First Coast Connect: Breaking down the budget

First Coast Connect: Life-saving lung study

A Jacksonville-based lung study could help reshape lung disease screening guidelines for people considered low risk. The $24.8 million national study [https://www.lung.org/media/press-releases/fy26-jacksonville-lung-health-cohort] is led locally by UF Health and Nemours Children’s Health and is tracking the lung health of 4,000 young adults to better understand how lung disease develops over time. One participant, a 35-year-old nonsmoker, credits the study with saving her life after a scan revealed a cancerous nodule in her right lung. We speak with the lung cohort member and the study’s research director about what participants can expect and how early detection can save lives. Guests: * Dr. Kathryn Blake, director, Center for Pharmacogenomics and Translational Research, Nemours Children’s Health * Cindy Springer, Lung Health Cohort Study participant and development director for the American Lung Association in Jacksonville Moving music A new book explores the adventure one aging musician goes on after learning she may soon forget how to sing or play guitar. Lost in the Summer of ‘69 is USA Today bestselling author Eliza Knight’s latest historical fiction following Eleanor Bell just before her 69th birthday after she learns she is showing early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. She’s determined to make the most of her time left and sets out on a cross-country road trip to California to rediscover her love for music. But Eleanor forgets to tell her family where she’s going, prompting her daughter and granddaughter to go on a journey to find her. We ask the book’s creator about the inspiration for the novel and the importance of the historical setting ahead of two local book events happening this week. Guest: Eliza Knight, USA Today bestselling author of Lost in the Summer of '69 [https://elizaknight.com/books/lost-in-the-summer-of-69/] Band together Big band music and ballroom dancing return to Amelia Island this summer. The Amelia Island Dance Festival features a 12-piece live band, professional vocalists and, of course, dancing. The series includes songs spanning nearly a century from the Jazz Age to modern hits. Dancers of all skill levels are welcome, whether they’re seasoned ballroom enthusiasts or first-timers. Musicians from Crescendo Amelia [https://www.crescendoamelia.com/] join us to discuss how the series is helping keep the legacy of big band and jazz alive while creating a vibrant cultural gathering for residents and visitors alike. Guests: * Dennis Negrin, bandleader, Crescendo Amelia * Kim Reteguiz, vocalist, Crescendo Amelia See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Morning Report: A Major Investment in Jacksonville and Civil Rights History in St. Augustine

A major investment is coming to Jacksonville as Johnson & Johnson announces more than $1 billion in funding for new manufacturing, packaging, and distribution operations tied to its contact lens business. Also, a rabbi who was arrested during the Civil Rights Movement returns to St. Augustine to take part in events remembering the role of Jewish faith leaders in the fight against segregation. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

First Coast Connect: Foodie funding

A city program to incentivize and ignite the Downtown bar and restaurant scene has been picking up steam, with 11 project grants awarded since 2024 — nearly four times as many as in the program’s first three years. Food writer Hanna Raskin says the often significant grants paved the way for several new additions to the urban core landscape, including a vinyl listening room over Keane’s Tavern, Dorothy’s Downtown restaurant and the Pour Taproom. We talk about what the tax incentives have bought and whether that could be changing in an uncertain budget landscape. Guest: Hanna Raskin, food writer for Jacksonville Today [https://jaxtoday.org/2026/05/31/food-section-public-incentives-downtown-restaurants/] Coffee talk The fight to unionize the world’s largest coffee chain is the subject of a new documentary. In 2021, workers at a Starbucks in Buffalo, New York, became the first store in the country to form a union. The film traces the evolution of the movement, which has now spread to 700 stores nationwide, even though workers are still fighting for their first contract. The film, which is narrated by Susan Sarandon, screens at the Museum of Contemporary Art at noon June 20, followed by a Q&A with director Mark Mori, moderated by the city’s film commissioner, Todd Roobin. Guest: Mark Mori, director, Baristas vs Billionaires [https://www.baristasvsbillionaires.com/] Classical history Since its inception in 2007, the St. Augustine Music Festival has focused on uplifting music in an exceptional space. The annual event, held at the Cathedral Basilica on the Plaza de la Constitución, is the brainchild of acclaimed musicians Jorge Peña (viola) and Jin Kim-Peña (cello), who both played with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra before creating the region’s largest free classical chamber music concert series. In honor of its 20th anniversary and the nation’s 250th, this year’s festival is shaped around themes highlighting the spirit of America, as well as the classical sounds that inspire the human spirit. Guests: * Jorge Peña, St. Augustine Music Festival co-founder and artistic director * Jin Kim-Peña, St. Augustine Music Festival co-founder and artistic director See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Morning Report: New Duval Schools HQ Bids and Historical Markers in LaVilla

The Duval County School Board receives new bids for its Prudential Drive headquarters. Plus, Jacksonville unveils the LaVilla Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Heritage Trail, highlighting the history and culture of one of the city’s predominantly Black communities through new markers and artwork. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Morning Report: New Pediatric Hospice Care In Jax and Property Tax Amendment Lawsuit

A new pediatric hospice and critical care center has opened on Jacksonville’s Southside, offering a dedicated space for children with serious illnesses and their families. Also ahead, a legal challenge is questioning the wording of Florida’s proposed property tax exemption amendment that voters will consider in November. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.