Jacksonville, Duval County | featured news

The Duval County School Board put off approving a plan to spread gifted services to more elementary and middle school students at a meeting Tuesday night.
The issue has been a matter of debate among board members and Superintendent Nikolai Vitti recently because there is more demand for gifted seats in Duval County than there are gifted teachers and programs.
Vitti recommended establishing more full-time gifted teachers and programs in more elementary and middle schools.

A handful of Jacksonville progressives have planned a protest against Donald Trump for his Wednesday appearance at the Veterans Memorial Arena downtown.
Dave Schneider, one of the three planning the protests, said the plan is for people who oppose Trump to peacefully gather in front of the arena about an hour before the 7 p.m. event to talk to attendees who support Trump or are undecided.

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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Duval County’s School Board holds its monthly meeting tonight at 6 p.m.
The board may vote on plans for turning around three low-scoring schools, plans for expanding gifted and talented education throughout the district, and plans to let Edward Waters College pay $10 to lease or buy a school building.
The board also will likely decide to retain about 100 teachers who are teaching “out of field,” but the district will reassign them to teach subjects they are certified in.

There’s a packed ballot of candidates awaiting Nassau County voters when the Aug. 30 Republican primary rolls around.
But some of them didn’t get there without issues, while a few others are hoping to move from one office to another or carry their political careers to a higher plane.
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The Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library hold their annual Book Warehouse Sale on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 26 to 28, at the city public library’s Book Warehouse at the University Park Library at 3435 University Blvd. N.
Customers can choose from fiction and non-fiction books, all sorted into categories, as well as paperback books, CDs and DVDs.
read more

A handful of Jacksonville progressives have planned a protest against Donald Trump for his Wednesday appearance at the Veterans Memorial Arena downtown.
Dave Schneider, one of the three planning the protests, said the plan is for people who oppose Trump to peacefully gather in front of the arena about an hour before the 7 p.m. event to talk to attendees who support Trump or are undecided.

The Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library hold their annual Book Warehouse Sale on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 26 to 28, at the city public library’s Book Warehouse at the University Park Library at 3435 University Blvd. N.
Customers can choose from fiction and non-fiction books, all sorted into categories, as well as paperback books, CDs and DVDs.
read more