Riverside, Avondale, Ortega, Murray Hill

All the latest news relevant to the Riverside, Avondale, Ortega and Murray Hill areas.

City Council seeks residents for resiliency committees

With so much coastline, City may be primedfor flooding Concerned about the prospect of increased flooding and more intense hurricanes, members of the City Council’s Special Committee on Resiliency are looking for community volunteers to join three new sub-committees that will be tasked with finding ways to prepare the City for disasters.  The sub-committees are […]

First Coast Relief Fund grants $3.3 million in COVID-19 assistance

Florida’s First Coast Relief Fund has surpassed the $3 million mark in grants awarded to nonprofit organizations responding to immediate needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 85 agencies are recipients of nearly $3.3 million since grantmaking began in March. The Fund is a collaboration between The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, Jessie Ball duPont […]

City offers financial lifeline to seniors, disabled

The City of Jacksonville launched the Senior and Disabled Financial Assistance Program on June 20 to provide support to senior citizens over the age of 72 and anyone receiving Social Security disability benefits. “These direct benefits are for our senior and disabled citizens who have experienced a reduction in income or increased expenses during the […]

Small business grant program depleted funds on first day

Less than a week after the Jacksonville City Council passed a bill authorizing $2,000 grants to small businesses whose incomes were crushed by the Coronavirus, all 4,500 grants available had been spoken for and there was a waiting list. On May 26, City Council members voted unanimously to approve The Small Business Relief bill sponsored […]

Mourning a loved one during the Coronavirus pandemic

Mourning a loved one during the Coronavirus pandemic

When it comes to mourning the death of a loved one, “there is no textbook way to grieve,” said Jody Brandenburg, president of Hardage Giddens Funeral Homes and Cemeteries, which owns 10 funeral facilities including Hardage-Giddens Riverside Memorial Park & Funeral Home and Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Chapel & Cemetery in San Marco. His words perfectly describe […]

Wolfson pet therapy program celebrates 25 years

Wolfson pet therapy program celebrates 25 years

When experienced pet handler Linda Dunn moved to Jacksonville, she approached numerous hospitals about starting a pet therapy program. When she shared this vision with Wolfson Children’s Hospital leaders, they saw it as an innovative way to improve patients’ experiences. Dunn promptly joined the Wolfson Children’s Auxiliary, established the program, and made the hospital’s first […]

COVID-19 testing on homeless reveals no positive cases

COVID-19 testing on homeless reveals no positive cases

 When it comes to Coronavirus, Jacksonville’s homeless population has been told it has a clean bill of health. During the week of May 4, Sulzbacher partnered with UF Health Jacksonville to administer tests at every local homeless service provider including Sulzbacher downtown and Sulzbacher Village, Trinity Rescue Mission, The Salvation Army, Clara White Mission, Hubbard […]

Opinions differ on COVID insurance claims for small businesses

Small business owners across the country who have been devastated by loss of revenue and/or employee work productivity due to COVID-19 are now left wondering whether their insurance policy covers their losses. Locally, some in the insurance business say no, while other attorneys say, “definitely maybe.” At-Large Group 4 City Councilmember Matt Carlucci, a State […]