Heather Burky from the Art Institute of Jacksonville, and local mom of three, was one of ten U.S. students honored for excellence at the 39th Student Acadmey Awards on Saturday, June 9. Burky's documentary, Lost Country, followed three Cuban expatriates who fought Fidel Castro.

Burky's award is the first time a student from the Art Institute of Jacksonville has been honored in the annual competition organized by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, which administers the annual Academy Awards. The goal of the student awards is to support excellence in filmmaking for the up-and-coming generation.

Read the full article from USA Today.

Learn more about Jacksonville's thriving film community

Navy Secretary announces ship buildup will begin quicker than originally planned

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced today that the first amphibious ready group (ARG) ship scheduled to shift homeport to Naval Station Mayport will arrive in the last quarter of calendar year 2013.

The USS New York, the USS Iwo Jima and the USS Fort McHenry, will shift from their current homeport of Norfolk, Va. to Mayport. The New York will be the first to change homeport, followed by the Iwo Jima and Fort McHenry in 2014.

Mabus originally announced Feb. 28 that the ARG would arrive no later than 2015.

“This is another proud moment in our city’s longstanding relationship with the U.S. Navy. I look forward to welcoming many new Navy families and I applaud Secretary Mabus for his confidence in Jacksonville,” said Mayor Alvin Brown. “The military installations in Jacksonville already supply an annual economic impact exceeding $14 billion for the region. Expanding the fleet will support even greater activity for local businesses and the Jacksonville housing market.”

In accordance with Ordinance 2005-361-E, the first Committee week and City Council meeting of the month of July are suspended for a summer break.  The Jacksonville City Council meeting cycle will resume with Standing Committee meetings the week of July 16, followed by the City Council meeting on July 24, 2012.

The City of Jacksonville, Winn Dixie and the Florida Times-Union have partnered this hurricane season to bring you the Jacksonville 2012 Hurricane and Disaster Guide. This guide provides helpful tips to help you protect your family and property this hurricane season.


This year's guide will help you find your safe room, locate a shelter, prepare for the dangers of strong winds and flooding, plan your evacuation route, and put together your disaster supply checklist.
The Eco Latino Media Group has prepared a spanish language hurricane guide, Guiá de Huracanes.

City Council President Stephen Joost (At-Large, Group 3) today announced the nomination of three new members to serve on the Police and Fire Pension Fund board of trustees.

Are you ready?  JaxReady— brought to you by the Emergency Preparedness Division and Information Technologies Division of the City of Jacksonville, Florida— will help you monitor weather threats and plan for evacuation in the event of a natural disaster. JaxReady provides access to current threat levels, weather reports, and wildfire updates, as well as up-to-the-minute news feeds for emergency preparedness and evacuation.

With nearly 32,000 tickets already sold, the match against Scotland on Saturday, May 26, at EverBank Field will set the attendance record for a U.S. Men’s National Team (MNT) international friendly in the state of Florida.

The Jacksonville Fire and Resuce Department and the Florida State Division of Forestry want to help you protect your family and property during Brush Fire Season. Keep dead wood, brush and climbing vines trimmed back at least 30 feet from your home and deck. And remember, there is a ban on the burning of outdoor yard waste throughout the year.

To learn more, watch the video.