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Yahoo
7 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Wife of fallen Jacksonville firefighter working to install memorial sign at his fire station
Ian Church had only lived 41 years by the time he died. His wife, Brittany, believes he spent every second of it in service to others. 'If I had to give one adjective to Ian Church, it would be loyalty,' said Brittany Church, Ian Church's wife, 'He would have ran through a fire to protect anyone, and he just loved the city and wanted to make sure that it was safe.' Running through fires wasn't just part of Church's character, but his calling. He spent three and a half years as an engineer with the Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department, after serving both with Clay County Fire Rescue and the U.S. Marine Corps. Action News Jax told you last August when JFRD shared that Church had died after a long-fought battle with cancer. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< During her conversation only with Action News Jax, Brittany Church shared that she still thinks of one of his stories of courage: saving a dog from a burning home in December 2023. 'He always just wanted to make the world a better place and let other people know that they were protected and well taken care of,' Church said. Church has now been without her husband for nine months, working as a single mother to her and Ian's three young kids. Recently, Ian's former fire captain at JFRD Station 60 in Jacksonville Beach inspired her to ask the city for a memorial street sign to be placed outside of the station in his name. Church says it's both a way to honor his legacy and poke fun at his challenge with directions. 'His captain said that we should do a street sign by our house so he'd always find his way home back to us,' said Church. But Church feels her husband has never lost his way back in the months he's been gone. She told Action News Jax she had asked her husband, soon before he died, to return to their family as a crow. She says she sees crows flying by her car, at the playground with their kids, and in other places whenever she's having a rough day or feeling a strong wave of grief. She doesn't just miss celebrating his service fighting flames, but the fire for his family, she can still feel burning. 'He said his favorite time of the day was when he'd get off shift and come home at 7:30 in the morning and all the kids would come running out in their diapers to give him a hug,' said Church, 'that's what I miss, is my kids having their dad.' The Jacksonville Beach City Council is meeting Monday to vote on approval for the street sign to honor Church. If it's passed, it will go up outside the station by South Beach Park. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Changing Crescent City Winn-Dixie to Aldi could spark food desert, cost dozens of jobs, mayor says
A small town in Putnam County is on the verge of losing its only full-service grocery store. Winn-Dixie has served Crescent City for nearly three decades — since 1997 — but now, it's on a list of 170 locations being converted into Aldi outlets. Mayor Michele Myers and the City Commission this week presented a resolution last Tuesday urging Southeast Grocers and Aldi to reconsider, saying that the closure would threaten more than 80 local jobs and risk turning Crescent City into a food desert. 'Without a full-service grocer, families here would be forced into 40-mile round trips just to buy produce and staples,' Myers said. 'We have smaller local stores, but they can't replace fresh food or the jobs this store provides.' [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Steve Cummings, dean at Crescent City High School, added that Winn-Dixie is the town's second-largest employer. 'Students and parents work here,' he said. 'Walking through those doors feels like coming home.' The resolution will be sent to both Southeast Grocers and Aldi. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] The mayor said she hasn't reached out to state officials just yet. There is still time before the companies move forward with the planned conversion. Crescent City officials hope a show of community unity will persuade corporate leaders to keep their decades-old anchor store open. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Jacksonville Jaguars' stadium, EverBank Stadium, awarded for high standards of safety
EverBank Stadium, home to the Jacksonville Jaguars, has been awarded the SAFETY Act designation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The SAFETY Act designation covers the entire stadium, which is managed by ASM Global, and ensures there is secure, consistent security for major events. The award declares that the stadium meets high standards for public safety preparation and anti-terrorism measures. The designation recognizes EverBank Stadium's investment in emergency planning, advanced screening, and threat response protocols. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] 'We are very pleased to receive this designation for our stadium. This provides validation to the security program deployed by the City of Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Jaguars and our partners' Mike Kenny, Regional Vice President of ASM Global, said in a news release. 'The Jaguars are committed to the safety of our fans, players, staff and visitors and, through this designation, the protections we have put in place have been affirmed at the highest levels,' Mark Lamping, President of the Jacksonville Jaguars, said in the release. 'The team, along with our stadium partners, are proud to see this achievement come to fruition and continue to instill confidence that all individuals in the venue have a safe and secure experience.' [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Security camera sign-ups rise in St. Johns County as officials address access concerns
St. Johns County Sheriff's Office saw a rise in people and businesses registering for its crime-fighting initiative, Connect St. Johns, a program that encourages the public to share access to their security cameras. However, according to the Sheriff's Office, a widespread misconception slows participation. Officials said the issue is the belief that law enforcement has unrestricted access to private cameras. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< 'That's not what this is. What this is—you're simply telling us, I have cameras at my house, and if you need some help with a situation, please notify me and I'll let you know,' said St. Johns County Sheriff's Office Commander, George Harrigan. The initiative, launched in 2023, has two levels. The first level notifies the Sheriff's Office that a resident or business has cameras and allows them to be contacted for footage if needed. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The second level, called the 'Integrate' system, gives law enforcement direct access—but only if the participant chooses to grant it. This level is mainly used by businesses, organizations, and places of worship. 'So this initiative has been imperative in helping us solve crime. There've been several situations where it's been a huge help in successfully solving crime, saving lives, and resolving incidents,' Harrigan said. Participation in the program is entirely voluntary, and anyone can opt out at any time, said St. Johns County Sheriff's Office. 'And then you decide you don't want to do that, we certainly can remove your information,' Harrigan added. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] As the community grows, more residents and businesses join the initiative. 'I think it's a great idea and matter of fact, we're already doing this with the Flagler Beach Police Department,' said Bonita Boutique owner, Dror Zanani. 'I think it's a good thing because everybody wants to be protected,' said local resident, Jeromey Altland. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office launched a similar program, Connect Duval, in 2023. Currently, Connect St. Johns has 1,200 registered cameras, with nearly 1,000 fully integrated into the system. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Multiple agencies join second day of search for missing boater in Putnam County
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Putnam County Sheriff's Office and St. Johns County Sheriff's Office are searching by land, sea and sky for Jeremiah Beck, the man Action News Jax first told you was reported missing Wednesday night in the St. Johns River by Palatka's Memorial Bridge. The FWC has been searching for Beck since he was reported missing by friends at around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. They told Putnam County deputies they'd seen him fall off his boat while trying to get to his kayak. The Putnam County Sheriff's Office said in a post to Facebook that the kayak was found empty after less than two hours of the initial search >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< The FWC has since searched for hours using Beck's boat as a center point to try and find him, hopefully, nearby. 'We're going to continue this as a search and rescue until proven otherwise. And we're using all the assets at our disposal,' said Chad Weber, public information officer of FWC's northeast division. The FWC says it's using drones, a helicopter, boats with sonar and a dive team to search underwater. They're going up and down the river and beyond the bridge to see if he possibly swam to shore. The agency tells Action News Jax it found Beck's phone and personal belongings on the shore not long after starting the search last night. 'We're going to try to rule out everything until we eventually locate this individual,' Weber said. Beck's family wished not to speak with Action News Jax while the search is still going on, but says they will be waiting alongside law enforcement until he is found. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
