First Coast Connect

Our weekly Friday Media Roundtable on First Coast Connect featured David Bauerlein from The Florida Times-Union , WJCT contributor Charles Griggs , Folio Weekly editor Claire Goforth and Florida Politics reporter A.G. Gancarski. Topics included: Women and men in Jacksonville and St. Augustine join the March for Children to protest the Trump administration’s separation of children from their parents. The Jacksonville City Council changes its leadership. Former Mayor Alvin Brown gets the

Thursday on First Coast Connect we heard a review of the just completed term of the U.S. Supreme Court and the potential effect of the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy with the Florida Immigrant Coalition’s Basma Alawee and Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner , director and pre-law instructor in the Department of Political Science at the University of North Florida (01:22). Renovations at UF Health Jacksonville are among Mayor Lenny Curry’s proposed capital improvement projects for the next fiscal year

Thursday on First Coast Connect we heard a review of the just completed term of the U.S. Supreme Court and the potential effect of the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy with the Florida Immigrant Coalition’s Basma Alawee and Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner , director and pre-law instructor in the Department of Political Science at the University of North Florida (01:22). Renovations at UF Health Jacksonville are among Mayor Lenny Curry’s proposed capital improvement projects for the next fiscal year

Wednesday on First Coast Connect we learned about a new survey of Northeast Florida’s LBGT residents that shows many are still experiencing discrimination in the workplace and the community at large. President of the LGBT Community Fund for Northeast Florida Michael Meyers and Cindy Watson, director of JASMYN, joined the show (01:15). Florida has become the first state to adopt a cashless payment system for medical marijuana. The system is called CanPay , and we spoke with company CEO Dustin

Tuesday on First Coast Connect we spoke with Dr. Jeff Goldhagen , Professor and Chief, Division of Community and Societal Pediatrics at the University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville on the trauma children are experiencing after being taken away from their parents at the U.S./Mexico border (01:09). We heard about the problems of finding affordable housing on the First Coast with Ability Housing President and CEO Shannon Nazworth (26:24). Our latest Moveable Feast segment featured

Monday on First Coast Connect we got a preview of what are expected to be the most interesting local and state primary races with Florida Politics reporter A.G. Gancarski and FSCJ Political Science professor Daniel Cronrath (01:22) now that the Friday filing deadline for local and state races has passed. This month’s segment of First Coast Success with Jacksonville Daily Record Editor Karen Brune Mathis features well-known local attorney Hank Coxe (36:52). WJCT Sports Analyst Cole Pepper talked

Our Friday Media Roundtable on First Coast Connect featured Florida Times-Union reporter Andrew Pantazi , Jacksonville Business Journa l editor Timothy Gibbons , Beaches Leader columnist Jon McGowan and WJCT contributor Fred Matthews . Topics included How the controversy over removing children from their parents border is affecting the U.S. Senate race between Se. Bill Nelson and Gov. Rick Scott. The Task Force on Jacksonville’s Civil Rights History issues its final report. The feds deny

Thursday on First Coast Connect we were joined by St. John Riverkeeper Advocacy Director Shannon Blankenship and Outreach Director Kelly Patton to talk about their series of town meetings beginning Thursday dealing with the dangers of rising water levels in the river (01:05). Last week, host Melissa Ross attended the Science Immersion Workshop for Journalist at the Metcalf Institute in Rhode Island. Melissa was one of only 20 journalists invited this year to participate. She talked about her

Wednesday on First Coast Connect we learned about the plans for The Florida Times-Union newsroom to join a union with reporters Andrew Pantazi and Tessa Duvall (01:03). We heard from author Brette Petway regarding her book, Prayer is Good, A Path from Grief to Grace , on how to deal with tragedy in one’s life (35:38). Ahead of Saturday’s Summer Songbook Showcase at the Blue Jay Listening Room we heard from performers Pamela Bernkrant and Tori Peoples (46:00). Kevin Meerschaert can be reached at

Tuesday on First Coast Connect we discussed the controversy over the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” border policy with Stephanie Mickle and Katie Ross with Mickle Public Affairs (01:16). We heard bout a new study from the Union of Concerned Scientists that states many homes in Florida are at risk due to rising sea levels with Andrea Dutton, assistant professor at the University of Florida’s Department of Geological Sciences (28:52). Ahead of his 100th birthday on Wednesday we spoke with