Jax Files

The title of this photo is “lean on me as we go to sea.” While watching a turtle nest excavation, I was able to photograph these two fragile newborns traveling together down the beach towards the ocean. It was a moving experience and I “ often wonder if they survived and where, in the long ocean migration, they might be found. If females, they hopefully will return one day to Amelia Island to lay their ” own eggs, continuing the circle of life. — Ann Kemp

CALLING ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS: Do you have an image of Northeast Florida you’d like to share with our readers? Submit your photo and the story behind it to mail@jacksonvillemag.com for the opportunity to be featured on this page.

SMALL TALK

Newsworthy Nuggets to Chew on This Month

O The cost of a college education keeps rising, leading many to question the value of that investment today. In Jax, one can succeed without a degree, so says a recent study by FinanceBuzz. More than half (59%) of River City residents don’t have a college degree. According to the study, Jacksonville ranks #4 (out of 50) among the top five best cities for Americans without a college degree. Las Vegas holds the top spot. Our city has one of the lower income gaps between those with a degree and those without, with someone without a degree making about $19,000 less per year, and a median income of $30,717.

O On Thursday, September 29, after battering the southwest and central parts of the state, Hurricane Ian churned north and into the First Coast. While property damage was relatively light when compared to other parts of Florida, the region didn’t escape unscathed. However, many were amazed at how quickly daily life returned to normal, even for those along the coast. St. Augustine’s historic bayfront did endure some flooding. But many of the restaurants, stores and attractions were open for business the next day. In fact, the Castillo de San Marcos reopened for visitors on Sunday. Of course, storms are nothing new to the fort, which broke ground in 1672.

O Speaking of Hurricane Ian: The images of destroyed marinas and neighborhoods gave viewers some sense of the destruction wrought by the storm. Some of the numbers that came out as part of the recovery effort also add context to the situation across some portions of Florida. For example, four days after the storm 42,000 lineman were on duty responding to more than 420,000 reported power outages. At 28 sites set up for food and water, 2,100 pallets of water and 1,776 pallets of food were distributed in less than a week. In Lee County, more than one million meals and six million water bottles were provided to those in need.

O Had P.T. Barnum owned a baseball team, it likely would have looked something like the Savannah Bananas, a squad that combines play on the diamond with circus antics that draw packed houses to their home ballpark, Graysom Stadium. In 2023, and as part of a 33-city, 22-state roadshow, the Bananas will be visiting Jax for a game on Saturday, March 4, at 121 Financial Ballpark. Tickets were not posted for sale as of our press date, but expect them to go quick. Among the Bananas’ more unusual rules of play, batters can steal first base and, if a fan catches a foul ball, the batter is out.

O Have you noticed service being a little slower during your last hotel or resort stay? If so, it’s likely because of staffing shortages. Eighty-seven percent of respondents to a recent American Hotel & Lodging Association survey indicated they were short staffed, with more than one-third saying the shortage was “severe.” According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of August, hotel employment was down by nearly 400,000 jobs compared to February of 2020.

If You Build It...

Downtown Jacksonville has endured years of development “what-if” and infrastructure “if only.” Today, those doubts and hopes are actually rising out of the ground. According to the recently released

Shipyards Four Seasons State of Downtown Report, approximately $5 billion in projects are in the pipeline including $1.5 billion currently under construction. More than 2,200 new residential units are being built or are in review— including developments named One Riverside Avenue, RiversEdge, Life on the St. Johns and American Lions High Rise, and all contain retail or restaurant components. In addition, long-vacant properties such as the Ambassador Hotel, Florida Baptist Convention and Independent Life building are in process of renovation. And, according to the report produced by Downtown Vision, more than 600 new hotel rooms are either in construction or have solid commitments to build, and some 100 acres of riverfront are being transformed via retail and public spaces. u