Local woman says solar panel offer was a bust, cost her thousands of dollars
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Michelle Thompson and her husband were looking for more options to save money during the pandemic. They found a flier
Pro Bono Awards – St. Johns County
Pro Bono Awards were presented January 8th to the lawyers who did the most pro bono work in 2022. St. Johns County lawyers reported over 1,975 hours of free legal work assisting the poor, disabled, and low-income people in our community (and that is just the hours that were disclosed, so the actual number is much higher).
Homeowners Struggle to Get Pandemic Aid Meant to Stop Foreclosures
Peter and Nancy Rosalez found out in November they were eligible for up to $25,000 in government money to keep from losing their house to foreclosure. But their mortgage company had gotten permission to foreclose on their Middletown, Ohio, home and was about to sell it. The money sat unused while an auction of the home went forward. “The mental anguish we’ve been through with this house and trying to save this house—it’s just been ridiculous,” Mrs. Rosalez said. The federal government allocated funds for distressed homeowners as part of its expansive efforts to help Americans cope with the pandemic’s financial strains. Unlike some other stimulus programs, such as checks mailed to individuals, this money moved slowly.
Jacalyn Crecelius joins JALA as leader of its Veterans Legal Services Unit
Attorney Jacalyn Crecelius has joined Jacksonville Area Legal Aid as leader of its Veterans Legal Services Unit, which launched in 2019 in connection with a statewide Florida Veterans Legal Helpline funded through the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs. “I'm thankful for the opportunity to serve as the Veterans attorney with JALA,” Crecelius said. “My goal is to further develop the unit into one that veterans and those advocating for them know they can trust for honest, strong, and compassionate support.” Prior to working at JALA, Crecelius worked as an attorney in the areas of family law, security clearance defense, and insurance/healthcare law. She has practiced locally with Florida Women’s Law Group and The Edmunds Law Firm.
JALA helps Clay homeowner get a mortgage modification, help with HOA debt
“Raymond,” who has a disability, was working a part-time job in addition to his full-time job in order to pay off the $6,000 he owed his homeowner’s association, which had initiated a foreclosure for the past due assessments. He was also behind on his mortgage. He and his two adult children, ages 18 and 20, share the family home, and he was in risk of losing it.
JALA housing counselor helps single mother save her home after COVID-19 forbearance ends
“Marcia,” a single mother whose adult son has a disability, was delinquent on her mortgage after a COVID-19 hardship. She had entered into a COVID-19 forbearance, and once it ended, her loan servicer told her she had to pay almost $8,000 in one lump sum.
JALA housing counseling enables senior couple to remain in their home
“Margie and Frank Wilson,” a Clay County couple in their late 70s, came to JALA for help after becoming delinquent on their mortgage following a forbearance period. Social Security was their only source of income, and they had been struggling to make ends meet for several years. JALA offers housing counseling through a grant from Clay SHIP, or the State Housing Initiative Program, which provides local governments with funds to create housing programs to assist income-eligible residents.
Joseph Clay Davis Meux
Joseph “Joe” Clay Davis Meux died on November 21st, 2022 at the age of 94. He was born in Memphis, TN on October 10th, 1928 to William Leigh Meux and Doris Davis Meux. He is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Elizabeth Freitag Meux; children, Joseph “Clay” Davis Meux Jr (Elizabeth) and John Edward Meux; grandchildren, Olivia and Davis; brother-in-law, John William “Bill” Freitag (Donna); nieces, Bette “Lou” Meux Solomon (William), Doris Ann “Dee” Meux, Christina Freitag Martin (Patrick); and great niece, Ella Greer Martin.
Freed to Run is set to begin November 14
Freed to Run is set to begin Nov. 14 in Tallahassee and finish in Jacksonville Nov. 19, when it is expected to have reached its goal to endow Jacksonville Area Legal Aid’s Northeast Florida Medical Legal Partnership (NFMLP) in perpetuity with $2.25 million raised over six years. The six marathons in the six-day series will each begin at a courthouse along the route, with relay teams running along with event founder and Gunster Shareholder Mike Freed. The final marathon will be Freed’s 36th in six years to support the partnership between JALA and area health-care institutions that provides civil legal aid to children who are chronically or critically ill. Each team is collecting donations that will enable JALA to permanently support civil legal aid to Northeast Florida pediatric patients and their families through the NFMLP. All funds raised are matched at 125 percent by Baptist Health up to $1.25 million.
Freed to Run marathon series expected to reach its $2.25 million goal Nov. 14-19 with a little help from Olympian Garrett Scantling
Olympian Garrett Scantling Proceeds will fully fund an endowment for Jacksonville Area Legal Aid’sNortheast Florida Medical Legal Partnership JACKSONVILLE, Fla.