WJCT News Now

From its sold-out inaugural game last May to its current standing at the top of the upstart UpShot league, Jacksonville’s first-ever pro women's basketball team is definitely making waves. We take a midseason TV timeout with the coach and two players to ask about their 20-6 record, how the First Coast has received the team and what it means to be dominating the new league at a time when women’s basketball is culturally ascendent. We also watch some tape of the Jacksonville Wave’s finest moments in the paint.

Guests:

• Jessica Bogia, head coach, Jacksonville Waves

• Khayla Pointer, point guard, Jacksonville Waves

• Taylor Soule, forward, Jacksonville Waves

On 4

As part of our ongoing election coverage, we sit down with the fourth of five candidates seeking to represent Florida’s Congressional District 5. Incumbent congressman John Rutherford, who is seeking his sixth term, has not responded to repeated requests to appear on the program, but we have previously spoken to Democratic candidates Rachel Grage, Mark Heggestad and Republican contender Mark Kaye. On Wednesday, we sit down with 29-year-old first-time candidate Alex Hazen, a video game developer who helps create training software for nurses and other healthcare workers. First Coast Connect is covering a range of local races and election-related topics between now and Nov. 3. You can find all of our election coverage here, and you can find detailed information about upcoming elections, including information about candidates and ballot initiatives in your district, at the nonpartisan League of Women Voters website Vote411.org. Additional candidate coverage is featured in Jacksonville Today’s political section.

Guest: Alex Hazen, Democratic candidate for Florida’s 5th Congressional District

Stage to Screen

From the groundbreaking and exuberant Stop Making Sense to the beautifully nostalgic Scorsese passion project The Last Waltz, the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall is hosting a free concert film series throughout the month of August. The inaugural Stage to Screen series invites music fans to experience performances in a space built for live music and includes four concert films featuring the Talking Heads, The Band, The Rolling Stones and film composer Hans Zimmer. Audiences can experience improved acoustics in the concert hall, which saw major improvements after a nearly $13 million, 14-month renovation. All screenings are free, but registration is required.

Guests:

• Dianya Markovits, director of public relations and partnerships, SJC Cultural Events Inc.

• Tim Kirkpatrick, director of programming and strategy, SJC Cultural Events Inc.

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A major incentive package for Gateway Jax's proposed Publix-anchored development in downtown Jacksonville has been sent back for revisions. Meanwhile, unionized school bus drivers and Durham School Services are returning to the bargaining table as they work to avoid a strike just days before Duval County students head back to class.

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A recent infusion of cash has upped the ante in the race for the Jacksonville City Council At-Large Group 1 seat. Democrat Moné Holder now leads the pack, having raised more than $300,000 in her bid to alter the political dynamics of a predominately Republican council. The Aug. 18 Special Election also features Libertarian and frequent City Council commenter Addison Patrick, who beat a Republican court challenge to remove her from the ballot and has since filed her own court challenge alleging the Republican candidate, Deborah Wesley, does not live in her district. (Wesley, who previously committed to participating in the roundtable, canceled last week, citing an “unavoidable personal conflict.”) We discuss the unique challenges of the North and Westside Group 1 district and take your calls and questions. First Coast Connect is covering a range of local races and election-related topics between now and Nov. 3. You can find all of our election coverage here, and you can find detailed information about upcoming elections, including information about candidates and ballot initiatives in your district, at the nonpartisan League of Women Voters website Vote411.org. Additional candidate coverage is featured in Jacksonville Today’s political section.

Guests:

• Addison "Liberty” Patrick, Libertarian candidate for Jacksonville City Council At-Large Group 1

• Moné Holder, Democratic candidate for Jacksonville City Council At-Large Group 1

Decked out

Stephen Jorgensen is a “plank owner,” meaning he was part of the original crew when the USS Jacksonville was christened and launched Nov. 18, 1978. Now, he’s helming an effort to bring the only ship named for the city “home” — at least what’s left of it. As president of Bring The Sail 2 Jax, Jorgensen has worked to display the submarine’s “sail” (the vertical tower located on its topside) next to the USS Orleck and the Jacksonville Naval Museum Downtown. We ask him about the sailors reunion that started the ball rolling and what it will take to make his vision reality.

Guest: Stephen Jorgensen, president, Bring The Sail 2 Jax

Breath work

In 2014, an injured Navy pilot turned her personal recovery into a nonprofit focused on making physical healing and mental well-being accessible to everyone. More than a decade later, Yoga 4 Change operates in 120-plus locations around the state, reaching a range of military veterans, at-risk youth, incarcerated individuals and people recovering from substance abuse. We speak to the group’s head yogi about the power of mindfulness and Yoga 4 Change’s data-driven approach to providing trauma-informed care to communities often overlooked.

Guest: Kim Simon, executive director, Yoga 4 Change

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School lunch prices are increasing for some Duval County Public Schools students as the district prepares for the start of the school year, while free breakfast remains available for all students. Plus, a Florida judge orders changes to the wording of a proposed constitutional amendment on property taxes ahead of the November election.

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After four prior attempts at a Florida congressional seat (both Districts 4 and 5), Democrat LaShonda “L.J.” Holloway has again set her sights on Republican incumbent Aaron Bean. In addition to earning an endorsement from civil rights attorney Ben Crump, the fourth generation Jacksonville native and Florida Supreme Court arbitrator has gotten some positive recent polling, suggesting she could be poised for a repeat of her primary upset in 2022. Holloway faces off against well-funded Democratic opponent Michael Kirwin and Democratic Socialist Brit Robinson in the Aug. 18 primary. We ask her about her legislative priorities and take listener calls and emails for the candidate. 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. Detailed candidate coverage is also featured in Jacksonville Today’s political section.

Guest: LaShonda “L.J.” Holloway, Democratic candidate for Florida’s 4th Congressional District

Fauci under fire

Last week, the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases pleaded the Fifth 111 times at a contentious Senate committee hearing. Dr. Anthony Fauci has continued to face backlash for his response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was exacerbated by Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul’s release of Fauci’s private diary ahead of the Republican-led inquiry. Since then, some GOP leaders have called for Fauci's jailing. We discuss how the medical community is reacting to the health leader’s legal quandary, as well as other medical headlines, including setting ethical guardrails for using AI in healthcare settings and addressing physician shortages. Dr. Joe Sirven also answers your healthcare questions on any topic.

Guest: Dr. Joe Sirven, Mayo Clinic neurologist and Host of WJCT’s What’s Health Got To Do With It?

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Early voting begins this week across Northeast Florida ahead of the August 18 primary election, with the Republican race for Florida governor among the contests drawing attention. Congressman Byron Donalds, considered the frontrunner, discussed school choice and other campaign issues yesterday in Jacksonville. Also, a downtown Jacksonville restaurant is set to reopen under new ownership, with Bellwether returning alongside a new sushi and Asian dining concept.

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The race to replace Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is heating up as the Aug. 18 primary quickly approaches with several candidates eyeing the governor's mansion. Seventeen names will appear on primary ballots for governor, making the selection process as potentially confusing for voters as it is competitive for the contenders. On the GOP side, the saturated candidate pool includes the state’s current lieutenant governor, Jay Collins; former House Speaker Paul Renner; political newcomer James Fishback; Trump-endorsed congressman Byron Donalds; and many others. Former Republican congressman David Jolly is the current frontrunner to win the Democratic nomination. As part of our continuing election coverage, we sit down with Donalds, the GOP frontrunner, to ask why he should be the Sunshine State’s next chief executive.

First Coast Connect will cover 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: Congressman Byron Donalds, Republican candidate for Florida governor

Cats gone viral

The internet's most entertaining felines head to the big screen. CatVideoFest is an annual production featuring a compilation of viral cat videos from around the world. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Springfield Kitty Cat Shack Rescue, a volunteer-led nonprofit that rescues feral and sick cats too old for traditional shelters. The event takes place Aug. 9 at WJCT Studios with screenings at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Guests:

• Summer Crabtree, event coordinator, Springfield Kitty Cat Shack Rescue

• Kellyn Kelemen, board member, Springfield Kitty Cat Shack Rescue

• Circe LeNoble, director of grant management and community events at WJCT Public Media

Artistic blueprint

A third generation photographer sets the camera aside to produce art from one of the earliest camera-less, photographic printing processes called cyanotype. Kim Hurt, a Jacksonville-based artist with Texas roots, brings a unique intersection of traditional techniques with modern vision to her pieces. Hurts has recently joined the Southlight Collaborative and invites viewers to her new exhibition combining local botanical diversity and purity, with a desire for connection. The exhibition will be featured at the upcoming ArtWalk at Southlight Gallery from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Guest: Kim Hurt, artist, curator and art consultant

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Jacksonville City Council members are considering new regulations for e-bikes, including a 10-mile-per-hour speed limit, age restrictions and helmet requirements for younger riders. The proposal follows an increase in e-bike and scooter injuries reported by Wolfson Children’s Hospital. Also, the latest proposal for a Daily's Place gas station in Fruit Cove have been withdrawn.

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

• City Council falls short to override a mayoral veto that would have reduced the executive branch’s board appointment power. 

• A proposed “road diet” in Brooklyn aims to promote foot traffic but could drive up travel times for motorists.

• JEA’s top executive takes an extended leave of absence, but the public utility says it's unrelated to job performance. 

• Records show the Jacksonville Transportation Authority has $15 million in unpaid bills as its CEO eyes his exit.

• City Council President Nick Howland introduces a bill that would give companies incentives to hire veterans and military spouses. 

Guests:

• Mike Mendenhall, City Hall reporter and associate editor at Jacksonville Today

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

• Anthony Austin, anchor at First Coast News

• Dan Scanlan, reporter and producer at WJCT News

ShepardFest

The only festival in the world dedicated entirely to Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Sam Shepard returns to St. Augustine this weekend. ShepardFest features performances, readings, films and conversation centered on Shepard's work. The lineup includes a full production of Shepard's Buried Child and a staged reading of his one-man play Kicking a Dead Horse, alongside lectures on theater design and dramaturgy. Audiences can also expect screenings of Thunderheart and Days of Heaven. The four-day festival kicks off Thursday at The Waterworks.

Guests:

• Raines Carr, founding artistic director, Shepardfest

• Robert M. Dowling, author of Coyote: The Dramatic Lives of Sam Shepard

Topics and guests subject to change.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duval County Public Schools is adding 26 electric school buses as part of an effort to modernize student transportation, reduce emissions and lower long-term operating costs. Also, Nassau County middle and high school students who want to bring e-bikes or scooters to campus will have to complete an application and pass a safety course before getting authorization.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.