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Trail Ridge grew from ancient sea dunes and lifting geology

JACKSONVILLE, FL – You may be surprised to know about a stretch of land just west of Jacksonville that towers higher than buildings in downtown and even above the Dames Point Bridge.

Trail Ridge is no ordinary hill, it’s an ancient shoreline, and its towering height is a clue to Florida’s fascinating geological history.

It runs along the eastern side of the Okefenokee Swamp and spans into northeastern Florida, extending around 100 miles and passes right near Kingsley Lake in Clay County.

Trail Ridge stands out for its unusual height, up to about 230 feet above today’s sea level.

Trail Ridge is a natural formation made up of sand ridges that were created when sea levels were much higher during different periods in Earth’s history.

Over millions of years, these high sea levels created beaches and dunes that eventually turned into solid landforms as the water receded.

Today, the ridge stands much higher than any shoreline could have reached in recent times. So, why is it so tall?

Scientists, including Dr. Jessica R. Creveling, Jacqueline Austermann, and Andrea Dutton, have explored how Florida’s unique “karst” landscape plays a role in lifting the land.

Karst refers to a type of landscape formed by the dissolving of limestone or carbonate rock due to acidic water.

This process creates underground caves and empty spaces, which can cause the ground above to lift slightly over time.

In a 1984 study, researchers Opdyke and his team proposed that the karst rock below Trail Ridge gradually dissolved, creating empty spaces and pushing the land upwards.

They called this “isostatic uplift,” where the ground rises as the underlying rock dissolves. Based on calculations of how much rock dissolves in Florida each year, they estimated that the land could rise by about 3 feet every 38,000 years from karst dissolution alone.

Understanding the age of Trail Ridge has been tricky, but researchers have worked on ways to match ancient Florida shorelines with global climate changes, known as “marine isotope stages.”

These stages are periods when Earth’s temperature and sea levels changed, often due to melting ice sheets. By linking Trail Ridge to these stages, scientists can learn about how old the ridge might be.

In 2010, Adams and his team introduced a new model to figure out Trail Ridge’s age. This model tracked how Florida’s land responded to changes in sea level over millions of years, particularly how exposure to freshwater from lower sea levels sped up the dissolving process in the karst rocks below.

They calculated that Trail Ridge might have started forming around 1.4 million years ago.

Their findings matched up with some global sea level records, suggesting that Trail Ridge’s height is due to both ancient sea levels and the steady, upward lift caused by karst dissolution.

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Todd Golden and the Florida basketball program get set for its 2024-25 home opener on Thursday night inside the O’Connell Center against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and if you are looking to watch the game and/or the betting line, you have come to the right place.

The Gators triumphed in their season opener against the USF Bulls on Monday, 98-83, giving the team a strong start after being ranked among the top 25 for the first time in the preseason since 2019. The Dolphins were also victorious on Monday evening, earning a 78-65 win over Trinity Baptist College at home.

Here’s how to watch the Gator game, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:

TV Channel: SEC Nework+

Start time: 8 p.m.ET

The Florida Gators vs. Jacksonville Dolphins will be broadcast nationally on the SEC Newtork+ in Week 1 of the 2024-25 men’s college basketball season. Kyle Crooks and Mark Wise will call the game from the sidelines inside the O’Connell Center.

Where to watch Florida vs Jackosnville on livestream

Streaming options for the game include ESPN+.

Watch Florida vs Jacksonville live on ESPN+

Gators vs Dolphins predictions, picks, odds

Florida 98, Jacksonville 78: The Gators started slow against the Bulls on Monday night, but that was to be expected with the offseason rust still needing to be shed. Expect a much better effort overall on its home court for Florida.

ODDS: Florida (20.5)

O/U: 153.5

All College Basketball Odds via BetMGM as of 8:45 a.m. ET Thursday.

Florida Gators 2024 schedule

* Game played at neutral location

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In addition to picking the next president and other constitutional offices, voters in Florida headed to the polls on Election Day to decide the fate of six proposed amendments to the state's constitution, including controversial topics like the right to abortion and legalizing marijuana.

Here's how voters across Florida voted on the amendments. (Check back for updated results.)

Note: Each amendment must garner at least 60% of the vote to pass.

Amendment 1 (Partisan school board elections)

Summary: Proposing amendments to the State Constitution to require members of a district school board to be elected in a partisan election rather than a nonpartisan election and to specify that the amendment only applies to elections held on or after the November 2026 general election. However, partisan primary elections may occur before the 2026 general election for purposes of nominating political party candidates to that office for placement on the 2026 general election ballot.

Amendment 2 (Right to fish and hunt)

Summary: Proposing amendments to the State Constitution to require members of a district school board to be elected in a partisan election rather than a nonpartisan election and to specify that the amendment only applies to elections held on or after the November 2026 general election. However, partisan primary elections may occur before the 2026 general election for purposes of nominating political party candidates to that office for placement on the 2026 general election ballot.

Amendment 3 (Legalize marijuana)

Summary: Allows adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise; allows Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers, and other state-licensed entities, to acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell, and distribute such products and accessories. Applies to Florida law; does not change, or immunize violations of, federal law. Establishes possession limits for personal use. Allows consistent legislation. Defines terms. Provides effective date.

Election fallout:Whether amendments rise or fall, Florida fight over abortion and marijuana isn't over

Amendment 4 (Right to abortion)

Summary: No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient's health, as determined by the patient's healthcare provider. This amendment does not change the Legislature's constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.

Amendment 5 (Annual inflation adjustment for property valuations)

Summary: Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to require an annual adjustment for inflation to the value of current or future homestead exemptions that apply solely to levies other than school district levies and for which every person who has legal or equitable title to real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the owner, or another person legally or naturally dependent upon the owner is eligible. This amendment takes effect January 1, 2025.

Amendment 6 (Repeal public financing for statewide campaigns)

Summary: Proposing the repeal of the provision in the State Constitution which requires public financing for campaigns of candidates for elective statewide office who agree to campaign spending limits.

Complete election results for Florida races

2024 Florida election results

Complete election results for Northeast Florida races

?Also called the 'Right to Abortion Initiative,' Amendment 4 sought to limit government interference with abortion. The Associated Press has called the vote.

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — First Coast News is monitoring the vote on Amendment 4 live. The results are below.

Also called the 'Right to Abortion Initiative,' Amendment 4 seeks to limit government interference with abortion. The Associated Press has called the vote, saying that the state did not meet the 60% threshold to pass the amendment.

Also called the 'Right to Abortion Initiative,' Amendment 4 seeks to limit government interference with abortion.

A "yes" vote supports adding the following language to the Florida Constitution’s Declaration of Rights: “… no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.” Amendment 4 would maintain the current constitutional provision that permits a law requiring parents to be notified before a minor can receive an abortion.

A "no" vote opposes amending the Florida Constitution's Declaration of Rights to provide that the state cannot "... prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider."

Currently, abortion is legal in Florida up to six weeks into pregnancy. That dropped from 15 weeks when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed what's known as the "heartbeat bill" in April of 2023. Until 2022, abortion was legal in Florida up until 24 weeks into pregnancy.

One of the criticisms of the amendment is that it would allow minors to have abortions up until the 24th week of pregnancy without a parent being notified. However, that is not true. The amendment text states that the amendment would not change Article 10, Section 22 of the Florida Constitution, which states a parent or guardian must be notified before a minor's pregnancy is terminated.

DeSantis expressed his issue with the amendment at a press conference in South Florida on Oct. 21, where he called the amendment "radical," and a "Pandora's Box of bad policies."

DeSantis said the amendment goes against the Florida statute known as the "Parental Notice of and Consent for Abortion Act." This statute requires not only parental notification, but also parental consent of abortions for minors.

The governor said the omission of "consent" in the amendment is a "bait and switch."

"They know that's bad, they know parents don't like that, so what they're doing in the amendment is substituting 'notification,' but that is not consent," he said.

Amendment 4 is supported by the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood affiliates which said, "The opportunity for Floridians to end this government manufactured public health crisis and get politicians out of our personal private decisions once and for all by passing Amendment 4 couldn't come at a more pressing time."

Amendment 4 has even reached the presidential campaign trail. Before she was the Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke in Jacksonville on the day the six-week abortion ban took effect.

"We trust women," she said. "We trust women to know what is in their own best interest."

Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump told NBC in August that he feels abortion should be decided on a state-by-state basis.

"Well, I think the six weeks is too short," he said. "There has to be more time and so that's, and I've told them that I want more weeks."

Amendment 4 will pass if it receives at least 60% of the vote.

The Jacksonville, Florida, Sheriff's Office has opened an administrative review as videos circulating online show violent interactions between deputies and fans at this weekend's University of Florida vs. University of Georgia rivalry football game.

The schools were playing Saturday at Jacksonville’s Everbank Stadium, where at least two altercations between fans and law enforcement led deputies to use their stun guns.

One video went viral after it was posted by Tate Moore, a Barstool Sports employee, in which by deputies appeared to repeatedly punch two game spectators.

In Moore's video, one fan is a man with gray hair and a Florida Gators shirt being held bent over as a deputy repeatedly brings his arm down over his upper back. Another angle of the incident shows the man being punched around his neck.

The second video, posted by a man on X named John Phillips, also appears to show the deputy deploying a stun gun on the man in the Gators shirt.

The same incident also involves someone on the ground in a stadium aisle being hit repeatedly by a deputy as a woman in a blue dress cries "no" over and over again.

Someone can be heard in Moore's video yelling, "Why are you punching him?" but it's unclear who is being referred to.

Phillips also posted a separate incident in which a seated man is talking to a deputy alongside a woman in a Georgia Bulldogs shirt. As they speak, the camera pans to a deputy appearing to hold a stun gun a few feet away.

The deputy who appears to have his stun gun out walks over and puts a hand on the man's arm. The man swats it away without making any other movement. It then sounds as if the stun gun is deployed, and the man pulls the cords to the gun off him and stands up yelling.

The situation quickly escalates as the man starts yelling at both deputies and appears to be hit by two different stun guns, pulling at the cords until he falls over the seats below him.

One of the deputies then grabs him, and a physical altercation begins, with a deputy punching the man and the man pushing him off. It appears the man's shirt gets ripped.

It's unclear what prompted either of the altercations. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said in a statement that its Professional Standards Division is aware of the videos.

"Administrative reviews of the incidents are being opened," the statement said. "As such, the agency will not comment until all facts are known and the reviews have been completed."

The statement was posted to the sheriff's office social media accounts Saturday night.

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan wrote on X that the city is awaiting the results of the investigation.

"I’m aware of several disturbing videos circulating from yesterday’s game," Deegan said. "I have spoken to Sheriff Waters and the incidents are under investigation."

The city just announced Friday that it had agreed to a deal to continue to host the Florida-Georgia rivalry game from 2028 through 2031, after Everbank undergoes renovations.

According to the release, the games will be hosted in Atlanta and Tampa in 2026 and 2027 while the stadium is under construction. Deegan called the agreement the result of "many months of close collaboration" with the schools.

"We are grateful that this matchup will continue bringing our communities together to celebrate college football and drive economic impact," Deegan said Friday.

The athletic directors of both schools did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Colin Sheeley

Colin Sheeley is a senior reporter for NBC News' Social Newsgathering team based in New York.

Doha Madani

Doha Madani is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. Pronouns: she/her.