The morning departure times for the St. Johns Ferry have changed.  On Monday through Friday, the Ferry now departs from Mayport Village at 6:00 a.m., 6:30 a.m., and continuing on the hour and half hour, with the final departure at 7:00 p.m.  Departures from Ft. George Island are at 6:15 a.m., 6:45 a.m., and continuing on the quarter after and quarter before the hour, with final departure at 7:15 p.m.

In a city famous for its river, beaches and parks system, safety around the water is essential to enjoying all that Jacksonville has to offer. This summer, as part of Mayor Alvin Brown’s People+Parks Connection, free water safety education and swim lessons will be available to more qualifying families than ever.

Mayor Brown announced plans to expand the citywide drowning prevention campaign, called Waterproof Jacksonville, May 3 at the Cecil Aquatic Center. The program will offer free lessons to an estimated 1,500 children this summer, including students attending summer school at Woodland Acres Elementary, as well as to 150 dependents of active military personnel.

“Waterproof Jacksonville is about nothing less than saving lives,” said Mayor Brown. “The ability to swim is absolutely essential in a state like Florida, especially here in Jacksonville. Our state has the nation’s highest drowning rate among children ages 14 and under. That needs to change, and that’s what we’re trying to do with Waterproof Jacksonville.”

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office held their annual Police Memorial Day Ceremony on the front steps of the Police Memorial Building on Bay Street. Mayor Alvin Brown joined Sheriff John Rutherford and many other city officials for the May 1 ceremony to honor the lives of Jacksonville's 60 fallen officers and their families.

See more photos from Police Memorial Day 

During the ceremony, Mayor Brown presented a proclamation declaring May 1, 2014 as "Jacksonville Police Memorial Day," and the week of May 11-17, 2014 as "National Police Appreciation Week." The ceremony also included remarks from Sheriff Rutherford, a Final Roll Call, a twenty-one gun salute, missing man formation flyover, and much more.

The St. Johns River Ferry will extend operating hours to 9:00 p.m., on Friday, May 2nd, for the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival in Fernandina Beach.

The Federal Highway Administration has awarded the St. Johns River Ferry a $900,000 grant from the Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP).  The grant will be distributed to the ferry in two $450,000 annual payments beginning this fiscal year.

The Jacksonville City Council is seeking nominations for the 2014 “Robert O. Johnson Good Government Award”.  The award was established by the Jacksonville City Council in 2003 in honor of former City Council Auditor Robert O. Johnson.  Each year, the award is bestowed upon an employee who has demonstrated a sustained and significant contribution to the increased efficiency and effectiveness of the City of Jacksonville or its Independent Agencies.

The City of Jacksonville and City Council hosted a Tire and Sign Buy-Back event at the EverBank Field parking lot on April 5 as part of efforts to curb neighborhood and urban blight. More than 23,000 tires and 6,000 illegal signs were collected, resulting in a payout of $41,255. At the first-time event, approximately 3,000 Duval County residents turned out to trade in up to 10 tires for $2 per tire, and up to 40 illegal snipe signs for 50 cents per sign.

The event was a collaboration between the City of Jacksonville and the City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Jacksonville’s Neighborhood Blight, which is chaired by Council Member E. Denise Lee, and includes Council Member John Crescimbeni, Council Member Bill Bishop, Council Member Jim Love and Council Member Dr. Johnny Gaffney. The Neighborhood Blight Committee was formed by City Council President Bill Gulliford to examine the status of blight in neighborhoods throughout the city.

One Spark Runs From April 9-13

Mayor Alvin Brown joined One Spark Executive Director Joe Sampson, City Council President Bill Gulliford, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Assistant Chief Leonard Propper and Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s CEO Nat Ford to outline road closures and parking options for this year’s five-day One Spark event.

During the event’s duration, from Wednesday, April 9 through Sunday, April 13, free parking will be available in Lot E at EverBank Field. Free shuttles will take visitors to and from One Spark. There is also a free parking option at the Prime Osborn Houston Lot. JTA is offering free Skyway rides to and from that location.

Sunshine Health, a subsidiary of Fortune 500 health care company Centene Corporation, is considering expanding its presence in Jacksonville.

Sunshine Health, located on Jacksonville’s Southside, currently employs 107 people in Jacksonville and is working with city leaders on growing its local offices. A proposal to be filed with the Jacksonville City Council would add 125 new employees and invest $900,000 into the local economy. The expansion is contingent on City Council approval.