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CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: YOUR INSIGHT
Airport cuts back as traffic tumbles
VirtualDaily events boostRecord All Spiced Up Daily Record Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
JACKSONVILLE
Jacksonville International Airport postpones expansion and reduces staff. BY KATIE GARWOOD STAFF WRITER
JACKSONVILLE
Photo by Mike Mendenhall
Ana Hernandez is the owner of All Spiced Up at 3543 St Johns Ave. in Avondale. Her shop sells spices, rubs, wine and local craft beer.
Owner Ana Hernandez started a spice club, curbside pickup and home delivery and created online events. “That’s kept us afloat and it’s been fantastic,” she said. BY MIKE MENDENHALL STAFF WRITER
Ana Hernandez went into the governmentmandated COVID-19 closures with a different perspective than many of Jacksonville’s small businesses owners. For the 68-year-old owner of All Spiced Up
in Avondale, executive mandates by mayors and governors throughout the U.S. brought echoes of growing up under the Castro regime in Havana, Cuba. “For me, when this all started, it really brought those memories as a child trying to leave Cuba — seeing soldiers in front of people’s homes, anecdotal stories from my grandparents, aunt and uncle being detained by the police because they had suitcases in their car,” she said. Hernandez said she wants to keep her customers and employees safe, and understands slowing the spread of the coronavirus. The order to close the business Hernandez
KEEPING CLOSE – FROM A DISTANCE On May 4, the state began a phased reopening of some businesses shut down to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The Daily Record is reporting on small businesses as they confront the challenges of social distancing and financial hardships brought on by the pandemic and its aftermath.
Following a 95% decline in passenger volumes because of COVID-19, Jacksonville International Airport is postponing its Concourse B expansion. “The way things are going and the way they pick back up, we hope to get that program back on track, possibly as soon as three years from now,” said Jacksonville Aviation Authority CEO Mark VanLoh at a news conference June 2. VanLoh said 52 JAA employees accepted voluntary separation agreements, leaving the organization “a lot leaner.” Lights have been turned off in some parts of the airport and indoor temperatures raised throughout the airport to lower costs, he said. It is unlikely new routes will be added at the airport any time soon, VanLoh said. Before the pandemic, the airport had been working to add flights to Europe. “That’s basically off the table for now until we can get back to normal,” he said. “We are focused on getting the flights back that we had before the virus.” The lowest point for weekly passengers at the airport was April 12-18, when the airport saw 2,478 passengers. Its highest point was Feb. 16-22, when 65,286 passengers passed through the security checkpoint. Since the start of May, the airport has seen a gradual increase in the number of passengers. The first week of May saw 4,012 passengers. May 17-23 had 10,305.
SEE HERNANDEZ, PAGE 2
SEE AIRPORT, PAGE 2
Harbor Freight building-out in Mandarin Harbor Freight intends to open in San Jose Plaza in Mandarin. The city issued a permit June 2 for Heartland Retail Construction Inc. of Racine, Wisconsin, to build-out 15,900 square feet of space for the tools retailer at 10950 San Jose Blvd. at a cost of $220,000. An Aldi supermarket and Bonefish Grill anchor San Jose Plaza. Colliers International is the leasing agent for San Jose Plaza. Its flyer shows Harbor Freight next to Aldi. Harbor Freight operates four stores in Northeast Florida along Dunn Avenue, Beach Boulevard and Blanding Boulevard in Jacksonville and in St. Augustine.
VOLUME 107, NO. 142 • ONE SECTION