By: Kara Yelman

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At the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, visitors are greeted with a new and up-close look at one of Florida’s most iconic animals, the manatee.   

The exhibit is more than just a place to observe these gentle giants. It also serves as a rehabilitation facility, expanding the zoo’s ability to care for manatees in need. The facility has space to support up to 20 manatees at a time and plays a role in helping injured or vulnerable manatees recover before being released back into the wild.      

According to zoo staff, the need for this type of care is largely due to human-related factors. Boat strikes, fishing activity, overwatering, and overfertilizing homes near waterways continue to pose a threat to manatees across Florida, making conservation efforts more important than ever.  

The new exhibit also aims to educate visitors and raise awareness about those challenges. By placing the habitat right at the entrance, guests are encouraged and more inclined to stop, watch, and connect with the animals in a way they may not have before. It has already been recognized that visitors are spending more time at the exhibit, often lingering to observe the manatees as they float around and feed.  

That connection is a key part of the zoo’s mission to protect wildlife and wild places. By giving people the opportunity to see manatees up close, the exhibit helps create a deeper understanding of why these animals need protection. 

As visitors pause to take in the experience, the exhibit is doing more than drawing attention; it is building awareness for a species that depends on it.  

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By: Will Raffier

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As of October 2024, Snappy has reported that there are 2,589 restaurants in Jacksonville, Florida and of those restaurants, only a few can provide an authentic, homey feeling. These restaurants in question tend to be family owned.   

Two of these restaurants are Rodrigo’s Craft Pizza and Sizemore’s. Both have opened recently and have a strong emphasis on making sure that customers feel like family.  

“When you walk through the door, you are met with professionalism, but you are also treated like family,” says Tiziana Sizemore, one of the owners’ wives about Sizemore’s approach to customer relations. 

Sizemore’s is a brand-new restaurant located on the beach and offers different types of seafood as well as typical bar food. The two owners, Alex and Daniel Sizemore, opened the restaurant with the goal of combining seafood and style to create a nostalgic, home-cooked meal feeling. 

The brothers emphasize serving every dish with a side of cozy energy for every meal. “They give out their personal numbers,” said Tiziana. “They are shaking your hands and giving you a hug when you come in.” 

Another aspect of many family-owned restaurants is being owned by minorities. According to the National Restaurant Association, 48% of United States restaurant firms are owned by minorities. The other restaurant, Rodrigo’s Craft Pizza, is not only family owned, but also immigrant owned. 

Alex Rodriguez, the owner of Rodrigo’s, recalled how much he had to do when he started the restaurant.

“You’re the marketing guy, you are the direct line with the legal department, community outreach, everything,”—Rodriguez said.  

Rodriguez also highlights that he has always had to learn as he goes, whether it was his engineering job prior to the restaurant or now as he takes on multiple roles  

Food is something that can make strangers feel like family. Jacksonville’s family-owned businesses take this one step further. 

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By: Reece Kovacs

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At the edge of Neptune Beach sits The Bookmark Bookstore. The business has been a landmark of Neptune Beach since its opening in 1985 and then found its forever owner with Rona Brinlee in 1990. 

 Since then, Rona has faithfully served the store and its community by keeping the spirit of reading alive through opportunities for authors and customers. The shop frequently hosts local journalists and authors for reading and discussion nights.  

Two of the bookkeepers at the shop remember these readings fondly. Brittany, the assistant manager, has been an avid reader since childhood and recalls being a precocious child wanting “to ask the authors all my questions.” Another bookkeeper, Kirsten, had the chance to interview one of these authors for an article during undergrad. 

These meet and greets bring in all kinds of authors who write for all kinds of audiences from young adults to children. In fact, The Bookmark has a vast children’s book section, filled with books, toys and school supplies, dedicated to future readers. The store also has curated stands with items like journals, stickers, postcards, and pens.  

For those who need a little guidance for their next read, The Bookmark is the place to go. The staff consists of bookworms, all of whom read weekly. The team keeps track of what is being read, and who prefers what genre, to give customers the best experience and book possible. The store also sends a list of their most popular reads every week to the New York Times Best Sellers list.   

The store keeps in contact with their customers through weekly newsletter. These newsletters also give these titles, while providing information on what is happening at the store that week. Here, information about author readings and other events can be found.  

The Bookmark stands as a daily reminder that local shops and bookstores are going nowhere. The store continues to see readers of all ages with events like author reading nights that bring in a crowd showing an eagerness surrounding all things books. Despite constant rumors that small businesses, especially bookstores, are declining in numbers, Rona and her team are proof that these rumors are false. 

To get your own book or learn more about the store, go to bookmarkbeach.com 

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