Jacksonville has approved a new process that allows restaurants to apply for permits to welcome dogs in outdoor dining areas, following a push to change long-standing rules. We’ll explain what the new policy allows—and what restrictions remain in place. Also, city officials are asking for more funding to combat illegal dumping across Jacksonville, with proposals to add cameras at problem sites and expand cleanup efforts.

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In her exhibition Away with the Tides at the Cummer Museum, artist Calida Rawles merges hyperrealism and poetic abstraction, portraying residents of Miami’s historic Overtown community floating, diving, and suspended in luminous water that becomes its own character—signifying both racial trauma and the possibility of spiritual and physical renewal. She joins host Anne Schindler to talk about making the work a “family affair,” why she returns to water as a site of Black healing, and how telling Overtown’s story—one of many Black neighborhoods divided by the interstate system—connects to ongoing conversations about displacement, climate, and justice, as Jacksonville audiences experience the show through March 1.​

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St. Johns County commissioners are set to take up a revised comprehensive plan after the state rejected an earlier version, with environmental advocates raising concerns about what was removed. Plus, Governor Ron DeSantis reiterates his opposition to removal of the Rodman Dam in Putnam County, even as lawmakers have new proposals focused on restoring the Ocklawaha River.

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Jacksonville Today editor Jessica Palombo steps into the host chair and turns the mic on City Hall reporter and host Mike Mendenhall to preview the local government stories he’ll be tracking this year. Mike walks through how Governor Ron DeSantis’ push for property tax reform could ripple through Jacksonville’s budget, why City Council is growing wary of cash incentives for downtown developers, and what to watch as talk of future mayoral bids heats up. He also explains why affordable housing remains a slow‑moving but urgent priority, from land trusts to public‑private partnerships. Read Mike’s latest reporting at jaxtoday.org.

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Amid heightened national debate over immigration enforcement, Jacksonville officials respond to a city employee’s social media post about rumored ICE activity, while state leaders highlight an arrest tied to a confrontation with federal agents. Plus, Northeast Florida wakes up to the coldest air of the year so far, with freeze warnings in effect and more winter weather on the way.

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Florida’s high school graduation rate reaches a new record, with districts across the First Coast posting some of their strongest results ever. We take a closer look at the gains in Duval County, including a major turnaround at Westside High School, and how neighboring counties compare. Plus, as cold temperatures settle in, a roundup of some of the overnight and daytime warming centers opening across Jacksonville to help residents stay safe.

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On This Week in Health, Letisha Bereola and Dr. Joe Sirven unpack three striking stories that span drug policy, vaccine-preventable disease, and an almost unbelievable pregnancy outcome.​

• Cannabis Downgraded to Schedule III: Dr. Joe explains that while marijuana remains federally illegal and state laws still govern access, the rescheduling should make rigorous medical research far easier and allow cannabis businesses to claim standard tax deductions, potentially reshaping what is known about dosing, benefits, and risks. He emphasizes that researchers will finally be able to study THC and CBD in a more straightforward way, even as no new federal research funding has yet been announced.​
• U.S. Measles Cases Reach Highest Level Since 2000
  CDC surveillance data show more than 2,000 measles cases in 2025—the most since the U.S. declared measles eliminated in 2000—with large outbreaks in Texas and other low-vaccination regions. Dr. Joe reminds listeners that each measles case can infect 12–17 others and the virus can linger in the air for up to 48–72 hours, making this highly contagious illness both miserable and entirely vaccine-preventable.​
• Baby Survives Ultra-Rare Abdominal Pregnancy
  In Los Angeles, Cedars-Sinai physicians delivered an eight‑pound baby boy who had developed completely outside his mother’s uterus, hidden behind a massive ovarian cyst, in what doctors estimate is far rarer than one in a million pregnancies. Dr. Joe notes how unusual it is for the mother, the baby, and the baby’s development all to emerge intact in such cases, making this a true “lottery‑level” medical miracle.​

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The Jacksonville Transportation Authority says it will keep its door-to-door service for riders with disabilities, but a new fare structure for Connexion Plus will take effect next month, raising costs and adding monthly trip limits during a six-month trial period. Also today, plans for an opioid treatment clinic in West Augustine are shelved following community protests, as residents raise concerns about safety and location.

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Florida lawmakers open the 2026 legislative session, with hundreds of bills on the agenda and renewed debate over property taxes. We also look ahead to a planned special session on congressional redistricting later this spring. Plus, Baptist Health proposes a new hotel on Jacksonville’s Southbank, as city leaders weigh incentives and how the plan could impact downtown.

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Homeowners associations may be among the most disliked institutions in American neighborhood life, but in Florida they govern roughly 30% of all homes, shaping everything from lawn height to house color. In this episode, host Anne Schindler talks with real estate attorney Barry Ansbacher about a new bill in the Florida Legislature that would let communities dissolve their HOAs by majority vote, exploring why lawmakers are pursuing the change, what it could mean for fed‑up residents, and how it might affect developers, property values, and neighborhood services.

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