San Marco: Resident August 2025

SAN JOSE | SAN MARCO | ST. NICHOLAS

New Chapter Begins for Storied Intersection

Iceland Adventure Expands Horizons for Bolles Students

Leasing has begun for the new spaces at Hendricks Place, the development replacing Reddi-Arts’ former San Marco location.

Property owner and Kings Avenue Properties LLC President Allen Stevens said construction was expected to wrap up last month on this project that has been several years in the making. In total, the new Hendricks Place development features four buildings totaling 13,500 square feet. The individual bays available for lease can be flexed from a minimum of 1,200 square feet up to 6,000 square feet.

Popular Jacksonville muralist and artist David Nackashi helped put the finishing touches on the development with the installation of a vibrant mural with a pink flamingo taking center stage.

8

Epic WWII Tribute and Star-Studded Speaker Series Coming

Don’t miss a powerful one-nightonly event, “The Eyes of the World: From D-Day to VE Day,” coming to the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts on Sept. 30. Created by Bolles alumnus John Monsky and featuring the Jacksonville Symphony and Broadway vocalists, the show launches this year’s Florida Forum Speaker Series, hosted by The Women’s Board of Wolfson Children’s Hospital. Turn inside for more on this unforgettable evening – and a look at the high-profile speakers coming soon.

San Marco Loses One of its Brightest Lights

Family, friends and the community celebrate the life of a woman who soared to spectacular heights, first as a flight attendant, then –even more so – as a mother, philanthropist and civic leader.

Bolles Upper School students kicked off their summer vacation with a week in Iceland through the Bolles Iceland Travel Program.

From June 1 to the 8th, Lian Dyer, Asher Gottlieb, Pedro Martinezclark, Elizabeth Watkins, Kimbrough Chambliss, Paul Rywelski, Abigail Naugle and Jane Shad explored the Golden Circle and some of its most iconic landmarks, including Gullfoss Waterfall and Thingvellir National Park. Leading the trip were Bolles Lower School Whitehurst Campus P.E. Coach Trey Leonard and upper school academic travel programs coordinator Kristin Hong.

July 26 with a

Founder Kristin Keen thanked the crowd during a heartfelt speech, recognizing the power of collective purpose and support.

Bolles students explore the Icelandic outdoors during a one-week trip during their summer vacation.

Hendricks Place replaces Reddi-Arts at 1037 Hendricks Avenue, bringing office, retail and restaurant spaces.

Michele Leivas

Jacksonville artist David Nackashi continues the legacy of art at the location with a new custom-designed mural.

Libby Karcsh with Helen Rodriguez

Kathy Weedon treasured moments with her husband, Jerry, and their nine grandchildren, pictured here in Balis Park in 2023.

Now is Not the Time for a Millage Cut

Over the years, I’ve proudly served the people of Jacksonville through good times and tight budgets. As both a businessman and a council member, I’ve always believed in fiscal responsibility. That’s why I’ve supported rolling back the millage in the past –when we had an abundance of revenue to do it.

But this is not one of those times.

What I’m reading from some members of the Council leadership about cutting taxes may sound good on the surface. Saving taxpayers’ money always plays well politically. But the numbers don’t lie and neither do the consequences.

A proposal to cut the budget by 2% of controllable costs, excluding public safety, would take $8 to $10 million out of an already very tight budget. That alone would limit the city’s ability to provide the basic services our residents depend on. But in addition, some are talking about reducing the millage by one-quarter mill, which would slash roughly $27 million from the budget. That kind of loss would severely hurt public services and put us even deeper in a financial hole in the years to come.

And for what? A one-quarter mill cut would save the average homeowner with a $200,000 property, about $ 3.13 per month. It’s money most people wouldn’t even notice, but it would come at the cost of paving streets, maintaining parks, fixing drainage, and investing in affordable housing and other core needs.

I’ve served during the years when we had budget surpluses and during the years we had to raise the millage to keep the city running. And here’s what history tells us: had we not repeatedly rolled back the millage years ago, Jacksonville would have had an estimated $870 million more from 1995 to 2013 to put towards City services. That’s not speculation, it’s fact. Now we face projected shortfalls of $61 million next year, and $50 million the year after that, according to the City’s Finance Department. Cutting revenue now only digs the hole deeper.

Mayor Donna Deegan did something important this year: she listened. Through a series of town hall meetings across Jacksonville, she heard from residents of all income levels. And what she heard wasn’t a call to lower taxes – it was a call for better services: mowing public spaces, paving roads, fixing drainage, replacing failing septic tanks, expanding affordable

housing. These are not luxuries, they’re expectations of a growing, thriving city.

As an at-large Council member, I hear from people across Duval County. Whether they live paycheck to paycheck or comfortably, they’re not asking me to lower their property taxes. They’re asking me to be responsible. They want safe neighborhoods, reliable infrastructure, and a city that plans ahead.

We also face a looming financial obligation: the likely transition of our police and fire personnel into the Florida Retirement System. Currently, the city contributes 25% of their salary into a 401(k)-style plan. Moving to FRS will raise that to somewhere above 40% and include overtime pay. That’s a major budget shift we must prepare for.

We’ve seen the cost of delay before. Since 2010, Jacksonville hasn’t raised the garbage fee. When we finally had to, it had to be done sharply even with phasing it in over 3 years, just to meet our legal obligations. I led that effort, held public meetings, and talked directly to people from all income brackets. What I found was that when residents understand the facts, they support responsible decisions – even difficult ones.

The same principle applies now.

We cannot afford to trade long-term stability for short-term optics. Cutting the millage now might look good in a headline, but it will weaken our ability to deliver the very services residents have asked for. It will hold our city back at a time when we are finally gaining real progress and momentum.

There will come a time when rolling back the millage is the right thing to do, when our revenues are strong, our obligations are met, and our city is in a place to responsibly give money back to taxpayers. But that time is not now.

This is a moment for leadership, not politics. It’s a moment to listen to the people and plan for the future, not just the next news cycle. That’s what I intend to do, and I hope my colleagues will join me.

– Matt Carlucci

Jacksonville City Councilman, At-Large Group 4

Riverfront Rising Jacksonville’s bold vision takes shape

By Michele Leivas

Jacksonville residents are seeing the slow transformation of their riverfront from one with limited access or activity into one filled with public amenities and greenspaces beautifully showcasing, enhancing and complementing their city’s most beautiful natural resource.

In the proposed 2025-26 budget Mayor Donna Deegan presented at a special city council meeting last month, $87.5 million is earmarked specifically for downtown riverfront park construction, with an additional $26 million for park improvements.

Many riverfront park projects are already underway, some even nearing completion, while others are progressing through various design processes.

The Parks at RiversEdge

The parks at the RiversEdge: Life on the St. Johns development are possibly one of the most anticipated network of four new public parks along the city’s Southbank. Now several years in the making, these four parks – Marshfront Park, Central Park, Northwest Park and Fitness Park – will feature different asthetics and amenities for guests to enjoy. Additionally, the Marsh Boardwalk will connect Marshfront Park to Fitness Park.

At its June 18 board meeting, Downtown Development Review Board, in its capacity as the Community Redevelopment Agency, approved a second performance schedule extension of three months for the RiversEdge project for various components, including the partial and full opening dates of Central Park, The Pearl – Central Park’s custom-designed and -built art installation, an incoming pavilion in Central Park featuring a stage and public restrooms and a portion of RiversEdge Boulevard North.

“…The progress they’ve made is wonderful,” said DIA Director of Operations Guy Parola. “…So these extensions really are geared to not punish anyone, but to set the stage for a successful, wonderful project.”

Bill Schilling of Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. addressed the board with updates pertaining to the parks, stating three of them are very near completion and opening. The requested extension, he said, pertains mainly to Central Park as it has undergone redesigns in collaboration with

Marc Fornes, the artist designing The Pearl.

“As we got…involved with the sculpture, their scope expanded to also include the park, so we spent a good bit of time – and, honestly, extra time – really redesigning the Central Park for the Central Park to really speak with and interact with the sculpture that’s being built, and so that has taken us additional time,” Schilling said.

As is within her authority, former DIA CEO Lori Boyer had already previously granted a good cause extension to Dallas-based RiversEdge developer Preston Hollow Community Capital. The DIA Board is authorized to grant another extension of up to six months, though Boyer explained the developer only requested a three-month extension. This helps avoid repercussions should the developer fail to meet the newly-extended deadlines.

“What you need to be aware of is the way the contract works is, if they can’t complete – if you gave them six months today and they can’t complete by the six-month deadline, they’re in default and they don’t get paid, or you have to go to Council to amend the agreement, which is a process you have to start three months before the deadline,” Boyer advised the board.

Schilling said he anticipates the partial opening of Central Park on Sept. 1, though he added there is a possibility the developer may still need additional extensions for other items.

The DIA Board unanimously approved the extension request with the new completion deadlines as follows:

• Central Park Partial Opening: Aug. 30, 2025

• Central Park Full Opening, The Pearl, The Pavilion and RiversEdge Boulevard North: Sept. 30, 2025

Metropolitan Park

Meanwhile, just across the river from RiversEdge on the Northbank, designs for Metropolitan Park are progressing, with the design team currently working on technical studies and a more detailed design, according to Scott Jordan, principal for Civitas, Inc., the lead firm on the design team revitalizing the landmark Jacksonville park.

Following a trio of community open houses, the conceptual design process wrapped up early this year, during which the community provided feedback on three

different design options for the park and what types of amenities they’d like to see in the redesign.

According to City of Jacksonville Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director Daryl Joseph, another community open house will be planned sometime later this summer, though a date has yet to be scheduled.

In the interim, and following the open house, the public can review progress of the Metropolitan Park Revitalization at www.revitalizingmetropolitanpark.com

St. Johns River Park

With the renovated Friendship Fountain and brandnew playground drawing more than 600,000 visitors already – each averaging a 35-minute visit – the St. Johns River Park on the Southbank has already transformed into a thriving, riverfront destination along the Southbank, though the City is not done with its plans for the public space.

District 5 City Council Member Joe Carlucci said designs for an incoming restaurant building are at 70% completion. At its July 22 meeting, the city council approved the $1.5 million to build the restaurant. Carlucci said the final design will be determined in collaboration with the incoming tenant, once that has been procured, though residents could see construction on that begin early next year.

“You don’t want to do final design without the tenant, but the goal is to get the operator, the tenant, input by the end of the year and then construction will begin right after New Year’s Eve,” Carlucci said.

Carlucci said the progress the City is seeing along the riverfront is a “welcomed change.”

“We’ve seen a lot of renderings, but not a lot of buildings and I think people are finally starting to see life coming into the riverfront on the Northbank and Southbank,” Carlucci said. “I know for me, being a lifelong resident here, I’ve certainly been excited to see it.”

The design for the St. Johns River Park restaurant building is at 70% completion.

The preferred conceptual design of Metropolitan Park presented to the community earlier this year.

The Jacksonville riverfront is slowly taking shape as renderings transform into reality for several riverfront park projects – with others advancing through the design process – including the network of four public parks at RiversEdge: Life on the St. Johns. With construction underway, residents can begin to see what Jacksonville’s North- and Southbanks could look like as vibrant destinations with amenities the whole community can enjoy.

Families See Changes as DCPS Updates Facilities Plan Through 2029

By Michele Leivas

The Duval County Public Schools’ (DCPS) Master Facilities Plan returned to the school board last month, under a new name, for board approval of years one through five.

Duval Reimagine: Investing in Impact is a comprehensive initiative designed to address key challenges within the school district based on four focus areas: enrollment and capacity, educational adequacy, facility condition and financial alignment. Those key challenges include an unbalanced facility utilization, increasing deferred maintenance, fluctuating enrollment and fragmented feeder patterns and program access.

“This Master Facilities Plan has a different name, but it’s the same thing,” said DCPS Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier. “It’s about giving you more information and being more transparent.”

The 81-page initiative was approved at the July 1 board meeting, with Bernier noting its focus is not school closures or rezonings; rather, it is the return of the Master Facilities Plan for board approval for years one through five.

“It’s what we promised we’d bring back every single year that we would constantly work to revamp years one through five and make sure that we always knew what we were doing over the next five years,” Bernier said.

In its introduction, the Duval Reimagine initiative is described as “reflecting a responsible, transparent and forward-looking strategy for how we invest taxpayer resources and shape the future of education in Duval County.”

An Updated Timeline for MFP Projects

Duval Reimagine includes an updated list of MFP projects, including maintenance and repairs, as well as construction related to consolidations and new builds. DCPS Board Member Cindy Pearson called it a “rolling plan,”

explaining the timelines are not fixed and projects can be advanced to an earlier year or postponed as the initiative returns each year for board approval.

DCPS families can already see movement from the timeline included in last year’s MFP. To name a few within our Resident communities, Central Riverside Elementary School’s deferred maintenance has been advanced from the

and Leadership Development School, remain on the timelines proposed initially in the MFP that the school board voted on last year.

“We’re very excited about the adoption of the five-year plan today and we’ll continue to explore and every time we finish a project on time and under budget, we add a little bit more money to year one and year two and year three,” Bernier said. “So every time we build it cheaper and better, we have more dollars with which to start working on some of the other projects and bring them forward in the plan.”

Considering the Tangible and Intangible

With the initiative also considering projected enrollment up to the 2033-34 school year for the district’s elementary, middle and high schools as well as dedicated magnets, charters and other schools and programs, along with the academic and special programs offered at each school, Duval Reimagine is a multi-pronged approach to assessing and prioritizing district facilities.

“It’s [Duval Reimagine] a lot more comprehensive than what we were given in March of 2024,” Pearson said.

It’s about giving you more information and being more transparent.

–

Dr. Christopher Bernier Superintendent, DCPS

2034-39 five-year schedule to 2029-34 with a note stating “project pulled forward based on reprioritization.” The new build for Venetia Elementary School has been advanced to this upcoming school year from 2027-28 and is “planned to be built bigger (approx. 1,000 student stations) to consolidate area schools.”

Deferred maintenance for Fishweir Elementary School has been bumped from the 2034-39 timeline to 2028-29. Alternately, the addition proposed for Hendricks Avenue Elementary has been postponed to 2034-39, where it was initially proposed for 2029-34. The deferred maintenance for Douglas Anderson High School joins it in the 2034-39 timeline, with that postponement “due to reprioritization.”

Meanwhile, projects for other schools, such as John Stockton Elementary and Julia Landon College Preparatory

TO THE EDITOR Letter

What Families Need to Know for the New School Year

On August 11, 2025, Duval County Public Schools (recently recognized as an “A” district) will welcome students for the first day of the 2025-26 school year. As families transition to another amazing year, please note the following statewide and district changes that may affect your student:

Cell Phone Restrictions

Florida House Bill 1105, effective July 1, 2025, prohibits the use of mobile devices by elementary and middle school students throughout the school day. DCPS policy requires those devices to be powered off and stored – either in backpacks or in teacher-designated storage areas – to avoid distractions.

For high school students, HB 1105 maintains the existing ban on device use during instructional time, except as teacher-authorized, and allows phone use outside of class. Exemptions apply for documented medical or educational needs.

School Volunteers

Florida Senate Bill 676, effective March 1, 2025, now requires any volunteer who will interact with students unsupervised to undergo a Level 2 background check. Screening fees range from $75 to $87 and are valid for five years. DCPS parents and

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In the district’s approach to projected enrollment, Bernier said it is not counting finished houses, but permitted buildings to project what the district’s growth could look like five to 10 years from now and act accordingly.

“We want to be able to respond to growth in the county to create more neighborhood schools in these areas that are experiencing growth,” Pearson said.

The initiative also details the framework for how the district will be assessing its facilities and making decisions about closures, new buildings, and capital projects, “ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently and equitably.” This framework considers operational efficiency, building condition, and “soft parameters,” which include feeder alignment and school performance grade.

guardians should complete the volunteer application via their Parent FOCUS account (no cost). Those who plan to chaperone off-campus trips or other unsupervised activities should follow the prompts to obtain Level 2 screening instructions.

District Athletics Participation

Florida Senate Bill 248, which became law on July 1, gives home education students and some private school students the ability to try out for a sports team at any public middle or high school in the county where they reside. Students who wish to try out for a sport should start by contacting the athletics director at the DCPS school of interest to get dates and details.

“Be Safe. Be Seen.” Campaign

In 2024–25, 43 DCPS students were involved in pedestrian or bicycle accidents on their way to school; tragically, three of those accidents were fatal. To address this, DCPS has launched “Be Safe. Be Seen.” – a campaign promoting safe crossing, use of signals, and phone-free travel. Families and community members are encouraged to reinforce these safety practices as students prepare to travel to and from school.

Great things are happening within Duval County Public Schools. Following on the success of a district “A” rating and many schools improving their school grades, now is the perfect time to consider choosing a DCPS neighborhood or magnet school. Contact your local school for a tour.

–

Cindy Pearson

DCPS District 3 Board Member

Meet Valerie Feinberg San Marco Preservation Past President, 2008-09

With San Marco Preservation Society’s 50th anniversary approaching next year, Resident News is launching a series of vignettes featuring SMPS past presidents and celebrating the leaders who helped shape the organization responsible for preserving and protecting the historical fabric and character of the San Marco community. Look for this monthly feature in the coming months, highlighting more familiar faces behind the preservation society.

Careers brought Mike Evans and Valerie Feinberg to Jacksonville in 1996, and a quaint town center and walkable neighborhood led them to San Marco.

“Mike and I had recently married, and I had just finished graduate school,” Feinberg recalled. “Mike was offered a position at Merrill Lynch, while I was ready to build my career as an urban planner.”

After spending days driving through San Marco looking for a home where they could raise a family, they found one on Great Oaks Lane.

“We had our children, Jesse and Austin in 1998 and 1999, respectively. The San Marco community was by far the best place to raise our sons. They could walk and ride their bicycles to school and parks,” Feinberg said. “We played outdoors and enjoyed the mature tree canopy.”

Feinberg’s involvement with San Marco Preservation Society began when she met Suzanne Perritt at her grandson’s birthday party in the early 2000s.

“Jesse and Logan, Suzanne’s grandson, were best buddies,” Feinberg said. “Suzanne told me about SMPS and invited me to attend a meeting.”

After that, Feinberg found herself getting more and more involved in SMPS, beginning with the Home Tours and then moving into land use and transportation issues that would have an impact on San Marco. She became SMPS president in 2008.

“I helped spearhead the visioning sessions SMPS facilitated in reaction to the East San Marco development proposal,” Feinberg said. “Twenty years later, the development of East San Marco stands today. Through many iterations of the resulting plan, including starts and stops, SMPS worked with the city and the developers to help shape the concept and design.”

Feinberg was very focused on the intersection of the built environment, population health and community wellness. Through SMPS, she worked in partnership with Florida Blue, the City of Jacksonville and the Florida Department of Transportation to help initiate a Safe Routes to School program for Landon Middle School, during which students, parents and teachers identified walking routes needing improvement. Educational programs and outreach efforts were organized to promote safe walking and bicycling, from walk-to-school days to helmet fittings.

“This was the first school in Jacksonville to apply for funds, and be awarded funds, through this federal program administered by the state to invest in infrastructure improvements to create safer environments for children to walk and bicycle to school,” Feinberg said. “…My children, now 25 and 26, and other students in that cohort, still point out the

improvements that they influenced.”

“Supporting and improving the quality of life for all in the community, especially our children, is the best outcome from my involvement in SMPS,” Feinberg said.

Valerie Feinberg and her sons, Jesse and Austin, in 2008

Valerie Feinberg enjoys spending time in the Square with her boys, Jessie and Austin.

Southside Methodist Church Marks 75th Anniversary with Campus Enhancements

By Joe Wilhelm, Jr.

Updates are coming to Southside Methodist on Hendricks Avenue as it continues celebrating its 75th anniversary.

A new brick-and-mortar fence are part of these updates, with construction crews starting work last month to upgrade the church’s perimeter fencing as part of the church’s long-range vision for campus improvements. Landscaping upgrades are included in this vision as well.

“We are essentially creating a beautiful park,” said Senior Pastor Phillip Short. “Like the Prayer Garden, and the church itself, people are welcome in. Our gates are open for you to enter in and enjoy.”

The new iron- and brick-pillared fence will combine safety and beauty, while the improved landscaping will enhance views of the historic sanctuary from the street. The church’s marquee sign has also been updated to improve visibility.

Funding for these improvements was provided through gifts of remembrance for two church parishioners: Wendy Laprade and Barry Henry.

“They both loved Jesus and learned and served him through the church,” said Short. “These touching changes are sure to stir the memories of all who ever knew them.”

The church has also made the decision to enclose a key point of the property – home to the Southside Pumpkin Patch in the fall – in order to provide a safe place for its community to gather.

“So many community individuals – children, families, seniors, and visitors – use the point space throughout the week,” said Mara Webb, Southside Methodist Church director of communications.

“We recognized the importance of creating a clearly defined, secure area that allows everyone to move freely and safely.”

Webb added, “The new fence is more than a boundary. Its clean lines and intentional design complement the church’s historical architecture, blending in seamlessly without disrupting the openness and welcoming feel of our grounds.”

“This building was formerly Reddi-Arts and had been there many years,” said Stevens. “They had murals on the building, and I wanted to continue that design element.”

Nackashi added that he enjoyed contributing to the nod to the building’s previous tenant, adding that it was a special bonus that the pink flamingo received a stamp of approval from his four-year-old daughter.

“I live Downtown, I drive to San Marco all the time, so being able to see public work that I’ve done anywhere is always special,” Nackashi said. “…It’s always rewarding to know that you can get anybody to just go outside and appreciate the city, give them a reason to go outside.”

Stevens’ plans for the new development called for the demolition of portions of the former Reddi-Arts building and the conversion of the remaining structure into four standalone buildings for retail, office, or restaurant use.

Hendricks Place is located at 1037 Hendricks Avenue. Reddi-Arts, the popular Jacksonville art supply store, first opened in 1956. It operated out of this San Marco location for nearly 40 years, changing ownership in 2020 to mother-daughter duo Mary and Kelly McCormick before relocating to Springfield in 2021. This past May, the McCormicks announced Reddi-Arts would be closing permanently. The art supply store closed its doors for the last time last month.

orlando valle v. proficient auto transport, Inc., et al

$14.5 MILLION

(verdict, 5/4/2022)

Personal Injury: Trucking Crash

kathleen thomas* V. geico insurance company

$14.4 MILLION

(verdict, 8/5/2022)

Personal Injury: car accident

*Names changed to protect client privacy

john and debra Smith* v local glass company, Out-of-state glass company*

$4.5 MILLION

(set tlement, 8/17/2021)

Personal Injury: Workplace Negligence

*Names changed to protect client privacy

From Four Lanes to Friendly Lanes City celebrates completion of Park Street Road Diet

By Joe Wilhelm, Jr.

City officials and community members celebrated the freshly paved and redesigned section of Park Street that links Riverside, Brooklyn and Lavilla at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, July 21.

Developed from Downtown Investment Authority’s 2017 Brooklyn Neighborhood Road Diet Study, the Park Street Road Diet was created to make the section of road between Forest and Stonewall streets safer and more pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly with the help of traffic calming techniques. The changes included narrowing the road from four to two lanes to provide for safer street crossings, wider sidewalks for safer pedestrian and bicycle traffic, sharrows – street symbols that indicate where cyclists should ride – and the addition of street trees to provide shade. The improvement project cost nearly $11 million.

“[Park Street Road Diet] is a dream for bikers and walkers. It’s good for business and it’s a link to the Emerald Trail,” said Mayor Donna Deegan . “This used to be a car-dominated corridor, but after our road diet, we have transformed it into a safer, more vibrant and more accessible public space.”

Deegan talked about the benefits of the project as members of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) stood behind her ready to roll down the new sidewalks on their bikes.

“It has been a long time coming,” said Lauren Rushing, BPAC chair. “We were glad to have city staff, including Nina Sickler [City Director of Public Works], attend some of our meetings to share the designs and get our input. At a glance, riding it this first time, we are very happy with the expanded pedestrian space.”

Just north of this project is a section of the City’s Emerald Trail, a proposed 30-mile network of trails planned to connect 14 historic urban neighborhoods to downtown, the St. Johns River, McCoys Creek and Hogans Creek. The project was the victim of federal budget cuts when the “Big Beautiful Bill” was recently passed, and part of that budget canceled a $147 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation that was awarded to the project in 2024. Deegan assured those gathered at the ribbon-cutting that the trail project had not slowed from the setback.

“The way it worked was that we would complete work and we would get reimbursed by the federal government for that work through the grant,” said Deegan. “We are just going to continue to go after the completion of each link of this trail; we have support from our members of Congress, and we are just going to keep moving this project along.”

District 7 City Councilman Jimmy Peluso also attended the ribbon-cutting and was interested in keeping the momentum going behind projects that produce safer, walkable streets.

The DIA’s road diet study also suggested improvements for Riverside Avenue from Forest to Leila streets. These changes are similar to what has taken place on Park Street, the difference being that the section of Riverside Avenue is mostly six lanes wide and the study suggested reducing the lanes to four to make it safer for pedestrian crossings, which could benefit people crossing to reach the new Whole Foods Market and Riverwalk.

“My intent is to revisit that study and take a look at Riverside Avenue in that area,” said Peluso.

District 7 City Councilman Jimmy Peluso, Groundwork Jacksonville CEO Kay Ehas, Mayor Donna Deegan, former

Downtown Investment Authority CEO Lori Boyer and Director of Public Works Nina Sickler gather on July 21 in Brooklyn for a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Park Street Road Diet project.

New benches on both sides of the street will allow residents to take in the murals along Park Street in Brooklyn.

Park Street now features roundabouts, thanks to the road diet project, as traffic calming measures to provide a safer environment for walkers and bikers.

Golden II, Blanton Appointed JFRD Chief and Deputy Chief

Emergency Preparedness Division Deputy Chief Percy Golden II will now serve as the new chief of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.

Mayor Donna Deegan announced the appointment on Monday, June 30.

“It’s with great pride that I’m appointing Percy Golden II to be the next Chief of JFRD,” said Deegan. “He will bring creative and innovative thinking, a strong focus on JFRD’s young workforce, and a deep love for Jacksonville to the role. I’m excited to work with him and ensure JFRD continues to be the best fire department in the country.”

This appointment concludes a six-week selection process, which included 17 candidates. Golden was among five finalists who underwent several rounds of interviews. Golden has served 21 years with JFRD, during which he has held several leadership roles, including his leading role at the Emergency Operations Center, which spanned the last five years.

“I want to express my heartfelt thanks to Mayor Deegan for the confidence and trust that she has placed in me to lead this department,” said Golden. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity and fully committed to serving this city with the same passion and dedication that has defined JFRD for generations.”

Additionally, with three decades of service in the department, Rescue Division Chief Jake Blanton will now serve as JFRD Deputy Chief.

Weedon Named Bishop Kenny Director of Advancement

Alumna Lauren K. Weedon returns to Bishop Kenny High School to serve as its new director of advancement.

A San Marco resident, Weedon brings more than two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership to this new role, along with a proven track record of brand elevation, strategic fundraising and community engagement. She joins Bishop Kenny from Episcopal Children’s Services, where she served as chief development officer. Her resume also includes leadership roles at the YMCA of Florida’s First Coast, Dreams Come True and Catholic Charities Jacksonville.

An active leader within her community as well, Weedon has served on several boards and in civic organizations, including the Rotary Club of Jacksonville, Leadership Jacksonville and the Women’s Giving Alliance. She also served as chapter president for the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Weedon graduated from Bishop Kenny High School in 1995.

Angie Lawson Joins Berkshire Hathaway

Angie Lawson has joined the team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty as a broker associate.

In her new role, Lawson will craft effective marketing strategies for listings and provide each client with a customized experience to successfully achieve their real estate goals, whether buying, selling or investing.

“Angie is a highly skilled and dedicated professional whose commitment to her clients’ success is unparalleled,” said Josh Cohen, Broker Manager at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty. “Her approach combines deep market knowledge with the innovative tools and resources available through Florida Network Realty. We are confident that Angie will continue to provide exceptional service and foster lasting relationships with her clients.”

Lawson

Percy Golden II Jake Blanton

Lauren K. Weedon

Angie

Ott to Chair DDRB for Second Term

Linzee Ott has been elected to serve a second consecutive one-year term as Downtown Development Review Board Chair.

DDRB unanimously elected Ott at its July 10 board meeting, with Ott graciously accepting a nomination by former Board Chair Matt Brockelman, which was seconded by Board Member Ennis Davis.

“Thank you all for your vote of confidence and support,” Ott said following the vote. “That’s very kind.”

Ott will join appointed Board Members Davis and Peter Deiuliis on a nominating committee for DDRB’s next vice chair and secretary. Nominations and accompanying votes will be heard at DDRB’s Aug. 14 meeting for these two leadership roles.

Ott currently serves as Build Up Downtown CEO and is an active board member and past president of the San Marco Preservation Society.

This is the final year Ott can serve as DDRB board chair as its by-laws impose a two-term limit.

White Steps into Top Role at Ascension St. Vincent’s Foundation

Ascension St. Vincent’s Foundation has appointed Darren White, its former director of donor relations and stewardship, as its new executive director.

White served in his previous role for a year and a half, during which time he supported medical technology advancements, oversaw the acquisition of critical equipment, and facilitated growth in ministry outreach efforts, like the Mobile Health Outreach Ministry and the Good Samaritan Fund.

White said he is inspired by the legacy left by the Daughters of Charity, responsible for establishing St. Vincent’s Hospital in 1916.

“They didn’t just fundraise, they helped heal, uplift and transform lives,” White said. “That’s the kind of legacy I want to continue through the Foundation’s work.”

Prior to joining ASVF, White served as associate vice president at Texas Wesleyan University.

White is also active within his community, volunteering for the Riverside Avondale Preservation Music Tour and serving as treasurer for the Murray Hill Preservation Association. He also sits on the Health Equity Committee of the Jacksonville Transformation Coalition.

Linzee Ott

Darren White

A Winning Partnership: Feeding Northeast Florida and The PLAYERS Celebrate $1M Gift

Feeding Northeast Florida celebrated a generous $1 million gift from The PLAYERS Championship at a check presentation ceremony last month.

The event was held on Wednesday, July 9, at the organization’s headquarters on Old Kings Road.

To further recognize and honor this donation, which will help expand efforts to address food insecurity, FNEFL has awarded The PLAYERS naming rights for The PLAYERS Center for Nutrition Security and Community Solutions at its home campus.

This donation builds on a philanthropic partnership between the two organizations that is nearly a decade old.

Sharma Takes the Helm at Rotary Club of West Jacksonville

Rotary Club of West Jacksonville hosted its annual President’s Party last month to celebrate the transfer of leadership from Immediate Past President Tim Johnson to 202526 President Rahul Sharma

The event was held at Timuquana Country Club the evening of Wednesday, June 25.

“The way Rotarians live their life is really important to me,” Sharma said. “Volunteers embrace the spirit of ‘Service Above Self’ and make a difference in the lives of others.”

Sharma is the strategic initiatives and senior major gifts officer at The Bolles School. This term as president comes after nearly a decade of service to the Rotary Club, which included serving in several leadership roles, including, most recently, program chair.

The week before his installation as president, Sharma also spoke at Rotary Club of West Jacksonville’s first Founder’s Day Program, presented by the club’s past presidents on June 18, to celebrate and appreciate past Rotarians. Other speakers included Daniel Dodd, Marshall Butler, Chris Burgey, John Runion and Bill Andrews.

Brian Ward Named Director of Development for Catholic Charities Jacksonville

Brian Ward, a longtime volunteer with Catholic Charities Jacksonville, has been named director of development for the organization’s Jacksonville regional office, where he will provide support for major fundraising initiatives for the nonprofit’s various programming. Ward has been involved with the organization since 2019, donating his time and talent, volunteering in the immigration legal services department by providing career coaching to clients pursuing a path to citizenship. It is this experience that provides Ward a unique perspective, said Eileen Seuter, Catholic Charities Jacksonville Regional Director.

“Brian’s commitment to helping others will be a valuable asset to our team. His expertise in financial development, leadership and building strong community partnerships will greatly benefit our organization and those we serve.”

Ward’s 25-plus years of leadership experience includes roles in both the nonprofit and corporate sector, including 14 years with the CSX Corporation in various leadership positions. Ward also served as HandsOn Jacksonville and Arrow Holdings LLC CEO and senior vice president of OmniTRAX, Inc.

Brian Ward

Rotary Club of West Jacksonville Immediate Past President Tim Johnson passes the gavel to 2025-26 President Rahul Sharma.

If These Walls Could Talk…

Laurie Yonge

A 1940 Georgian brick home in San Marco, built by aviation legend Laurie Yonge, holds nearly a century of stories – like the time he famously dropped an airborne invitation to Charles Lindbergh as he returned from Paris aboard the USS Memphis. Yonge, who later set a world flight endurance record and founded a Jacksonville flight school, brought that same passion to building his home –handpicking heart pine timber and using locally sourced brick from Telfair Stockton’s Florida Brick and Tile. His son, Laurie Yonge Jr., now a pilot in Ocala, recently visited and reflected on the craftsmanship and care that still define the house. Quietly, this historic gem may soon begin a new chapter and available for purchase.

Sporting Club Jacksonville Announces Ascension St. Vincent’s as Inaugural Founding Partner

Ascension St. Vincent’s has become the first founding partner for Sporting Club Jacksonville.

Sporting Club Jacksonville (Sporting JAX) is the region’s only women’s professional soccer team and the state’s largest youth soccer academy. As its first founding partner, the Ascension St. Vincent’s will provide care and performance services for Sporting JAX athletes, including medical specialists, physicians, surgical support, imaging and on-site athletic trainers. This partnership, announced last month at the club’s training headquarters at Episcopal High School’s Knights Campus, will also support youth development and community health initiatives across the region.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ascension St. Vincent’s as the first founding partner of Sporting JAX,” said Steve Livingstone, President and CEO of Sporting JAX. “This partnership is built on shared values -commitment to health, community and the advancement of women in sport. Ascension’s expertise will be critical to our players’ wellbeing and performance, and their involvement in our academy and outreach programs will touch thousands of families across Northeast Florida.”

As part of the agreement, Ascention St. Vincent’s will feature prominently on more than 40,000 jerseys in total, including professional, replica and academy kits.

Sharp Named Director of Development for DePaul School

Hannah Sharp has been appointed director of development for the DePaul School of Northeast Florida. Sharp joined the administrative team at DePaul in late May from The Salvation Army of Northeast Florida, where she served on the development team for more than two years, with a focus on fundraising, advisory board engagement, event planning and donor relations. Sharp also recently earned a nonprofit management certification from the University of North Florida.

“This opportunity marks an exciting new chapter for professional growth and for advancing the mission of DePaul within our community,” Sharp said. “I look forward to contributing to this exceptional organization and helping to raise awareness about dyslexia and related learning differences.”

New Board President, Board Members Announced for Leadership Jacksonville

Sporting JAX President and CEO Steve Livingstone speaks at the club’s first media day at its training headquarters at Episcopal High School’s Knights Campus.

New faces have joined the leadership of Leadership Jacksonville. Will Smith stepped up as the new board president, succeeding Immediate Past President Cynthia Griffin. The succession occurred at the organization’s Annual Meeting, held at The River Club on June 16.

Leadership Jacksonville also announced seven new board members last month, all of whom will serve three-year terms on the board: Nelrae Pasha Ali, Mallory Born, Jarret Dreicer, Karen Feagins, David Johnson, Chris Kennelly and Marlo Zarka

Mallory Born Jarret Dreicer Karen Feagins David Johnson Chris Kennelly

Nelrae Pasha Ali Will Smith Marlo Zarka

Hannah Sharp

United Way, LISC Jacksonville Launch $5M Loan Fund to Boost Affordable Housing

United Way of Northeast Florida and LISC Jacksonville have joined forces to launch a $5 million housing development loan fund.

This fund, comprised of $1 million from LISC Jacksonville and $4 million from United Way’s $10 million investment in housing strategies, will provide capital for both established and emerging developers to build new housing in under-resourced communities throughout the City. These loans are paid back once the new houses sell, and developers can apply any revenue from the sales to building more houses. So long as they meet certain conditions, developers can also reapply for the line of credit.

To apply for a loan, developers must commit to building or rehabilitating homes in zip codes 32202, 32204, 32206, 32208, 32209 or 32254 and placing them on the market for families at 120% of the area median income or below, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Houses must be built three at a time and must be owner-occupied.

“Every day, more than 42% of Duval County residents struggle to make ends meet, including being able to afford homeownership,” said United Way of Northeast Florida CEO Melanie Patz. “Owning a home is not just about the importance of having a roof over your head. It’s also about building assets and improving the financial well-being of a family long-term so they can break the cycle of generational poverty. That’s why United Way invests in this work and believes in this work – we know it will help our community reach its full potential.”

United Way launched a request for proposals in April, after which it selected LISC Jacksonville as the loan server for its $4 million in construction funding. To date, through the work of United Way and its partners, 90 owner-occupied home repairs have been completed, and 330 heirs’ property cases have been resolved.

Musical WWII Tribute Comes to Jacksonville

A one-night-only musical and multimedia experience is coming to the Jacksonville Center for Performing Arts, bringing to life the final weeks and month of World War II. It is hosted by The Women’s Board of Wolfson Children’s Hospital. Proceeds will help fund an enclosed outdoor space at Wolfson Children’s Hospital’s inpatient Behavioral Health and Wellness Unit.

Slated for Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m., “The Eyes of the World: From D-Day to VE Day” is created, written and narrated by Bolles School alumnus John Monsky, cousin to the 2025-26 Florida Forum Speaker Series Co-Chair Kymberly Wolfson

The event will feature rare photographs and personal accounts from historic figures like Ernest Hemingway, Lee Miller and J.D. Salinger, all of which will be accompanied by a live performance by the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and Broadway vocalists. Monsky’s work has been performed in storied venues, from Carnegie Hall to the Kennedy Center to Boston Symphony Hall. This is the first time his work will be performed in his hometown of Jacksonville.

Tickets can be purchased online at giving.baptistjax.com/event/2025-eyes-of-theworld/e691986

Big Names, Bold Stories at Florida Forum

Monsky’s theatrical event heralds the arrival of the 2025-26 Florida Forum Speaker Series, also hosted by the Women’s Board of Wolfson Children’s Hospital and co-chaired this year by Wolfson, Heather Creel and Kristina Powell. As it does every year, The Women’s Board brings a trio of speakers for three evenings of fascinating conversation and inspiring stories of determination, strength and courage.

Famed athlete and WNBA player Caitlin Clark kicks off the speaker series on Oct. 29. The Indiana Fever guard won the 2024 All-WNBA and Rookie of the Year honors. She is the founder of The Caitlin Clark Foundation, which seeks to “uplift and improve the lives of youth and their communities through education, nutrition and sport.”

Following Clark is Russian political dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza on Feb. 3. Kara-Murza was imprisoned after speaking out against the war in Ukraine for more than two years. He won the Pulitzer Prize for commentary in 2024. Today he is a contributing columnist for the Washington Post

Author, humanitarian and chef José Andrés concludes the series on March 31. Andrés is the co-founder of World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit dedicated to providing meals at the frontlines of disasters following humanitarian, climate and community crises. With a deep passion for food, Andrés also owns José Andrés Restaurant Group, which operates 40 restaurants in the United States and the Bahamas.

Details about the upcoming speaker series will be available at www. womensboardwch.com/florida-forum-1

Robert E. Lee Graduates of 1975 Mark 50 Years

Editor’s Note: At Resident News, we are committed to delivering hyperlocal news relevant to the communities covered by our two monthly issues – one covering Riverside, Avondale, Ortega and Murray Hill and the other covering San Jose, San Marco and St. Nicholas. Occasionally, our readers may see a story that seems geographically pertinent to its sister issue across the river. This can happen when a story crosses community lines through a broader relevance.

The graduating class of 1975 from Robert E. Lee (now Riverside) High School relived treasured moments and created new memories at its 50th high school reunion last month.

Alumni gathered at the Continental Club in Orange Park on Saturday, July 19 for the milestone event, organized by the group’s reunion committee. A display of classmates’ senior photos gave guests opportunities to relive those special senior days. “Fifty years already,” said Susan Odom Bachelor after the event. “A huge thank you to all who worked so diligently. What a wonderful weekend of shared memories.”

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The Voice of the St. Johns River Celebrates 25 Years of Waterways Advocacy

Riverkeeper encouraged by support for restoring Ocklawaha River despite veto

By Joe Wilhelm, Jr.

While it may not have been easy at first to gather a group of citizens for the purpose of protecting waterways, the St. Johns Riverkeeper is celebrating 25 years of doing just that.

“We had a huge discussion about the daunting task of trying to (protect) a 310-mile river,” said Dr. Quinton White, founding board member of the St. Johns Riverkeeper. “That fact that it was so different, so diverse and what a challenge that would be. The strategy we came up with at the time was to focus on the lower basin. Then we could grow and expand when we had the time and resources.”

The St. Johns Riverkeeper was created in 2000 to defend the river and its tributaries, and advocate for the protection of the watershed. It was a time when the waterway was receiving national recognition, as it was designated an American Heritage River in 1998 by President Bill Clinton. This special attention generated enough interest to pursue three objectives: natural resource and environmental protection, economic revitalization and historic and cultural preservation.

“The river can really be a galvanizing force for Jacksonville, because everyone wants to protect the river,” said Jimmy Orth, executive director of the St. Johns Riverkeeper. “It’s how that is done that causes a difference of opinion.”

The Riverkeeper

Lisa Rinaman is the third Riverkeeper in the organization’s history and was familiar with the organization before she was hired in February 2012. She was policy advisor to both Jacksonville Mayors John Delaney and John Peyton. Her work at City Hall included efforts to develop and implement irrigation, fertilizer and Florida-friendly landscaping ordinances to protect the St. Johns River and local waterways.

“The river is a huge equation, and it is always evolving, so the way we do our work is also always evolving,” said Rinaman. “The best thing you can do is surround yourself with smart people who are dedicated, continuously learning and follow the pathway.”

The organization sought her out for her policymaking and consensus-building abilities she exhibited at the mayor’s office.

“She didn’t have the science background, but our relationship with Jacksonville University and the professors and scientists we worked with there gave us the access to the science,” said Orth. “We realized what we needed was somebody with a policy background that could help us figure out how to take the science and advocate for the policy. It’s the policy that is ultimately going to protect the river.”

Rinaman was preceded by Neil Armingeon, who was hired in February 2003. Dubbed “The Father of the River,” the Alabama native brought along a master’s in environmental management from Duke, training as an ecologist and hydrologist and his trademark white goatee to his new post. Prior to arriving in Jacksonville, he worked for 10 years in Louisiana as the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation environmental director after serving as the project director for the North Carolina Coastal Federation. He brought the knowledge, passion and voice the organization needed to address issues as a conservation entity.

“Neil Armingeon had a more aggressive approach and was much more outspoken on issues. That was good for us because some of the problems required that we stay on top of some of the agencies to make sure the issues would get resolved,” said Orth.

Mike Hollingsworth was the first St. Johns Riverkeeper. He was hired in 2001 and the young organization looked to lean on his experience from working for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

“When we started out, we hired Mike Hollingsworth because he had work with DEP and had a good working relationship with them. He was not confrontational and that worked well for us as we worked to gain the respect and trust of the community,” said Orth.

Restore the Ocklawaha

Collaboration has been the key to the latest progress on an issue that the organization has had on its radar since its inception: restoring the Ocklawaha River. The Rodman Dam, renamed the Rodman-Kirkpatrick Dam in 1998, was part of the Cross Florida Barge Canal project to provide a shipping route across Florida. The dam cut off the free flow of the Ocklawaha River when it began service in 1968 and created the Rodman Reservoir, located about 15 miles southwest of Palatka. The project was canceled by executive order by President Richard Nixon in 1971.

“We made a conscious decision at the time not to deal with the Ocklawaha,” said White. “It was a very controversial topic and there was a lot of opposition to (restoring the river). We will wait to deal with that at another time. It seems like now is the time for that topic to come up.”

The debate over the dam has continued to this day with two main points of view. One group wants to preserve the reservoir for its plentiful bass fishing and recreational opportunities. The other side of the argument is in favor of partial removal of the dam to restore the natural flow of the Ocklawaha River to improve its health as well as that of the St. Johns and Silver rivers.

“We are working with Reunite the Rivers, a coalition founded in 2019, to bring business owners, nonprofits and citizens together who are interested in restoring Florida’s great riverways system,” said Rinaman. “We are collecting and providing the latest and greatest science that’s available and reaching out to find the best ways to bring all the counties located in this watershed together to support this effort.”

“Every single day that the (Rodman/Kirkpatrick) dam is in place, it’s harming the St. Johns River,” said Rinaman.

The St. Johns Riverkeeper and its partners received some good news regarding this debate during the latest Florida Legislative cycle: The State’s 2025-26 budget proposal included $6.25 million in funding for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to develop a plan for the restoration of the Ocklawaha River. . The organization’s joy was short-lived, though, as Governor Ron DeSantis exercised his line-item veto power to eliminate the project before approving the budget. It was part of the $576 million in

funding cut from the budget by the Governor.

“I feel like we have made progress. I am disappointed about the veto, but that’s closer than we have ever come to getting it passed,” said Bud Para, vice chair of the board of the St. Johns River Keeper. “The Legislature supported it, so we will keep trying.”

SAVe Our River’s Grasses expeditions

While the St. Johns Riverkeeper and its partners regroup to continue the pursuit of restoring the Ocklawaha, the local organization continues to deploy different tools to study and protect the river and its tributaries.

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation(SAV) has been a good barometer for the health of the river as it acts as its kidneys; as such, the Riverkeeper has prioritized its study and protection. One of the first problems the Riverkeeper noticed affecting the loss of underwater grass was saltwater intrusion.

“Over the years we’ve seen more saltwater go further and further upriver due to more than 100 years of dredging of the St. Johns to accommodate larger ships traveling to our ports,” said Rinaman “The widening and deepening of the St. Johns River has contributed to more than doubling the tide range of the river. This gives the Atlantic Ocean more tidal force to push salt water deeper into the St. Johns and contribute to reduction of grasses down the river.”

In 2017, this river environment, coupled with the destructive path of Hurricane Irma, contributed to the significant decline of SAV. The Riverkeeper responded with the creation of the “SAVe Our River’s Grasses” expeditions in 2023. It is a five-year plan to travel the river by boat to study 14 sites along an 80-mile stretch of the river between Doctors Lake in Clay County and Lake George in Putnam County.

“We launched SAVe Our River’s Grasses expeditions to try to build on the data that already exists but also go out in the community and meet with fishermen, homeowners, elected officials, scientists and river enthusiasts to collect our own data to not only look at the grasses, but also look at water quality at the same site,” said Rinaman.

The Riverkeeper identifies different types of grasses and measures them for length, width, height of the bed, and density. It also examines the water’s salinity and oxygen levels and turbidity.

“We look at these factors in real time and compare them to historical records as well as two years of our own data,” said Rinaman. “Right now, there is no silver bullet (to fix the growth of the grasses). We are seeing grasses come back, but it’s taking longer than it has before.”

The slow regeneration of grasses is partly attributed to Irma and the high, dark waters that follow destructive storms, said Rinaman, which limit sunlight to the vegetation and slow its growth. The Riverkeeper has also observed that the tops of the grass are often jagged as a result of grazing.

“We are seeing bite marks, so we have evidence of grazing pressure….manatees, turtles, fish and other wildlife disturb the grasses. They basically eat it down to the (stems) before it can regenerate,” said Rinaman.

Part of the SAVe Our River’s Grasses expeditions is installing temporary fences around grass beds that are growing back to protect them from overgrazing and give them a chance to grow and regenerate. Once the bed is healthy, the fence can be moved to another section.

“How do we bring the grasses back? It’s a multi-pronged approach to reduce stress on the grasses, improving water quality, and doing everything we can to offset the saltwater intrusion,” said Rinaman. “Also doing anything we can to prevent additional stress to the river. Looking at permits, or anything to stop additional harm on top of this unsustainable position the river is currently in.”

Doug Smith, Soraya Aidinejad, Abby O’Neill, Lisa Rinaman and Olivia Warren work to examine and record information on the submerged aquatic vegetation at one of 14 sites included in the project.

Jimmy Orth, executive director of the St. Johns Riverkeeper

Lisa Rinaman, St. Johns Riverkeeper

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Connection, Not Clicks

print journalism creates real change in our neighborhoods

By Lauren K. Weedon

In a world where headlines vanish in seconds and cat videos outpace causes, something surprising is happening: People are craving what lasts. They want connection – not clicks.

Algorithms may know your habits, but they don’t know your neighborhood. They won’t tell you who’s organizing the next river cleanup, which local merchant just opened their doors, or how a small nonprofit is quietly changing lives on your street. Those aren’t trending topics – but they’re the stories shaping our city. And they deserve to be told.

For 18 years, The Resident has been delivering those stories – right into the hands of 30,000 households across Jacksonville’s most vibrant neighborhoods, informing our readership on everything from city legislation to real estate development, while also providing a critical platform for local businesses to reach new and loyal clients. In Jacksonville’s thriving philanthropic community, The Resident also tells the stories of nonprofits doing life-changing work.

“DESC’s advertising publicity in The Resident supports

trusted local journalism and connects us to a compassionate community where our mission to serve people in poverty can thrive,” said David Clark, Downtown Ecumenical Services Council executive director. “We’re proud to be supported by donors and volunteers who live in the neighborhoods The Resident represents and care about staying connected. We’re also grateful for the coverage The Resident provides, helping share our mission and reach more people with stories that matter.”

Our hyperlocal coverage allows us to dive into the issues and events that matter most to our readership while connecting directly with the heartbeat of the community: small businesses.

“Supporting The Resident goes beyond advertising; it’s an investment in local journalism and community connection,” said Dori Thomsen, Soluna Yoga and Spa founder. “We love the power of print, holding an actual newspaper and flipping through the pages. We genuinely look forward to each issue every month. It’s a trusted, feel-good publication that supports local businesses, including ours, and we’re proud to be part of it.”

Retaining the Message

Despite the dominance of digital media, print continues to hold an edge when it comes to retention, focus, and emotional connection. Our brains learn through sensory experiences. Neurologically, reading print stimulates deeper processing than digital text.

“As adult readers, the sensory experiences are just as important, so really, you could justify that it’s much more ‘healthful’ to offer print as an alternative to digital,” said Susan Masucci, principal at Ruckus, a nationallyrecognized advertising agency based in San Marco.

Studies by the American Educational Research Association found that reading comprehension improves with printed materials. One survey showed that 92% of participants found it easier to concentrate while reading print.

EMAILS ARE BEING TRASHED FASTER THAN EVER OR FORGOTTEN. I HEAR FROM MEMBERS ALL THE TIME, ‘I GOT THE NEWSLETTER. I LOVE THE PICTURES.’

– Kendra McCrary

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–THE RESIDENT CONNECTS COMPASSIONATE OUR MISSION CAN THAT CONNECTION DIFFERENCE. – Mariana A. Kallivayalil The Beehive Foundry IN A ONE-CLICK, DELETE WORLD, THERE IS SOMETHING REFRESHING ABOUT INFORMATION THAT LINGERS.

The Beehive Foundry, a boutique marketing consulting firm, agrees. “Print offers more longevity to a client’s message compared to digital consumption,” she said. “This is true both for time spent initially experiencing the material and in the likelihood of returning to the message. In a one-click, delete world, there is something refreshing about information that lingers.”

focused attention when they are participating in a print medium – no distractions or flashes coming from the newspaper itself – offers a more unique experience than the scroll, link-off, distraction of digital.” Print remains essential across all formats: newsletters, direct mail, annual reports, catalogs, magazines, and, yes, local newspapers.

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Right There in Black and White Kendra McCrary, two-term immediate past president of the Woman’s Board of Wolfson Children’s Hospital, understands the value of a tangible message. “Emails are being trashed faster than ever or forgotten,” she said. “I hear from members all the time, ‘I got the newsletter. I love the pictures.’”

The ability to tell visual stories more dynamically is another edge print holds over digital. “In our printed newsletter, we have more freedom with the layout. Instead of the small, singular images you would see online, we have a collage of images that tell a story,” said McCrary. “People consume print differently.”

Printed materials are also kept, saved, clipped, and remembered – giving them a longer shelf life than a post or email blast. “There is a permanence and perhaps perceived greater importance on information we see and obtain from print vs. digital,” said Masucci.

Kallivayalil notes that print also conveys professionalism and trust. “For certain communications, especially in education and public service, print is more appropriate. It reinforces credibility and formality, which is essential when stakeholders are evaluating reliability and excellence.”

Even in high-end sales environments, like luxury boats, the lack of printed materials can become a barrier. One attendee at the recent Jacksonville Boat Show remarked that QR codes had replaced brochures – but buyers still wanted something to hold. Print evokes nostalgia, deepens emotional connections, and improves response rates when paired with digital marketing.

KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE PEOPLE’S FOCUSED ATTENTION WHEN THEY ARE PARTICIPATING IN A PRINT MEDIUM... OFFERS A MORE UNIQUE EXPERIENCE THAN THE SCROLL, LINK-OFF, DISTRACTION OF DIGITAL.

– Susan Masucci Principal at Ruckus

The Best of Both Worlds

Renay Daigle, principal partner at Daigle Creative, sees lasting value in combining digital and print for maximum effectiveness. “Print advertising – especially in hyper-local neighborhood publications – is a great way to reach adults 35-plus and businesspeople who not only enjoy reading about their area but are loyal about doing so regularly,” she said. Digital brings immediacy and motion. Print brings focus and credibility. “Rather than choose one or the other, we suggest clients leverage print and digital in support of each other and carefully select a medium based on the specific message being conveyed,” said Kallivayalil.

Supporting Print Means Supporting Local Journalism At The Resident , we see the power of print firsthand. Our issues are read cover to cover by highly engaged locals, and the results show up in action. Readers clip, call, donate, show up, and get involved – because they saw it here.

Want to support a local nonprofit and local journalism at the same time? Buy an ad for your favorite charity or business and witness the multiplier effect. Your ad lands in 30,000 households. Eighteen people might donate. Twentyfive might volunteer. That’s real reach. That’s real ROI.

When you support print, you’re not just preserving a medium. You’re choosing connection over algorithms, depth over distraction, and a stronger community over the noise of the feed.

And that’s something worth printing.

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Hunger Fight Opens Doors in Rail Yard District

By Joe Wilhelm, Jr.

Wanda Fort and Karen Patino

Ritchie Pickron, Craig Mugglin and Sheryl Smythe

Dean and Sherri Porter cut the ribbon at the July 24 ceremony, joined by Hunger Fight Board members Angela Campbell, Chris Wilson, James Pyle, Nathan Dowd, Glenn East, Steve Wetherell, Dr. Pamela Santelices (not a board member) and Dr. Sam Santelices.

By Peggy Harrell Jennings

Edward Hopper said, “If I could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint.” He might have amended that remark if he’d attended “Ideas of Our Time,” MOCA’s artist talk series.

At recent presentations, artists David Engdahl, Jeff Whipple, and Mary Jo Hinson enlightened the audience with their approaches, inspirations, techniques, and personal histories as artists. Sarah Crooks, Gail Beveridge, and Jason John had the floor for the subsequent presentation.

Hot Time, Summer in the City

Previous sessions have featured Keith Doles, Mico Fuentes, Storm Rowland, Overstreet Ducasse, Mark Cregan, Christopher Clark, Michael Rakim, Marsha Hatcher, Kaz McCue, Ana Ion, Elena Oleander, Vivien Zink, Sandy Harrington, and Deshonna Buchanan. Summertime sizzles for the arts with more to come. Visit www.mocajacksonville.unf.edu/education/ programs.html for the schedule of speakers through October. The talks are part of the “Jax Contemporary: MOCA Arts Triennial,” a diverse and exciting exhibition presented by Anna and Dolf James and featuring 64 outstanding artists.

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award went to Annelies Dykgraaf (“Chick Pal Rooster”) and Juror’s Choice awards to Roger Bailey (“Down to the Wire”) and Rhashid Dukes (“Aboriginal Style Sugar Glider”).

Sadly, in the midst of celebration, the arts community has sustained a devastating blow: Social media has been inundated with photos, memories, and accolades for Deborah Reid, whose recent passing is keenly felt. Considered a “guiding light” for local artists,

These are hot times in many cities for the arts. Local musician/songwriter Robert Lester Folsom has been performing for sold-out crowds from California to New York with his “Music and Dreams.” The Benn is keeping things hot all over J-ville, from Avondale to Lakewood to Fleming Island, but you can cool down with them on the River Taxi Aug. 22.

Abby Murphy Howard, Linda Chipperfield and Vicky Lennon have been keeping the road hot with their latest exhibits: All three are in the Florida Artist Group 75th Annual Exhibit and Symposium at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, with Patrick Mahoney winning the Logan Graphic Merchandise Award. Looking ahead, Howard is showcasing a solo exhibit, “A Sense of Place,” in Palatka. Head to Iowa for James Greene’s book signing for “The Windlords of Io-Wah Book One: Toll Road” on Aug. 2. Closer to home, Christopher Clark’s solo exhibit reception for “Crowns and Trophies 11” was at the TAC Gallery Downtown. Lennon has “Conversations in Color” at the Jewish Community Alliance’s Vandroff Gallery.

An A-list of 26 local artists presented “A is for Animals” for Jacksonville Artists Guild’s exhibit at Northpoint Dental. The diverse and interesting pop-up with more than 50 pieces is up through Oct. 10. The Best in Show

Reid was not only an artist, author, lawyer, and activist, she was a mentor and friend to many. Her motto, “Art heals,” expressed her belief that “artists can shed light on issues that are tempting to tune out in other media.”

Reid is described as “fearless, generous, dedicated to bettering the world through creativity and conscience.” Both creative and logical, she once said, “I was given the gift of thinking with my hands.” Reid inspired others to reach beyond themselves and find their inner strength. Numerous shared comments praise her profound personal impact on individuals, as she has left an indelible mark on the arts community through her advocacy, sense of justice, and her “grace and brilliance.” Kind-natured, always smiling, a faithful friend, Reid’s life will continue to inspire even as her kindness and creativity are missed. She was a “beacon of hope,” and friend Barbara Colaciello described her as “an absolute vision of fabulousness.” Reid and Mary Atwood recently celebrated the publication of their book, “Copyright Artfully Explained: An Illustrated Legal Reference Guide for Visual Artists.”

It’s been said that “we don’t mourn the death of an artist just because we knew them; we mourn them because they helped us to know ourselves.”

Now to Sept. 5

John Bunker Solo Exhibit “Rest: Color, Line and Texture” Taliaferro Hall | St. Johns Cathedral

Aug. 3

LOLJAX Film Festival WJCT Studios Tickets and Info: loljax.com

Aug. 6

Jacksonville History Center Speaker Series: Norman Studios on Jacksonville’s Silent Motion Picture History Old St. Andrews Church | Tickets and info: www.jaxhistory.org/events/

Aug. 6

Reception for TAC’s “On Parade” Exhibit Jacksonville Public Library Downtown 2 to 4 p.m.

Aug. 6 and 20

Open Mic Night Featuring The Benn and Darren Ronan Grace Note Brewing | 7 to 9 p.m.

Aug. 7 to Oct. 20

1st Coast Plein Air Society Exhibit: Vestiges of Historical Mandarin Mandarin Museum

Aug. 22 and 23

Community auditions for “The Nutcracker” La Villa School of the Arts | More information available at jaxcommunitynutcracker.org

Aug. 29

Hurricane Party Cork Thyme in Avondale | 6 to 9 p.m

Do you know of an upcoming event or accolade that helps pump the rhythmic Artbeat of Jacksonville? Send the announcement to us at editor@residentnews.net for consideration in TheBeatGoesOn

Mary Jo Hinson, David Engdahl, Jeff Whipple

Christopher Clark

Vicky Lennon and Linda Chipperfield with Abby Howard Murphy

Annelies Dykgraaf and Dr. Sara Makary

Mary Atwood and Deborah Reid

Mico Fuentes

Roger Bailey

Artists Invited to Make a Splash with Mural Celebrating River and Connectivity

By Michele Leivas

Jacksonville artists have an opportunity to leave their mark at Riverside Arts Market (RAM) and add to the city’s vibrant collection of public art and murals in the community.

Riverside Avondale Preservation has issued a Request for Proposals for a mural for the JEA lift station located at 715 Riverside Avenue. The selected proposal will occupy a prominent space at RAM, the weekly open-air market located beneath the Fuller Warren Bridge, which hosts more than 150 vendors and welcomes more than 5,000 guests on average every weekend.

According to the RFP submission criteria, the mural will be approximately 17 feet by 90 feet in size, spanning the lift station. The requested theme is “Water, River and Connectivity,” to tie in the St. Johns River “as an essential natural resource and ecosystem” and “a unifying element that connects people, nature and urban life.”

Proposals must be submitted by Aug. 20.

Candidates may submit up to three proposals for consideration. The commission for this project is $20,000.

RAP and JEA, owner of the lift station, have collaborated to collect major gifts from several community stakeholders for this commission, including the Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board, PNC Foundation and Haskell with supplemental contributions from Haymaker Coffee Co., a RAM vendor that donated 10 percent of its RAM and online sales throughout July to the fundraising efforts.

Representatives from the donating stakeholders will join JEA, RAM and the RAP Placemaking Committee on the

selection committee, which will choose the winning artist.

The artist will be notified no later than Oct. 1. The mural must be completed by Nov. 15.

This mural revives RAP’s dream of bringing public art into RAM’s space. According to RAP Executive Director Shannon Blankinship, in 2020, RAM vendors designed murals on large pieces of plywood and invited the public to help paint them. Though the plywood murals were a hit, the wind tunnels beneath the bridge made it impossible to safely secure and display them and the murals were removed.

“A mural has been a dream, but we didn’t have approval from JEA or FDOT to paint any of the public infrastructure,” said Blankinship. “Recent conversations with JEA opened the door to this installation, and we jumped on it. The mural’s theme is ‘water’ – a direct connection to the St. Johns River, Riverside, and the JEA lift station. The objective is to bring elements of nature into the market that is otherwise surrounded by concrete. In the future, we hope to bring more nature into the market through art, showcasing Florida’s natural flora and fauna.”

This mural is part of RAP’s ongoing placemaking efforts in the Riverside Avondale communities, which Blankinship said “are about turning spaces into places and allowing a moment for deeper respect and appreciation for where we live. This mural is all about reminding viewers of our proximity to an incredible waterway in the St. Johns River, and how it shapes us and deserves our respect.”

This RFP comes as the City’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department prepares for the opening of Artist Walk, the remaining counterpart to the skate park that opened last August.

Liberty Landscape Supply was the landscaping contractor for the Artist Walk project. Liberty Landscape Supply Owner Mike Zaffaroni said final inspections for the landscaping portion of the project have already been completed. This project, he said, was a unique use of a previously “wasted” space beneath the overpass. As such, he added, it presented its own set of unique challenges.

“If you think about it from a landscaping perspective, really the most challenging thing is that we’re underneath a bridge, so you have almost zero sunlight and no natural rain,” Zaffaroni said.

While Liberty Landscape Supply wasn’t involved in the design process, Zaffaroni said his team was able to provide feedback to the design team as it worked towards a final product the community can truly enjoy.

A project several years in the making, Artist Walk will also connect to the Emerald Trail, and its opening will provide not only further opportunities for connectivity for residents and between Jacksonville communities, it will also create expansion opportunities for RAM.

Resident News reached out to the City of Jacksonville for details regarding an official opening date or ribboncutting ceremony for Artist Walk but did not receive a response by press time.

Artist Walk

Wolfson Among Four Florida Hospitals Awarded Funds for Pediatric Cancer Innovation

Wolfson Children’s Hospital is one of four specialtylicensed, nonprofit children’s hospitals in Florida to receive state funding for pediatric cancer treatments, innovation and research.

Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis announced the $30 million in funding on Wednesday, July 23, which will be included in the fiscal year 2025-26 budget.

“We are grateful to Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for prioritizing pediatric cancer care here in our state,” said Michael A. Mayo, DHA, FACHE, president and CEO of Baptist Health, which includes Wolfson Children’s Hospital. “This is a transformative investment for our state, our region and the children and families we serve.”

This funding comes a year after the First Lady

participated in a roundtable discussion at Wolfson Children’s Hospital with Florida’s Specialty Hospitals for Children regarding the hospitals’ commitment to establishing Florida as a national leader in pediatric cancer treatment, ensuring children and their families don’t have to travel out of state to receive specialized care. Florida’s Specialty Hospitals for Children include Nemours Children’s Hospital, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and Wolfson Children’s Hospital.

“Together, Florida’s Specialty Hospitals for Children are working to build a future where kids can receive world-class cancer care without ever leaving their communities,” said Wolfson Children’s Hospital President Allegra C. Jaros, MBA. “We are thankful for this important

investment in the health and well-being of Florida’s children. Over the next five years, Florida’s Specialty Hospitals for Children will expand access, elevate care, accelerate research and attract the world’s top talent –right here in our communities.”

Coming Soon

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Matthew Love, Nicklaus Children’s Health, Allegra C. Jaros, Wolfson Children’s Hospital and Michael A. Mayo, Baptist Health with Martha McGill, Nemours Children’s Health, and Alicia Schulhof, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital

Déjà Who?

Pat Andrews Steps Back In as SMPS Board President

(1990-91 and 1996-97), Rob Smith (1993-94 and 2006-07) and Lori Boyer (1994-95, 2003-04 and 2004-05) in serving non-consecutive presidential terms.

“This is the best community ever,” Andrews said. “The nicest people live in San Marco...I’ve been a resident here for 39 years. I love San Marco and I love San Marco Preservation Society.”

Andrews returns to this leadership role midway through San Marco’s centennial anniversary and ahead of the 50th anniversary of SMPS next year. The remaining 2025-26 officers are Matt Little (vice president), Anita Feltman (secretary) and David Paulk (treasurer).

Pat Andrews has returned to the helm of San Marco Preservation Society to lead it as board president once more.

Andrews, along with the rest of the 2025-26 officers, was elected at the SMPS Annual Meeting in May. She succeeds Past President David Paulk.

“We are grateful to Pat for returning as SMPS president during this significant point in the history of both the neighborhood and our organization,” Paulk said. “Pat is one of our longest-serving board members and has a track record of getting things done. I’m looking forward to her many accomplishments in the coming year.”

Andrews previously served as SMPS president in a one-year term from 1998 to 1999. Andrews is not the only president who served two non-consecutive terms for the preservation society: With her return this year as president, she joins Yvonne Corey

“ YOU CAN’T STOP THE WAVES, BUT YOU CAN LEARN TO SURF. ” - JON KABAT-ZINN

LifeResultsChanging ResultsChanging

Part three of a four-part series

Celebrating a Century of San Marco

By Michele Leivas

Editor’s Note: As the monthly publication serving our historic communities, it is our mission here at Resident News to keep our readership informed of the news of the day and how it impacts our residents and neighborhoods. While much of what we report consists of current events, when a community approaches a milestone anniversary – as San Marco is doing in this, its centennial year – we feel it necessary to take a step back in time and share the larger story of how that community came to be. As stewards of these community stories, we wish to share this history with our entire readership on both sides of the river. Please enjoy this second installation of a four-part series about the history of San Marco.

For its first 50 years, San Marco’s focus was on establishing itself and creating an identity: first as a residential development by Telfair Stockton, then as its own municipality as South Jacksonville.

As San Marco moved into the last quarter of the 20th century, residents and merchants pivoted to a new goal: fostering a sense of community, which required the creation of a gathering place where friends and neighbors could meet. San Marco Square became the focal point of that goal, and the idea arose to transform Balis Park into a welcoming town square where neighbors could gather and a community could grow.

This next 25 years would see the birth of San Marco Square and usher in the age of San Marco’s patron lions that to this day stand watch over San Marco Square and all who enter it, whether it’s to enjoy the tranquility of Balis Park, with its gazebo, fountains and shaded spaces, or just passing through to enjoy one of the small businesses within the San Marco community.

Creating a Sense of Community

With two grassroots community organizations up and running – the San Marco Merchants Association and the fledgling San Marco Preservation Society – conversations morphed into action for the San Marco community, and residents began to see tangible, visible change occur.

“Those two things [SMMA and SMPS], as far as creating a sense of community in the Square, were very important, and then just the merchants’ attitude towards the Square itself,” said John Curington.

Born in Riverside, Curington was a Bishop Kenny High alumnus who purchased a home on River Road in the early 1970s and quickly discovered a passion in investing, renovating and developing property –including the bulk of the buildings on San Marco Boulevard, including the former San Marco Theatre building and the St. Marks Building, arguably two of the most architecturally iconic buildings on the Square. He spent six months renovating the interior of the San Marco Theatre, which reopened in 1981.

The City purchased the parcel in 1984, with SMPS and SMMA both sharing their vision of a centerpiece for the San Marco Square in place of the station. Longtime San Marco resident Abla Balis funded the park’s development in memory of her husband, Sheffield Balis. In January 1988, Balis Park was dedicated. Curington said SMPS and SMMA played no small role in the creation of Balis Park.

“Because of the merchants’ association and the preservation society, we were able to prevail with the City to build Balis Park

and [we] did a number of initiatives,” Curington said.

ate away at the fountain until it was no longer level, causing it to sink on one side. Talks were underway at the preservation society to rescue the fountain and renovate it when, inspired by one of the squares he’d visited during a recent trip to Charleston, Boulos posed a question.

“I said, ‘Well, you know, why? Why do we want to renovate the fountain? It’s not a thing of beauty and let’s see if we can do something different.’”

So began the design competition for a new fountain for the San Marco Square, which received 40 applicants, among them, the husband-and-wife team of Alan Wilson and Angela Shiffanela and their three lions. A couple of years and some significant fundraising later, the new fountain was debuted on April 18, 1997.

The wrought-iron finial from the original fountain can still be spotted today atop the campanile statue in the roundabout at San Marco Boulevard and Naldo Avenue. SMPS even paid tribute to the finial, featuring it prominently in its original logo.

As SMPS Past President Robin Robinson noted previously, San Marco Square was not the retail and dining destination it is today; its offerings were primarily service-related –in fact, where Balis Park stands today once stood a Spanish-style Gulf Service Station. The service station, constructed in 1927, was one of the community’s first commercial structures, though it was later replaced by a modern gas station.

E. Zimmermann Boulos, affectionately known as the “King of San Marco,” said the park’s gazebo and long, rectangular fountain were “the first big thing” to be built in the park.

Another one, he said, was the fountain.

Before the trio of stately lions lounged gracefully in the fountain of San Marco Square, a tiered, wedding cake-style fountain stood in its place, topped by a wrought-iron finial. Over the years, erosion

Over the years, the lions would be joined by other pieces of public art in San Marco, from the “Windy Days” sculpture in Balis Park to, most recently, the 12-foot butterfly sculpture installed in honor of Boulos at Landon Park. All of it stemmed, though, from that early notion of establishing a town center at the heart of San Marco and the vision to transform a gas station into a public space for the community to enjoy.

“It has been gratifying to know that going back to the days when Stockton, Whatley, Davin and Co. first developed the San Marco area, that 100 years later, it’s more desirable than ever,” said Curington. “There are not a lot of communities you can say that [about].”

A view of the San Marco Boulevard storefronts before Balis Park took shape. Artwork and greenery adorn the original San Marco Square fountain.

The wrought-iron finial from the original San Marco Square fountain can be spotted atop the campanile statue in the roundabout at San Marco Boulevard and Naldo Avenue.

San Marco officials and stakeholders turn dirt in Balis Park with the backdrop of San Marco Theatre behind them.

Photo: Jacksonville History Center Florida Times-Union Photo Collection

Rethreaded, a Jacksonville nonprofit, has spent 14 years helping survivors of human trafficking reclaim their lives through faith-based recovery, employment, and community support. Founded by Kristin Keen, the organization offers trauma-informed job training and a pathway to long-term independence by employing women in the creation of handmade products—each stitch a symbol of resilience and healing. Their holistic model integrates counseling, spiritual development, and life skills to give survivors not just a second chance, but a thriving future.

On July 26, Rethreaded marked its 14th birthday with a celebration at its Springfield

headquarters, where patrons gathered for an evening of shopping and giving to support the nonprofit’s mission. Thanks to a generous $30,000 matching gift from Riverside Homes, the event doubled as a fundraiser to fuel ongoing efforts. During a heartfelt speech, Keen told the crowd, “Every year, I think that I’m going to run out of awe, and every year, I always am in awe about how we got here…because every single person in this room has chosen to live their life on purpose.” She went on to thank donors, volunteers, board members, staff, and former employees, all of whom have helped create a space for healing and hope.

A Night of Heroism, Humanity—and Hope

Erin Bigalke with Darcy Gray

Matt Roberts and Simon Garwood

Lisa with Lisa Kiral and Mamette

Lauren and Charles Price with Vicki and Pete Helow

Local FOLKS

Stephen and Nicole Grant

By Holly Tishfield

Certain people and places take root in us if they’re part of the path we’re meant to be on. We may not realize it, but these roots will eventually lead us back to where we’re meant to be, no matter the distance or how far we’ve strayed.

That’s what Stephen and Nicole Grant discovered after reconnecting and falling in love some 40-plus years after meeting as children.

Nicole grew up in the San Marco area and received a degree in English from the University of Florida. She bounced across the United States, from Gainesville to Orlando to Washington D.C. to Miami and even across the pond for a stint in Germany.

While in Germany, she worked as an office manager for a large multinational firm. Upon her return stateside, she transitioned to a similar role in a regional firm in Fort Myers. She still works for a law office today, currently at a family law attorney in the San Marco area.

“Every place I’ve worked has had different areas of law, but it’s all been fun,” Nicole said.

Nicole spent more than 30 years away from Jacksonville: She lived a whole life, which included raising a few children, before returning to the Bold City about eight or nine years ago, happy to return to the family and friends she missed so dearly.

Stephen was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and spent most of his childhood there until his family moved to Jacksonville in 1969.

Career-wise, his expansive list of skills, certificates and degrees would be enough to fill a manuscript.

At 18, Stephen enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He served eight years in the Corps, followed by four years in Army aviation, completing his contracts before stepping away from the military for a short time. After the events of September 11, he returned to service and went on to serve an additional 20 years.

Throughout his 32-year military career, Stephen deployed 13 times and ultimately retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick Space Force Base in Brevard County.

While serving, Stephen also pursued his education, earning degrees from the University of North Florida and Florida State College at Jacksonville. He later earned his bachelor of science in nursing from the University of Central

Florida and completed a master’s degree in epidemiology.

He spent several years working with IBM Corporation before shifting paths once again.

Stephen graduated from the local police and fire academies, where he completed Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and paramedic training. He served for 27 years with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD), retiring as a District Chief, while concurrently working with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO).

Although retired from JFRD, Stephen remains a tactical medic coordinator with JSO, providing emergency medical support to officers and civilians. He has also spent the past 20 years teaching courses in Emergency Medical Services (EMS), fire science, and nursing, among many others, at FSCJ.

Before their paths diverged, Nicole and Stephen’s families were regulars at Lakewood Methodist Church. The children of both families were members of the church’s youth group.

Decades later, when Nicole returned to Jacksonville, she found Stephen on an online dating site and immediately recognized him. The two hit it off and tied the knot less than two years later, making a home together in the San Marco community.

“For 30 years, I wasn’t anywhere near my family, and I regret not being near them all that time,” Nicole said. “It’s so nice that we’re making up for lost time now.”

The Grants are passionate in their admiration for the San Marco community. The pair lives just a few blocks away from siblings and family members on both sides of the family, often taking walks with the neighbors they’ve grown close to and spending weekend afternoons at local San Marco restaurants.

“People stay here,” Stephen said. “The guy who cuts my hair now used to cut my hair as a child.”

The Grants are season passholders at the Alhambra Dinner Theater and the Thrasher-Horne Centre for the Arts. The avid entertainment lovers also frequent performances at The Amp and the Jacksonville Symphony.

When they’re not attending a show or catching up with family members in the area, the Grants love to travel, be it locally or internationally. Their current mission is to visit all of the state parks in both Florida and Georgia.

They enjoy taking their camper to sites like Anastasia State Park or Suwannee River State Park, nestling into nature and entertaining their respective hobbies.

Nicole loves geocaching, exploring the trails and hidden nooks to find puzzles leading to treasure, while Stephen sets up his ham radio to talk to other enthusiasts across the various state parks.

Ham radio, also known as amateur radio, has been one of Stephen’s passions since childhood. Inspired by his parents, both licensed enthusiasts, he followed in their footsteps and earned licensure.

The Grants are dedicated members of the San Marco Rotary Club, of which Stephen is a founding member, along with Nicole’s brother.

Even after years of distance, through detours and discoveries, Nicole and Stephen found their way back – to each other and to the place they once called home – thanks to the path that was always quietly guiding the way.

Dr. Swetha Pathak brings compassionate, expert care to Dermatology Southeast in Jacksonville. A fellowshiptrained dermatologist with extensive experience in both adult and pediatric skin care, Dr. Pathak specializes in everything from acne and eczema to advanced skin cancer treatment, including Mohs surgery. She also offers cosmetic services like Botox, IPL and chemical peels to help you look and feel your best.

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Stephen and Nicole Grant are avid travelers Stephen’s radio communication room

The couple enjoy exploring the great outdoors via their camper

Stephen’s certificate from the American Radio Relay League

I am grateful for the driving rules that protect children around schools and on school buses. And I’m even more grateful for any flashing lights and hazard signs installed in school zones or on the sides of buses. Those help me remember to look alive when I’m Sunday driving, listening to NPR or trying to stay hip to the new tunes and not paying the best attention. The trouble is, I quickly panic because I often can’t remember the exact rules for which I’m grateful. As a public service to myself – and anyone else who struggles to remember the rules of the road when it comes to school zones and buses – I will share them today. A new school year begins soon, so it’s time to prepare!

Let’s focus school buses and what to do when they are stopping or flashing their lights to let kids on or off the bus. My brain generally pumps the brakes on these rules, rendering me praying I will never be behind a bus on Hendricks Avenue, San Jose Boulevard or U.S. Highway 17 around 3 p.m.

To stop or not to stop?

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, “motorists are required to stop when approaching a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing and STOP arms extended.”

They offer this diagram, which I think is hugely helpful…especially when we’re talking about medians and painted stripes on the roadway. It can all be confusing, especially in the moment when you don’t want to be “that person” for doing it the wrong way and getting honked and road-raged at.

By Susanna Barton

Basically, if a bus stops and its lights are flashing to let kids on or off, you must stop unless the bus is on the opposite side of and driving in the opposite direction from you on a divided highway, meaning there is an unpaved space or physical barrier between you and the bus. So if you’re in a two-lane road, whether you’re driving in the opposite or same direction as the bus and it stops, you must stop as well. If you’re in a multi-lane road with a paved center lane dividing two directions of traffic, you must stop if the bus stops.

The FHSMV explains further:

“All drivers moving in either direction on a two-way street must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal, and must

remain stopped until the road is clear of children and the school bus stop arm is withdrawn. (See diagram: two-lane)

On a highway divided by a paved median, all drivers moving in either direction must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal, and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children and the school bus stop arm is withdrawn.

(See diagram: multi-lane)

The only time traffic approaching an oncoming school bus does not need to stop is if there is a raised barrier such as a concrete divider or at least five feet of unpaved space separating the lanes of traffic. It should be noted that painted lines or pavement markings are not considered

barriers. Motorists driving in the opposite direction should slow down, however, and watch for children boarding or unboarding the bus. (See diagram: divided highway)

Undecided? Think it is unpaved divided? Whatever you do, be alert and think it through like the smart adult you are. Penalties are steep if you don’t.

Also from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles:

“Penalties for passing a stopped school bus include:

Moving violation subject to citation; Requirement to complete a basic driver improvement course upon conviction; Four points on your driver’s license; and Minimum fine of $265 – if you pass on the side where children enter and exit, you will receive a minimum fine of $465.”

So next time you’re driving down one of our neighborhood roads during the school year, you’ll be prepared to think “pedal or brake?” Our neighborhood students may not thank you, but your knowledge of safety will be appreciated by the community.

Susanna Barton was forced to take the bus to school most mornings, forever labeling her a nerdy and reluctant “bus rider” though it was a memorable experience. A Granada resident, Barton has written professionally for The Jacksonville Business Journal, The Resident and The School. She currently manages an online community called Grand Plans, which encourages healthy conversations about aging and preparing for it on www. mygrandplans.com

Animal HOUSE

PAWS Vocational Animal Care Program Receives Major Donation

By Julie Kerns Garmendia

July 9 was a day of celebration for Jacksonville’s Animal Care and Protective Services (ACPS) when the City of Jacksonville’s Director of Administrative Services, Richard Reichard, announced a substantial donation in support of the Professional Animal Workers Certificate (PAWS) vocational training program.

The Tesori Family Foundation donated $22,581.93 at a check ceremony with local dignitaries and representatives of the program’s affiliated organizations.

The donation will provide the necessary funds to continue the program. Specifically, it will support the second PAWS class, currently scheduled for this month, and will provide enhanced curriculum development, as well as the purchase of new laptop

specifically developed for individuals with intellectual and developmental differences (IDD). It combines 12 weeks of comprehensive postsecondary classroom learning at The Arc Jacksonville campus with hands-on internships at the Forest Street ACPS shelter. It blends industryfocused, comprehensive classroom training with hands-on experience, professional guidance, and mentorship. Coursework includes animal behavior, nutrition, safety, first aid, emergency response, and animal CPR. It also teaches critically essential workplace skills, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.

Upon successful completion of the PAWS Program, individuals receive an animal care certification that prepares them

computers for students. Furthermore, it will fulfill the tuition for three students, fully funding their enrollment in PAWS.

Reichard also announced that the Tesori Family Foundation has launched an additional $25,000 matching gift challenge, effective immediately, that will remain in effect through the end of the year.

Three members of the Tesori family –Paul, Michelle, and their 11-year-old son Isaiah attended the ceremony to present their charitable foundation’s generous check. Daughter Alexis Tesori is the fourth member of the philanthropic family.

“Our foundation is thrilled to support this first-of-its-kind animal care vocational program in Jacksonville,” said Paul Tesori. “We’re so thankful to have such great leadership from ACPS, The Arc Jacksonville, FSCJ – all of them have worked so hard paving the way for the PAWS Program.”

PAWS is made possible through a multiorganizational collaboration between the ACPS, The Arc Jacksonville and Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ). It was

for meaningful employment in animal care or pet-related fields, including kennels, animal shelters, pet daycare centers, and other animal-related services and businesses.

Kari Bates, president and CEO of The Arc Jacksonville, emphasized the importance of the PAWS Program, “because vocational training is essential in addressing the unacceptable 91% unemployment rate among adults with IDD in Florida.”

The Arc Jacksonville Assistant Vice President of Educational Services Sharon Engelbrecht collaborated with FSCJ Director of Program Development Julie Stein to develop the PAWS Program as the first career certificate within their broader vision for vocational certificates offered through The Arc Jacksonville’s Career Campus program, which began in 2023 as a partnership between The Arc Jacksonville and FSCJ. It was initially created to serve as a vocational training program for students ages 18 to 22 with IDD.

Aidan Balzli, a graduate of The Arc Jacksonville’s On-Campus Transition Program at the University of North Florida,

was introduced and congratulated for his successful completion of the PAWS certification. Balzli was part of the program’s inaugural class. Nearly every speaker duly noted Balzli’s dedication and commitment throughout the courses and internship, which resulted in a job offer

of an ACPS staff job on his final day of certification.

Individuals interested in information about enrollment in the next PAWS certificate program for individuals with IDD can visit The Arc Jacksonville’s website or email careercampus@ arcjacksonville.org

Resources: Arc Jacksonville: www.arcjacksonville.org | Email: careercampus@arcjacksonville.org

Florida State College Jacksonville

Workforce Education: www.fscj.edu/academics/workforceeducation

The Tesori Family Foundation: www.tesorifamilyfoundation.org

Animal Care and Protective Services: www.jacksonville.gov/departments/ neighborhoods/animal-careprotective-services

FOJA Rally Brings Dogs, Community Together for Cause

Friends of Jacksonville Animals, Inc. (FOJA) did indeed let the dogs out for the return of Brews, Barks and Bingo on Saturday, July 19.

The event brought adoptable dogs from City of Jacksonville’s Animal Care and Protective Services’ shelters to find their forever homes amongst the guests partaking in the day’s festivities, which included live music by Daniel John Kleinrock, bingo games, a silent auction and bites from Aloha Hawaiian food truck.

Proceeds from the event will support FOJA services, including lifesaving heartworm treatment and other medical care for the shelter pups at ACPS.

The event came on the heels of ACPS’ call for critical aid for adoptions or fosters last month to relieve its overcrowded shelters and find homes, temporary or permanent, for nearly 100 dogs.

PAWS graduate/ACPS employee Aidan Balzli introducing an adoptable dog to Isaiah and Michelle Tesori.

Paul Tesori with his son Isaiah.

Dignitaries and stakeholders during the July 9 check presentation The Arc Jacksonville President and CEO Kari Bates, The Arc Jacksonville Board Members Bernadette Moran and Kit Thomas with The Tesori Family Foundation’s Paul Tesori with son Isaiah, City of Jacksonville’s Director of Administrative Services Richard Reichard, PAWS Program graduate/ACPS employee Aidan Balzli, ACPS Division Chief Michael Bricker, and Michelle Tesori.

The Way WE WERE 35

David Engdahl

By Michele Leivas

It was chance that brought David Engdahl and his wife, Hope, to San Marco. Engdahl grew up in Pennsylvania, completing a degree in architecture at Penn State before working at a few different firms for the next seven years. He began looking for other opportunities when he got the feeling he wasn’t learning as much as he could, and he started looking everywhere.

He’d been searching for a year or two, he said, when he found an open position with acclaimed architect William Morgan.

“It was totally random. We were willing to go anywhere in the U.S. – we weren’t particularly interested in LA or New York City – but we were willing to go anywhere in the U.S. or Canada,” David said. “I didn’t know anything about Jacksonville; I didn’t know anything about Florida. I mean, my vision was snakes and alligators.”

David was still working full-time, which meant he had only nights and weekends to dedicate to his job search. This resulted in weekend trips to various cities or states for job interviews. In 1972, David and Hope drove down to Jacksonville for an interview with Morgan at his firm in the Universal Marion Building downtown, just beneath The Embers, a revolving restaurant at the top of the tower.

“My wife came along and she was reading a book in the lobby and I was sitting there just

talking briefly with William Morgan and [his wife and office manager] Bunny and Bunny said, ‘Well, would your wife like to come in?’”

The double job interview was successful, but it would still be another year before David and Hope returned home from a date night to find a message the babysitter had taken down for him: William Morgan’s office had called and offered him a job.

Once the job was secured, David and Hope returned to Jacksonville for a weekend to find their new home. They found themselves driving around Jacksonville looking for a home to rent, armed with a road map and some guidance from Jim Rink, another architect at Morgan’s firm. By Sunday, they were getting nervous: They were running out of time and hadn’t liked any of the options they’d seen so far.

That’s when they found a home on Belmont Avenue in San Marco. They lived there for four years.

“So happenstance on getting to Jacksonville, happenstance on settling in San Marco, but we’ve been here ever since in three different locations,” David said.

Indeed, 52 years later, David remains in San Marco. He retired in 2007 from Haskell, which he’d joined in 1979 and risen to the position of senior vice president and chief architect. Over the years, he and Hope moved to two different homes on Sorrento Road: one on the first block of Sorrento Road, where they lived for nine years before settling into what would be their forever home on the second block of Sorrento Road, which they purchased in 1986.

Nearly a century old, the house is one of the first to be built in the San Marco

development, David said.

“I can’t dig a hole anywhere in the yard without hitting brick,” he said.

Today, David said he doesn’t get out much beyond his daily walks. Hope passed away in 2008. Their daughters, Ellice and Kirsten, are grown. Ellice moved out to Michigan, and Kirsten remains in Jacksonville. In his golden years, David has dedicated his time and energy to his art, which he has fostered for much of his life.

“I’m in my shop every day working on sculptures,” he said. “I tell everybody when they retire, getting close to retiring, you better have something, a challenge, that gets you up every morning, because if you don’t, you won’t.”

For David, art remains that challenge. His work has been displayed at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, the Jacksonville International Airport, as well as in exhibits across the country.

friday & saturday | 5 pm – 11 pm open

Hope and David with daughters Ellice and Kirsten in St. Augustine in 1975.

David with one of his sculptures.

David has pursued his love of art and sculpting in his retirement.

Bolles Begins Expansion of Girls’ Residence Hall

By Michele Leivas

Construction is underway in Phase II of The Bolles School’s Llura “Lulie” Gund ’58 Residence Hall for Girls at the Bolles Upper School San Jose Campus.

The City of Jacksonville issued a building permit last month for renovations of the second floor of Bolles Hall’s south wing, currently housing classrooms and staff offices, into “dorm rooms, dorm parent apartments and student support areas” – a $4.2 million project, according to the permit.

The project will create 22 new living spaces and a common area to be called Lulie Commons. In total, between the new dorm space, new common areas, new Resident Life family apartments and covered porches, this renovation will add nearly 15,000 square feet to Liggett Hall, the girls’ residence hall.

This expansion is made possible by Gordon Gund and his sons, Grant and Zack, in honor of his late wife, Llura “Lulie” Liggett Gund. Gund made his gift to Bolles in 2021, which allowed female students to live on campus for the first time in the school’s history. His wife, an alumna of Bolles from the class of 1958, passed away in 2020.

Bolles Chief Advancement Officer Carol Nimitz said

this expansion has been several years coming and has already had emotional and cultural impacts on Bolles’ Resident Life students.

“Each day, we get to see the spirit of the Gund family’s gift reflected in the happy and motivated faces of our Resident Life students – it’s a living tribute to Lulie’s inspiring spirit and their incredible generosity,” Nimitz said. “This is truly a time of great progress and enthusiasm at Bolles, as the dream the Gund family helped shape nearly four years ago continues to take form.”

The Bolles Resident Life is the boarding program for students living on campus. According to Bolles President and Head of School Tyler Hodges, the Resident Life program will welcome boarders from 12 states and nearly 40 countries and territories, including India, Guatemala, Australia and the Bahamas for the 2025-26 school year.

“As the community looks ahead to the opening of Liggett Hall in 2026, The Bolles School remains deeply grateful to the Gund family for their generosity and unwavering belief in the power of education,” Hodges said. “Their legacy continues to shape the future of Bolles – one student, one story and one lasting connection at a time.”

These new living quarters and common areas are expected to open at the beginning of the 2026-27 school year. The design team on this project includes Mako Development, LLC and Luke Architecture, PA.

Resident Life students in the on-campus girls’ residence hall.

A schematic displays the planned updates coming to the girls’ residence hall.

Work has begun for phase II of The Bolles School’s Llura “Lulie” Gund ‘58 Residence Hall for Girls.

Renovations are underway to transform classrooms and staff offices of the former hotel building at The Bolles Upper School San Jose Campus into dorms, common and support areas and dorm parent apartments.

Landon HS Alumni Lobby to Place Historical Sign in San Marco

Trying to preserve the memory of a “special place”

By Joe Wilhelm, Jr.

Editor’s Note: At Resident News, we are committed to delivering hyperlocal news relevant to the communities covered by our two monthly issues – one covering Riverside, Avondale, Ortega and Murray Hill and the other covering San Jose, San Marco and St. Nicholas. Occasionally, our readers may of one issue will see a story that seems geographically pertinent to its sister issue across the river. This can happen when a story crosses community lines through a broader relevance, in this case, the vibrant, historic fabric that connects all Jacksonville communities.

Saving some Jacksonville history for future generations is the goal of a group of Landon High School graduates who seek to place a historical sign in San Marco.

The Landon Alumni Association, led by graduates Charlie Rooks, William Harrell, Howard Coker and Bill Warner, have begun discussion with the City of Jacksonville to place a historical marker commemorating the history of the former high school.

“Students from our last graduating class are nearing their 80s, and we have gotten together to preserve the history of the school,” said Rooks, chair of the association’s Landon High Memorial Committee. “We just didn’t want Landon to be forgotten.”

The group has met with District 5 City Councilman Joe Carlucci and City of

what the proposed marker and its likely location, but have yet to reach an agreement.

Remembering the Impact of Landon High

The growth of Jacksonville caused the city to open three new high schools in 1927: Andrew Jackson, Julia B. Landon and Robert E. Lee, renamed Riverside in 2021. Landon was the smallest of the three, located at 1819 Thacker Ave in the San Marco neighborhood. The school’s size contributed to what made it a special place, according to Coker, class president of the last graduating class.

“It was a very friendly place with a great mix of kids, and the teachers were wonderful,” said Coker, founder of Coker Law Personal Injury Lawyers and past president of The Florida Bar. “The school was so small that if a student had any athletic ability, they played all sports.”

fond memories of life-changing moments experienced within Landon’s classrooms.

“We had an English teacher, Mrs. Hunter Perkins, who was our senior English teacher,” said Harrell, a U.S. Navy veteran and 1961 Landon graduate. “You were scared to get her, but you were also scared if you didn’t get her. We had to go in early and recite lines of ‘Macbeth.’ She would be doing work listening to us and she would know if we missed a line.”

Landon High School was closed in the spring of 1965, but it was converted into a junior high school that fall. The institution saw another change in 2009 when it became a magnet school and was renamed Julia Landon College Preparatory and Leadership Development School.

During his senior year, he discussed his plans after graduation with Perkins. He let her know that he and three friends were going to attend the University of Florida and room together. She strongly suggested that the four of them take the Naval ROTC exam to help them continue their studies.

“The exam was a way to get a scholarship to college. I ended up going to Georgia Tech on a Navy scholarship and it helped, because my father had five children in college my freshman year,” said Harrell. “One of my friends also earned a scholarship, and that helped him get an appointment to U.S. Naval Academy.”

Perkins was just one example of the

It is an important educational project that will continue to make people reflect and remember the importance of the school.

– William Harrell

U.S. Navy Veteran, Landon High Class of 1961

with that one incident,” Harrell said.

It is experiences like these that have led Harrell to join the effort to preserve Landon High School’s history.

“It has so many graduates of significance that have contributed to the development of Jacksonville, San Marco and the business shopping center of San Marco itself, “said Harrell. “It is an important educational project that will continue to make people reflect and remember the importance of the school.”

A short film was created to celebrate the history of Landon High School, and those working to save its past, titled “Guardians of Landon.”

A mockup of the proposed historical marker tells the story of Landon High School.

Business Brains: Bolles Students Shine on National Stage

Chen placed first in international business and Li placed fifth in securities and investments. The two scholars were part of the Bolles Future Business Leaders of America team, which participated in the conference. The four-day conference took place at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, from June 29 to July 2.

Participating students competed in various leadership events and workshops, sharing new ideas about shaping their careers and swapping successes with other attendees. Bolles student Cyrus Vaghefi led a peer workshop focusing on public speaking, while Bolles FBLA President Akash Gusani competed in Introduction to Financial Math.

Samuel Wolfson School Soars in District Rankings

The Wolf Pack family is celebrating the recent news that Samuel Wolfson School for Advanced Studies has earned top public high school ranking for Duval County and North Florida and sixth in the state of Florida, according to Wolfson Principal Christopher Begley. The news, shared last month, was coupled with the announcement that Duval County Public Schools has earned an A for the first time in district history.

The Florida Department of Education released its annual Florida School Grades report, reflecting Wolfson’s earned 852 points – the highest score for public high schools in Duval County and the Northeast Florida region.

DCPS District 3 Board Member Cindy Pearson, a Wolfson alumna herself and parent of two Wolfson graduates and a Wolfson senior, congratulated the Wolfson faculty, staff and students.

“I know firsthand how hard the students, faculty and community have worked to develop a program where academic rigor and student life are emphasized,” Pearson said.

Dr. Allison Cato Jackson, mother of two Wolfson students, echoed Pearson’s sentiments.

“…[Wolfson] is a vibrant school where students lead, create and grow,” Cato said. “The pride Wolfson students and families feel was already evident and in no doubt contributory.”

Erin Lewis is president of the Wolfson Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA), with a rising senior and junior.

“I know that the ranking is based on test scores, but if you go to the school and you walk the halls and you go to the football games, it’s more than just the school grade,” Lewis said. “It’s the whole atmosphere, the whole picture.”

Samuel Wolfson School for Advanced Studies Principal Christopher Begley joined in the congratulations.

“In eight short years of transitioning from a neighborhood school to a dedicated magnet for gifted and advanced students, Wolfson has become the number one school in the district, number one in North Florida and number six in the state,” Begley continued. “This only happens when all stakeholders buy into team success. To quote Rudyard Kipling, ‘The strength of the wolf is the PACK.’ [sic] At Wolfson, we foster that philosophy in all that we do.”

Pearson added Wolfson’s achievement reflects a larger trend in her district, with Julia Landon College Preparatory School maintaining its top ranking as a Duval County middle school and Holiday Hill Elementary and Sandalwood High School both earning A grades. Meanwhile, Englewood High School, San Jose Elementary and Southside Estates Elementary all improved to B school grades.

Two Bolles students, juniors Vichy Chen and David Li, placed in the top 10 at the Future Business Leaders of America Middle School and High School National Leadership Conference.

Bolles students travel to California to participate in the FBLA National Leadership Conference.

JA Sets Historic Student Engagement Record Service and Spirit

Graduating Bishop Kenny senior Emily Rrukaj received the John J. Snyder Peace in Christ Award at Bishop Kenny’s graduation mass on Friday, May 30, at St. Joseph Catholic Church. With more than 3,000 community service hours and leadership positions in several campus clubs, Rrukaj received this annual award for “best exemplifying the virtues lived out by Bishop Snyder.”

Rrukaj served as president of the Anchor Club and vice president of the Science Club, with active memberships in the history, Spanish and theatre clubs and student ambassadors. Rrukaj was also named a member of the Quill and Scroll, thespian and Spanish Honor societies. In the fall, Rrukaj plans to attend Jacksonville University to pursue a degree in occupational therapy.

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.

Junior Achievement of North Florida (JA) announced a recordbreaking year, having reached 22,853 high school students across Jacksonville through its impactful JA Career Exploration Fairs during the 2024-2025 school year.

This milestone marks the largest number of high school students attending these career exploration events in the organization’s history, thanks to JA’s partnerships with local businesses, volunteers, and educators. High school students from 17 schools across Northeast Florida engaged with professionals in industries ranging from logistics and education to public safety and hospitality, gaining insight and inspiration for their futures.

Bishop Snyder Hosts Catholic Heart Work Camp

Bishop John Snyder High School hosted nearly 160 students from across the country for Catholic Heart Work Camp. Jacksonville was one of 20 cities nationwide, with one international location in Rome and Assisi, that hosted these week-long mission trips throughout the summer, and was the only location in Florida. Campers at Bishop John Snyder High School split into 18 different teams that ultimately completed 37 service projects in the Jacksonville community and beyond. Some participants spent time with residents at The Windsor at Ortega and Springs Garden in Orange Park. They played bingo, baked bread or simply spent time with residents, brightening their days. Others completed more labor-intensive projects, from repainting houses to yard landscaping, even converting a Coach bus into a home.

Participants camped out at the Bishop Snyder campus, renewing their spirits and energy each night to prepare for the next day’s activities.

Emily Rrukaj

Student and adult volunteers at Community Health Outreach

Catholic Heart Work Camp student volunteer caring for residents at the Windsor

Episcopal Athletes Fly High with All-First Coast Honors

Episcopal School of Jacksonville student-athletes are soaring, with Brooke McCoy being named the “Florida Times-Union” All-First Coast Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year.

“Brooke has continued to raise the bar for girls’ lacrosse at Episcopal,” said Girls’ Lacrosse Coach Krista Grabher Crittenden. “She brings a level of positivity, drive, and desire to be the best and make her teammates the best versions of themselves.”

Several other Eagles were also recently selected for “Florida TimesUnion” All-First Coast Teams in baseball, track and field and tennis. These athletes include:

• Girls Tennis: Addie Grek, Anabelle Rockwell, Cora Anderson, Grace Mitchell

Boys Tennis: Owen Neal, Will Misner

• Baseball: Dominic DeLoreto, Jack Ottesen, Gehrig Severidt, Jude McDonald, Carson Evanger, and Clem Nelson

Boys Track and Field: Jack Officer (800m and 1600m)

• Girls Track and Field: Kate Brice (800m and 1600m), Stella Krueger (1600m and 3200m), Whitney Morgan, 4x800 relay team (Kate Brice, Whitney Morgan, Stella Krueger, Audrey Brice)

Wonder in Bloom at Creation Keepers Day Camp

St. John’s Cathedral was a hub of creativity, discovery and laughter last month as it hosted its Creation Keepers day camp for children ages four to 12.

The week-long camp, held July 14 to 18, was hosted by Green Spirits, the cathedral’s Creation Care Group. St. John’s Cathedral Director of Children and Families Ministry Felicia Bullock led the camp alongside Green Spirits volunteer Jean McKinney and other parish volunteers. Each day, children let their spirit of discovery run wild, kicking each day off with a neighborhood walk followed by nature-based crafts, songs, games and field trips to area parks.

Limitless Opportunities

Opportunity is more than access—it’s skillfully guided growth.

Our faculty and staff are masters of creating a culture where students thrive and achieve excellence. Here, opportunity lives in every corner: in classrooms, on stages, in labs, on fields and in studios. Students are immersed in academics, the fine arts, athletics and activities that expand their opportunities today, so more things are possible tomorrow.

Creation Keepers participants spend a week learning about and appreciating nature through various activities at St. John’s Cathedral.

Daily walks allow children to slow down and appreciate the natural beauty of their neighborhoods and communities.

Campers remember to hydrate before taking off on their next activity.

Episcopal student-athlete Brooke McCoy is the All-First Coast Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year.

Your Time, Your Gift, Their Future

By Lauren K. Weedon

As summer draws to a close and students prepare to head back to the classroom, we are spotlighting area nonprofit organizations that are stepping up to ensure every child has the tools and support they need for a successful school year.

According to the United Way of Northeast Florida, nearly 40% of households face challenges in affording necessities, with over a third of residents living in or near poverty. From providing school supplies to offering mentorship programs, these organizations are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of children in our community.

They can’t do it alone, however. As the new school year approaches, these nonprofits are calling on volunteers and donors to help meet the increasing demand for their services. Whether you have a few hours to spare or can contribute school supplies, these organizations are looking for your support to help children thrive academically and emotionally in the year ahead. Here’s a closer look at what these groups are offering and how you can get involved.

Stuff the Bus

United Way of Northeast Florida, Impact Clay, Clay Education Fund, and First Coast News teamed up again for the annual Stuff the Bus campaign in Duval and Clay counties. This initiative helps provide essential supplies to local classrooms, teachers, and students in need. Duval County efforts benefit eight Full Service Schools Family Resource Centers, supporting 151 schools and more than 100,000 students. In Clay County, the program supports 47 schools and over 40,000 students. The Duval County event takes place on Friday, Aug. 1, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Markets at Town Center, although monetary donations will be accepted until Sept. 30.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida

character development, education, arts, health and sports. Programs include after-school and summer activities, STEM/robotics, CareerLaunch, Passport to Manhood, Smart Girls, Triple Play and outdoor camps like McKenzie’s Deep Pond.

The organization is dedicated to helping youth, especially those facing adversity, become responsible and caring citizens, graduate on time, and have a clear path for their future.

“The Boys and Girls Club has been a part of my family for over 10 years, offering a safe, fun, and supportive space yearround,” said Toshaina Major. “Programs like Tipping the Scale, Triple Play, Smart Girls, and Passport to Manhood have impacted each of my children in unique ways. My son now dreams of a medical career because of the Club. As a former Club kid myself, it’s rewarding to see

By Lauren Weedon Hopkins

Family Support Services of North Florida

When a child or family faces a crisis, Family Support Services of North Florida is there to help, offering essential resources, education, and support, all with care, empathy, and understanding. As the leading child welfare agency in Duval and Nassau counties, it collaborates with community organizations to improve family circumstances and

It provides safe homes for abused or neglected children and teens through foster care, and works to find forever families for children through adoption. Family Support Services offers year-round assistance to foster families and youth, including its annual back-to-school program.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida serve more than 5,200 youth daily across 59 clubs in five counties, including Alachua, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns. For more than 60 years, the nonprofit has provided a safe, supportive environment with trained mentors and evidence-based programs focused on

my children experience the same lifechanging opportunities I once did.”

BGCNF collects school supplies, including pencils, pens, highlighters, crayons, markers, notebooks, glue sticks, backpacks, lunchboxes, hand sanitizer, tissues, personal hygiene items, and more.

school students or seven high school students.

Blessings in a Backpack

Blessings in a Backpack provides weekend food support to 5,100 kids across Duval, Clay, Nassau, and St. Johns counties in 44 schools. The program serves children who qualify for free or reduced lunch and collaborates with school counselors to identify needs. Each week, participating schools receive food packs filled with nutritious, easy-toeat items, such as whole-grain crackers and reduced-sugar cereal. For many children who are food insecure, the only healthy meals they have access to are on weekdays, during the school year.

Blessings in a Backpack ensures these children continue to be nourished on the weekends when they are away from school. When children attend school without sufficient food, it affects their ability to focus, retain information, and succeed academically. Ensuring that children have access to the necessary nourishment is crucial for their educational development and overall well-being.

Child Guidance Center

Each year, the Child Guidance Center sponsors the William G. Lockwood Memorial Fund Backto-School Supply Drive, providing students with bags filled with essential school supplies. Many children in need come to the Center without the means to obtain these items, which can lead to embarrassment, low self-esteem and a lack of motivation in school. By supplying these materials, the organization helps boost attendance, academic performance, and self-confidence.

Items needed include glue sticks, pencils, colored pencils, markers, watercolor paint, crayons, looseleaf paper, rulers, pocket folders, notebooks, three-ring binders and pens. Donations of items with business logos are also welcome. Please drop off all items by Aug. 8 at the Child Guidance Center office at 5776 St. Augustine Road. If you prefer to make a monetary donation, a gift of $50 can provide a backpack with supplies for four elementary or middle

In addition to food, each pack includes a positive notecard, and the program relies on volunteers to help create them. It costs $175 to support one child for an entire school year. Ways to get involved include donating, hosting a food drive, or volunteering to pack food. Blessings served 135 kids at West Riverside last year.

Stocking Backpacks, Fueling Futures Looking for ways to support these organizations and help make the first day of school even brighter for Duval County students? Here’s information on how you can help:

• Stuff the Bus: To donate, text “classrooms25” to 30306, or visit uwnefl.galaxydigital.com/stuff-thebus-2025/ to give online.

• Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida: For inquiries about school supplies, please contact Natasha Skipper at Natashas@bgcnf.org and visit www.bgcnf.org/give to make a donation online.

• Family Support Services of North Florida: To contribute this year, visit fssjax.org/backtoschool to donate directly through their wish list or back-to-school fund. For updates on volunteer opportunities, email Rochelle.Lockett@fssnf.org to subscribe to their community newsletter.

• Child Guidance Center: More information about the William G. Lockwood Memorial Fund Backto-School Supply Drive can be found at cgcjax.org/get-involved/ back-to-school/

• Blessings in a Backpack: More details about donating or getting involved are available at firstcoast. blessingsinabackpack.org

Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida serves more than 5,200 youth daily in 59 clubs in five counties.

Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida works to provide necessary school supplies to get the year started off right.

Blessings in a Backpack works to ensure children have access to nutritious food on weekends as well.

In Memoriam

Kathryn K. Weedon

Remembered for a Life of Love, Service and Kindness

November 27, 1948 – July 18, 2025

Kathryn “Kathy” Kothman Weedon passed away peacefully on July 18, 2025, after a long illness, surrounded by her loving family.

Born in Portsmouth, Ohio, Kathy moved to Jacksonville at age 7. It was there she met Jerry Weedon, her lifelong best friend and, eventually, her husband of 51 years. Their love story began in third grade at Assumption Catholic School and blossomed over nearly two decades of friendship before they married in 1974.

A dedicated student, Kathy graduated summa cum laude from Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville and Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. As a Fulbright Scholar, she studied for a year at Loyola University in Rome, Italy, where she developed an enduring love for Italian culture. After graduation, she worked for Pan American World Airways, using her Italian and French to travel the world.

Kathy and Jerry settled in Gainesville while Jerry attended law school. Soon after, they joyfully welcomed three children, Lauren, Jamey, and John, in just over three years. Kathy completely embraced motherhood, serving as homeroom mom, picture mom, cheerleader, and steadfast supporter.

Once her children were in school, Kathy turned her energy to community service. She held leadership roles on the

Board of Directors of the Junior League of Jacksonville, Community Connections of Jacksonville, The Women’s Board of Wolfson Children’s Hospital, Leadership Jacksonville, Assumption Council of Catholic Women, Diocesan Advisory Board of Education Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine and Bishop Kenny High School. She was an active volunteer in many other nonprofit organizations including Catholic Charities, St. Vincent’s Hospital Foundation, American Cancer Society, Ronald McDonald House, MOSH and Children’s International Summer Village (CISV). She once served as chairman and hostess to a then-little-known guest speaker at the Wolfson Antique Show: Martha Stewart. Under Kathy’s leadership as the 19901991 president of the Junior League of Jacksonville, she welcomed the organization’s first African American woman to serve on its board of directors.

Later, she launched a new professional chapter, first managing corporate sales for the Bausch & Lomb Women’s Tennis Tournament, then joining Jacksonville Magazine, where she spent more than 30 years as its associate editor, community relations director, social columnist and proofreader.

In 2005, Kathy was invested as a Dame of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. She made multiple pilgrimages

to Lourdes, France, accompanying the sick to the sacred grotto. She was a daily communicant at Assumption Catholic Church and volunteered on Saturdays at the St. Francis Soup Kitchen.

A gifted tennis player and proud supporter of the Gators and Jaguars, Kathy was known for her energy, wit and most of all, her kindness. Her family describes her simply as “spectacular,” a word they feel still falls short.

She is survived by her husband Jerry; children Lauren, Jamey (Katie), and John (Brooke); nine beloved grandchildren: Ben, Luke, Paul, Allie, Will, Megan, Jake, Beau and Liza Dailey; sister Anne (Carl) Albanese; sisters-in-law Marla Weedon and Kathy Weedon; nieces, nephews, and many dear friends.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to Kathy’s caregivers, Luz Marina Ocampo and Arline Diaz, and to the team at Community Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Weedon Family Scholarship Fund at Bishop Kenny High School.

Kathy traveling in Greece in 2017, with Jerry and their neighbors of 40 years and San Marco residents, Kent and Cyndi Schmidt.

Kathy and Jerry celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2024 with their children and a special blessing at Assumption Catholic Church.

Best friends Kathy and Jerry in 1965 during their junior year of Bishop Kenny High School.

Kathy worked as an international flight attendant with Pan American World Airways, New York, from 1971-1974.