WJCT News Now

The next step to providing wrap-around services for Jacksonville’s unhoused community is underway. Sulzbacher, Northeast Florida’s largest homeless resource provider, broke ground on the $28 million development of Phase 2A for the group’s Enterprise Village earlier this month. The project, located in Northwest Jacksonville, is the first step toward moving the group’s services out of Downtown, where it has been operating since 1995. Phase 1, which features 100 housing units and apartments for previously unhoused men, is nearly 70% completed. Officials say Phase 2 will include health clinics in collaboration with Mayo Clinic, a Goodwill job training facility, culinary training services and more. Planning the 17-acre campus took nearly a decade, and construction is projected to conclude by the end of 2028. We sit down with Sulzbacher’s CEO and a board member to discuss the importance of getting the project over the finish line and what it means to move the group’s core services out of Downtown.

Guests:

• Cindy Funkhouser, CEO of Sulzbacher

• Whitney Meyer, Sulzbacher board member and senior vice president and chief community officer for the Jaguars

Candidate for Florida House District 14

Rhian Tutson, a Democratic challenger for Florida’s 14th House District, is looking to unseat Democratic incumbent Kimberly Daniels in the Aug. 18 Primary. The former Florida Highway Patrol trooper, Florida Department of Children and Families investigator and current investigator for the Duval County Public Schools is running on a platform centered around “assurance, accountability and affordability.” Tutson, a Jacksonville native, outlined several of her priorities in 11 acts she drafted and says she plans to file on Day 1. Some of her priorities include criminal justice reform, mandated paid parental leave, $65,000 minimum salary for educators, solar energy investments and more. Florida’s 14th House District encompasses different areas of Duval County, including the portions of the Northside, Downtown and Westside.

First Coast Connect is covering a range of local races and election-related topics between now and Nov. 3. You can find detailed information about upcoming elections, including information about candidates and ballot initiatives in your specific district, at the nonpartisan League of Women Voters website Vote411.org.

Guest: Rhian Tutson, Democratic candidate, Florida House of Representatives, District 14

Ripple effect

This weekend, three generations of Deadheads will gather for the 31st annual China Cat Sunflower Festival, a free three-day event commemorating Jerry Garcia, The Grateful Dead’s frontman whose improvisational style helped define the jam band movement. The festivities kick off at 4:20 p.m. daily and will feature a lineup of local and regional bands, a community drum circle and a group sing-along of the band’s song Ripple, which centers on spiritual reflection. We speak to the festival’s organizer and a longtime performer about why they work to keep Jerry Garcia’s music and spirit alive.

Guests:

• Brenda Star Walker, organizer, China Cat Sunflower Festival

• Arvid Smith, performer, China Cat Sunflower Festival

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JEA CEO Vickie Cavey is taking an extended leave of absence, with Chief Administrative Officer Jody Brooks serving as interim CEO. Also, a Tallahassee judge is expected to rule soon on wording for a proposed constitutional amendment that would lower property taxes, with opponents arguing the ballot language is misleading and state officials defending it as accurate.

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St. Mary's Episcopal Church has been a cornerstone of Palatka's Newtown community for more than 140 years. Earlier this month, the historic church earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing both its architectural significance and its perennial role in the city's African American history. We talk to city leaders and parishioners about what this designation means for the church and the community it has served since the late 19th century. They discuss the legacy of faith and preservation that led to the honor and why protecting places like St. Mary's Episcopal Church guarantees that Palatka's diverse history is embedded into its future.

Guests:

• Robbi Correa, mayor, city of Palatka

• Dianne Taylor, retired professor and Palatka historian

• Mary Lawson Brown, St. Mary’s parishioner, former vice mayor and city commissioner, city of Palatka

• Carol Milton, parishioner and descendant of St. Mary's Episcopal Church founder John W. Purcell

Duval County School Board race

Donna Westrich, a teacher in Jacksonville for more than 20 years, is one of three candidates running for the District 2 seat for the Duval County School Board in the August primary. The current School Board member, April Carney, decided not run for reelection and is supporting one of Westrich’s opponents. We asked the longtime educator about her top priorities, including empowering teachers, supporting schools for all families and accountability in spending.

First Coast Connect is covering a range of local races and election-related topics between now and Nov. 3. You can find detailed information about upcoming elections, including information about candidates and ballot initiatives in your specific district, at the nonpartisan League of Women Voters website Vote411.org.

Guest: Donna Mae Westrich, candidate for Duval County School Board District 2 seat

Record of the universe

A new “game changing” telescope is now open in Chile tracking the cosmos. For the next 10 years, the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory, which features the world’s largest digital camera, will capture the southern sky for a high-definition time lapse record of the universe. The project is called the Legacy Survey of Space and Time, and it seeks to create the most “comprehensive, cinematic record of the universe in history,” according to the Rubin Observatory’s website. We discuss the telescope’s capabilities and the potential discoveries it could uncover with our resident spaceman.

Guest: Eddie Whisler, director of planetarium and outreach, Museum of Science & History

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Northeast Florida faces dangerous heat today, severe storms, and flash flooding. Plus, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority has more than $15 million in delinquent bills on its books as it faces budget shortfalls in the current and next fiscal years.

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A thrilling crime drama staging at the 5 & Dime Theatre seeks to showcase the imperfections of the American criminal justice system. American Son, written by trial attorney Christopher Demos-Brown in 2017, explores the fallout of one night at a Florida police station where an estranged interracial couple reunite to find their missing teenage son. Jamal, a Black 18-year-old poised to enter West Point, uncharacteristically does not return home after going to spend time with friends. His parents meet at the police station and are treated differently by law enforcement — who aren’t aware they share the same child. But, both parents are met with resistance when they try to get more details about their son from investigators. We meet the playwright behind the story and ask why he felt moved to point out inconsistencies in policing when race, gender and class are a factor.

Guests:

• Christopher Demos-Brown, American Son playwright and partner at Beasley, Demos & Brown

• Rhodie Jackson, director, American Son

• Hunter M. Showalter, actor playing Scott Connor in American Son

• Eugene Lindsey, actor playing Lt. John Stokes in American Son

• Denise Reagan, executive director, The 5 & Dime

Duval County School Board Race

After more than 33 years working as an educator and assistant principal in Duval County, Gracie Bell Kearse-McCastler is running for School Board as a write in candidate. The Duval County School Board District 4 seat is currently held by term-limited Darryl D. Willie. Now retired, Kearse-McCastler highlights collaboration with colleagues as a way to address issues she says are currently facing the district, including teen takeovers, suspension rates, the school-to-prison pipeline and achievement gaps. We ask the longtime educator why she thinks she’s fit for the job.

First Coast Connect is covering a range of local races and election-related topics between now and Nov. 3. You can find detailed information about upcoming elections, including information about candidates and ballot initiatives in your specific district, at the nonpartisan League of Women Voters website Vote411.org.

Guest: Gracie Bell Kearse-McCastler, write-in candidate for Duval County School Board District 4

Prose and cons

Behavioral and learning challenges are often viewed as discipline or performance issues, but a local author contends there is much more to the story. Gail Carter-Cade fuses her background in education with her experience as a parent of a child with special needs to create resources that help other parents, educators and community leaders better understand the root causes behind learning differences. Utilizing poetry, spoken word and practical strategies, she demonstrates why empathy and understanding are essential to helping individuals reach their full potential, which in turn strengthens communities. We speak to Carter-Cade about her latest poetry project, Uplifting The Pain ... Now.

Guest: Gail Carter-Cade, author, educator and spoken-word artist

Moving the needle

For the first time, the Phoenix Arts & Innovation District is hosting a free music fair featuring thousands of records, CDs, cassettes and musical collectables. With its first building opening in 2024, Phoenix Arts & Innovation is a space for everything from live music to festivals and local markets. Held at the arts district’s Liberty Building, The Jax Summer Record Fair 2026 welcomes more than 40 local vendors, all-vinyl DJs, food, drinks and more. The event was previously held at Myrtle Avenue Brewing, but organizers say they wanted a fully air conditioned space due to sweltering summer temperatures. We talk with the general manager of PHXJAX and the founder of the Jax Record Fair about the upcoming event and the importance of the arts district. The event is from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Guests:

• Yarina “Yaya” Cardona, general manager, Phoenix Arts Innovation District

• Joe DiCarlo, founder, Jax Record Fair and owner, Modern Music

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Jacksonville City Council auditor’s report says JEA may have underbilled commercial customers by $55 million in water capacity fees since 2003. Also, a Tallahassee judge has rejected an effort to remove Republican gubernatorial candidate James Fishback from the ballot, allowing him to remain in the primary.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tony Williams joined the Salvation Army’s Batterers Intervention Program in 2025 after an argument with his girlfriend turned violent. He was arrested and charged with domestic violence, and a judge offered him a choice: Go to jail or get intervention. That intervention came in the form of a 29-week program designed to educate domestic offenders on the Duluth model Power and Control Wheel, which focuses on identifying patterns of abusive behavior as problematic and holding offenders accountable for their actions. The program was established 30 years ago and is one of the First Coast’s longest-standing domestic violence initiatives with an 83% non-re-offense rate within the past three years, according to the Salvation Army. We sit down with Williams and the program’s manager to discuss how taking responsibility for his past behavior changed his life for the better.

Guests:

• Cle Wilkerson, program manager, Salvation Army’s Batterers Intervention Program

• Tony Williams, graduate, Batterers Intervention Program

Arts investment

Last Monday, Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan revealed her $2.03 billion budget proposal, boasting a fiscally modest 1.1% increase over last year’s budget. Ahead of the council Finance Committee’s first budget hearing Aug. 13, some council members expressed their intentions to aggressively slash spending in preparation for the passage of Amendment 3. If passed in November, the property tax phaseout would substantially reduce ad valorem revenue beginning in the 2027-28 fiscal year. Historically, arts and culture programs are first on the chopping block when city budgets are trimmed. We talk to the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville’s chief luminary about the economic importance of the arts in Jacksonville and how return on investment is affecting the city, not just in cultural spaces but in multiple sectors including retail, hospitality and tourism.

Guest: Diana Donovan, executive director of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville

String Beans

Butler "String Beans" May was a comedian, showman and provocateur. The 23-year old was described as the “the greatest attraction in African-American vaudeville” and his performances blended humor, vernacular dancing and blues piano-playing. His untimely death in Jacksonville remains an unsolved mystery though some speculate it was the result of a Freemasonry initiation ceremony that went terribly wrong.

Guest: Tim Gilmore, author, educator and historian at JaxPsychoGeo

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A former Jacksonville City Council president is entering the race for District 4, setting up a likely challenge to incumbent Kevin Carrico ahead of next year’s city elections. Plus, a group is raising money to bring the sail from the decommissioned U.S.S. Jacksonville to downtown, where it could be displayed near the U.S.S. Orleck and the Jacksonville Naval Museum.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Starting a business out of “fear and desperation” may not be ideal, especially when you do it in the midst of a global economic crisis. That’s exactly what Marc Robertz-Schwartz was up against when he founded the marketing agency that would become Red Apples Media. But the circumstances provided valuable life lessons and made the eventual success of the business even sweeter. The former Jacksonville resident chronicles his path from the dynamic, stressful and often exciting world of local television to the self-help shelves in his book The Red Apples Way. The book offers a playbook for entrepreneurs hoping to craft a corporate culture that reflects nine “core” values. We ask him about the inspiration behind his governing acronym and whether the changing media landscape has affected his management principles.

Guest: Marc Robertz-Schwartz, author of The Red Apples Way

Going the distance

A candidate who hiked the length of Florida’s Congressional District 5 now wants to run it — at least figuratively. Mark Heggestad is approaching the three-way Democratic primary on Aug. 18 with a bit of retro-politicking, evoking the statewide pedestrian tour of former Democratic Gov. “Walkin’ Lawton” Chiles. The Jacksonville-to-St. Augustine District 5 is smaller but the political challenge no less daunting for a Democrat, given the area’s strong Republican demographics and the dominant fundraising of the district's entrenched incumbent, John Rutherford (now seeking his fifth term). We ask Heggestad why he’s choosing to run now and what perspective he brings to the primary challenge against Rachel Grage and Alex Hazen (who has been invited to appear on First Coast Connect on Aug. 6).

First Coast Connect is covering a range of local races and election-related topics between now and Nov. 3. You can find detailed information about upcoming elections, including information about candidates and ballot initiatives in your specific district, at the nonpartisan League of Women Voters website Vote411.org.

Military readiness

Jacksonville is home to one of the largest military populations in the United States, anchored by two Naval stations. The First Coast YMCA serves the 150,000 active duty soldiers and their families with specialized programs, including a program for active duty military children in first through sixth grade to cope with the challenges of being a military child, and an eight-week wellness program that focuses on general physical and mental wellness for both teens and veterans. Ahead of the school year, the First Coast YMCA is hosting its annual Military Appreciation Day Back-To-School Bash from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at multiple YMCA locations across North Florida. Free backpacks stuffed with school supplies, as well as household groceries, are provided as needed to children in military families.

Guests:

• Melissa Yuchasz, district executive director and military outreach co-leader, YMCA at Wildlight and McCarthur Family YMCA

• Sean Dougherty, military affairs manager, VyStar Credit Union

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

• Is Moms For Liberty losing its grip on local school board elections?

• Mayor Donna Deegan unveils her budget, with the stadium and other infrastructure topping her list of priorities.

• St. Johns County lawmakers charged over fraudulent voter guides were criticized as no-shows at this week’s commission meeting.

• New law enforcement drones promise to be a force multiplier — even as they raise questions about increased police surveillance.

Guests:

• Trinity Webster-Bass, investigative journalism fellow, Florida Trib

• Frank Powers, former assignment manager at News4Jax

• Noah Hertz, St. Johns County reporter with Jacksonville Today

• David Bauerlein, metro reporter at the Florida Times-Union

Bold Bean 'Zine

A familiar favorite among Jacksonville java fans is expanding its purview from sourcing, roasting and serving coffee to publishing its own indie ‘zine. The visual exploration, titled Origin: Colombia, features 55 photos from coffee farms in and around Tolima, Colombia. Shot by photographer Matt Young and featuring essays by Bold Bean Coffee Roasters owner Zack Burnett and coffee farmer Herbert Peñaloza Correa, the project is the first step in a larger project documenting the work of coffee farming around the globe. The zine’s official release date is Friday, with a book signing at the shop’s Riverside location from 5 to 7 p.m.

Guests:

• Zack Burnett, owner, Bold Bean Coffee Roasters

• Matt Young, photographer, Origin: Columbia

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.