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:
Tuesday on “First Coast Connect” we spoke with WJCT’s Corporate Secretary Carlos Semidei and local resident Elisha Sosa. Both have relatives and friends in Puerto Rico, which was devastated by Hurricane Maria (01:02). Local Fraternal Order of Police President Steve Zona joined us to talk about his call for the resignation of two city council members after they had an altercation with police (11:11). We heard about this being Banned Book Week in America with First Coast Connect Book Club leader
Monday on “First Coast Connect” we spoke with WJCT’s sports analyst Cole Pepper about the Jaguars and other NFL teams protests Sunday of statements made by President Trump (01:18). We also spoke with Tony Penna who directs efforts for Enroll America about the Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill (29:34). Youth Crisis Center CEO Kim Sirdevan discussed helping kids deal with trauma (39:50). Northeast Florida STEM2 Hub program director Kathleen Schofield told us about the national STEM Ecosystems
Friday on “First Coast Connect” our weekly Media Roundtable featured Tessa Duvall from The Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville Business Journal editor Timothy Gibbons and blogger Fred Matthews (01:16). Gabriel House of Care Executive Director Valerie Callahan talked about their upcoming Living Well Symposium (42:05). We also spoke with author Larry Baker who sets his novels in Northeast Florida (46:24).
Thursday on “First Coast Connect” we spoke with St. Johns Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman about the dangers to the river and its tributaries due to Hurricane Irma (01:10). Tim Brack, Medtronic’s Ear, Nose and Throat division marketing manager told us about treatments for the sinus condition known as Chronic Rhinosinustis or CRS (31:52). We also heard about two upcoming events connected to Volunteers in Medicine. Noor Ashouri is the Director of Marketing with First Coast Cardiovascular and Aimee Boggs
Wednesday on “First Coast Connect” we spoke with Florida Times-Union reporter Ben Conarck on State Attorney Melissa Nelson’s decision not to prosecute Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer Tyler Landreville for the May 2016 shooting death of Vernell Bing Jr. (01:20). We heard about the efforts of World Relief to assist victims of disasters like Hurricane Irma with Senior Vice President of Ministries Emily Gray and Travis Trice of World Relief Jacksonville (33:21) and we spoke with new CEO of Big
Tuesday on “First Coast Connect” we heard how to handle stress caused by Hurricane Irma with therapist Melody Bean Eckhart (01:09). Lawanda Ravoira and Tayloe McDonald with the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center, Executive Director of the Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality Rebecca Epstein and author Nicole Mason talked about the upcoming See the Girl Summit (24:22). The latest segment of Moveable Feast featured Bud St. Pierre of the King and Prince Resort on St. Simons Island (35:10)
Friday on “First Coast Connect” our weekly Media Roundtable featured Florida Times-Union columnist Ron Littlepage, Financial News and Daily Record reporter David Cawton, Folio Weekly editor Claire Goforth and Florida Politics reporter A.G. Gancarski (01:07). We spoke with Jacksonville attorney Steve Watrel. He often represents nursing home residents and their families regarding abuse and neglect cases (30:55). Activist rabbi Merrill Shapiro talked about concerns he has with Florida’s
Thursday on “First Coast Connect” we were joined by State Farm insurance agent and former Jacksonville City Council President Matt Carlucci to talk about what people should do if they need to file an insurance claim in the wake of Hurricane Irma (01:09). We spoke with student leader Sarah Hipps about the Medical Explorers program at Orange Park Medical Center.(35:41). Plus, First Coast filmmaker and author Nadia Ramoutaur told us about her new book, “52 Ways to Free my Mojo,” and the films she
Wednesday on “First Coast Connect” we heard how climate change affects storms like Hurricane Irma with Jacksonville University climatologist Jeff Martin (01:13). Ahead of the Ken Burns PBS documentary, “The Vietnam War,” we spoke with female veterans Rene Johnson and Margaret Yarborough (27:09). Our monthly First Coast Connect Book Club with Stacey Goldring featured the classic novel “Catch 22” (38:48) and University of North Florida Gallery of Art Coordinator Jim Draper talked about the gallery
Friday on “First Coast Connect,” our weekly media roundtable included David Cawton from the Financial News and Daily Record and blogger Fred Matthews (00:57). We spoke with “1A” host Joshua Johnson (33:30) and heard about the latest effort to preserve public land from North Florida Land Trust President Jim McCarthy (44:15).
Thursday on “First Coast Connect,” we learned how President Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals program will affect the First Coast with Jacksonville immigration attorney Karen Winston and Mario DeCunto, who sits on the Mayor’s Hispanic American Advisory Council (02:09). We spoke about preventing veteran suicides with Daniel Henry of the Veterans Administration Hospital of Southeast Georgia and Northeast Florida and Katherine Eicher, Suicide Prevention Coordinator for
Tuesday on “First Coast Connect,” we spoke with New York Times bestselling author Ibram Kendi about his latest book, “Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideals in America” (03:05). Our Going Green segment featured North Florida Transportation Planning Organization Executive Director Jeff Sheffield on the upcoming North Florida Electric Drive Rally (21:13), and Angela DeMonbreun, executive director of Florida Solar United Neighborhoods, and homeowner Warren Clark talked
Tuesday on “First Coast Connect,” we heard about an upcoming forum to discuss what should be done with Jacksonville’s Confederate monuments if the city decides to remove them from public places with author Tim Gilmore and Tim Delaney of Modern Cities (01:36). We learned about the upcoming Sing Out Loud music festival with the director of the St. Augustine Amphitheatre Ryan Murphy (34:40) and WJCT Chief Operating Officer Karen Feagins told about inside look at WJCT operation this week “Live with
Today on “First Coast Connect,” we spoke with New York Times reporter Walt Bogdanich (01:07) about his recent update on the investigation into the death of Michelle O’Connell. Seaside Community Charter School Principal and University of North Florida Associate Professor of Literacy & Early Childhood Literacy Department of Childhood Education; Literacy and TESOL Katrina Hall (28:03) talked about charter schools. Retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel Bob Adelhelm (42:29) told us about the upcoming
Today on “First Coast Connect,” we spoke with Jim Murley (01:20), chief resilience Officer for Miami-Dade County, on the threat of sea level rise. This month’s edition of “First Coast Success” features Lee and Cates Glass CEO Tommy Lee III (31:58). We heard the story behind a tombstone found at a home build in Springfield with TerraWise Homes owners David and Melody Shacter, and Springfield historian Jeff Gardner (40:19) and Cole Pepper (46:26) brought us the latest sports news.
