JaxPort announced it set a record for container volumes for its fiscal year ending Sept. 30.
The port moved nearly 1.3 million containers, a 23 percent increase over 2017.
The port’s Puerto Rican container business grew 37 percent and its Asia trade rose 12 percent. JaxPort’s Asian business has grown an average of 14 percent annually over the past five years.
Liquid bulk cargo that includes cooking oil and corn syrup increased 19 percent. It’s the third consecutive year JaxPort set container volume records.
North Florida Land Trust Inc. acquired 2,304 acres in Clay and Bradford counties from Lake City-based 301 Land Investments LLC.
The property connects Camp Blanding to Jennings State Forest and is part of the Ocala to Osceola national forests wildlife corridor. The organization paid $5.48 million for the property.
Funding was provided by the Army Compatible Use Buffer program and a Florida Defense Support Task Force Grant of $385,000 via the Clay County Development Authority.
Jim McCarthy, president of the Land Trust, said the organization plans to have a management plan in place by the summer of 2019 to address issues such as habitat and floodplain restoration, public access and security.
McCarthy said they are working on about 20 projects and hope to have another acquisition by the end of the year.
The North Florida Land Trust supports environmental protection primarily in Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Union and Volusia counties.
Girls Inc. of Jacksonville received a 2018 SunTrust Foundation Lighting the Way Award. The $75,000 grant is to continue and expand a financial literacy and confidence program for girls in grades K-8 and add the program in grades 9-12 starting in March.