First Coast Connect

Monday on “First Coast Connect” we discussed the future of Enterprise Florida with JAX Chamber President and CEO Daniel Davis. This month’s edition of First Coast Success with Karen Brune Mathis featured Hardage-Giddens Funeral Homes & Cemeteries president Jody Brandenburg. We also heard about a new video series through the Environmental Leadership Program at the University of North Florida. We were joined by Sean Lahav , the project leader and producer of the videos, John November from the

Our weekly Media Roundtable on Friday featured Tessa Duval from the Florida Times-Union, Florida Politics reporter A.G. Gancarski, WJCT Business Analyst John Burr and WJCT reporter Lindsey Kilbride. We also spoke by phone with award winning movie director Mira Nair and CEO of Volunteers in Medicine Mary Pat Corrigan and Lisa Weatherby from Wells Fargo joined us to talk about the Women with Heart fundraising campaign.

Thursday on “First Coast Connect,” we spoke with former State Senator Tony Hill about an event Friday to honor Jacksonville native and civil rights activist James Weldon Johnson. We also heard about the tragedy of babies being born to opioid addicted mothers and the treatments available, and University of North Florida assistant professor of physics Jack Hewitt told us about NASA’s announcement Wednesday.

Wednesday on “First Coast Connect,” we spoke with Mission House Executive Director Lori Delgado Anderson about their mission and work they do to help the homeless at the Beaches. Ahead of his appearance Thursday at WJCT host Melissa Ross spoke with former U.S. Comptroller General Dave Walker. Jacksonville Women’s Leadership Forum Board President Chris Schwing talked about this year’s forum “Game On! The Power of Women — It’s Our Time to Lead” and Girls Scouts of Gateway Council CEO Mary Anne

Tuesday on “First Coast Connect” we discussed the prevalence of Confederate monuments in Jacksonville with historian Wayne Woods, activist Chevara Orrin and Jacksonville Magazine editor Joe White. The magazine recently published an article on the monuments. We spoke with Ndaba Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela, and we talked about this weekend’s Jacksonville Science Fair with Nadia Hionides of the Foundation Academy; Ashli Archer, academic director at Florida State College Jacksonville Eddie

Monday on First Coast Connect we discussed the recently completed federal hearings into the sinking of cargo ship El Faro with Glenn Jackson and Jill Jackson-d’Entremont, whose brother Jack Johnson was one of the 33 crew members who was killed in the disaster . The family’s attorney Bob Spohrer, maritime legal expert Rod Sullivan and Florida Times-Union reporter Sebastian Kitchen also discussed the hearings. Dr. Ruby Satpathy from Baptist Heart Specialists told us about a unique heart procedure

It was our weekly Media Roundtable Friday on “First Coast Connect,” with Florida Times-Union columnist Mark Woods, Folio Weekly editor Claire Goforth , blogger Fred Matthews and Jacksonville Business Journal Timothy Gibbons. We also heard a recorded interview of “Goosebumps” author R.L. Stine and Jacksonville International Auto Show promoter Barbara Pudney talked about this weekend’s event.

Thursday on “First Coast Connect” we spoke with Fraternal Order of Police local 530 President Steve Zoma about the proposed use of body cameras by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. We also spoke with Melody Perry from Lutheran Social Services and caregiver Nakia Hinton about their Money Minders program and 5 and Dime Theatre Executive Director Lee Hambly talked about the theatre’s new location and the upcoming performance of the play “Night Mother.”

Wednesday on “First Coast Connect” we spoke by phone with OCEARCH founder and expedition leader Chris Fischer along with Jacksonville University Marine Science Research Institute Executive Director Quint White, who was in studio, about a collaboration to study sharks on campus. We also spoke with Jacksonville Jaguars President Mark Lamping , who gave us an update on the Daily’s Place Amphitheater being built next to Everbank Field. Erin Mangan of Communities in Schools of Jacksonville talked

Tuesday on “First Coast Connect” we spoke with Vista Energy Group CEO and Flagler College Professor John O’Brien about how President Donald Trump’s trade policies could affect the First Coast. Our First Coast Connect Book Club blogger Stacy Goldring talked about this month’s selection, “What We Became.” We heard from Mary Rose, director of learning services at Florida State College of Jacksonville, and Imani Hope, director of strategic investments at the Jacksonville Public Education Fund, about