First Coast Connect

On First Coast Connect Wednesday we talked about voter disenfranchisement in Florida with local author Devin Coleman, who due to a long past felony conviction is unable to vote. He was joined by Natisha June, head of the Greater Jacksonville chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, and Folio Weekly Editor Claire Goforth. University of North Florida criminology professor Dr. Michael Hallett spoke about his new book, “The Angola Prison Seminary: Effects of Faith-Based Ministry on

A week until Election Day and stress levels are high. On Tuesday’s First Coast Connect, we spoke with Jacksonville University assistant professors of Mental Health Counseling Whitney George and Jason Orrock. Tuesday also kicks off National Epilepsy Awareness Month, ande we spoke with David Grissett with the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida and neurologist Dr. Syed Asad. Then, Florida Times-Union columnist Mark Woods joined us to talk about his recently completed trip to walk across Duval County.

With Election Day just over a week away, Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin appeared on First Coast Connect Monday. The group has long advocated for the rights of the LBGT community and Griffin is a long time supporter of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton. In honor of National Veterans Small Business Week, host Melissa Ross spoke with local veteran and business owner Gina Garcia and Natalie Hall with the Small Business Administration.

With Election Day just over a week away, Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin appeared on First Coast Connect Monday. The group has long advocated for the rights of the LBGT community and Griffin is a long time supporter of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton. In honor of National Veterans Small Business Week, host Melissa Ross spoke with local veteran and business owner Gina Garcia and Natalie Hall with the Small Business Administration.

Our weekly Media Roundtable featured Florida Times-Union reporter Larry Hannan; WJCT reporter Ryan Benk; WJCT business analyst John Burr and A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics. Host Melissa Ross also spoke with Dr. Trishna Patel, medical director for mammography at the Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center and Hill Breast Center from about some of the latest developments in mammography and Jessica Santiago joined us by phone to talk about the new urban arts project in Jacksonville, Art (Re)Public.

Fifth Congressional District candidate Democrat Dave Bruderly was our guest Thursday on First Coast Connect. He spoke with host Melissa Ross about why he decided to run for Congress and the issues he’s focusing on. In the first of our new segment “Rising Stars,” we spoke with William Hoang, 27, of TTV Architects, he is the youngest certified architect in Jacksonville.

District 4 Republican Congressional candidate John Rutherford joined the program Wednesday to talk about the issues and his campaign. We also spoke with Sarah Miller, director of the Northeast and East Central regions of the Florida Public Archeology Network, and Emily Jane Murray, public archaeology coordinator, about how climate change is endangering historic archaeological sites in Florida. Generation WOW founder Donna Orender joined us to discuss an upcoming workshop to help help young women

With Election Day just two weeks away and early voting already underway in Northeast Florida, host Melissa Ross was joined by 5th Congressional District candidate Republican Glo Smith. We also heard from Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church pastor Kyle Reese and Baptist Behavioral Health administrator Dr. Ellen Williams about the upcoming Faith and Mental Health Conference. Ross spoke to Squirrel Nut Zippers band leader Jimbo Mathis on the band’s Tuesday night concert at the Ritz Theatre, and

Guest host Ryan Benk was joined Monday by Florida Times-Union reporter Tessa Duvall, who wrote a story about how, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling life prison sentences for minors are unconstitutional, it could take years for some convicted in Duval County to see any change in their sentences. We were also joined by Pastor Phillip Baber and Nancy Ricker of I-CARE, which is pushing to increase the use of civil citations in Jacksonville. Author Ebony Payne-English spoke about her new book of

Our weekly Media Roundtable included Tessa Duval, reporter for the Florida Times-Union; Tim Gibbons, editor of the Jacksonville Business Journal; Claire Goforth, editor of Folio Weekly, and WJCT reporters Lindsey Kilbride and Ryan Benk. Host Melissa Ross also spoke with humor essayist Dave Barry about his latest book, “Best. State. Ever,” and singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter about her latest album and concert next week at the Florida Theatre.