First Coast Connect

Tuesday on “First Coast Connect” we looked at the mental health crisis facing Florida with Mental Health America of Northeast Florida CEO Denise Marzullo; activist Jonathan Harriford, whose brother is in a state hospital after years of struggling with mental illness; and George Mallinckrodt, author of the book “Getting Away with Murder” about problems in Florida’s state prison psych wards, joined us by phone. We also were joined by First Coast Connect Book Club blogger Stacey Goldring, who

Monday on “First Coast Connect” we discussed Jacksonville’s drinking water with a study by three University of North Florida professors: assistant professors of economics Russell Triplet and Chiradip Chatterjee, professor of accounting and finance Parvez Ahmed, and JEA director of laboratory compliance Kevin Holbrooks. This is National Kidney Month and we spoke with Dr. Seth Strope, head of the urologic oncology at the Baptist Anderson Cancer Center. New author Tricia Booker talked about her

Our weekly Media Roundtable Friday on “First Coast Connect” featured Florida Times-Union reporter Sebastian Christian, Folio Weekly editor Claire Goforth, blogger Fred Matthews and Jacksonville Business Journal editor Timothy Gibbons. We also spoke with Jeff Smith, arts director for the Duval County School District about next week’s Celebration of the Arts and host Melissa Ross spoke by phone with actor and singer Audra McDonald.

Wednesday on “First Coast Connect” we spoke with University of North Florida President John Delaney. He announced last week he’ll be retiring from his position in May 2018. We also heard about senior care from Penney Farms director of marketing Rebecca Padgett. Commentator Jay Solomon spoke about President Donald Trump calling the media the enemy of the people. Host Melissa Ross spoke with Celtic Woman violinist Tara McNeill and we heard from Zach Rocheleau owner of Genetic Potential Academy.

Tuesday on “First Coast Connect” we spoke with Mike Binder, the director of the Public Opinion Research Laboratory at the University of North Florida, about a poll released this week giving Senator Bill Nelson a six-point lead over Governor Rick Scott in a hypothetical 2018 U.S. Senate race. Dr. Peter Szatmari from the University of Toronto and Dr. Peter Mundy from the University of California-Davis Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute joined the show to talk about

Monday on “First Coast Connect” we discussed the problem of homelessness among youths in the LBGTQ community with Jacksonville Area Sexual Minority Youth Network executive director Cindy Watson; Dawn Gilman, chief executive officer of Changing Homelessness Inc.; and Kim Sirdevan, president and chief executive officer of the Youth Crisis Center. Flamingo Magazine publisher Jamie Rich told us what we’ll find in the spring edition of the publication and JTC Running president Larry Roberts gave us a

Our weekly Media Roundtable included Florida Times-Union reporter Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Business Journal Editor Timothy Gibbons, Florida Politics reporter A.G. Gancarski and WJCT business analyst John Burr. Artists Tracie Thornton, Jenny Hager and Lance Vickery told us about the exhibit “Humanity: The Value of a Life,” beginning Friday at the Karpeles Manuscript Museum. HGTV star Tyler Wisler joined the program to discuss the Home and Patio show at the Prime Osborn Center and we met “Show

Thursday on “First Coast Connect” we spoke with Olympic gold medalist and civil rights attorney Nancy Hogshead-Makar on the impact of Title IX on women’s sports. We also heard from Paula Long, co-chair of the Women’s Giving Alliance National Conference, which is held this month in Atlantic Beach and we heard an update on the construction of the Cowford Chophouse and its 5K run this weekend in downtown Jacksonville.

Wednesday on “First Coast Connect” we discussed changes at Jacksonville Community Council Inc. with Board Chairman Kevin Hyde. We also heard about an increase in colon cancer in younger people with Dr. Victoria Gomez, gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Elana Schrader , the chief medical officer of GuideWell and Generation W founder Donna Orender joined the show to talk about this month’s Generation W conference, and we met author Abby Vega, who in her book “Sno-cone Diaries,” talks about

Tuesday on “First Coast Connect” we discussed the life of undocumented and other immigrants under President Trump with Kristellys Estanga from the Duval County Democratic Hispanic Caucus and immigration attorney Angela Reyes. Dignity U Wear Executive Director Nicole Brose talked about its upcoming annual Undies Campaign. Judy Wells shared some cautionary tales about changes in air travel and we heard an in-studio performance by local 12-year-old violinist virtuoso Jimmy Moseley.