(Stacey Bennett)

Each Friday, our media roundtable dives into the biggest stories of the week. Among our topics this week:

• A Jacksonville-based consulting firm gets a $78 million contract at “Alligator Alcatraz” amid concerns about human rights violations and wasteful spending.  
• A Jacksonville City Council member is ousted from his sole committee as local lawmakers begin to weigh the mayor’s budget and possible property tax cuts.
• Jacksonville Beach residents say short-term rentals are driving up housing costs and driving families out of the community. 
• Entrance fee hikes reveal signs of financial strain at national parks, even as new anti DEI policies urge parkgoers to “snitch” on noncompliant signage.

Guests:

• Mark Woods, columnist at The Florida Times-Union.
• Jack Webb, attorney and former Jacksonville City Council president.
• Tiffany Salameh, consumer investigative reporter at WJXT News4Jax.
• Jake Stofan, reporter at Action News Jax.

Then, what began as a birthday party in 2012 has transformed into an annual community gathering that is both a dance party and a networking event.

Attendees are asked to sport their most fashionable T-shirts and socks. Fly Socks & Tees kicks off at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Emerald Station.

Guest:

• Mr. Al Pete, founder of The MPN Network and host of the Saturday night radio show The Neighborhood on WJCT 89.9 FM.