First Coast Connect

Jacksonville is one of four cities recently selected for an expansive law enforcement partnership with the Department of Justice focused on reducing violent crime. The $300 million Model Cities Initiative comes at a time of historic declines in violent crime on the First Coast, including a precipitous drop in homicides. The recent violent Halloween weekend notwithstanding, crime trends here mirror those of many large cities. According to the local FBI, “violent crime across the country fell 9.3% in 2025 [and] Florida is part of that broader success,” noting it is “the largest year-to-year decline since the FBI began tracking national crime trends in 1936.” According to the DOJ, the Model Cities funding initiative will help in “hiring sworn and non-sworn law enforcement officers … adopting new and improved technology; purchasing or leasing equipment; enhancing forensic capabilities and capacity; and providing services to address mental health and substance use issues and reduce recidivism.” We talk to law enforcement administrators from both the FBI and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office as well as a local university criminologist about what strategies are working, the policies of surveillance and what changes the additional funding could bring.

Guests:  

• Jason Carley, special agent in charge, FBI Jacksonville
• Edwin Cayenne Jr., director of investigations and homeland security, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office
• Michael Cherbonneau, associate professor of criminology and criminal Justice at the University of North Florida

Since he began running a decade ago, attorney Mike Freed has pushed himself to the limits of endurance. He ran his first marathon after just four weeks of training, then ran his first “ultra marathon” of 34 miles the following month. Since then, he’s pushed through ultras ranging from 50 kilometers to 100 miles, participated in multiple 24-hour races and earned a reputation for stacking miles beyond even what most endurance athletes can imagine. His annual “Freed to Run” fundraiser for Jacksonville Area Legal Aid has ranged from six marathons in six days to (this year) a challenge to run a 5K every hour for 10 consecutive hours. Now, he’s setting his sights on a global challenge, the Great World Race, which entails running seven marathons in seven days across all seven continents. Freed’s run, which begins Nov. 15 in Antarctica and ends Nov. 21 in Miami, benefits Ronald McDonald House Jacksonville. We ask him about running for a cause and preparing for his intercontinental jaunt.

Guests:   

• Mike Freed, attorney and participant in The Great World Race
• Megan Weinstein, chief development officer, Ronald McDonald House Jacksonville

Love, betrayal and the kiss of death are all featured in the tangled “lyric fairy tale” of Rusalka on stage this weekend. A classic that has become Antonín Dvořák's best known opera, Rusalka tells the story of an enchanted water nymph who longs to become human to pursue a beloved Prince, only to be betrayed by the realities of the alien world. The opera premiered at Prague’s National Theatre in 1901 but remains a modern-day classic. We talk to the acclaimed soprano who performs the title role as well as the production’s director about the upcoming staging at Bold City Opera from Nov. 6 to 8 at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd.

Guests:

• Christine Alfano, actor portraying Rusalka, Bold City Opera
• Kylie Humber, director, Rusalka, Bold City Opera

Tuesday's election results are in, offering what analyst Chris Hand calls a tale of two electorates: Democrats dominated national races while Florida remained a GOP stronghold. Ashley Moody will keep her U.S. Senate seat; Byron Donalds is Florida's new governor; and James Uthmeier won the attorney general race. Amendment 3 passed with 62% of voters in favor of decreasing property taxes, highlighting the issue of affordability. Despite that, downballot races did show some indicators of the national mood, with several seats targeted by Republicans during the mid-decade gerrymander either flipping or staying Democratic. We dig deep into the marrow of the body politic for an election postmortem with author, attorney and government expert Chris Hand as he helps explain what worked for each party, what the polls got right and how Election Day 2026 will impact the state in the years ahead.

Guest: Chris Hand, local government expert, attorney and co-author with the late Sen. Bob Graham of America, the Owner's Manual.

A favorite holiday performance at the annual Dickens on Centre celebration becomes a local performer’s first book. The Little Toy Shoppe by filmmaker, playwright and now author Jason Woods is an adaptation of his play about the dreams and heartaches of several abandoned toys at the titular shop and their road to self acceptance. We talk to Woods about making the leap from the stage to the page following his recent book release on Nov. 1 at the Story & Song Center for Arts & Culture in Fernandina Beach. The play itself will be performed Dec. 11 to 13 at the annual Dickens on Center event in Amelia Island.

Guest:  Jason Woods, filmmaker, playwright, author of The Little Toy Shoppe

Film at WJCT Studios offers a post-election palate cleanser with a bag of popcorn on the side. First up: A screening of a 2025 romantic comedy set against the backdrop of war-torn Beirut. A Sad and Beautiful World follows the story of childhood sweethearts Nino and Yasmina, spanning three decades as the couple weighs having a family in Lebanon or fleeing to restart life in a new place. The film boasts a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and won the People’s Choice Award at the Venice International Film Festival in 2025. We also get a preview of WJCT’s upcoming Noirvember offering, the classic 1948 thriller Sorry, Wrong Number, starring Barbara Stanwyck and Burt Lancaster.

Guest: David Luckin, station manager, WJCT Public Media

Whatever the day’s political outcomes, 2026 is already a record-breaking midterm election cycle, with nearly 57 million early votes cast nationally, compared to about 46 million in the 2022 midterms, according to the University of Florida Election Lab. That surge in early voting is a reflection of just how consequential the election is; voters show up when they believe their vote matters. In Florida, more than 5.4 million voters cast early ballots, nearly 40% of eligible voters (and not that far off Florida’s total turnout in the 2022 midterm of 48%). We get a breakdown of what races to watch and how to read the political tea leaves with longtime political columnist and reporter Nate Monroe. First Coast Connect has covered a range of local races and election-related topics this election cycle. You can find all of our election coverage here, and you can find detailed information about upcoming races in the Jacksonville Today voter guide. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. You can find your polling location at your county’s supervisor of elections website.

Guest: Nate Monroe, executive editor, The Florida Trib

From the doctor’s office to political office, dozens of physicians and healthcare workers have paused their practice to hit the campaign trail. The list of medically trained hopefuls includes seven high-profile candidates, among them Dr. Annie Andrews, a pediatrician and gun safety advocate running as the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina. Many are running for Congress in an effort to counter the messaging of the Make America Healthy Again movement and its effect on everything from vaccine policy to funding for medical research. We talk to Dr. Joe Sirven about the politicization of medicine and the “doctoring” of politics. Dr. Joe also answers your healthcare questions on any topic.

Guest: Dr. Joe Sirven, Mayo Clinic neurologist and Host of WJCT’s What’s Health Got To Do With It?

The wheels of justice move slowly, but they can also grind down the hope of victims’ family members, who sometimes lose faith in a crime ever being solved. That’s especially true in cold cases, which can linger for decades without much hope of resolution. But four local victims’ families are finally seeing an end to the process, at least from a criminal justice standpoint. Three cases featured on the Project: Cold Case platform have resulted in convictions within the past month, and a fourth is headed for trial in November. We talk to the founder of the project, whose own father was killed in a cold case homicide, about what the spate of success says about the effort to solve these crimes and what it means for the families.

Guests:

• Ryan Backmann, founder and executive director, Project Cold Case Inc.
• Casie Ellison, surviving daughter of Missy Taylor Ellison, who was murdered in 1987

The elevator pitch for this book should inspire anyone unsure of how to mold reality to fit their dreams, but it’s also par for the course for journalist, musician and surfer Matt Shaw. After years of traveling the globe surfing, writing about surfing, writing about music and making and performing surf-inflected music, Shaw has achieved a career capstone. His first book, The Sea in Every Sound: Chasing the Influence of Surf Music in America, incorporates all of his passions, as he cruises the coasts of America tracking the history of surf music and plumbing the depths of its influence on popular culture, from film and fashion to mosh pits, jazz clubs and the literal garages of countless indie rock bands. A former writer for The Surfer's Journal, SURFER Magazine and VOID, Shaw is currently arts and culture editor at Jacksonville Today. We ask him about riding the synergistic wave of personal inspiration and professional success.

Guest: Matt Shaw, arts and culture editor, Jacksonville Today, and author of The Sea in Every Sound: Chasing the Influence of Surf Music in America

The Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) returned to EverBank Stadium after more than a month away for the team’s matchup against division rivals the Indianapolis Colts (2-6). The Jaguars pushed through rainy conditions dominating the Colts from the first drive 42-7. We recap the game with our Jaguars season correspondent and discuss playoff chances as we near the midway point of the season.

Guest: Rachel Phillips, sports reporter and anchor, First Coast News

Each Friday, our media roundtable dives into the biggest stories of the week. Among our topics this week:

• Jail officials must give the family of Charles Faggart access to records and video from his in-custody death in April 2025, even as an FBI investigation continues.
• King tides swamp much of coastal Florida, including St. Augustine’s historic district, offering a preview of the creeping realities of “sunny day” flooding. 
• The Jacksonville Housing Authority’s CEO is fired a week after she asked for a controversial bonus.
• The Jacksonville Transportation Authority's interim CEO says he will move on rather than seek the top job of the financially spiraling agency.
• New research suggests election predictions could incorrectly favor Democrats due to the rise in “partisan nonresponse bias.” 

Guests:

• Christina Burgess, reporter at First Coast News
• John Daigle, political consultant, former government reporter
• Frank Powers, former assignment manager at News4Jax
• Mike Mendenhall, City Hall reporter and associate editor at Jacksonville Today

Duval County voters will soon decide who will fill the three open seats on the seven-member School Board for the next four years, after races for District 2, 4 and 6 went to runoffs in August. Incumbents April Carney (District 2) and Charlotte Joyce (District 4) are not on the November ballot but have backed Donovan Bradley and Lindsey Denmark for their seats. Voters in District 2, which includes the Beaches, East Arlington and the Southside area, can choose between Bradley, who received 49% of the primary vote, and Donna Mae Westrich, who earned 39%. Bradley, 26, a Republican political strategist and Fletcher High School graduate, says key issues facing the district are student achievement, teacher retention and school safety. Westrich, 53, an educator for more than 20 years with children attending schools in District 2, is focused on budget shortfalls, declining enrollment, teacher retention and student safety. We sit down with Westrich to discuss her stance on extending the 1-mill tax and upcoming agenda items, and we take your calls and questions.

First Coast Connect is covering a range of local races and election-related topics between now and Nov. 3. You can find all of our election coverage here, and you can find detailed information about upcoming races in the Jacksonville Today voter guide. (First Coast Connect spoke with Donovan Bradley about joining the program ahead of the November election but never heard back.)

Guest: Donna Mae Westrich, candidate for Duval County School Board District 2

William Murtagh, American historian and the original recordkeeper for the National Register of Historic Places, once said, “At its best, preservation engages the past in a conversation with the present over a mutual concern for the future." That conversion can get contentious when it comes to changing or destroying places and artifacts of historical, cultural or tribal significance. But the conversation itself could be muted under sweeping changes to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Among the proposals put forth by the Trump-aligned (and largely Trump-appointed) Advisory Council on Historic Preservation are revisions that would eliminate the traditional "avoid, minimize, and mitigate" standard for changes to historic properties and replace it with a vague (and only self-enforceable) standard to “address” adverse impacts following a change. We discuss how historic preservation advocates are responding and how community efforts to save the Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine remain a case study in the application of stricter Section 106 provisions. A public information session on the proposed changes will be held at 5 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Pablo Creek Regional Library on Beach Boulevard.

Guests:

• Rhianna Bennett, anthropological archaeologist, doctoral student in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Florida
• Theresa Segal, historic preservation advocate, president Save Our Bridge
• Charlie Thayer, policy lead, National Congress of American Indians
• Nada Wolff Culver, co-director, Tribal-Public Lands Alliance

Two first-time political candidates face off in a November runoff for the District 4 seat on the St. Johns County School Board. Tammie McClafferty fell short of the 50% threshold to win the race outright in the August primary, earning 46% of the vote, while opponent Jillian Tozer received 28%. The district, which includes Nocatee and Ponte Vedra Beach, has been represented since 2022 by Kelly Barrera, who is not seeking reelection. Tozer has distinguished herself from her opponent in part on the fact that she has children currently in the school system, something that no current St. Johns County School Board member can claim. We welcome your questions for the candidate.

First Coast Connect is covering a range of local races and election-related topics between now and Nov. 3. You can find all of our election coverage here, and you can find detailed information about upcoming races in the Jacksonville Today voter guide.

Guest: Jillian Tozer, candidate for St. Johns County School Board District 4

A religious celebration rooted in centuries of tradition is also open and accessible to modern practitioners — and even those just interested in expanding their cultural geography. Widely known as the “festival of lights,” Diwali symbolizes the spiritual triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Though its origins are in Hinduism, it is also observed globally by practitioners of Sikhism and Jainism. The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, (the Hindu temple on Merrill Road) is the epicenter of Jacksonville’s Diwali celebration on Nov. 10. The theme this year is "Light Beyond Lamps: A Journey Through Hindu Culture" and will reorient attendees to the enduring values of Indian culture. The event also features a range of vegetarian dishes, Indian folk art, known as rangoli, and opportunities to connect with community leaders.

Guests:

• Bhumika Patel, volunteer, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Jacksonville
• Shivani Kanji, volunteer, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Jacksonville

He’s worked as a paperboy, a bouncer and a public defender. Now he’s the underdog candidate for state House District 18. We ask Art Stresing about his bid to unseat incumbent Republican state Rep. Kim Kendall. Among the top-of-mind issues for voters in the St. Johns County district is the controversial Agricultural Enclaves bill, approved last legislative session, which led to a deluge of new development proposals, as well as a lawsuit by the County Commission, as it seeks to resist the new law. We ask Stresing about his priorities if elected, and also take your calls and questions. (First Coast Connect reached out to Kendall multiple times to invite her on the program and have not heard back.)

First Coast Connect is covering a range of local races and election-related topics between now and Nov. 3. You can find all of our election coverage here, and you can find detailed information about upcoming races in the Jacksonville Today voter guide.

Guest: Art Stresing, Democratic candidate, Florida House of Representatives District 18

A Nov. 3 ballot measure to cut taxes on homesteaded properties could affect everything from after-school programs to services for veterans and victims of domestic violence. We talk to a local nonprofit advocate about what effects are anticipated if voters approve Amendment 3 and how the community is responding. The threshold for approval is 60%. Early polling by the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab showed the amendment passing by a slim margin, with 61% of those polled saying they supported the measure. More recent UNF polling shows just 50% in favor, 30% opposed and a “notable” 14% still undecided. Early voting sites are open in Duval County until Sunday, Nov. 1, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Guest: Issis Alvarez, vice president of programs, advocacy and communications, Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida

Over nearly 50 years, Paula Poundstone has built a comedic reputation on spontaneity and gruff charm. From deadpan political coverage from the floor of the RNC and DNC, to her voice work in both Inside Out and Inside Out 2 and her role as a recurring guest on NPR’s weekly news quiz Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me! Poundstone has carved out a comedic persona that is both unconventional and immensely relatable. She brings her signature improvisational style to the WJCT Soundstage on Nov. 13.

Guest: Paula Poundstone, stand-up comedian, author and actress

Stargazing can be a relaxing or even romantic endeavor, until you realize some of the light clusters might be ghosts, a fact that is both spooky and scientifically fascinating. Scientists know that when a star burns up, the light it emits doesn’t immediately disappear, because photons it releases are traveling light-years through space to reach Earth. We break down the science and ask our resident space man just how common ghost stars are.

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

Hundreds of accusations and as many as 300 executions defined one of the wildest, and certainly the deadliest, episodes of witch hunting in English history. Known as the East Anglian witch trials, the terrifying mid 17th-century purge followed a period of social anxiety, economic hardship and political instability in Britain and provided the legal and procedural template for the Salem Witch Trials some 50 years later. A new book pairs that dark history with a modern-day gothic mystery, and the result is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling novel, released just in time for Halloween. We talk to the St. Augustine author behind the book about exploring themes of female empowerment and social control across the centuries. Madeline Martin's book tour stops at The Bookmark in Jacksonville Beach on Oct. 27, before heading to Fernandina Beach on Oct. 30 and Midnight Moon Books and Boutique in St. Augustine on Halloween.

Guest: Madeline Martin, New York Times bestselling author of A Time of Witches

When a fanatical mother and a terrifying telekinetic power fueled by rage pale in comparison to the horrors of high school, you know you’re talking about Carrie, the classic horror creation of novelist Stephen King. Transformed for the stage and molded into a musical, the show was initially a legendary flop, closing after just five regular performances on Broadway. The characters and songs were eventually reworked, however, and since then, the musical has become something of a cult classic — a perfect amuse bouche for pre-Halloween festivities, or as a post-election palate cleanser. We talk to two performers and the show’s executive director about the joys and challenges of tackling the especially sanguinary show.

Guests:

• Sadie Sims, portraying Carrie in Carrie: The Musical at The 5 & Dime Theatre
• Regina Torres, portraying Margaret White in Carrie: The Musical
• Denise Reagan, executive director, The 5 & Dime

The 2014 film The Babadook is widely considered one of the best psychological horror films of recent years, landing a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with one critic opining that it should be “immortalized in the canon of horror cinema.” It also provides a perfect template for an upcoming film screening and Q&A discussion hosted by Jacksonville University. Moviegoers can participate in an after-screening conversation led by three university psychology professors reflecting on the film’s themes and how watching horror movies can help people process very real emotional experiences. The screening begins at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Gooding Auditorium at JU, with the discussion beginning around 7:30 p.m.

Guests:

• Nicole Iannone, professor of psychology, Jacksonville University
• Samuel Farmer, filmmaker, horror film enthusiast

Federal financial disclosures show that gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds’ household wealth comes primarily from millions in tax dollars derived from the state’s charter school industry. A new Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald investigation found that Erika Donalds’ charter school management companies have collected more than $30 million over the past four years from charter schools, with her virtual reality curriculum firm OptimaEd slated to receive another $15.7 million in service fees from the online Optima Classical Academy for the coming school year. That money ultimately comes from a state budget approved by the governor, raising concerns among some observers about how the couple's work could present ethical conflicts. Donalds has said that the success of his wife’s companies should not be confused with her personal income and that he will draw a line between her business and the state’s if elected. We talk to the reporter behind the story about tracking dollars in the charter school food chain.

Guest: Claire Heddles, senior political correspondent, Miami Herald

After emerging from a five-way primary fight in August with 33% of the vote, candidate Lindsey Denmark heads to the Nov. 3 runoff against opponent Clarence James (who got 20% of the primary vote). Campaigning on a platform of restoring order to classrooms and holding students and parents accountable for disciplinary issues, Denmark is an eighth-generation Floridian and a 20-year resident of the city’s Westside with a background as a Realtor and a children’s ministry director at Restoration Baptist Church in Dinsmore. The District 6 Duval County School Board seat, which includes the Westside and Baldwin, was previously held by board Chair Charlotte Joyce, who is term-limited. First Coast Connect is covering a range of local races and election-related topics between now and Nov. 3. You can find all of our election coverage here, and you can find detailed information about upcoming races in the Jacksonville Today voter guide.

Guest: District 6 Duval County School Board candidate Lindsey Denmark

After seven decades Downtown, the Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair opens in its Westside digs for the first time Nov. 5. The 82-acre fairground is more than five times bigger than its previous footprint and includes a new 10,000 capacity Jax Amphitheatre. The 11-day exposition features a 155-foot Ferris wheel, aerial feats from famed acrobats, livestock shows and deep-fried fair staples, along with a broad range of musical performances by JJ Grey & Mofro, Dwight Yoakam, Grace Potter and 311. We talk to the fair’s president and marketing director about the logistical challenges of the big move and what first-time fairgoers will find when they get there.

Guests:

• Bill Olson, president and CEO, Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair
• Lisa Thomas, director of marketing, branding and PR, Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair

A Neptune Beach father is paddling the length of Florida — a trek of 540 miles, expected to take 20 days — to raise money in support of research into Sjögren’s disease, the third-most common autoimmune disease after rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Jason Parker launches from Fort Clinch State Park on Nov. 2 and journeys alone to Fort Zachary Taylor in Key West on just a stand-up paddleboard. He’s making the voyage to recognize his daughter, Gabby, who was diagnosed with the chronic condition when she was 11. Sjögren’s attacks the body's moisture-producing glands, resulting in scratchy eyes and dry mouth, but can also manifest as joint pain, swelling and stiffness. We ask Parker how he’s planning for his statewide pilgrimage and how he hopes to translate the trip into $25,000 for Sjögren’s research.

Guest: Jason Parker, solo participant in the inaugural “Paddle for Sjögren's”

Each Friday, our media roundtable dives into the biggest stories of the week. Among our topics this week:

• The state Republican Party drops a lawsuit seeking to block a political ad about the Hope Florida scandal after a judge says doing so would violate the First Amendment.
• The City Council subpoenas the Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s former CEO as it investigates a $40 million shortfall.
• The CEO of the Jacksonville Housing Authority is rebuffed after asking for big bonuses for new housing development.
• A new statewide voter poll shows a closer-than-expected race for governor.

Guests:

• Robin Lumb, former Jacksonville City Council member, former chair of the Duval County Republican Party
• Obi Umunna, attorney and political consultant
• Elizabeth Caldwell, investigative reporter, Jacksonville Today
• Sean Freeder, research director, University of North Florida Public Opinion Research Lab

An array of music spanning more than 100 years is the soundtrack for community dance parties in Fernandina Beach that wrap up this month. The Amelia Island Dance Series features a live 12-piece band and local vocalists performing music from the 1920s to the modern day, including jazz standards, big band, ballroom, swing and even a dash of Motown and disco. The last dance of the season will be at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Woman's Club of Fernandina Beach. We talk to two organizers about the rewards of social dancing and get a preview of their popular holiday series coming soon to Amelia Island and Jacksonville.

Guests:

• Nathan Michelson, saxophonist, Crescendo Amelia Big Band
• Brian Martin, dance instructor, Ballroom on Amelia