Mayor Lenny Curry and City Councilwoman Katrina Brown (District 8) will join city and JEA officials this afternoon for a review and examination of conditions in a northwest neighborhood. The area, which includes homes in the 32209 ZIP code, is among those with recent crime activity. Mike Brost (JEA Vice President/General Manager Electric Systems) and John Pappas (City of Jacksonville Director of Public Works), will identify street lighting needs, overgrown trees and shrubs, blight conditions, and other challenges that may foster criminal activity in neighborhoods.

Keep Jacksonville Beautiful and the City of Jacksonville are accepting nominations for the 11th Annual Keep Jacksonville Beautiful Awards now through March 11. These awards showcase individuals, businesses, organizations and schools that are making strides to keep our city clean. The awards will be presented at the Keep Jacksonville Beautiful Friend Raiser taking place April 1 at City Hall (117 W. Duval St. - 32202).

Mayor Lenny Curry will kick-off his latest series of Community Conversations addressing public safety in the upcoming weeks. The first of this series, "Our Future: Addressing Youth Violence in our Community", will feature panelists Sheriff Mike Williams (Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office), Superintendent Nikolai Vitti (Duval County Public Schools), State Attorney Angela Corey (Fourth Judicial Court) and Officer Deon Johnson (JSO Dept. of Corrections). W.C. Gentry, chair of the Jax Journey Board, will serve as moderator.

In a joint effort to promote healthier communities, Mayor Lenny Curry and the First Coast YMCA challenged Tampa Bay Mayor Bob Buckhorn and the Tampa YMCA to see which city can achieve the greatest distance traveled on a treadmill in 12 hours.

Yesterday, the Florida Senate Finance and Tax Committee unanimously passed Mayor Lenny Curry’s pension plan legislation. The bill would allow the City to extend an existing sales tax to pay down Jacksonville’s crippling pension debt. The bill must be approved by one more Senate committee before moving to the floor of that chamber. The House State Affairs Committee will consider the bill  Feb. 10. 

This week, the City of Jacksonville launched the new My One Thing campaign, where citizens in neighborhoods across our city share one thing they love about Jacksonville. This week, Alicia in Arlington talks about our great natural environment and our strong business and cultural communities. 

Mayor Lenny Curry joined Governor Rick Scott at Kaman Aircraft Corporation in Jacksonville to highlight the company’s recent expansion. Kaman has created 165 new jobs since 2011, with plans to ultimately create 200 new jobs for local families. Kaman is a global aerospace and industrial manufacturer and distributor, with 430 employees in Jacksonville and more than 700 employees across Florida. The expansion of their operation also created a capital investment of more than $30 million in Duval County.

On Feb. 4, Mayor Lenny Curry helped Winn-Dixie cut the ribbon at their newest store located on Baymeadows Road near Interstate 295. The store represents a new concept for the company, with a new look and an increased focus on fresh, quality food offerings.

In his latest “One City. One Jacksonville. Two Minutes.” video, Mayor Lenny Curry talks about his pension proposal before the state Legislature, the most recent efforts of Jax Journey and the next edition of his Community Conversations focused on public safety. 

The City of Jacksonville was named a 2016 Healthy Weight Community Champion by the Florida Department of Health. The recognition is awarded to counties and cities that implement best practices to reduce obesity and encourage healthier lifestyles for residents.

The Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission is requesting nominations for its annual awards ceremony to take place Thursday, May 12, at the Jacksonville Main Library Auditorium (303 Laura Street N. - 32202). This annual event recognizes outstanding projects and services that promote historic preservation in the Jacksonville area.

Yesterday, Governor Rick Scott announced the selection of two Jacksonville leaders, Earl Johnson and Rutledge Henry Pearson, to the Florida Civil Rights Hall of Fame. Also announced was the selection of Jesse McCrary, Jr. of Miami. Governor Scott chose these three from a list of 10 distinguished nominees selected by the Florida Commission on Human Relations for making significant contributions to the improvement of life for minorities and all citizens of Florida.

Aiden Michael McClendon, a 22-month-old boy, died early Saturday morning after being struck by gunfire while inside a vehicle with his mother and grandmother. The incident occurred in the 700 block of Spearing Street on the city’s eastside. The shooting is believed to be gang-related.

Mayor Lenny Curry joined Sheriff Mike Williams, State Attorney Angela Corey, City Council members, various local ministers and other community leaders in a news conference on Saturday, Jan. 30, at A. Philip Randolph Park – less than a mile from the scene of the fatal shooting. 

Watch unedited video from the Jan. 30 news conference

City of Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry is issuing a directive to change City employment-related policies and practices to comply with all federal and state laws. This policy change precludes and prohibits all forms of employment discrimination, upon any basis, as currently interpreted by the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This directive also applies to vendors who provide goods and services to the City of Jacksonville.

At the January meeting of the Jax Journey Oversight Committee, Mayor Lenny Curry reaffirmed his commitment to the initiative and its mission to reduce violent crime in Jacksonville. 

“This is our issue. This is our cause,” said Mayor Curry during his remarks to the committee. “With all of the things going on in our city, this is the thing we have to focus on.”