The Morning Report: Upcoming JEA Rate Hike Vote and New Segment Opens on First Coast Expressway

First Coast Connect: In the blood

Decades of industrial manufacturing has polluted both ground and water in Brunswick, Georgia, and surrounding Glynn County, which is home to four federally designated Superfund sites and 12 state-regulated hazardous waste sites. That pollution is showing up in the bloodstreams of residents. Research into the health effects of chemical exposure dates back to 1997, when a local health department said the toxic legacy was due to “dirty industry … cheap labor … [and a] lack of enforcement of regulations.” A 2023 Emory University study found the presence of one chemical, produced exclusively in Brunswick, present in the bloodstream of 40% of study participants at levels higher than 95% of the U.S. population. That research prompted a new, long-term study and the creation of the inaugural Coast Superfund Research Center, funded by a $15 million grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health. We talk to a study participant and a social justice advocate about what the project means for residents’ health and efforts to clean up the lingering contamination. Guests: * Anita Collins, Healthy Coastal Neighborhoods [https://healthycoastalneighborhoods.com/] community consultant, chairperson, Urbana Perry Park NPA * Josiah "Jazz" Watts, community consultant, Healthy Coastal Neighborhoods Building Downtown For the past 10 years the Jessie Ball duPont Fund has opened its doors to other nonprofits, community groups, arts organizations and ordinary folk — part of its mission to provide “social purpose real estate” in the heart of Downtown. The national charitable foundation occupies the most striking instance of mid-century modern architecture in the core city, the old Hayden Burns Library, designed by the late, visionary architect Taylor Hardwick. We talk to two fund principals about their decade Downtown, the importance of promoting art and architecture and how they balance nonprofits needing affordable workspaces with the costs of maintaining a desirable Downtown address. Guests: * Mari Kuraishi, president of the Jessie Ball duPont Fund Art Cart Mart After the closure of Jacksonville’s oldest art supply store, Reddi Arts, in 2025, two longtime crafters wanted a new space where creatives could shop and swap sustainably. The result is Art Cart Jax, a free, secondhand art and craft pop-up, designed with the goal of reducing the environmental impact of new supplies and providing a community-supported craft store. With 100% of the inventory composed of donated materials and contributions growing, the group moved into a new studio space at Margaret Street Studios and dubbed it “The Mart.” The space opened June 21 and is open from noon to 5 p.m. every Sunday. We ask the group’s founders about taking the leap of faith to open the new space and how the community is responding. Guests: * Jessica Grist, co-founder, Art Cart Jax * Blake Riley, co-founder, Art Cart Jax See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Morning Report: Upcoming JEA Rate Hike Vote and New Segment Opens on First Coast Expressway

JEA’s Board of Directors is set to consider proposed rate increases for electricity, water, and sewer service as the utility addresses projected revenue gaps. Also ahead, a new section of the First Coast Expressway opens in Clay County, expanding the toll road network and bringing new traffic changes as the larger project moves toward completion. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

First Coast Connect: Week in Review

Each Friday, our media roundtable dives into the biggest stories of the week. Among this week’s topics: * Text messages the city refused to release are now public. What do the once-secret documents tell us about a criminal investigation sparked by City Council President Kevin Carrico? * The governor formally brings an end to the Alligator Alcatraz era. * JEA’s current CEO testifies before the City Council, while its former CEO takes his fraud conviction back to court. * The city misses out on a $1 million grant after an untrained staffer fumbles the application.  * Nascent trillionaire Elon Musk buys the assets of a Jacksonville energy company in what could be a billion-dollar deal. * A prominent personal injury lawyer creates a new political party in Florida, the Common Ground Party. Guests: * Laura Pellicer, fellow, Florida Trib * Mike Mendenhall, City Hall reporter and associate editor at Jacksonville Today * Robin Lumb, former Jacksonville City Council member * Obi Umunna, attorney and political consultant Hot dad walk As temperatures rise and the kids are out of school, a new walking club invites dads and their children to connect with their counterparts in Jacksonville. After becoming a parent, Augie Watson said he realized how difficult it can be to connect with fellow dads. Inspired by other walking groups in Jacksonville, he founded Dads Walk Jax [https://www.instagram.com/dadswalkjax/], where dads are invited to BYOB (bring your own baby), chat and stroll through the Avondale neighborhood and nearby parks. The walks are a family affair. Watson’s wife, Marissa, owns The Bunny Hive Jacksonville, a space for parents and kids to play and socialize, and the monthly dads’ walk stops there along the way. The next meetup is scheduled for 9 a.m. Sunday at the Southern Grounds in Avondale. Guest: Augie Watson, founder, Dads Walk Jax See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Morning Report: Unredacted Kevin Carrico Texts Released and St. Johns School Discrimination Complaint

Newly released text messages shed more light on discussions involving Jacksonville City Council President Kevin Carrico, a nonprofit executive, and a proposed JEA land deal and board appointment. Plus, a former St. Johns County teacher has filed a federal discrimination complaint, alleging he was removed from his position because of his gender identity and intersex condition. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

First Coast Connect: Resegregating neighborhoods

Commemorating the Confederacy through streets or community names like “Dixie,” “Rebel” and “Plantation” carries clear connotations for some. As noted in a social media post [http://city-data.com/forum/louisville-area/375535-kkk-oldham-county-2.html] referenced in a new research study, “The developer might as well [put] a sign at the entrance saying, ‘Whites Only.’” Titled Confederates in the Cul de Sac [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08873631.2025.2513180], the scholarly paper explores how racial demographics are affected by Confederate tributes or signage in both urban and suburban communities. According to the report’s first-ever inventory of such neighborhoods, Florida has more than any other state. We talk to the study’s authors about their sometimes surprising findings and what it says about what they call “America’s identity crisis over white supremacy.” Guests: * Pamela L. Morris, associate professor of communication studies, Indiana University * George Towers, professor of geography, Indiana University Columbus Good on paper Bucking the national publishing trend, two local print newspapers are launching at the Beach. The weekly Beach Gazette [https://www.beachgazette.org/] launches online Thursday with plans to begin a print edition within a year and features a lead story focused on the history of local news at the Beaches. The paper’s backers are also launching Beach Buzz, a free monthly arts and culture publication in the model of Folio and Void, targeting visitors and residents alike, but with a specific Beaches focus. We sit down with the founders at a time when the overall newspaper industry is in a period of retraction to ask who, what, when, where and why? Guests: * Jennifer Ashley, editor and co-founder, Beach Gazette * Georgette Dumont, publisher and co-founder, Beach Gazette Pitch perfect The U.S. men’s national team takes to the pitch against Türkiye on Thursday night as the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues. After a historic performance for the team — winning consecutive World Cup matches for the first time since 1930 — the men head to the knockout round of 32 next week. Though Türkiye has already been eliminated, the game will be another test of team fitness after solid performances against Paraguay (4-1) and Australia (2-0). The match may also feature some play time by star attacker Christian Pulisic, who has been sidelined with a calf injury. We sit down with longtime sports reporter Will Brown to discuss what the USMNT can expect in the coming round, how the games are going so far and whether record-breaking Lionel Messi could lead Argentina to a second World Cup victory. The game Thursday gets underway at 10 p.m. Guest: Will Brown, reporter for Jacksonville Today, publisher of Official Florida FC [https://www.officialfloridafc.com/] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.