Inner Circle makes the Florida loop   “Honestly, I really don’t remember the first time we played in Florida,” said Roger Lewis, the leader of Inner Circle, speaking remotely from Miami. “We used to do it a long time ago, come up from Pensacola, go up to Tallahassee, that club down there—it’s still there.” Inner Circle is still here, too, a remarkable feat of longevity in an industry that is completely different than it was when they first started or even just a few years ago. “Brevard County,” interjects his younger brother Ian; his thick patois imparts a level …

The year’s weirdest and wildest news story so far was actually not so weird and wild, after all. It speaks to the perpetual perdurability of Queen Elizabeth II (April 21, 1926-September 8, 2022) that a 96 year-old woman who’d just beaten covid in February could die in September, and the entire world was shocked, legit. Lucky for us, the queen did all the prep-work, well in advance, allowing her loved the world at large to just sit back, relax, and play their part in the spectacle of her exit, stage-managed to the finest details.  “London Bridge Is Falling Down” was …

Last month’s column was all about my recommendations for people to vote for in the Aug. 23 Florida primaries with an eye toward our shared goal of continuing to build the state’s medical marijuana industry, hopefully even allowing for full recreational use, eventually. Well, let’s just say that pretty much all those people lost, meaning any ambitions we had along those lines are officially out the door, maybe forever. We had 29% turnout in Duval County, and mostly Republican, in a majority Democratic county, where Dems had much more on the line—utterly disgraceful, but we are pathologically incapable of shame. …

Last month’s column had more stories than usual, and the readers seemed to enjoy the breezy pace, even more than usual, so that will be our default going forward. That’s good news for all of us, because there is plenty of material this month, as always, so let’s jump right in! July 22: Climate change activists picked a silly way to promote their cause when three members of Ultima Generazione (Italian for “last generation,” in case you care) glued their grubby palms to “Primavera,” painted by Sandro Botticelli and currently on display at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Was it …

It’s been a summer of anniversaries, large and small, for people and institutions across Northeast Florida, as you may have noticed. It’s the 200th anniversary of the city itself (which was founded on a Saturday, very on-brand), the 100th anniversary of the Garden Club, the 50th anniversary of WJCT, the 25th for iconic local DJ Wes Reed and so much else. The same is true for Folio, celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. This past July 8 marked the 25th anniversary of my own debut in this illustrious local rag, some seven editors and maybe a million words ago. A …

One of the best things about the media these days is that there is no shortage of material, and the news cycle in 2022 has manifested some of the most daffy detritus ever documented by humans living or dead, or both. Here, in this column, we offer you only the choicest AF nubbins of news, and the hardest part of the job is simply deciding what makes the cut. As you can imagine, the workflow of a particular task depends on the nature of the task itself. In this case, as interesting items pop up, I send them to myself …

The race to succeed Mike Williams as leader of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was already looking to be one of the most interesting contests in an election season with no shortage of drama. Williams’ abrupt retirement, which he announced on June 2 and officially began just a week later, makes things vastly more complicated, which, in turn, makes things a lot more entertaining for you, the voter. The first round in this incredibly weird election takes place Aug. 23. The technical term is “Special First Election,” and gosh, isn’t that the case? It’s already too late to register to vote …

By the time you’re reading this column (and how long it takes you to read it), we will be just over a month away from this year’s statewide primaries in which our two main political parties (Democrats and Republicans, for the uninitiated) will select their nominees for a variety of positions on the local, state and national level. Depending on what county and neighborhood you live in, you can expect to see everything from your local school board to the U.S. Senate (which is apparently still a thing) on the ballot Aug. 23. Our main event pits Nikki Fried against …

Summer is here now, but Florida Man has been in mid-season form since late last year. He is called upon by destiny to defend his crown as champion lunatic of this somehow still great nation-like thing of ours. He holds firm against stiff competition coming from coast to coast, amidst an overall bull market on scams, shake-downs and shenanigans of all kinds—and the election hasn’t even started yet. It’s like the old saying, “Never gamble with someone who doesn’t know the rules.” I might have just made that up, but I’m pretty sure I read it somewhere, long ago. Florida …

The third annual River City Wrestling Con, which takes place the weekend of June 11-12, will bring rising stars of the industry and all-time legends to the largest pro-wrestling autograph convention in the Southeast. There will be food and drink, panels and discussions, video games and merchandise and a whole slate of actual wrestling, featuring talent drawn from around the country, and from every level of the business.  The con is conveniently timed for the thousands who will be in attendance, as it coincides with the city’s Bicentennial Celebration. June 10 features a Bicentennial Pub Walk that starts at Bold …