First Coast Connect

Tuesday on “First Coast Connect,” guest host Jessica Palombo spoke with Local Initiatives Support Corporation CEO Janet Owens and Northwest Jacksonville Community Development Corporation CEO Paul Tutwiler about bringing more business development to northwest Jacksonville. We also heard from travel blogger Judy Wells about some places to travel over the holidays. Lea Wells from We Rock The Spectrum told us about her gym that caters to special needs children. We heard an interview Melissa Ross

Monday on “First Coast Connect,” guest host Ryan Benk spoke with Dr. Bob Sommers, CEO of the Mental Health Resource Center in Jacksonville. He also spoke with local attorneys Barry Newman and Keith Maynard from the Spohrer & Dodd law firm about their work helping families of the victims of air crashes. This month’s installment of “First Coast Success” with Karen Brune Mathis featured InMotion President Jeremy Smith, and Cole Pepper talked about the Jaguars’ firing head coach Gus Bradley on

Friday on First Coast Connect our weekly media roundtable included Sebastian Kitchen from the Florida Times-Union, Folio Weekly editor Claire Goforth , WJCT business analyst John Burr and WJCT reporter Ryan Benk . Congaree and Penn farm owner Scott Meyer told us about Sunday’s Christmas at Congaree event on the farm and Jacksonville singer-songwriter Stacey Bennett from the band Folk Is People talked about their new album and some upcoming concerts.

Thursday on First Coast Connect, we spoke on the phone with Politifact senior correspondent Lou Jacobson about their annual “Lie of the Year” award. Project Cold Case Incorporated Founder Ryan Backmann and Jacksonville resident joined the show to talk about the book “Grief Diaries: Project Cold Case.” We were also joined by Joy D’Elia and Tommy Bledsoe from the St. Augustine Ballet to discuss this weekend’s production of “The Nutcracker.” Also, Jacksonville singer Mama Blue performed in studio.

Wednesday on First Coast Connect we discussed the future of students who arrived in the U.S. as children with Ericka Curran, professor at Florida Coastal School of Law and Giselle Carson, an immigration attorney with Marks Gray Law Firm. We also spoke with Bob Buehn, the Entrepreneurship Training Program manager at the University of North Florida’s Military and Veterans Resource Center and John Fails from Bunker Labs, about a program at UNF to help veterans start their own business. Founder and

Monday on First Coast Connect we were joined on the phone by BuzzFeed reporter Rosalind Adams about their year-long investigation into Universal Health Services, including in Jacksonville. Flamingo Magazine publisher and editor Jamie Rich told us about the December issue looking into how Florida celebrates winter. The host of new PBS show “Destination Craft” Jim West joined us by phone to talk about the program premiering Tuesday at 1 p.m. on WJCT .

Tuesday on First Coast Connect we discussed a controversial proposal to allow new development of 10 houses on Cumberland Island in Georgia. We discussed Charles Seabrook’s non-fiction work“Cumberland Island, Strong Women, Wild Horses” with First Coast Connect Book Club blogger Stacey Goldring and Lisa Williams with the North Florida Sierra Club. We also heard from University of North Florida Coggin College of Business professor Parvez Ahmed about some of President-elect Donald Trump’s

Friday on First Coast Connect, our media roundtable included Sebastian Kitchen from the Florida Times-Union, Timothy Gibbons from the Jacksonville Business Journal, A.G. Gancarski from Florida Politics and WJCT reporter Ryan Benk. Host Melissa Ross spoke by phone with former “A Prairie Home Companion” host Garrison Keillor and former Cummer Museum executive director Hope McMath spoke about Saturday’s commemoration of International Human Rights Day.

Thursday on First Coast Connect, WJCT reporter Ryan Benk discussed his investigative report on emails discovered on servers that violate JEA rules. Florida author Larry Baker joined us by phone to talk about his the challenge a white male faces in creating compelling minority characters. The 20th edition of “An Evening in December” is set for Friday on Amelia Island. We spoke with Director Pam Helton and Producer Sharon Lennon.

Wednesday on First Coast Connect we spoke with Oliver Formato , sales director for Humana Marketpoint , on the deadline for seniors to file for any changes in their Medicare coverage. We also spoke with artist Kedgar Volta and Denise Reagan of Brunet-Garcia about Volta’s display being unveiled during Art Walk bringing awareness of hunger on the First Coast. The Girl Scouts of Gateway Council CEO Mary Anne Jacobs told us about Sunday’s cookie selling kickoff with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and