Jacksonville Beach Fla
North East Florida's Island Playground to the East
Located just east of Jacksonville Florida, Jacksonville Beach has evolved over the years into a world class resort renowned for good times, good food, and luxury living. Long gone are the days of the old Jacksonville Boardwalk and all the sleaze it was known for in the late fifties and sixties. Today Jacksonville Beach aspires to be the South Florida of the north. Seperated from Jacksonville by the Intercoastal waterway (aka "the ditch") our humble town has become both a refuge for the downtrodden townies, and a destination for tourists and business travelers alike. Join me for a tour of Jacksonville’s worst kept secret - Jacksonville Beach.
The Jacksonville Beach Fishing Pier opened with two days left in 2004. Built to withstand Hurricane weather, (and it has-twice before it opened!) somebody forgot to lock the gate on New Years Eve! Some surprised locals brought in the new year from about a half mile into the Atlantic!
Some of the best east coast surfing happens here, with contests for the kids and the champs occurring just about every weekend in the summer. Not the hugest waves in the world, but our kids sure know how to tear it up in the Jax Surf!
Entertainment in Jacksonville Beach is often and varied. Spring and
Summer Festivals at the outdoor Jacksonville Beach Seawalk Pavilion offers free
concerts featuring bands from all over. Springing the Blues- our version
of the Right of Spring, features three days of music, food, and fun! Across
the street is FreeBird Live, a nightclub bringing in bands from all over
all year round!
Florida Seafood at it's best! From Joe's Crab Shack, a colorful building at the end of Beach Blvd., to the upscale Bonefish Cafe in south beach, tons of restaurants for every taste line A1A and First Street.
Make no mistake about it, Jacksonville Florida's worst kept secret -
Jacksonville Beach is a party town! Restaurants abound, and live
music occurs more often than not at the many nightclubs and restaurants that
concentrate around Beach Blvd. and spread out both north and south on A1A. If
you're ever in the Jacksonville area, do yourself a favor and visit Jacksonville
Beach!
Shorelines
Meserve prepares motion to dismiss land deal felony charge, new judge assigned
by Drew Dixon
8 Feb 2010 at 1:47pm
Suspended Jacksonville City Councilman John Meserve withheld entering a plea in his arraignment in Circuit Court today while his attorney prepares a motion to dismiss a third-degree felony charge against Meserve for his involvement in Mayport land deals.
Meserve?s arraignment resulted in a postponement of a plea to a charge of operating without a real estate license while his attorney Andrew Kantor told the court he?s preparing a motion to dismiss the charge.
Woman shot in Atlantic Beach with life-threatening injuries
by Scott Butler
6 Feb 2010 at 2:53pm
Atlantic Beach police have ruled out foul play after a woman was flown to a hospital with a life-threatening shooting injury this afternoon.
The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department responded to the home in the 2200 block of North Fairway Villas Lane off Mayport Road about 3:30 p.m. and called for a rescue helicopter.
Atlantic Beach police also arrived and processed the scene. About two hours later a sergeant said the shooting didn't involve foul play. No other details were provided.
Mayo researchers put marathon money to good use in war against breast cancer
by Times-Union
5 Feb 2010 at 11:00pm
In the past two years, thousands of people have raised $1.5 million for breast cancer research by running through the Beaches area in the 26.2 With Donna The National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer.
So far, their efforts are paying off.
Using new technology that didn't exist two years ago, Mayo Clinic researchers can identify every mutation active in every type of breast cancer tumor. And they're working on new technologies that will let them custom-design treatments for individual patients.
Beaches fishermen join forces to protest bans
by Times-Union
5 Feb 2010 at 11:00pm
Commercial and recreational anglers at the Beaches are rallying to support a United We Fish demonstration at the U.S. Capitol to express their anger with federal fishing bans on grouper and redfish and fears about what could come next.
Through the years, fishing enthusiasts have adapted to checking the size and numbers of their fish and, when necessary, return their catches to the water. But two new federal regulations that took effect last month really set them off.
Chick-fil-A transforms into campground before grand opening
by Times-Union
5 Feb 2010 at 11:00pm
The new Chick-fil-A restaurant site along Marsh Landing Parkway became a tent city this week.
The fast-food restaurant's doors opened Thursday at 590 Marsh Landing in Jacksonville Beach.
But it wasn't just another restaurant opening.
About 275 people anticipated it so intently that they showed up a day ahead of time, at 6 a.m. Wednesday, in the parking lot around the restaurant. They all had hopes of being selected as one of 100 people who would win 52 combo meal tickets to be used through this year.
Manuel still has his status, but Mays eyes District 4 seat
by Times-Union
5 Feb 2010 at 11:00pm
PONTE VEDRA BEACH - St. Johns County Commissioner Phil Mays, appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist to fill in temporarily for Tom Manuel, Ponte Vedra Beach's suspended commissioner, said this week he'll run in the fall to remain in the District 4 seat.
Mays, 41, said he will file a letter of intent with the County Supervisor of Elections office to run for the seat. Candidates who file a letter are acknowledging they have opened a campaign account, which means they can collect and spend money and file petitions.
New proposal calls for Atlantic Beach cop shop to replace commission chambers.
by Times-Union
5 Feb 2010 at 11:00pm
ATLANTIC BEACH - A long-awaited new public safety building could end up containing new City Commission chambers as well as police headquarters, according to one commissioner's new plan.
During a commission workshop Monday, Commissioner John Daughtery proposed demolishing the chambers on Seminole Road and building a new police headquarters in their place.
St. Johns chairman remains suspended, even as he's sentenced to prison
by Times-Union
5 Feb 2010 at 11:00pm
PONTE VEDRA BEACH - Even though he's been convicted of bribery, suspended St. Johns County Commission Chairman Tom Manuel will remain in that status until he resigns or the state Senate removes him from the seat, officials said this week.
Manuel, 64, who has been Ponte Vedra Beach's representative on the commission, was sentenced last week to 21 months in federal prison, followed by 16 months of home detention and 20 months of court supervision after his release.
UNF gives professor notice of firing after investigation
by Times-Union
5 Feb 2010 at 11:00pm
A University of North Florida associate professor was given a second notice of termination this week after a 160-page internal investigation report following a September attack on a contractor at the professor's Queen's Harbour home.
Letters to the editor
by Times-Union
5 Feb 2010 at 11:00pm
Why replace the Atlantic Beach Police building?
Atlantic Beach needs a new police building. The current building has space, design and survivability problems. It is inadequate for our officers to do their jobs as well as they should. In the case of a major storm, our most critical emergency response facility may not be usable for months or even years.
Rooney Bin: Message received: It's a sweet(heart) time of year
by Times-Union
5 Feb 2010 at 11:00pm
If you've been looking for love in all the wrong places, it's time we had a heart-to-heart. Although the Rooney Bin doesn't profess to be a column for the lovelorn, a little Internet research has revealed a thing or two about hearts.
The love icon doesn't resemble a human's biological heart, but it has long represented romance and the emotion of love; as such it's a symbol of Valentine's Day.
Soccer, wrestling and more: Sports news at the Beaches
by Times-Union
5 Feb 2010 at 11:00pm
From soccer stars to ultra-marathoners, Beaches athletes turned in some impressive performances this week. Here are the top performers and events:
- End of the line: Beaches-area high school girls soccer teams made early playoff exits this week, assuring no state championships this year for local programs.
'09 Beaches foreclosure rates beat U.S. average
by Times-Union
5 Feb 2010 at 11:00pm
Foreclosure rates in Jacksonville Beach and Ponte Vedra Beach were some of the highest in Duval and St. Johns counties last year and surpassed the national average, a national real estate database's new figures show.
However, Beaches foreclosure rates were far lower than the average in Florida, which has the third-highest foreclosure rate in the nation, according to RealtyTrac, a private real estate database firm based in Irvine, Calif.
Beaches shorts
by Times-Union
5 Feb 2010 at 11:00pm
Cardiologist to speak
To help celebrate Heart Month, Jacksonville cardiologist Scott Baker will speak Friday in a program called Take it to Heart at the Beaches branch library.
Friends of the Beaches Branch Library will present the Noonbreak program from noon until 1 p.m. at the library at 600 Third St., Neptune Beach.
Police briefs
by Times-Union
5 Feb 2010 at 11:00pm
The following is a compilation of reports from Beaches-area police departments:
ATLANTIC BEACH
- A 25-year-old man was ejected from a Yamaha motorcycle after colliding with a Toyota about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Mayport and Levy roads.
