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 heard about Saturday’s History Revealed walking tour of Confederate Statues and the history of Jacksonville’s racial past with #TakeEmDownJax co-founder Kris Kiernan , historian and author Tim Gilmore and Wells Todd from the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (01:05). We listened to a rebroadcast of a 2017 interview with Peggy Bulger . She is one of Florida’s most prominent folklorists and is the author of the book Stetson Kennedy, Applied Folklore and Cultural
Wednesday on First Coast Connect ahead of this month’s annual See the Girl Summit we spoke with Dr. Lawanda Ravoira , President and CEO of the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center, Senior Vice President at the center Vicky Basra and Dr. Maureen Walker who is the keynote speaker at the summit (01:01). We heard about some improvements occurring at the Florida Coastal School of Law with Dean Scott DeVito and Dean of Academics Jennifer Reiber (26:29). This weekend marks the 40th year of Pride
Tuesday First Coast Connect we spoke with Director of Programs and Impact Sofia Pereira . With the She Should Run incubator. It’s a national movement to get more women to run for public office. The group will be holding a cohort next month in Jacksonville (01:12). October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month . On Saturday the Pink Ribbon Symposium will be held at the Thrasher-Horne Center. We heard a preview from co-founder Dr. Linda Sylvester (31:07). Some broadcast stations have been criticized
Monday First Coast Connect we spoke with new Edward Waters College President Zachary Faison . He is the youngest president of a historically black college in the country (01:06). October is Gullah Geechee Awareness Month in Florida. A new film, Gullah Geechee Corridor & East Coast Greenways, highlights the culture that runs up the East Coast Greenway. We spoke with producer and director Derek Boyd Hankerson (25:06). Jacksonville’s Big Orange Chorus barbershop quartet will be performing the
On Friday First Coast Connect was live from Derby on Park in Five Points to kick off WJCT’s Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall Block Party . Stop by Friday to hear the music playing. We heard from WJCT President and CEO David McGowan and Derby on Park co-owners and chefs Jonathan Cobbs and Dwayne Beliakoff along with Director of Events and Catering for Bread and Board and Derby on Park Laura Edgecombe about the block party (01:37). Our weekly Media Roundtable featured David Bauerlein from The Florida
Thursday on First Coast Connect we spoke former Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett who is the author of The Next American City . He discussed the growth his city has experienced in recent years and how mid-sized cities like Jacksonville can do the same (01:14). Jacksonville author Richard Shieldhouse joined us. His new book William Morgan: Evolution of an Architect tells the story of one of the best known architects ever to come out of Florida (23:45). Thousands of motorcycle riders will be taking
Wednesday on First Coast Connect we spoke with Jeff Nesbit , executive director of Climate Nexus and author of This Is The Way The World Ends: How Droughts and Die-offs, Heat Wave and Hurricanes are Converging on America (01:14). Our latest segment of Going Green featured local author and gardener Ginny Stibolt who teaches people how to transform their yards to sustainable landscapes filled with native Florida plants (33:08). On October 4 the Sulzbacher Center will be celebrating its 20th year
Tuesday on First Coast Connect we spoke with faculty director of the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab Mike Binder about UNF’s latest polling numbers regarding Florida’s U.S. Senate and Governor races (01:03). Our latest segment of Moveable Feast featured the talents behind Moon Over the Market . Moveable Feast host Leigh Cort of The Women’s Food Alliance interviewed Executive Director Aaron Thursby and Nichole Chapman with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association.
Monday on First Coast Connect we heard about the JAX Chamber’s upcoming Infrastructure Innovation Summit with Chamber Vice-President for Entrepreneurial Growth Carlton Robinson and Amin Toufani , CEO of T Labs in Silicon Valley who will be one of the event’s speakers (01:03). Our latest segment of First Coast Success with Jacksonville Daily Record Editor Karen Brune- Mathis featured Matt Bridgewater from Gem Products (19:28). This is National Rail Safety Week. We spoke with the chief of CSX’s
Our First Coast Connect Friday Media Roundtable with guest host A.G Gancarski Our panelists were Florida Times-Union reporter David Bauerlein , WJCT contributor Fred Matthews , Folio Weekly Editor Claire Goforth and Jacksonville Daily Record reporte r David Cawton (00:58). Topics included: Jacksonville’s six current and former mayors got together at Jacksonville University this week to talk about the 50th anniversary of consolidation in Jacksonville and its impact on the community. The Downtown
Thursday First Coast Connect featured guest host Charlene Shirk. She was joined by local historian Jim Crooks and attorney Earl Johnson Jr. to talk about the 50th anniversary of Consolidation in Jacksonville (01:38). The Bank of America is getting ready to announce the latest recipients of its Neighborhood Builders Awards . With a preview we were joined by Northeast Florida Market President Greg Smith and local market manager Martha Barrett (28:46) The Youth Crisis Center and Feeding Northeast
Wednesday on First Coast Connect featured guest host Charlene Shirk. She was joined by Alex Rudnick from Generation U.S, Phyllis Martin from United Way of Northeast Florida and Brenda Ford from New Town. They discussed the Community Leaders Igniting Mobility , or CLIMB project that looks to help unemployed and underemployed youth in Jacksonville find quality jobs (01:20). We discussed the link scientists and environmentalists say is occurring between rising global temperatures and the strength
Tuesday on First Coast Connect featured guest host David Cawton , reporter for The Jacksonville Daily Record . Ahead of Wednesday’s Downtown Investment Authority meeting he spoke with DIA Executive Director Aundra Wallace and Visit Jacksonville President Michael Corrigan. The DIA will be evaluating three submitted proposals for a new convention center (01:28). Author of the book The Daily Six , John Chappelear joined the show to talk about his program Advanced Community Policing that helps first
Monday on First Coast Connect guest host Charles Griggs spoke with State Senator Audrey Gibson about her bill to provide $10 million in support for the former employees impacted by the contamination at the Fairfax Street Wood Treaters facility. Closed in 2010, the bill claims workers were subjected to high levels of chromated copper arsenate without the benefit of training or protective gear (01:22). The I’m A Star Foundation is working to help the more than 3,000 homeless students reported to
Our Friday Media Roundtable on First Coast Connect featured Folio Weekly editor Claire Goforth , radio host Angela Spears and Jacksonville Business Journal editor Timothy Gibbons (00:54). Our panel discussed As Hurricane Florence pounds the Carolinas we took at how the recovery is progressing one year after Hurricane Irma . JEA filed a lawsuit to get out from under a contract with a troubled nuclear power plant in Georgia The Florida Times-Union announced it will move most of its operations into
