Today, Governor Rick Scott announced Jacksonville added 21,300 new private-sector jobs over the year in March. The area’s unemployment rate declined by 0.9 percentage point over the year to 4.4 percent in March. 

Mayor Lenny Curry has appointed Dawn Lockhart to serve as Director of Strategic Partnerships for the City of Jacksonville. In this newly created position, Lockhart will work collaboratively with the nonprofit and philanthropic communities in an effort to better serve Jacksonville citizens.

Ceremonially Signs Tax Cut Package for Florida Families and Job Creators
 
Today, Mayor Lenny Curry joined Governor Rick Scott to announce that Novolex will be expanding their Hilex Poly brand manufacturing facility in Jacksonville, which will create 25 new jobs and invest $6 million in the local community. Novolex, a manufacturer of plastic bags for retailers, has 37 plants across the country and employs more than 100 Floridians. During the announcement, Governor Scott also ceremonially signed HB 7099, which includes the permanent elimination the sales tax manufacturing machinery and equipment and a three-day back-to-school sales tax holiday. Over the past two years, Florida has cut more than $1 billion in taxes. 

Thousands turned out along Laura Street in downtown Jacksonville sporting their blue and white to support Jacksonville's Ribault Lady Trojans basketball team. A parade and celebration were held on April 12 to honor the team's big win at the Dick's Sporting Goods High School National Tournament in New York City's Madison Square Gardens. 

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services raised its credit rating two notches to 'AAA' on JEA's water and sewer system senior-lien debt. Standard & Poor’s also raised its rating on JEA’s subordinate-lien debt to ‘AA+’ from ‘AA’. “Triple A” is the highest rating than any agency can get, and it is the first time that JEA has received that rating.

Mayor Curry Launches Citywide Health Initiative Aimed at Improving Quality Health Outcomes
 
World Health Day marks Jacksonville’s first step in the city’s Journey to One, with the launch of its new campaign aimed at improving the health and well-being of citizens and communities. Joined by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, and city and community leaders, Mayor Lenny Curry announced a variety of programs, partnerships and opportunities in Hemming Park earlier today. The mission, Journey to One, is to ensure that every one in every ZIP code lives well. In an effort to do so, Journey to One promotes nutrition, exercise, disease prevention and safety throughout all communities.

The downtown festival synonymous with innovation, technology and art returned to Jacksonville on April 6 and 7. In partnership with Downtown Vision, Inc., Spark Walk brought thousands of people to downtown Jacksonville to meet with One Spark creators and learn more about their projects, while enjoying a vibrant and entertaining downtown environment. 

City and community leaders welcomed NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to EverBank Field April 1. Goodell accepted an award on behalf of the NFL for its contributions to Project 17, an initiative to place full-time, certified athletic trainers (ATs) in 17 of Duval County’s public high schools in five years. 

In the atrium of City Hall on Tuesday, April 5, Mayor Lenny Curry joined Sheriff Mike Williams, State Attorney Angela Corey and other community leaders and victims’ advocates to speak out against sexual assault in our community.

The Mayor’s Advisory Commission on Motion Picture, Television and Commercial Production is requesting nominations for its annual awards ceremony to take place Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, at WJCT Studios (100 Festival Park Ave. - 32202). 

In a conference room at the Hyatt hotel in downtown Jacksonville, Mayor Lenny Curry joined State Attorney Angela Corey, Sheriff Mike Williams and Edward Waters College President and former Sheriff Nat Glover, along with representatives from the Florida Bar Association, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Public Defender’s Office, for a panel discussion on easing racial tensions and building trust in the community. The event was hosted by the Jacksonville Bar Association, an organization for professionals in Jacksonville’s legal community. 

At a news conference on March 29, Mayor Lenny Curry joined the Jacksonville Jaguars, SMG and the Jacksonville Armada FC to announce that the U.S. Men’s National Team is returning to Jacksonville on Sept. 6 for a World Cup qualifying match against Trinidad and Tobago.

Mayor Introduces Leadership for Re-established Neighborhoods Department
 
Mayor Lenny Curry introduced leadership for the Neighborhoods department during a news conference held this afternoon at City Hall. The introductions follow last week’s unanimous vote of approval by City Council for the mayor’s reorganization bill. The Neighborhoods department will be responsible for neighborhood and housing services, code and regulatory compliance, animal and mosquito control, and citizen issue support. 

Governor approves Mayor Curry’s Pension Legislation Bill
 
This afternoon, Gov. Rick Scott signed legislation, approving Mayor Lenny Curry’s plan to address Jacksonville’s crippling pension debt. This plan grants municipal governments the ability to extend existing surtax revenue to address pension liability. The bill limits participation to those local governments whose underfunded retirement benefit is below 80 percent of actuarial funding. 

Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that the Jacksonville area added 20,700 new private-sector jobs over the year in February. The area’s unemployment rate declined by 1.0 percentage point over the year to 4.5 percent in February. Florida’s statewide unemployment rate dropped to 4.9 percent in February, the state’s lowest rate in eight years.