First Coast Connect

Monday on First Coast Connect we spoke with UNF Political Science Professor Matt Corrigan on how President Trump’s recent tariffs could affect Florida (01:29). Ahead of this week’s She Is Fierce! Wednesday speaker series talk we were joined by Olympic gold medalist and champion of women’s rights Nancy Hogshead-Makar (28:34). With the hurricane supplies sales tax now underway in Florida we were joined by Gerri Sexsion , President & CEO of Jax Federal Credit Union to talk about how you should

Friday our First Coast Connect Media Roundtable featured Dan Scanlan from the Florida Times-Union, WJCT contributor Fred Matthews , Jacksonville Business Journal editor Timothy Gibbons and Florida Politics reporter A.G. Gancarsk i. Issues discussed included, Jacksonville City Council members Reggie Brown and Katrina Brown indicted on 38 federal charges including fraud. The Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police endorsing Congressman Al Lawson in his reelection bid over former Mayor Alvin Brown .

Thursday on First Coast Connect we spoke with Jacksonville Mayoral candidate Connell Crooms . He is best known as one of the members of the Hemming Park 5, who were arrested and beaten by police at a protest last year in the park over the Trump administration’s bombing of Syria (01:16). We heard about a new report concerning the dangers national parks, seashores and monuments would face if offshore drilling is expanded in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans with Nicholas Lund from the National Parks

Wednesday on First Coast Connect we heard the latest about the battle over The Jacksonville Landing with Florida Times-Union reporter David Bauerlein and Daily Record reporter David Cawton (01:09). We discussed the results of the 2018 Green Transition Scoreboard report with the author, CEO of Ethical Markets Hazel Henderson (37:10). Kevin Meerschaert can be reached at [email protected] , 904-358-6334 or on Twitter at @ KMeerschaertJax .

Tuesday on First Coast Connect we heard about Florida’s growing medical cannabis industry with attorney Matthew Ginder . He’s senior counsel in the Cannabis Law practice group at the South Florida firm Greenspoon Marder (01:12). Our May edition of First Coast Success with Karen Brune Mathis featured Earl Benton Jr., founder and CEO of Champion Brand, which is a beverage distributor (22:51). We heard about the First Coast Rowing Club with Head Coach Paul Mokha and young rowers Sanjay Mokha and

First Coast Connect was live Friday from downtown Jacksonville at Chamblin’s Uptown to celebrate the 2018 Jacksonville Jazz Festival. We spoke with Jason Lewis , founder of Jazz Fest After Dark and Damien Lamar host of 89.9’s Taste Test . Our Media Roundtable featured Florida Times-Union reporter Andrew Pantazi , WJCT contributor Charles Griggs , Daily Record reporter David Cawton and Florida Politics reporter A.G. Gancarski . Our topics included: the new NFL policy requiring everyone on the

Thursday on First Coast Connect we spoke with newly installed Kids Hope Alliance CEO Joseph Peppers and board chair Kevin Gay about what we can expect the organization will do to help kids in Jacksonville (1:19). Retired UNF history professor Dan Schafer told us about his book Anna Madgigine Jai Kingsley: African Princess, Florida Slave, Plantation Slaveowner . A new edition of his 2003 biography of the one-time owner of the Kingsley Plantation has recently published by University Press of

Wednesday on First Coast Connect we learned the latest regarding a move in Congress to force a floor vote on immigration reform with local immigration attorney Susan Pai and attorney Ted Hutchinson with public policy group Forward Florida (01:09). We heard about the project The Faces to Remember which is currently focusing on preserving photos and the stories of local Filipinos who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in the Pacific Theater in WW. II with creator Agnes Lopez (33:06). The ribbon will

Tuesday on First Coast Connect we spoke with Marion Tucker from RE:MIND , an initiative from local spiritual leaders to help people deal with chemical dependency and mental illness (01:10). Our latest edition of Moveable Feast with Leigh Cort of the Women’s Food Alliance featured Renee Unsworth , creator of website Totally St. Augustine (23:03). To honor the memory of the late Walter Whetstone and the impact of his LaVilla creation, the Whetstonian , we spoke with author and FSCJ professor Tim

Monday on First Coast Connect we spoke with American Medical Association President-Elect Dr. Barbara McAneny about the association’s conference this week at the Prime Osborn Convention Center focusing on gun violence, the opioid epidemic, mental health and obesity (01:16). To mark National EMS Week we spoke with UF Health trauma surgeon Dr. Marie Crandall (29:15). Cole Pepper joined us to talk about the Jaguars beginning off-season team practices, Florida, Florida State and Georgia’s softball