First Coast Connect

Our Friday media roundtable tackles the week's headlines, from a "fleecing" of Jax taxpayers to back-to-back school bus accidents. Full conversation link in bio.

A mainstay of the craft beer scene - and downtown Jacksonville - is saying goodbye later this month. Intuition Ale Works Founder Ben Davis says the end is bittersweet, but he’s proud of all his team has accomplished over the past 15 years. Ben's full interview; link in bio.

Florida will soon be one of the most restrictive states for SNAP recipients, with bans on soda, energy drinks, candy and other ultra-processed desserts taking effect April 20. The director of the Riverside Arts Market, an authorized SNAP retailer, discusses potential impacts.

We want your Intuition Ale Works stories! Send them and/or photos to firstcoastconnect@wjct.org and we may feature them in our Thursday interview with founder Ben Davis ahead of the iconic brewery's final day on April 24. We want to hear your memories (hazy or not).

“Just be mindful.” Mayo Clinic neurologist Dr. Joe Sirven gave his take on using AI chatbots for health care advice. He also discussed 5 over-the-counter medications to throw away and why baby food is being characterized as junk food. Full conversation link in bio.

Jacksonville is short 50,000 affordable housing units, a staggering deficit equivalent to five times the number of existing homes in Nocatee. The city’s affordable housing director explains how Jacksonville is addressing the shortfall, even as the area sees a population boom.

Former Orange County prosecutor Matt Murphy prosecuted more than 50 murder cases and won them all. He unpacks the brutal realities he witnessed on the job and the toll it took on his personal life in his new memoir “The Book of Murder” Full interview link in bio.

Our media panel unpacks the week’s biggest headlines from racism in politics to an expensive investment in nonexistent courthouse artwork. @AnthonyReports @KingObi @AGGancarski @mimendenhall

Our guests came strapped with seeds and beer fest-inspired nails for today’s First Coast Connect! Check out the full show link for those segments, as well as a revealing discussion on why planes are hitting more turbulence these days.

The iconic statues that guard the Bridge of Lions were removed recently for a seawall project. So where are they now? While their location is actually top-secret, we ask the sculptors rehabbing the nearly 100-year-old lions what it takes to care for big cats in the wild.

You had one job: Former City Hall reporter and political consultant John Daigle says lawmakers are arguing about issues like DEI “instead of doing the one job that we pay them to do,” which is pass the budget. Check out the full discussion -- link in bio.

We heard from a broad range of political perspectives on today's program, but all agreed that it’s time to turn the 30-year-old Neighborhood Bill of Rights from a promise into an enforceable reality. Discussion link in bio.

"Don't get involved in the food fight." Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan decried what she called political season "antics" in her monthly Ask the Mayor segment. Full conversation at link in bio.

In his new Rolling Stone cover story, Florida reporter @michaeladno explores the political and scientific tensions behind efforts to restore the Everglades, including the bitter feud that sent one of the state’s most celebrated scientists to jail. Full interview link in bio.

If you look closely, you’ll notice David and Obi are wearing the same shirt. But our panel always has a broad range of perspectives! Check out today’s media roundtable. Full length in bio.

While headlines often highlight doom and gloom, marine scientist Dr. Nancy Knowlton points to “environmental bright spots” — actual success stories showcasing the power of human determination and nature's resilience. Discussion link in bio.

New York-based artist Nari Ward is in town ahead of the opening of his local creation,“Great Greetings” at MOCA Jacksonville. Known for repurposing found objects and castoffs, Ward, with the help of UNF students, crafted a towering display in the museum's 40-foot atrium.

Despite her training as a neurologist, Dr. Bobbie Decker says even she didn’t recognize the signs of her postpartum psychosis. “I understood the brain, but lost touch with my own,” she said. We discuss Decker’s recovery with the help of the Jacksonville-based Motherhood Space.

Are we becoming lab rats? Mayo Clinic neurologist Dr. Joe Sirven explains why influencer-championed "biohacking" trends like DIY peptide injections put patients at risk. Discussion link in bio.

Our media roundtable dives into the news of the week, from the uncertain future for a longtime St. Augustine horse carriage company to the latest on allegations of toxicity and quid pro quo that have embroiled Jacksonville's utility and council president. Discussion link in bio.