First Coast Connect: The 'Fee State' of Florida

First Coast Connect: Representing Florida

With the passing of July 4th, election season gets underway in earnest, along with our candidate interviews. Firebrand First Coast lawmaker Angie Nixon joins us to discuss her bid for U.S. Senate, in which she faces Republican incumbent Ashley Moody and fellow Democrat Alex Vindman. Nixon comes to the race with a funding disadvantage but with a reputation as a fighter (albeit one with few legislative victories), as well as a vocal foe of the governor. We ask her why she chose to leave a “safe” seat — and what would have been her fourth and final term in the state House — in order to run for a seat in the upper chamber. First Coast Connect will be covering a range of local races and election-related topics between now and Nov. 3. You can find detailed information about upcoming elections, including information about candidates and ballot initiatives in your specific district, at the nonpartisan League of Women Voters website Vote411.org [http://vote411.org]. The deadline to register to vote in the August primaries is July 20. Guest: State Rep. Angie Nixon, candidate for U.S. Senate Paper trail The world’s largest private collection of historic documents returns to Northeast Florida. Although the Jacksonville Karpeles Manuscript Museum in Springfield closed in 2023 as part of a reorganization by its parent company, a new St. Augustine location will serve as the internationally known museum’s flagship. The Karpeles Manuscript Library [https://www.karpeles.com/] features an array of rare manuscripts and artifacts spanning centuries of history from Civil War records to writings by Albert Einstein to Disney animation sketches. We talk to the museum’s director about the history of the collection, their mission to make historic documents accessible to future generations and what visitors can expect during their soft opening as America celebrates its 250th birthday. Guest: Wayne Jackson, director, Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum Collective memory Jacksonville’s newest community theater stages its inaugural show with a nod to the musical version of the 1982 classic film Victor/Victoria. The Arts Collective Theatre is a joint project of longtime First Coast performers Lee Hamby and Julie Harrington and aims to broaden local theater offerings while serving as “a sanctuary for artists of all backgrounds.” We discuss how the first show of what the team is calling “Season Zero” fits the creators’ vision and what challenges have come with the maiden production. Victor/Victoria opens July 10 and runs through July 26. Guests:  * Lee Hamby, artistic director, Arts Collective Theatre [https://artscollectivetheatre.com/] * Josh Waller, actor playing Toddy in Victor/Victoria * Joshua Bond, actor playing King in Victor/Victoria See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Morning Report: Duval Libertarian Candidate Remains on Ballot and JTA CEO retiring

A judge has ruled that a Libertarian candidate can remain on the ballot in Jacksonville’s upcoming City Council special election, setting up a three-way race for the open seat. Plus, Jacksonville Transportation Authority CEO Nat Ford announces his retirement after leading major transit projects, including the launch of the nation’s first autonomous vehicle public transit system. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

First Coast Connect: Flooded with pollution

The dividing lines created or reinforced by segregation and redlining sustain a toxic tide, according to a new report [https://floridatrib.org/2026/06/25/toxic-tides-rising-seas-increase-risk-of-contaminants-in-jacksonvilles-waterfront-communities/] in The Florida Trib. Intensive flooding from recent hurricanes, and increasingly, during ordinary rainstorms, carry a range of pollutants. But in historically Black communities in Jacksonville, those floodwaters carry an additional hazard. Trib investigative journalism fellow Trinity Webster-Bass writes, “More than half of Jacksonville’s vulnerable industrial sites are situated in neighborhoods near or in the heart of downtown Jacksonville, known as the Urban Core, home to some of the oldest majority-Black parts of the city.” The story explores why the legacy of the region’s most polluted places disproportionately affect communities of color in ways that residents, health experts and scientists are just beginning to grapple with. We talk to Webster-Bass about why these threats are increasing as the planet warms and what the city is doing to address the issue. Guest: Trinity Webster-Bass, investigative journalism fellow, Florida Trib Hard at work A Murray Hill hardcore club reopened last weekend after it was forced to shut down over permitting issues. A new report [https://jaxtoday.org/2026/06/24/hard-love-reopening/] by Jacksonville Today reporter Noah Hertz examines how the club’s operating ethos — and even its temporary closure — fit into the historic continuum of Jacksonville's enduring punk music scene. We also preview the grand reopening of Hard Love, including which bands will take the stage to break the loud fast rules. Guest: Noah Hertz, St. Johns County reporter, Jacksonville Today Order up Getting plant-based offerings on the menu is the focus of the annual Vegan Chef Challenge, which asks restaurants to either temporarily or permanently expand their meat, dairy and cruelty-free offerings. The fourth annual event will be held throughout the month of August, but organizers are currently seeking restaurants and chefs of any stripe to participate. The only requirement is adding one to three items to menus during the event. We talk to a co-organizer about making gradual progress to a diet that is healthier both for individuals and the planet. Chefs have until Friday, July 10 to apply [https://pci.jotform.com/form/260955777751169]. Guest: Raquel Little, co-organizer, Jacksonville Vegan Chef Challenge [https://veganchefchallenge.org/jacksonville/] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Morning Report: Jacksonville Housing Rules Update and FreedomFest Preview

The Jacksonville Housing Authority is proposing a new policy that would give many housing assistance recipients three months to find a job under a pending federal housing rule, though some residents say that timeline is unrealistic. Plus, Jacksonville is preparing for its two-day FreedomFest celebration, with officials urging attendees to arrive early, expect traffic and bridge closures, and take precautions against the summer heat. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

First Coast Connect: The 'Fee State' of Florida

After the Legislature hastily approved a ballot initiative to slash property taxes, Florida is just beginning to reckon with the costs. If approved by 60% of the voters in November, the measure would almost instantly slash the budgets of cities and small towns by more than $8 billion, according to a new nonpartisan analysis by the state’s Revenue Estimating Conference. That loss would compound over time, as additional property tax cuts — including for business and out-of-state homeowners — are phased in. Though the Revenue Estimating Conference is supposed to evaluate the cost of state proposals before they’re approved, the after-the-fact analysis is the first detailed examination of local impacts. Investigative reporter Jason Garcia breaks down the story behind the numbers, including the service cuts and fee hikes that would likely result. Guest: Jason Garcia, investigative reporter, publisher of the Seeking Rents website [https://jasongarcia.substack.com/] and podcast [https://jasongarcia.substack.com/podcast] Miracle workers A nascent partnership between First Coast Crime Stoppers and Jacksonville’s animal welfare agency, Animal Care and Protective Services, led to the arrest of a dog owner on animal cruelty charges earlier this year. In part inspired by that success, Crime Stoppers is expanding its animal cruelty tip line to include Nassau County. Though the great dane “Miracle” didn’t survive after it was discovered injured, emaciated and abandoned by a Jacksonville roadside, the case helped raise awareness of the anonymous animal cruelty tip line and the cash rewards offered for information leading to an arrest. We discuss how the partners hope the expanded effort helps stem animal abuse and neglect across the region. Guests: * Chase Robinson, executive director, First Coast Crime Stoppers * Steve MacKinnon, director, Nassau County Animal Services 250 plus 4th Two days of celebrations mark Independence Day in Jacksonville this year in recognition of the nation’s semiquincentennial. On July 3, from 5:30-10 p.m., Friendship Fountain on the city’s Southbank will be home to Freedom Fest, an event featuring live music, food trucks and free apple pies to the first 1,000 guests. On July 4th, the city’s Riverfront Plaza will feature local art, live bands and the largest fireworks display in Jacksonville's history. The event runs from 4 to 9:30 p.m., with fireworks getting underway at 9 p.m. We talk to organizers to get tips on viewing, parking and celebrating safely. Guests: * Alex Alston, executive director of sports and entertainment, city of Jacksonville * Garrett Callis, parks community programs manager, city of Jacksonville See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.