In a state considered a hub for human trafficking, Jacksonville leads the way. Though the city ranked just third-highest when it comes to overall human trafficking cases, it recorded the highest number of commercial sex ads in Florida in 2024, with more than 58,000 documented solicitations. Experts and advocates say the figure demonstrates “a severe, localized demand for commercial sexual exploitation.” We talk to two experts and a survivor-advocate about what's being done to disrupt sex trafficking on the First Coast and what additional efforts are needed.

Guests:

• Kristin Keen, founder and chief executive officer, Rethreaded
• Ruby Peters, Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Coalition ambassador and human trafficking educator with Catholic Charities Bureau Inc., Diocese of St. Augustine 
• Jamie Rosseland, advocate and member resource manager, Arize Together

On the fly

Then, improv comedy on the First Coast? We say yes, and … ! The founders of Jacksonville’s first ever brick and mortar improv club discuss their shared love of the comic form and why they chose to bring the fast-paced performance art to the area. Alex and Madelaine Grindeland met doing improv in Seattle in 2020, before moving to Jacksonville in 2021. They are now the married owners of First Coast Comedy, which hosts live performances every Friday and Saturday from its renovated Mayport Road digs. We ask them what’s so funny about it.

Guests:

• Alex and Madelaine Grindeland, co-owners and managers, First Coast Comedy

Sunshine daze

And, how old is sunlight? Our resident spaceman says by the time it reaches earth, it’s pretty ancient — despite the speed of light. Although it takes just eight minutes to travel the distance between the sun and Earth, light’s journey starts much earlier. Because it originates deep in the core of the sun, the light we see and feel is tens of thousands of years old, if not hundreds of thousands of years. Starman Eddie Whistler helps us wrap our head around the science.

Guest: Eddie Whisler, director of planetarium and outreach, Museum of Science & History