First Coast Connect: View to a blockade

First Coast Connect: Wild ideas on Cumberland Island

A series of secretive proposed land swaps involving private property owners and the National Park Service have raised alarms that Georgia's largest barrier island could be facing more, and more intensive development. The swaps involve trading publicly held land for environmentally strategic, privately held parcels — something the Park Service says will allow the agency to conserve more vulnerable lands, but which advocates fear will permit private landholders to build larger projects on bigger properties. We discuss the often fraught relationship between land advocates and its federal and state stewards, as well as what a new administration’s priorities mean for an island required to be preserved in a “primitive” state. Guest: Kelly Cox, senior policy specialist, National Wildlife Refuges and Parks Program, Defenders of Wildlife [https://defenders.org/] Not My City Stopping domestic violence by putting the onus on men. We discuss a new prevention initiative that aims to instill in boys and men both the skills and the sense of obligation needed to effectively combat domestic violence. The program is an outgrowth of Hubbard House’s volunteer program Men Against Violence Against Women. Titled “Not My City,” the effort focuses on ways men can effectively support girls and women, while fostering empathy and engagement among their peers. An organizational meeting will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Cox Media Group Jacksonville’s Farah & Farah Performance Studio (11700 Central Parkway). Registration [https://www.hubbardhouse.org/events/] is requested. Guests: * Stephanie Brown, director of community education, Hubbard House [https://www.hubbardhouse.org/] * Stephen Dackiewicz, board president, Hubbard House In the Limelight For the past 35 years, St. Augustine’s only year-round community theater has provided a stage for amateur and rising professional artists alike. Whether staging broad, campy productions like the musical “Hairspray,” or thoughtful absurdist pieces like last year’s “Rhinoceros,” Limelight has proven itself a key fixture on St. Johns County’s cultural landscape. The theater also hosts a monthly open mic night for local performers, comics and artistic upstarts to test drive material in a welcoming, experimental atmosphere. We discuss the theater’s evolution on its path to the the 35-year mark and what its upcoming season will bring. Guest: Missy Schmotzer, interim executive director and director of education, Limelight Theatre [https://www.limelight-theatre.org/] See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Morning Report: Duval School Principal Arrested and State Budget Vetoes

The Baldwin Middle-Senior High School principal is facing a felony charge after an allegation that he failed to report child abuse. Also, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed the state’s new budget while using his veto power to cut more than $800 million in proposed spending. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

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.