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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Largest in the western hemisphere': BAE Systems commissions new ship lift near JAXPORT
Naval Station Mayport is celebrating the opening of a new $250 million facility that will support and maintain U.S. Navy ships. Industry leaders cut the ribbon on the state-of-the-art shipyard addition in a ceremony Monday. BAE Systems said the ship lift is one of the ten largest ship lifts in the world, and the largest on the western hemisphere. 'It's not anything like dry docks. It's not like anything that's been done before,' Tim Spratto said. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Spratto is the VP General Manager of BAE Systems, the British-based multinational defense company behind the ship lift. Leaders say the new addition will support work critical to America's national defense and provide massive upgrades to the area's shipyard service. The lift will also be able to provide shipyard services to commercial ships entering the port of Jacksonville. All this comes as the Trump administration calls for the restoration of the American maritime industry with an April executive order. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Acting Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Jim Kilby, said it's an order his team is taking seriously. 'I'm here to tell you that shipbuilding is the Secretary of the Navy's number one priority,' he said. Right now, the workforce has more than 650 employees but expects to add about 300 more. 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
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
LIST: 17 candidates in the running for the next chief of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department
The City of Jacksonville currently has 17 candidates it is considering to be the next fire chief of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department. Action News Jax told you last month when the city confirmed that current Chief Keith Powers would be stepping down. His last day is June 30, and the city wants to have a new chief in place by July 1. Here is the list of candidates being considered for the role: Aaron Bebernitz Damien Bell Jacob Blanton James Davis Percy Golden Darin Hooten Renaldo Horn Bryon Iveson Willie King Benjamin Kodatt Christopher McKeown Eric Mitchell Timothy Nguyen Michael Pluhacek Paul Rigdon Steven Serrato Todd Smith Phil Perry with the City of Jacksonville said that another 12 were deemed ineligible, for a total of 29 applicants. 'The 17 candidates currently being considered meet the basic criteria, including the requirement that they are currently serving at JFRD,' Perry said in an email to Action News Jax. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] 'We believe that out of nearly 2,000 firefighters, there are qualified candidates to be considered,' Perry continued. The 17 candidates will now go through a more detailed evaluation process. [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
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Northeast Florida synagogues on alert, reviewing security after Colorado flamethrower attack
A violent hate crime hundreds of miles away has faith leaders in Northeast Florida on high alert. On Sunday, federal agents say 45-year-old Mohammed Soliman used a homemade flamethrower to attack a Jewish group in Boulder, Colorado, injuring eight people. The group had gathered for a weekly demonstration supporting the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. According to the FBI, Soliman shouted 'Free Palestine' during the assault, later confessed, and said he would do it again. The attack triggered immediate concern at Temple Bet Yam in St. Augustine, where security is already a top priority. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] 'We got the alert this morning and shared it with our board right away,' Temple President Teresa Freedman said. 'We take every incident seriously—even when it's hundreds of miles away.' Temple Bet Yam is part of a network that includes a former FBI agent who monitors threats and distributes real-time alerts to synagogues across Northeast Florida. 'Every synagogue in Northeast Florida is looped in,' Freedman said. 'We all get the same alerts, the same briefings—and we act fast when needed.' [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Though she said recent bomb threats to local Jewish organizations haven't resulted in violence, Freedman isn't taking any chances. The temple is equipped with indoor and outdoor security cameras and holds events only when armed guards are present. 'We just held a drill during a community gathering to test our emergency plan,' Freedman said. 'We may be small, but we're not unprotected. We've done everything we can to keep our members safe.' Temple officials say they will continue evaluating and adjusting security measures as national threats evolve. 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
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ATF still investigating Jacksonville International Airport garage fire, structure could be salvaged
Jacksonville International Airport leaders say it is still too early to determine what will happen to the south end of the Hourly Parking Garage after a fire on May 16 that burned about 50 cars. Michael Stewart, VP of External Affairs with the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, said the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) is treating the third and fourth floors of the garage as a crime scene until they can determine the cause of the fire. While the ATF conducts its investigations, about 100 cars between the two most impacted floors will have to stay where they are. 'We still have a crime scene area and a structurally compromised area that we cannot get into,' Stewart said. Once the cause of the fire is determined, that's when Stewart said construction crews can start to work their way through the third and fourth floors, assess the damage, and decide how the structure can be repaired. PHOTO GALLERY: Parking garage fire at Jacksonville International Airport RELATED: Jacksonville International Airport Hourly Parking Garage Fire: Timeline of events Right now, Stewart said there is hope that the structure can be salvaged without demolition, but there is no way to say that for sure until crews make their assessment. He said the crews have already started to shore up, or reinforce the strength of the structure with beams and columns, on the lower-level floors of the garage. Stewart touts the success of the airport's efforts to reunite drivers with their cars. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] 'Seven hundred vehicle owners were contacted in this process, and the call center made contact with 3,500 people just last week,' Stewart said. He said there are still about 17 people that the airport has not made contact with, though. For those people who still need to make contact with airport officials, Stewart said they can: Go to and supply the information required Or call 904-741-2710 and leave a message [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Stewart also said that while the airport has made moves to accommodate the parking lapse with the opening of 300 economy lot spots, he's still encouraging flyers to be dropped off instead of parking. 'We are going to be down and challenged with respect to parking, but we have enough parking for people coming to the airport now,' he said. Stewart said there is no estimated timeline for when the ATF could complete its investigation. 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
25-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
FIRST ALERT WEATHER: Welcome back humidity! Afternoon storms, heat through the week
You're going to notice the humidity walking out the door this morning. Most neighborhoods are waking up to the low 70s this morning. A muggy, hot afternoon is on the way with a few afternoon storms. An isolated strong storm with high winds is possible. Temperatures will be in the low 90s. It'll stay in the 80s at the beaches thanks to the sea breeze. MEMORIAL DAY: Hot and humid with feels-like temperatures nearing the triple digits. Afternoon storms will develop that could linger into the evening hours for some locations. Rinse and repeat through the week- dry, warm and muggy to start the day. Afternoon temperatures in the low 90s, feeling closer to 100°. Followed by scattered afternoon storms. Towards the end of the week, we might see a change in this pattern with a more widespread rain event and slightly cooler temperatures into Saturday. Hurricane season starts Sunday, June 1. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< TODAY: Partly cloudy. A few afternoon storms. HIGH: 92 TONIGHT: Mostly clear. LOW: 69 MONDAY: Partly cloudy. Scattered late day storms. HIGH: 92 TUESDAY: Partly to mostly cloudy. Afternoon storms. 70/91 WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy. Scattered afternoon storms. 70/91 THURSDAY: Partly sunny. Scattered afternoon storms. 71/91 FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy. Scattered afternoon storms. 72/90 SATURDAY: Scattered storms and slightly cooler. 70/88 [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.
