Media Roundtable Week in Review on WJCT’s First Coast Connect

We looked at the biggest news story this week as we welcomed our weekly media roundtable to the show to discuss last night’s Republican national debate at the University of North Florida. Joining us to talk about how the Republican candidates fared in the last debate before Florida’s GOP primary next week were: Larry Hannan, reporter from the Florida Times-Union; David Chapman, reporter for the Financial News and Daily Record; John Burr, editor of the Jacksonville Business Journal; and, in honor of last night’s big event, Dargan Thompson, UNF journalism student and reporter for the student newspaper The UNF Spinnaker.

During our Weekend Warrior segment, we talked about the ultimate challenge for weekend warriors – climbing the city’s tallest building, all in the name of charity. It’s the American Lung Association’s 4th Annual Fight for Air Climb, a major fundraiser for local residents suffering from lung health problems. With more about the event, we welcomed Nicola Barnack, development manager for the American Lung Association in Florida, and Conny Smith of Wells Fargo, a sponsor of the event.

It was one of the most radical periods in contemporary art – the 1960s saw an explosion of creativity that reflected the turbulent social and political events of the time. The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (MOCA) is exploring the art of the 60s in a new exhibit opening this weekend. MOCA executive director Marcelle Polednik joined us in the studio with a preview of “ReFocus: Art of the 1960s.”

We heard from our resident movie critic Cinema CJ as he reviewed the new movie “Man on a Ledge.”

And we finished off this Friday edition of First Coast Connect in style as Jacksonville’s own progressive rock band Polygons joined us. They’re releasing their second CD, “The Other Side,” tonight with a special show at Freebird Live. Their song “Two Steps Back” closed out the show this morning.

If you missed any portion of today’s program, be sure to check out our podcasts at www.wjctondemand.org or listen to the replay of this program tonight at 8 pm on WJCT Arts.

You can join in on the discussion by clicking the add comment button. We value your feedback.

Republican Debate at the University of North Florida on WJCT’s First Coast Connect

With only four candidates left standing, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul will take the stage at the University of North Florida tonight for CNN’s nationally televised debate. This is the last debate before the Florida GOP primary election next Tuesday. After Newt Gingrich scored an upset over Mitt Romney in South Carolina, Florida has become a major fight. What can we expect from the debate and the primary? We discussed it all with Lenny Curry, Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida.

Food Network star Paula Deen has recently announced that she has Type 2 diabetes. Deen is famous for her delicious but fattening Southern cooking, and her announcement has drawn a decidedly mixed reaction. How did her eating habits contribute to her disease? What can other Americans learn for Deen’s diagnosis about being more proactive with their own health? Dr. Desmond Bell, founder of the Save a Leg, Save a Life Foundation, and Juana Brown, coordinator of the diabetes program at the Duval County Health Department, joined us in the studio with more information about the disease.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Next to Normal broke new ground on Broadway by bringing to life the impact of mental illness on the American family. Players by the Sea is presenting this critically acclaimed work, with proceeds from the show benefiting Mental Health America of Northeast Florida. We got a preview of the show from Joe Schwarz, executive director of Players by the Sea, Sam Fisher, director of Next to Normal, and Michael Pruitt, former president of the Jacksonville Psychiatric Society.

And we found out what’s happening around this weekend with Jacksonville Magazine‘s Kerry Speckman.

If you missed any portion of today’s program, be sure to check out our podcasts at www.wjctondemand.org or listen to the replay of this program tonight at 8 pm on WJCT Arts.

You can join in on the discussion by clicking the add comment button. We value your feedback.

Gulf Coast Live: Arts Edition – “Nick Danger: Third Eye” / Photographers Matt and Rebecca Larson

“Nick Danger: Third Eye” a parody of the 1940’s radio detective shows originally written and performed by The Firesign Theatre in 1969 comes to Sarasota. This bit of theatrical history is the first ever fully dramatized presentation of ‘Nick Danger’.  It will be performed at the Powel Crosley Estate.

 

Then husband and wife photographers Matt and Rebecca Larson use a 23 foot Flying Cloud Airstream RV as their gallery.  They bring their moving studio to the In One Instant Gallery in Fort Myers this weekend.

GUESTS:
Larry Barrett
David Osman
Matt Larson
Rebecca Larson

The show will be live at Noon on 90.1 FM
Call in: 1-877-428-8255
Email: gulfcoastlive@wgcu.org

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Intersection: Haridopolos on delaying budget negotiations

Lawmakers’ top priority during each Legislative session is to approve a balanced state budget. But this year Senate President Mike Haridopolos has gathered support from a majority of senators who want to delay budget negotiations.

Lawmakers face a difficult budget year. They’ll have to address an up to $2 billion short-fall after already having made deep cuts in recent years. Lawmakers convened early this year for the once-in-a-decade task of redistricting and are not required to have a budget in place until the start of the fiscal year on July 1.

This week on Intersection Haridopolos says lawmakers should wait and approve a budget closer to July 1, when they will have more up-to-date fiscal projections.

“If you’re trying to make a decision would you rather have nine months worth of data or six months worth of data?” he asked.

Haridopolos’ position is at odds with House Speaker Dean Cannon, who says lawmakers should proceed with budget negotiations.

Do you think delaying budget negotiations is a good idea? Tune into Intersection on Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. The show is rebroadcast Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. Or listen online and share your perspective here on Florida Talks.

Gulf Coast Live: Sexual Abuse Awareness / Impact of Domestic Violence

According to the National Center for Victims of Crime, one in four girls and one in four boys are sexually abused before they reach their 18^th birthday and the number of actual cases of abuse is predicted to be much higher as children are often afraid to report the abuse.

We’ll talk with childhood sexual abuse survivor turned advocate, Lauren Book as she comes through Southwest Florida in her third annual Walk in My Shoes campaign raising awareness about childhood sexual abuse and encouraging victims to speak up.  Book’s journey of more than 1,000 miles through the sunshine state will end in Tallahassee where she’s been lobbying legislators.

We’ll find out about her priorities for the state’s 2012 legislative session, plus well talk with local abuse victim advocates through the Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida and Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc.

Plus, the A.C.T emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence is in great need of items such as diapers.  We’ll take a look the increased need for supplies and what that could indicate about the prevalence of domestic violence and abuse in Southwest Florida.
Florida Child Abuse Hotline
1-800-96-ABUSE (962-2873)

Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida
239-939-2808

Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc.
24-Hour Hotline: 239-939-3112
Emergency Shelter: 239-939-3112

The show will be live at Noon on 90.1 FM
Call in: 1-877-428-8255
Email: gulfcoastlive@wgcu.org

Click here to go to the show’s page

National School Choice Week on WJCT’s First Coast Connect

A proposal to give parents a say in what to do with Florida’s chronically failing schools cleared its first stops in the state House and Senate yesterday. The bills are part of a nationwide movement to get parents more involved in public school systems, happening as proponents celebrate National School Choice Week this week. We discussed the bills, National School Choice Week and education reform with Colleen Wood, president of Save Duval Schools, and Lisa Graham Keegan, a senior adviser for National School Choice Week.

A series of events is underway at the University of North Florida to celebrate diversity and inclusion. UNF’s “Week of One” features a global awareness project called I AM EQUAL. This photo documentary showcases people for around the world taking a stand for human rights. We spoke to Jason Beckett, co-founder of the “I AM EQUAL,” and Melissa Hirschman, visiting assistant professor of psychology at UNF, about the project.

The newest eatery at the St. Johns Town Center, Seasons 52, made a splash when it opened recently with a major marketing push touting the fact that no item on their menu is over 475 calories. This is part of a growing trend in the restaurant world, which has become notorious for huge, oversized portions that contribute at least in some part to America’s obesity epidemic. How is the small plates trend affecting Americans’ waistlines, and restaurants’ bottom lines? We discussed the trend with Tom Gray, executive chef and operating partner at Jacksonville’s Bistro Aix.

First Coast Connect contributor Jay Solomon was back this morning with another commentary, this time featuring his thoughts on media bias.

And we got a preview of the Jacksonville RollerGirls roller derby team’s 2012 season as team member Kerri Lewis, aka Fancy Schmancy, joined us. They will be holding their season opener this Saturday, the 28th, at the UNF arena.

If you missed any portion of today’s program, be sure to check out our podcasts at www.wjctondemand.org or listen to the replay of this program tonight at 8 pm on WJCT Arts.

You can join in on the discussion by clicking the add comment button. We value your feedback.

Changes in Florida’s No-Fault Insurance Law on WJCT’s First Coast Connect

Major changes in the state’s no-fault insurance law could be coming out of the state legislative session. This comes as concern about the growing number of Florida drivers with no insurance increases. What could these changes mean for you? We discussed the issue with Wayne Hogan, attorney and president of the Terrell Hogan law firm, and David Miller, one of the owners of Brightway Insurance.

The 12-step program is a time-honored method for coming to grips with addiction, and eventually embracing recovery. A specialist in addiction and recovery is speaking on there First Coast this week, and is bringing a unique perspective to the process. Rabbi Kerry Olitsky, executive director of the Jewish Outreach Institute, joined us by phone to tell us about the area of Jewish Twelve Step spirituality.

Fred Schultz was instrumental in everything from the development of Jacksonville’s highway system to the construction of the city’s major universities, and the resolution of Jacksonville’s 1960s civil rights turmoil. His business and civic achievements literally changed the face of Jacksonville, and a new book takes a look at how Schultz’s impact has touched virtually everyone who lives here. Historian and author Dr. Wayne Wood was in the studio with more about the book about Fred Schultz he has collaborated on with Rev. John L. Young, The Gift of Public Service. Dr. Wood and Rev. Young will be speaking about the book tonight at the Jacksonville Historical Society.

And in our Tech Tuesday segment, we heard from our resident Tech Guy, Ray Hollister, about Apple’s new plan to revolutionize the education industry with iBook textbooks.

If you missed any portion of today’s program, be sure to check out our podcasts at www.wjctondemand.org or listen to the replay of this program tonight at 8 pm on WJCT Arts.

You can join in on the discussion by clicking the add comment button. We value your feedback.

Gulf Coast Live: Wood Stork Protection Status/ Great Backyard Bird Count/Wildfires

More than four years ago, researchers with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommended a downgrade in protection status for the Wood Stork from ‘endangered’ to ‘threatened.’  Property rights advocates and developers want the federal agency to follow the advice of its own scientists and finalize the status change, claiming the wadding birds’ protected status is an economic hardship.

However, researchers with Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary say the success of the Wood Stork’s breeding population in South Florida is a myth and urge federal wildlife managers to use caution with the proposed change.

We’ll weigh the pros and cons.  Plus, birders throughout North America will participate in the annual Great Backyard Bird Count next month.

We’ll take a look at how you can participate as we highlight some of the migratory bird species that winter in Southwest Florida.  Also, we’ll touch base with the Florida Forestry Service for a look at wildlife mitigation efforts in the region and how back to back La Nina weather patterns this year and last year could impact the risk for wildfires.

The show will be live at Noon on 90.1 FM
Call in: 1-877-428-8255
Email: gulfcoastlive@wgcu.org

Click here to go to the show’s page

Saving the St. Johns River Ferry on WJCT’s First Coast Connect

State Representative Janet Adkins is hosting a public meeting tomorrow in Tallahassee to discuss the possible closure of the St. Johns River Ferry. The service links Fort George Island and Mayport Village, and has been operating since 1948. But JAXPORT now says it cannot continue to fund the ferry. That’s leading to a scramble as activists and lawmakers try to find a way to keep the ferry running. To discuss the latest we welcomed Jacksonville City Councilman Bill Gulliford; Bobby Taylor, Heckscher Drive Community Club President; and Drew Dixon, reporter for the Florida Times-Union, who has covered the ups and downs around the St. Johns River Ferry for some 20 years.

And we debuted a new segment this morning: First Coast Success, hosted by Karen Brune Mathis, editor of the Financial News and Daily Record. She spoke to Chris and Robin Sorensen, founders of Jacksonville-based Firehouse Subs, for this inaugural edition of the segment.

They’ve designed some of the most prominent and striking buildings in town, but many aren’t aware that Jacksonville is home to a talented collection of architects. Their vision and commitment to the local arts scene will be on full display at a special event at the main library this week. Dave Engdahl, Melody Bishop and John Zona, all with the Jacksonville Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, joined us in the studio with a preview of the “Ten Architects You Should Know” event.

She spent years in Beverly Hills penning scripts for the famous, selling over a dozen projects to Hollywood. Even though screenwriter Sharon Cobb left Los Angeles, she’s still at it, writing film scripts from her home in Avondale. Now she has put her adventures in Tinseltown into a new book. It’s called False Confessions of a True Hollywood Screenwriter, and as Cobb told us this morning, it has some juicy tidbits about the industry.

If you missed any portion of today’s program, be sure to check out our podcasts at www.wjctondemand.org or listen to the replay of this program tonight at 8 pm on WJCT Arts.

You can join in on the discussion by clicking the add comment button. We value your feedback.

Gulf Coast Live: Justice System Reform & Florida Alimony Law

A recent public opinion poll conducted by the Florida TaxWatch Center for Smart Justice finds that 80% of likely Republican voters support reforms for the state’s criminal and juvenile justice systems.  We’ll take a look at how the results could influence state lawmakers now in their annual legislative session and we’ll explore proposed changes to the justice system that the non-partisan research institute says would reduce the number of non-violent offenders in prison, reduce crime and save money.

Plus, we’ll examine legislative proposals in the Florida House and Senate aimed at changing the state’s alimony laws.  Supporters of the bill with Florida Alimony Reform say the rules are antiquated and need to be updated to reflect the 21^st century realities of marriage.  Meanwhile opponents of the bill say the change isn’t needed and worry it would diminish a judge’s ability to consider the unique circumstances of each divorce case.  We’ll hear arguments from both sides.

The show will be live at Noon on 90.1 FM
Call in: 1-877-428-8255
Email: gulfcoastlive@wgcu.org

Click here to go to the show’s page