Anti-Trump online rant aimed at elementary school children is captured by alert grandmother
One Jacksonville woman, listening to her grand-daughter’s virtual learning class in the next room, was shocked when the teacher presented a tirade against the president of the United States. This is precisely why Eye on Jacksonville advised parents to monitor their...
Lottery funds are no panacea for poor fiscal management
Judging by social media comments, there is a lot of confusion about public school funding. In discussions on the proposed half-cent sales tax on the Nov. 3 ballot, people keep asking, “What about the lottery money? It was supposed to fund schools.” This misconception...
Making good choices in life can prevent a lot of misfortune
Another young man is dead in Jacksonville as a result of making poor choices. This happens way too often. Lives matter. Kwame Jones, 17, died back in January because he had chosen to associate with two people who chose to steal a car and shoot at the police. Jones was...
Lot J: How to become a Billionaire. Negotiate with a Star Struck Mayor
Fair warning -- this post is a little sarcastic. We try to be positive and we are stunned by the big news about Lot J. I am convinced one day the City of Jacksonville will be the subject of a made for TV movie and the characters will be similar to those from the old...
Let’s take another look at our “investment” in pro football
After 25 years, football fever has subsided and today many of the city’s residents probably are wondering whether we really need the Jacksonville Jaguars. Yes, the NFL team has been an economic stimulus. But it also has cost a pretty penny. Is anyone doing the math...
Opposition to renaming schools is vocal and growing
As anticipated, the renaming of local schools is not going unchallenged. A growing group of rather irate taxpayers is fighting the proposed changes vociferously. Their website is savetheschoolnames.org and one member of the group gave Eye on Jacksonville a rundown on...
Pioneer leaders in consolidated Jacksonville are dwindling in number
Jack Carter, Jake Godbold, Walter Dickinson, Sallye B. Mathis, John Lanahan, Mary Singleton, I.M. Sulzbacher, Homer Humphrey, Earl M. Johnson and W.E. “Ted” Grissett, Don MacLean, Wallace Covington, Johnny Sanders, Joe Carlucci, Oscar Taylor, Earl Huntley, Bobby...
Today the music died: RIP Murray Goff
“He only has a few weeks to live, Billie.” That was the message two days ago. I ran out to sit with him yesterday worried about how I would handle seeing the Murray who would soon leave us. My fears were dashed the minute I walked into his...
Legal time bombs may be ticking all over the city
Is Jacksonville setting itself up for another huge cost? For some 20 years, until about 50 years ago, the city burned its solid waste in three incinerators. Naturally, the city had to do something with the ash. So it dumped it near the main incinerator in Mixon Town...
Does the “dogma live loudly within” a Nassau County Judicial candidate? You decide.
President Donald Trump asked that he and Joe Biden submit to a drug test before the debates. Trump was all for it and Biden declined. One of my clients said, "Isn't it funny how you have to test your employees and even horses are tested before a big race. But the...
On the Ballot: Florida Amendment 6 analyzed by Jerry Holland
Amendment 6 was placed on the ballot by the Florida Legislature. Amendment 6, if approved, would provide that the homestead property tax discount for veterans with permanent combat-related disabilities (as determined by the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs), carry over...
It’s a mystery: Committee of social justice warriors still has not defined its purpose
At Monday’s meeting of a special City Council committee on social justice, a co-chairman declared that it is not the committee’s job to seek out and correct “systemic racism.” During public comments after the meeting, three far-left speakers complained the committee...
There is scant evidence of police injustice in Jacksonville
Social justice warriors in Jacksonville continue to allege injustice by the police. Even though no one but the Democrat media pay attention to them, it is best to dispose of the allegation by pointing out that there is virtually no evidence to support the claim. It...
Mayor Curry extends mask mandate for 30 more days — but not for him and his family
In breaking news today, Mayor Curry extended the wearing of masks in Duval County another 30 days. Many who support the mask mandate were thrilled with the decision. Those who do not, were not. But the biggest and loudest group of upset Duval County residents came...
On the Ballot: Florida Amendment 5 analyzed by Jerry Holland
Proposed by the Legislature, Amendment 5 amends the Florida Constitution, effective Jan. 1 to increase the maximum time from two years to three years the period of time you have to transfer your Save-Our-Homes cap from a prior homestead to a new homestead. The "Save...
On the Ballot: Florida Amendment 4 analyzed by Jerry Holland
On the November ballot will be Amendment 4 which addresses how State Constitutional Amendments will take an additional step for approval. Currently today citizens, legislature or the Constitutional Revision Commission can place a proposed amendment on the ballot for...
On the Ballot: Florida Amendment 3 analyzed by Jerry Holland
If Amendment 2 got you fired up wait for Amendment 3 it is a major change to our voting. This is a personal perspective of Amendment 3 for your consideration. Amendment 3 is a citizen-sponsored amendment sponsored by "All Voters Vote, Inc.". The amendment changes how...
On the Ballot: Florida Amendment 2 analyzed by Jerry Holland
A personal perspective of Amendment 2 for your consideration. Amendment 2 is a citizen-sponsored amendment sponsored by "Florida for a Fair Wage". The amendment changes the current Florida minimum wage of $8.46 per hour to be an adjusted amount over time with the...
Ring around the Rosie playing out in Jacksonville politics… may they all fall down
The minute you saw the headline, you probably started singing this nursery rhyme. Most of us grew up with it and did you know -- folklore states it was a song about the plague - the Black Death? The Black Death was said to have come from fleas off rats from ships...
The Democratic Party hypocrisy: Choose abortion but no school choice!
Let me count the ways of the many failed policies of the Democratic party and the Biden/Harris ticket, that hurt many Americans, the black community in general. I like to say, the Biden/Harris duo isn’t dynamic at all, but they have dynamically wreaked havoc on the...
Local government school succumbs to left-wing complaints and bans a salute to police
In what can only be viewed as a snub to law and order, the principal of Fletcher High School has banned the display of a flag honoring a dead police officer. A student at Fletcher High School in Neptune Beach had flown the Thin Blue Line flag honoring his late father...
On the Ballot: Florida Amendment 1 analyzed by Jerry Holland
Amendment 1 makes the smallest change to the Florida Constitution. Simply put it changes one word with two words. It changes what is currently in the Florida Constitution, "Every citizen of the United States who is at least eighteen years of age and who is a permanent...
Police defunding proposal from out of the blue puzzles onlookers
City Councilman Garrett Dennis made a half-hearted attempt Monday to defund the police in Jacksonville, to no avail. He announced his intent to hold half the $484 million police budget hostage. It got a swift, negative response from the head of the police union and...
Time once again for local politicians to spend some of the money you will earn next year
City Council will be voting Tuesday night on how to spend nearly $6 billion of your money. That’s the total amount of the city budget for 2020-21. (Not $1.3 billion, as local media reported.) The good news is the property tax rate will not increase. It will take about...
SonnyB blasts the NFL
Greetings John Elway, Joe Ellis and Roger Goodell: I am a proud black American father of six awesome children with my beautiful wife of 22 years. We teach our children to have honor and loyalty to God first, family second and third to our Country. I believe these are...
Local TV station shows how old-fashioned reporting is done
These days cases of true, hardcore reporting are rare, so a big Wink to News4Jax for this story. The reporters discovered and detailed links between a recent series of shootings in Jacksonville and the hip-hop culture. Scott Johnson and Travis Gibson obtained a copy...
Call to Action: JEA investigation team needs our help — let’s do it
Eye on Jacksonville supports the efforts of Our Jax. OurJax.com is a group of concerned citizens who care deeply about the governance of our beloved City of Jacksonville. We encourage you to sign up on their website to receive updates on the work they are performing...
The Jacksonville Jaguars seem to have confused loyalties
Maybe the Jacksonville Jaguars need to decide whose team they are on. Like other teams in the NFL, the beefy millionaires hid in their locker room last Sunday during the national anthem. Also, while the “other” national anthem played. (Because nothing says “unity”...
Council plan to redirect dollars is changed by its sponsor
City Council Finance Committee Chairman Matt Carlucci has tempered his bill to redirect capital outlay money to the core city. A bill he had sponsored would have directed one-third of the planned spending for next year to the area covered by the former city before...
Are all those bad downtown deals tearing down hope for Jacksonville residents?
Michel de Montaigne once wrote, “I am afraid that our eyes are bigger than our stomachs, and that we have more curiosity than understanding. We grasp at everything, but catch nothing except wind.” In the last two weeks, we have seen numerous headlines about downtown...
Twitter suspends Eye on Jacksonville’s account
Shortly after posting this article on Eye on Jacksonville's Twitter account, we found our account suspended. Executive Privilege: The rise of the dark side in Jax politics We did not hear from Twitter as to why our account was suspended. We simply went there to post...
Examining claims of social injustice in Jacksonville
Eye on Jacksonville has been skeptical from the start about the rationale for the Special Committee on Social Justice and Community Investment created in the City Council. One reason is that forming a committee on social justice implies there is social injustice in...
Sonny B has experience as a chef and calls “nonsense” on government COVID regs
This column was inspired by an article I read from the Chicago Tribune. The headline reads: “Chicago closes 4 more restaurants and bars for Covid-19 guideline violations.” This type of nonsense is happening all across the nation. Has anyone stopped to think, why...
Long-standing feud between city officials and former employee ends with city’s surrender
A long legal battle with City Haul and the media is over for one longtime employee, and it ended with a total victory for the embattled employee. John Keane, former director of the Police & Fire Pension Fund, has settled his suit with the city. John Keane ©Photo...
SonnyB – a proud black Jacksonville resident says No to defunding the Police
I am a proud black American citizen of this great Nation. I say this from the offset, so that the far left socialist can save their racist accusations to try and shut me down. I have been black all my life. Therefore, this fact gives me the credentials for my article....
Curry’s Iron Curtain on information is beginning to be noticed
One local TV station seems to have awakened to something Eye on Jacksonville alerted its readers to months ago. First Coast News complained that it is difficult getting information from City Haul. Reporters were trying to find out the origins of a list of public...
After a change in testing methods, local schools seem to be doing better
Elementary and secondary schools in Florida have one job: preparing children for the next step in life, which in almost every case either is work or college. Therefore, it is reasonable to ask: Are students graduating from public schools prepared for college? Florida...
Another day, another crisis in local government
One thing about government: it never seems to lack a crisis requiring more government action. At a meeting of a special committee of the City Council Monday, another crisis was announced. According to a bureaucrat identified as Dawn Lockhart, there is a crisis in...
Rather than being accused of neglect, local taxpayers should be praised for their generosity
In 2000, Jacksonville citizens gave politicians the right to spend $2.25 billion of their money to reshape the city. Twenty years later, some local politicians are trying to convince the voters that little has been done to improve the city’s infrastructure, especially...
Parents are entitled to watch their children being educated
If teachers are not going to return to the classrooms, and only want to teach online, the teaching sessions should be public. Parents certainly should be able to watch their kids learning. And why not let the public watch, too? Education is being changed by the Red...
