Antwon Smith Springfield Boys & Girls Club Annual Youth of the Year Nominee

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Tomorrow, February 25th, the Boys & Girls Club will announce it’s annual Youth of the Year competition winner. This year’s four nominees will represent Springfield, St. Augustine, Jacksonville Beach and the Westside (Ramona Boulevard).

I sat with Antwon Smith, the Springfield nominee, at 3 Layers and chatted for a bit. Antwon consistently surprised me with his answers and composure. Very smooth indeed.

Listen to our Conversation

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Antwon will receive a $1,000 scholarship for being a local nominee and the local winner will receive a $2,000 scholarship and the opportunity to move on to the state-level competition. The Youth of the Year competition will culminate with the national winner participating in a special White House ceremony with President Obama this fall.

Nominees are evaluated based on academic merit, obstacles to overcome, and community service.

Urban Jacksonville Weekly Episode #25

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Jonathan and Joey on Urban Jacksonville Weekly
Jonathan and Joey in the Urban Jacksonville Weekly Studio. Photo compliments of Renee Brust.

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Special Guest: The Mayor – Topic: Millage Increase

A lot happening so these are gonna be rough! Better just listen. – Jack

Mayor – for the increase
City Council – cut spending instead
Residents – siding with council
voting next week (July 28th)
Mayor is optimistic
3-part plan
“we are at a crossroads”
lowest millage rate in FL
Clark’s influence?
Peyton is up for the fight!
Mayor v. Council – is that healthy?
? – shouldn’t fund arts, culture, social etc.
arts and culture will lose
T- people are evenly split on the issue
arts/culture = less than 1/2 of 1% of budget
@hiddentrack: “if we’re guilty of anything, it’s under-investing.” well said, mr. mayor. #ujw
T – Ritz Theatre will not be able to come back if we don’t protect it
government destroyed LaVilla, Ritz is all that’s left
J – fire/police budget always comes up
Peyton – does not support cutting fire/police budget
“violence epidemic in Jax”
“moving from being cheap to being irresponsible”
Sheriff’s Dept largest budget at City Hall
Abel (@jaxpolitics)
Ask Mayor how much faith he has in Council (running for re-election) to support true pension reform? #ujw
Public remains cynical b/c there has been no reform to AMIO positions. They’ve almost doubled in last few years. Nearly $15m. But, yet, emphasis has been placed on social services/cultural cuts. Why not move AMIO’s to civil service and trim to build trust? #ujw
Was there an attempt to bring Council members in on the budget planning process?
Legislature allowed “out” for Duval in statutory tax cuts, why didn’t Mayor ask Council to override that cap last year?
Does the Mayor support combining elections w/ state? What are the downsides?
T – wants the World Cup (Mayor’s for it!)
T- QOL first thing a big business asks about when they come to town
The mayor just said “critical mass.” No that critical mass, but still…
T – Kiplinger named Jax #6 Tax-Friendliest City
fixitnow.cc – website
Last ?: Does Mayor think public wld be more likely to support increase if it was dedicated mil to fund capital improvements/maintenance?
Jags/stadium

Music from Jack Diablo

Tuesday, July 21
Warehouse Show (1850 Wambolt 8B)
Panzram (Ft. Meyers)
Ripper (Jax)
Tourist Trap (Jax)

Wednesday, July 22
Indie-folk at TSI
Kevin Lee Newberry (Jax)
Little High Little Low (Gainesville)
Zeke (Jax)

Friday, July 24
Hip Hop at TSI
Shunda K (from Yo Majesty)
Heavy Flow (Jax)
Tough Junkie (Jax)

Sunday, July 26
College Street House Show
The Daytonas
Matrix Infinity
Erzulie
Omebi
Wudun
Royal Chord (Australia)
Psychic Reality (San Francisco)

Monday, July 27
Shantytown
Psychic Reality
Royal Chord
Bright Orange

Tuesday, July 28
Metal/Hardcore/Prog/Other Stuff at Doozers
Republicorpse (Orlando)
Time To Die (Orlando)
Buff Clout (Jax)
National Dairy (Jax)
Chicken & Whiskey (Jax)

Recommendations

Jonathan – Sulzbacher petition
Joey – budget links
Tony – RAM, duh – Justin Roberts (Paul McCartney of kid music)
Renee – Mayor’s appearances
Mayor – fixitnow.cc GET SMART!

Urban Jacksonville Weekly #23

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Urban Jacksonville Weekly

In this episode we welcome our new producer Jack Diablo and talk about the following topics City Budget – The Chopping Block, new parks for Brooklyn, Uptown Market (part 1 of 3). And if you missed the live show, you missed all the good talk before the show started. Get there early for insider info, that’s for the live viewers only.

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Urban Jacksonville Weekly #23 for 7/6/09

City Budget – The Chopping Block
What’s on Jacksonville city’s budget chopping block? (includes the infographic we were discussing)
raise millage rate
Historic Preservation – eliminated
T – no downtown association
JM – Joel as consultant, eliminate bureaucracy
JB – Ritz – eliminated
T – going to lose character
JB – lose special events
JM – scare tactic
JM – will pass (prediction)
JB – TU help people understand what it means
T – like $9 per household tax for school board raise

Brooklyn Parks
@mogdoy: #ujw. What boundaries define Brooklyn?
T – Brooklyn boundaries St. Johns River, I-95, LaNilla, Fuller-Warren
Metro Jax posted on both of these parks

Unity Park
UP – retention pond
Brooklyn Park development on hold
JM – Forest Avenue and entrance into city
T – Riverside Ave hard to cross
JM – make pedestrian friendly
T – Riv Ave screwed Brooklyn

Artist Walk
connects RAM to Riverside Park
T – add booths to RAM
JB – another tricky crosswalk
T – add streetlight
T – ride your bike
T – cops inside market not traffic
@mogdoy: #ujw. I always imagined that arts walk area as a burnside style skatepark.

Music section
All we really want to say about the music section is you have to tune in. And Jack is in a band called Chicken & Whiskey.

Uptown Market Part 1 of 3
T- open August-ish
T – Chef Eddie (BG)
T – killer breakfast menu
JM – grocery items?
T – staples only
T – beer and wine

Recommendations
Jonathan – jacksonville.com/jacksonville_blogs
Tony – UJ mixtape release party happy hour – midnight frozen drinks
Joey – Jax Observer radio

end

Interview: FLAT FILE Gallery

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FLAT FILE Gallery

Last week I talked with Chris and Calder Yates about FLAT FILE, a new gallery opening in 5 Points. I wrote a small article on FLAT FILE for a local weekly so I won’t delve much more into the concept now. Click the play button below to listen to the interview.

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FLAT FILE Gallery
Chris and Calder Yates, FLAT FILE Founders

Urban Jacksonville Weekly Episode 15

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Urban Jacksonville Weekly

Listen to episode 15 now or subscribe with iTunes.

Thanks again to Tiffany Valla from the City of Jacksonville Office of Special Events for being a great co-host/guest.

Topics

  • Jacksonville Jazz Festival

Recommendations

Jonathan and Tony both punked out on recommendations.

Show Links

Urban Jacksonville Weekly Episode 14

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Urban Jacksonville Weekly

Listen to episode 14 now or subscribe with iTunes.

Thanks again to Matt From BikeJax for being a great co-host/guest.

Topics

  • Ghost Bikes and Bike Valet
  • Jacksonville Jazz Festival
  • Jacksonville Developer Threatens Demolition of a Building in Riverside
  • Discussion of Bike Safety Laws

Recommendations

Show Links

Urban Jacksonville Weekly Episode 13

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Listen to episode 13 now or subscribe with iTunes.

Listen this week as I fumble through moderating a political discussion with Abel Harding of JaxPoliticsOnline.com. Abel talks political circles around me, it’s awesome. Tune in next week when our guest is Matt Urigh of BikeJax.org

Topics

  • Trail Ridge Council Meeting
  • Courthouse could begin construction this week
  • Mayor’s lame duck status (and how he can leave a lasting impact)

Recommendations

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