Jacksonville | featured news

Two motorcyclists died in separate crashes about three hours apart early Saturday at opposite ends of Clay County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Jason Platz, 40, of Jacksonville, who wasn’t wearing a helmet, died when his 2013 Yamaha motorcycle crashed about 1:16 a.m. on Wells Road near Eldridge Avenue in Orange Park. Platz was westbound on Wells Road when he apparently misjudged the curve in the road and lost control of his motorcycle, which then overturned, the Highway Patrol said.

The Clay County School Board voting unanimously has adopted a district budget totaling nearly $380 million and set a property tax rate of 6.7620 mills per $1,000 of taxable property.
The board acted at a Sept. 8 special meeting. The district expects to generate slightly more than $68 million from all mill levies, according to budget documents Assistant Superintendent for Business Affairs Susan Legutko presented to the board.
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What good is a new ordinance targeting blight without funding and little to no manpower — at least for now — to enforce it? Supporters answer, it’s a start.
The Clay County Commission voting 4-1 Aug. 23 adopted a anti-blight ordinance the majority touted as better than the old measure it replaces when it comes to cracking down on dilapidated houses, burned-out buildings and other deteriorating eyesores in unincorporated areas of the county.

Republican vice presidential candidate Gov. Mike Pence is scheduled to attend the 10:30 a.m. service at First Baptist Church Jacksonville downtown.
The church announced the visit by Pence and his family on its Facebook page Saturday. People planning to attend the service should arrive early and will be required to pass through metal detectors to enter the auditorium, according to the post.
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A thin blue line is literally about all that is left before a long-awaited homage to the city’s fallen police officers is completed outside Jacksonville’s Veterans Memorial Arena.
When it is added along with a plaque and paving stones, a dedication for the curved 10-foot-high wall full of the names of 61 officers killed in the line of duty since 1840 should be set for Oct. 1.
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GREEN COVE SPRINGS | The rustling “click-click” of thousands of Lego building bricks accentuated by the delighted laughter of discovery washed over the room in waves as children sorted through mini-mountains of the jumbled brightly colored toys to find that one perfect piece to snap into place and transform an idea from their imagination into reality Tuesday.
It was the first meeting of the Green Cove Springs Library’s LEGO Jr. Maker’s Club since school resumed after summer recess.

Prayer not politics was the priority, Republican vice presidential candidate Gov. Mike Pence said as he and his wife, Karen, joined the congregation of First Baptist Church Jacksonville downtown for the 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship service.
Pence received a warm welcome punctuated by repeated cheers, applause and standing ovations from the congregation that filled the church auditorium as he spoke of his religious faith, how the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks affected him and how Christians have a duty to vote as well as a duty to God.

As Hurricane Hermine threatened Jacksonville, Briana Oliver endured 32 hours of labor, trying to deliver her first child.
Javian took his time.
“He didn’t want to come at all,” she said.
But Oliver, 22, used all she had learned in a pre- and post-natal care class called SHARE, for Support Health Assessment Relationships Education. Javian finally arrived Sept. 2, all 6 pounds, 11 ounces of him. Mother and son emerged fine.
Oliver said that because of the class she felt more prepared.

Evan Whiting grew up with a fascination of what is probably the state’s most iconic animal: the American alligator. Now he’s among the scientists helping to map the history of the species.
The University of Florida graduate and Florida native is the lead author of two studies recently published in the Journal of Herpetology and Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology.
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A group of public housing residents are suing a city official for not enforcing building-quality standards at federally subsidized apartments, saying the policy has unfairly left low-income tenants to languish in poor living conditions that are illegal under city law.
Landlords are required by the city building code to keep rental properties in decent condition, but the city typically doesn’t inspect or enforce those requirements at federally subsidized programs, according to the lawsuit.