Residents illustrate appreciation for favorite postal carrier
When Lauren Davis realized that Lynn Church, the letter carrier for her Ortega Terrace neighborhood, had an upcoming 60th birthday, she wanted to do something special for her. Lynn has covered the neighborhood as her route for about 10 years and, according to Davis, she has developed the most special relationships with the neighbors living […]
Home Sweet Haunted Home
It’s October—time for Halloween, ghosts, haunted houses and spooky stories about things that go bump in the night. For some local residents, though, ghosts and haunted houses aren’t just a seasonal thrill. In the mid ‘90s, Linda Olsavsky owned and operated a B&B in a two-story residence on River Road in San Marco. Built in […]
Paralympic athlete with local ties defies odds
Kyle Coon, who grew up in Ortega Forest, represented the United States in the recent Tokyo 2020 Games, completing the Para Triathlon. Alongside his guide, Andy Potts, Coon swam .47 miles, biked 12.4 miles, and ran 3.1 miles. “My first @paralympics were certainly an experience. The result wasn’t indicative of my capabilities but we learned […]
Artist’s granddaughter searches for subjects’ families
Anne Holland Polk is searching for the family members of portrait subjects done in pastels by her grandmother, the late Barbara Holland. Holland was the wife of a prominent Avondale dentist and mother of five. For a time, she was also a student of the late Jay Harder, Jacksonville’s master portrait artist, whose studio was […]
Defoor hosts virtual town hall on crime, drainage woes
Community policing and shared intelligence keys to mitigating criminal activity Jacksonville City Councilwoman Randy Defoor hosted a virtual town hall meeting with a few dozen constituents on September 9 to discuss two timely neighborhood concerns, recent crime trends and flooding during storm season. “We have a lot of heavy issues to discuss this time,” said […]
Jacksonville Curbside Recycling On Hiatus Starting Oct. 4
No timeline set for return to recycling program Due to staffing shortages with the city’s private refuge haulers, curbside recycling is going to be temporarily suspended beginning October 4th. Mayor Lenny Curry said the city is being forced to do so due to the nationwide labor shortage caused by the COVID pandemic. It’s hoped the […]
JTA Seeks New Development Near Transportation Hubs
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority is looking to help encourage private development around its transportation hubs and expand mass transit on the First Coast. During its annual State of the Utility presentation JTA officials looked back on the challenges of operating during the pandemic, and presented plans for the future. JTA is also commemorating their 50th anniversary. […]
