First Coast Connect

A Jacksonville-based data scientist says the way Florida presents COVID-19 data to the public is misleading, and he worries it’s being done deliberately to help support efforts to reopen the state. Christopher Perle is a Professor of Biology at Florida State College at Jacksonville. Perle has been keeping a close eye on Florida’s COVID-19 dashboard since it first launched. He joined us to explain his concerns about the state data. Related: FSCJ Data Scientist Says The Way Fla. Presents COVID-19

Wednesday on First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross we looked at COVID-19 in Jacksonville as Mayor Lenny Curry said Tuesday the percentage of positive COVID-19 cases has dropped compared to the city's peak.

Now that the Supreme Court has made clear that companies cannot lay off or discriminate against workers based on their sexual orientation, we looked at what that will mean for Florida. The nation's higest court made the surprise 6-3 ruling Monday , marking a major victory for the LGBTQ community. We talked with Jimmy Midyette of Jax Coalition for Equality along with Richard Margulies of Jackson Lewis firm, to discuss their thoughts on the ruling and how it will affect Florida’s LGBTQ protections

With Jacksonville hosting the Republican National Convention, political pundits have been talking about the importance of Florida as a swing state in the presidential election. But what if what we know about swing voters is wrong? Some modeling indicates there aren’t as many swing voters as conventional wisdom suggests. Political scientist Rachel Bitecofer is assistant director of the Wason Center for Public Policy at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, VA. She joined us on Monday’s

On Friday’s episode of First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross , our Media Roundtable took a closer look at some of the top stories impacting Northeast Florida and beyond this week, including: The Republican National Convention will be held in Jacksonville in August. Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry announced that more Confederate monuments will be removed in light of recent protests. Council President Tommy Hazouri declared that the City Council will form a new Social Justice and Community

Jacksonville is a leading contender on a shortlist of cities to host part of the Republican National Convention in August.

Community activists are speaking out about the city of Jacksonville’s decision to remove the Confederate statue from Hemming Park Tuesday.

Florida Senate Minority Leader Audrey Gibson (D-Jacksonville), and Dr. Tra’Chella Johnson Foy , a past president of the Duval Medical Society, joined us to discuss the need for more coronavirus testing in vulnerable neighborhoods , and a number of other subjects – including the protests, unemployment, and the removal of a Confederate statue from Hemming Plaza early Tuesday morning .

Protests continued in and around Jacksonville - and around the country - this weekend.

On Friday’s episode of First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross , our Media Roundtable examined some of the major stories impacting Northeast Florida and beyond this week, including: Protests in Jacksonville occurred all week long, with multiple events calling for police reform. Jacksonville has become a candidate to host this summer’s Republican National Convention. An investigator in the Ahmaud Arbery case says a racial slur was used after the suspects shot him and waited for police to arrive.