First Coast Connect With Melissa Ross
Summary: Hosted by Melissa Ross, First Coast Connect is an hour-long call-in program that features local newsmakers, civic and community leaders, arts, activities across Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, along with spot news features and a weekly roundtable of local journalists.
Podcasts:
Thursday on First Coast Connect we spoke with Florida Times-Union reporters Nate Monroe and Christopher Hong on their investigative series regarding how dredging affects the flow of the St. Johns River (01:06). To commemorate Brain Cancer Awareness Month we spoke with Dianne Fenton. She organized Saturday’s Waves of Gray 5K walk and run in Jacksonville Beach to raise funds for brain cancer research (35:19). We spoke with singer Steve Forbert who will be performing at the Mudville Grille Music
Wednesday on First Coast Connect we continued our commemoration of Public Service Recognition Week by speaking with retiring University of North Florida President John Delaney (01:20). Local activist Richard Cuff talked about the Cultural Awareness and Community Image Enhancement Campaign and Sunday’s Ribs and Roses Summer of Fun Celebration on Dunn Avenue and his Guiding Angels campaign (30:38). We heard about the dangers and way to prevent a stroke with Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Stroke Center
Tuesday on First Coast Connect we learned about the upcoming Party Benefit and Jam (PB&J) Jam Session: Women on gender issues with Jam Sessions creator Denise Reagan and speaker Michelle Roberts (01:02). Our latest segment of Moveable Feast with Leigh Cort of the Women’s Food Alliance featured the Alhambra Dinner Theatre’s Executive Chef DuJuan Roy (26:35). Our monthly edition of the First Coast Connect Book Club with blogger Stacey Goldring featured Gail Honeyman’s acclaimed debut novel
Monday on First Coast Connect we spoke with author and political scientist Ian Bremmer about globalism and his latest book US VS THEM: The Failure of Globalism (01:07). We spoke with filmmaker Stu Maddux and Andrea Spender from ElderSource Institute about an upcoming screening of the documentary Gen Silent on the lives of LGBT seniors (17:20). As part of recognition of Public Service Recognition Week we spoke with Duval County Teacher of the Year Latrece Brown-Sudduth (26:00). WJCT Station
Friday on First Coast Connect our weekly Media Roundtable included Florida Times-Union reporter Andrew Pantazi , WJCT contributor Fred Matthews , Florida Politics reporter A.G. Gancarski and WJCT reporter Lindsey Kilbride . The panel discussed a possible mayoral campaign by Council President Anna Brosche , interim JEA CEO Aaron Zahn’s saying he may make some changes at the utility and reaction to the Duval County School Board ’s plan to hire school safety officers (01:32). And we heard a live,
Thursday on First Coast Connect we spoke with Congressman Al Lawson (D-FL5), about some of the issues he’s working on in Washington. We also discussed the primary challenge against him by former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown (01:16). Oh the heels of the Florida Times-Union investigation on the link between football and concussions, we discussed other dangers that can be prevented while kids are playing sports, like heatstroke, with the head of program development for the nonprofit Jacksonville
Wednesday on First Coast Connect we spoke with Jacksonville City Council President Anna Lopez Brosche about her relationship with Mayor Lenny Curry’s administration, the future of JEA and her future political plans (01:18). We heard about new data from the Pew Charitable Trusts on the bipartisan Restore America’s Parks Initiative with John Adornato from the National Parks Conservation Association and Florida Times-Union columnist Mark Woods , author of Lassoing the Sun: A Year in America’s
Tuesday on First Coast Connect we spoke with Florida Times-Union reporter John Reid on his investigation into the connection between football and concussions and what is being done to prevent and treat them (01:16). A rendition of the classic ancient Greek play Lysistrata is being performed later this month by A Classic Theatre in St. Augustine. We spoke to director Harolyn Sharpe (34:26). This month’s Woman with Heart to benefit Volunteers in Medicine is Dany Atkinson , professional life coach
Monday on First Coast Connect we spoke with Travis Trice with World Relief Jacksonville about the work the organization does to help refugees who relocate to the First Coast and some upcoming fundraisers to benefit the group’s efforts (01:09). This month’s edition of First Coast Success with the Daily Record ’s Karen Brune Mathis featured retiring JAXUSA president Jerry Mallot (28:10). Action News Jacksonville anchor John Bachman talked about the station’s initiative with WOKV to help local
Friday on First Coast Connect our weekly Media Roundtable featured reporter Tessa Duvall from The Florida Times-Union , WJCT contributor and Board Member Charles Griggs, Daily Record reporter David Cawton and Jacksonville Business Journal editor Timothy Gibbons. Their discussion included: Mayor Curry putting an end to possibility of selling JEA Jaguars owner Shad Khan’s announcement that he has put in a bid to buy Wembley Stadium in London The Duval County School Board narrowing the list of
Thursday on First Coast Connect we talked about an upcoming OneJax Civil Discourse event with OneJax Director Nancy Broner and local philanthropist Laurie DeBow (01:12). In America today the First Amendment protects all speech no matter how hateful, hurtful or vile. Will we continue to support absolute freedom of speech or have we reached a point in time where limitations are needed? As time passes will we join our European counterparts and pass explicit laws banning hate speech, or will we
Wednesday on First Coast Connect we spoke with climate scientist Dr. Peter Ward about an upcoming government report being prepared by the U.S. Global Change Research Program’s National Climate Assessment (01:08). We discussed Teach for America and the issues surrounding education with Manager for Teacher Development John Grab and TFA alumni Lynette Jean (26:59) as Jacksonville commemorates the 10th anniversary of the organization. ArtRepublic founder Jessica Santiago told us about some upcoming
Tuesday on First Coast Connect we spoke Jacksonville Jaguars President Mark Lamping about the changes coming to the stadium and the proposed entertainment center at the Shipyards and Lot J (01:16). Moveable Feast featured local legendary chef Matthew Medure (30:30). Florida Theatre CEO Numa Saesselin talked about the history of the theatre and it’s upcoming annual fundraiser (38:20).
Monday on First Coast Connect we spoke with former Special Agent in Charge of Jacksonville’s FBI Field Office Jim Casey about former FBI director James Comey and Comey’s new book (01:11). Reverend Patricia McElroy and Dr. Terri Andrews from Baptist Health told us about this week’s Faith and Mental Health conference (30:14). We heard about Thursday’s Dining Out for Life to raise funds for AIDS research with NFAN’s Manuel Andrade and Paige Kelton and Derrick Odom from Action News (38:00). Cole
Friday on First Coast Connect our weekly Media Roundtable featured Florida Times-Union Reporter Dan Scanlan, WJCT Business Analyst John Burr, Folio Weekly Editor Claire Goforth and Beaches Leader Columnist Jon McGowan (01:06). And a living musical legend is coming to the Florida Theatre next week. Melissa interviews the great Johnny Mathis (46:00).
