Donna gets it done! We’re done with renderings that don’t pan out, done with missing out on big opportunities, and done with the gutter politics and corruption scandals — here’s to four more years!

The Halloween season means teenagers and young adults from all over the First Coast go legend tripping — the rite of passage of visiting spots associated with danger and creepy legends. Here’s a look at four of the most popular local legend tripping spots.

Another major Downtown project is here. An extension of the Southbank Riverwalk that runs back into the marsh, RiversEdge Parks is a chain of new parks and amenities on the former site of the JEA Southside Generating Station.

Five decades before the Pilgrims, the French colonists of Fort Caroline in present-day Jacksonville and the Spanish settlers of St. Augustine held their own celebrations of Thanksgiving. These First Coast Thanksgivings were some of the first in the New World. Here are the stories:

My story on the first Thanksgivings on the First Coast, at Fort Caroline and St. Augustine, is up today on @thejaxsonmag.bsky.social.

Hi, question for Mrs. Shelley. In Walton’s letters at the beginning of Frankenstein, dated to 17--, he alludes to the “Ancient Mariner”. But Coleridge’s 1798 edition spelled it “Ancyent Marinere”, not revised until 1800. Are we to believe that there is some kind of Arctic time travel going on?

Good list but here’s… Doug’s Top 10 Randy Newman Songs for Getting It On 10. Pants (gotta get things started one leg at a time) 9. I Could Love a Million Girls (just put on the whole Ragtime soundtrack, really) 8. Bumpty Bumpty from “Cop Rock” (exactly what it sounds like — atop a cop car) 1/3

The Jaxson’s Bill Delaney spoke to Erik Avanier of News4Jax about the folklore and reality of Jacksonville’s most famous haunted place: Annie Lytle Elementary, also known as “The Devil’s School.” Check it out here:

Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Jaxsons! This my favorite of the 16th century Fort Caroline engravings depicting the Timucua, the Indigenous people of Northeast FL. It shows a Timucua family in down time, swimming over to a “most delightful island” for a picnic.

Ennis’s and my piece on Jacksonville’s Hispanic heritage, from the Floridanos of the colonial era to Cuban cigar factories to the booming diversity of the present day, is up on Jacksonville Today: jaxtoday.org/2025/09/16/t...

These kinds of wins show that Downtown Jax’s past struggles weren’t due to a lack of a market, popular support or some intrinsic failing of the city — it just takes vision and leadership. Now that we have that in Mayor Donna Deegan, big things are popping off all the time. DUUUVAL!!!

“Evil: the same old thing. No matter what happens, keep this in mind: It’s the same old thing, from one end of the world to the other. It fills the history books, ancient and modern, and the cities, and the houses too. Nothing new at all. Familiar, transient.”—Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 7.1

#RexMarksTheSpot Scavenger Hunt Clue #1: Check out this saurus, he’s top shelf. Use this to grab him for yourself: Y 567.9129 FRENCH If you find him, post a pic with the hashtag #IDigJax and #RexMarksTheSpot - Happy hunting!

Somewhere in the city, the first of 5 Rexy statues is hidden — the clue to find it drops TOMORROW

Happy birthday, America, dropping stunners on monarchy since 1776!

Me: Conan, where’d you learn to be such a great barbarian? Conan: There’s this little place in the Apna Bazaar on Beach

Happy Pride, y’all! In a great day to cap off a great week, Mayor Deegan and community leaders commemorated LGBTQ Pride Month in Jacksonville. Especially in troubled times, it’s important to honor those who’ve brought us this far along our pat and celebrate with those paving the next steps forward.

My piece on six stories from Jacksonville’s storied LGBTQ history is up today on @thejaxsonmag.bsky.social.

Bad bill (2025-138): vetoed. ✅ UF Jacksonville campus bills (2025-396): done. ✅ Direct contract transparency (2025-285): passed. ✅ That’s 3 huge Ws for Jaxsons tonight thanks to @MayorDeegan and our City Council colleagues. Donna gets it done!

25% of our neighbors now say housing costs are our biggest challenge. That's why it will continue to be one of our top priorities. youtu.be/2N58Oqv0Wzo

Jaxsons are responding to leadership that gets things done and fights to improve life for the whole city. And @mayordeegan.bsky.social is just getting started. jaxtoday.org/2025/06/03/u...

After years of inertia, Downtown Jax is seeing an explosion of new private development, infrastructure & parks projects under @mayordeegan.bsky.social. As someone who’s written extensively about Downtown’s struggles and potential, it’s truly remarkable. I’ll say it again: Donna gets it done!

“If it’s not right, don’t do it. If it’s not true, don’t say it.” — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 12.17

Last weekend, the Jumbo Shrimp became the Jacksonville Honey Drippers in honor of the iconic icy sweet treat. Take a look at the sights and scenes.

Annihilation, Jeff Vandermeer, 2014

As we commemorate the anniversary of the attack on the USS Stark, we honored the 37 sailors who lost their lives and we recommitted our support for their families and the survivors. Let's pause and remember the incredible sacrifice our Navy personnel have made, as those brave 37 Stark Sailors did.

Welcome to the Swisher Suites

Advice from Marcus Aurelius, as relevant today as it was in the 2nd century.

A couple months back my colleague and friend Mike Field wrote up the story of how local advocates came together to push for the Artist Walk Skate Park under the Fuller Warren Bridge. 12 years later, it’s now a well loved showpiece park for the Urban Core. www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/how-...

Shout out to our Housing & Community Development Division who celebrated National Community Development Week by volunteering at many events throughout the week. Thank you all for volunteering. It’s selfless acts like these that help make our city great. We appreciate you!

Not sure how I missed this from @4freedoms.es How to build neighborhoods to live in? It isn't complicated 👉Parking Reform and allowing people to build homes on small lots ctexaminer.com/2025/04/08/b...

The length of the permitting process has long been an issue for Jax businesses and builders. So @mayordeegan.bsky.social is fixing it. Here’s the info:

The University of North Florida is always looking to the future and @mayordeegan.bsky.social is here to help them deliver. #SWOOP!

Join Jaxson cofounder @tacachale.bsky.social for a Creature Feature! King Street favorites Dart Bar & Games and Keg & Coin are hosting a free outdoor showing of the classic Florida-filmed monster flick Creature From the Black Lagoon on Thursday, April 24. www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/dart...

Just got the new book by one of my favorite writers, Hellions by @juliaelliott.bsky.social. If you’re down for some magnificently original stories about medieval nuns, mystical orphans, pet gators and swamp apes, check this one out.

Happy Earth Day 🌎 Thank you to everyone who came out to @jwjparkjax.bsky.social today to celebrate. We truly appreciate all of the vendors and organizations who helped educate and raise awareness as we make sure future generations can inherit a clean, healthy environment to enjoy.

Jacksonville’s reputation as a national technology hub is growing by the day and this morning was no exception as we officially signed legislation to fund the UNF Flight Deck Esports and Innovation Arena. This investment will grow high-value jobs and strengthen our workforce pipeline. (1/2)

It’s always an honor to work on projects to support my alma mater, because when UNF commits to something, they knock it out of the park. The Flight Deck Esports and Innovation Arena will support students in rapidly growing fields and bring our region its first facility of its kind. #SWOOP!!!

RIP Pope Francis. No one of our time better lived the greatest commandment: “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength,” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Happy Easter, y’all!

Master and Commander/TNG Intro this was rendering all day while I was out lol

What a great time at the annual Fish-A-Thon at Hanna Park this morning 🎣 Almost 1,000 seniors from all over Jacksonville came out and had a great time. Thank you to our Senior Services Division and their partners for hosting such a wonderful and engaging event for our seniors!

Join us in celebrating @newsfromjea.bsky.social's dedicated lineworkers today for National Lineworker Appreciation Day. Whether it’s to install, maintain, or restore power, we appreciate our local lineworkers dedication and readiness for anything throughout the year. www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HX9...

So thrilled to work for a leader who’s moving the city forward and upward.

the gop message for the 2026 midterms:

Hahaha, this is perfect.

We’ll never run out of reasons to post this.

So unbelievably proud to serve this administration: “To every immigrant living in Jacksonville – whether you’ve been here for decades or just arrived – I want you to hear this from your Mayor: You belong. You matter. You are loved. And we will continue to stand with you.”

Attention San Marco motorists 🚧 As we continue the LaSalle Street Drainage Improvement Project, partial road closures will begin in April and full closures of San Marco Blvd. expected in May. For complete information on this project, please go to: www.jacksonville.gov/welcome/news...