs Director and CEO of the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens.

Betty McKee

Johnny Masiulewicz

Holly Keris, J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver chief curator of the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, discusses photographs by William Henry Fox Talbot, one of the inventors of the “calotype,” which allowed for prints using negatives, during a media preview tour of “Moment in Time.”

Rethinking Collaboration in a Changing Nonprofit Landscape

After more than 40 years in nonprofit leadership, CEO Dawn Lockhart is preparing to retire, describing the moment simply as a “time to pass the torch.”

Lockhart joined the Nonprofit Center in January 2024 following a career in public service and nonprofit leadership, including serving as CEO of Family Foundations of Northeast Florida and director of strategic partnerships for the City of Jacksonville, where she built the city’s inaugural Office of Strategic Partnerships, the first in the Southeastern United States to advance cross-sector collaboration among government, philanthropy, nonprofits and the private sector.

Her work in Jacksonville led to nationally recognized public-philanthropic partnerships honored by the Council on Foundations and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2023.

At Family Foundations, she expanded access to mental health services, housing, and financial counseling, as well as financial literacy programs, serving thousands of families across Northeast Florida.

Following Lockhart’s retirement, longtime team member Callan Brown, senior vice president of development, partnerships and operations, will step in as interim CEO. Still, both leaders emphasize that this transition is about far more than a change at the top: It reflects a broader shift in how nonprofits work together to sustain their missions in a rapidly changing environment.

Collaboration is not new in the nonprofit sector. Organizations have long partnered on programs, shared resources and coordinated services across the community, but leaders say the current moment requires something deeper. The difference now is urgency and intentionality.

“How do we innovate in those partnerships so we can absorb some of the loss of funding while still delivering services for people in need,” Lockhart said.

That shift is changing how leaders think about structural decisions, and approaches like shared services or mergers –once viewed as last resorts – are increasingly being reframed as strategic tools for sustainability.

“This is about mission sustainability,” Lockhart said. “Not just organizational sustainability.”

For Brown, the transition is both professional and personal.

“I had such an aspirational view when I was in my MPA program at the University of North Florida,” Brown said. “I wanted to work for the Nonprofit Center someday.”

We enter this next chapter with confidence – grounded in a strong financial position, a clear strategic direction and the resilience of our nonprofit community.

This transition is being guided by the Center’s framework of sustained collaboration – a structured approach to mission sustainability that helps nonprofits form intentional, strategic partnerships. These can include mergers, shared back-office services, fiscal sponsorships, asset transfers and data-sharing agreements. “Sustained collaboration” is the Center’s way of describing how organizations can move beyond traditional partnerships toward more intentional, systemic cooperation designed to strengthen long-term impact. Through initiatives like Catalyst, a regional data effort, the Nonprofit Center is building the infrastructure that enables this kind of collaboration.

– Sam Inman Board Chair

Now, nearly a decade into her tenure, she said the opportunity feels both earned and deeply meaningful.

Brown pointed to the organization’s strategic plan –built over several years of research, listening and sector engagement – as a solid foundation for what comes next.

“We have a strong strategic plan, a strong staff, a strong board and a lot of momentum,” Brown said.

What makes this transition distinctive is that the Nonprofit Center is applying its own philosophy internally. Rather than immediately launching a search for a permanent CEO, the Board is taking a deliberate pause to evaluate what leadership and structure should look like

going forward. That includes asking the same questions it encourages other organizations to consider: how can impact grow, what partnerships are possible and what models better serve the mission.

“Callan is a trusted and capable leader who has played an integral role in shaping the Nonprofit Center’s growth and impact,” said Sam Inman, chair of the Nonprofit Center Board of Directors. “Her leadership will provide stability and continuity of growth as we build on the strong foundation Dawn has helped establish.”

As part of the transition effort, Lockhart and other nonprofit leaders, including Stella Johnson, Cindy Funkhouser, and Lori Ann Whittington, have helped launch the “Sector Shift Society,” a network of experienced nonprofit executives focused on mentoring and supporting emerging leaders.

The goal is to share lessons learned over decades in the field and help new leaders navigate challenges they may not anticipate. “Hundreds of sector leaders responded,” Lockhart said, noting interest in both participating and supporting the effort. “It’s about being behind the scenes,” Lockhart said, “and helping lift up emerging leaders.”

After more than four decades in the field, Lockhart said one lesson stands out above all others: “Know when to say no,” Lockhart said. “If you don’t set boundaries around your capacity, you risk not being able to serve anyone well.”

For Brown, stepping into leadership at a moment of transformation is both challenging and energizing.

“It’s an exciting time,” Brown said. “We have a strong foundation, a clear direction and a real opportunity to innovate.”

In reflecting on the organization’s progress and outlook for the year ahead, Inman underscored the strength and steadiness guiding the nonprofit’s next chapter.

“Our members and partners can expect stability, transparency and continued focus on our shared mission,” said Inman. “We enter this next chapter with confidence – grounded in a strong financial position, a clear strategic direction and the resilience of our nonprofit community.”

Lockhart will remain involved as executive in residence, supporting the organization through its next phase while stepping back from day-to-day leadership.

The Nonprofit Center Staff Team

A Record Day of Giving

University of Florida celebrated a record-setting day of philanthropy as nearly 6,000 donors turned out for its 2026 Giving Day, marking the university’s largest single day of donor participation.

Held on Wednesday, April 8, UNF’s 2026 Giving Day raised more than $1.7 million, with donors including UNF students, alums, faculty, staff, family, corporate partners and friends of the university.

Gifts from this annual day of giving support more than 120 funds that benefit the UNF community, with athletics receiving the largest number of gifts, followed by academic and student affairs initiatives that include fraternity and sorority leadership development, club sports, and experiential learning.

Your generosity strengthens quality programs, supports the exemplary work of our faculty, creates opportunities for our students and helps contribute to UNF’s upward momentum.

Dr. Angela Garcia Falconetti Interim President, University of North Florida

Several fundraising challenges and matches were unlocked thanks to successful donor engagement, including matching gifts from Brooks College of Health Dean Mei Zhao, College of Arts and Sciences Dean Kaveri Subrahmanyam for the COAS undergraduate research and creative activities fund, and Hicks Honors College Dean Scott Brown. Reaching its goal of 250 donors, the Lend-A-Wing Food Pantry also unlocked a $50,000 gift from the Lufrano Family.

“Your generosity strengthens quality programs, supports the exemplary work of our faculty, creates opportunities for our students and helps contribute to UNF’s upward momentum,” said UNF Interim President Dr. Angela Garcia Falconetti. “Together, we are helping fuel the future of the University of North Florida.”

A Night of Promise Delivers Hope

Publishers’ Note: This month, as we recognize mental health, we’re reminded that strength isn’t just what we show the world, it’s also in asking for help. Taking care of our minds matters, and no one should have to do it alone.

Here Tomorrow marked its fifth anniversary with its “A Night of Promise” gala, where nearly 200 guests raised more than $420,000 for the organization and its mission to provide free, immediate suicide prevention support to individuals and families in need.

The gala was held on Saturday, March 21, at TPC Sawgrass, delivering a thoughtfully curated experience for guests that blended storytelling, community impact and meaningful moments to give. Amid these curated moments, guests also enjoyed gourmet dining, dancing and live and silent auctions.

(Top Row): Board Members Fatima Bowen, Kevin Craig, Jerry Sweat/ Congressman Aaron Bean (Bottom Row): Board Members Elaine Brown, Joe Kenney,

President and CEO Dr. Terrie Andrews, Trevor Lawrence, Brooke Lawrence, Chase Lawrence, and Benefactor Sponsors Cynthia and Chris Scangas

Founder and Board Chair Joe Kenney, Board Member with Kevin and Megan Craig and Trevor Lawrence with Jeff Zadow and Brooke Lawrence

Benefactor Sponsors Cynthia and Chris Scangas

Hidden Currency – The Rising Value of Confederate Notes

In the world of numismatics, yesterday’s currency can become today’s prized collectible – and few categories tell that story more vividly than Confederate bank notes. Once rendered effectively worthless at the end of the Civil War, these pieces of Southern history are now commanding serious attention among collectors, historians and investors alike.

For A-Coin & Stamp owner Bill Hatchett, a seasoned and deeply knowledgeable numismatist, the appeal is both personal and professional.

“There was a lot printed, and when the South lost, the notes were not worth anything,” Hatchett explained. “As years have passed, people started saving them… they went from nothing to something.”

That “something” can be significant. Today, rare Confederate notes – especially those with strong provenance, condition, or unique issuing banks – can reach into the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars when the right buyers align.

Hatchett has seen it firsthand, particularly here in Jacksonville, where a rich banking history adds another layer of intrigue. Before the establishment of the Federal Reserve, cities like Jacksonville operated with a mix of local, regional and national banks issuing their own currency. Institutions such as Barnett National Bank and Atlantic National Bank were part of a decentralized system that produced notes now highly sought after by collectors.

“Jacksonville had a lot of banks… national banks and private banks,” Hatchett

said. “There are a lot of those notes floating around.”

Over the years, A-Coin & Stamp has handled remarkable finds – often tied to family histories stretching back generations. One standout example involved a framed note passed down through a family with ties to a bank executive.

“This note had been in the family over 100 years,” Hatchett recalled. “We paid almost $10,000 for it… and it was a $10 bill.”

Stories like that are more common than many realize. For decades, Confederate notes were treated casually – tucked into drawers, used as play items by children, or simply forgotten.

“I remember as a child playing with notes that my father played with… my grandfather played with them,” he said. Today, those same pieces are being rediscovered, often in estates or inherited collections. And while not every note carries high value, the right combination of rarity, condition and historical context can dramatically elevate worth.

Hatchett notes that large hoards have surfaced locally over the years, with more likely still in some local family collections or hidden away undiscovered. “I’ve bought several large hoards here in Jacksonville,” he says. “And I think there’s still more of them out there.”

That’s where A-Coin & Stamp positions

itself as both a resource and a buyer. With decades of experience and an active network of collectors, Hatchett is constantly seeking quality notes – and willing to pay competitive premiums.

“Collectors are looking for these notes,” he says. “And we are too…and I pay more!”

For those holding onto old currency – whether Confederate notes, early American banknotes, or pieces tied to Jacksonville’s banking past – the message is clear: it may be time for a closer look. What once seemed like a relic could now represent a meaningful asset, backed by history and driven by a growing collector market.

And in the hands of an expert like Hatchett, those stories – and their value –can finally be brought to light.

th ‘

By: Fabrizio Gowdy

Gina Martinelli may be pushing 80, but she says her creativity has yet to peak.

“I’m exploding with creative energy – exploding! I’m glad I’m still here, but it also puts me in a slight state of panic because there’s so much more I want to do,” said Martinelli.

It’s difficult to find an art form Martinelli doesn’t dabble in: She paints, sculpts, sketches, plays more than a dozen instruments, and even has an at-home pottery studio complete with two kilns.

She remembers art first taking hold of her as a small girl growing up in New York City, where her father worked on Madison Avenue, and she took dance lessons at Carnegie Hall. When her dance teacher began giving her piano lessons at age four, the fifth song in her practice book moved her profoundly. It was John Thompson’s “Swans on the

Lake,” and she’s never forgotten the effect it had on her.

“All of a sudden, I wasn’t in Queens anymore – I went someplace. I was the swan, I was the breeze. I saw the livery gentlemen playing the French horns, and

In college, Martinelli studied drama and obtained degrees in music and fine arts. She moved to Jacksonville in 1973 with her husband on the day her second child was born.

“I imagined [my husband] would take care of the real world, and I would take care of the magical world. I would be a mom, and I would have cooking, gardening, my music, and I would never have to face real life,” said Martinelli. “[I thought] trying to make any kind of a career out of living in Jacksonville with three children is impossible.”

Contrary to her expectations, however, Martinelli did not stay confined to a life at home. She quickly began performing and singing in hotels, restaurants and clubs across Northeast Florida. Many of those venues are no longer around, and few of those that remain still feature live performances.

Martinelli laments that so few restaurants still have tablecloths, carpeted floors and acoustic ceilings, and wishes hotels had never put televisions in their lobbies.

Martinelli fondly remembers a more elegant era of live musical entertainment that she says has been largely abandoned to cut costs.

I felt the total escape that music gives you,” recalled Martinelli, who says the piano is still the art form she cherishes most.

It’s been decades since she left the Big Apple, but her immense pride and love for her hometown remain evident when she speaks about it.

“The best theater in the world, the best museums, the only international city in this whole country. I was in the middle of the most fantastic city in the world,” said Martinelli.

10 sketchbooks, each containing about 200 sketches of her former pupils. It’s a reminder of her belief that we are all “at least 50% creative,” but are just afraid to use it.

“If you talk to any child that’s five years old or younger, and say, ‘Can you dance? Can you sing? Can you draw?’ They all say yes. By the time they’re seven, they don’t think they can do anything, because we teach it out of them,” said Martinelli.

Since 1999, Martinelli has lived in a home near Boone Park, the interior of which is filled wall-to-wall with her artwork. Twice a year, it’s the site of an epic party she throws for all her neighbors, with live music, belly dancers and more than 100 people in attendance.

Her garden, which will be on RAP’s Garden Tour this year, is similarly full of sculptures, pottery and other art pieces she has made over the years, including a fourfoot-tall lion statue made of mosses and other living greenery.

“Entertainment is not in their business plan. It’s football, karaoke, earsplitting music, or nothing – and nobody notices,” said Martinelli.

These days, she makes the 30-minute drive to Fleming Island four nights a week, where she has played piano at Santioni’s Italian Ristorante for the past seven years. The atmosphere reminds Martinelli of the long-gone venues where she used to perform, and the Mastrocinque family has become like family to her.

“I am providing the soundtrack to the movie that you and your loved one are starring in. I’m not the star; they are the stars. I’m just helping to enhance their experience,” said Martinelli.

Patrons can count on her to appear with her signature blue hair, liberally applied makeup, and a vibrant outfit thoughtfully selected from hundreds of similar ones in her closet.

Over the years, Martinelli has also sought to share her talents with others by offering lessons from her home and even teaching in the public school system, where she sketched thousands of her students. All these years later, she has kept a collection of

For all her countless works of art, Martinelli is most proud of the three children she raised, who have blessed her with six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She is currently enjoying reading a book over the phone to two of her grandchildren in California.

Martinelli isn’t sure if there’s a heaven waiting for her, but she says she’s not going to count on it. She lives every day trying to make the most of the life she has been given.

“Anything that is alive, that has been born, reaches a certain point when it dies. I do believe that our life is our one gift. It’s very precious. We all have the power to spread our light, to make the world a better place,” said Martinelli.

Martinelli in the early days of her career as a live entertainer

Martinelli at Santioni’s,

family.

Creativity on Display

Walsh and her dad Patrick

Families filled the auditorium at West Riverside Elementary School for the second annual WRES Art Show on Wednesday, April 1.

Organized by West Riverside Elementary Art Teacher Theresa Bryant, the evening was the culmination of a year’s worth of artwork created by students in every grade. Not only did it give students a chance to show off their artwork to friends and family, but it also allowed guests to buy their students’ artwork for a donation to the school. WRES Principal Amber McCormick said the evening raised more than $1,000 that will go right back into the school’s art program.

“[The art show] is a wonderful way to celebrate the kids and share their creativity with the families,” McCormick said. “The arts are very important; many students who struggle academically are gifted in other ways, and this is one of the ways that some students are gifted. It’s always fun to share that with families.”

Know-It-All for a Cause

Trivia buffs, families and friends gathered at the newly-opened Block Jax to engage in a little friendly competition at YoungLife Northeast Florida’s Trivia Night on Tuesday, April 21.

IKnowIt Trivia provided the questions, with teams battling it out for bragging rights –all for a good cause: Proceeds from the event will support camp scholarships for teenagers in Duval, St. Johns, Clay and Nassau counties.

Steady Aim, Solid Finish

Bishop Kenny High School’s NJROTC marksmanship team capped off a season defined by discipline and steady improvement with a seventh-place overall finish at the Navy National Championships, held in Pensacola on March 27 and 28.

In addition to this top ranking in a nationwide competition, the team also qualified for the Armed Forces National Championships, earning a 23rd-place finish in a field representing hundreds of teams and thousands of cadets from all service branches.

“This result didn’t happen overnight,” said Chief Edward Morales. “It’s the product of countless hours on the range, attention to detail and a commitment to getting better every single day.”

Athletes and coaches expressed their gratitude to the people and organizations that made the dedicated air rifle range possible. The range was constructed four years ago and was recognized as a key factor in the program’s rise.

“We wouldn’t be where we are today without the support of our benefactors, administration and community,” said CDR Brian Morrill. “Having our own range has allowed us to train more consistently, more effectively and at a higher level. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make that vision a reality.”

Marisol Connell and her grandfather, Angel Santiago

Theresa Bryant with the Harris siblings: Seven, Reign, Jewelz, Jersey and Jax Harris

Zoey

Jordan and Ella Whitmarsh

Keena and Kevin Finn

Samuel Militante and Armani Wynn with Chief Edward Morales, Katie Epps and Gracie Keupper

Ravi Patel and Grace Fowler

Fast Times and Strong Finishes

Catholic School is celebrating its boys’ and girls’ track and field teams following the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.

Eighth grader Jaxen Lackovich wrapped up his middle school track and field career by breaking three school records in the long jump, 100m and 400 m. Both teams competed in the Middle School Track and Field Series Championship 2026 at the Providence School of Jacksonville in March, with the boys’ team finishing second and the girls’ team taking home the championship title.

Striking a Chord on a National Stage

Saxophonist Spencer Carnochan and drummer Isaiah Newland from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts joined Music for All’s Jazz Band of America – an elite jazz ensemble consisting of young musicians from high schools across the country – in its performance at Music for All’s National Festival.

The festival took place from March 26 to 28 in Indianapolis, Indiana, allowing participating youths to learn from world-class musicians and showcase their talent in a culminating concert experience.

“We are incredibly proud of the work of these two standout senior band students for their selection in the Music for All National Jazz Band of America,” said Ted Shistle, Director of Bands at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. “Spencer and Isaiah both embody the spirit of a relentless pursuit of excellence, which we seek to instill in our music students at Douglas Anderson. Being included in this elite ensemble of high-achieving young jazz musicians is an incredible honor. The experience of this event will serve as a memorable opportunity to both grow as jazz musicians and share their knowledge with others.”

Historic North Hall

Reimagined at Bolles Bartram Campus

A lead gift from Bree Ringhaver Alban and David Alban is facilitating a $4 million renovation of the Alban Arts and Innovation Center at the Bolles Middle School Bartram Campus.

This project will reimagine the existing space, bringing significant updates to the historic North Hall – the former home of the girls’ boarding program and one of the original buildings on the campus during its time as the Bartram School for Girls.

As the Alban Arts and Innovation Center, the planned space will feature dedicated areas for art, band and chorus programs along with a state-of-the-art lab to support the school’s commitment to innovation across campuses and departments.

“Renovating North Hall into the Alban Arts and Innovation Center allows us to honor Bolles’ history while investing in what lies ahead,” Bolles President and Head of School Tyler Hodges said. “We are grateful to the Alban family for their leadership and belief in the power of arts and innovation to shape confident, creative learners.”

The Episcopal experience means learning extends far beyond the classroom. Our graduates Seek Understanding as lifelong learners; Develop a Sense of Self earned through challenge; Live with Honor and Purpose, choosing to lead, do good, and serve others; and Pursue a Life of Faith, in a way meaningful to them while respecting the dignity of every human being. Across our Four Pillars — Academics, Athletics, Fine Arts, and Spiritual Life — Episcopal students find their passions while shaping who, not what, they will become.

Spencer Carnochan Isaiah Newland

Assumption

Jaxen Lackovich

A rendering depicts the Alban Arts and Innovation Center planned for the Bolles Middle School Bartram Campus.

A Saucy Soirée

The Fishweir Elementary School PTA welcomed guests to Bold City Brewing for Blues, BBQ and Bidding, its signature fundraising event, on Saturday, April 11.

The event took place at Bold City Brewery for the fifth year, underscoring a strong community partnership with the local brewery. Ultimately, the evening raised more than $7,500, which will support projects and initiatives for the A-rated Fishweir Elementary School.

“With another successful year in the books, the event stands as a testament to what makes the Fishweir community so special: a shared commitment to education, tradition and showing up for one another,” said PTA President Cheryl West.

Celebrating Brushstrokes of Brilliance

A Vision for Art kicked off its annual three-day public art sale and exhibition with an opening night celebration at the Lori Schiavone Commons at Episcopal School of Jacksonville’s St. Mark’s Campus on Friday, April 17.

Now in its eighth year, A Vision for Art gave art lovers and collectors the chance to peruse and enjoy artwork

Silbiger

by more than 40 well-known and emerging artists, with the option to purchase pieces to add to their personal collections. The 2026 Featured Artist is Atlanta-based artist Lindsey McCord, who creates fashion-inspired fine art prints.

A Vision for Art also featured its Student Art Series,

during which guests were able to bid on pieces created by Episcopal students who worked alongside artists from the southeastern United States to create original artwork. Episcopal School of Jacksonville has hosted this annual celebration of art since its launch in 2018, establishing itself as a premier supporter of local and national artists.

Make Mom’s Day from Miles Away

Whether she’s across town or across the country, we’ll pack it with care and ship it with love. Stop in today, let the pros handle the heavy lifting (and the bubble wrap).

Samantha and William Morgan

Gary and Sammie Janica with Jorge and Mandy Argueta and Gisette and Pablo Moscoso

Artis Lesley Hanlin and Allen Hanlin

Jenny Terronez with Lauren Griffith and Chloe Wood

Florence and Tim Calhoun

Lindsey Waters and Carol McArthur

Jenny Miller with Meghan and Jack Starling

Patricia

and June Klement David and Annie Roberts

The Rev. Adam Greene with his wife Maria Greene

Fishweir Elementary School Assistant Principal Jasmine Butler, Angela Moten and Alicia Palm

The Art of Home

For six decades, the team behind Wayne’s Fine Furniture and Bedding has done more than sell furniture; it has built a legacy on its commitment to creating spaces people love coming home to.

Charlie Ramos, partner and sales manager at Wayne’s Fine Furniture, has grown with the company, joining the team at just 17 years old and working his way up to the leadership positions he holds today. One of the most rewarding aspects of working for a business that prioritizes customer satisfaction above the bottom line, he said, is the opportunity to work with multiple generations of the same family.

I want your space as perfect as you do, because I want your kids, your cousin, your best friend to go into your house and feel like a designer came into your house and did it. I’m all about just trying to find a picture-perfect style for each client.

– Charlie Ramos Partner and Sales Manager

“I’ve personally sold to all four generations of the same family,” Ramos said. “I’m selling to the daughter [now] who’s going to UF, and I sold to the great-grandmother when she was 45. Just imagine that.”

Operating out of the same location it’s had since the family-owned store first opened in 1967, Wayne’s Fine Furniture and Bedding has grown into a staple in Jacksonville’s Normandy neighborhood, upholding the same family values and principles it’s had since the beginning.

Customers can find furnishings for every room in their home, from living room and dining rooms to home offices and outdoor spaces. It also offers those finishing touches and home accents: clocks, lamps, pillows, rugs, throws,

decorative pillows and blankets – everything you need to create a finished space that reflects your tastes, with comfort, durability, function and quality at the forefront. The inventory at Wayne’s Fine Furniture and Bedding is carefully curated in a blend of current trends and client input, with an emphasis on the latter, Ramos said.

“I work with about 20 designers, so my styles are very current,” Ramos said. “I know current colors, but I also listen to my clients, because what’s popular in Miami may not be popular in Jacksonville, so I listen and put those two together – what my designers say and what my buyers say.”

The experience customers will have at Wayne’s Fine Furniture and Bedding is a far cry from what they may have at larger furniture franchises or online shopping: With more than 40 years of experience, Ramos guides each client through the process of selecting the perfect furniture that fits their space, their tastes and their budget – an experience clients will have with any member of the Wayne’s Furniture team.

Rather than promoting gimmicky sales or slashing prices, Wayne’s Fine Furniture relies on its steadfast, family-like approach to keep clients walking through their doors, offering straightforward advice and honest pricing from a team that genuinely cares about helping them make the right choice.

“I want your space as perfect as you do, because I want your kids, your cousin, your best friend to go into your house and feel like a designer came into your house and did it,” Ramos said. “I’m all about just trying to find a pictureperfect style for each client.”

As Wayne’s Fine Furniture and Bedding transitions into its next chapter under new ownership, the legacy it has built throughout these 60 years will carry through to this next era – one that is built on quality furniture, honest pricing and a commitment to the clients who are treated like family each time they walk through the door.

Hours: Mon-Fri 10-7 | Sat 10-6 | Sunday-Closed 904-786-5919 | 5853 Normandy Blvd | Jacksonville www.waynesfinefurnitureandbedding.com

Memoriam

Joan Wellhouse Stein Newton passed away on March 7. She was 97 years old.

Joannie was born on Feb. 2, 1929, the only child of Louis and Rhoda Wellhouse of Tampa, Florida. Joannie’s spirituality was born in her years at the Academy of Holy Names. She went on to attend Briarcliff Junior College and, through a roommate, she met University of Florida senior Martin Stein. The two quickly fell in love and decided to wed. Upon hearing their plans, Joannie’s father advised Martin to quickly find a job to support his only daughter.

Joan Wellhouse Newton

Following his future father-in-law’s advice, Martin dropped out of college with just three months until graduation to find a job. The two were wed in 1950 and moved to Jacksonville, where, a few years later, they started a real estate business building apartment complexes, houses, and some land, and engaged in some land brokerage.

Joannie was actively involved in the business, even while raising three sons and participating in several community endeavors. It was Joannie and Martin who built Regency Square, the first major regional shopping center in Jacksonville.

Nearly 15 years after it first opened, Martin and Joannie doubled the mall’s size and used that expansion as a springboard to grow their company, which would become one of the state’s top real estate firms. Joannie was chairman of Regency Centers when it went public in 1993, several years after Martin passed. Since its IPO, Regency Centers has grown to be a highly regarded national shopping center company.

Joannie was committed to the city in which she and Martin raised their family, giving her time, talent, and treasure to several organizations and projects.

She chaired the Jacksonville branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. She served on the President’s Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the board of directors of Barnett Banks of Florida. She was also involved with many community institutions and organizations, including The Cummer Museum of Arts and Gardens, The Women’s Giving Alliance, The Late Bloomers Garden Club, The University of North Florida, The Jacksonville Symphony, Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, Jacksonville Arts and Music School, The YMCA, and the Episcopal Church’s Ministries.

She was a lover of the written word, learning and teaching Braille, studying the Bible from an intellectual perspective, reading several newspapers every day, and reading fiction and nonfiction. She was a master bridge player, an exceptional cook, and a skilled flower arranger and fashionista.

Her greatest joy and devotion were to her family and friends, with endless love for her sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren, and friends.

Joannie married Russell Newton in 2000, and the two were happily married for

23 years, during which they pursued their shared love of travel – particularly to their shared homes in London and Linville, North Carolina – and philanthropy, staying actively involved in several Jacksonville charities, including Jacksonville education, Mayo Clinic, and Baptist Hospital.

Joannie’s family shared heartfelt thanks to her nurses Rose Johnson, Isis Belton, Carl Jordan, Zlatan Pecar, Keith Knue, Theo Johnson, Jack Revels, Angeila Mills, Maria Vargas, Dr. Lynn Peterson, and Zane Shaw. The family also extended a special thanks to the Mayo Clinic, particularly Dr. Gianrico Farrugia, Dr. Kent Theilen, and Dr. Arphita Ketty, and Dr. Mike Stephens.

Joannie is survived by her three sons, Martin “Hap” (Brooke), Rick (Rebecca), and Bobby (Polly). Her grandchildren, Ashley (Matt Wotiz), Kimberly (Ken Tonning), Kelly (Billy Kuntz), Ashley (Bo Flurry), Laurie (Collier McRae), Mary Martha (Lucas Waterworth), Richard Stein (Lauren), Blakely Stein and Ted Stein. She also leaves 19 great-grandchildren and 5 stepchildren: Helen (Raymund Hartung), Rusty Newton (Kathy), Matt Newton (Vicki), Julie (Marc St John) and Will Newton (Karla).

Leighton Miller, Owner and President

Experience Gets Results

The Law Firm of Pajcic & Pajcic was established in 1974 and has handled more than 12,500 personal injury and wrongful death cases, recovering more than $1.5 billion for our clients. From the beginning, outstanding service was the signature of our firm and remains so today.

Our 17 attorneys have amassed more than 600 years of combined legal experience and zealously represent clients in their time of need. Some of the firm’s practice areas include car, motorcycle, and truck crashes, medical malpractice, as well as litigation concerning dangerous consumer products and unsafe motor vehicles.