Daily Record Financial News &
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Vol. 103, No. 103 • Three Sections
35¢ www.jaxdailyrecord.com
Beginning to find its structure
• Site map for Spark Walk, showing food truck village, beer tents and music stages • Creator Showcase map along Laura Street • One Spark Idea Market at the Jacksonville Landing • Skyway extends operating hours • Street closures
One Spark Innovation Day helping build eco-system By Max Marbut Staff Writer Connecting entrepreneurs with the resources they need to succeed was the core principle behind One Spark when it debuted in 2013. A lot has changed since then, but that principle will remain — and on a more accessible scale — when the inaugural One Spark Innovation Day conference opens at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront. “It’s for people who have an idea
and for people who want to have an idea,” said Kate Stewart, president of Jacksonville Community of Entrepreneurs Inc., which is presenting the conference. The day will begin with opening remarks by Mayor Lenny Curry, followed by panel discussions and breakout sessions covering topics such as starting, funding, running and protecting a business. A trade show for companies and organizations that provide resources and services for entrepreneurs and those who aspire to start a small
business will be set up on the second floor of the hotel. Stewart said more than 400 people were registered for the conference as of Tuesday morning. Tickets for $40 per person will be available at the door. The steps that led to Stewart’s involvement began at One Spark 2015 when she exhibited her idea for a way to help students make education choices based on what they really want to do in life. She spent four days last April in Innovation continued on Page A-4
Learning the hard way not to chew rocks Dr. Ravi Putluru, second from left, talk with Yvonne and Johnny Higginbotham about Trixie, their 4-year-old chihuahua-terrier mix. Trixie was being treated at First Coast No More Homeless Pets after breaking a molar, apparently by chewing on a rock. At left is veterinary technician Taylor Roberts. See Putluru’s workspace on Page A-7.
Downtown traffic program ramps up Next phase will include writing tickets instead of warnings
By David Chapman Staff Writer
As thousands descend upon Downtown for this year’s edition of One Spark, it’s inevitable there will be at least a few lawbreakers. Jaywalkers. Bike riders without proper safety equipment. Drivers not yielding to pedestrians. Minor offenses some might think, but ones the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office the past several months has been taking a stricter approach to as part of its participation in a statewide program. It’s called the “Alert Today Alive Tomorrow” initiative started by the Florida Department of Transportation and University of South Florida.
Public
The program seeks to reduce accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists in high-profile areas throughout some of Florida’s most offending counties. Duval County places among the top 10, which opens it up to the program and some funding from the FDOT to pay for overtime traffic deployment. The latest round of funding saw almost $52,000 go toward the Sheriff’s Office, which is using the money to step up efforts in four areas. One is a large portion of Downtown with borders east of Interstate 95, south of State Street, west of Washington Street and north of Water Street. Other enforcement areas include dozens of blocks along 103rd Street, University Boulevard and Philips Highway.
legal notices begin on page
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Stewart
Aldi opening Westside location
Photo by Kevin Hogencamp
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Past rounds of funding since 2014 concentrated just on Philips Highway and 103rd Street corridors. The latest round includes Downtown, where statistics show there is a need. From 2014 through May 2015, there were almost 1,400 crashes, 250 injuries and two fatalities reported for the area. Stepped-up enforcement efforts for the latest round began in January and run through May. Squads of officers and a sergeant essentially patrol the areas on dedicated days looking for offenders in four-hour windows. And they’re not just looking for vehicles. For instance, the last Downtown enforcement period Feb. 25 resulted in 278 pedestrians and 16 cyclists being stopped. Traffic continued on Page A-3
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Aldi continues its expansion in Northeast Florida with plans for a West Jacksonville store at the site of a closed Golden Corral restaurant. Site plans were filed for Aldi to develop a food market at 7043 Normandy Blvd., west of Interstate 295 and Memorial Park Road. The closed Golden Corral building will be removed. A new Golden Corral Buffet & Grill opened nearby last year. The no-frills discount chain proposes to redevelop the 2.78-acre site with a food market of 18,850 square feet. Upham Inc. of Ormond Beach is the civil engineer and the developer is Aldi (Florida) LLC based in Haines City. Aldi did not return an email for comment. The grocer, whose U.S. base is Batavia, Ill., also was announced recently for the Town Center Promenade in Southside. The Promenade is a mixed-use commercial, retail, apartment and hotel project along Town Center Parkway opposite St. Johns Town Center. Aldi’s Promenade store, at 17,825 square feet, is expected to open in spring 2017. The grocer already operates three stores in Northeast Florida along Southside Boulevard in Jacksonville, in St. Augustine and in Middleburg. It carries a limited selection of products with a focus on private label goods. Based in Germany, Aldi operates more than 10,000 stores worldwide and 1,500 in 32 U.S. states, reaching more than 30 million customers a month in the U.S. Brandchannel.com reported Aldi’s U.S. business has grown to nearly $13 billion and could be on the way to $20 billion within five years as total stores increase to 2000 by the end of 2018. Aldi reported in March that by the end of 2018, it will reach more than 45 million
26,903
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consecutive weekdays