First Coast Connect: The 'Fee State' of Florida

First Coast Connect: No defense

Connor Cauley, one of the “City Hall Three,” was recently released from jail after serving a 60-day sentence for battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer without violence. The case grew out of May 2025 pro-Palestine disturbance at a meeting of the Jacksonville City Council, during which Cauley and two others were arrested. Although he lost his case at trial, his defense rested on a claim that he could not be held liable for resisting, because the officer “was not lawfully executing a legal duty.” The Florida Legislature eliminated that legal defense this year in a bill that greatly expands protections for law enforcement officers. Under the new law [https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/data/government/officer-raynor-act-florida-senate/77-b5ee1cc2-f7a3-40f5-ad9c-669a9edd13c1], resistance is unjustified even if the officer is acting illegally or using excessive force. We ask Cawley about the jury verdict and his time served, and ask his lawyer how the new law will affect defendants in the future. Guests:   * Conor Cauley, protester arrested, one of the “City Hall Three” * Melinda Patterson, criminal defense attorney A clean getaway An Oceanway community group formed to fight blight in the Northside neighborhood has evolved into an alliance that is about connection as much as cleaning up. The founder of Collect & Connect — Keep Oceanway Beautiful [https://www.facebook.com/groups/624242303693721/] was inspired to take action after seeing increased dumping and “a ton of trash everywhere.” The group, which now has about 300 members, and a smaller core group of regular volunteers, has been recognized twice [https://www.jacksonville.gov/mayor/initiatives/keep-jax-cute/jax-litter-league#past-winners] by the Jacksonville Litter League, an inter-neighborhood competition for prizes and bragging rights. We ask two volunteers about the appeal of dirty work. Guests: * Susan Shinego, co-founder, Collect & Connect — Keep Oceanway Beautiful * Jolie Levene-Pryor, volunteer member, Collect & Connect — Keep Oceanway Beautiful Midsummer Market Murray Hill makers, bakers and movers & shakers gather for the annual Midsummer Market. The twilight celebration includes a curated list of vendors, including florists, artisan bakers and handmade crafters selling their wares to a soundtrack of live jazz. The community event will be held from 7-10 p.m. Saturday at Spruce, 3644 Post Street. We sit down with the owner of the host venue to discuss the appeal of a neighborhood market on a hot night. Guest: Ida Vera, owner of Spruce and founder of Midsummer Market See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Morning Report: ICE Stop Turns Deadly in St. Johns and Culinary Institute of America Picks Jax

A man fleeing federal immigration agents was struck and killed by a semi-truck in St. Johns County on Tuesday. Plus, Jacksonville has been selected as the future home of the Culinary Institute of America's Southeast hub, with plans for a downtown riverfront campus that could reshape the city's culinary landscape. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

First Coast Connect: Ask the Mayor

Should Jacksonville adopt a data center moratorium? And what does a potential lawsuit by the Jacksonville Aviation Authority against the city mean for the future of consolidated government? We ask Mayor Donna Deegan about that, as well as how newly proposed Jacksonville Housing Authority job requirements could affect her plan to address homelessness in the city. Guest: Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan Sweet deal Then, a Northside bakery expands its family-owned footprint to West Jacksonville. We ask the “The Cookie Man’s” kids about carrying on his sweet legacy with an expansion of Arble Baking Co [https://arblebaking.com/]. The bakery has served cakes, pies and handmade cookies from its Dunn Avenue location for years, but before that, the family business was built around the reputation of Willis “The Cookie Man” Anderson, who made and sold cookies from his home kitchen for the better part of four decades. The new location opens later this year at Community First Credit Union’s new Murray Hill branch — former site of Edgewood Bakery. Guests: * Teia Anderson, co-founder, Arble Baking Co. * Monica Anderson, co-founder, Arble Baking Co. * Sam Inman, president and CEO, Community First Credit Union 10 years OutEast What began as a community coalition evolved into a community development group and ultimately a vehicle to access much needed federal housing funds. The Historic Eastside — defined by the neighborhoods of East Jacksonville, Fairfield, Oakland, Campbells’ Addition and Phoenix — celebrates a decade in the business of growth and transformation with an evening devoted to history and storytelling. Al Letson, a Jacksonville native and Peabody Award-winning host of the podcast Reveal [https://revealnews.org/podcast/], returns to town to celebrate one of the city’s most important historically Black neighborhoods at Always Been Here: An Evening with Al Letson [https://www.hecdcjax.org/10-th-anniversary]. The event will be held at WJCT Studios at 6 p.m. Thursday. Guest: Suzanne Pickett, CEO of Historic Eastside Community Development Corp. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Morning Report: Harris Teeter Grocery Plans in FL and JTA Leadership Update

Jacksonville's planned Harris Teeter grocery store remains on track despite reports the chain has scaled back its broader Florida expansion. Plus, JTA CEO Nat Ford is among the finalists to lead the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system as the agency in Texas prepares to select its next chief executive. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

First Coast Connect: Making history

A lawsuit challenging the limits of city power is taking shape. The Jacksonville Aviation Authority is preparing to take the city to court for allegedly "pickpocketing" the authority's cash reserves and quashing its state-granted autonomy. Animosity between JAA and the city, which has been brewing for years, recently accelerated with the ascension of Council President Nick Howland, who has pushed for greater influence over airport budgets, particularly development of Cecil Field. We speak to the executive editor of the Florida Trib whose reporting [https://floridatrib.org/2026/07/10/jacksonville-aviation-officials-prep-lawsuit-accusing-city-of-trying-to-pickpocket/] details why this is happening now and what’s at stake. Guest: Nate Monroe, executive editor, the Florida Trib St. Augustine's mayor-elect In the 460 years since it was established, the city of St. Augustine has had just a handful of Black lawmakers. Before Commissioner Cynthia Garris [https://jaxtoday.org/2026/07/02/cynthia-garris-mayor/] took office in 2022, there were just five: Commissioner and Vice Mayor Errol Jones (who served from 2002-’12), Commissioner and Vice Mayor Henry Twine (who served from 1983-’92), Commissioner Richard White (served from 1990-1994), Commissioner Arnett Chase who was was elected in 1973 and Alderman John Papino (who served during Reconstruction before being shot in the face by a white marshal in 1902). Coupled with the city’s tortured civil rights protest era, during which the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. called the city the “most lawless” he’d encountered, the historic paucity of Black leadership makes the recent election of a Black woman mayor a momentous occasion in the Ancient City. We sit down with the mayor-elect to discuss its significance, as well as what mark she hopes to leave during her term in office. Guest: Cynthia Garris, mayor-elect, city of St. Augustine River City Chorus For more than a decade, the River City Chorus has performed uplifting, spiritual and patriotic tunes at churches around the First Coast. During their summer performance series, they typically donate ticket proceeds [https://www.facebook.com/RiverCityMensChorus/] to a local charity. We ask the chorus director about the charity selection process and what’s included in their summer songbook. River City Chorus has three upcoming performances: July 17 at Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church, July 18 at Arlington Presbyterian Church and July 19 at Riverside Park Methodist Church. Guests: * Dale Choate, director, River City Chorus * Chelsea Weise, Young Lives director, River City Chorus * Mark Scott, member, River City Chorus See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.