Letters: Jacksonville Jaguars need to show fans some love, keep 'home' games at home

When Shad Khan bought the Jacksonville Jaguars at the end of the 2011 season, fans were hopeful the team would again have the success it enjoyed during the remarkable era of Wayne Weaver and Tom Coughlin.

Starting in the 2013 season, Khan opted for a "home" game to be played in London. The added revenue from the London game was necessary for the owner to make it in the small Jacksonville market, the team's front office said. This arrangement was generally accepted and has continued every year.

Since 2011, the value of the team has gone from about $760 million to around $4 billion while the team's performance (except for 2017) has been miserable. Thankfully, during the last two years with a new coach and quarterback, we seem to be getting back on the right track.

Meanwhile, negotiations for stadium upgrades (which finally include a roof for shade) are starting. Local taxpayers, including many who have no interest in the Jags, may be asked to provide about $1 billion to help cover the cost. If this cost sharing proposal becomes reality, fans and taxpayers should absolutely insist on bringing the London game back to Duval.

An occasional "home" international game is acceptable. Continuing to play a home game every year at an international site so the owner can have a bigger payday — after taxpayers have provided $1 billion — is unacceptable.

I've been a season ticket holder for many years and enjoy the Jags. Don't test the loyalty of fans by assuming we'll do anything to keep our team's owner happy. We've always been told what loyal fans we are. It’s time the team showed us some loyalty by keeping our home games at home.

Jack Sheehan, Fleming Island

Streamline local permitting, please

I recently heard a Freakonomics podcast discussing the fact that productivity in construction has declined 30% since 1970, while almost all other industries have improved dramatically.

This was ironic, since I am currently trying to renovate our 40-year-old bathroom. Our plan was to update the plumbing, light fixtures and tile, and install a new shower window. No changes to the layout were included, so we thought the renovation would be quick.

The only aspect of the project that required a general construction permit was the window replacement. As of Jan. 9, the permit application (submitted on Dec. 11) has not been issued; it is still “under review.” Meanwhile our new plumbing fixtures, lights and vanity are sitting in my garage while we have a gutted bathroom and a garage we cannot use.

Our plumber and electrician cannot even apply for their permits until the construction permit is approved. Our general contractor, who removed the old fixtures and tile, cannot proceed with the new window. This delay is holding up everyone and it is costly.

In my opinion, this helps explain why construction is so inefficient and expensive. The Duval County building department should be able to handle these simple applications in a few days. Since the cost of adequate staffing can be passed along with their permit fees, I see few obstacles to streamlining the permit review process — instead of keeping the expensive, time-wasting operation it is now.

I hope some of our local politicians will seize on this issue and help reduce construction costs for their constituents.

Ed Jenkins, Jacksonville

Monroe off the mark on DIA, Trio plans

Nate Monroe argued in his Jan. 5 column for an “independent” Downtown Investment Authority, with “exclusive” power as “downtown regulator, planner and vision-maker,” with “hard, non-negotiable limits on what it can offer any developer — limits that can’t be stretched by running to the mayor or council.” That suggestion is clearly concerning, anti-democratic and leaves the tax-paying public with no way to effectively participate in decisions we care about.

It’s an odd conclusion, given Monroe’s observations about the current intractable, impenetrable DIA, one that is not responsible to the public and public input.

While the City Council and Monroe may view the recent Committee of the Whole meeting about the Trio restoration project as “dysfunctional,” many of us see it quite differently. It helped the council and the mayor understand that there’s a tax-paying, restless public out here that wants these historic properties restored. Without the recent meeting, the public’s voice is silenced.

The DIA does not make it easy for the public to participate. And please — spare us their vision and strategy for One Riverside (former site of The Florida Times-Union) that emphasizes the new and peripheral at the expense of the historic core. The project blocks the view of the river from Brooklyn and is determined to junk up the Northbank with multiple, expensive buildings, some of which will be restaurants designed, owned and leased by the public.

Benevolent dictators do not exist and are not an avenue to more effective administrative practices or incentives.

Sherry Magill, Jacksonville

Age not ‘just a number’ for Biden

A Jan. 7 letter writer stated he was approximately the same age as President Joe Biden and well capable of riding a bike, fast walking up to 30 minutes a day and does not slur or mispronounce words. I commend this writer for his good health and attitude and would certainly not knock him if he wasn't able to do all those things.

However, this gentleman is not the leader of the free world, needing the vitality and stamina to handle many different situations at once as the president of the United States is required to do. I think it’s highly inaccurate to say that Biden is "fully capable" to continue to serve as president.

The president rarely speaks in public without appearing to slur or mispronounce words. Walking also seems to be difficult as he has fallen quite a few times.

Humans age differently. All can't run marathons or win spelling bees as they approach their 70s, 80s and beyond. Most know their capabilities and live their lives accordingly. When they can't, sometimes family members or those around them need to step in and help the situation. That time is now for Biden and the voters are the ones poised to make that decision.

John Reinheimer, Fleming Island

Ladapo abusing his position

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo’s recent public statements about lifesaving vaccines, specifically the mRNA vaccine, are deeply troubling. He continues to use his office to promote irresponsible rhetoric around the efficiency of these vaccines.

In doing so, Dr. Ladapo is abusing his official position — unquestionably costing unnecessary suffering and death to the very population he was hired to protect.

As Florida’s chief public health official, his primary responsibility is to promote the science that best advances the life, health and safety of Floridians. Further, as a physician, Dr. Ladapo took a sacred oath to “first do no harm.” In his most recent public statements politicizing and defaming mRNA vaccine, he has done specific and irreparable harm to the Floridians he was appointed to serve.

Dr. Lapado continues to pander to the worst impulse of many Americans to distrust their government and science.

He is neither a scientist nor an infectious disease specialist. As a Florida licensed physician, its chief medical officer and a professor at the venerable UF College of Medicine, these public utterances about lifesaving COVID vaccines represent the height of professional irresponsibility and negligence.

Martin A. Goetz, MS, MPA, Jacksonville

All first responders need dementia training

Six in 10 Floridians with Alzheimer’s will wander at least once. This, along with the inability to identify places and names, elevates the chances our loved ones might interact with law enforcement.

My mother's Alzheimer's disease was challenging, especially during the phase when she would wander. Fortunately, I was able to locate her quickly, but had I not, anyone interacting with her would have encountered a combative individual unable to comprehend or follow instructions.

This underscores the importance of law enforcement being equipped to recognize behavioral symptoms and communicate effectively when encountering individuals with Alzheimer's, ensuring a compassionate and understanding response.

That is why I am joining the Alzheimer’s Association Florida chapters in advocating for HB 801/SB 208, which will establish an Alzheimer’s and dementia continuing education course for law enforcement in Florida. It is imperative that we equip our law enforcement officers with the resources needed to properly address situations involving those with Alzheimer’s, including crisis situations.

I ask that Sen. Travis Hutson and Rep. Bobby Payne please consider cosponsoring this critical legislation.

Kealey West, St. Augustine

Vaccines must be readily available

I’m concerned about Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo continuing to vilify COVID vaccines and how this will affect the availability of said vaccines in the future. It was hard enough this past year to find the vaccine for my children and myself; I can only pray it doesn’t get more difficult.

This is personal for me. I have children with medical conditions that can result in hospitalization when exposed even to minor illnesses, with one being hospitalized twice in the past few months. I don’t want to think how much worse it would’ve been had she not been vaccinated against COVID and flu.

If others don’t want to get the vaccine, that’s fine. But when my ability to get it for myself and my family is compromised because of our surgeon general, this is a real problem.

Susan Miller, Jacksonville

New bill, more voter suppression tactics

Once again, the majority party in the Florida House is apparently trying to suppress voters even more. Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, has introduced Senate Bill 1752 that would effectively eliminate vote-by-mail for everyone, with limited exceptions for persons with disabilities and those living overseas.

Currently any registered voter can request a mail-in ballot. If this bill passes, those who work hours longer than polls are open, those without transportation and many more would not be able to vote. Voting by mail has been proven to be a safe and secure way for people to vote. Passage of this bill means that everyone who is not exempt would be required to vote only on election day or at early voting sites.

Please ask your state representative to oppose this voter-suppressing bill.

Bob Henning, Jacksonville

Don’t let Trump get away with it

I find Donald Trump’s references to the events of Jan. 6, 2021, to be disgusting beyond belief. On various occasions he has called it a “beautiful day” and refers to the participants as “great, great patriots” or “hostages.”

Regardless of your political point of view, whether you believe it to be an insurrection or not, we all watched on live television the events that occurred on that day. The video record does not lie, the medical reports of 140 injured Capitol police officers do not lie, nor do the death certificates resulting from that day.

Trump may try to revise history, but one can only trust that the American voters will not let him get away with it.

Jim Kavanagh, Jacksonville

Maybe the mayor can help

I just finished watching the sad end of the Jacksonville Jaguars season last Sunday. I wish the coach had not listened to Trevor Lawrence, who was still hurt, and instead had played C.J. Beathard, who was great on Dec. 31 against the Carolina Panthers.

On a happier note, hometown man Derrick Henry is a free agent. If the Jags billionaire owner doesn't want to pony up, maybe Mayor Donna Deegan can find the money in her budget to help the team grab him.

If we have Henry, Travis Etienne Jr. and a healthy Lawrence all running, we will get to the Super Bowl — and maybe even win it.

Martin Wood, Jacksonville

Tear down the Trio, already

I was amused to read on Jan. 4 that the City Council deemed the redevelopment and financing plans for the Laura Street Trio totally flawed; no surprise there.

It’s amazing to me that since moving here in 2007, those dilapidated unsightly relics have been allowed to haunt the very core of downtown all these years. What an incredible embarrassment for the city or for any visitor who would find any reason to go down there.

I think the city would do well by quickly demolishing these eyesores and replacing them with high-rise apartments or condos like Austin and Nashville, so people might actually want to live downtown.

Paul Poidomani, Riverside

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Our taxes for stadium upgrades means Jags need to stay in Jacksonville