An exciting development is taking place at the 5 Points Theatre. Local cinema director, Tim Massett and his wife, are in the planning stages of negotiating a new lease to take over and re-energize the theatre.

If he pulls it off, it would add a vital cultural spark to an eclectic collection of close-in neighborhoods that would welcome such a spruced-up amenity, Riverside Avondale Preservation founder Wayne Wood said.

The Plans: Think Alamo Draft House

Plans include a larger screen, improved sound and acoustics, theater seats with a bar running the length of each row, and full-on kitchen where food will be delivered to your seat.

It will provide a unique combination of movie theatre and dining, showing first-run and independent films while offering beverage and expanded concession service that includes a carefully selected menu of freshly prepared appetizers, sandwiches, and pizzas as well as a wide selection of handcrafted, local beers and great wines.

Tim’s has a background in re-developing theatres and turning them into successful businesses. He got his start at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas, where he worked in 1997. The Alamo Drafthouse is quite possibly the most famous movie theatre in Texas and maybe the US.

You may know also Tim from his involvement in many local film projects which include running the San Marco Theatre, The Pit, The Brooklyn Microcinema and The Talkies.

Crowdsource the $$$! An Innovative Funding Model

The business plan that has been reviewed and approved by the Small Business Association office in Jacksonville, now they need to raise about $95,000. So, Tim is taking his cause to the people and using the crowd-funding site Ulule to help fund the project.

Learn more about innovative ways to fund your next project in a recent article I wrote for One Spark, a movement dedicated to highlighting and fostering innovation in Jacksonville. @BeOneSpark

It should be noted that Tim and his wife plan to invest $10,000 of their own money in the redevelopment.

Plans to raise the money mirror an NPR pledge drive. There are pre-defined contribution levels and each has a reward associated with it. If you choose to pledge, the money will not be removed from your bank account until the project reaches it’s goal. If the project does not reach it’s goal in a stated time frame, no money will change hands.

For example, the $100 pledge level includes twelve movie tickets and twelve popcorns. With the average cost of a movie ticket around $7.50 this contribution pays for itself.

The Urban Jacksonville Matching Challenge & Other Ways to Help Launch This Project

I will match up to $100 contributed by Urban Jacksonville readers. I believe this could help elevate Jacksonville culturally and improve our quality of life. If you think so too, I challenge you to contribute.

Once you have contributed, forward me a copy of your contribution conformation email from Ulule. If there is anyone else out there who is interested in providing a match grant, let me know and I will help facilitate. Let’s amplify our efforts!

Here are some other ways to help. If you can do two of the items below, that would be awesome.

• Visit the project page, contribute and get some great rewards.
• Write a blog post, feel free to use any of the content on this post.
• Share the project page on Twitter or Facebook.
• Convince a family member or friend to contribute.
• Share this blog post with others.

I’m interested to hear your thoughts and comments if you have any. What do you think about this project?

photo credit paperbits

Exciting news to announce! I am now the Website Editor for One Spark, an organization focused on innovation in Jacksonville.

A Nutshell Explanation of What We’re Up To

One Spark is a group of influencers who want to develop a community, focused on encouraging idea generation and disruptive thinking in Jacksonville. We will reinforce the belief that “good” failure is okay, risk is a natural part of new ideas, and that keeping an idea quiet only increases the likelihood it will never launch.

Ultimately we will support the creation, relation, and execution of ideas.

I’ve developed a content strategy that we will execute in the next few months, beginning today. Our first post is called 5 Ways to Help Spark Innovation in Jacksonville. In this post we define our vision of what the One Spark website will be. We also issue a call for connectors, video directors, content producers, designers and event producers who want to join our team:

We’re creating something that not only inspires, but informs. Call it what you want: an online tv station, a magazine, a innovation portal, whatever. It’s all those things and we want to shine a spotlight on smart people and inspire others to do what they’re passionate about.

What Does This Mean for Urban Jacksonville

I am currently working on a website redesign and I will be relaunching with a focus on features and less daily posting. I anticipate more in-depth posts, videos galleries and podcasts coming your way soon.

What Is One Spark?

A couple friends of mine started this movement and I’m very intrigued. These people hold weight and follow through well, so I can see some positive things coming our way from One Spark.

One Spark is a faction of innovators focused on encouraging idea generation and disruptive thinking in Jacksonville, FL. Learn more about One Spark at beonespark.com.

If you want to learn, One Spark will hosting a very informal Q&A on Wednesday, June 1st from 6:30pm – 7:30pm in the atrium at 5 West Forsyth Street. Stay tuned to the movement on Twitter and Facebook.

Be One Spark Teaser

Tweet

Listen and Subscribe

Download audio file (jaxmayor-Episode-6.mp3)
Subscribe to this show in iTunes | RSS | Download MP3

In This Episode

We recap Monday’s debate from the University club where the fists start flying between Moran and Mullaney.

————————————————
EVENTS and RESOURCES
————————————————
Early voting is happening now
The election is March 22 (2 weeks away)

ThinkVoteJax Debates
ThinkVoteJax – stream all the debates at http://www.wjct.tv
Thursday 3/3 at 8pm The role of government in Growth/the Environment
Sunday 3/6 at 10am School Matters Special: Mayoral Forum on Education
Monday 3/7 at 8pm Debate #2 The role of government in Economic Development
Thursday 3/17 at 8 Debate #3: The role of government in Public Health & Safety

jacksonville.com/votersguide

————————————————
FAVORITE TWEETS
————————————————
Faves http://twitter.com/JaxMayorShow/favorites

————————————————
NEWS
————————————————
Monday’s Channel 4 Debate

Mayoral candidate Warren Lee was fired for soliciting petitions

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-03-08/story/mayoral-candidate-warren-lee-was-fired-soliciting-petitions#ixzz1GFNUfSEd

First attack ad in Jacksonville mayoral race runs early by mistake

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/matt-galnor/2011-03-14/first-attack-ad-jacksonville-mayoral-race-runs-early

Rival mocks Rick Mullaney’s 34-point plan: “Point 35 is ‘When desperate, go negative

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/matt-galnor/2011-03-14/rival-mocks-rick-mullaneys-34-point-plan-point-35-when

TU Editorial Board Endorsement of Audrey Moran

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/editorials/2011-03-13/story/audrey-moran-mayor-best-choice

Tweet

Listen and Subscribe

Download audio file (jaxmayor-Episode-5.mp3)
Subscribe to this show in iTunes | RSS | Download MP3

In This Episode

We recap first televised mayoral debate, go through all the news and talk about this mayors race and how it’s taking a turn for the weird.

————————————————
EVENTS and RESOURCES
————————————————
Early voting tomorrow Monday, March 7
The election is March 22 (2 weeks away)

Last Week on First Coast Connect
March 15th Steve Irvine

ThinkVoteJax
Monday 3/7 at 8pm Debate #2 The role of government in Economic Development
Thursday 3/17 at 8 Debate #3: The role of government in Public Health & Safety

————————————————
EMAILS and TWITTER QUESTIONS
————————————————
@SunshineEmpire asks Question: Which candidate benefits the most from light voter turnout, and which does from heavy turnout?

@JaxMayorShow @abelharding Folio Weekly suggests Warren Lee’s campaign is a Republican plant. Any real evidence supporting their claim?

————————————————
NEWS
————————————————
This election has taken a turn for the weird…

• Warren Lee a stooge for the Republican party (Folio Article) http://www.folioweekly.com/documents/folio0301wkl006.pdf
• Mike Hogan again getting into hot PR water on Preservation Lands and still refusing to show up for debates http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/david-bauerlein/2011-02-28/mike-hogan-says-he-would-consider-selling
• Abel Harding: Leadership isn’t found in empty chairs http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/abel-harding/2011-03-01/abel-harding-leadership-isn%E2%80%99t-found-empty-chairs
• Part of Mullaney’s pension paid by Jacksonville’s operating budget http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-03-04/story/part-mullaney%E2%80%99s-pension-paid-jacksonvilles-operating-budget

————————————————
DEBATE Growth and the Environment
————————————————
Is there a clear winner / loser?
Who helped their movement the most / hurt their movement the most?
Is there any significance to the number 34?
What are public private partnerships Alvin Brown kept mentioning?

————————————————
MEDIA MONITORING
————————————————
Will we seen any ads from Brown, Irvine or Lee?

Moran: 3 new ads http://www.youtube.com/user/ImWithAudrey#p/u/4/npcEbUbvnTQ
Hogan:
Lee:
Mullaney:
Irvine:
Brown:

————————————————
FAVORITE TWEETS
————————————————
Faves http://twitter.com/JaxMayorShow/favorites

Tweet

Listen and Subscribe

Download audio file (jaxmayor-Episode-4.mp3)
Subscribe to this show in iTunes | RSS | Download MP3

In This Episode

We discuss whether or not Mike Hogan is gaffe prone, why Rick Mullaney won’t ride the skyway and we break down the pension issue in a way that won’t make your eyes bleed.

Show intro

Joey Marchy from Urban Jacksonville
Abel Harding Business Reporter and Political Blogger from the Florida Times Union and Jacksonville.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JaxMayorShow
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JaxMayorShow
Email: JaxMayorShow@gmail.com
Subscribe to this show in iTunes (please rate us)

Early Voting and Election Day

The election is March 22, and early voting starts March 7

————————————————
EVENTS and RESOURCES
————————————————
The election is March 22, and early voting starts March 7

Last Week on First Coast Connect
Feb 17 Listen to Warren Lee
Feb 22 Listen to Rick Mullaney
Feb 23 Listen to Alvin Brown
Feb 24 Listen to Audrey Moran
Feb 28th Mike Hogan (will not appear)
March 15th Steve Irvine

Mar 3 – FPRA is hosting an analysis/panel of experts moderated by #jaxmayor show’s own Abel Harding on the Mayor’s race from 11:30 to 1 at River City Brewing. Non-involved observers include Bruce Barcelo, Jim Bailey and Matt Corrigan. More info at http://fpra-jax.org/.

ThinkVoteJax
Thursday 3/3 at 8pm The role of government in Growth/the Environment
Sunday 3/6 at 10am School Matters Special: Mayoral Forum on Education
Monday 3/7 at 8pm Debate #2 The role of government in Economic Development
Thursday 3/17 at 8 Debate #3: The role of government in Public Health & Safety

Candidate surveys from the St. John’s Riverkeeper

What do you consider to be the most significant threats to the health of the St. Johns River and its watershed and, if elected, what will you do to address those problems

Live chats with each candidate on Jacksonville.com
Warren Lee, Alvin Brown, Mike Hogan, Audrey Moran and Rick Mullaney

————————————————
MIKE HOGAN NEWS
————————————————
Mike Hogan pulls out of more forums and debates

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/matt-galnor/2011-02-25/mike-hogan-will-only-attend-two-four-tv-mayoral-debates

Mike Hogan Abortion bomb
Is Mike Hogan gaffe prone?

http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2011-02-24/story/jacksonville-mayoral-hopefuls-take-shots-tea-party-forum

————————————————
NEWS
————————————————
Glorious Johnson takes aim at Rick Mullaney’s pension

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-02-26/story/former-rival-takes-aim-jacksonville-mayoral-candidates-pension

Mayor’s race: How pension and budget are intertwined

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-02-26/story/mayors-race-how-pension-and-budget-are-intertwined

Mallaney to stop funding skyway http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/matt-galnor/2011-02-23/rick-mullaneys-skyway-pledge-draws-attention-forum
Observation from listening to all these Mayor forums is how fucked up this city is. We are in really bad shape. Education, Violence, Business Development, Pension, etc.

————————————————
MEDIA MONITORING
————————————————

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/matt-galnor/2011-02-24/another-rick-mullaney-ad-no-punches-thrown-%E2%80%94-yet

Mullaney: New ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy9piQ6aJXw

@abelharding : Overwhelmed by sheer volume of @Mullaney4Mayor ads on @wtlvdotcom tonight. Haven’t seen one for other candidates.#jaxmayor

————————————————
2) FAVORITE TWEETS
————————————————

Faves http://twitter.com/JaxMayorShow/favorites

————————————
ELECTION ISSUES – PENSION
————————————
Hogan require employees in the Deferred Retirement Option Plan to take money when they leave, not roll it over as an investment. Slash appointed positions at City Hall, reforming the city’s purchasing code and eliminating funding for the Human Rights Commission.

Brown pledged to review the budget and pension plan to find ways to cut costs and eliminate duplicative and ineffective services. Will create a financial review task force of experts to oversee a top-to-bottom review of city programs and services, including size and salaries of mayor’s staff and appointees. Brown said he would take a 20 percent pay cut to lead by example.

Lee would give a certain percentage of a payout to people drawing a pension then restructure the plan. by repealing the garbage, stormwater and drainage fees. He proposed no changes to the budgeting process. Will look at appointed employees and specific budget cuts.

Moran require employees to work longer before earning benefits, modifying benefits to current employees, possibly moving general employees to a 401(k) plan, cuts in appointed officials, fleet management and the city’s use of space.

Mullaney shift to a market-based DROP plan instead of a guaranteed 8.4 percent return, increase minimum service requirements from 20 to 25 years, increase employee contributions from 7 to 8 percent and push the cost-of-living increase back to year five. Also contains a combination of cuts and a restructuring of finances, including pensions, salaries, purchasing, procurement, contracts, privatization and technology.

Tweet

Listen and Subscribe

Download audio file (jaxmayor-Episode-3.mp3)
Subscribe to this show in iTunes | RSS | Download MP3

In This Episode

We profile Mike Hogan and Rick Mullaney. We discuss news from the week and our favorite tweets. In our Media Monitoring segment this week we discuss Audrey Moran and Mike Hogans’ first TV spots.

Show intro

#jaxmayor
Joey Marchy from Urban Jacksonville
Abel Harding Business Reporter and Political Blogger from the Florida Times Union and Jacksonville.com
Twitter: JaxMayorShow
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JaxMayorShow
Email: JaxMayorShow@gmail.com
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id418770210 (please rate us)
Send a question to @JaxMayorShow, JaxMayorShow@gmail.com or on Facebook.com

Voter Registration Deadline

Voter Registration and early voting. Deadline to register is 29 days before the election so February 22nd.

————————————————
EMAILS and TWITTER QUESTIONS
————————————————
@SunshineEmpire: Who do you both feel are the most likely two candidates to reach an inevitable run off?

Abel: I don’t think we know enough to answer that question at this point. TV just starting.

Note: 3 candidates are talking with us: Warren Lee, Audrey Moran and Mike Hogan. Begs the question if a candidate doesn’t tweet and wins, is Twitter a relevant political tool for our city?

————————————————
EVENTS
————————————————
DVI is hosting 2 candidate forums 2/18 AND 23

Feb 18 – Downtown In-depth – our mayoral forum on Friday, February 18th

http://downtownjacksonville.org/Media/InTheNews/11-01-30/Downtown_In-Depth_a_Mayoral_Forum.aspx

Next Week on First Coast Connect
Feb 22 Rick Mullaney
Feb 23 Alvin Brown
Feb 24 Audrey Moran
Feb 28th Mike Hogan
March 15th Steve Irvine

————————————————
Notes on Twitter
————————————————
Few people heading out to live tweet forums, something new for a Mayors race: @TrumanDem Headed out to Dist 1 cand forum at 7:00. @eirksetzer Tonight I’ll be posting live from the RCRC Jacksonville mayoral forum. You have been warned. #jaxpol #jaxmayor

————————————————
NEWS
————————————————
Voter Registration and early voting. Deadline to register is 29 days before the election so February 22nd.

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/abel-harding/2011-02-17/john-peytons-endorsement-not-coveted-jacksonville

http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2011-02-06/story/anti-crime-group-says-next-jacksonville-mayor-needs-focus-public-safety

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-02-13/story/jacksonville-mayoral-race-voters-want-focus-creating-jobs

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/abel-harding/2011-02-16/mike-hogan-alvin-brown-split-union-endorsement

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/timothy-gibbons/2011-02-17/alvin-brown-calls-foul-ad-group-supporting-rick

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/paul-pinkham/2011-02-17/three-gop-mayoral-candidates-square-forum-convention

————————————————
2) MEDIA MONITORING
————————————————
Audrey Moran 30 second commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVJhuF7uXVo
Mike Hogan 30 second commercial: http://hoganformayor.com/mike-hogan-home.php

————————————————
2) FAVORITE TWEETS
————————————————

Faves http://twitter.com/JaxMayorShow/favorites

————————————
Candidate Profiles
————————————

http://news.jacksonville.com/specials/mayorsrace

Mike Hogan (http://hoganformayor.com)
Rick Mullaney (http://mullaneyformayor.com)

The St. Johns Riverkeeper is launching a new website today called CleanerGP.com The website is part of a campaign to encourage Georgia-Pacific (GP) to abandon its plans to build a pipeline to the St. Johns River and to pursue alternative solutions to its wastewater pollution problems. 

This website is a counter blow to Georgia Pacific’s own CleanerStJohns.com which tries to build a case in support of the pipeline. Here is a little more background on the pipeline:

The Georgia-Pacific paper mill in Palatka has been discharging its wastewater into Rice Creek, a tributary of the St. Johns, since 1947.  Unable to meet water quality standards in Rice Creek, Georgia-Pacific (GP) wants to build a pipeline almost four miles long to divert its wastewater into the heart of the St. Johns River.  The proposed pipeline would be a major setback to the ongoing efforts to reduce pollution and restore the health of the St. Johns.   
 
Determined to find a solution, St. Johns RIVERKEEPER recently hired a team of engineers and water-quality experts to analyze the GP study that was used to justify the pipeline.  The preliminary findings of the St. Johns RIVERKEEPER analysis clearly demonstrate that viable alternatives exist and important questions about the pipeline remain unanswered.   The final results of the technical review will be released soon. 

Some of the website features include

• A pipeline timeline, a fact sheet about GP and the proposed pipeline and a letter to Governor Rick Scott” from the Riverkeeper himself, Neil Armingeon.
• Downloadble banners for blogs and websites and a custom Facebook profile picture people can use to show support and raise awareness for stopping the pipeline.
• An online petition you can sign that will be sent to Governor Rick Scott.

Finally a message from Neil, the St. Johns Riverkeeper

“Building a pipeline to relocate polluted wastewater to the heart of the St. Johns River is not a solution.  This will only add additional pollutants to a river that is already sick.  We believe that viable alternatives exist that would allow GP to meet water quality standards in Rice Creek, keep jobs in Putnam County , and help protect the St. Johns River.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I really do appreciate everyone who voted for Urban Jacksonville this year. You guys rock!

I hope you are planning on making the live show this Thursday at Underbelly. If you’ve never been, it’s an awesome experience. There is nothing else like this going on in Jacksonville right now. To celebrate the Sulzbacher’s 12th Annual Transformations event we have some very interesting guests lined up.

Justin Spiller

Justing serves on the board of the Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless as the Secretary of the board. He is also a member of the Board of United Way of Northeast Florida and serves as chair of the organizations young professional’s group, the Atlantic Circle. He is a 2011 member of Leadership Jacksonville. Spiller also serves on the board of the Jacksonville Urban League and the Malvai Washington Tennis and Tutoring Foundation. He also serves as a “Big Brother” in a youth mentoring program known as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida.

Dr. Richard C. Christensen, MD, MA

Dr. C works in the division of public psychiatry at the University of Florida College of Medicine. He is focused on developing and providing psychiatric services to underserved populations through academic-public sector liaisons. In the past he served as medical director for a federally-funded initiative targeting chronically homeless persons suffering the effects of co-occurring disorders and developing an integrated psychiatry-primary care initiative based at UF&Shands. He currently serves as the Director of Behavioral Health Services at the Sulzbacher Center where he is responsible for overseeing the clinical services in two psychiatry clinics, participating in psychiatric street outreach work, and teaching medical students and resident physicians.

credit: Sean Tucker

Cynthia Smith-Funkhouser, MSW

Cindy is the Chief Program Officer Services at the Sulzbacher Center. Cindy graduated from Florida State University with a Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work in 2003. She holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology from George Mason
University. Board of Directors for the Sulzbacher Center for 5 years and currently sits on the Beaches Resource Center (Full Service School) Oversight Committee , the BRC Foundation and the Board of the Emergency Services and Homeless Coalition.

Sean Collins

Pretty impressive group of people. Don’t forget Sean Collins who is neither a doctor or a lawyer will also be guesting on the show. He’s from the Jacksonville Beardsmith Society and you can read more about him here.

LIVE Show Details

Where Underbelly (inside Anomaly) map
When Cocktails at 6:00. Show at 6:30
Who Hosts Tony Allegretti, Joey Marchy, Jonathan Bennett, Jack Diablo with guests Justin Spiller, Dr. Richard C. Christensen, Cynthia Smith-Funkhouser, Sean Collins and Music by After the Bomb Baby.