WJCT News Now Plus

A Jacksonville neighborhood transforms via a long-awaited transition from septic tanks to city sewer service, with the Christobel Septic Tank Phase Out Project expected to bring improvements to nearly 500 homes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Dr. Joe looks at a summer beach hazard, the risks lurking behind easy access to weight-loss drugs, and an unconventional bug-fighting strategy aimed at a serious virus. Vibrio season is underway, with the flesh-eating bacteria already detected in coastal waters from Long Island to Florida. Dr. Joe explains exactly how this bug gets into your body, and why your odds of getting it are sma...

The once sleepy, quaint and borderline podunk vibe of 1980s and ‘90s St. Augustine is now ancient history in the Ancient City. In its place: a buzzy tourist favorite that ranks high on influencer feeds and glossy magazines’ Top 10 lists. T-shirt and seashell shops have given way to upscale Airbnbs, sleek coffee vendors and, now, four Michelin recognized restaurants. Some who’ve w...

JEA CEO Vickie Cavey faces questions from a Jacksonville City Council investigation into workplace concerns, leadership changes, and the utility’s decision-making process. Plus, Florida’s more than $114 billion state budget heads to Governor Ron DeSantis as lawmakers await his decisions ahead of the new fiscal year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As multiple investigations into JEA continue, local climate activists are calling on the Jacksonville utility to lower rates and commit to phasing out the use of fossil fuels. The demands are outlined in a new petition calling on JEA to reduce emissions, improve air quality and find more sustainable plans to reduce energy costs long term. The move comes as solar power use grows and coal usage decl...

Jacksonville’s proposed city budget is expected to include another year of increased spending on police and fire services, with department leaders requesting additional funding for staffing and salaries. Also, Florida officials are tightening restrictions on 7-OH, a compound derived from the kratom plant, as the state says some manufacturers are finding ways around previous limits. See omnys...

Florida is considered a leader in land preservation nationwide, with roughly 31% of the state’s land designated for conservation efforts. But the fight to get there was no easy feat. Rather, it took years of pushing by advocates, politicians and artists to establish the environmental protections we see today. Environmental attorney and author Clay Henderson details the “small victories...

The National Rifle Association is among groups challenging Florida’s three-day waiting period to buy firearms, and State Attorney James Uthmeier says he agrees with the people suing over the policy. And in St. Augustine, a boy recovering from an e-bike wreck gets a surprise from an NFL star. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Jacksonville Today associate editor Mike Mendenhall sits down with Elizabeth Caldwell, the newsroom's new investigative reporter, to talk about her path from teaching and the U.S. Coast Guard to public radio in Tulsa. Caldwell shares how a prison art show led her to uncover the extraordinary case of a woman serving life without parole — reporting that, picked up by NPR, ultimately...

Each month, we sit down with attorney and government expert Chris Hand to break down local and national political headlines. Among our topics: Proposed property tax cuts draw legal challenges and criticism from economists, with projections estimating a $5 billion loss in the first year. Voters in Duval County will decide whether to extend a property tax first approved in 2022 to supplement teacher...

A new employee survey offers the first look at morale inside JEA since a Jacksonville City Council investigation into workplace concerns started. We also preview Juneteenth events across Jacksonville and St. Augustine marking the end of slavery in the United States. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Dr. Joe looks at how cutting‑edge cancer science, a tidal wave of mental health needs, and an old‑meets‑new diet trend are reshaping everyday health conversations. An experimental personalized mRNA vaccine from Moderna cut the risk of melanoma returning in half over five years, with about 70 percent of recipients cancer‑free versus 49 percent on standard treatment alone. Dr. Joe explain...

As Juneteenth celebrations kick off across the city, we take a closer look at the long road from emancipation to equality. Becoming a federal holiday in 2021, Juneteenth marks the anniversary of June 19, 1865, the date when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, declaring all enslaved people be freed. The troops came more than 2½ years after President Abrahamn Lincoln signed the Emanci...

A Jacksonville nonprofit is launching a new effort focused on engaging men and boys in preventing domestic abuse and promoting healthy relationships. Plus, St. Johns County leaders are considering a temporary pause on new data center developments as officials weigh potential impacts on the region’s power and water systems. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Jacksonville-based lung study could help reshape lung disease screening guidelines for people considered low risk. The $24.8 million national study 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 he...

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....

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&r...

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 for privacy information.

Jacksonville Today Editor Jessica Palombo sits down with City Hall reporter and associate editor Mike Mendenhall to break down the mounting controversy around Jacksonville’s telehealth program. Mike explains the allegations of fraud made by a City Council member, why no evidence has surfaced, and how he approaches reporting on claims without verification. Hear how he balances holding officia...

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 for privacy information.

With qualifying in all Florida races set to wrap this Friday, we catch up with Democratic candidate for state attorney general José Javier Rodríguez. Some recent internal and external polls suggest his challenge of appointed Republican incumbent James Uthmeier is within a handful of percentage points. We ask the candidate if his campaign is being affected by state and national news,...

Efforts to improve water quality along Jacksonville’s Trout River are expanding, as volunteers add new oyster habitats designed to filter pollution. Also, a Fort Myers man is suing the Jacksonville Beach Police Department and other law enforcement agencies after he was arrested following a facial recognition match that was later challenged. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...

This week, Dr. Joe looks at how new science is reshaping everything from one of the deadliest cancers to how we talk about weight—and even what we’re willing to use to heal a wound. A phase III trial of a new oral pill for metastatic pancreatic cancer has been called a “grand slam,” with patients on the drug living about 13 months on average compared with 6 months on standa...

A 6.1 earthquake is just the latest jolt to the lives of ordinary Cubans, who are dealing with political uncertainty, frequent blackouts and an oil shortage so severe people have taken to burning garbage for fuel. We speak to four Jacksonville organizers of a youth and labor delegation that recently traveled to Cuba. They discuss the challenges, as well as how supply and power shortages are affect...

Duval County voters will decide this November whether to renew a school property tax that district leaders say supports teacher salaries, arts programs, and athletics. We’ll explain why the Jacksonville City Council moved the measure forward and what’s at stake for local schools. Also, Nassau County commissioners have approved a one-year moratorium on new data center applications...