WJCT News Now

The upcoming Ukraine Fest Jax is a chance to celebrate the country’s iconic cultural offerings, from the intricately embroidered blouses, known as Vyshyvanka, to borscht (hot or cold). But it’s also a chance to reconnect the First Coast with the very real needs of the Ukrainian people amid a devastating four-year war and uncertain political future. We talk to a former Ukrainian diplomat turned local TV producer about her work abroad, her message for locals and her recent trip home. We also discuss what it means to celebrate 35 years of Ukrainian independence, which is the focus of Sunday’s Ukraine Fest at the Riverside Arts Market.

Guest: Natalia Solyeva, former Ukrainian diplomat, co-organizer of Ukraine Fest Jax

Getting warmer

From jellyfish in the St. Johns to red tide near Mayport, the summertime state of the river has everything to do with rising temperatures, from the current heat wave to the ongoing effect of climate change. We talk to marine biologist Dr. Quinton White about how the pressure on river flora and fauna rises with the mercury, leading to biological anomalies and even health warnings. White writes the regular River Life column on coastal ecology for the Florida Times-Union and recently noted the presence of saltwater jellyfish in freshwater parts of the river near Riverside. The state also issued its first two red tide warnings of the summer for the waters of the Fort George River and Fort George Inlet near Hecksher Drive.

Guest: Dr. Quinton White, biologist, founder of the Marine Science Research Institute at Jacksonville University

Turtle scavenger hunt

Atlantic Beach is urging visitors and residents alike to slow down and appreciate the coastal town’s culture and history. A permanent art installation consisting of 24 QR-code-marked turtle sculptures is part scavenger hunt, part historic tour, each one offering a mini lesson on local people and landmarks, while reminding everyone of the need to observe sea turtle nesting season (May-October). Those who find all 24 can head to the former City Hall (now the Adele Grage Cultural Center) during business hours to collect a prize. We talk to two organizers of the installation about appreciating the city at a snail’s pace.

Guests:

• Jordan Leslie, recreation manager, City of Atlantic Beach Recreation & Special Events

• Veronica Richard, city recreation associate

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More than 1,000 acres in St. Johns County are cleared for potential development, with two projects near I-95 and State Road 207 that could eventually bring as many as 15,000 homes. And in Jacksonville, Mone Holder will take office on the City Council August 31, replacing Terrance Freeman, who is stepping down early.

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More than 60 years after he traveled to St. Augustine in response to a summons from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Rabbi Allen Secher returns to town for a special appearance and performance of a play based on his story. When the Rabbis Came to Town is a one-man play by author and activist Roger Rapoport depicting the historic civil rights protest that landed 16 rabbis and one lay leader in the St. Johns County jail. Secher is the only living member of that original group and will participate in a discussion with First Coast Connect host Anne Schindler after the Thursday night show. We preview the performance and discuss what has changed — and what hasn’t — since the rabbis fateful demonstration.

Guests:

• Rabbi Allen Secher, civil and human rights activist, speaker at the When the Rabbis Came to Town event at WJCT Studios

• Roger Rapoport, playwright, author of the one-man show When the Rabbis Came to Town

Teaching parents well

Parents and caregivers interested in advocating for their student may not automatically know how to translate that interest into action, which is why the Jacksonville Public Education Fund has created a specific program to fill that need. Parents Who Lead is a nonpartisan, 20-week leadership training program that covers everything from public speaking to understanding educational policy and school district budgets. We talk to two parent participants about how the adult curriculum promises to make school easier and more productive for everyone involved.

Guests:

• Latrice Carmichael, parent leader and program coordinator of the Parents Who Lead program at the Jacksonville Public Education Fund

• Lindsay Joseph, parent leader, Parents Who Lead

Conversation starter

People walking around Downtown Jacksonville this summer may have noticed a random living room, couch and all, popping up in the middle of city sidewalks. You aren’t crazy. It’s part of a six-week storytelling series called Sitting Room Jax, where neighbors and visitors are invited to take a seat and share city stories, personal histories or just have a conversation. Organizers hope the initiative brings more people Downtown and amplifies untold stories, while also fostering a creative gathering space for people to engage with others in the community. For those who haven’t had a turn on the couch, Sitting Room Jax’s final session is 4-7 p.m. Thursday at Indulgence Southern Bistro. Interested participants can sign up in advance or show up at will.

Guests:

• Mesha "Dom" Russell, founder and creative director of Sitting Room Jax

• Brea Butler, co-founder and director of operations and brand strategy

• Trü Peterson, co-founder and director of creative strategy and engagement

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The stage is set for Florida’s November general election, with Republican Byron Donalds facing Democrat David Jolly in the governor’s race. Jacksonville Democrat Angie Nixon also won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate and will face Republican Ashley Moody in November. Get more election results on today's episode.

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At a time when opportunities for female Black entrepreneurs were constrained by gender restrictions and Jim Crow, one Jacksonville businesswoman built a prosperous beauty empire. A new profile of Sophia Nickerson Starks explores how she created the Nickerson’s School of Beauty Culture on Myrtle Avenue in the heart of Durkeeville and transformed it into a model of Black enterprise and financial resilience. We talk to the author of the piece about why he wanted to celebrate Starks’ accomplishments and highlight her lasting legacy.

Guest: Jerry Urso, historian, writer and archival researcher

Right whale documentary

It’s a creature that could potentially live to 130 years or more but has never been known to die of old age. Instead, the actual median lifespan of a North Atlantic right whale is just 22 years — every one of them killed by humans. A new documentary about the whales explores their truncated life and often brutal death with unprecedented access and clarity. From ship strikes and fishing gear entanglements to the heroic (and occasionally even fatal) efforts to save them from human hazards, The Right Whale: Tales of Resilience and Hope tracks the crisis faced by the whales and offers a prescription for change. The film is currently on what’s being called “The Calving Grounds Tour,” which follows the path of the migratory species along its annual Georgia-to-Florida path. It includes four stops in Southern Georgia and on the First Coast, including a screening and discussion with the filmmakers from 6-8 p.m. Aug. 25 at Beaches Museum.

Guests:

• Cheryl Dean, filmmaker, The Right Whale: Tales of Resilience and Hope

• Nick Dean, filmmaker, The Right Whale: Tales of Resilience and Hope

• Chris Hoffman, mayor of Jacksonville Beach, executive director of Beaches Museum

Right outside

It’s no secret that summer is peak season for biting insects in Florida, but the pests pose a special hazard for the unhoused. A new initiative aims to connect homeless individuals to protective resources and expand awareness of the risks presented by mosquitos and ticks. The Homeless Coalition of St. Johns County is partnering with the Anastasia Mosquito Control District to co-host a public education event from 5-7:30 p.m. Aug. 20 at the district’s Disease Vector Education Center, at 120 EOC Drive. All who spend time outdoors are welcome to attend.

Guests:

• Jeanne Moeller, board member and fundraising chair, Homeless Coalition of St. Johns County

• Marion Blohm, case manager, Homeless Coalition of St. Johns County

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Florida voters head to the polls today for the primary election, with results expected to offer clues about the state’s political direction. Also, Northeast Florida is facing an extreme heat warning today with heat index values reaching as high as 115 degrees.

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What was required reading for many Sunshine State middle schoolers is now a TV series currently in production, much of it in and around the North Central Florida town of Micanopy. A Land Remembered is a classic of historical fiction, telling the sprawling story of three generations of the MacIveys as they rise from dirt-poor farmers and cattle ranchers to large scale developers who destroy and despoil the very landscape that formed the foundation of their empire. We talk to the Tampa native who is turning the Pulitzer Prize-nominated book into what he’s described as “Florida’s Yellowstone,” and ask why the 1984 novel continues to resonate with residents in a still rapidly developing state.

Guest: Todd Wiseman Jr., writer and director of the TV series A Land Remembered

AI and aging

From voice cloning to deepfakes and guided misinformation, the pitfalls of artificial intelligence present challenges for everyone, but they can be particularly problematic for older adults, especially those who are less technologically proficient. We sit down with two experts who help tease out the possibilities as well as the pitfalls of AI, with an eye toward improving AI literacy and developing a healthy skepticism of potential scams. We also preview a free workshop Tuesday titled “Aging in the Age of AI,” hosted by Ebri Education and the University of North Florida Center for Aging Research.

Guests: Nadine Ebri, CEO, Ebri Education

'When Kingdom Comes'

A 21-year-old poet and playwright nationally recognized for her writing and spoken word returns to the local stage with the premiere of her latest work, When Kingdom Comes. Douglas Anderson School of the Arts alum and current Howard University student Niveah Glover sold out her debut play, Callas, in her first feature length performance last year at the Jacksonville Arts and Music School Black Box Theatre. Glover says her newest work is a “modern tragedy” that merges Greek mythology and Southern Gothic storytelling with Black American tradition. The story follows the fallout when five estranged siblings reunite to read their father's will. We ask the young playwright about the inspiration for her latest work and what’s next, now that she has two full length plays under her belt. When Kingdom Comes opens at 7 p.m. Aug. 21 at the JAMS Black Box Theatre. A discounted preview for artists and educators will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday.

Guest:

• Niveah Glover, playwright, When Kingdom Comes

• Israel Haynes, actor playing Zeke King, When Kingdom Comes

• Ithiell B. Yisrael, actor playing Cornell King, When Kingdom Comes

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The JEA board is backing CEO Vickie Cavey after reviewing investigations into allegations about her leadership, while recommending management training for Cavey and other executives. Also, Florida’s proposed property tax amendment has a new ballot summary after a judge ruled it needed to be rewritten.

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

• State House candidate Diana Jordan-Baldwin says an opposition voter physically attacked her at a polling site.

• Concerns grow over the expanding role of the City Council’s in-house lawyer, Jason Teal.

• Two shootings following 911 calls raise fresh questions about police response to mental health crises.

Guests:

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

• Christina Burgess, reporter at First Coast News

• Randy DeFoor, corporate attorney, former Jacksonville City Council member

• Jim Piggott, former City Hall reporter at News4Jax

Next to Normal

A stage production that tackles mental health, grief and drug addiction may not seem a likely candidate for a rock musical, but the Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal proves that there is plenty of creative space to accommodate the ambitious subject. We talk to the First Coast dentist-turned-thespian behind the local production about what conversations he hopes the Limelight Theatre staging will generate and why he wanted to bring the Broadway hit to local audiences.

Guests:

• Jimmy Alexander, producer of Next to Normal at Limelight Theatre and actor playing Dan Goodman

• Ella Escamilla, actress playing Natalie

Preseason preview

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be back in action this week against the New Orleans Saints for the team’s first preseason game of the year. The Jags had an impressive run last season, securing a 13-4 record and placing first in the AFC South division under rookie head coach Liam Coen. After a heartbreaking 27-24 loss against the Buffalo Bills back in January, fans are eager to see how the Big Cats return to the playing field. We sit down with First Coast News sports reporter Rachel Phillips, our new Jags season correspondent, to talk ball and get a preview of what to expect for the coming season.

Guest: Rachel Phillips, sports reporter, First Coast News

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The Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee is holding back millions of dollars in funding for local nonprofits and the Cultural Council as lawmakers weigh the potential impact of a proposed property tax reduction. Also, a lock company is challenging new state rules governing classroom locks designed to protect students during an armed attack. An administrative hearing on the rules is scheduled for next week.

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