Politics

JAXPORT ‘State of the Port’ address pitches optimism to First Coast maritime industry

Published

3 hours ago

February 6, 2025

The “2025 State of the Port” address outlining major expansion projects for Jacksonville’s port showed substantial growth potential for the logistics and transportation hub.

Officials with JAXPORT, such as Eric Green, CEO of the government authority over the port, addressed a crowd of several hundred people Thursday at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, hosted by the Propeller Club of the United States.

“From the addition of new trade lanes to the completion of major growth projects, 2025 is shaping up to be a transformational year for JAXPORT,” said JAXPORT Chair Wendy Hamilton. “CEO Green has a clear vision for the continued growth and development of JAXPORT — strengthening the supply chain and creating an environment where the port’s customers and partners can thrive.”

According to JAXPORT officials, the seaport’s cargo activity accounted for more than 228,100 jobs along Florida’s First Coast region in 2024. Seaports along Northeast Florida’s coast also generated $44 billion in annual economic output.

Meanwhile, JAXPORT is adding new and modified service routes for shipping to increase access to more global markets. Green said careful growth is key to the continued growth.

Among planned growth is a $72-million expansion of a container terminal expected to be completed in the Spring. Another $70 million is being spent on adding new cranes that will arrive this year. And a private investment of $120 million will fund a 340,000-square-foot auto processing facility on Blount Island.

Jack Kiely of Hylant Marine on Jacksonville’s Southside and a client executive with the Propeller Club said the annual State of the Port address has become a must-attend for anyone in the maritime industry in Northeast Florida.

“It’s a large maritime industry, not only in Jacksonville but in the Southeast,” Kiely said. “It (JAXPORT) is one of the largest ports in all of the country. And we’re gaining more… . We’re really growing.”

Beyond the hard numbers and statistics, Kiely said the State of the Port event is a chance for industry insiders, who are usually spread throughout the region, to socialize and connect.

“It’s a good spot for everyone to come together and communicate and collaborate and try to see what we can do better,” Kiely said.

Green agreed.

“Our mission is to be an economic engine and job creator for the community,” she said. “We achieve this through strategic growth across our lines of business and major initiatives to expand our capabilities across our key cargo types – containers, autos and breakbulk. Public and private investments in our terminals ensure JAXPORT continues to generate business growth benefitting our region and state.”

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Politics

Jacksonville International Airport adding direct flights to Austin, St. Louis

Published

10 minutes ago

February 6, 2025

May Greene

On the heels of a record-breaking year of hosting more travelers than ever, Jacksonville International Airport (JIA) is adding more flights to its schedule.

JIA announced Thursday the airline hub will add more Southwest Airlines flights to Austin, Texas, this year. Officials with the airport also are adding flights to St. Louis, Mo., aboard Allegiant Airlines.

Both destinations will involve direct, nonstop flights. The St. Louis flights will take travelers to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport. The St. Louis route isn’t so much a new one. Rather, it’s a return of the service on Allegiant. It begins again in March.

The Austin route will exchange travelers with Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Those flights won’t begin until October, though. The service on Southwest Airlines will depart from JIA at 11:58 a.m. and arrive in Austin about 12:35 p.m. Then the flights from Austin will depart about 12:50 p.m. and arrive in Jacksonville about 4:15 p.m. That flight schedule will be offered every day except for Saturdays when Southwest begins the service in the fall.

“Southwest is a beloved airline with strong brand loyalty,” Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA) CEO Mark VanLoh said. “We have no doubt that their service to Austin will be successful.”

It’s the latest addition of First Coast flight service being offered involving JIA and Southwest. The carrier already offers nonstop travel to Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Nashville and St. Louis. That’s on top of another addition beginning later this year as Southwest will begin Saturday-only service from JIA to Kansas City on June 7.

The new routes and flights come as JIA just marked a record-setting year for travelers in 2024.

JIA officials announced in January the airport broke records again as more than 7.6 million travelers passed through the facility in 2024. That’s up from the 7.45 million passengers who used the airport in 2023. Passenger travel in 2024 was up 2.4% over 2023, smashing the record that had already been set in 2023.

Jacksonville International Airport officials had noted expanded service and new flights were a significant part of the reason for record-breaking use of the facility.

“Our passenger volume continues to increase as Northeast Florida and the local economy grow,” Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA) CEO Mark VanLoh said. “Airlines have taken note, adding frequencies, cities and larger aircraft at JAX.”

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Politics

Blaise Ingoglia wants constitutional amendment clarifying term limits for House, Senate

Published

41 minutes ago

February 6, 2025

May Greene

A Spring Hill Republican thinks 16 years is enough time in the state Legislature, and he hopes voters agree.

Sen. Blaise Ingoglia’s SJR 536 would give voters the chance to limit lawmakers to eight years each in the Senate and the House, and foreclosing their path to return to a seat they previously held after being out of it for a period of time.

“Let’s stop the practice of people continually running for the same office and bouncing back and forth between chambers. Serving the people of Florida should be a privilege, and an honor, not a career,” Ingoglia, a former chair of the Republican Party of Florida, said Thursday.

The bill would take effect in November.

The matter is relevant given state Rep. Debbie Mayfield, elected again to the House after eight years in the Senate in November, wants to replace Sen. Randy Fine as he pursues a seat in Congress.

The Secretary of State ruled her ineligible to run citing term limits, saying her candidacy would violate the Constitution because a person cannot run for Florida Senator “if, by the end of the current term of office, the person will have served (or but for resignation, would have served) in that office for eight consecutive years.”

Mayfield claims Gov. Ron DeSantis used “the executive branch to punish me for endorsing Donald J. Trump for President (and) weaponized the Department of State just like Joe Biden weaponized the Department of Justice against Donald Trump.”

She has appealed to the Florida Supreme Court for redress. The state of Florida is compelled to respond to her pleading by end of business Monday.

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Jacob Ogles contributed reporting.

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Politics

Randy Fine endorses ‘America First patriot’ Terry Cronin for House District 32 to ‘deliver on President Trump’s promise’

Published

1 hour ago

February 6, 2025

May Greene

Sen. Randy Fine wants Dr. Terry Cronin representing Brevard County in the state House.

“As an America First patriot, I know that Dr. Terry Cronin is the only candidate that can deliver on President (Donald) Trump’s promise to Make America Great Again,” Fine said in a statement backing the Melbourne Republican for House District 32.

“I have been fighting for the Space Coast for nearly a decade in the Florida Legislature and by electing Dr. Terry Cronin for the state House, I know he will continue fighting every day for America First principles.”

Cronin, a physician and owner of the Cronin Skin Cancer Center in Melbourne, is one of three Republicans running for HD 32. He is the immediate past President of the American Academy of Dermatology and has long advocated for skin cancer patients in D.C. He was also recently appointed as an Ambassador to the 26th World Congress of Dermatology.

“I’m incredibly thankful to have the support of my longtime friend Sen. Randy Fine. I’m running for the Florida House to help President Trump secure our border and keep our nation safe. Like many of you know, Sen. Fine has been an America First leader for our community and I look to follow in his footsteps to continue delivering for Brevard County,” Cronin said.

Cronin faces Brian Hodgers and Bob White in the April 1 Republican Primary for HD 32, which opened during the shuffle created by Mike Waltz giving up his seat in Florida’s 6th Congressional District to become National Security Adviser to Trump.

Fine is the Trump-endorsed candidate running to replace Waltz, and current HD 32 Rep. Debbie Mayfield resigned to replace Fine in Senate District 19, although her qualifying paperwork was rejected earlier this week.

The winner of the Republican Primary will advance to a June 10 election against Democrat Juan Hinojosa. That’s forecast to be a noncompetitive contest based on the district’s demographics — Mayfield won the heavily Republican district in November with more than 64% of the vote. The same night, about 59% of voters in the district supported Republican Donald Trump for President and GOP U.S. Sen. Rick Scott’s re-election.

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Florida Politics reporter Jacob Ogles contributed to this post.