First Coast Connect: Government expert Chris Hand

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.

The Morning Report: Affordable Housing Push in JAX and New State Laws

A new pilot program in Jacksonville between the city and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development aims to expand affordable housing through modern manufactured homes, with the first site planned for the city’s Northside. Also, a wide range of new Florida laws take effect as the state begins its new fiscal year. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

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.