Reality TV star Capt. Sandy Yawn set her sights on opening a new restaurant on the site of a historic Jacksonville building, but preservationists have concerns. Two years ago, Yawn bought a century-old LaVilla building with plans to transform it into a restaurant, but she found mold, a caved-in roof and huge renovation costs. Yawn planned to demolish the building, but that plan is now on hold. The Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission has ordered a historic review of this structure.
Guests:
- Mike Mendenhall, Jacksonville Daily Record.
- Kim Pryor, vice president, Preservation SOS; City Council District 7 candidate.
Black Founders Demo Day
Black and Brown Founders from across the country are invited to present at the inaugural Black Founders Demo Day, a two-day celebration designed to showcase, inspire and invest in Black and Brown wealth creation. Black Founders Demo Day will take place Aug. 20 in Miami. The winning pitch will receive $1 million in investment opportunities from prominent venture capital and angel investors. Applications are still open and run through July 17th. The public can sign up to attend up until the Jacksonville event on the 26th.
Guest: Jim Stallings, CEO, PS 27 Ventures.
Saving energy and money during summer
Soaring summer temperatures and high fuel costs are driving up utility bills in Jacksonville and throughout the country. Brian Pippin spoke about level electricity bills, the importance of fans and other tips to save money.
Guest: Brian Pippin, director of customer experience insights and strategy, JEA.
What’s good Wednesday
- People living with multiple sclerosis often experience chronic pain that makes it hard to do even the simplest tasks. Dr. Megan Weigel, an MS certified nurse in Jacksonville Beach, believes that acupressure has the potential to minimize these symptoms for MS patients. The Nightingale Award will provide her with funding to introduce a new MS-focused acupressure program.
- Local nonprofit JAX HOPE INC. has won a community grant of $17,000. Their mission is to promote community and provide educational resources and services for people with Parkinson’s disease.
- On July 21, Mayday Ice Cream will celebrate the Grand Opening of its ninth location at Mayday Midtown, 1765 Tree Blvd., Unit 5, St. Augustine. The newest Mayday location will open at its regular time of 11a.m. and serve up their full menu plus half-price ice cream floats of wine, beer and soft drinks. There also will be music, a food truck and giveaways.
- According to Pollstar Magazine’s 2022 Mid-Year Ticket Sales Report, the St. Augustine Amphitheater ranks No. 1 in the United States and No. 2 in the world based on tickets sold from Jan. 1 to June 27. The amphitheater has a history of ranking as a top venue, but this most recent ranking is due to the venue’s record-breaking number of ticketed events and overall sales.
- The WJCT Soundstage is hosting an R&B night from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday. Cheikh Walker-Williams is one of the event organizers and joined the show, along with scheduled performer DJ Byrd.
