Jacksonville, Duval County | featured news

Commercial and residential activity in downtown Jacksonville is on the upswing according to a summary analyzing the last 18 months that was issued by Downtown Vision Inc.
The report published Tuesday shows occupancy rates of commercial properties in downtown climbed to 81.4 percent in the past year and a half. The report says that’s the highest level since 2007.
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The wife of a Jacksonville businessman who was falsely reported dead in Venezuela, then arrested in North Carolina, is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday on a charge of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.
Federal prosecutors last month accused Daphne Simpson of working with Jose Lantigua, her husband, to make the 2013 story of his death believable and to file claims on life insurance policies worth millions of dollars. Lantigua owned Circle K Furniture in Jacksonville before his disappearance.

The wife of a Jacksonville businessman who was falsely reported dead in Venezuela, then arrested in North Carolina, is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday on a charge of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.
Federal prosecutors last month accused Daphne Simpson of working with Jose Lantigua, her husband, to make the 2013 story of his death believable and to file claims on life insurance policies worth millions of dollars. Lantigua owned Circle K Furniture in Jacksonville before his disappearance.

Rogue artists went to work Tuesday night preparing downtown with anti-Donald Trump propaganda.
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Rogue artists went to work Tuesday night preparing downtown with anti-Donald Trump propaganda.
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Florida’s second-busiest shopping weekend of the year begins Friday with the annual sales tax holiday. The sales tax relief, meant to save families money on back-to-school shopping, is three days this year, down from 10 last year.
It begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday and ends at 11:59 p.m. Sunday. The eligible items:
■ Clothing, footwear and certain accessories selling for $60 or less per item.
■ Certain school supplies selling for $15 or less per item.

Florida’s second-busiest shopping weekend of the year begins Friday with the annual sales tax holiday. The sales tax relief, meant to save families money on back-to-school shopping, is three days this year, down from 10 last year.
It begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday and ends at 11:59 p.m. Sunday. The eligible items:
■ Clothing, footwear and certain accessories selling for $60 or less per item.
■ Certain school supplies selling for $15 or less per item.

Over the 20 years they’ve operated in Florida, the companies which manage charter schools spent millions on political races, political action committees and political parties.
For the current election cycle, Florida’s biggest charter school companies spread more than $343,000 around so far to mostly conservative candidates for state Senate and House seats and to political action groups.
Some of that money now is flowing further down hill, to local school board races.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will appear at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena at 7 p.m. Wednesday for a campaign rally. The Times-Union will have continuing coverage throughout the day. Check back with our live blog for updatesread more

The image is powerful: a young person standing alone while proudly holding aloft an American flag depicting the bright colors of a rainbow instead of the traditional red, white and blue.
As compelling as the symbolism of the photographic portrait, entitled “We Won’t Forget,” are the words of Sterling Davis Jr. who created it. Davis, 21, wrote a heartfelt message on a small placard accompanying the art work.
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