First Coast Connect

Monday on First Coast Connect we spoke with former Special Agent in Charge of Jacksonville’s FBI Field Office Jim Casey about former FBI director James Comey and Comey’s new book (01:11). Reverend Patricia McElroy and Dr. Terri Andrews from Baptist Health told us about this week’s Faith and Mental Health conference (30:14). We heard about Thursday’s Dining Out for Life to raise funds for AIDS research with NFAN’s Manuel Andrade and Paige Kelton and Derrick Odom from Action News (38:00). Cole

Friday on First Coast Connect our weekly Media Roundtable featured Florida Times-Union Reporter Dan Scanlan, WJCT Business Analyst John Burr, Folio Weekly Editor Claire Goforth and Beaches Leader Columnist Jon McGowan (01:06). And a living musical legend is coming to the Florida Theatre next week. Melissa interviews the great Johnny Mathis (46:00).

Thursday on First Coast Connect we spoke with UNF political science and public administration Assistant Professor Josh Gellers and MOSH planetarium director Eddie Whisler about this weekend’s Earth Day (01:08). Northeast Florida Regional Council CEO Brian Teeple discussed the Elevate Northeast Florida regional development strategy (33:56). And Kerry Speckman told us about some of the events coming up this week (46:00).

Wednesday on First Coast Connect we spoke with Florida Politics reporter A.G. Gancarski regarding the JEA Board of Directors hiring Aaron Zahn as interim CEO (01:10). Local attorney Wayne Hogan told us about April being national Distracted Driving Awareness Month (28:15). Hope McMath from Yellow House talked about a new project at the house called Voices Unearthed (38:39). WJXT anchor Melanie Lawson told us about next week’s She is Fierce! Spring event (46:00).

Tuesday on First Coast Connect we spoke with Interfaith Coalition for Action, Reconciliation and Empowerment (ICARE) members Pastor Bruce Havens of Arlington UCC Church and Pastor Tan Moss of Greater Grant Memorial AME Church about ICARE’s upcoming meeting regarding Jacksonville’s criminal justice system (01:14). We spoke with author Maia Szalavitz who will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming 2018 Exchange Club Family Center Child Abuse Prevention Conference (28:19). Cultural Council

Monday on First Coast Connect we spoke with local civil rights activists Ben Frazier and Wells Todd about the NAACP Legal Defense Fund investigating how Jacksonville police hand out tickets for jaywalking (01:00). We spoke with Jacksonville’s Director of Neighborhoods Stephanie Burch and Director of Blight Initiatives Denise Lee on the upcoming Neighborhood and Community Summit (30:26). We heard about the upcoming A Night at Roy’s to raise funds for the Monique Burr Foundation with Program

Friday on First Coast Connect our weekly Media Roundtable featured Florida Times-Union reporter David Bauerlein, WJCT contributor Fred Matthews, Daily Record reporter David Cawton and WJCT reporter Ryan Benk (01:03). We spoke with Jennifer Harrison with the Amelia Island Museum of History about the upcoming Cottages and Courtyards tour. (46:00).

Thursday on First Coast Connect we discussed the future of the One Spark crowdfunding festival with Jacksonville Business Journal Editor Timothy Gibbons (01:01). We commemorated the local observance of World Holocaust Remembrance Day by speaking with second-generation Holocaust survivor Naomi Chase (26:51) . It’s National Donate Life Month, and we heard about the upcoming annual Katie Ride for Life with Mayo Clinic transplant specialist Dr. Martin Mai and Katie Caples Foundation spokeswoman Amy

Wednesday on First Coast Connect we spoke with JEA employee unions leaders Randy Hilton, President of the local Professional Employees Association and Valerie Gutierrez, President of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2358 about their opposition to a possible sale of the utility (01:01). In our latest Going Green segment we spoke with Groundwork Jacksonville CEO Kay Ehas about the proposed Emerald Necklace (29:58). Donna Fenchel, the owner of several local Orangetheory Fitness

Tuesday on First Coast Connect we discussed Equal Pay Day with Paula Liang, Ellen Wiss and Melanie Patz from the Women’s Giving Alliance (01:12). Our latest segment of Moveable Feast featured Dea Sims from Your Pie (29:19). This month’s First Coast Connect Bookclub with blogger Stacy Goldring featured the novel An Unnecessary Woman . (31:51). We heard about this weekend’s Mosaic 2018 with organizers Jeanine Hoff from Where’s the Sunshine? and Carmen Joyce of I Still Matter (46:00).