WJCT News Now

Downtown Jacksonville’s Pearl Square development is moving forward, with the first apartment complex expected to open by the end of the year as part of a larger plan to reshape the city’s downtown area. Also, Florida legislative leaders have reached a budget agreement that includes funding for school choice programs, Everglades restoration, and targeted pay raises for law enforcement and correctional officers.

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

• Congestion, confusion and contusions complicate Jacksonville’s inaugural Ironman.

• The NAACP calls on college athletes to boycott eight Southern states, including Florida, for voting rights rollbacks.

• Yet another subpoena expands the JEA investigation sparked by City Council President Kevin Carrico’s errant email.

• A sworn statement contradicts a Deegan administration official’s claim that he was unaware of a city illegal gun registry.

Guests:

• Nate Monroe, executive editor at the Florida Trib

• Anthony Austin, anchor at First Coast News

• Will Brown, race and poverty reporter at Jacksonville Today

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

The Merci seat

An open mic poetry collective with hip-hop roots promises a night of rhythm and creativity from local poets and artists. Described by organizers as one of Jacksonville’s few events devoted to incubating and fostering dynamic, performance-based poetry, Poetically Mic’d welcomes writers of all levels to share their work on stage in a welcoming atmosphere. Poetically Mic’d is founded by local rapper and community organizer Merci, hosting events ranging from poetry battles, artist showcases and other live performances. He says the movement “is dedicated to blending the power of poetry with hip-hop and dynamic lyricism to elevate Northeast Florida’s cultural scene.” A Poetry Open Mic is 7 to 11 p.m. May 31 at 9570 Regency Square Blvd.

Guest: Merci, rapper, founder and director of Poetically Mic’d

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On today’s episode, we hear how new ownership is reshaping the future of Marineland Dolphin Adventure after months of uncertainty for the historic aquarium and its dolphins. Plus, a look at Memorial Day weekend events across Northeast Florida, including the Blue Crab Festival in Palatka, JAX Anchor Fest in Jacksonville and Riverfest in Green Cove Springs.

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Making sure new homes aren’t built in flood zones sounds like a no-brainer, but a surprising number of developments are in at-risk areas, made more vulnerable by rising seas. A proposed amendment to the city’s master plan for development focuses on steering new development out of harm’s way. Nearly three years after the mayor rolled out the 50-year resilience plan, the city is considering a comprehensive plan change that would incentivize rather than force developers to build with an eye to sustainable housing. The proposal creates “target growth areas” in which developers can build more densely in exchange for including affordable housing units and building properties resilient to the risks of climate change. We discuss how the city arrived at this approach and what the timetable is for adopting the change.

Guest: Helena Atalla Parola, director of the city’s Planning Department

Jacksonville Jazz Fest 

With a lineup that ranges from P-Funk and esperanza spalding to Nile Rodgers and CHIC, the Jacksonville Jazz Fest showcases a vast expanse of musical styles, including some not traditionally thought of as jazz. We talk to acclaimed saxophonist and host of the WJCT 89.9 FM jazz program Bop City Daniel Stark about past Jazz Fest greats like Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Marcus Roberts, as well as what he’s most looking forward to this year (hint: Ghost-Note and John Lumpkin & The Covenant are on the shortlist). We also discuss what the annual event contributes to the local jazz scene, and whether more can be done to integrate the moment into a larger musical movement.

Guest: Daniel Stark, host of Bop City on WJCT 89.9 FM, executive director of Friday Musicale 

Charismatic megafauna pics

Right whales are on the move north after a successful calving season, and an exhibit celebrating the endangered mammals is also on a journey. The Right Whales of Amelia Island exhibit is on display at the Beaches Museum through Aug. 23, part of a tour that began in Fernandina Beach and ends up at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium later this year. We talk to a local whale ambassador about why this was a bumper year for baby whales and what this season means for the creature’s long-term health and survival.

Guest: Krissi Barr, Amelia Island Whale Ambassadors

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Jacksonville city leaders move closer to approving $35 million in public incentives aimed at bringing the Culinary Institute of America to a proposed downtown riverfront development. Plus, the Jacksonville History Center adds four new sites to its annual list of endangered historic structures in Duval County.

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From his role in the birth of alt-country to his tragic death at age 26, we explore the life and legacy of Florida’s own Gram Parsons on the eve of his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Known for his work playing with The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, in addition to launching the career of Emmylou Harris, Parsons is considered the founding father of country rock and alt-country. His preferred label was "Cosmic American Music," a genre-jumping style that blended R&B, folk and rock with traditional country. As one of 18 inductees this November, Parsons joins a class that includes Phil Collins, Fela Kuti, Iron Maiden and Queen Latifah. We talk to the Emmy and Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist and author Bob Kealing about his definitive biography of the groundbreaking musician.

Guest: Bob Kealing, journalist and author of Calling Me Home: Gram Parsons and the Roots of Country Rock

Paw-Paw potion

He’s been called one of “Florida’s earliest and more successful snake-oil salesmen” and “America’s most colorful medical huckster,” but his signature elixir continues to captivate customers. Munyon’s Paw-Paw liqueur has been reanimated by two entrepreneurs and beverage industry veterans, who dug into the checkered but colorful history of Dr. James M. Munyon, a turn of the (last) century wellness guru and self-made millionaire (though never a doctor). Their new aperitif kindles the taste and ambiance of earlier times, without the original product’s secret ingredient: THC. We talk to the reporter who recently profiled the product and its creators in Flamingo Magazine.

Guest: Steve Dollar, freelance journalist, artistic director of the Tallahassee Film Festival

8th wonder 

A storied after-school and summer program receives the largest grant in its 35-year history. The $250,000 gift from the Ponte Vedra Beach-based philanthropy the Warren and Augusta Hume Foundation will allow Sanctuary on 8th Street to upgrade its facilities and expand its offerings. Established in 1992, the 8th St. program has grown from a dozen participants in after-school and summer camp programs to hundreds of kids over the years. The facility, which caters to children ages 5 to 17 in the Eastside/Springfield area, plans to use the funds to create a "sensory, development and play" space and launch a new summer nourishment program. We talk to its executive director about what else the nonprofit needs and how the community can help.

Guests:

• Rick Cartlidge Jr., executive director, Sanctuary on 8th Street

• Emani Walker, program coach, Sanctuary on 8th Street

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Jacksonville City Council moves forward with subpoenas for top JEA officials as an investigative committee examines allegations involving workplace culture, unpaid water fees from large customers, and a natural gas-fired power plant. Meanwhile, St. Johns County commissioners reject a Hastings restaurant’s request to serve beer and wine after objections from a nearby church.

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The typical office worker checks email 77 times a day. You may have already figured out: That’s not the most efficient use of your time. New York Times bestselling author David Epstein breaks down why setting boundaries helps us make better life decisions in his new book, Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better. He also explores why more choices, whether it’s swiping on a dating app or trying to choose something to watch on Netflix, aren’t necessarily a good thing and can, in fact, paralyze our ability to make satisfying decisions. He suggests adopting a practice of “satisficing,” which he says is a term “coined by Nobel laureate Herbert Simon, who famously said, ‘The best is the enemy of the good.’”

Guest: David Epstein, journalist, author of Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better

Body heat

A new research lab at the University of North Florida will test the long and short term health effects of extreme weather on athletes, laborers and members of the military. The new Perry Weather Heat Lab held its grand opening Monday at The Korey Stringer Institute’s UNF satellite location. The Connecticut-based institute is named for the Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle, who collapsed and died 25 years ago of exertional heatstroke during the team's training camp. Established in 2010, the institute focuses on “research, education, advocacy, and consultation to maximize performance, optimize safety, and prevent sudden death.” We discuss how the work of the lab could translate into specific remedies in an ever-warming planet.

Guests:

• Michael Szymanski, director, Perry Weather Heat Lab and assistant professor of kinesiology at the University of North Florida

• Gabrielle Brewer, associate director, Perry Weather Heat Lab and post-doctoral associate the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of North Florida

DIY jellyfish terrarium 

As more people search for ways to unplug, a Jacksonville entrepreneur is blending creativity and connection. What began as a personal mental health outlet has evolved into a creative series centered on wellness and community for LaRoLé Studio owner Amber Lettsome. Her Sip & Grow botanical workshops offer immersive hands-on experiences designed to help adults create and unwind. Lettsome shares the inspiration behind the events and the upcoming jellyfish terrarium class May 20 at Juice Wine Bar.

Guest: Amber Lettsome, founder and creative director, LaRoLé Studio

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A new heat safety research lab has opened at the University of North Florida, where scientists will study the health effects of extreme weather on athletes, workers and military personnel. Also in Jacksonville, a Harveys Supermarket in Brentwood remaining open after a deal between the city and Winn-Dixie will transition into a Winn-Dixie location.

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A murder conviction in one of the most high-profile crimes of the past decade was overturned by the South Carolina Supreme Court last week based on the meddling of a small-county court clerk. The decision was both evidence of a robust system designed to protect the rights of the accused and a glaring example of how our nation's jury system is vulnerable to the interference of even bit players. We ask two local trial attorneys, including one raised and schooled in South Carolina, whether the verdict reversal in the notorious Alex Murdaugh murder case suggests the need for changes in the criminal justice system.

Guests:

• Teri Sopp, assistant public defender, criminal defense attorney

• Lisa Varon, reference law librarian, adjunct professor of law, Jacksonville University College of Law

Trauma informed response

From the moment trauma strikes, be it a gunshot, a car crash or a stroke, a system of first responders clicks into motion, which, if successful, shuttles a patient from the precipice of death to physical stability and, eventually , recovery. The path from wreckage to rehab can involve dozens of EMTs, ER nurses and trauma surgeons, all of whom experience the stress and reward of working the space between life and death. We talk to two veteran trauma first responders about how they manage their daily exposure to things most would hope to never see, and how they pass that experience to others entering the field.

Guests:

• Dr. Shilpa Amin, chair of emergency medicine at HCA Florida Memorial Hospital

• Dr. Bradley Elias, medical director of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department 

Batter up

A new baseball league aims to get talented players off the bench and back in the game. The Jacksonville Competitive Baseball League was established to hone player skills and spotlight athletes who may have been overlooked due to injury, finances or lack of exposure. The 2026 season is underway and runs through July 12.

Guests:

• Jonathan Vazquez, founder, Jacksonville Competitive Baseball League

• John Peters, manager, The Muffin Freaks

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