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Melissa Nelson gives her supporters a thumbs-up Tuesday evening, shortly after she successfully toppled incumbent Angela Corey in the Republican primary for 4th Judicial Circuit state attorney. Nelson will face write-in candidate Kenny Leigh in November.
Photos by Fran Ruchalski
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Vol. 103, No. 208 • Two Sections
Nelson’ s path to victory Decision to run against Corey was difficult, but support was there from the beginning
By David Chapman Staff Writer When Melissa Nelson entered the hotel ballroom Tuesday night, her nervous smile instantly became broader. Her eyes, a little wider. The applause was thunderous for Nelson, who had overwhelmingly beaten State Attorney Angela Corey. Nelson started toward the podium but stopped after a few steps, the applause still loud. The wide smile was still there. But before she could let it sink in completely, her 10-year-old daughter, Emory, grabbed her hand and led Nelson on the short path toward the stage. Making it to that stage was a long process, despite the lopsided victory. Nelson was a political newcomer with no name recognition among voters or crucial donors when she entered the race nearly four months ago. She was going up against someone who was perceived to be a strong incumbent.
Yet, there was a clear path to victory, albeit one with little margin for error. It involved a short window. A lot of money. And even more effort. Nelson followed that path almost exactly, which led her to that stage Tuesday celebrating a victory that helped reshape the Northeast Florida legal community. Many within that same legal community for years had pushed Nelson to run for the office. Change was needed, they said, and she was the right person to usher it in. Nelson had given it much thought and was flattered, but wanted to find another worthy candidate to support. Yet, the talks never truly died down. She was that worthy candidate the entire time.
U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown
State Attorney Angela Corey
Miller Electric building new HQ
Jacksonville-based Miller Electric Co. looked around the area for a new headquarters site, but decided to stay in Riverside and build a new structure there. Chief Operations Officer Daniel Brown said Tuesday the company hoped to break ground by November and move in by the end of 2017. “We are strapped for space,” he said. The company now owns and uses about 38,000 square feet of space at 2251 Rosselle St. The new almost 19,000-squarefoot two-story building will boost total space to about 50,000 square feet because some buildings will be removed for construction. Brown said the existing headquarters building will remain and be used for conference rooms and other space. Miller Electric has about 150 employees at the headquarters campus, he said. Perry-McCall Construction Inc. is the contractor for the project, at 2256 Rosselle St., at a construction cost of almost $3.5 million. A pending building permit and site plans show the top executives will occupy the second floor, which includes the
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By Max Marbut, Staff Writer
A Nelson supporter captures her victory speech Tuesday night.
Public Defender Bruce Anderson gets a congratulatory Matt Shirk kiss from his wife, Donna.
If you’d like to be able use your smartphone to discover all the fun things in Jacksonville that would appeal to your personal interests and tastes, there’s an app for that. At least there will be in November when IntoGo launches. IntoGo founder and CEO Zachary Schwartz describes the app for iPhone and Android platforms as a “new-age directory” that focuses on entertainment, events, dining, nightlife and outdoor activities and ignores professional services and news feeds. “We filter out all the non-fun stuff,” he said. The inspiration for IntoGo started years ago, Schwartz said, when his mother published guides for tourists in Indiana, Ohio and New York. “She’d take me with her on sales calls and let me run through a store until they bought an ad,” he said. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in international business, Schwartz got a job in California, IntoGo
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IntoGo is ‘everything that’s fun’
VOTERS MAKE HISTORIC CHOICES IN PRIMARY ELECTION Pension tax passes Three incumbents ousted New judge elected
Mayor Lenny Curry led the push for pension reform.
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Making the decision
Nelson had first been approached four years ago, but the timing wasn’t right. Nelson continued on Page A-6
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