Vials of injectable penicillin sit in cold storage at the Metro Public Health Department in Nashville. Injectable penicillin is the go-to treatment for syphilis and the only treatment considered safe for pregnant people with the disease.(Catherine Sweeney
/ WPLN)

Congenital syphilis is a severe, disabling and often fatal infection found in babies whose mothers have untreated (or undertreated) syphilis. The infection can lead to an enlarged liver, severe anemia, malformed teeth and bones, even autism, and it puts many babies at risk of neonatal death. Though preventable with early detection and treatment, infection rates in Duval County remain far higher than most of the state. With the City Council poised to cut the mayor’s proposed budget allocation for congenital syphilis screening, we ask two local experts why the problem persists on the First Coast.

Guests:

• Dr. Chandra A. Adams, obstetrician/gynecologist and women's health economist at Full Circle Women’s Health.
• Dr. Mobeen H. Rathore, professor and associate chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville, and chief of infectious diseases and immunology at Wolfson Children’s Hospital.

Then, two local theater powerhouses team up for an "in concert" production of the classic Stephen Sondheim musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. The staging includes a 26-piece symphony orchestra and a 30-member chorus in the Broadway classic about a Roman slave trying to win his freedom by playing matchmaker for his lovestruck owner.

Guests:

• Numa Saisselin, president of The Florida Theatre.
• Sarah Boone, executive director of Theatre Jacksonville.
• Cady Huffman, Tony Award winner, starring as Pseudolus.
• Jean Tait, director.

And, a classically trained cellist and multi-instrumentalist with a passion for funk, soul and R&B created her own distinctive sound with Nikayla and The phuNk! The project blends her genre-bending style with classical instrumentation and a desire to break musical boundaries. We ask her about the release of her first album and the influence of her Jacksonville roots.

Guest:

• Nikayla Byirt, creator of Nikayla and The phuNk! (Byirt will perform Aug. 27 at The Walrus.)