City of Jacksonville

Congratulations to UF Health Jacksonville on the groundbreaking of the new Leon L. Haley Jr., MD Emergency and Trauma Center this morning. Named for the late former CEO of UF Health, this expansion will add 35,000 square feet to the existing UF Health building, the region's only Level 1 trauma center. "The City of Jacksonville is always grateful for the opportunity to be a part of making UF Health an even better place for patients, their families and visitors," said Mayor Donna Deegan at the groundbreaking ceremony Thursday morning. "We miss Dr. Haley on this beautiful fall day. Every time we see this new building, we will be reminded of his vision and his incredible dedication to Jacksonville." Funded with $80 million from the State of Florida and $10 million from the City of Jacksonville, this groundbreaking will also include renovation of existing space at UF Health Jacksonville.

Jacksonville was recently ranked fifth for U.S. cities with the most “brain gain” by USA TODAY. Cities with brain gain are those that are successfully attracting and retaining college-educated individuals. Communities with a net loss of college graduates experience “brain drain.” According to the publication, which analyzed U.S. Census 2023 American Community Survey data and state-level migrations to arrive at its findings, Jacksonville had a net migration of 5,310 college-educated residents in 2023. Some of the top reasons college graduates move to a city include the cost of living, tax environment, career opportunities, and cultural amenities – all areas where Jacksonville excels over its peer cities. Prospective residents also look for communities with housing affordability and availability. Jacksonville is seeing housing inventory grow and year-over-year rent prices decrease because of this administration’s focus on affordable housing. “It’s not a surprise to see that Jacksonville is attracting such a large pool of college graduates,” said Mayor Donna Deegan. “The word is out across the country that we are a fantastic place to live, work and play. This influx of talent will further bolster our local economy’s growing industries, including FinTech, healthcare, banking, manufacturing, and logistics.” To read the complete article and see how we ranked against other cities, please go to: https://lnkd.in/e6KvYWuD

If you, your family, or your neighbor could use some help with food on their table this Thanksgiving holiday, Feeding Northeast Florida is hosting a free food distribution at Lonnie Miller Park (7689 Price Ln) this Saturday, November 23rd at 9am. This is a drive-through food distribution, but accommodations will be made for walk-ups For a complete list of free food distributions hosted, or sponsored by Feeding NEFL, please visit their "Find Food Now" page here: https://lnkd.in/eR8B9brg)

Great job Duval ?? The UF/IFAS Extension Duval County and JaxParks Peanut Butter Challenge is complete and 1,577 jars of peanut butter were collected, totaling 2,031 lbs! “Thanks to the citizens of Duval County, for your participation and generous donations to help fight against hunger,” said Tracy Akers Williams, UF/IFAS Extension Duval County Marketing Manager. “We continue to exceed our goal in this challenge with your help. This year, we had a goal of 20% over last year and we exceeded that goal by 4.1%. Together, we are making strides in the fight against hunger by providing this nutritious food item to local pantries.” Special thanks go to JAXCARES FOUNDATION INC, the Duval County Property Appraiser, Duval County Extension Master Gardeners, Jacksonville Public Library, Hola News, Standard Feed and Seed, Yanira Cardona – COJ’s Hispanic Outreach Coordinator, Girl Scout Troup 74962 with Gateway Council, Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department, COJ Parks and Recreation, COJ Disabled Services, and all the citizens who donated. The Extension Office has started distributing it to food pantries and will be finished before the Thanksgiving holiday.

It's almost time to "Deck The Hulls" for the 40th Jacksonville Light Boat Parade coming up on November 30th at 6:30pm ???? Join us for one of our favorite holiday traditions with creatively decorated boats and an amazing fireworks show on the St. Johns River! For more information, please go to: https://lnkd.in/eaqr4Vh

We want to send a huge congratulations to Jacksonville Beach Elementary for being named the #1 ranked elementary school in Florida again by U.S. News & World Report. 100% of the students scored at or above the proficient level in both reading and math. Great work JBE! For the complete list, and more details on this tremendous honor, please visit https://lnkd.in/dUBVb2tE

It’s great day for neighborhoods across Jacksonville as the Zoning Overlay Protection Bill was signed into law. This legislation now requires 11 of 19 votes on the City Council to override an existing zoning overlay or create a new one. It also brings in heavy citizen involvement throughout the process to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard in these very important decisions. "Thank you to Councilman Matt Carlucci for leading the charge on this effort, and to Councilman Joe Carlucci for offering a compromise that helped with final passage," said Mayor Donna Deegan. "My administration and the City Council have a shared belief that smart growth and development are good for our city. This bill ensures that the people that live in affected neighborhoods will have a say and that zoning decisions are made as part of long-term plans."

?? Good Morning ?? Happy Monday! Raise your hand if you’ll take this weather year-round ?? Hopefully you were able to take advantage and enjoyed it this past weekend. Let’s have a great day today and a wonderful week ahead. Make it happen Jacksonville! “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” —Arthur Ashe

All the victims being honored at the World Remembrance Day event this afternoon were Jacksonville residents. Each of them left behind friends and family members who were devastated by their loss. On behalf of the entire City, please accept our condolences and know that we are here to support you however we can. "The loss of your loved ones is made even more tragic by the fact that most roadway injuries and deaths are preventable," said Mayor Donna Deegan during the ceremony Friday afternoon. "Our work continues in their honor to ensure that another family doesn’t experience that same pain." Roadway safety requires us to be proactive, which is why we’re currently developing Jacksonville’s first Vision Zero Action Plan designed to eliminate all traffic fatalities and reduce serious injuries in half by 2035. Read more about this much-needed comprehensive strategy here: https://lnkd.in/eizXjTcJ)

It's about to begin! ?? Day 1 of the Friends Of The Jacksonville Public Library Big Bag Book Sale is today from 4-8pm for members only. Good news is you can buy a membership at the door and take advantage of even better deals on books, CD's, DVD's & more. This event is open to everyone this Friday and Saturday: ?? Friday 11/15: 4 to 8pm - $15 grocery bag, buy two, get one free. ?? Saturday 11/16: 10am to 3pm - $15 grocery bag, buy two, get one free. Grocery bags will be provided. It is all happening at the University Park Branch of the Jacksonville Public Library located at 3435 University Blvd. N. Please visit https://www.fjpl.org/ for more details and information.