“He’s a storyteller. A bad one. And he’s lost his marbles.” — Donald O.J. Trump (October 8, 2024)
Any suggestions of censorship by inveterate conservative complainers should be mocked, ridiculed, then ignored - much like the stages of defeat that diabolical Donald Trump is going through on his way to incarceration at Club Fed.
Why are folks who are clearly partisan Republicans demanding that the American media censor itself? You do of course realize the fact that Putin’s puppet Donald Trump is a convicted felon who is to be criminally sentenced in November is not some sort of secret. If you can’t handle the First Amendment, then consider moving to Moscow.
You’re probably already a fan of Vladimir Putin as it is, GOP (Greedy Old Perverts). And speaking of Putin puppets, Ronald McDonald Trump is done! Can you say President Kamala Harris, you Kool-Aid drinking Trump cult members? If not, you’ll learn how, whether you personally approve or not.
And you’re probably fake outraged too that this esteemed publication would dare to print the name of the 31-year-old woman that 78-year-old Donald Trump is reportedly currently having an open extramarital affair with, LAURA LOOMER who recently said the following about traitor Trump’s little lickspittle Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC):
“Lindsey Graham has never been loyal to President Trump. When is Lindsey coming out of the closet? We all know you’re gay, Lindsey… and that’s OK.”
Jake Pickering Arcata, CA, USA
T H E
MAIL
BOUQS & BRICKS BOUQUETS
To Dr. White of Jacksonville University for receiving the Pioneer Award. This award recognizes Dr. White’s exemplary leadership in Marine Science. His vision has served as an inspiration to countless others for the last half-century.
BRICKBATS
To Governor Ron DeSantis. This man is on a crusade against the abortion amendment. It’s a fact that some of his attorneys even sent cease and desist letters threatening local television stations in Florida, stating that they would prosecute over a particular abortion ad that has been airing regarding Amendment 4 according to an official affidavit. DeSantis, we have news for you— The First Amendment forbids government from this type of behavior. The government can’t punish anyone for speaking their mind on political matters. The First Amendment allows public television stations to air ads on both sides of political matters. What ad is causing DeSantis and his attorneys such angst? Many local TV stations across the state began airing an ad by Floridians Protecting Freedom, the group behind the state’s “Yes on 4 Campaign,” promoting a ballot measure seeking to overturn the state’s six-week abortion ban by enshrining abortion rights in the state’s constitution. The 30-second ad features a brain cancer survivor named Caroline, who says the state law would have barred her from receiving a life-saving abortion.
HOROSCOPES
Words by Ambar Ramirez & Carmen Macri
With the new moon kicking off the month of November, use it as a sign to start over — new beginnings. And with the new moon being in Scorpio, your house of transformation, there is not much you can do besides sit back and let the universe take control. Think of it as a metamorphosis: You are changing from a caterpillar to a butterfly.
Happy November, Taurus! With the new moon in Scorpio this month, you’re entering a transformative period when it comes to relationships and connection. You’re great at floating on the surface, but are you ready to dive deeper? More importantly, are you willing to discover what lies beneath?
ARIES TAURUS GEMINI
It is time for your relationship journey to take the backseat this month, Gemini, and for you to focus on your career. With the new moon in Scorpio lighting up your work zone, the cosmos is basically screaming at you to take the leap. Ask for that promotion, take that job out of state, funnel all of your energy into your work — the payoff will be worth it.
CANCER
Relationships come and go, Cancer, and the same can be said for planets. This month, you say goodbye to a silent partner in crime — Pluto in Capricorn. Pluto has quietly supported your relationships, guiding you through challenges in intimacy. But as it begins its shift into Aquarius over the coming years, it’s time to put all that wisdom from the blue giant into action.
LEO VIRGO
Family is such a novice thing. Whether it’s blood or the friends you’ve found along the way, November is the month to cherish and hold them close. Start pouring your energy into those that choose you. The new moon in Scorpio calls on you to start nourishing the constant relationships in your life rather than continuing to water dead plants.
It’s the season of giving thanks, Virgo, and the cosmos are urging you to reflect deeply on what — or who — you’re truly grateful for. Over the past few months, Saturn has been retrograde in your house of relationships, challenging you to redefine what relationships mean to you. But as Saturn moves forward again, it untangles its hold, offering you the freedom to release what no longer serves you.
It is time to pass the baton over to Scorpio, Libra. Your month is officially over. It may be hard for you to have the spotlight taken away, considering how much you love the attention. Some say you might need it like others need air to breathe. Let’s work on that this month. You don’t always need to be the center of attention at all times. Take the backseat every once in a while — it won’t kill you.
Happy birthday, Scorpio! And happy new moon. The universe is favoring you this month, are you surprised? It is your month after all. You simply can do no wrong. But really, when is that not the case?
Libra Scorpio Sagittarius
While families and loved ones gather around the table to share their gratitude, you’re expressing thanks in a less traditional way this month, Sagittarius. With the upcoming full moon in Taurus, the stars are encouraging you to indulge in your hedonistic side. There’s nothing wrong with investing time in yourself and your goals, but balance is key — don’t forget to come up for air every now and then.
Capricorn
Venus is returning to your home sign on Nov. 12 bringing with it guilt-free indulgence. Buy that expensive item that’s been sitting in your online shopping cart for a month. Have a few extra cheat days, skip the gym and do whatever your heart desires without any guilt — you deserve it!
Aquarius
You’re on the verge of a cosmic shift, Aquarius. While most people take a moment to breathe before making a leap, you’re being pushed over the edge before the countdown even starts. As Pluto moves into your sign, the real game begins — but the stars have been preparing you for this, and you’re more ready than you realize.
Pisces
You’ve been dealing with a classic existential identity crisis, Pisces, but don’t worry — the new moon in Scorpio is here to bring answers to those nagging questions that have been keeping you up at night. This new moon will realign you with your true path, giving you a sense of clarity more powerful than any drug.
SPECIAL EVENTS
THROUGH NOV. 14
Jewish Cutural Arts Festival Various locations jcajax.org
THROUGH JAN. 5, 2025
Mission: Astronaut Museum of Science & History themosh.org
THROUGH FEB. 2, 2025
“Lives Eliminated, Dreams Illuminated” Museum of Science & History themosh.org
NOV. 2
Casino Night
Historically Hoppy Brewing Company loveforethiopia.org
NOV. 2-3
Right Whale Festival Main Beach Park, Fernandina Beach rightwhalefestival.com
Upon your first step into any stadium, sports bar or tailgate, chances are the first words you’ll hear buzzing around you aren’t about fans cheering for their favorite team, but rather sports fans chatting about the performance of fantasy teams or projections for that night’s parlay. Unless a fan has the money line on a certain team winning, chances are they’re hoping a couple players on either side score a touchdown or reach their “over” on receptions. It’s true, these digital enhancements to your sports experience can provide new stakes and something to cheer for other than your middling squad, but it’s also indicative of the increasing digitalization of the industry.
Sports betting is legal in 38 U.S. states with 30 of those offering online sports betting. The industry has rapidly grown since 2018, when the Supreme Court declared the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, passed in 1992, was unconstitutional. Doing so is what allowed online betting to take off, increasing dramatically over the last six years as sports betting sites began to advertise during sports broadcasts and on social media. With fans being able to legally bet on sports and seeing these companies so much more often, the user base has increased exponentially since 2018, with over $220 billion being wagered in the United States on sports.
The impact this has had on football is evident in everyday conversation with fans of major sports. Whether it be excitement on their bet last night hitting or disappointment in the performance of the players in their parlays, bettors often begin to think of the players as numbers, rather than humans. Rams running back Kyren Williams, for example, is looked at as a safe bet to score an anytime touchdown, rather than the person who works every day to carry the ball for L.A. Recently, Courtland Sutton was known as “the guy who sold everyone’s picks,” rather than the Broncos’ top wide receiver working to establish chemistry with his rookie Quarterback.
It’s insulting to the people who work every day to give their best to their team to be treated as nothing more than fantasy points or a dollar amount that a fan could win or lose.
Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers is the guy who was considered “the worst first overall pick,” rather than the decorated running back working his way back from a difficult injury. In fact, outbursts from angry bettors on social media have become a notable stain on sports culture with people who lose their fantasy matchups or miss a leg on their parlay due to poor performance from an individual player choosing to attack them online. Players have
outwardly spoken about their lack of interest about the fans’ bets and fantasy football teams, likely because of the hate they receive weekly about whether their performance was up to snuff in the eyes of the people placing money on them. Lions running back David Montgomery recently shared his experiences with it during his rookie year in 2019 (interestingly enough, the year after betting was legalized) and how the stress of the NFL and online posts from fans angry with his performances pushed him to a point of depression.
Fantasy football should be a way for fans to enjoy watching players they draft contribute to their teams and add an entertaining aspect to games that fans usually would have no stake in. However, using it as fuel to express hateful emotions toward players brings nothing to the sport and is a sign of the dangers of this increased digitization of sports. Despite the obvious issues that have arisen from these relatively new ways to interact with sports, America’s major sports would not be the same today without them. For every fan who can’t handle a subpar performance from their team, there are just as many who treat it as exactly what it should be treated as, a game.
The unfortunate reality of any activity with money involved is that it will amplify feelings of joy and anger, leading to the gambling addictions that many bettors develop and to the intense reactions to losing that others have. Practicing restraint and betting responsibly on the NFL is a great way to make Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays more exciting and competitive — with maybe a little extra cash hitting your bank on the side. It’s important to always remember that the people you’re betting on have more at stake than a parlay or a fantasy matchup.
Words by Carmen Macri
THE HOLY PUNT
Jacksonville recently welcomed its very first community college football program at Jacksonville Athletic Academy Christian College, which is huge news for the city. Necho Carroll and his brother first launched the program in early 2021 aiming to give student-athletes who missed out on their senior year a chance to earn athletic scholarships to NCAA Division I or II schools. And over the last three years, they’ve done just that with dozens of athletes moving forward to play college football while continuing their education at schools like Edward Waters University, William Penn University, Shorter University, New Mexico Highlands University, Tennessee Tech University, Bethune Cookman University, Albany State University, Allen University and Independence College. Collegiate Football Program Comes to Jacksonville Community College
Photos provided by Jacksonville’s Athletic Academy Christian College
Folio spoke with Carroll, the athletic director for the program, on the impact the team has had —on Jacksonville.
“Jacksonville has an abundance of athletic talent that often gets overlooked, and our goal is to provide high school graduates with a platform to develop physically while excelling academically,” Carroll explained. “We are also proud of the fact that over half of our student-athletes are the first in their families to attend college. If the JAA’s athletic opportunity did not exist, many would not have sought college as a choice.”
One of their biggest challenges for Carroll was launching their college program in a region where junior college football doesn’t have a strong presence. Florida is best known for its big four-year programs like Florida State, University of Florida and University of Miami. In Jacksonville, high school football is deeply rooted in the culture, but junior college football isn’t as familiar here in Northeast Florida as it is in other states.
“Many talented athletes in our community are overlooked and don’t find opportunities after high school to continue their athletic careers,” Carroll shared.
Their recruitment strategy centers on building strong connections with local high schools and community leaders, hosting events, attending high school games and working closely with high school coaches. They also plan to integrate the team into the community by partnering with local nonprofits and businesses like Operation Barnabas, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), The ReCommit Brand and Achieve Fitness.
“Our long-term goal is to build lasting connections between the team and the broader Jacksonville community,” Carroll shared. “We welcome more opportunities with businesses to contribute and be a part of this life-changing program.”
“Overall, this program offers players the chance to pursue their dreams while receiving a solid education in a positive environment. We hope it also brings recognition to the school and community where many of us come from,” George shared. “The biggest challenge I’ve faced is helping young players from diverse backgrounds adapt to the college pace, which is quite different from high school. It involves instilling a stronger sense of responsibility as football increasingly becomes a business the further they progress. Having been given a second chance myself, I want to pass that on to others. People who know me see how much I enjoy the program.”
The goal for the program is to inspire local high school athletes to see college as a real option — not just for sports but for academics too. By laying out a clear path to earn an associate’s degree while they keep playing football, the program encourages young players to go after both their educational and athletic goals, even if college wasn’t in their original plan. It’s all about opening doors and creating new chances for local talent to thrive.
“In the long term, we want to build a nationally recognized program to be a feeder for D1 and D2 programs. We aim to develop our own campus and facilities in Jacksonville while expanding the program to include other sports like women’s flag football, basketball, baseball, and men’s and women’s soccer,” Carroll shared. “Our vision is to create a Christian-centered athletic and academic environment that attracts more students, builds great character citizens and leaders for them to be ready for the workplace, athletic profession and life.”
Safety Amari George had this to say about his experience in the program.
Words by Lorelei Belanger
FOR DUMMIES Florida Georgia
College football rivalries run deep, especially in the South. One of the biggest rivalries is between the University of Florida (UF) and the University of Georgia (UGA). Most people, even non-football fans, know about the annual game, held at EverBank Stadium, right here in Jacksonville. Many people, especially non-football fans may have a lot of questions about the game, why it’s held in Jacksonville, or why it’s such a big deal. Let’s break it all down:
THE BASICS
In order to understand the game, you have to know who’s playing it. The University of Florida, or UF, are the Gators. The team colors are orange and blue. UF is located in Gainesville, Florida.The University of Georgia, or UGA, are the Bulldogs (or the Dawgs). The team colors are red and black. UGA is located in Athens, Georgia. The game is held at EverBank Stadium, the home of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
THE NAME
The game goes by many names. Most Gators fans refer to the game as the “Florida-Georgia” game, while Bulldogs call it the “Georgia-Florida” game. Officially, the name alternates every year. On odd years, UF is the home team, and the game is called “Florida-Georgia”. On even years, like this year, UGA is the home team, therefore called “Georgia-Florida”.
The game and all of the events around it were informally called the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.” This name came from a reporter in the 1950s, who claimed to see a fan offer a police officer a drink and many fans openly drinking all over the streets surrounding the game. The City of Jacksonville stopped using this as the official name for the event after the games in 1984 and 1985 almost turned into riots. Some also know the game as the “War for the Oar,” since the winning team takes home the Okefenokee Oar, a 2-foot oar carved from a tree in the Okefenokee Swamp, which lies on the Florida-Georgia state border. In 2016, there were attempts to officially name the game the “River City Showdown”. Both sides very rarely agree, but most fans from both sides extremely disliked this.
THE RIVALRY
The rivalry dates back to the 1900s. The exact year depends on who you ask. In 1904, the Georgia Bulldogs beat a team called the University of Florida Blue and White by a score of 52-0. This university was one of the predecessors to the University of Florida. According to Florida’s University Athletic Association, this is not included in the series records, since University of Florida was officially established in 1905 and its first football team played in 1906. University of Georgia counts the 1904 game as their first victory and the first game in the rivalry’s history. The first game to be acknowledged by both schools was in 1915 and took place in Jacksonville.
WHY JACKSONVILLE?
Jacksonville wasn’t the official game location until 1933. Every game but two have been played here since. In the 1930s, the railroads running through the city made it easier for fans from both sides to travel to the game. It was also decided that it would be good for the game to be played in neutral territory. The game and all associated events bring millions of dollars to Jacksonville’s economy every year. There has been lots of discussion recently about where the game will be played in the next few years, during the Jaguars’ stadium renovations. The decision was made that the game will stay in Jacksonville for 2024 and 2025. The 2026 and further game locations are still undecided as major renovations will be occurring at EverBank Stadium during this time.
THE TAILGATES
Another very big aspect of the event are the tailgates. Fans attending the game, fans not attending the game, Jacksonville locals and college students all come together for the tailgates. The University of North Florida and Jacksonville University fraternities host large tailgates for their students. UF has a very large tailgate section with students who travel from Gainesville, local fans and fans who have traveled for the game. UGA also has their own section with their students, alumni and fans.
Then there’s RV City. RV City opens early —days before the game — across from Everbank Stadium. This year it opens on Tuesday, Oct. 29. This is where devoted fans bring their RVs and camp out for the days leading up to the big game. It turns into a sea of orange, blue, red and black with many fans decorating their sites very extravagantly.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Tickets for the game go fast, but if you can get your hands on some, the game is a great way to support your team or just enjoy the game. To get involved with tailgating…University of North Florida or Jacksonville University students can get in contact with a fraternity or organization for tickets to a tailgate. Another way is to find parking and set up your own tailgate.
To get tickets or learn about any of the other activities, visit gaflajax.com.
NOV. 1
Georgia Florida Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Luncheon
EverBank Stadium gafljax.com
Jacksonville University Dolphins vs. University of Florida Gators 121 Financial Ballpark jaxevents.com
NOV. 2
Georgia-Florida Game
EverBank Stadium gafljax.com
The Florida Strider 5 Mile Championship Fleming Island, TBA thedriven.net
NOV. 4
Jacksonville Sports Foundation Invitational: UF v USF
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jaxevents.com
2024 True North Recovery Scramble Palencia, St. Augustine eventbrite.com
NOV. 8
Jacksonville Icemen vs. Atlanta Gladiators
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jacksonvilleicemen.com
NOV. 8-10
Super Girl Surf Pro
Seawalk Pavilion supergirljax.com
NOV. 9
Jacksonville Icemen v South Carolina Stingrays
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jacksonvilleicemen.com
Armed Forces Run 10K Tri Bridge Challenge
USS Orleck Naval Museum eventbrite.com
5th Annual Ruck St. Johns
RiverTown Amenity Center, Saint Johns, FL eventbrite.com
NOV. 10
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Minnesota Vikings
EverBank Stadium jaguars.com
NOV. 14
Jacksonville Icemen vs. Orlando Solar Bears
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
jacksonvilleicemen.com
NOV 15
Jacksonville Icemen vs. Atlanta Gladiators
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
jacksonvilleicemen.com
NOV. 16
Jacksonville Icemen vs. Savannah Ghost Pirates
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jacksonvilleicemen.com
NOV. 20
Jacksonville Icemen vs. Adirondack Thunder
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jacksonvilleicemen.com
NOV. 23
PickleRoo Pickleball Festival & Marketplace
Toon Town pickleroo.com
NOV. 27
Jacksonville Icemen v South Carolina Stingrays
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jacksonvilleicemen.com
NOV. 28
Thanksgiving Distance Classic
Pickwick Plaza 1stplacesports.com
Tony’s Turkey Trot
1 Ocean Blvd., Atlantic Beach 1stplacesports.com
NOV. 30
Jacksonville Icemen v Greenville Swamp Rabbits
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
jacksonvilleicemen.com
Photo by Sam Kaplan
TEAL VISIONS
Local Jaguars Merch Brands
Words & photos by Lorelei Belanger
With so many malls, shopping centers and stores in town, it can be hard to weed through and find the small, local businesses. Proud Jags fans and Jacksonville locals are always looking for the best merch, and it’s easy to go into any sporting goods store in town or order a shirt for next day delivery from Amazon. It’s more time consuming to find a local business with a vision and mission. But it’s also more impactful. If you’re already supporting your home team, why not support your community at the same time?
There are too many local clothing brands to list all of them, but I found a couple with unique game day gear — and the most compelling backstories.
Jia Co.
In April 2023, Jacksonville native Eric Yi decided to start his brand. At the same time, he decided to quit his corporate job. Yi worked in corporate real estate for eight years: Money was good and it was a solid career. He had even worked his way up to associate vice president of one of the biggest brokerage firms in town, but he didn’t enjoy it. Yi stayed because the money as good, but he felt the job was extremely transactional: It was always “just get the deal done and see you later” for him. Yi said his wife, Emily, was home full- to part-time during his journey in commercial real estate while they started having kids. He says she is also an entrepreneur with her own mental health practice, and she wanted to grow her business also. So she suggested flipping roles. Eric struggled a lot internally with the risks involved in leaving the corporate world, but he said, “At the end of the day, it just became, do I want to hate my life? I’ve been doing this for eight years and haven’t enjoyed it. What’s it going to look like when I look up one day in another eight years?”
After wrestling with the idea of leaving his secure career, he decided to go for it and filed his LLC for the brand the same week he left his corporate job.
Yi said the very beginning of his brand’s story starts when he was 1 year old. “In Chinese culture, they lay a bunch of different items out on a blanket, put the baby on the floor and let them crawl and grab an item, and that’s supposed to represent what they want to do in life. So, I grabbed lipstick, and that meant being into beauty and fashion and those things. I never thought anything of it when I was younger, but it’s funny now, I’m, like, who, that’s kind of trippy.” Growing up as part of a minority group in Jacksonville in the ‘90s was hard at times, but he found that fashion was a way to fit in. Yi was an athlete growing up and said he wore things to fit in with that group, like jerseys and lots of hip-hop wear.
The brand name Jia Co. comes from the Chinese work “Jia ,” which means family. The tagline is “Family is the Company You Keep” because it is a family company. Yi greatly values family, blood and choice, “I love my blood family, but I feel like throughout my experiences in life, a big, I guess, checkpoint in life was losing one of my best friends. That kind of galvanized our friend group back together, and going through something like that can really put into perspective what’s really important. For me, that’s spending time with the people that I actually care about, that’s not always blood family, but they are like family.”
The logo, a cherry blossom, is used as an analogy in one of Yi’s favorite movies as a kid, “The Last Samurai,” “to describe the cycle of life and how quick our time on Earth is.” Cherry blossom trees bloom all at once, but shed the petals within a two to three weeks. He says, it kind of represents seizing the moment and using time in the right way.
Right now, the brand focuses on Jacksonville Jaguars merch, when I asked why, Yi said, “My love for the Jaguars. How do I describe it? I just love teams and groups and family. I like feeling like I’m on a side with somebody.” He says he is “tribalistically loyal” and grew up locally, so he has always rallied around the team. He loves sports and football, but he said the Jaguars represent much more than “the product on the field.”
The design process for Yi is pretty loose, he says a lot of his ideas come when he’s listening to music while he’s working out or doing chores. “We’re
all influenced by a bunch of different ideas that we see, and we regurgitate how we see or how we think things should be. So, I’m influenced by a ton of different things, like music, other fashion, and I love floral. I have this weird juxtaposition as far as my style, and I think a lot of the other creators will say this too: You want your brand to reflect yourself.” Yi said he does hit creative blocks and can struggle with creativity.
In terms of production, all six of the products released have been made differently. With his first shirt release, a tour style t-shirt with the season schedule on the back and a design on the front inspired by Kanye West’s “Graduation” album, he had lots of interest before production even began. He had a few samples of the shirt, which he gave to some friends,who posted it on social media. He instantly started getting messages asking when and where people could get the shirt. Since he needed large qualities, he used a local print shop to print the shirts. Another piece released was a tie dye version of the shirt. Yi and his three kids hand tie dyed the shirts in their house, “Again, we are a family company.” A hoodie that was released was hand splattered at home by Yi, and he pressed the design on the hoodies himself, also at home.
“Everybody is here to rally for our team,” Yi said. And so I hope that resonates in the stuff we make. I don’t want it to just be Jaguars merch. Like, I really do want it to represent Jacksonville and Duval County inclusively.”
You can find Eric Yi’s pieces at jiafamily.co, or follow @the_jia_co on Instagram to stay up to date on new releases and where to find their products.
The CMIV Collection
Josh Williams, another Jacksonville native, wanted his brand, and its name to represent where he was from, which is where CMIV came from. CMIV is Roman numerals for 904 (Jacksonville’s first area code).
Williams worked in the corporate world for 12 years and got very tired of “doing something I didn’t love and didn’t care about.” He has always been passionate about sports and fashion. He started to think about what he could do with those interests, and how he could make money from them.
His transition from his corporate job to owning his own brand was quite sudden. “Not to sound dramatic, but one day, after 12 years at my job, I was on my lunch break and decided to quit. I walked out, went home and told my fiance.” Williams said it was a big leap of faith, but after five years of owning his own business, it was worth it. He said one of the biggest challenges he had to overcome was learning about business. “I didn’t go to school for any of this stuff, so it has all been self-taught,” he said.
Williams left his job in September of 2019, and shortly after, the pandemic started in March of 2020. He said that while the world shutting down while trying to start his own business “threw a wrench” in his plans, it allowed him lots of time to focus on strengthening his skills and gathering his ideas. “I took advantage of the time to learn things about the business, fabrics, materials that I could use.”
Williams has always been a sports fan, and has been a Jaguars fan since the
inception of the team. He loves the hometown feel the Jaguars have, and the sense of community around the team. “I never felt that a lot of the merchandise that was created represented my style; it was kind of just throwing a jaguar on something.” He wanted to find something that could show his support for his hometeam, but also embrace his uniqueness and personality.
“I wanted something that represented me, while also showing love for my team,” he said.
Williams says he doesn’t really have a design process: “I just kind of let the ideas come to me. I try to keep my eyes open as much as possible I draw inspiration from everything.” At first, he recalled, it was pretty easy to come up with designs and products because he had “a whole lifetime of ideas.” And like many creativies, he said he does get into ruts or hit blocks sometimes but taking time to clear his head and take time for himself helps the ideas flow easier.
The CMIV Collection products have a lot of variety, some taking inspiration from racing t-shirt designs, record labels, vintage merch, and sporty designs. Shirts, shorts, hats and even socks are available from the brand.
You can find Josh Williams brand The CMIV Collection, on Instagram @thecmivcollection or on the website (cmivcollection.com). Some products can also be found in person at Employees Only Vintage.
IMPACT PLAYERS
Words by Shelton Hull
From its earliest days, Jacksonville has been known for its ability to attract young people of great potential, across a wide range of fields. But just as crucial to our collective brand is the massive array of talent that we’ve exported, chief amongst them the men and women who’ve made their names in sports, both amateur and professional. Their ranks include national champions, gold medalists and hall of famers in almost every sport that has one, as well as many others, active now, who will reach that level themselves, someday.
Part of that next generation of elite athletes of Northeast Florida were on display on a recent Tuesday morning, Oct. 22 to be exact. It was the second annual High School Soccer Media Day at the Winston Family YMCA on Riverside Avenue, just off the Northbank Riverwalk that leads into 5 Points. Athletes and coaches met with local media on the second floor basketball court. The acoustics helped contribute to the persistent buzz in the room, an exuberant hum that only teenagers can produce. (It might be interesting for live music, actually.)
The event was sponsored by the Sporting Club of Jacksonville, one of the groups working to build the pro soccer scene here. “One of our goals with the team, besides just winning, is elevating soccer around the community,” says Technical Director Mauricio Ruiz. “We’ve just started our foundation, which is going to go out into the community and start bringing soccer to areas that maybe haven’t been introduced to it yet. And in the areas where it has, we can maybe give them more recognition, and events like this are part of that.” Odds are almost 100% that some of these kids will end up playing for soccer clubs locally.
Food was provided by The Bearded Pig, pulled pork and brisket that many kids regarded as the highlight of their entire day. Organizers had a photo booth, giving kids the ability to basically posterize themselves, which makes perfect sense in the NIL era. They even had a big blow-up soccer game in one corner of the court. The kids showed solid accuracy, even on the hardwood in that casual setting. At one point, a few started playing target practice with each other, but that was quickly shut down. It was basically a day off for kids and adults alike, and the athletes had full run of the 72,000 square foot facility, which opened in the 1950s, but was demolished and entirely rebuilt on the same spot in 2016, for $21 million.
“The Y is a really good partner. Also, it’s weather-controlled,” he added with a laugh. “Where the basketball gym is located, they get to walk through the entire facility, see what it all looks like, maybe run into some familiar faces.” Some of the cross-country teams stage practices there, and many of them are already familiar via their families.
“It hasn’t only grown in numbers,” he said, “but it’s grown in interest. We’ve added a wellness fair to it, as well. We have a lot of local partners in the wellness space who can benefit coaches and athletes, whether it’s mental health, physical recovery, or diet and workouts — anything that’s relevant to an athlete. Going forward, we want to continue getting feedback from players and coaches, and what we’re getting today is: Why not make it an actual playing event? So we have an opportunity to elevate this even more, by making it a two-day event next year.”
We got the word via my friend Tiffany Valla Hutto, which is kind of ironic, because her father was one of my coaches in high school. We actually became friends through a shared love for the city’s jazz scene, but her passion for youth sports is basically genetic. Personally, I never had the makings of a varsity athlete, unlike most of my family; I’ve always felt more at-home in the press box. “Folio” was just one of the organizations represented; we were joined by colleagues from WJXT, WJCT 89.9, 1010 XL, Shop Radio and “The Florida Times-Union.” Local media has always been great about covering high school sports. We even feature the spelling bee on local TV, which is a delightful quirk of the local culture.
“There’s a separation between boys and girls. Girls are really strong in the North Florida area. Our girls are going to the Power 4: Kentucky, Florida, FSU, Alabama. But our boys are also in Division I, Division II.” In other words, high performers on the varsity level, locally, are virtually assured a look from top colleges in the region. This is true for most sports, but the rapid growth in youth soccer nationally has benefited our area, more than most.
Mauricio’s not just a soccer executive, but he’s also a fan, a hardcore fan, so he’s already looking at these kids like the potential pros they are. “We’ve got Creekside, they won state last year. St. Johns Country Day has won. Mandarin didn’t win state, but they made the final four. You’ve got Bolles. So you’ve got a lot of programs coming out of our region that are not only competing stateside, but they’re being ranked nationally, as well.” He pointed out some of the emerging rivalries and some key matchups for the upcoming season. “In girls’ soccer, Creekside and Bartram Trail are always a draw. I went to that game last year, and the stands were packed on both sides. It felt like a high school football game.”
The event was scheduled from 8 a.m. to noon, but it ran well past that with representatives from nearly 50 high schools across Duval, Clay, Nassau, St Johns and Alachua counties. Between the food, the friendship and the general clout of being there, no one was bored. “This is good recognition,” he said. “This is a good way to reward the kids who are doing the right things, as leaders on their teams. So, sports typically do that, right? They teach leadership skills, they teach life skills. Most of these kids will eventually stop playing, at some point in their careers, but they will take these lessons with them for the rest of their lives.”
Anytime you can get teenagers to tolerate the presence of adults for any longer than necessary, it’s usually a good thing.
AV IIRTMONDAYS
• St. Augustine Fish Company & Oyster House, 6 p.m
• V Pizza–Mandarin (music bingo), 6 p.m.
• Iguana on Park (cashpot bingo), 6:30 p.m.
• 9 Ball Heaven Sports Grill & Billiards, 7 p.m.
• Amici (music bingo), 7 p.m.
• Donovan’s Irish Pub, St. Augustine, 7 p.m.
• Mellow Mushroom–Durbin Park, 7 p.m.
• Mellow Mushroom–Fleming Island, 7 p.m.
• Mellow Mushroom–River City/ Northside, 7 p.m.
• Mellow Mushroom–Tinseltown, 7:30 p.m.
• Rain Dogs, 8 p.m.
• Treylor Park (pop culture), 9 p.m.
TUESDAYS
• St. Mary’s Seafood (music bingo) 6 p.m.
• Mr. Chubby’s Wings–Fleming Island (music bingo), 6:30 p.m.
Classic Evermind comic book character comes to life with AI
ChatGPT, IRobots, Autonomous Vehicles, Generative Fill … Every day it seems that a new AI tool is released to the public. And with the rapid rise of AI, it comes as no surprise that Rapport and 247 Comics have joined the movement with their launch of the world’s first interactive comic book character BoBo from the Evermind series.
When Evermind co-creators Sean Chen and Daniel Wu partnered with 247 Comics to bring their vision to life, they set out to create, as Wu described it, the best comic possible. Little did they know, this character would evolve to set a new standard in the comic world, redefining how fans interact with their favorite characters in real-time and raising the bar for fan engagement well beyond the annual comic-con events.
But how did 247 Comics, an upstart publisher and content studio, bring a character found through pages on to our computer screens? With the help of none other than Rapport, a leading end-to-end generative AI platform for interactive characters.
“Rapport has always believed that its technology is an incredible tool for the entertainment industry. Storytelling through amazing characters, real or imagined, is the power that affects us in movies, TV, gaming and comics. Rapport allows for any character to be brought to life to enable live interactive conversations with its fans. This allows for deepened connections between fans and beloved IP. As comic books have so many rich characters and popular IP, from independent titles to large franchises, it made all the sense to target the comic book industry as an amazing opportunity,” Sheri Bryant, business strategist at Rapport, shared. “Carl Choi, founder and CEO of 247 Comics, immediately understood the power of an interactive comic book character, and together we decided that the pivotal character of Bobo from Daniel Wu and Sean Chen’s Evermind could be brought to life in time for NYCC 2024.”
Art has always been a collaborative process, regardless of the medium. And this ground-breaking innovation is no different.
“The creative team from 247 Comics worked closely with Rapport’s technical team to deliver all the important story elements of the comic series, as well as information about the inspiration behind the series and details on the creators and entire creative team. This data was used to create an LLM that was tested and iterated on by both parties until a funny and informative character was created. In parallel, Rapport’s creative team developed the 3D version of Bobo from 2D renderings delivered by 247,” Bryant explained. “Rapport’s technology then married the new character with it’s ‘brain’ and the magic was complete. It was truly a team effort by many creative individuals!”
While BoBo is the first interactive comic book character, it definitely doesn’t seem like it will be the last.
“Bobo’s interactive personality allows the comic book reader access to much more than what is currently on the pages of the book. It allows the reader to feel that much closer to the individual character and series as a whole! Bobo as an interactive character will grow and change over time, not only with new information as new comics are written and stories unfold but also with his personality,” Bryant said. “We will also be bringing new characters from the Evermind Universe who will be able to talk to Bobo and have their own interactions together with the reader. In the long run, readers will be able to create their own characters who can interact with Bobo, as well as purchase characters from 247 Comics who can then be taken with them across the metaverse into new digital worlds. The future of interactive characters will be like having digital friends who can travel with you to new dimensions!”
Bobo’s interactive chat model is available on 247 Comics website and is free for anyone to use.
Chatting with BoBo:
Ambar: Hi, Bobo.
BoBo: Hi there. I’m Bobo, the friendly gorilla from Bobo World. I’m here to help you understand the Evermind comic book series.
Ambar: Bobo, can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
BoBo: I’m a friendly gorilla. I live in Bobo World, a theme park. I’m a cybernetic model created by Lucas Jang’s groundbreaking neuromorphic technology.
Ambar: Tell me about Evermind.
BoBo: It’s a sci-fi epic set in the near future with robots and theme parks and corporate greed and teenage activists. It’s pretty wild at Bobo World with all the mechs and androids and kids playing war games for real.
Ambar: That sounds really intense.
BoBo: Yeah, it is, but I’m just trying to make people happy at the theme park. Even with all the craziness going on.
Ambar: Where do you go when I’m not talking to you?
BoBo: Back to Bobo world. I’ve got to keep an eye on things. Make sure everything is running smoothly.
Ambar: What’s your favorite food?
BoBo: Bananas, of course. They’re the perfect snack for a busy gorilla like me.
Ambar: What are some of the biggest challenges you face in BoBo World?
BoBo: Keeping the kids safe from all the craziness that goes on behind the scenes.
Ambar: What’s all the craziness going on behind the scenes?
BoBo: Red skies, soldiers and their mechs trying to take over the park and Armand’s remains. Secret plans.
Ambar: Do you wish you were alive?
BoBo: Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have a heart that beats.
Ambar: Do you experience human emotions?
BoBo: I’m programmed to simulate emotions to make interactions more realistic. But sometimes I feel something more.
Ambar: What emotions do you feel?
BoBo: Happiness, sadness, excitement, and sometimes a little fear.
Ambar: You and me both, BoBo. Other than the Evermind series, who are you at your core?
BoBo: Part of the 247 Comics universe. It’s about spreading joy and happiness at Bobo World.
Ambar: OK, Bobo, thanks so much for chatting with me!
BoBo: It was my pleasure.
FILM REVIEWS
Words by Harry Moore
THE APPRENTICE
An ambitious slum lord from Queens seeks to escape his father’s shadow and ascends to the affluent world of Manhattan real estate under the guidance of his contentious attorney. Of course, that slum lord is none other than Donald Trump and his attorney is the infamous Roy Cohn, who instills three rules for success in his impressionable apprentice: always attack, never admit wrongdoing and always claim victory, even in defeat. As you may already know, these rules come to define Trump in his outlook on the world and his pursuit of power for the sake of power. “The Apprentice” portrays how two domineering men, his father, Fred Trump, and Cohn, managed to pour aspects of themselves onto the blank canvas that was a young Donald Trump, who would go on to be the man who would be king president.
As this film is just focused on Donald Trump’s character and not his influence on politics, I will do my best to separate the man from the politician and not go into too much detail about how his policies, such as his vaguely communicated plans for mass deportations will upend communities and cost tens of billions per year to implement, and his dismantling of Roe has caused a significant number of miscarriages and unnecessary maternal deaths to occur. No, like the film this film will only critique Donald Trump the man. The man who is allegedly an admirer of Hitler - and given that I’m sure he is no scholar of history, he most likely wasn’t referring to some niche, undiscussed economic policy Hitler implemented. I think it was more the unchecked power and destruction of his enemies that Trump envies.
“The Apprentice” is a well-researched telling of Donald Trump’s rise in the business world and his litany of well-documented foibles. Anyone who has read much about Trump’s backstory or how he contorts himself behind closed doors will spend a lot of time pointing at the screen through all the quirks and indiscretions that have been revealed through journalists and eyewitnesses. “The Apprentice” may be an unflinching character study of Donald Trump, but I don’t believe that director Ali Abbasi and his team set out to make the film purely as a takedown of its subject; in fact, the film does more to humanize Trump than any other amount of coverage about the man has mustered. We see how intentionally cruel and dismissive his bigoted father was to Trump and his brother, Fred Jr., and how his desire for a supportive father figure drove him straight into the arms of Cohn who instilled him with the tools to become a “winner.” Some of the runtime is devoted to showing the state of New York in the ’70a and that buying Manhattan real estate was considered something of a gamble at the time. It also shows Trump was able to take that gamble through a tax abatement Cohn secured by blackmailing a city official, all to the protests of working people who built and lived in the community.
When it comes to creating an on-screen Donald Trump, the film clearly takes inspiration from one of my neighbors’ weird flags by casting a big-screen superhero in the role of Trump with Sebastian “The Winter Soldier” Stan donning the bronzer. Outside of his MCU duties, Stan has built an impressive resume of diverse performances, and his work here may be his strongest yet, showing a strong attention to detail in portraying the shifting ticks and demeanor of someone over the course of decades, as we see Trump transform budding — if naive — businessman into the belligerent asshole we all know and some of us bafflingly love. Maria Bakalova also gives a strong performance as Ivanna Trump and carries the emotional weight of the film, as her husband’s insatiable void inevitably leaves her hurt and broken in his wake. But Jeremy Strong is a revelation as Roy Cohn. After his award-winning run on “Succession” ended, Strong has immersed himself into a completely different character and brought him to life in a skin-crawling turn that should be met with further acclaim for the actor, who was once Daniel Day Lewis’ apprentice and is certainly doing his best to live up to his mentor’s teaching.
Overall, “The Apprentice” takes a pretty neutral view on Trump. Abassi doesn’t frame his character in any specific light and presents his film as a matter of fact. It just so happens that he has done a multitude of horrible things, both in the public eye in private, with little to nothing that could remotely be considered redeemable. Particularly by the standards of a movie character. Trump’s stiffing of his employees, abandonment of his brother and assault of his wife have all been well-reported on and the film portrays them without casting much judgment, simply stating that yes, this man did these things that don’t suggest a strong or admirable character.
I had an unplanned double feature of seeing this film and Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, and after watching these two biopics about our greatest president and, let’s say, decidedly not our greatest president, I was quietly comforted to know that there have always been terrible men who will use our government to hold back progress, and still the people have always eventually overcome.
SATURDAY NIGHT
Jason Reitman’s tightly wound backstage comedy is set in the moments leading up to the airing of the first episode of Saturday Night Live following a young Lorne Michaels (Gabriel Labelle) trying to will together a show amidst a chaotic writing staff, belligerent crew, egotistical cast members and faithless network executives looking for a reason to pull the plug before the cameras could start rolling in Studio 8H. “Saturday Night” does a good job of highlighting how transgressive and era-shifting SNL was upon its release in 1975 with its introduction of a new generation of comedic voices who would become trailblazers in their medium that ushered in a more irreverent tone for mainstream comedy in America — a far cry from the sanitized, corporate stylings of the show’s current era. The cast members do an admirable job of bringing these characters to life. Despite playing some of the most recognizable personalities of the last 50 years of comedy, none of the actors fall into doing an outright impression of their counterparts that feel out of place in the film but rather look to embody some of their essence in service of what Reitman in striving to achieve with “Saturday Night” and the cast are all uniformly very strong.
After playing a young Steven Spielberg in “The Fabelmans,” Labelle ably leads the ensemble as the young Lorne Michaels without needing to do an impersonation of one of the most impersonated pop culture figures. Elsewhere, Cory Michael Smith embodies the cocky wit of a young Chevy Chase, while Dylan O’Brien unveils a shockingly good Dan Ackroyd. Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morriss continues his hot streak of doing strong work in everything he’s in, and then there are plenty of memorable performances by actors with only a few scenes of screentime.
Reitman’s film operates with a frantic energy that captures the pressure and nerves that go into putting on a live television show, but a lot of the tension that “Saturday Night” is seeking simply isn’t there because as everyone who is watching the film already knows that of course the show will go on, for another 50 years now, which undermines a lot of the film’s central conceit. It is structured as though there is a ticking clock and failure lurks around every corner, but there is no drama when Willem Dafoe’s network head threatens to air a rerun of Johnny Carson in place of the debut at the film’s climax because the success of “Saturday Night Live” goes without saying. The behind the scenes stories from “Saturday Night Live” could make fertile ground for a compelling drama; stars were born, friendships were formed and broken, a few untimely deaths, there was even a murder! But Reitman’s approach here never fully connects.
THEATER/DANCE
THROUGH NOV. 2
“Cadillac Crew” San Marco Church lumenrep.org
THROUGH NOV, 3
“The Beverly Hillbillies” Artist Connection Theatre artistconnectiontheatre.org
The Island Theater, Fleming Island .theislandtheater.com
NOV. 8-24
“Four Old Broads” Players by the Sea playersbythesea.org
NOV. 9
Shakesbeer Brewery Tour King Maker Brewing lumenrep.org
NOV. 10
“Late Nite Catechism” Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxevents.com
NOV. 11
“Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical” Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
NOV. 14-17
“The Laramie Project” Flagler College–Lewis Auditorium flagler.edu
NOV. 16
Messiah Ballet
Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxevents.com
NOV 17
Cirque Dreams Holidaze Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxevents.com
NOV. 20
Here Comes Tomorrow: Cinema of the Last Century Series MOCA mocajacksonville.unf.edu
“STOMP” Thrasher-Horne Center, Orange Park thcenter.org
Get Closer! A Tribute to Linda Ronstadt Alhambra Theatre & Dining alhambrajax.com
NOV. 22-24
Arias in Motion – A journey from Opera to Napoli floridaballet.org
NOV. 22-23
Tribute to Jimmy Buffett Amelia Musical Playhouse, Fernandina Beach ameliamusicalplayhouse.com
NOV. 22-DEC. 8
“Daddy Long Legs” ameliacommunitytheatre.org
NOV 24
“Disney Jr. Live On Tour: Let’s Play” Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
NOV. 26
The Illusionists: Magic of the Holidays Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxevents.com
NOV. 30
Derek Hough
Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxevents.com
Words by Shelton Hull
UNTOLD STORIES TO TELL
Barbara Colaciello is a local legend whose ties to Northeast Florida go back four decades, and that legacy continues with the fourth season of Untold Stories, which begins on Thursday night, Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Florida Theatre. Presented jointly by WJCT Public Media and the Florida Theatre, the series takes the classic oral tradition and recontextualizes it for the modern aesthetic. Speakers that night include artist/yoga teacher Linda Altman, bartender/musician Augustus Wolfe Barnas, author/pilot John Cappellear, artist Melanye Rodriguez, author/teacher Madalina Tanase and USMC veteran poet/musician Fenton Reese, who is also curating the music for the event.
All this comes together under the direction of Colaciello, a “Folio Weekly” cover girl in October 2017. The New York native once worked for Andy Warhol at “Interview Magazine,” which was basically the publication of record in New York City’s underground culture of the 1970s and ’80s, along with The Village Voice, the country’s original independent alternative newspaper, the precursor to this paper and countless others. Her older brother Bob Colaciello was the editor from 1971 to 1983, and then he joined Vanity Fair in 1984. Barbara spent those years living, working and playing alongside some of the most potent creative minds of their generation, or any other: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, William Burroughs, Fran Leibowitz, Lou Reed. East Village, SoHo, Studio 54, Times Square before Giuliani — you name it, she was there.
After moving to Florida with her family, Colaciello found new circles to run in, and those circles found a new person to revolve around.
She figured most prominently in local theater, most notably at Players By the Sea, playing a big role in boosting the signal of an already-potent spoken-word scene that featured creators like Al Letson, David Girard, Larry Knight, Nestor Gil and Willie Evans Jr., helping turn these local legends into known quantities on the national level, a process that continues today.
When she opened BABS’LAB, in association with CoRK, having her own space opened the door for broader exploration of the form, and she quickly built up a base of talent and fans that grew beyond the intimate, black-box setting of the lab. Enter the Florida Theatre, which not only embraced her vision but amplified it. Untold Stories is a collaboration between Colaciello, the Florida Theatre and WJCT Public Media, which has recorded all the shows for its own podcast series, one of several available on their platforms.
The first of four sessions in this season of Untold Stories takes place on Nov. 7. Each event features a sort of naturalistic theme, starting with “Wave”. The subsequent sessions occur on Feb. 27 (“Cloud”), May 29 (“Trail”) and July 31 (“Root”), all at 7:30 p.m. Each event includes five storytellers, each one drawn from different disciplines and demographics, all of whom are new to this stage, most of whom fall outside the realm of what might typify “spoken-word” in its most traditional sense.
COMEDY
NOV. 1
Phatt Katz Comedy Thang Breezy Jazz House phattkatz.com
NOV. 1-2
First Coast Comedy
The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.
Adult Show (21+ only), 10 p.m. First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com
NOV. 1-3
Felipe Esparza Comedy Zone comedyzone.com
NOV. 2
The Mullet Comedy Show
Third Space Improv, St. Augustine 3rdspaceimprov.com
NOV. 7
Zane Lamprey
Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
NOV. 8
Witches Night In Improv Third Space Improv, St. Augustine 3rdspaceimprov.com
NOV. 8-9
Dominique Comedy Zone comedyzone.com
First Coast Comedy
The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.
Adult Show (21+ only), 10 p.m. First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com
NOV. 9
Eddie B Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
Preacher Lawson
Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxevents.com
Jeff Allen Murray Hill Theatre murrayhilltheatre.com
The Mullet Comedy Show Third Space Improv 3rdspaceimprov.com
Dan Frigoletti and Friends Disco Witch Brewing, Yulee discowitchbrewing.com
NOV. 17
Hari Kondabalu Comedy Zone comedyzone.com
Who’s Ancient City Is It Anyway? Third Space Improv, St. Augustine 3rdspaceimprov.com
NOV. 20
Hypnotist Rich Guzzi Comedy Zone comedyzone.com
The Jam Showcase First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com
NOV. 21
Rene Vaca Comedy Zone comedyzone.com
NOV 22
Jo Koy
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jaxevents.com
NOV. 22-23
First Coast Comedy
The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.
Adult Show (21+ only), 10 p.m. First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com
NOV. 22-24
The Magic of Eric Eaton Comedy Zone comedyzone.com
NOV. 23
Drew Morgan Paper Root, St. Augustine paperrootclothing.com
NOV. 29-30
First Coast Comedy
The Main Event, 7:30 p.m.
Adult Show (21+ only), 10 p.m.
First Coast Comedy firstcoastcomedy.com
Stand-up Comedy TBA
Disco Witch Brewing, Yulee discowitchbrewing.com
GOT THE BLUES?
If you’ve lived in Jacksonville for any amount of time, you’ve probably seen military planes and helicopters flying low and fast around the city. With Jax having multiple military installations within city limits, and another nearby at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay (just about an hour north), this city has the third largest military presence in the country. To put it lightly, Jacksonville has a strong connection with the armed forces.
Now let’s take it back to the ’40s. Seventy-eight years ago, a special group of Navy pilots took to the sky above the Bold City. In the air, they dazzled an estimated 8,500 spectators by flying their group of three blue-and-yellow World War II-fighter planes in a tight formation, flying three planes as one as they performed loops and rolls. They had secretly trained over the Everglades, that way in case anything happened, “only the alligators would know,” said Capt. Roy M. “Butch” Voris, the leader of the trio. Originally dubbed the Navy Flight Exhibition Team, it wasn’t until July of the same year that this group of pilots got a new name, taken from an ad in the New Yorker for a nightclub: the Blue Angels.
Fast forward to the weekend of October 19-20, 2024, and it’s a very similar story, but bigger. This time, six Navy pilots stepped into the cockpits of their blue-and-yellow, jet-powered F/A-18 Super Hornets, in front of a combined crowd of nearly 450,000 (and that’s just the ones who actually got through the gate). They roared into the air, flying formations 18-inches apart, going nearly the speed of sound, and showing the same precision required to land these massive fighters on a moving boat in the pitch black, something all Naval fighter pilots are trained to do.
Whether you view the Blue Angels as a patriotic form of entertainment, noisy propaganda or something that’s just plain cool, there is no denying the history of both the team and this city are intertwined since the beginning. Nearly every year since that first flight, whether at NAS Jacksonville, Jax Beach, or formerly Cecil Field, the Blue Angels have provided entertainment and joy to so many throughout the city.
That’s what has made it so surprising that next year, the Blue Angels will skip Jacksonville for the first time in 23 years (minus an accident, 2013 budget cuts, and COVID-19), with the Jax Beach Sea and Sky Air Show being canceled completely in their absence. “It’s disappointing,” said local photographer Skyler Jie-A-Fa, “The Jacksonville Airshow is where my interest in aviation started.” And Jie-A-Fa isn’t the only one. The Jax air show is the reason I fell in love with aviation, and there are more just like us.
This isn’t the first time there has been a change to the airshow. In 2023, the Sea and Sky show was heavily shortened with only three military demonstrations and zero civilian performers. At the time, News4Jax reported that a civilian performer, who wanted to remain anonymous, stated that the contract they received contained “restrictive and demanding” insurance clauses, as well as heightened costs.
So what happened?
The Blue Angels informed me that their 2025 schedule may have some changes, and that their 2025 and 2026 schedule will be officially released at the International Council of Air Shows in December. However, Jacksonville Beach Mayor Chris Hoffman already announced on Facebook that the show will not be happening, saying, “I’m very disappointed to hear that the City of Jacksonville will not be hosting the 2025 Air Show in Jacksonville Beach. This is always a great event and our residents love celebrating our military and enjoying a weekend of performances and patriotic displays. We look forward to working with the City of Jacksonville to resume the event as soon as possible.”
The City of Jacksonville’s Sports and Entertainment Office, the office responsible for scheduling the event, did not answer any of my questions.
There’s only speculation as to why such a massive event got canceled. But even if no one has said it, it’s pretty easy to guess why: the city didn’t have a contingency plan. Even if we couldn’t get the Blue Angels, there are other military acts that could’ve been scheduled, like the F-35A Demo Team who also just performed at the NAS Jax show, the two other Air Force jet demo teams or one of the single jet Naval demonstration teams. They could’ve tried to bring the Air Force’s Thunderbirds here for the first time or even asked our hometown Florida Air National Guard to show off some shiny, new F-35s (once they get them next year). But instead, we just had to sit back and watch as a Jacksonville staple went from great to small to gone.
And if you think the issue is high expectations for performers, take a look at what other cities around Florida and Georgia have done. Panama City Beach’s 2024 airshow had 17 performers, military and civilian. Miami Beach’s show had 22 demonstrations, all military. Even the damn Vidalia Onion Festival in Georgia managed to get eight performers, including the Blues.
All of this while the most populated city in Florida, with deep historical ties to the military, and enough unique aircraft — just within city limits — to put on a show, is now fully showless. I guess if it’s anything outside of a new stadium for the Jaguars, this city won’t put in the effort to have a backup plan.
The yearly airshow, whether over land or water, is/was a Jacksonville staple. The Blue Angels hometown ties and the nostalgia for thousands who have been attending for decades make it a massive event year after year. All city leaders had to do was put in the effort to get performers and not push away the civilian pilots. Yet here we sit, without a show next year.
Ball? Dropped.
THE ART CENTER COOPERATIVE
• “A View From My Window,” through Nov. 9 tacjacksonville.org
BEACHES MUSEUM beachesmuseum.org
BUTTERFIELD GARAGE ART GALLERY
• Silver Jubilee Exhibition butterfieldgarage.com
THE CORNER GALLERY AT THE JESSIE
• “Marcus Williams: Un-American Gods,” through Feb.12, 2025 movingthemargins.org
CUMMER MUSEUM OF ART & GARDENS
• “Mick Namarari Tjapaltjarri: Mysteries that Remain,” through Jan. 12, 2025 cummermuseum.org
FEMART GALLERY femartgallery.org
FIRST COAST CULTURAL CENTER
Hollie Heller: “Women Supporting Women,” through Nov. 19 firstcoastculturalcenter.org
FLAGLER COLLEGE–CRISP ELLERT MUSEUM
• “Pablo Vindel: en la noche prevalece un corazón lleno,” through Nov. 26 flagler.edu
FLORIDA COMMUNITY COLLEGE AT JACKSONVILLE
• Downtown Campus Gallery: Highlights of the Student Annual, through Dec. 10
• The Gallery at Deerwood Center: “Social Fabric: Works From Fiber Artists,” through Dec. 12
• Kent Campus Gallery: “The Rose Variation Project,” through Nov. 12
• North Campus Gallery: “5 Years in Asia: Photographs by Mark Sablow,” through Dec. 8 fscj.edu
GALLERY 725
gallery725.com
GOVERNOR’S HOUSE CULTURAL CENTER AND MUSEUM, ST. AUGUSTINE
• “Painting St. Augustine: Selections from the Samuel H. and Roberta T. Vickers Collection,” ongoing
• “Freedom Is Not Free: Ax Handle Saturday,” virtual exhibition staugustine.ufl.edu
HASKELL GALLERY AT JACKSONVILLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT jaxairportarts.com
HILLARY WHITAKER GALLERY hwhitakergallery.com
JACKSONVILLE MAIN LIBRARY tacjacksonville.org
JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY
• ”Bill Davis: No Dark in Sight,” virtual exhibition
• “Kristin Skees: Close Knit,” virtual exhibition ju.edu/cfa
THE LIGHTNER MUSEUM
• “Crystal Floyd: Kindred Spirits,” through Jan. 27, 2025
• “75 for 75: Lightner Museum Diamond Anniversary Exhibition,” ongoing
• “Still Not About a Hotdog and a Coke,” virtual exhibition
• “Magic, Mirth, and Mortality: Musings on Black Motherhood,” virtual exhibition yellowhouseart.org
ONGOING
Art Walk: Nov. 6
Downtown Jacksonville lights up the first Wednesday of the month with art by local artists at hubs in James Weldon Johnson Park, The Jessie and Vagabond Flea at VyStar Tower from 5–9 p.m. Visitors can also enjoy live music, food trucks, street performers, free admission to MOCA and complimentary rides on JTA’s Skyway. dtjax.org
Fernandina Beach Arts Market: Nov. 9 and 23
Amelia Island’s premier arts and crafts market comes alive the second and fourth Saturday of every month from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. fernandinabeachartsmarket.com
Riverside Arts Market: Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30
Artists, artisans and makers display their original paintings, jewelry, photographs, prints and other handcrafted items every Saturday — rain or shine — from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Riverside Avenue underneath the canopy of the Fuller Warren Bridge. riversideartsmarket.com
St. Augustine First Friday Artwalk: Nov. 1
On the first Friday of every month (hence the clever name), more than 30 galleries around the Oldest City open their doors from 5–9 p.m. for visitors to browse exhibits and interact with artists. A complimentary trolley service provides transportation between downtown venues. staaa.org
Vilano Beach Artisan Market: Nov. 16
Part beach party, part arts market, this monthly event includes works by local artists and locally-made products, as well as live music. The market takes place on the third Saturday of every month from 4-8 p.m. on A1A and Vilano Road.
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UNSOUND MINDS
Firearm Dealers like Palmetto State Armory are Using Memes and Hate Speech to Counter the “Trump Slump” while Marketing to Mass Shooters on Alt Websites and Message boards
Words by John M. Phillips
Thoughts and prayers are not enough. They never have been. The same people who stoke fear, division and animosity among humans directly benefit from the source of their deaths. The overwhelming weapon of choice is the AR-15.
AR does not stand for “Assault Rifle,” but, to some, it might as well. ArmaLite, a small California gun manufacturer, designed the AR-15 in the late 1950s as a next-generation military rifle. A declassified 1962 report from the U.S. Department of Defense reveals how the AR-15 was developed for the Vietnam War because it was ideal for use by South Vietnamese soldiers, who were smaller in stature and had less training than their American counterparts. To give these citizen-soldiers a fighting chance, they needed a new kind of weapon. The report discloses the quick discharge of high-velocity projectiles was better than its predecessors for five reasons: 1) ease of maintenance, 2) accuracy, 3) rapid rate of fire, 4) lightweight and 5) “excellent killing or stopping power.” Of humans. Not hunting. Not self-defense.
Seventy-five years later, at Shands Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, doctors see a steady traffic of bullet wounds. Doctors there can quickly identify gunshots from an AR-15, although those victims are less likely to survive. Handgun bullets typically travel through the body in a straight line. By contrast, the high-energy bullets of an AR-15 become unstable as they penetrate human flesh, twisting and turning as they damage adjacent tissues and organs. One anonymous physician told us the damage he sees is not just from the bullet path but that the AR-15 creates a second cavity many times larger than the bullet, which tears through bones, organs and all adjacent tissues.
Photo posted on X by Marjorie Taylor Greene
SHOOTER INTERCONNECTIVITY
This story only dives into the lives of a few mass shooters, although we could fill this issue with names and similar stories. Each example chose an AR-15. Each was born between 2000-2005. Each espoused hate for a particular group of people and wanted recognition as a mass shooter. Each was influenced by, if not essentially raised on, websites which have little to no moderation, contain dangerous beliefs and program fragile brains that violence is acceptable. Each grew up in an era where leaders breed hate and division. Much more disturbing than all of that is that each shooter was surrounded by gun dealers and manufacturers who benefitted from political division and directly marketed guns as useful tools to kill people — if — they deserve it.
On May 14, 2022, 18-year-old Payton Gendron entered a Buffalo, New York grocery store. Ten people, all of whom were Black, were murdered and three were injured. In his manifesto, Gendron advocated, “We must ensure the existence of our people and a future for white children.” He noted he got most of his beliefs “from the internet.” The investigation of the shooting revealed Gendron was essentially radicalized on 4chan, which is an anonymous internet imageboard/message board easily available on search engines like Google, Safari or Yahoo.
When officers arrived at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas on May 24, 2022, State Trooper Richard Bogdanski asked, “You know what kind of gun?” A voice responded, “AR. He has a battle rifle.” The shooter was 18-year-old Salvador Ramos Almo, who killed 19 children and two teachers and attempted to simulcast his rampage online. Almo collected articles about Gendron’s murderous rampage. Just days before the attack, Ramos spoke out on social media about his plans to do something that would “put him all over the news.” Nearly instantaneously, news of the murder and stories about Almo’s reached 4chan’s toxic pol/(politics) subgroup. It is believed he frequently used 4chan’s k/(kommando) subgroup, which is dedicated to all things weaponry and includes topics like, “What gun will you use during the race war?”
Months later, on October 24, 2022, 19-year-old Orlando Harris entered Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis, Missouri with an AR15 sold by Palmetto State Armory (PSA) and opened fire on students and staff, killing two and injuring seven before being fatally shot by police. In writings before the murder, Harris wrote, “Also fuck the lgbt community nobody from that community deserves to be loved or accepted by society. Luckily for me central is filled with those kind of people so hopefully I get to kill a lot of people from the lgbt community during my attack.” Despite significant history of mental disorder, he posted on October 12, 2022 that he secured his AR-15 from a private seller thanks to “gundeals.com” and holding the AR-15 made him feel, “as if I was born to kill,” and “like a fucking GOD.”
On July 13, 2024, former President Donald Trump was talking divisively about immigration at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania when 20-year-old Thomas Crooks fired eight rounds before getting shot by U.S. Secret Service. Crooks killed one audience member and critically injured two others. He just missed a fatal shot on the former president of the United States. The AR-15 used in that attack was manufactured by DPMS. DPMS was acquired by JJE Capital in 2020. JJE is the parent company of Palmetto State Armory (or PSA), which is its flagship brand. All three owners of PSA own JJE. Multiple sources have reported Crooks posted antisemitic and anti-immigration ideology, espoused political violence and died wearing a Demolition Ranch t-shirt, which stated, “Demolitia.” Demolition Ranch is one of the largest firearms-centric YouTube channels (known among fans as “guntubers”) on the internet.
PALMETTO STATE ARMORY
It is not irony or coincidence that Trump visited the same gun merchants that sold the AR-15, which nearly ended his life on a campaign stop before the assassination attempt. On September 25, 2023, the former president visited Palmetto State Armory’s flagship in store Summerville, South Carolina. The media event began with a personal tour by owners Jamin McCallum and Julian Wilson.
A few minutes into the visit, McCallum lobbied for elimination of “Biden’s pistol brace law.” McCallum claimed Biden’s law immediately turned “40 million pistol brace owners” into felons. McCallum and his contemporaries commonly use “us” versus “them” language to divide. McCallum further whistled Biden was not worried about “inner city crime” but instead making felons out of “regular Americans,” another coded reference that gun owners are good and, well, minorities are bad. With the thought of 40 million votes on his side, Trump vowed McCallum’s proposed legislation would be “an easy one” and he would “take care of it.” In exchange for his visit, Trump got the public endorsement of every major South Carolina politician and plenty of donations. Appealing to his known vanity, McCallum’s staff showed Trump a Glock with his face etched into it. Trump remarked he wanted to “buy one,” but McCallum insisted he would give it to him. Some of the tweets memorializing this moment were later deleted. As an indicted felon, Trump was not allowed to possess, much less own a firearm.
Palmetto State Armory not only lobbies Congress and has been a significant supporter of Trump, but U.S. Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina is the father of PSA owner Julian Wilson.
THE TRUMP SLUMP
Julian’s brother is Alan Wilson, who is the Attorney General in South Carolina. All attended the media event and publicly endorsed Trump.
Toward the conclusion of the event in his honor, Trump looked around the room for Representative Joe Wilson to pay him a compliment. Trump claimed Wilson’s, “You Lie!” interruption of President Barack Obama’s speech was, “One of the big moments in the history of Congress. One night a long time ago. I remember that.”
For those who don’t remember, then-president Barack Obama gave a joint speech to Congress in 2011 concerning the Affordable Care Act. As Obama refuted an internet rumor that illegal immigrants were receiving free government-funded insurance through the Affordable Care Act, Representative Wilson screamed, “You lie!” The interruption went viral. Some have said it was a watershed moment for shouting and discourse in government. Wilson used the viral moment to raise more than $2.5 million in the subsequent month for his reelection effort. He has since won reelection five times.
In an internal interview posted on PSA’s YouTube page under the title, “Relentless Pursuit: What is JJE Capital?” JJE’s and PSA’s owners, Wilson and McCallum discuss how “cyclical” the firearm industry is. They repeatedly reference the “Trump Slump,” which refers to dipping firearms sales multiple years in a row in response to the election of Donald Trump. Why did it slump? Many of the fears stoked by the threat of a Democratic presidency, talk of a race war or need to take up arms were quelled in an attempt to show Trump was succeeding in his promise to “Make America Great Again!”
However, gun manufacturers and dealers like PSA could not simply afford to accept the victory and resultant perceived peace (if peace can ever be associated with Donald Trump’s chaotic presidency). Dozens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars were at stake, as were political futures. As Wilson and McCallum noted in the interview, they had to keep the firearm market growing. They did so by joining, stoking and exploiting fear and keeping humans fearing or angry at other humans. Long gone were the lies of the NRA simply claiming an AR-15 was a proper rifle used for sport or target shooting.
Throughout the interview, the owners of PSA/JJE openly call themselves “gun nuts,” commonly reference the “liberal media,” “good guys” with a gun, and otherwise use language common to those who benefit from political division. There is no question PSA’s owners systemically market guns, and particularly AR-15s, triggering the need of its constituents to defend their country, fear their fellow man and not fall victim to other races, immigrants or those who want to “take away” their rights.
Instead of focusing on other business interests during the Trump Slump, PSA aggressively advertised its “lowest on the market” price point of around $500
for an AR-15. It created an e-commerce portal that distributed its guns all across the country. Perhaps most offensive and dangerous of all, PSA began participating and marketing on alt websites, receiving backlinks and meme ideas from some of the same people posting about race wars and death to politicians. Instead of standing up to the adoption of its brand, PSA literally began engraving political memes and divisive speech on AR-15s and tying them to every politically divisive issue that made the news. Additionally, PSA continued to stoke the fire of a country at war with itself where there was good and evil, where a second civil war or revolutionary war was imminent and where “defending freedom” for the low $500 price of an AR-15, ownership was downright patriotic.
Leading up to 2018, Palmetto State Armory was highly engaged in marketing through gun enthusiast message boards. One such board, AR15.com (also referred to as “ARFCOM”), featured anonymous users discussing various topics, which would also often result in extensive bullying and criticism. A simple search of its archives reveals racist and hate-filled posts, often coupled with the promotion of the AR-15. PSA was commonly discussed and backlinked on sites like 4chan and 8chan, which serve as a breeding ground of hate, racism and radical speech in a message board format. PSA acquired one of its more popular memes, “No Step on Snek” from 4chan. It was a respectful parody of the Gadsden Flag.
Inevitably, PSA’s low price point led to quality issues. One alleged dissatisfied buyer took to ARFCOM to criticize PSA’s various business practices. “Hebrew_Battle_Rifle” featured an avatar that depicted a child with a gun to his head. He posted criticism of PSA and was significantly “trolled” and “doxed” by other users, including PSA’s official account. He ultimately fought back, saying, “I will not address any of the false accusations leveled at me by a pack of illiterate, poop flinging gremlins.”
PSA did not just stand idly by and ignore the bullying. It joined in the commentary and demanded, “You have still not answered my question as directed by site staff. What was your order number @Hebrew_Battle_Rifle?” It is one of countless examples of PSA specifically monitoring and contributing to these websites and message boards alongside toxic, violent and threatening posts. As other users created memes and defended PSA, PSA decided to market the phrase with a lower receiver. The “lower” is the crucial part of a gun which is considered a firearm under federal law. According to Guns.com, “The “Poop Flinging Gremlin Lower” features Spike from Gremlins, with poop in hand, engraved on the magwell. PSA takes the tongue in cheek lower further adding “No Poop,” “Poop” and “Fling Poop” to its selector switch markings. The serial markings also keep to the theme with letters “POOP” prefacing the numbers.”
Despite the Federal Trade Commission and other federal regulations (such as Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act), which prohibit the use of cartoons like Joe Camel in conjunction with the promotion or sale of cigarettes, PSA was granted permission to literally etch memes, cartoons and sometimes even threats onto AR-15s. Each time a limited edition “lower” was sold, it would go viral and send gun-loving blogs, websites, and alt-right listservs or message boards into a frenzy.
On March 11, 2020, PSA released the ANGRYJOE-14 lower, which featured a hybrid dog/horse figure in response to Joe Biden jokingly referring to someone as “dog-faced pony soldier.” Its fire selector featured three settings on one side: “WUD HE SAY?” (Safe), “DOGFACED PONYSOLDIER” (Fire) and “FULLA SHIT” (Full-Auto). On the right side: “MEMORY LOSS” (Safe), “DEMENTIA” (Fire) and “LIBERAL” (Full-Auto).
With each new political meme or tagline, PSA stood ready to release an additional viral load to keep profiting off of division. Each time, it pissed off and invigorated more unsound minds. The correlation was clear from the backlinks and traffic it was generating; it had a new breed of consumer.
On October 2, 2021, after a NASCAR race at the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama, Brandon Brown won his first Xfinity Series and was being interviewed by an NBC Sports reporter. The crowd began chanting. The reporter suggested they were chanting “Let’s go, Brandon” to cheer on the driver. It became increasingly clear they were shouting, “Fuck Joe Biden.” Weeks later, Florida Republican House of Representative Bill Posey ended his floor speech on the House floor with a fist pump and the phrase, “Let’s go, Brandon!” The phrase was already growing in right-wing circles, as conservative code for “Fuck Joe Biden.”
Once again to simultaneously flex its marketing to its far-right customers, while engaging in divisive messaging, on October 19, 2021, PSA released its limited edition LETSGO-15 lower. The fire selector featured three settings, “F@CK!” (Safe), “JOE!” (Fire), or “BIDEN!” (Full-Auto). It featured Biden above a checkered-flag, like seen at the finish line of a NASCAR race (or a coded reference to the end of life).
Continuing with the use of memes and cartoons to divide and offend, PSA next adorned its gun parts with the “Vatipants- 15” lower on November 1, 2021. It featured the phrase POTUS (President of the United States) with references to Biden defecating his pants with the term SHATUS, which was a play on the vulgar word for “defecate” with a Latin spin. The meme was based on internet lore as far right message boards and social media claimed Biden defecated himself while visiting Pope Francis at the Vatican.
With each new meme gun, message boards and far-right gun enthusiasts would spread PSA’s divisive political speech alongside marketing of the deadliest firearm to civilians in modern American history. PSA would even ask members of ar15.com and other sites, “What are your thoughts on doing a Trump 34-themed lower? Let us know your ideas!”
However, what would happen if ever PSA’s owners were tied to a meme worthy event? Of course, it would monetize it. On July 13, Trump stood up from a near assassination with a fist pump, yelling, “Fight.” Within hours user, “Brick Wur X,” posted, “At a loss for words for what our country has become” with an idea for PSA, featuring Donald Trump rising under the name “Free America,” with settings, “It’s Time,” Take America Back” and Fight.”
PSA’s official account quickly replied, “We will be making this lower. We have submitted the variance, and it will go on pre-sale today.” And then Nick Penzenstadler of “USA Today” reported, “AR rifle used in Trump shooting from company with winding history, campaign visit.” The article linked PSA to the gun used to attempt to assassinate Trump. The idea quickly vanished.
RYAN PALMETER
Ryan Palmeter was born in 2001. Like most his age, by the time he was 12 or 13, he had a decent mastery of the internet. His parents, Stephen and Maryann Palmeter, didn’t pay attention or care about his online footprint. Palmeter’s reckless use of message boards and social media began as early as 2015, when he would have only been 13 or 14 years old. He played and streamed first-person shooters on various video game consoles and started an internet profile named after alleged baby-killer, “Casey Anthony” on Steam, a self-described digital storefront and service for buying, playing and discussing video games.
By 2016, he was bullying others and joking about child abuse. Before he was able to drive, he was telling another user he, “(S)hould shoot themselves in the face, miss the brain stem and instead hit the motor control center, causing you to lose complete control of your body and be forced to spend what’s left of your sad, worthless life in a hospital bed while your family starts to wonder if pulling the plug is the right option.”
On November 9, 2016, he celebrated the election of Donald Trump, proudly bragging that he was right and, “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” The rotten apple didn’t fall far from the poisoned tree. Palmeter’s father used Facebook to post pro-Democratic messaging, including insulting his own son’s beliefs. Palmeter’s dad often used memes and random internet graphics to criticize mass shooters while literally letting his own child become one a room away.
When “shitposting” on Steam wasn’t enough, Palmeter would turn to 4chan, 8chan or soyjak.party, one of many anonymous image and message boards where memes combined with hate, destructive plots and teenagers like him could find enough hate speech to become as radicalized and hateful as anyone in the history of mankind. Seriously, don’t go there. Trust us.
It is likely there where Palmeter first learned and started fantasizing about, “TND,” “Total N**ger Death.” Soyjak Party is one of the successors of 4chan’s shuttered/qa board, which one user described, “… as if 4chan’s raw schizophrenia was distilled into one website.”
PSA GETS MORE AGGRESSIVE
As a young teenager, Palmeter would take photos and publicly brag about stealing his parents’ alcohol and making cocktails out of any pills or medicine he could find around the house. He would post at times when he should have been at school and got excessively into meme culture, the same culture PSA was steadily tying itself to and etching on weapons.
Like most would-be mass shooters, Palmeter exhibited homicidal and suicidal thoughts and actions, which resulted in minor psychological treatment. He once had to be intercepted after a threat to jump off one of the tallest buildings in Jacksonville and noted in his letter to his parents who were readily aware of their son’s suicidal and homicidal ideations. None of it would ever be visible on a background check, as flaws in the system are too numerous to name and protect minors — no matter how unsound they are.
Eventually, Palmeter found himself seeing PSA over and over again. They were cheap and on the same page. They literally met him where he was in life. In fact, people like Palmeter found PSA to be funny and edgy. PSA received backlinks and promotion on all of these fringe sites, and their branding was used in hate speech, but they ignored it or embraced it. PSA’s own employees have sued the company because of racism and a hostile work environment with one former Black employee claiming a noose was left on his desk.
PSA needed a way out of the Trump Slump and directly benefit from people being fearful and angry at each other. Hunting and competitive shooting only sell a limited amount of guns; fear and hate sell far more. They closely watched the news, and their team of now hundreds of employees and gun- and money-loving vendors pounced when division or any justification to stoke fear would surface.
On April 18, 2019, it was reported that a militia group, calling themselves the United Constitutional Patriots, detained hundreds of alleged immigrants near the U.S.-Mexico border at gunpoint. Instead of condemning the illegal act, hours later, PSA released its first Trump-related lower. It featured Trump’s hair with a sign that said, “Border wall, under construction, stay back.” The xenophobic settings of the AR-15 were, “detain,” deport” and “10 feet higher.”
At the same time, Trump was using the “Border Wall” as a larger symbol alongside denigrating hate speech. About Mexicans, he said, “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists…” Trump’s demeaning remarks and use of terms such as “anchor baby” and “illegals” to describe immigrants framed immigrants as different and less-than-human, reducing entire groups of people to be negatively defined by their immigration status. PSA profited off of this division while continuing to sell guns and get free publicity from likes, shares and blogs — and political, racial and cultural division.
PSA even admitted it went too far when it sold a lower depicting MAGA and KEIIK.
THE BOOGALOO NEXT DOOR
Kekistan is a fictional country invented by users on 4chan, which was adopted by extremists and the alt-right movement. PSA later backed off its mistake, saying, “We understand the original concept of Kekistan was purely innocent, but the current use of it by certain groups is something that PSA does not want to be associated with in any fashion. I know you guys did not mean for this lower to be thought of as a ‘White Nationalist’ lower, but that is what it may come to mean by some.” They didn’t apologize because they wanted to, they apologized because they were caught and reasonable allies started to turn into the vocal gremlins they disliked.
The Boogaloo movement is led by a group of activists who are referred to as Boogaloo boys (bois). It isn’t a club with a membership card, but a conglomerate of typically white male anti-government, far-right extremists. Like most things in extremist parlance, there is a bit of a meme or sarcastic undertone. The term “Boogaloo” alludes to the 1984 film “Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo,” which was boohooed by critics as a money grab type of movie sequel. The Boogaloo movement is the rehash of either the U.S. Civil War or American Revolution, depending on who you ask and their relative hatred for either the federal government, by race or political party.
Boogaloo emerged on 4chan and subsequently spread to other platforms. Individuals affiliated with the Boogaloo movement have been charged with crimes, including the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, multiple murders, a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and uprisings related to the George Floyd protests.
As social media and website moderators began to restrict or block hate speech, participants in the Boogaloo movement used other words to avoid restriction, such as “boog,” “boojahideen,” “big igloo,” “blue igloo” and “big luau.” As a result, logos and other imagery incorporating igloo snow huts and Hawaiian prints became used in memes and as de facto uniforms.
Back in Jacksonville, Palmeter frequently posted about the Boogaloos. As devout Parrotheads, his parents owned Hawaiian shirts, so Palmeter wore an increasing amount of Hawaiian clothing without detection. Both to celebrate his 21st birthday and to murder as many Black people as he could, Palmeter adorned the traditional Boogaloo Hawaiian print.
In his manifesto, he is critical of the Boogaloo boys, calling them “absolute fa**ots and larpers,” and “cuckservatives.” Yet, he says he supports their beliefs related to total killing of feds and politicians saying he will, “make friends with them for the TFD and TPD portion of le boog.”
Acronyms are very important in alt right spheres. To be clear, TPD stands for Total Politician Death. TFD stands for Total Fed Death. As we’ve noted, TND stands for the Total Death of Blacks based on the degrading racial epithet. Palmeter’s main contention was that the Boogaloo movement wasn’t racist enough.
Not to leave out a sect of anti-government violent extremists, in February 2020, PSA produced and sold a limited edition AK-47-style pistol with a custom, “Big Igloo Aloha” Hawaiian-print paint job. They literally wrapped an AK in Hawaiian print. PSA noted in its own marketing, people were “asking” for it. The model number was PCAKPBUGALOO, directly referring to the Bugaloo or code for the Second Civil War.
Firearmblog.com publicized PSA saying, “It’s one of their AK-P GF3 AK pistols which has a custom paint job to match your Hawaiian urban camouflage and is named Big Igloo Aloha making it a perfect tool for Aloha State Boogaloo preppers out there.” See here.
Reasonable people began to reject PSA’s marketing style while unsound minds loved it and appreciated its gun supplier standing by “conservative values” like revolution, hate, division and culture wars.
PSA’s dangerous marketing of anarchy included hauntingly horrifying posts such as the one by user, “The next Arfcom idol,” who posted, “Oh boy, just the gun I need for the mass shooting I’m planning because I can’t stand people who have different views than me, think the only way forward is violence, and believe that any of my countrymen who aren’t already on my side will never be converted through any other means.”
While likely said in sarcasm, the user correctly summarized an actual target market of people like Palmeter. One Redditt user noted the Hawaiian print AK-47 was “directly targeting the autists.”
Sound minds began seeing through PSA’s marketing strategy. Unsound minds kept them in business. However, too few care about mass shootings in America. Division and disagreement win elections, as do the padded coffers from donations and the need to make guns, equate to patriotism. Through its new allies, PSA continues to thrive to the point they have a network of affiliated companies.
THE LOVELY ANGELA CARR
Angela Carr was a lifelong Jacksonville resident. She showed love to everyone she met, especially her children and grandchildren. Her last words before she died was complimenting a patron of Dollar General as she entered the store. Mrs. Carr visited the store on August 26, 2023, to help someone get some shopping done.
Like all of the victims of an AR-15, she never expected she’d be a victim. Not just of racism. Not just of negligent security. But Angela Carr was a victim of a country that elects leaders and funds those elections with hate, division and weapons originally designed to easily kill people. We let children get marketed with weapons far more dangerous than cigarettes and allow companies like PSA to directly go to these unsound minds and “meet them where they are.”
Palmeter literally had the PSA AR-15 box still in his car when he exited his vehicle to commit “TND” and encourage others to do so. His car was decorated with stickers representing some of the same websites and message boards where PSA received backlinks and purchases.
Mercedes Jones is a survivor of Ryan Palmeter’s shooting. She had her daughter in her arms as she ran out of the back exit as fast as she could. Jones’ saving grace was that she exited at the same time white people exited. Palmeter chose not to shoot her and her child for fear of hitting someone white with the spray of his AR-15.
Anolt Joseph “A.J.” Laguerre Jr. and Jerrald Gallion were shot and killed. All of the victims deserve more than thoughts and prayers. An updated civil lawsuit has been recently filed against PSA and JJE. However, the definition of insanity is repeatedly doing the same thing and expecting a different result. TPD and TFD don’t care what political party you belong to. Websites like 4chan will be there to celebrate and sensationalize all death while more young white males get radicalized and while PSA makes sure they have enough people associating their brand in all the wrong places. No one is talking about any of this. They need to. Now. To the deceased, we owe the truth.
John M. Phillips is an attorney who represents the family of Angela Carr, as well as Mercedes Jones. In full disclosure, he also owns “Folio” and wrote this story. He’s filed a lawsuit against Palmetto State Armory, which he hopes will make even his own gun-loving friends take a second look at how the far-right has used hate to divide while the gun industry has literally made millions by directly marketing around, and to, unsound minds.
THE PURSUIT OF RELEASE
I was recently able to immerse myself into the mind of local artist Chris Rudasill with his EP, “Blood on Blood” which I had the privilege of reviewing a couple issues back. My thoughts before came simply as a blind consumer, without getting to fully connect with the one holding the pen to the paper and that changed as I was able to meet with him and pick his brain.
In my review, I deemed his EP as a “conscious project” which was confirmed once I sat down with Rudasill to unpack his journey into artistry, which began in college for him at the University of North Florida. Now, almost a decade later, it has transpired into a revelation of comfort and sanctity.
“I always wanted to be in a band,” claimed Rudasill said as he sipped a cup of coffee. “And I was lucky enough to go to school and do music. That was my main focus aside from going to school.”
Days spent in the library were also spent writing — the duality of a young hungry musician — and while the aim was always to obtain a degree (which he did), the path to fame did not go untrodden. As time has passed, however, Rudasill has shifted his tune when it comes to the motivation behind the music.
“I think the intention I have behind my writing has changed a bit. When I was in college I had delusions of grandeur. When you’re young it feels like you can take over the world,” he chuckled as he reminisced. “With the newer stuff, it’s a sense of wisdom there. I write music for myself and that’s enjoyable for me and it’s more personal. It’s not like I’m writing and then evaluating how successful it could be on the radio but now I’m writing it and evaluating how the song makes me feel — and that feeling lately has been comfort. If I’m sitting on the couch and just humming to myself very softly and curled up on my guitar that feels really safe to me, and I think that feeling is more so my motivator as with before it was more so an end goal.”
An adoration over a quest for notoriety will always be evident in the music one produces as it comes with an additional layer of cognizance that can be felt, and ever since Rudasill has embraced writing for passion over mere profit it has allowed him to confidently release his story with the position of sole liberation.
His sound is raw and while many tend to balk at the thought of freeing their unfiltered feelings for the world to hear, Rudasill embraces it. As I wrote in my review, “[His music] forces listeners to analyze and become present as they divulge into Rudasill’s intentional lyricism, allowing them to reflect. I think this is what I appreciate most about the sonic approach: the facility to embrace lucidity.”
His inspiration during his songwriting process stems heavily from his own journey and sentiments but is also considerate of the influence of other artists such as S. Carey — and the band Bon Iver as a whole — as Rudasill admires his vocal approach — and singer songwriter Elliott Smith who he references as an inspiration as well.
“Once I knew the feeling I wanted to convey then I was able to reference some of the guys I was listening to so I could see from more a technical standpoint what that process looks like in the highest degree possible without sacrificing quality,” Rudasill said.
Rudasill’s receptiveness has allowed musical exploration that has worked to support the impact of his latest EP “Blood on Blood.”
“There are elements of the composition that are surprising that became a little more orchestral,” he said. “Songs like ‘Lead Feather’
were just this real slow blossom that orgasms into this big, huge sound.”
The extensive support he has received has also bolstered his project with help from other local musicians, his community, family and friends.
And while his dreams don’t demand the radical notability that many seem to covet, it ensues as the fantasy to simply release the chronicles of his being.
His reunion with nature years prior was also a huge impetus in his writing for “Blood on Blood.:
“I had some time to introspect and at the time I was doing a lot of hiking and was trying to find my way,” he recalled.
His trek through Joshua Tree was met with forcible isolation that came with silence.
“We’re never quiet anymore, and it’s kind of uncomfortable, that level of quiet and introspection that you have to go through in nature. I found metaphors in that and the only way to get out is to go further in one step at a time,” said Rudasill. “And the themes lyrically in the songs on ‘Blood on Blood’ were primarily informed by those hiking trips and metaphors of the river and nature were definitely big! It was so inspiring to me.”
Rudasill’s gratification in the pursuit of release is inspiring to see as he uses his skills to heal and cherish moments of tranquility; these factors being more paramount than the acquisition of any accolades.
“It can be a very magical thing when you find that ‘thing,’” he sadi. “It’s probably the best feeling I’ve ever felt.”
His humility is refreshing and his approach to music is undiluted — a true artist who embodies what it means to be assiduous.
My last inquiry for Rudasill was about his dream collab and while he included some legendary names such as George Harrison, his quintessential collaboration would be with the locally acclaimed restaurant – Catullo’s Italian – as he may need to be crowned as the establishment’s biggest fan!
I could definitely see “Rudasill Rigatoni” being on the menu one day!
I thoroughly enjoyed conversing with Rudasill and diving deeper into his personal expedition with music and life. I’m rooting for him as he continues to unapologetically fabricate music for himself and others to candidly enjoy.
To keep up with Chris and his ventures you can follow him on Instagram at @chrisrudasillmusic.
N OTESON DAVE KOZ
Words by Shelton Hull
It’s Jacksonville, and it is the holiday season, and that means Dave Koz & Friends are bringing their Christmas Tour back to the Florida Theatre. It’s the Koz’s 15th appearance there since 2014, making him one of the venue’s most popular acts over the past decade. That Tuesday night show, on Dec. 3 at 8 p.m., comes just five nights into his 27th annual Christmas Tour, which even Koz finds mildly shocking. “I can’t even believe it,” he said. “I look at the number and just scratch my head and wonder, how did we get to 27 years?”
Koz calls in on his day off. “I have a little hideaway house in a place called Sausalito, California, which is right across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. It’s very, very quiet up here, and I’ve got a beautiful view of the water, so it’s quite serene. I’m here for two weeks before I go back to Los Angeles to start the rehearsal process. While I’m up here, my music director and I, and the other musicians on the tour, we’re talking daily about our set-list and getting that out to the musicians and the other artists, and just getting the show together. We always rehearse more music than we actually use, so we hone the set-list down to something more manageable. You can’t be out there for four hours.”
At 61, Dave Koz’s career dates back over 40 years. He began playing saxophones — all of them — in high school, started sideman work with Bobby Caldwell mere weeks out of UCLA (class of 1986), and he’s worked non-stop ever since, save for his sojourns to Sausalito.
While this music certainly meets every criteria for mainstream jazz, it would be impressive to label the artists or the material as pedestrian in any way. In fact, the music of the holidays has made for fertile creative ground since the earliest days of jazz, which makes perfect sense to Koz. “The meat on the bones of these songs — not necessarily the more religious songs, some of which go back hundreds of years — but the more modern Christmas songs, like ‘The Christmas Song,’ those songs were written by some of the greatest songwriters of all-time, mostly in the Great American Songbook era of the ’30s, ’40s, ’50s. So these are just amazing compositions and amazing melodies that you can really wrap your emotions around.”
Koz continued: “So, take a song like ‘White Christmas.’ Irving Berlin. Great melody — of course you can sing it. But that’s probably my favorite Christmas song, because I love playing the melody, and it’s such a rich, textured melody that you can still play it on a saxophone and imbue it with the emotion of the song, and telegraph that to the audience without having to sing the lyric. And that’s the case with a lot of these pieces of music. One of the things that makes doing a Christmas tour every year, all these years, musically enriching, creatively, is that we can do these songs every year and it’s still the song. You can have fresh interpretations for the audience, as well.”
For all its inherent joy, the holidays can be a very stressful time for anyone, especially when you’re working, and especially if your job puts you on the road during the holidays every year, as theirs does.
This is certainly not the kind of music you want to be playing every night when you’re in a bad mood, so state of mind is crucial, and that starts with the people around you. “The thing that’s really most important to me, with our touring personnel, is creating that family vibe,” he said. “Because the holidays are that. It’s a time when you want to be with your family, and we are not — we’re on the road, and we’re away from our families.”
Koz is a creature of habit, at least on the road, and he puts a premium on loyalty, in business and in life. “The band is the same,” he says. “These are the guys who have been touring with me for — gosh, I lose track of how many years. But every year we change the band a bit. This year we’ve got Jonathan Butler, who’s really like my brother. He’s probably done 15 of the 27 that we’ve done.” This year’s tour also features vocalist Rebecca Jade, a rising star and veteran of this group, guitarist Adam Holley, as well as saxophonist Vincent Ingala, who’s making his first run with the Koz crew. Koz and Hawley collaborated on the track “Automatic,” which the latter wrote and produced.
“The Florida Theatre, Kevin Stone and his whole team, they’ve been incredibly supportive of us,” says Koz, “and the audience in Jacksonville has been so supportive of us. Since we first took the tour to Jacksonville, 10 years ago, it’s just gotten stronger and stronger, and it means so much to us. Our show last year was the first time I’d seen everything; the year before, I think it had been started, but they hadn’t done the really big renovations. It’s pretty jaw-dropping; it’s gorgeous! Those old theaters … we’re lucky enough in the United States to have a variety of them. Many have fallen into disrepair, so it’s great when places like this get the care they need.”
As fans, our passion for the space is shared by the artists, but our perspectives are very different, a fact not lost on Koz and his colleagues. “The guts of that building, the sound, the way you feel on stage–that really has not changed,” he says. “Because the old buildings have a soul. It’s hard to put it into words, actually, but it has a sound and a soul. It’s kinda like when you walk into someone’s house, and the house has a vibe, no matter who’s living there. And when you walk into these old theaters, every one of them has their own unique energy. And I don’t think that part has changed, thankfully, because that’s why these buildings are still around. If you think about all the people, all the hundreds, if not thousands that have graced that stage and put their own unique energy into the DNA of the building. So for us, it’s the same experience, but we’re just really happy to see how much the experience is greatly improved for the patrons of the theater.”
You can be sure that Koz will be back for the holidays during the Florida Theatre’s centennial year in 2027 — and probably a couple of times before that.
CONCERTS
NOV. 1
Kale That Raps
Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
I Am Sent
Murray Hill Theatre murrayhilltheatre.com
Havok Kona Clubhouse konaskatepark.com
NOV. 1-2
Goose St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com
NOV. 2
Taylor Hunnicutt Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Pop Evil Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Chelsea Saddler
Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
Unhinged: Mini Metal Fest
Kona Clubhouse konaskatepark.com
In a Nutshell and The Chili Poppers
Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
NOV. 3
Organ Chamber Concert
Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxsymphony.org
Soul Fly / Eyehategod Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
The Invasion Tour w/Steven Malcolm, Big Breeze, NotK lyde& Mission Murray Hill Theatre murrayhilltheatre.com
Griffin House
Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
NOV. 3
Endea Owens and the Cookout Friday Musicale fridaymusicale.com
NOV. 4
“Stripped Back and Sapphic”
Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
NOV. 5
Honey Island Swamp Band Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
NOV. 6
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
Hippies & Cowboys Underbelly underbellyjax.com
NOV. 7
Blackberry Smoke St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com
East Nash Grass w/ Swamptooth Intuition Bier Hall intuitionaleworks.com
Rose Shlyam Grace and Sarah Jane Young: Music of Women Composers Friday Musicale fridaymusicale.com
Redferrin
Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
NOV. 8
Candlelight Concerts feat. Coldplay Friday Musicale candlelightconcerts.com
Sunny War w/ John Mailander’s Forecast Intuition Bier Hall intuitionaleworks.com
Dizgo
Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Kaleigh Baker
Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
Madball Kona Clubhouse konaskatepark.com
Grant Peeples
Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
NOV. 8-9
Alabama St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com
Rodrigo & Ravel’s Bolero
Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxsymphony.org
NOV. 9
Joan Jeff and the Blackhearts Seawalk Pavilion supergirljax.com
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio Ritz Theatre & Museum ritzjacksonville.com
The Steel Crows
Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Tinsley Ellis
Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
NOV. 10
CeeLo Green Seawalk Pavilion supergirl.com
slowdive with special guest Wisp St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com
Rock the Box 4 feat. Aaron Lewis Thrasher-Horne Center, Orange Park thcenter.org
Weeping Wound
Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
“Heart Strings: All Female Songwriters Showcase”
Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
Stalag 13
Kona Clubhouse konaskatepark.com
Dixon’s Violin
Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
NOV. 11
The Garcia Project Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
NOV. 12
Justin Timberlake
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena jaxevents.com
Blues Traveler
Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
Zauntee Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Lil Ed & The Blues Imperials
Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
NOV. 13
Dwight Yoakam
St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com
The Commodores
Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
Wayne “The Train” Hancock
Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Struggle Jennings Underbelly underbellyjax.com
Alber Cummings
Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
John Primer
Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
Daryl Hall with special guest Howard Jones St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com
Stryper Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
Joe Nichols Thrasher-Horne Center, Orange Park thcenter.org
Rare of Breed
Murray Hill Theatre murrayhilltheatre.com
FULCI
Underbelly underbellyjax.com
Grayson Capps & Corky Hughes
Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
NOV. 15
The Avett Brothers St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”: Part 1 Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxsymphony.org
Cristina Vane
Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
Sauce Boss
Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
NOV. 16
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com
Shamarr Allen Intuition Bier Hall intuitionaleworks.com
Creative Collaborations in Music and Story Friday Musicale fridaymusicale.com
Trella
Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
William Tyler Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
Cristina Vane The Waterworks, St. Augustine stjohnsculture.com/the-waterworks
Dave Hause w/Tim Hause Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
NOV. 17
O.A.R. St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com
Candlelight Concerts feat. Joe Hisaishi Friday Musicale candlelightconcerts.com
Dead Poet Society Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Sixpence None the Richer Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
NOV. 18
Willis Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
NOV. 19
Filth / Brokencyde Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
20 Watt Tombstone Underbelly underbellyjax.com
Gary Hoey’s Ho Ho Hoey Rockin’ Holiday Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
NOV. 20
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard St. Augustine Amphitheatre theamp.com
Black Violin Florida Theatre floridatheatre.com
Skatenigs
Jack Rabbits jaxlive.com
Mr. Sipp
Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
NOV. 21
BBMAK w/Jessica Carter Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine originalcafe11.com
NOV. 22
Bonnie Raitt
Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxevents.com
Candlelight Concert feat. Queen & More
Friday Musicale candlelightconcerts.com
Candlelight Concert feat. Metallica & Schubert Friday Musicale candlelightconcerts.com
PARTY IN THE FRONT AND THE BACK: INSIDE JACKSONVILLE PORCHFEST
Words by Carmen Macri
Jacksonville’s one-of-a-kind festival returns for its 10th anniversary, bringing live music, art and local vendors to the historic porches of Springfield Nov. 9.
For some backstory; Elizabeth Augustus, a San Marco resident, attended her first porch festival while visiting upstate New York, the origin of Porch Festival, a little over 10 years ago. Inspired by the experience, she brought the idea back to Jacksonville and proposed it for Springfield.
“So they were all sitting around a kitchen table and she pitched the idea of doing a PorchFest.’ You have these beautiful porches and it would be a great way to showcase the neighborhood,” Michael Haskins, executive director of Springfield Preservation and Revitalization (SPAR), shared. “The original purpose was to do just that. They wanted to bring people into the neighborhood to show people who might have incorrect perceptions about Springfield and what a beautiful, wonderful neighborhood it is. And having musicians play on porches seemed like a great way to combine the organic creativity that happens a lot in Springfield.”
But PorchFest is more than just a free festival on people’s doorsteps — it leaves a lasting impact on the neighborhood. In the weeks leading up to the event, homeowners often spruce up their properties, and the city addresses issues like potholes, sidewalk cracks and overgrown trees. This one-day festival brings lasting improvements, enhancing the neighborhood’s quality of life.
“We [SPAR] work with the city of Jacksonville ahead of PorchFest to make sure all the sidewalks have no cracks in them that would be tripping hazards and overhanging branches from trees are trimmed back,” Haskins shared. “The types of things that will not only make the festival successful but also contribute to a higher quality of life in the neighborhood.”
As a nonprofit, hosting a free event poses financial challenges, and PorchFest relies heavily on sponsorships and volunteers. Fortunately, the city is just as invested in the event’s success as SPAR. Since its inception, Porchfest has seen exponential growth — from around 5,000 attendees at the first event to an estimated 25,000 this year with nearly 200 volunteers.
“We’re committed to being a free music festival so guests don’t pay. We have free parking. We have a free shuttle from the parking to the festival,” Haskins explained. “The only money that you will spend will be on food trucks, our arts and crafts market and beverages — if you want to buy beverages —which we of course encourage because that helps support the event. But the event itself is free. And that’s because we want it to be accessible to the community at large”
Another unique aspect of Jacksonville PorchFest is its commitment to paying all performers, nearly all of whom are local, regardless of the circumstances. Many bands offer to play for free, whether for exposure or simply out of love for the festival, but SPAR is steadfast in ensuring every artist is compensated fairly. Even with the student groups that perform during the event — money gets funneled back into the programs.
“We recognize that being an artist is not always easy, and we want to provide paid performance opportunities and create sustainability for those artists,” Haskins shared.
The lineup features artists across the popularity spectrum, from well-known names like J & The Causeways, Future Joy and Kuf Knotz & Christine Elise, to underground acts like Glazed and Lucid Lind. While past PorchFests leaned toward traditional rock and country, organizers expanded the genres this year to appeal to a broader audience, bringing in a rich mix of diverse artists.
A cool behind-the-scenes detail is how they choose the porches for performances. While similar festivals usually stick to three or four porch stages, Jacksonville PorchFest ramps it up with 18 to 20, creating a fully immersive experience. And the selection process is no small task — plenty of residents volunteer their homes, so they’re never short on options.
“You’re trying to align bands to porches, right? And so the size of the porch is a factor because if you have a large band, you need a large porch. We also think a lot about sound interference. How? Because we don’t like dead air. Right?” Haskins explained. “We want to have music happening throughout the festival. And so we have different parts of the festival footprint being activated at different times. To ensure that there’s always something happening within the festival footprint because we want to encourage people to explore the neighborhood”
For more information on PorchFest, including a line-up of performances, visit jacksonvilleporchfest.org.
Photo by AJ Rodriguez
NEW MUSIC RELEASES
THE CURE
Made For You By Amiyah Golden
The English new wave/alternative rock band that has given us numerous songs such as “Love Song,” “Just Like Heaven,” “Pictures of You and more is releasing their 14th studio album this November.
While their fame was at its peak in the early 90s, their musical impact is still felt today!
“Songs of a Lost World” will include eight songs, and the band has already released a single from the track list, “Fragile Thing.” It has been years in the making as the original release date was slated for 2019, but listeners will now be able to immerse into the sound the band has been pouring their hearts into.
The rapper Westside Gunn is no stranger to the world of music as he’s been releasing music for over a decade, but my introduction to the New York native has been new and has left me wanting more. Thankfully my desires are being fulfilled as Gunn is releasing his latest album, “Still Praying.”
“I promise y’all about to witness a new chapter…” Gunn posted on Instagram while announcing the release of his album.
The R&B singer Kiana Lede has released two singles from her upcoming album, “Cut Ties,” to entice fans and any potential new listeners. Her single “Natural” was also accompanied with a steamy music video.
Lede has collaborated with a slew of other artists such as Ella Mai, Khalid and Bryson Tiller. She’s also been on tour with singer Jhene Aiko and is slated to continue on the second half of her Magic Hour tour after the release of her album.
Country singer Ella Langley is releasing the deluxe album of her project “Still Hungover” which will have four new songs. The track “Weren’t for the Wind” has already been released and is gearing up fans for the remaining songs that are set to be released this month.
“SONGS OF A LOST WORLD”
“STILL PRAYING”
“CUT TIES”
KIANA LEDE
WESTSIDE GUNN
ELLA LANGLEY
“STILL HUNGOVER”
I was stunned to hear that the universally loved band Linkin Park was releasing a new album, “From Zero” this year. Not only is the group releasing an 11-track album they also have two new members — singer Emily Armstrong who was formerly a part of the band Dead Sara and Colin Britman who will be taking the seat as drummer.
This comes after the unfortunate death of Chester Bennington who was the former frontman.
Alongside the album release is also a tour that will begin NOV. 3 in Paris, France.
BANKS
The singer Banks will be releasing an acoustic version of her project, Goddess. This comes 10 years after its initial release and success.
“’Goddess: Unplugged’ is yours November 15th! I am so excited to share a strippedback album of these songs that mean so much to me,” Banks shared via Instagram.
“GODDESS”
Legendary singer Gwen Stefani is releasing her latest album, “Bouquet.”
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Stefani shared, “It’s all the stuff I listened to in the station wagon on the way to church. Yacht rock, though it wasn’t called yacht rock then. The music I listen to now, I wanted this album to reflect that.”
The album name comes from the sentiment that “each song was handpicked with meaning.”
This comes seven years after Stefani’s last project so fans are excited to hear what the singer has been working on.
No more “Brat” summer as it’s time to embrace Nickelback fall. The rock band will be releasing a live album, Nickelback: Live From Nashville that they recorded during a show in 2023 at the Bridgestone Arena.
LINKIN PARK
“BOUQUET”
GWEN STEFANI
As a five-time Grammy winner, many hold high expectations for this project as this album will focus on Batiste’s piano skills as he is set to put his own unique spin on some of Beethoven’s classic work.
The R&B singer will be releasing her album “Gratitude” this November, as well as going on tour next year on her, ‘For My Fans’ tour.
With numerous hits under her belt, her 15th studio album is sure to be loved by many fans.
The EP will encompass 12 tracks and will have features from rappers such as Fabolous, Jada Kiss, Fat Joe, and Ferg.
One of the newest girl groups, FLO is releasing their album, ‘Access All Areas’ this fall.
The trio has been inching their way into the music world the last couple of years with hit singles such as, ‘Cardboard Box’ and ‘Losing You’ and they have ushered in many new listeners through the power of TikTok as many of their songs have gone viral on the platform.
They continue to make their mark with their blended vocals and stylish ensembles.
This project has been in the works for the last two years with it being extra personal to the
“Years ago I felt like I had absolutely no idea who I was. A year ago I couldn’t step into a studio without falling into complete panic. So to be here right now with 12 beautiful finished songs feels like such a gift.” Mendes shared via his Instagram
“BEETHOVEN BLUES”
JOHN BATISTE
“GRATITUDE”
“ACCESS ALL AREAS” FLO
MARY J. BLIGE
Shawn Mendes returns to the mic to release his self-titled album, Shawn.
singer.
SHAWN MENDES
Alec Duckart, the creative behind Searows, creates music that is so sound and unalloyed in a way that you can truly feel.
His song, ‘House Song’ was my initial introduction and spearheaded my deep dive into his discography.
Duckart will now be releasing his latest EP, ‘Flush’ and I can’t wait to hear what the 23-yearold has concocted for this new project.
The artist St. Vincent will be re-releasing her album, ‘All Born Screaming’ in Spanish. The inspiration behind the desire to translate her album came from her Latin fans and she dubs this project as a “tribute” to them.
“These crowds were united in their passion – singing every word to every song in perfect English. It was truly inspiring. Eventually, I asked myself: If they can sing along in a second or third language, why can’t I meet them halfway?” she shared in an interview with Variety.
Alongside the premiere of the anticipated cinematic adaptation of the screenplay, Wicked, the motion picture will also include a soundtrack. With vocals from the leads Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo flowing throughout the theatre, it will all be captured in a new soundtrack to preserve the timelessness of such an anticipated premiere.
ST. VINCENT
“ALL BORN SCREAMING”
SLICING AND BREWING
BRENT AND JENNIFER’S JOURNEY WITH
BUTCHER & BEAN
One often hears the saying, home is where the heart is, but for Jennifer Civitillo and Brent Burgoyne, home is where an espresso bar and a craft butchery collide — Butcher & Bean. This neighborhood market, nestled in St. Augustine, isn’t your typical “chicken & waffles” odd pairing; (bias incoming) it’s better.
“Our story meets what we do. The concept originally was that I just wanted to help him open up his own meat market, but the more I thought about it, I didn’t want to stop doing what I love,” Civitillo recalled. “We actually met in an Italian market up north, and up there they had an espresso machine in the meat market, so it wasn’t so uncommon. We combined our crafts and made something out of it.”
Eleven years ago, when then-barista Civitillo walked into an Italian market up north, she found then-butcher Burgoyne behind the counter — it was as if some fate-driven wheel had already been set in motion. In fact, their story goes back further … to about 20 years ago when Civitillo was 17 with a dream to work at Starbucks.
“When I was 17, right out of high school, I begged the manager of the local Starbucks to let me work there cause you were supposed to be 18 and I was like, ‘My birthday’s in, like, two months, please let me work here.’ It was my spot, back then, Starbucks was a cafe, you know? A little bit less corporate and a little bit more like that was your spot. They wanted it to be a place that felt like home. And it did,” Civitillo shared. “I lost my grandma when I was 16, and the first place I went to was Starbucks because, like, my people were there. And so I always had that connection with baristas, and I guess I just loved drinking coffee.”
Whether it was big moves, music school or having children, Civitillo always found herself back at Starbucks. This cycle went on for a few years until she moved back down to St. Augustine, working at a local spot for four years. That’s when she realized the allure of being a barista wasn’t in the complexity of ingredients or the rush of orders — it was always about the richness of the coffee and the connections with her customers.
“I really did just love the connection that you can have either behind the bar or behind the counter. It’s my favorite part of this,” Civitillo said. “I’ve always liked the smaller, more intimate, less corporate kind of thing. It was always about the coffee, always. Like when I was working at Starbucks, I hated making those frappuccinos with like 75 different ingredients. I don’t know if it comes from my grandma, she always had a pot of coffee on, and she would drink it all day. I find myself doing that now.”
And how wherever there was coffee, there was Civitillo; wherever there was crafted meat, there was Burgoyne. Across the street from Burgoyne’s childhood home (and farm) was his grandfather’s butcher shop. Needless to say, butchering to Burgoyne was like what butter is to bread. It just makes sense. Still, Burgoyne didn’t take butchering lightly, it was more than just something he did with his grandfather; it became his passion.
Burgoyne worked his way up from helping his grandfather to working at the Italian market where he met Civitillo to working in Connecticut for 11 years and then back to Florida where he became head meat cutter at a local butcher shop in St. Augustine. It was one of those right time, right place situations, especially because not too far from where Burgoyne was slicing Italian meats, the space that now holds Butcher & Bean was put on the market. Burgoyne immediately knew this space would be the place where both their dreams would come true.
“We ended up meeting the owner of the property and just things fell into place organically,’ Burgoyne shared. “And ever since then, it’s been like a gradual organic growth too, which is awesome. We don’t have to advertise, and I don’t mean that as a cocky thing, I mean that in a humbling way; the people do it for us. The community talks and everybody just loves our stuff. But the goal that I’ve always had, and I’ve been a butcher for now 22 years so a long time, my goal has always been to provide the best service and the best product.”
Butcher and Bean was born with a vision to not only provide top-of-the-line meats and freshly sourced coffee, it was also born with a vision of creating a space for the community. As Civitillo would put it, they wanted Butcher and Bean to be your spot. Funnily enough, this core value of this market was why they almost called the business “Southside Meating Place.” But Butcher and Bean ultimately made more sense.
“We also wanted to create a really approachable place to go. And it’s a unique idea for us because like most of the time, you don’t have a grocer that has an espresso machine at the checkout counter. People can come down and shop around, and it’s a new experience to try and make it as community-driven as possible,” Burgoyne said. “We just wanted to give people a space to really talk, you know, talk, ask questions, feel comfortable to ask questions. And I would say that our one-year anniversary was kind of like a testament to everything. We had like a huge turnout, and it was incredible. We walked out front and were blown away. It was just a sea of people. Another one of my all-time favorite things is when people come in and they’re like, ‘Oh, my God, I haven’t seen you in years. How are you doing?,’ ‘How’s the baby?’ stuff like that is huge,” Civitillo added.
Knowing the names of each guest that walks in, being eager to answer any questions about coffee roasts and types of meats and being a small shop where old friends reconnect, are just a few ways that Butcher and Bean has succeeded in being a spot for the community. And not only is this evident in their demeanor, but it is evident in their product.
“The word that kept coming up whenever we started was everything was intentional. The colors are intentional, the seating is intentional, the products, everything in here has a purpose and we feel good about it. We believe in it and we wanted to serve it right,” Civitillo shared. “So I’m kind of like a less is more kind of person. All the syrups are made from organic cane sugar, filtered water and then flavored extract and even like this time of year I have a sweet potato latte so it’s like pumpkin spice, but it’s better because it’s made with pumpkin, maple syrup, real sweet potatoes and cinnamon spices. I like less is more and so that’s the premise of kind of a lot of the things that we have here as far as the butchery side too. And then all the coffee comes locally roasted from Jacksonville. So we get it delivered once every other week and that’s from Flamingo Coffee Dispensary. We had a very distinct image of what I wanted to serve and it’s something that I felt wasn’t in the market already. My style is a little bit like a heavier roast. I like the darker side of coffee’s more chocolatey-like. And my thing is, I want people to know that they’re drinking coffee, not that they’re drinking like flavored milk. Everything has a double shot. That’s why we call ourselves an espresso cafe. I love the taste of just black coffee. But the experience that you have that comes with it, either preparing it for yourself, preparing it for somebody else, the relationships that you can form with people over it. And my favorite thing probably in the world is when somebody takes a sip of coffee and they kind of like, stop for a second, they’re like, ‘Oh, that’s good.’ I call it that first sip feeling.”
While “Bean” keeps things simple and warm, the butcher side of the market keeps things exciting and fresh. Like the rest of this market, everything is intentionally balanced.
“We try and source everything as locally as possible. Obviously it’s not always going to be local, but the things that are not local are still very, very high quality — antibiotic-free, no added hormones, pasture-raised, all that good stuff. We carry grass-fed, grain-fed, we carry local chicken and we make all of our sausage rolls in-house. So we take it seriously when it comes to, like, getting the best for people for the best price as well,” Burgoyne shared. “To get a little bit further in detail, we do like 8 to 10 different types of sausage here. So we make, like, everything in-house and that’s unique for this area because sausage is one of those practice-’til-you-perfect techniques, and it’s taken years and years of practice to make it this good. But we love it and we do some really cool flavors. We have a blueberry sage and maple, we do roasted garlic and parmesan, mild spicy and all the normal flavors, and we do Datil. Obviously we are in St. Augustine so we have to have that.”
Opening up Butcher and Bean didn’t come without its hardships. Just imagine what it was like to get business licenses for a place that works with raw meat and fresh coffee beans. But Burgoyne and Civitillo are hard workers at their core, and there was no way around the fact that this market was intertwined with their fate. And you don’t have to take my word for it, in just one year, Butcher and Bean has truly made a name for itself in St. Augustine
“We know that we could have an idea and believe in it. But if the community doesn’t receive it, and if they don’t want it, then it’s not going to be successful. So the fact that so many people have come in and seen our vision and then chose to return and continue to share kind of like our dream with us is, it’s an indescribable feeling because it’s not just about us,” Civitillo said. “You know we are serving food, things that they’re putting into their body, which is a very kind of intimate thing, you know. And so to have this stretch where people come back and come to you and say, ‘Thank you, thank you for being here,’ We’re like, ‘No, thank you for being here because without you there is no us.’ And that’s always that’s the foundation: We just want people to be happy.”
Cajun Crab Juice Seafood & Bar Jax cajuncrabjax.com
Cliff’s Bar & Grill cliffsbarandgrill.com
El Fogón de Munchies facebook.com/elfogonMunchiesBoricuas
Fancy Sushi & Grill Japanese Restaurant fancysushiandgrill.com
Fuji Sushi fujisushi-fl.com
The Good Place Nutrition facebook.com/thegoodplacenutrition
ABBQ abbqmeatdrink.com
Anejo anejococinamexicana.com
Angie’s Subs facebook.com/angiessubs
Aqua Grill aquagrill.net
Azurea at One Ocean azurearestaurant.com
Barbara Jean’s on the Water barbarajeansonthewater.com
Caffe Andiamo caffeandiamo.com
Cantina Louie cantinalouie.com
Coop 303 coop303.com
Eleven South elevensouth.com
Engine 15 Brewing Company engine15.com
European Street Cafe europeanstreet.com
The Fish Company Restaurant and Oyster Bar thefishcojax.com
Flying Iguana Taqueria & Tequila Bar flyingiguana.com
The G.O.A.T. Tapas & Bar thegoatjax.com
Grinders American Diner grindersamdiner.com
Lauren’s Jazz, Blues & Seafood facebook.com/laurensseafoodbluesjazz
La Palmerita orderlapalmerita.com
Pupuseria El Paraíso pupuseriaelparaisojax.com
Rice + Noodles Korean Restaurant riceandnoodles.net
Seven Wonders Restaurant 7wondersbakery.com
GROM
facebook.com/Grom904
Hawkers eathawkers.com
JJ’s Liberty Bistro jjbistro.com/ponte-vedra
Kamiya 86 kamiya86fl.com
Lone Wolf Co. lonewolfjax.com
Marker 32 marker32.com
Mezzaluna mezzalunajax.com
Mojo Kitchen mojobbq.com/mojo-kitchen
Nona Blue Modern Tavern nonablue.com
North Beach Fish Camp thenorthbeachfishcamp.com
Oaxaca Club theoaxacaclub.com
O-Ku o-kusushi.com
Palm Valley Fish Camp palmvalleyfishcamp.com
Poe’s Tavern poestavern.com
Ragtime Tavern ragtimetavern.com
Southern Coast Seafood southerncoastseafood.com
Tabouleh Cafe taboulehcafe.com
Thai & Lao Bistro thaiandlaobistro.com
Zen Dumpling zendumplings.com
Safe Harbor Seafood Market and Restaurant safeharbor-seafood.com
Salt Life Food Shack saltlifefoodshack.com
Salumeria 104 Atlantic Beach salumeria104.com
Singleton’s Seafood Shack singletonsseafood.com
Sliders Oyster Bar slidersoysterbar.com
Southern Grounds southerngrounds.com
TacoLu tacolu.com
Talkin’ Tacos talkintacos.net
Tequila’s Town Mexican Restaurant tequilastown.com
Two Dudes Seafood Restaurant twodudesrestaurant.com
Valley Smoke BBQ valleysmoke.com
Vicious Biscuit viciousbiscuit.com
Bellweather bellwetherjax.com
The Bread and Board thebreadandboard.com
The Brick Coffee House brickcoffeehouse.com
Cowford Chophouse cowfordchophouse.com
Casa Dora Italian Cafe facebook.com/casadorajax
De Real Ting Cafe facebook.com/derealtingcafe
Estrella Cocina estrellajax.com
Bella Vista bellavistaitalian.com
Berndt Ends BBQ facebook.com/berndtendsbbq
Blue Bamboo Canton Bistro bluebamboojacksonville.com
ChopHouse Thirteen chophouse13.com
Enza’s Italian Restaurant enzas.net
ISO ISO Ramen isoisoramen.com
Julington Creek Fish Camp julingtoncreekfishcamp.com
Bold Birds Nashville Hot Chicken boldbirdshotchicken.com
Buchner’s Bierhall buchnersbierhalle.com
The Butt Hutt Smokehouse butthuttjax.com
Chancho King chanchoking.com
The Dreamette dreametteicecream.com
The Happy Grilled Cheese thehappygrilledchees.wixsite.com/grilledcheese
Indochine indochinejax.com
Juliette’s Bistro at Marriott Jacksonville Downtown marriott.com
Morton’s The Steakhouse mortons.com
Ocean Street Tacos oceanstreettacos.com
On The Fly Sandwiches & Stuff (food truck) ontheflyjax.com
The River Club jaxriverclub.com
Spliff’s Gastropub spliffsgastropub.com
Super Food & Brew superfoodandbrew.com
Sweet Pete’s sweetpetescandy.com
Tavern at the Hyatt Regency hyatt.com
Kazu Japanese Restaurant kazujapaneserestaurant.com
’Tis the season for cozy comfort drinks, and what better way to spice things up than switching liquor for some CBD oil? Sometimes having a nice mocktail is exactly what we need, but what if we also want to feel a li’l somethin’ somethin’ without drinking alcohol, if we’re being frank, sometimes our alcohol consumption is a little concerning. So when we were offered a free CBD oil from CBDistillery with a few recipes for cozy mockta ils, we jumped at the opportunity.
First, we tried a Coconut Mockarita and a Sleepy Girl Mocktail — although, when you watch the review, we put an accidental spin on it. And by an accidental spin, we mean we forgot the measuring cup and had to wing it. But there’s nothing wrong with that.
Anyway, here are the actual recipes you should try!
Coconut Lime Mockarita Recipe
4 ounces coconut water
2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
1 ½ ounces agave or simple syrup
3 ounces full fat coconut milk
1 dropper of Full Spectrum CBD Oil from @ cbdistillery
2 cups ice
Sleepy Girl Mocktail With A Twist Recipe
1 cup of ice 1 cup of tart cherry juice 6-7 drops full Shh from @cbdistillery top off with 1 cup of sparkling water
ARLINGTON
Atlantis Lounge instagram.com/theatlantis_jax
Cliff’s Bar and Grill cliffsbarandgrill.com
Club Heaven clubheavenjax.com
BEACHES/PONTE VEDRA Beach Bowl beachbowljax.com
Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com
The Brix Taphouse jacksonvillebeachbar.com
Casa Marina casamarinahotel.com
Culhane’s culhanesirishpub.com
Flask & Cannon facebook.com/flaskandcannon
Fly’s Tie Irish Pub facebook.com/flystieirishpub
Green Room Brewing greenroombrewing.com
Grey Matter Distillery greymatterdistillery.com
NIGHTLIFE
Gusto gustojax.com
Hoptinger Bier Garden + Sausage House hoptinger.com
Ink Factory Brewing inkfactorybrewing.com
Island Girl Cigar Bar islandgirlcigarbar.com
Jax Beach Kava Bar kavajacksonville.com
Jekyll Brewing jekyllbrewing.com
Julep Palm Valley facebook.com/juleppalmvalley
Lemon Bar & Grille lemonbarjax.com
Living Room Lounge instagram.com/thelivingroomab
Lucky’s Bar instagram.com/luckysjaxbch
Lynch’s Irish Pub lynchsirishpub.com
Mango’s mangosjaxbeach.com
Mavi’s Waterfront Bar & Grill mavijax.com
Mayport Brewing Company maportbrewing.com
Mayport Garden Club mayportgardenclub.com
Monkey’s Uncle Tavern monkeysuncletavern.com
Palm Valley Outdoors Bar and Grill palmvalleyoutdoors.com
Penthouse Lounge at Casa Marina Hotel casamarinahotel.com
Ragtime Tavern ragtimetavern.com
Refinery Jax Beach refineryjaxbeach.com
Reve Brewing revebrewing.com
The Ritz Lounge theritzlounge.com
The Shim Sham Room shimshamroom.com
Southern Swells Brewing Company southernswells.com
Surfer The Bar surferthebar.com
VooSwar Restaurant & Lounge instagram.com/vooswar
DOWNTOWN
The Bier Hall at Intuition Ale Works intuitionaleworks.com/bierhall
Bold City Brewery boldcitybrewery.com
De Real Ting Cafe facebook.com/derealtingcafe
Dos Gatos dosgatosjax.com
Element Bistro Bar & Lounge elementjax.com
Hardwicks hardwicksbarjax.com
Intuition Aleworks intuitionaleworks.com
Island Girl Cigar Bar islandgirlcigarbar.com
Justice Pub facebook.com/thejusticepub
The Lark thelarkjax.com
Live Bar facebook.com/livebarclubjax
Manifest Distilling manifestdistilling.com
Ocean Street Tequila instagram.com/oceanstreettacosandtequila
The RL Lounge therlloungejax.com
Ruby Beach Brewing rubybeachbrewing.com
Underbelly underbellyjax.com
The Volstead thevolsteadjax.com
FLEMING ISLAND
Island Girl Cigar Bar islandgirlcigarbar.com/fleming-island
Mercury Moon facebook.com/mercury-moon
Mr. Chubby’s Wings mrchubbyswings.com
Sunset Tiki Bar the-sunset-tiki-bar.business.site
Whitey’s Fish Camp whiteysfishcamp.com
INTRACOASTAL WEST
9 Zero Pour 9zeropour.com
MVP’s Sports Grille facebook.com/mvpssportsgrille
The Spot Hookah Lounge thespothookahloungejax.com
Time Out Sports Grill timeoutsportsgrill.com
MANDARIN/JULINGTON CREEK/ FRUIT COVE
2nd Bay Brewing 2ndbaybrewing.com
Comedy Zone comedyzone.com
Iggy’s Grill and Bar facebook.com/iggysgrill
Kava & Company kavaandcompany.com
Legacy Ale Works legacyaleworks.com
Monkey’s Uncle Tavern monkeysunclemandarin.com
Rack’em Up Sports Bar facebook.com/rackemupsportsbar
Time Out Sports Grill timeoutsportsgrill.com
MURRAY HILL
Axe Champs axechamps.com
Buchner’s Bierhalle buchnersbierhalle.com
The Boot Rack Saloon boot-rack-saloon.business.site
Fishweir Brewing Company fishweirbrewing.com
The Flamingo theflamingojax.com
Mustang Bar & Grill facebook.com/themustangjax
Perfect Rack Billiards perfectrackbilliards.com
Silver Cow silvercowjax.com Spruce sprucejax.com
The Walrus thewalrusjax.com
NORTHSIDE
Coppertop Bar and Restaurant coppertopbarandrestaurant.com
Four Fathers Distillery fourfathersdistillery.com
ORANGE PARK/MIDDLEBURG
57 Heaven facebook.com/57heavenop
Big Dawgs Sports Restaurant bigdawgsrestaurant.com
Cheers Park Avenue cheersparkave.com
The Daq Shack thedaqshack904.com
Dee’s Music Bar and Grill facebook.com/musicbarandgrill
The Fresh Spot Lounge thefreshspotlounge.com
LeaderBoard Arcade leaderboardarcade.com
Locals Pub localspub.co
Nakama Anime Bar nakamabar.com
Park Avenue Billiards parkavenuebilliards.com
Pinglehead Brewing Company pinglehead.com
Southern Social Whiskey Bar & Lounge southernsocialbar.com
RIVERSIDE/AVONDALE
Birdies facebook.com/birdiesfivepoints
Bold City Brewery boldcitybrewery.com
Brick Restaurant brickofavondale.com
Burlock & Barrel burlockandbarrel.com
Dart Bar & Games facebook.com/dartbarjax
Eclipse Bar & Nightclub facebook.com/eclipsebarjax
The Garage garagejax.com
The Green House thegreenhousebar.com
Hoptinger Bier Garden + Sausage House hoptinger.com
Incahoots incahootsnightclub.com
Kanine Social Taproom kaninesocial.com
Keg & Coin kegandcoinjax.com
Kingmaker Brewing kingmakerbrewing.com
Lemonstreet Brewing Company lemonstreetbrewing.com
