Community

In January 2020, an estimated 27,487 people in Florida were homeless on any given day, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As Jacksonville residents, we often come across individuals experiencing homelessness, especially Downtown, but what do we actually know about them and how did they get there? Living at the beach and working downtown, I am quite used to running into makeshift beds on sidewalks and seeing people with their entire life shoved into a backpack. We exchange a quick “hi” or maybe I offer a small smile, and I am off to the next …

Popular Riverside coffee shop and cafe being uprooted If you’re tapped into Riverside happenings, you’ve probably come across Instagram posts regarding Southern Roots and their probable relocation. There’s been a lot of noise online, so we’re hoping to help clear up the facts and give a voice to all sides of the matter. Here’s the rundown Mariah Goetz Salvat and her husband Juan Pablo “JP” Salvat, owners of Southern Roots Filling Station, a local vegan coffee shop serving breakfast and lunch, set up shop at their current King Street location in 2014. In 2016, they expanded into the space next …

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 …

Words by Rain Henderson & Joseph Guiffre Winding through the live oak lined backroads a dozen miles southeast of Gainesville, the bright Florida summer sun beats down. The light illuminates the old houses and chicken coops we pass, miles from the hustle and bustle. Finally we take a turn down a dirt road across from an idyllic cow pasture framed by tall symmetrical palms. The shade of the woodlands is welcoming and so is the tall, smiling, plainly dressed man waiting at the gate. Over the past two or three years people have been confronting their own mortality more than …

Avondale cycle shop keeps on spinning Walking into Tucker Cycles in The Shoppes of Avondale, the first bike that caught my attention was a Reeb hardtail mountain bike painted a bright Jaguars teal. The frame design was a modern take on the setups mountain bike pioneers rode called “klunkers,” which were essentially souped-up beach cruisers with fat tires. The bike sported fat, knobby gumwall tires, a beautiful front suspension system and tall BMX-style handlebars; as OG as it gets, while keeping function and aesthetics at the forefront. When I pointed it out to Holt Tucker, owner of the shop, he …

Words by David Jaffee Jacksonville, like many other communities across the country, is experiencing an affordable housing crisis. Over the past year, according to Redfin real estate brokerage firm, the average rent in Duval County has increased by 31%. Close to 50% of all Jacksonville renters are cost burdened (spending greater than 30% of income on rent). Jacksonville ranks consistently in the top 10 among major metropolitan areas on almost every measure of rising housing costs. When 60 Minutes devoted a segment to this issue earlier this year, they chose Jacksonville as the city to profile. The conventional wisdom about …

If you are not registered to vote as of this publication date, you are not eligible to vote in Florida’s 2022 primary election on Aug. 23. Because Florida is a closed primary state, eligible voters can only vote for candidates in their same political party. Voters registered as Republican will choose among Republican candidates; voters registered as Democrat will choose among Democratic candidates. Independent and unaffiliated voters are not able to participate. Every two years, a state primary election is held 11 weeks before the general election for the purpose of nominating candidates to be voted for in the general …

Omar Aftab Throughout the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast, aim to do good deeds and try their best to return to their roots and religion as much as possible. However, even within the month itself, the last 10 nights are an extremely special time. One of these nights, in the Islamic tradition, is said to be Laylat-ul-Qadr, the night of destiny. During this night, everyone’s destiny for the year is decided upon. Furthermore, the night is said to be worth 1,000 months, or roughly 83 years, in terms of good deeds. Therefore, many Muslims spend the last 10 nights “searching” …

Jay Mafela Located in LaVilla, the Ritz Theatre and Museum is not only a gorgeous venue for concerts and theatrical productions but also serves as a tribute to the lives and contributions of local African-Americans. The Ritz stands on the same spot as the movie theater of the same name built in 1929. At the time, LaVilla was considered by many to be the “Harlem of the South,” attracting performers including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and a young Ray Charles. The original building was eventually torn down with the new Ritz opening in 1999. Today, it …

Lily Snowden The Garden Club of Jacksonville turned 100 years old on March 25, 2022. The Garden Club of Jacksonville is one of Florida’s oldest and most established garden clubs. Ninah May Holden Cummer founded the club on March 25, 1922 in her home in Riverside. The club was originally comprised of 17 of Cummer’s friends. Within months, the club grew to over 100 members. The Garden Club of Jacksonville was one of the original four clubs in the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs. The club continued to grow over the years, and eventually broke ground on a clubhouse. The …